Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Amina Smith has been surrounded by the world of sports since she was just five years old. From running track and field growing up to embarking on a collegiate track career at the University of South Carolina, the sports industry was a space Amina was passionate about her entire life. As she transferred to the University of Miami to finish her undergraduate degree in Communications, she began reflecting on whether to pursue a professional career running track or focus on her passion for sports journalism. Upon realizing her love for storytelling in the world of sports, she decided to pursue a career in journalism full-force. From having her own radio show at the University of South Carolina to covering the football team at the university, Amina began to strengthen her skills and confirm her passion for sports reporting. It was only up from there! After graduating from the University of Miami, she immersed herself in her post-collegiate career and embarked on a series of internships. From working with Russell Simmons at GlobalGrind to interning at Fox, Amina continued to further her experience in the industry. In 2014, she accepted an on-air position in Kansas and officially began her professional career in reporting. After just two years, she moved to Chicago to work for the Big Ten Network covering football, volleyball, and basketball. Shortly after, she meshed her love for sports and entertainment and started covering events such as the VMAs, BET Awards, and the NBA Awards with the BET Network. She hasn’t stopped since! Currently, she is working as a reporter and TV host with Stadium Sports Network in Chicago and is also building her brand beyond the airwaves through her blogs, IGTV series, and videos on her personal platform.
How was that transition from college into the world of sports broadcasting/journalism?
The transition was really hard, I am not going to lie. You know, as a young journalist coming out of college, you are sending out hundreds and hundreds of emails with your demo reel and trying to put your best foot forward, and literally everybody is telling you “no.” I remember being 21 years old, very young, and I was just like “Oh my gosh no one is hiring me. Is this the thing that I am supposed to be doing?” I had like an Excel spreadsheet of all the stations that I had reached out to—in Wisconsin, Washington, Louisiana, and (more)—, and I think out of probably more than 100 stations, three got back to me. It was just a tough time. I always tell a lot of young journalists coming out of school, “Once you get that first break, once you get that first job, it becomes so much easier. The hardest thing is really getting your foot in the door. You have to be persistent, you have to keep pushing, and you have to try to get through those challenges. I promise, once you get through and get that first job—which is always the hardest—it becomes easier.” It was definitely a tough transition (for me), but you have to be strong mentally to be in this business, and you have to really develop confidence in yourself and your abilities.
"A lot of different things come into play, but I definitely (think) my passion for sports, my competitive nature, and the 'work hard (with a) strong work ethic' mentality that I have garnered from being a student-athlete my entire life motivate me."
- Amina on her sources of motivation .
How did you get started building your personal brand? What was the biggest challenge that you faced early on?
I think the biggest challenge for me early on with creating my brand was just doing it and trying to make sure that it was perfect. I feel like I was kind of getting in my own way—it took me about two and a half years to actually publish my website. There were just so many (things) going on in my head trying to make sure everything was perfect. At one point I realized, “Okay, I have to just do it. I have to just put it out there.” It was weird because it became so much easier once I actually let it go and put it out there. I really created (my brand) because I had a lot of people come to me and ask me about how I got to where I am, how I got to work in entertainment, how I got to work in sports, what it was like trying to get internships as a young journalist, what it was like to get that first job, and (more). My real purpose of creating that platform was to share those experiences with other young men and women in the industry. It developed into a lot of other things because I have an interest in beauty, I have an interest in lifestyle, and I am getting married—which I write on my blog as well—, so it has allowed me to create (content) that other people can relate to. I was getting so many messages at one point that I was like, “You know what, maybe if I just put these messages, stories, and blogs out and share them with people, then people will know they are not the only one going through these experiences of finding a job, getting internships, (etc).” That is kind of where my thoughts started and the expansion of my brand really took shape.
What are some things that motivate and inspire you throughout this journey?
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