Anna-Lisa Bjorklund is our newly hired Director of Sales and Sponsorships. Anna-Lisa joins the Future Legends team after 11 years at Live Nation, with experience in project management, premium sales operations, and VIP hospitality.
Q: Where are you from?
I was born and raised in Lindstrom, Minn., but I was living in Chicago for the past 11 years, and now I’m in Denver!
Q: Could you provide us with a quick summary of your education and career path thus far?
I graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire with a degree in mass communications. After graduation, I moved to Los Angeles and worked for a boutique marketing and advertising agency. I was always very interested in events, so I later transitioned to working for a charter yachts and events business. After a couple of years in Los Angeles, I decided to move back to the Midwest. I landed in Chicago where I worked at Live Nation for 11 years, holding a handful of positions within the company. The majority of my time was spent working in a premium seats capacity; anything that had to do with the operations of a VIP client’s experience came through our department.
Q: Have you previously worked in the sports world?
No, this is my first job in sports. I’ve worked in entertainment, obviously music, but this is my first time making the transition to sports. This particular opportunity was really intriguing to me because the project is in an infancy stage, where we’re literally building it from the ground up. A lot of my time at Live Nation was spent launching new concepts and projects. It was a ‘we want to do this, let’s figure it out’ mentality. So, the creativity of contributing from an early phase, being able to see the direct impact of our hard work, and having a stake in this project is super exciting to me.
Q: What is your proudest professional accomplishment?
This last year, I switched roles [at Live Nation] and took on a project management position. I was responsible for a large capital budget that culminated in 15 renovation or new construction projects across venues within the U.S. My hair was literally on fire, especially since it was working in a discipline I wasn’t super privy to, being construction. We renovated VIP clubs, artist backstage areas, and built out new VIP suite concepts. We managed to deliver every project and open all of the venues by opening day, which was an aggressive timeline. There was a huge exhale afterward. I learned a ton throughout the process. We were a newly created department; the first ones to work on these types of projects. There was no blueprint in place for how to do everything, kind of like this whole situation here at Future Legends.
Q: Which sport has had the biggest impact on your life and why?
Some would probably argue that this isn’t a sport, but dance. I have danced ever since I was little, and it gave me opportunities in building relationships, working collaboratively, and a creative outlet. I would choreograph and teach classes, which gave me the confidence to be in front of the room among peers. Dance has always been a passion of mine, and something I’ve loved to do, for all my life.
Q: What is your goal for Future Legends?
My goal is to establish really great relationships within the community and solid partnerships with sponsors. I want to build a seamless and turnkey operation and process that not only makes it easy to work with us, but a company that people are proud to work with. To be a business within the community with integrity and a brand that people can get behind and want to be a part of.
Q: What excites you most about Future Legends?
The variety. No one day is going to be the same with all the different activities that are going to be taking place, between youth sports, professional sports, events, community, etc. Secondly, since I’m coming in so early in the process, I’m excited to have a voice in how this takes shape and what it looks like. Lastly, the opportunity to learn alone will be amazing!
Q: Who is your sports hero and why?
Megan Rapinoe, because of how she utilizes her platform to advocate for equal pay and equal rights.
