Her Story
About Tanyjah
I'm an Operations Manager at Illich Sports and Entertainment, where I oversee operations for the Detroit Red Wings, Detroit Tigers, Fox Theater, and 313 Presents, which handles concerts in Detroit. I joined the company in October 2024 as a supervisor and was promoted to manager in July 2025. In my role, I manage the supervisors, handling scheduling, conducting one-on-ones, and coaching them toward becoming managers themselves. I deal with all employee relations issues, including HR matters and corrective actions. One of my most notable achievements has been completely transforming our training process. Before I arrived, training wasn't organized - people would just get hired and shadow somebody. I created a whole training process from scratch, including presentations and handouts, so new hires are properly prepared and understand expectations. I also facilitate ongoing training for current employees every three months. This work got me recognized and was a big factor in my promotion. I'm also part of the ACES Women's Resource Group at work, where we celebrate women in sports, host networking events, and give back to the Detroit community by reading at schools and donating books. My journey into entertainment business came from combining my love of music and business. My family has a strong business background - my grandmother had her own business, and my mom currently runs a clothing store in Michigan that I helped her start. I also manage artists in the music industry, which inspired me to get my degree so I could learn the field properly rather than doing it blindly. I came to this company to build connections, and my goal is to eventually work for the division that throws the concerts. I wasn't a big sports fan initially, but working here has made me love sports too.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Tanyjah
01What do you attribute your success to?
I would say my family. My family is my biggest support system. They encourage me, they support me. So, I mean, I wouldn't be able to do it without them. And then they also set the standard as far as just leaping out on faith and going the business route. My grandmother had her own business, and my mom also has a current business now - a clothing store here in Michigan that I helped her start. That entrepreneurial background really inspired me and showed me what was possible when you take that leap of faith.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've received is to lead by example - always lead by example. This applies not only when it comes to work, but also how you deal with people. Treat everybody professionally, even if you don't get along with someone. Just remain professional at all times, and you won't go wrong. That advice has really guided me in my role as a manager, especially when dealing with thousands of employees and navigating different personalities and situations every day.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say, you know, don't take things personal. That will get you far - try to not lead with your emotion, and lead with logic. And I will also say, like, let your work speak for itself, so just put the work in, and you won't even have to really say much. It will speak for itself. In this field, especially when you're dealing with so many different people and situations, keeping that professional mindset and letting your results do the talking is what will set you apart.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenges are learning to deal with different types of people. We have thousands of employees, so you know, we run into something new every day. This job has really taught me to just be calm under any situation and seek to understand what's going on. Don't just rush to discipline someone - try to figure out what's going on with them. They could be dealing with something in their personal life. Some things are harder to deal with than others, but if you just seek to understand a person and follow the process, you can handle it. The opportunity side is that I'm learning more of the HR side of things now that I'm a manager, so I'm learning how to handle situations delicately on the HR side, but also still be a human. It's about finding that balance between following proper procedures and genuinely caring about people.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that are most important to me are integrity and being kind and caring about people. I feel like that's what's gotten me so successful in this company so far. Sometimes it can be overwhelming, because everybody loves to come to me - there are other managers, but everybody loves to come to me. I attribute that to me actually caring about people, and hearing them out, and wanting to support them in any way I can, whether it's business or their personal life. I just feel like we have to care about the people that are working and supporting us. I know it's business, but we also have to care about people. That's my biggest value - basically integrity and being kind and caring about people.
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