Delaware State University alum Chanelle S. Reynolds is a force to be reckoned with. Her career in the sports world keeps her busy, but she hasn’t stopped there. As an author, Reynolds uplifts those coming up after her by sharing her career experiences in “The Success Playbook.”
Chanelle’s hard work has continued to pay off since graduating from her HBCU. Her path for greatness was bolstered by her experiences at Delaware State University, where she majored in Marketing. While on campus, she excelled both in and out of the classroom. She became a member of the American Marketing Association as well as the NAACP and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. She was even a member of SGA and the Vice President of her senior class.
After College
Once she graduated from DSU, her determination remained but it wasn’t as easy as she thought it would be. We were just as surprised as she said she was when she admitted that her first post-college job was at Nordstrom. “Yes, Nordstrom,” she said. “Granted, I love Nordstrom, but I never expected it to be a part of my post-graduate career path.” However, when you’re determined to succeed nothing can truly stop you.
She knew she had a gift for marketing, and the opportunity came through an entry ticket sales position in the NBA’s G-League. She worked hard and eventually her work spoke for itself. After 4 years she was able to move on up to work for the NFL. “ I couldn’t miss out on such a unique opportunity so I came to DC and the rest was history!”
Chanelle was an integral part of the Group Sales Department launch for the Washington Redskins, a coveted opportunity. Being in the big leagues isn’t always as fun and easy as it sounds, and we had to ask about the reality of her experience.
“Outside of the industry being competitive, there aren’t many black women in the industry and at the time I didn’t really have anyone to look up to so I had to visualize something that I’ve never seen before. I had to visualize myself as a black woman in a position of power at a professional sports team. So I had to be the hardest worker in the room.”
Her Experiences
These experiences have contributed to her writing “The Success Playbook.” The book is targeted towards students, recent graduates, and professionals alike. She brings out her expertise for business and personal growth. You can preorder her book here. Her passion for uplifting her community hasn’t stopped with this book, reaching out to her community. To ensure that her advice gets out and others don’t make the same mistakes, she donates 25 books for every 250 sold. Those books go to the Leaders of Tomorrow Program, an initiative powered by the National Black MBA Association, of which she is a member.
With so much accomplished, we had to ask what keeps Chanelle going “I’m a very big advocate for personal growth and development. I’m a big believer that through faith, emotional intelligence and other avenues, you can create the life that you want. You can travel on this journey of success and be successful in your respective industry.”
To learn more about Chanelle’s story and her books, visit www.chanellesreynolds.com The Success Playbook officially drops September 8, 2020.
