Employee Spotlight on our Sponsorship Marketing Executive, Nikki

Welcome to our first employee spotlight. Each month you will meet a new team member, where you will get to know more about them and their experience at Easygo. This month, we are meeting Nikkita, or her preferred nickname, Nikki. Nikki is in our Acquisition team and has done some wonderful things for us at Easygo! 

Can you please tell us about yourself?

Hi, I’m Nikki and I work at Easygo as a Sponsorship Marketing Executive. I support the Acquisition team with identifying, acquiring and managing Stake’s portfolio of global sports and entertainment sponsorship. 

What were you doing before Easygo and what interested you in working here?

Much of my professional experience has revolved around sports marketing, but a few years prior to joining Easygo, I took the deliberate decision to step out of the sports industry to discover if there was anything else that genuinely intrigued me, and this was when I decided to try my hand at retail luxury marketing. I eventually realized how much I missed the rush of adrenaline and I knew I belonged back in the world of sports and entertainment. This is when I chose to apply to Easygo. The opportunity so far has given me the chance to collaborate and connect with a variety of elite and globally recognised sporting teams and athletes, which is a dream for many, including myself!

What has been your most exciting project so far? 

When I joined the company, the brand already had a diverse roster of international sports and ambassador sponsorships, including the UFC, Everton F.C. in the English Premier League, Sergio Aguero, Israel Adesanya and many more.  During my interview, I discussed my passion for Formula 1 and emphasized how it is truly a global sport. Coincidentally, at the time of my hiring, the company was already considering entering the Formula 1 ecosystem. I still vividly recall how, on my third day at the company, my manager and Director of Acquisition, Akhil Sarin, invited me to participate in a phone call with an F1 team’s team principal! This was when I knew my interests and passion were acknowledged by top management and I was given the opportunity and freedom to be as involved as I desired, regardless of how new I was to the business. After several months of pushing forward, despite the numerous no’s along the way, we were able to achieve the co-title partnership of Sauber Motorport’s F1 team, which is now, Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake. 

What are some work challenges you have had to overcome?

Unlike other international gaming brands that people may be familiar with, Stake.com is part of a niche and fascinating industry. Therefore, an important aspect of the job is educating the audience in the hopes that it results towards positive perception and association. While this may be a constant challenge, this also gives an opportunity to communicate what the brand is and what it has to offer.  Stake aims to inspire its audience to explore and adopt cryptocurrency and technologies of the future via games of chance or even smart speculation! Understanding the power and potential of cross-collaboration via social media as well as keeping up with the latest developments in the crypto/tech arena, is a key to success in such roles.

However, I believe that Easygo’s acquisition marketing activities have continued to grab people’s attention across the globe - from integrating the dogecoin into the UFC Octagon to developing a streaming platform (Kick.com) that is already considered a major player in less than six months since its launch. It is obvious that Stake and Kick are industry disruptors and strive to push boundaries in their own and unique ways. If you look closely, Easygo’s culture and voice are reflected in Stake’s and Kick’s social content, giving it a playful, light-hearted and easy-going vibe.

What has been the favourite part of your job?

I certainly believe a company’s culture and its people, particularly its leaders, have a significant influence on why I continue to stay. The ad hoc culture, in which everyone feels a sense of ownership, is the foundation of the day-to-day operations at Easygo. Everyone is given the chance to take advantage of opportunities and the company’s team leaders and senior management constantly work to empower each person and their ideas every day. Thanks to Easygo, I have had access to possibilities that I would not have had otherwise. Everyone’s contributions and accomplishments are recognised and appreciated, and as a woman in an industry where men predominate, it's refreshing when our voice is heard and more significantly, to always be offered a seat at the table. Easygo’s co-founders, Edward Craven and Bijan Tehrani deserve all the credit for this.