Shifting gears…

My first job out of college was at Arkansas Tech University as the Coordinator of Information—a fancy title for what was essentially a recruiter. I designed all the marketing materials and had an assigned territory for academic recruitment. While I was there, I also knocked out 15 hours toward a Master’s in Multimedia Journalism. Life happened, and I never got to finish.

Over the years, I’ve revisited the idea of going back, but between time, money, and most of the required courses not being offered online, it’s just never lined up. And honestly, after 20+ years in media and marketing, I’m feeling a little burned out. I’m competing with younger talent every day, and as someone who actively uses AI, I can see the writing on the wall—much of what I do is already being replaced.

If you’ve read enough self-help books like I have, you know about the pivot.

Pivot (n.)
(especially in a business context)
: To completely change the way in which one does something.
—Oxford Dictionary

I’ve had to pivot before. I left advertising and marketing to join Arkansas Tourism, where I oversaw motorcycle tourism, because I love motorcycles. I’ve been attending the Barber Vintage Festival for years and always dreamed of racing vintage bikes. After that, I became the Arkansas Brand Manager for Law Tigers, a motorcycle-centric brand that connects injury lawyers to riders.

Then COVID hit. I pivoted again, returning to marketing. I’m now a content creator for the Central Arkansas Library System’s communications team.

Now, our youngest is entering 10th grade. In three years, we’ll be empty nesters. So the question I keep asking myself is: What’s next?
Do I launch a new business? Grow my freelance work? Pivot to a new career? Start a food truck? (No joke—I’ve considered it.)

This summer, something lit a spark: F1: The Movie.
I’ve got friends who race at high levels in MotoAmerica, and I’ve even helped some find sponsors. I’ve always loved the vibe of racing—not just the competition, but the business behind it: the teamwork, the logistics, the branding, the problem-solving.

That’s when it hit me: Maybe I don’t need to pivot—maybe I need to shift gears.

There’s a saying in motorcycling:

“Drop a gear and disappear.”
It means downshifting to get that sudden burst of acceleration. More torque. More pull. For me, that means finding a “lower gear” in my career—tapping into everything I’ve learned, but applying it in a new direction with fresh energy.

Then—because Facebook is always listening—an ad popped into my feed:
Master of Arts in Motorsport Management at Belmont Abbey College.
It’s the first graduate program of its kind in the U.S., focused on everything from sponsorship and marketing to team operations and governance within motorsports. I filled out the form, got a call from the program director the same day, and the next day we spoke. It checked all the boxes: online, flexible, and they’ll even transfer in some of my old grad credits.

So, I applied. And I got accepted.

Starting in Spring 2026, I won’t be pivoting away from my skills—I’ll be shifting gears and accelerating toward something that truly excites me.