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Name: Emily Bender
Position/Institution: Retail Business Analyst, University of Arizona
Number of years in your position: One year
Alma Mater: Washington State University
Hometown: Monroe, WA

Why did you become involved in ICLA?
My background is in retail and community outreach, so the licensing piece was new to me. Joining ICLA has provided me with a deeper knowledge of the collegiate licensing world.

How has your involvement with ICLA influenced your career?
I'm still fairly new, it'll be a year in May. So, I've really appreciated resources like the conference in Las Vegas. Getting to meet licensing directors from other schools and hear from experts in the industry was enlightening.

Why/when did you decide to pursue a career in collegiate licensing?
I started my career in retail and buying. During my time in Marketing and Brand Management at the university I've held roles in outreach and data analysis. The retail business analyst role is new to the licensing team and I felt it was the perfect blend of my experience and interests.

What is the biggest challenge to working in a university environment?
The silos around departments are always a struggle. But silos around teams with departments can happen too. Making sure that our larger department understands what we are doing and where we can help each other is really important to our overall success.

What is the most important skill you have developed in your career?
Flexibility and resilience, things inevitably don't go exactly as planned so being able to pivot, adjust expectations, and have a willingness to try again are essential.

When people come to you for help, what do they usually want help with?
Analysis, obviously. But really, the focus is creating a compelling narrative from the data. It usually goes like this: Here's what the data shows, what does that mean/what did we learn, then how do we communicate this effectively to the people that can help us take action on what we've learned.

Who has been the most influential person in your career?
There isn't one person. I've been lucky in my career to work with exceptional people. If I see a trait in someone I admire I take that bit with me into the future.

Who's your role model? Why?
I'm not one to look up to one specific person. But if I had to choose, I would say Dolly Parton. She approaches the world with kindness and realism, and I admire that. Additionally, anyone that can casually switch between languages - I wish my brain worked so flawlessly.

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received? What advice would you give to someone looking to enter the field of collegiate licensing?
Mistakes happen so when you make a mistake own up to it, and even better if you can provide a solution when you do. My advice for someone looking to enter collegiate licensing would be to give yourself grace. There will be things you don't know, give yourself the space to learn.

In your opinion, where is collegiate licensing headed in the future?
No pressure, I'm not even a year in on this journey. :) From my perspective, the state of retail is getting more challenging with the growing amount of omnichannel consumers pushing for the need to be "everywhere" they are. So, the relationships we can build with our retail partners to really understand their needs/plans, and where our collegiate products fit into that, is a place to move towards.

If you could choose one (1) amenity to add to the workplace, what would it be?
A massage chair.

What percentage of your workweek is spent in your office?
I work a hybrid schedule so it's probably close to 40/60 between office and home.

If you could turn any activity into an Olympic sport, what would you have a good chance at winning a medal for?
Celebrity trivia. I grew up watching Entertainment Tonight with my mom every night. And to this day my brain just latches on to random facts about celebrities.

What's your favorite quote?
"I'm not going to limit myself just because people won't accept the fact that I can do something else." - Dolly Parton
What hobby would you get into if time and money weren't an issue?
Singing. It would be amazing to have my own recording studio at home.

What is your favorite family tradition?
I'm starting one this year with my kid. Every summer we're going to visit a new country. This summer we're going to South Korea.

What are you really good at that might surprise people?
Cooking and baking. I love being in the kitchen, listening to music, and making good food.

If you didn't have to sleep, what would you do with the extra time?
I'm going to start this by saying that I love sleep. But if I didn't have to sleep, I'd start learning a third language. I'm learning Korean right now for my trip this summer. But Germany is on our list of places to visit too so I'd love to learn German. Or maybe re-learn French since I've forgotten most of it since high school.

What is your biggest pet peeve?
Slow drivers in the left lane. Please move to the right.

What is your favorite binge-worthy show or book you are reading right now?
I can't pick just one but I'm watching The Last of Us and season three of The Mandalorian, and I'm waiting for season two of Yellowjackets to start this month.