Latasha Causey - Driven by Determination

This week Kate and Megan sit down with Latasha Causey. Greatness often arises from humble beginnings, and Latasha Causey's journey is a testament to that. From her roots in the West Valley of Phoenix, she has shattered glass ceilings, becoming the first female African American track president in NASCAR history at Phoenix Raceway.

But Causey's accomplishments extend far beyond this groundbreaking role. Her unwavering commitment to community development and philanthropy has earned her recognition as one of the Most Influential Women in Arizona and an Outstanding Woman in Business.

Causey's story is a powerful reminder that with determination and a passion for making a difference, anything is possible. Her appointment as track president is not just a personal triumph but a beacon of hope for aspiring leaders, especially women and minorities, who dare to dream big.

Let Latasha Causey's journey inspire you to embrace your own potential and leave an indelible mark on the world. As she takes the helm at Phoenix Raceway, her vision and leadership will undoubtedly propel the sport to new heights while uplifting the community she holds dear. Embrace the courage to break barriers and create a legacy that will inspire generations to come.

Episode Transcript

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This episode is brought to you by Tina's vodka.

(00:02):
I am Natasha Cawsey, the president of Phoenix Raceway, and this is her table.
Now you see her.
[MUSIC]
You are magnificent!
[MUSIC]
Welcome to her table, the podcast that shines a spotlight on the badass women who are redefining the game.

(00:23):
Join hosts, Kate Foley, and Megan Martinez has paid unlock the secrets of success
of the brightest female pioneers in the industry.
Welcome back to another episode of her table.
You have no idea, Megan.
How excited I am to welcome our next guest to the show.
Today we have one of the best energy, best-by people I've met in my life.

(00:44):
Natasha Cawsey joining us on set in California.
Natasha is the new track president at Phoenix Raceway, and she is the first ever African-American
track president in NASCAR history, and the second woman in history of NASCAR to hold that title.
I'm so excited to have her on. You've been talking about her for months.
So can we meet her? Latasha has had a number of accolades, including being named one of the most

(01:08):
influential women in Arizona by AZ Big Media. And in 2018, the Phoenix Business Journal
honored her as part of the most outstanding woman in business awards.
Latasha is big on giving back to the community. She does motivational speaking.
She's invested in what all kinds of boards. She sits on like two, three of them.
I don't know how she has enough time in the day.

(01:29):
She's a mom, but she's also killing it and raising the bar in the game of sports.
I can't wait for our listeners to learn more about Natasha's story and how she has found success
in the sports world. Let's get to it. Latasha pull up a chair. This is it at her table.
Thanks so much for coming on all the way from Phoenix.

(01:50):
Thank you so much for having me. I'm so glad to be here with you guys.
Okay, first of all, happy birthday. Happy birthday.
25 again. I love it. That's what we say. I'm like, what age do you want to be stuck on?
You know what I say, 25, but like what? I didn't know anything. That's why.
I was five. I was four. I had not a good job. I was just figuring it out.

(02:11):
Yeah, I'm like a 29er, I think. I'm with you. I'm more like a 30, 31, right?
I was doing something. Yeah, then you're like, I'm glad to have you.
Yeah, yeah. I already had kids at that point, but that's not the point.
The point is I felt like I was more responsible.
I was in a better, more solid stable place.

(02:32):
Yeah, it's fine. 25. You're like, yeah.
Not really sure.
Can we do that again? 25?
No, that's on what would be your favorite year of your life?
It's a great question. Yeah.
It's a good question. Every year comes with something.
I was 25 when I got married, so that's a great time. That's a great year.

(02:57):
And then I just feel like every time you turn a 30, and then I turned 40 a few years ago,
and I just feel like all of those years are like, I feel something.
I'm telling you though, when you turn 40 years old, what happens?
I'm one of those chicks that obviously I'm sitting here with you guys, right?

(03:18):
And are a type personality, but we just get stuff done, right?
We're with the bosses. I'm telling you, I just don't give a f about a lot of things after four.
My socks went out the window. She's fresh out of them.
I've been out of them for a few years.
We're gonna name that the zero fox four years.
Yeah, I love it.
But you just feel so good about it, though, too.

(03:40):
I don't really give a f like, you're mad and I'm not.
Yeah, that's a good thing.
You're not mad at us.
So you and I not meet.
I also feel like you get to the place where I'm like, I probably lived half my life.
I was thinking about that the other day, and I'm like,
fantastic.
And it was like a little scary, but then I was like, okay, well enough with like the nonsense.
Yeah, because to be honest, we don't know, right?
Like we're all on borrowed time, right?

(04:00):
Right.
And we don't know.
We could have lived half our life.
We could have lived our full life.
I mean, who knows?
Well, I might be a lie to 105 hating life for a long ass time.
Who knows?
You might be 105 and like still doing something.
So give me the pillow.
Do these days, maybe you'll be 130.
Yeah, we're gonna do it.
You better be careful.
If it can be done, I don't care.

(04:20):
I don't care.
I will find, I'm gonna be like the Christianer.
Have that like, she had that hologram of herself.
You better be careful.
I guess it's gonna come in her house and be like,
Kate's here and be like, oh yes, you can't get rid of me.
I just can't keep it.
Pop me up everywhere.
I'm like, I'm not.
You're in anywhere.
It's like, leave me alone hiding in the bathroom.
Yeah.
Leave me alone.
Well, I'm so glad you're on.
I'm so glad to be here with you guys seriously.

(04:41):
I've, you know, of course, been watching all of your shows,
all that things.
Oh, I can't wait for this.
Oh, welcome to our beautiful set.
Yeah.
I love the set.
I love the set.
Love the pink, love all the things.
All the things.
Yeah, we're getting there slowly, slowly.
It's so funny.
We started the show and I had no idea how like,
what would go into it.
It's like, yeah, sure, we're gonna sit down and talk
but then it just becomes like this whole thing

(05:03):
that's morphed into like,
a lifestyle and a culture.
But it's even cool too because so many of our guests are like,
finding, meeting or learning from people
they never would have come across before.
Fantastically.
And that happened with one of our guests the other week
in Julie Geese, who is one of your little besties.
Yes, I love me some JJ.

(05:24):
That's like, no.
JJ.
I'm not, if not for Julie, I mean, honestly,
I wouldn't be at NASCAR and would not be in the position
that I'm in today.
So I'm so grateful to have Julie in my life.
And yes, I saw that she was on the show.
And she was.
And she just said amazing human being.
Although she was annoying because she was like,
I run to reduce stress and I'm like, yeah, well, you're special

(05:45):
because that's not me.
Julie is very special and yeah, that's what she does.
I'm like, and she, but here's the thing though, also,
I don't know if you guys talking about this,
but Julie walks to work every day.
No, yeah.
Yeah, so she didn't tell you that part,
but like in the winter, I mean,
I don't know, it doesn't matter.
It's her.
Sure.

(06:05):
It's the Koggle.
It's the Koggle, right?
So she walks every day.
And like all the time, I'm like, every day you walk, every day.
Oh, there and back.
She went to and from work.
Yeah, so she's like, she gets some serious exercise every day
in the winter, summer, all the things.
Wow, that is amazing.
Yes.
Yeah, she's like, I run to reduce anxiety.

(06:27):
I'm like, you're super cool.
And I feel super inadequate because I just sit
and drink when I have anxiety.
I mean, yeah, that's--
But teach their own, teach their own, Julie.
Remind me when I have anxiety.
I'm not calling you to dig me out of the hole
because what you're going to make me do,
I'm not going to want to do, and it's not going to save me.
It's going to make me crazy pants in a minute.

(06:48):
OK, so you've had a couple of pivots in your career.
And I want you to kind of walk our listeners through
where you started to where you are now.
Yeah, absolutely.
Well, so here's the funny thing.
So I born a race in Phoenix, right?
So Phoenix native are unicorns, right?
We don't really exist.
There's not that many people.
There really is.

(07:08):
Transplants.
I'm a transplant.
Yeah, most people--
Do you feel like a special prize for that?
I think you should petition for it.
I mean, I feel like I should.
And the fact that I'm still there now
have produced other little humans that are
watching the Arizona as well as the Tribunal.
I'm a generational, right?
So I just feel like there should be a prize.
It's a fast-passed lane.
It's a easy fast-passed lane.
Yeah, fast-passed lane.
Yeah, that's what I feel like we deserve in Arizona, right?

(07:32):
But yeah, so born a race there--
so here's the funny thing of when I started my career.
So when I was in high school, there was one thing
that my parents would not pay for, right?
Just one thing.
It was fake fingernails.
And so I always love to get my nails--
that's my thing, right?
You need to go for it, girls, right?
I just got to make sure you maintain certain things, right?

(07:53):
My nails are one of them.
So there was this opportunity at school.
They were going to hire four kids to work at Charles Schwab.
And so I was fortunate enough to be one of those four kids.
And three kids were going to go work as stock brokers
and then one in people's services.
And I'm like, well, I'll take option B.
I don't even know what 16-what-people-service is.

(08:13):
But I definitely knew what a stock broker was.
And I was like, I'm not doing that, right?
I don't want it to be that way.
Whatever that is, it sounds to math.
All the math is not going to math for me.
I'm not doing that.
I'm doing that, Charles Schwab.
I don't want the math side.
No.
The people side on the--
The people--
The people will--
Yes.
So I was, again, fortunate enough to get the job.

(08:33):
I was making $6.50 an hour.
And I mean, it was rich, right?
Like, are you going to not tell me anything?
I had this job at Schwab.
And then, honestly, I was working there.
And then by the time I was 18, I was hired on full time.
And I was also going--
I was going to just go to college.
And so I was like, well, now I'm making $7.50 an hour.
So I'm really rich.

(08:55):
But in those two years, I also started to learn--
when you're at Schwab.
I mean, you learn about investments.
You just learn about so many things.
And so I started learning about saving for your retirement,
started learning about investing in real estate,
all this stuff.
So these hardcore girls, in my mind, I was like,
well, I'm going to be retired by time on 25.
I'm going to own a house or five by the time I'm 20.

(09:20):
So I had all these ideas and all the visions
of things I was going to do.
So that's how I started my career, honestly, as that Schwab.
So it's all through my undergrad.
So I worked there for almost seven years
at a whole bright 16 years old, finished college.
And also at Schwab is when I learned about tuition reimbursement
and all those types of things to really try
to get you to save your money and just do things the right way

(09:41):
in terms of finances.
So that's how, again, I got started.
And then from there, my career just kind of took off.
I mean, work full time, went to school full time,
did graduate in four years, even though I was trying--
trying to figure it all out.
And then I stayed, if you will, in the financial services
industry worked for a couple of organizations doing human

(10:03):
resources.
So I stayed in that people--
people services translate to human resources.
That's really what it is.
So I worked a majority of my career at USAAA for almost 14 years.
And that's where I met Julie.
But when I was at USAAA, so Julie and I were on a women's panel
together for the Phoenix Business Journal.
So Ray Shea from the Business Journal,

(10:24):
he calls, and he's like, hey, there's a woman.
She just moved here from Daytona.
She had been here for three days.
He's like, she needs other women.
Women like you, am I all know what that means?
But OK, Ray.
She needs other women like you to be connected with in the community.
And I'm like, of course, you know, as long as she's a good person,
I'd be happy to help her and do whatever I can to help her get connected.

(10:48):
And that is how I met Julie.
She we became quick friends.
She's an amazing human being.
I was making connections for her.
She's like, you're doing all these connections.
You have to come to a NASCAR race.
And honestly, Phoenix Raceway, essentially,
my parents still live in the same house I was born and raised in.
That's so cool.
Yeah.
And the raceway is maybe 15 minutes, maybe 20 now with all the extra stuff

(11:10):
right in between for my parents' house.
And I'd never been until I met Julie.
So you live next to Phoenix Raceway?
Yes.
Your whole life.
Your whole life.
And you never went until you were--
I was-- so let me see.
That was five years ago.
So I wasn't a 40 yet.
But I was like, she had reached that level.
Yeah.
I had a reach that.

(11:30):
I don't give a fuck level.
I got super Mario brothers.
We'd like go to the stop.
And then you go to the next stop.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So I was in my late 30s.
And because of Julie, it's why I even went to a--
to a-- my first NASCAR race.
But obviously, as you know, it is such a cool experience.
And of course, getting the presidential way from Julie.
Like, this is really cool.

(11:51):
I want to continue to help and support you anyway I can.
And we did that for four--
the four years that she was there.
And then she-- so this true story here.
We on-- if you will, call it like a Thursday night.
So Julie, we became really good friends.
We would have girl time.
And so Julie was at my house like the Thursday before.

(12:12):
We probably were having like, Tequila or something.
I don't know.
Like, Tequila night.
Maybe wine.
I don't know.
But whatever it was, we were having girls night.
Girls night.
The house, right?
And on Monday morning, like, we get--
I get the business journal that says, Julie is moving
to Chicago.
And I'm like, WTF, like, she didn't even say anything.
But of course, she couldn't because there's--
You know, we all know how this works, right?

(12:34):
But I mean, OK, hold on.
Loki, she could have been like, hey.
If you have a question, call me because it
might be a little interesting on Monday morning
when you get your paper.
Not just like a butt out on your paper.
Yeah, so funny, though, because she kept saying,
she always travels a ton, though.
I mean, that's just how NASCAR works.
And she had been spending a ton of time in Chicago.

(12:55):
But it wasn't announced that they were doing--
we were doing a street racing.
Chicago, none of that wasn't public information at the time.
And so Julie, die hard.
She's like a real follower, too.
Yes.
But also just die hard.
NASCAR has been her career.
And so she will do anything for NASCAR.

(13:15):
And so, honestly, so then on Monday, as I'm reading this,
I'm getting a phone call from Julie, right?
And I'm like, girl.
Is there a camera in here?
Yeah.
Just now connected the dots.
And we're going to make this real or what?
Yeah.
And so I'm like, what is it?
So she's like, OK, we don't have time
to talk about that right now.
What I want to talk to you about is what

(13:35):
do you think about taking on as a president of Phoenix Race
Way?
And I'm like, really?
And honestly, it took me--
it took a little while.
I'm like, first of all, I'm like, you know I'm black, right?
So she's like, obviously.
Yeah.
Wait, why?
Yeah.
But there's also just this, you know,

(13:57):
the direction of where NASCAR is going
and all those things and being a community person
and all the things that we do and have done over the last year
and have Julie left Phoenix Race Way in a phenomenal spot.
So it wasn't an overnight yes.
It took some time for them to convince me
to come over.
I was interviewing them just as much as they
were interviewing me.

(14:18):
Explain to us why.
Because this is important.
I know.
Sorry, but this is so important.
I mean, it's important for a few reasons.
One, I want to make sure it's a right fit for me and for NASCAR,
right?
I mean, it's important for me to be able to authentically show up
as who I am every day.
And so are you really hiring me because you
want to hire me for my skill set?
Or are you hiring me because I'm about to be a history maker?

(14:40):
And I'm a token, right?
That's going to be here to do that.
And if that's the case, if option B is the case,
I won't be here, right?
I'm not that-- I don't want to be that person.
So if I'm able to come in and actually do what I know I can do,
then sign me up.
And honestly, I know Julie and I trust Julie.
So I knew that I wasn't going to be the token,
but really having conversations with Steve Phelps or CEO,

(15:03):
he is the one that put me, if you will, over the edge
of accepting the opportunity.
I asked the hardest-ass questions, right?
Like all of them.
I mean, like eat--
I want to know.
Yeah.
I'm like, here today.
What did you ask?
Yeah, so many things.
So many things, right?
It was starting with just that, right?
I will be the first black woman to run a track
and ask her 75-year history, walk me through what that looks like,

(15:23):
and you know, what-- how do you see diversity?
Is it because it's just for diversity, right?
What does diversity look like to you, right?
And if I-- when I start in this role,
and if our fan base says, like, we don't
want to accept Natasha because of who she is,
what do you say to that, right?
And I mean, all of his responses were so phenomenal,

(15:45):
but the thing with Steve is it's all about action.
So Steve has been one of my largest supporters
since I have started at the raceway.
I mean, we had our luncheon last year.
Steve was there, put him in the hot seat again in a fireside chat.
And it really wasn't a hot seat for him.
I mean, he had the conversation, the George Floyd conversation,
what NASCAR-- where NASCAR has been, where NASCAR is going,

(16:05):
talked about the Confederate flag,
like, talked about all of those things,
authentically, as who he is.
And that is what got me there because it isn't just about talk.
It truly is about, like, hey, how do we open this up?
Because there is a place and a space for all of us
within NASCAR because it's a phenomenal sport.
It is so fun going out, out there, and having a good time.

(16:28):
So what is interesting because--
I mean, something you said earlier,
really resonated, right?
Like NASCAR predominantly is not a multicultural sport,
predominantly, or has not been predominantly, I should say.
For you coming in, which is so powerful,
the first black woman to be present and retract,
like, yeah, greatness awaits us.
That's the way it is.

(16:49):
It awaits us.
But it is powerful, though, because you
are in such a unique space where there are so many young people.
I don't want to say girls, but young people
are seeing someone that might look like them in a space
they might not have before.
And for you to be so self-aware and be like,

(17:09):
I don't want to be just this.
I want to be all of this asking those hard questions,
because I'll be honest.
I'm going into that meeting, and I'm like, this is cool.
What can I not say to buck this up?
Seriously, I'm like, don't mess this up.
We are like, now we're about to just gloves off, sit down,
take your shoes off, get comfortable,
because this is going to be important.

(17:29):
But how did you come to that?
Is that ingrained in you?
Did you have to really think about it?
Did that come from somebody in your family saying,
make sure?
Because that's not a common way to go in such a powerful
position.
No, you're right.
I think that it's kind of like when we talked about earlier,
as you come into the space of your life at some point,
I don't know when it is, what age it is.

(17:50):
But you know, you work so hard.
I mean, I've been working since I was--
when people talk about like, oh, I used to work at the bar.
I used to work at a retail store.
I've never experienced any of that.
I went straight career, right?
Right away in a professional working environment.
So I know for sure that a lot of that
has to do with who I am and why I am the way I am.
As you watch people and their actions, the words that they say,

(18:12):
and especially for guys, they always advocate for themselves.
And I've always been in a predominantly male space.
Always, right?
I just how my career has worked.
And when women ask, what is it like being with the guys?
I don't know.
That's all I know.
So it's just part of who I am.
And so perhaps some of it is that as well.
Like listening and even the questions

(18:33):
that I've gotten from the executive leaders over time
is being an HR leader.
Like the things that people ask for, I'm like, damn,
I would have never thought to ask for that, right?
And so just because that's just innately who we are as women,
we're always like, I don't want to mess this up.
Or you know, we say that all the time.
Like we constantly don't approach things

(18:54):
in the way we probably in our gut feel like we should approach it.
Because we're afraid of being too much,
or too extra, or emotional, or too one thing or the other,
we're like, I'm like, yeah, a male would be like,
all right, what's the real shit?
Why can't I say the same thing?
Yeah, right.
Right.
So that's how I feel like I can.
And I do.

(19:14):
Right.
Every time I do, I'm like, what's the task?
Yes.
Sometimes I do, and I mean, of course,
it's gone to tons of leadership training,
all these things.
And all those things work.
Please do not-- I want people to know, please go to--
please always work on yourself, no matter where.
I have multiple degrees, all that kind of stuff.
I'm always educating myself on something.
You have to learn.

(19:34):
However, also learn from people, it's about relationships.
And so as you build these relationships,
and you see these things that are going on,
it is OK.
Again, if it's coming from your heart,
and it's coming from the right place,
there really shouldn't be an issue with you
advocating for yourself.
Did you have a background in sports?
What made you even want to get into NASCAR?

(19:55):
Because when you-- like we talked about,
when you first think of NASCAR, you're kind of like,
that seems so far, out of the way.
I don't ever think about it.
It's like, what attracted you to the job in itself?
Did you have that background in sports?
No background in sport working in sports.
When I spent majority of my career at USAAA,
my team and I were responsible for all the sponsorships
and partnerships.

(20:15):
You know, living in Arizona, we have every sports team,
which is a great thing for you.
We used to.
Yeah, I know, right.
Not in my mode is.
You're right.
I know it's bye-bye.
You're right.
You're right, which is a sad thing.
So sad.
But you know what?
New things await.
You know, like, as people always say, one door closes,
one opportunity shuts down, something else will come.
Right, and it probably gives an opportunity for something else

(20:36):
to come to our market as well.
But no, I did not have any of that experience.
And part of me on the inside was like,
can I don't know anything at the time, right?
About NASCAR.
So how am I going to learn or what am I going to do
in order to learn that?
However, what I did know I had was everything else, right?
I've been in leadership, you know,

(20:57):
I've been in positions for over 20 years.
I am that community person that everyone is looking for.
And so then when you also take into account,
like, how can you-- what kind of influence
can you have on our fan base?
Just knowing that all of those things,
like I had already had that.
So it was just the other piece of really
getting to learn NASCAR.
And I said this earlier, but Julie really left Phoenix Raceway

(21:20):
in a really, really good play.
I wasn't walking into anything bad
to include having a phenomenal team.
You know, when you start in new places,
like you're not everybody's cup of tea, and that's OK.
It's a lot--
Where tequila.
Where's tequila?
Where's tequila, girls?
Where's tequila?
Where's tequila?
Yeah, full of.
That's not really--
But you know, so I went in thinking,

(21:42):
like, who knows?
You know, half the people might walk out.
You just have no idea.
And so like, what am I going to do in that situation?
And I know how calm I am.
And so I'm like, I can handle any of those things.
So I wasn't worried about any of that.
But I just-- I have all-- my family's into sports.
We all-- we just to sports family.
That's all we do.
I mean, even during COVID, right?
We always watch the sports.

(22:03):
So during COVID, nobody's playing sports.
Except when they're throwing bags,
like the bags turn to men's that they had--
Oh, like-- oh, yeah.
They're all cornholes.
Oh, good.
So I'm like, why are we like bags?
Yeah, like are we going luggage?
Like, what are we going to do?
Why are we watching a cornhole turn of it?
Like they had their mask on.
Like the father and son won the whole championship.

(22:24):
But it was super cool.
Because that's the only thing we had to watch.
So being in sports has truly--
I mean, definitely will tell you I did not say
when I was 16 or when I was younger,
I'm going to go be the president of Phoenix Raceway one day.
That was definitely not on my list of things
to do in my career.
Honestly, when I started at ASU, I was going

(22:45):
to be a news anchor and work on Good Morning America
and live in New York and do all things fashion and be on the news.
So that was my plan.
But you know what's so crazy though, is she
didn't grow up wanting to be the president of Phoenix Raceway.
But because she is the president of Phoenix Raceway,
there's some little girl or person that's looking at you

(23:07):
saying, I want to be.
Yes.
Because I think one of the things that I've seen NASCAR do
and I want to get your perspective on it
is they are really trying to bridge the gap culturally
between there-- I call it the old and the new.
There is the die hard old school fan base that
has just grown with that sport and culture

(23:27):
to the new faces that are--
you know, like Bubba Watson.
You have some really amazing young drivers
that are multicultural that are really leveling up the sport.
How have you taken that from Phoenix predominantly,
but across NASCAR, what are the goals for NASCAR
to kind of create a more culturally balanced fan base?

(23:48):
Or I don't even say accountability,
but it's like the experiential side to get them
other people there.
Because it is not-- while it is a growing sport,
it's also a-- I call it an inherited sport.
Yes, generation.
You grow-- exactly.
It's a generational sport.
You grow up watching it, you experience it.
How are you seeing a change in that?
Are you seeing more people start to experience it

(24:10):
for the first time because of what NASCAR is implementing
and what are they implementing?
Yeah, so I think a few things.
So one like you said, NASCAR is generational, right?
So we have some of the most loyal fans within NASCAR.
So we love our fans.
Like you said, you have older fans, younger fans,
and they become younger because your grandparents
are part of it.
And when you have our campers for those

(24:32):
that don't know much about NASCAR,
where our campers come in, usually the Monday
before your race, and then they leave the Monday--
You've got this experience.
Yeah, you have talked about the kids.
No, no, no, no, no, no, I've been telling her.
We're coming.
Like, we're in November.
We're going to go and just-- you know, maybe me and you
are going to get a her table camper, and we're going to go camp.
Oh, like the trailer?
Like a trailer?
Oh, OK.
No, no, no, no, no, that's a trailer.

(24:53):
Trailer sounds-- yeah, it's a motor home.
And Corbus.
Corbus.
Corbus.
Oh, Corbus.
You're a service.
Corbus.
We're going Corbus.
A lot of them are like really, really, really nice.
Oh, I see.
So nice.
So just freaking house.
Yes.
I mean, we even create.
We have a partnership with Walmart.
We create a grocery store out there for our campers.
I'm trying to.
This is good as well.
Yeah, and there's thousands.
And it's not like 500 campers.

(25:14):
I mean, it's over 10,000 campers out there.
And it turns into a whole city, truly.
Oh, my goodness.
And those are just the people that want to come for the week.
Again, those die-hard individuals that
have been doing it for a really long time.
That doesn't even include the people that are coming just
for the weekend for the racing.
We have racing Friday, Saturday, Sunday.
So over a championship weekend last year,

(25:36):
we had over 125,000 people.
So it is massive.
It's a massive production.
And we have, again, like you said,
generational fans.
And we want those fans.
We want to continue to have those fans.
What we want to do is introduce other fans as well.
But you cannot introduce other fans if you don't have things
for your other fans to do, right?
Or if you put them in a space to where they don't feel welcome--

(25:59):
Right.
--for them.
--or comfortable to be at that space.
And so some of the NASCAR has had a diversity program
for over 20 years.
Just not something that's dry for diversity.
It's been existing.
This isn't 2020 when George Floyd--
everybody had, like when George Floyd happened,
everybody's on their DNI stuff, right?
Now, NASCAR has actually been doing it for a really long time.
So dry for diversity programs helps with our pit crew members,

(26:20):
helps with--
to help get individuals ready for that,
helps for as well drivers themselves,
interns, making sure that we have interns of color,
and just other people, girls, all the things, right,
that are part of NASCAR.
So that has been going on for a really, really long time.
Just not something that has really been talked about.
So now, what NASCAR is doing is hiring different leaders,

(26:44):
like other leaders in these spaces.
There's four women that lead raceways now as well.
And so you have other individuals that are in these markets.
And you yourself have to create those environments.
So when you just came to the race in March,
one of the things that we did specifically in Phoenix
is we have one of the largest Hispanic Latin cultures

(27:05):
in Arizona, almost 60% of our market is Latin.
And so our Hispanic culture.
And so I wanted to create a space where, hey,
let's have a Viva Lafiesta zone, right, where we have a partnership
with individuals like sophisticated few who
are doing low riders, local food vendors that
are specific to the culture.

(27:26):
We had multiple musical performances.
We had Lucho Libre, wrestling is huge, right?
We had all of these things.
Yeah, so we had all of these things
that we'd never had before at our raceway.
And so those are the types of things
that you have to do.
And then you talked a little bit about kids as well.
We had our first STEM day during that week as well.
We have so many activities that go on during the week

(27:47):
within our first STEM day.
We had almost 500 kids that came to the raceway
from Title I schools.
And when you're out of Title I school,
you're probably a kid of color.
And so that's how that worked.
And we had those kids there.
And again, if you can see it, you can believe--
You can be it.
You can believe that there's something
more than what's right in front of you.
And so those are the types of things
that we're doing holistically across NASCAR.

(28:10):
Chicago.
Prime example, Chicago is a market that NASCAR
didn't exist prior to us going to the street race.
And having a leader like Julie, someone there
who firmly stands behind and believes all things,
NASCAR, but also her heart is just so open
to opening it up, right?
To others.
And so that's why we do things like Chicago.

(28:31):
It's so crazy because you look at where you are
in your career and where you started at 16.
What's the skill set you wish you would have learned earlier
or one that you feel like you could have done without?
Yeah.
I think a skill set that I find I could have learned earlier
is probably that skill set of authentically showing up

(28:54):
as who I am and speaking up for myself.
I can't say that I would have had a conversation
like I had with Steve Phelps and all the others.
If I wouldn't have developed that.
And again, I don't know where and when that happened,
but it developed over time.
When I was 16, I wasn't doing that, right?
I mean, it came at some point, right?
Over time.

(29:15):
So, and I think that a skill set that I probably
could be better at, that I don't feel like I've learned
is this empathy piece, right?
I'm empathetic to--
Really?
Yeah.
I'm empathetic to a certain point.
But when people make excuses, I'm like,
I don't give a fuck, comes out so fast.
I don't say that, but my face does, right?

(29:36):
And so--
I'm just going to look at you and you can just interpret this.
Yeah.
Ever you would like.
Yeah.
And I think my expectations are really high.
But you guys, everyone doesn't have the same work ethic,
right?
It's kind of your kids, right?
You have to treat them all differently.
I'm really great at building relationships with people.
And that's actually one of the most important things
for my team is really getting to know them
and understand what makes them tick and what doesn't make them

(29:58):
tick.
But there comes a point to where you're like,
oh, I'm hearing out of your mouth right now or excuses
that I can't relate.
Like, I don't relate to anything that's lazy.
I don't relate to--
I just can't figure it out.
Right?
And I'm not saying, don't be resourceful,
because that's how you figure it out.
But don't I can't answer all of your questions

(30:20):
or make the decision for you?
I think that's so special too for you,
like saying don't make excuses because where you are today
shows that you have never made excuses in your life.
What kind of advice would you give the young woman who
are looking to get into your role one day
or even just looking at you and being like,
I want to be a president of NASCAR race or something

(30:40):
like that?
Yeah, you know, a few things I would tell them.
One is you always have to build relationships, right?
You have to set yourself apart.
So for us as girls, right?
And not just girls.
Young men--
Right.
--in general, what makes you different?
What makes you stand out?
Is it your work ethic?
Is it how you show up to work every day?

(31:01):
Do you come on time or do you come early, right?
And so those types of things, you volunteer for projects.
Like do you have my job as to do X?
But I would like to do like ABC and D plus X, right?
And like, what are you doing again to be different?
And so I would always say you have to do something
to set yourself out, but in the right way.

(31:23):
In the right way.
Because if you do not do that in the right way,
you will definitely stand out.
Yeah.
And that's not what you would--
Yeah, we'll finish it.
Right?
Like it just won't.
And so I think that that's probably the biggest thing
is do as much as you can.
That's different.
Think outside the box always.
I always say I've never been good at coloring.
I've always colored outside the lines, right?

(31:44):
Like I don't draw all those things.
But I think that that's OK.
We're always hot.
Like, oh my god, you've got to be so perfect.
No, there's actually nothing perfect about me.
But the thing that I have that's really good is,
I'm going to figure it out.
Yeah.
How do you get work?
You have one of the guys who work with Warren says--
he says this about me.
He's like, Kate has the--
I can get in the house mentality.

(32:05):
Like, I don't care.
If you say get in the house, I don't care how I'm
getting in.
If it's through the roof, through the window,
from the dig underground and get in,
we're going to knock the door down.
We've got to break some walls here or there,
like whatever.
We're going to get in the house.
It's kind of like you're in a room.
Get out.
Yeah.
Figure it out.
Like, so I think that's one thing that's interesting
because you have such a multifaceted career, right?

(32:27):
And I think all of these tools, especially coming
from human resources, which honestly might be one
of the toughest jobs in the world.
It's either the toughest job in the world,
or it's the easiest.
And I just think it's the toughest.
Because I love how she's like, I don't have any empathy,
but I was in human resources for a long time.
Like, OK.
OK.
Because--
No, after development--
You know, it's a craft.
It's a craft.

(32:47):
It is a craft.
It's a craft.
It's a craft to learn how to deal with people.
Especially when you're an HR and you fire people,
in the beginning of my career.
So when I was at Schwab, so when I was really young,
my early 20s, and I would be part of the process of laying
people off or terminating them very early
then I had to learn that you're--
I physically-- I'm not the one firing them.

(33:08):
You're the messenger.
They are firing themselves.
There is a reason why they are not producing
or they're not doing whatever.
And you know that once they've gotten to that point in HR,
there's a lot that has gone on.
There's a foul.
I call it the foul.
There is a foul.
Right?
They've gone through a pre-conversation.
Another conversation, a written warning of all the things.

(33:28):
So you ended up here.
This isn't a surprise.
The road was leading you to me.
And I just happened to be the little gypsies behind the curtain
that says, OK, the time has come.
But that's a good learned thing, though.
100%.
How do you feel like you've taken--
we talked a lot about culture and NASCAR changing
and evolving and growing.
Do you feel like that's one of the biggest attributes

(33:51):
that you bring to not only Phoenix Raceway,
but the sport of NASCAR yourself
is your ability to engage with people,
meet them on the level that they're on,
but then bring them along with you.
Yes.
100%.
That's probably one of my biggest things.
And so I mean, I think that a few things.
One, for me, it's been extremely humbling.
Like the amount of people that are now curious about NASCAR

(34:12):
because I'm there.
It's like this factor that you have.
Like when you're a good person,
people want to be around you.
They're like, I want to come--
one, I want to come support you, but I want to see you.
What are you doing?
Why are you there?
Right.
So it's just this very unique ability to have that.
But then what about the people who I don't know
and those fans that are generational
have been there forever?
I'm doing everything in my power to get out there,
talk to them.

(34:33):
I go out-- I've never in my life stayed in a RV,
but I go out to the campground.
I hang out with them.
We've been staying out.
Yeah, but you hit this--
I am not kidding you.
They have the most fun.
That's probably one of the best things I do during my week.
I spend as much time as possible as I can in the campground
because they are partying like rock stars every day.
Right.
They are.
But it's like a community.
These people-- they're coming from-- let's say,

(34:54):
somebody came from California.
We have some folks that came from Canada.
But they meet up every year at that time every year
and they know that they're going to come hang out
with their homies at the camping area.
They've been doing it for years.
And so it's like one of the coolest things.
But I have to relate to them.
I have to get on their level.
I have to talk to them.
I have to hear from them.

(35:15):
So yeah, that would definitely be probably one
of the biggest things for me that I feel
like I've been the most successful at it.
Just building those relationships with the people that are
fans.
Right.
It's almost like the people you serve.
Yeah.
That's really what it is.
I want to go.
You're convinced me.
Yeah.
Oh my gosh.
This could be fun.
What has been for you, one of the biggest challenges
that you might have faced, whether it's now at NASCAR

(35:37):
or previously, just throughout your career as a woman,
is there been a challenge you've kind of had to overcome
being a woman in a predominantly male industry?
I mean, finances is pretty male as well.
Yeah.
100%.
You know, I think the biggest thing is it's more like us,
like we're more personal, right?
Like with us of like that balance.

(35:58):
We don't have a balance.
Like there's no such thing as work-life balance.
Let's be really clear about that.
It's about prioritization, where you have to prioritize
that things aren't important.
And I think that that's like the biggest challenge.
It'll be times even right now today.
I mean, like I serve on, you know, I've figured out how
to say no, which that is very, very powerful.
So I only serve now on two boards, but I'm
taking on a board chair for the value of the Sun United

(36:19):
Way.
So it's going to take a lot of time.
So I feel like there is these roller coasters of times.
I'm like, you feel like you're doing really, really,
really well, like outside of the house.
Then you go home and you're like, shit, my kid just
got kicked out of school today, right?
Like so you just feel like--
We have no grocery.
Yeah.
No laundry.
The trash is smiling up.
I have nothing to wear.
And there's no gas in the car.
Right.
So yeah.

(36:39):
All of those things, right?
And so I just feel like, you know, you can be doing so good
here, then you get home or vice versa, right?
Like everything is so perfect at home.
And then you get out into the work day.
And you're like, OK, well, five people just quit.
It's just like there's really hard balance.
And I think that we're just so hard on ourselves as women.
Sometimes we have to give ourselves grace, right?

(37:02):
I mean, we talked about birthdays.
And honestly, this week, we're on the road all the time.
We're always doing something.
And so my family and everyone's like, oh, you know,
hey, you want to go to dinner in your birthday?
Or like, what are we going to do?
Where was the turn up for your birthday?
I'm like, I'm turning the fuck down.
I don't want to do anything.
I don't do anything.

(37:24):
I'm doing it by house.
Yeah, I'm doing it by house.
I went and got a massage.
I was not expecting that.
I was not expecting that.
And I did nothing.
Because sometimes we just need to do that.
We're like, you've got to chill.
And just like do no locks.
Yeah.
Yes.
Relax.
Yes.
What is the most rewarding part of your job?

(37:44):
Yeah.
I think there's so many rewarding things in my job.
I think to be able to one, come in and have created
Phoenix Race.
I haven't even been there a year and a half.
But our culture is just so great.
You see a lot of Jordans every day.
I really want people to be able to authentically show up
as who they are.
And so my team has-- we've been having fun.

(38:05):
I tell them all the time.
If you are not having fun, our fans will not have fun.
So we have to figure out how to do that.
So my team is probably one of the most rewarding things.
But as well, something that you mentioned earlier
is just all of the community work that we've
been able to collectively do together at their raceway
and bringing people who've never been before.
Representation matters for any little girl

(38:26):
to be able to not just see what's right in front of them,
to be able to see something different.
Now it opens up their mind.
I mean, these field trip programs that we have,
they'll remember that for a lifetime.
Even if they don't work for NASCAR or they don't work in sports,
they will remember, like, wow, this is something
that I would have never experienced.
And maybe later in their life, they'll become a fan.
Or whatever that may have done for them,

(38:48):
they presented them an opportunity they would have never had.
How sick.
What's been for you?
What's next for you?
Yeah.
I mean, I know you're newly into this a year and a half.
But where do you see your role, hopefully, in NASCAR growing?
Or I mean, quite frankly, if I'm being really honest with myself,
you are the perfect person.
NASCAR's going to kill me for this, to be like carry picked

(39:11):
to put somewhere else because you're creating what I call,
you know, a workplace culture.
So, you know, a lot of places that have a great work experience,
but they lack culture.
And people don't stay there.
People don't want to work there, right?
And then it's thriving, but then it blows up
because it all just blows up on itself.
What for you is your, like, 10-year plan?

(39:33):
Yeah, you know, I don't know.
Because I will tell you this.
People can get through today.
Yeah.
And they guess that.
Yeah, it's me, it's me, it's me.
Yeah, it's me.
You know, I don't know what that is.
I mean, I am, like you said, been a year and a half.
I'm having a phenomenal time at NASCAR.
And there's so much for me to do at NASCAR.
And so I don't know, 10 years from now, perhaps.

(39:55):
I don't know what that looks like.
I mean, Chuck Presidents do stay in their role for quite some time,
because the reality is, is like, where do you go next?
From there, I'm an Arizona girls' high plan to stay in Arizona
for quite some time.
So I don't know, I don't know what that looks like.
But the one thing that I always say is, like, you
continue every day to prepare for whatever is next.
And you never have to get ready for your next opportunity,

(40:17):
right?
And so which is what happens to me here when JG reached out.
Well, I had all the questions right.
And we go through the syndrome right of, like, could I do this?
What am I doing here?
Right, all of those things.
But the reality is, yes, because everything
that I've been doing has prepared me to where I am today.
And I will continue to do that while I'm in this NASCAR

(40:37):
president role.
I'll continue to do as much as I can to make it great,
make it great for whoever is next and whatever is next for me.
Do you ever go through that?
I want you to touch on it, because I think a lot of times
people forget how hard it is to make such a pivotal shift
in your career.
One that was a hard right turn from where you had been theoretically

(40:58):
by name only, not by culture or circumstance.
Did you doubt yourself?
Did you have, like, some, like, you know,
I need to pray about it moments and sleep on it.
And maybe tomorrow I'll wake up feeling differently.
Or was it like a hard yes?
Oh, no, it was definitely not a hard yes.
100%.
I still, some days, I'm like, you know, when I'm asked to do a--
I'm asked for next week to do it.
I think you and I talked about this before to do a commencement

(41:19):
speech at ASU.
And I'm like, what the fuck?
Like me?
What a talk about these kids.
So every day--
Before you wish--
ASU is here, like, a new product child of the school.
The school's like--
Here you are.
And you're like, they're all excited from here.
They're all excited from here.
They're all excited.
But yes.
So yes, the reality is I do definitely have the syndrome.

(41:43):
I don't-- and you can't let it take over because if you do,
then you will be in a position to where people are like,
oh, you don't say--
You say the same.
But no, this was not a hard yes.
So you definitely had to pray about it, pray about everything.
But honestly, as my husband, who
and Julie called originally, I was like, I am not doing that.
That is crazy.
And my husband was like, why would you
close the door on the opportunity before you

(42:04):
can ask them questions?
He's like, you would never encourage anyone else to do that.
And you've never done that with anything else.
So he's like, why was it a hard-- no, I'm like, well, first
while I'm happy in doing what I'm doing,
and I just wasn't thinking about a new career.
You were looking for an opportunity.
And he's like, so what?
But what he said to you is so true.

(42:25):
Because if someone came to you in the exact same scenario,
you, Latasha Kasi, would be like,
explain it to me.
Tell me why.
But you didn't do that for yourself.
I didn't.
And I feel like as women so often, we do that internal--
it's not validation.
We'll see opposite sabotage.
It's like internal sabotage.
I'm like, no.

(42:45):
And you plant those seeds.
No one's saying to you, well, they're
going to offer to you, but are you sure?
It's like your own internal.
And you're like, hello.
Why don't get it?
Yeah, like what are you thinking?
Totally.
But what he said to you is so important.
Because that is how we should look at it.
If we wouldn't give this advice to someone else,
why are we giving ourselves this advice?
Why are you doing that to yourself?
I'm so logical.

(43:05):
I hate when he's right.
And I definitely hate when the logic kicks out.
Because I'm also so logical.
Thank you.
Yeah, thank you.
He was right.
But that's so cool though.
Because not often do you have somebody that will mean
and push back on you.
That's right.
And be like, what?
You're saying is right.

(43:25):
But there's more.
Yeah.
There's more.
Because I think especially as women,
it's like you said in "Poster Syndrome,"
we talk about it a lot on the show.
I'm like, am I supposed to be here?
But I'm like, well, if it's not me, then who?
Yeah.
Right?
So it convinced me why it's not me.
But like showing young women, young people.
Because I think sometimes a lot of young people are like,

(43:47):
I just want to go straight to the top.
Yep.
Well, plenty of money.
You got to start at the bottom.
You got to get up the ladder, fall off the ladder.
And carry it back up, start over, just lose the ladder
for a solid two years.
And then you find it again.
And then you start over again.
Like it's not a perfect path.
There are people that have the perfect path.
But I think majority of people don't.

(44:09):
And that's what I have found in the show.
And we talk about it a lot.
The people that have found their purpose
while walking their path is so powerful.
Because just walking your path
isn't going to get you where you want to go.
You got to find what fuels you.
And it might come to you in a way you might not expect.
Like you were in HR.
Yeah.
But you are literally serving HR right now.

(44:31):
At NASCAR because you are serving the people in the culture
and the fan base of NASCAR.
That's right.
Same thing, just on a dummy scale.
There's not like 30 people in your office.
It's like, you know, all the people in your like,
OK, we're not going to fight on row five.
Over here at Campgrounds, you all need to get your ish together.
So you get it together.
If you want to come back next year,
we're going to need you to hold it together.

(44:51):
And then you all over here, I'll see you at five.
Yeah.
You know that crazy thing as you mentioned that.
But like it's like a week long tailgate, right?
And but our fans get along so well,
because it's like a family.
It's the weirdest thing.
Even when they're like their drivers are going against each other
and crashing and all those things, right?
They're still friends at the end of the day, which it's so crazy.
Which you know, it's a little different and like,

(45:12):
in the end of the day.
Oh yeah.
People be fighting, fighting players and everything.
Right?
They always have stuff to say.
So I want to touch on one thing as before you wrap this up.
That's so important to me is the experience that NASCAR has
crafted is unlike any other sport.
Like hands down, you are not going to be able to take pictures

(45:33):
with any NBA player, NFL player, NHL player, 35 seconds
before the game starts.
And you have fans that are die hard generational fans
that have whatever access level of fun that they can get
to have that experience.
Why is that so important for you at Phoenix Raceway?
Yeah.
Well, that is NASCAR, right?

(45:54):
That is our experience.
That is the thing that sold me on NASCAR four years ago
when I went to my first race.
I told you it was presidential, but the reality is,
that's NASCAR, right?
The adrenaline, all the things that you fill,
you know, our fan, not, I wasn't just me having VIP Julie's access.
No, we actually have the opportunity for our fans
to be down on the grid in the pits.
All of those things, like you said,

(46:15):
right before your favorite driver,
walk, gets into his car, right?
You can actually talk to him, do all of those types of things.
Right?
You could take photos, all that.
Just in Talladega last weekend.
And so as I was down there, not only do you have
like your favorite drivers, but you have owners.
So Michael Jordan was there.
And he was right down there right where all of the fans
were people, you know, you're asking to take photos,

(46:37):
all of that kind of stuff.
And so it's just such an open environment of like,
hey, if you're coming to our experience,
we're really going to let you experience it
in the best way possible.
And like I said, like you said, you go sit court side.
You are not getting a high five or a pound from Devon Booker.
And if you try, like Mike coming in to like snatch you up,

(46:57):
right?
Like there's security is will be there in about five seconds, right?
Same thing when you're on the field for, you know,
the Cardinals games where you can only go to a certain
the rope-dough area, right?
That's as far as you're going.
You're not going down the sideline to, you know,
pat your favorite football player on the butt,
like everyone else is not going to happen, right?
So I mean, it's just different.

(47:18):
You're not patting your driver on the butt either,
but you get to play, right?
She's like, don't come to my track.
You don't do that to me.
You're getting thrown out.
I'm not dealing with that.
Different Natasha told me that I did.
I said, you can give him a high five, but that's the reality, right?
Is that there's the experience is just so different
and unlike any other truly, we really want our fans
to be able to get and our home is their home.

(47:41):
And so if you have the experience, it's there.
It's there for you.
And our team does everything that they can to curate that.
So, you know, when March was over,
we're already working on next March to figure out
what we're going to do for March.
Last November, we were working on our race for this November
for that reason to make sure we give
the best possible experience to our fans.
- Okay, I have one last question.
And it's really important before production comes

(48:02):
for me one more time.
(laughing)
You're obviously a female in a sport that is 90.
Ben, when you go into those drivers meetings,
what do you feel like has been your success
as having them show up and respect you
in the leadership position?

(48:23):
- When they are multimillion dollar athletes.
And you are--
- Yeah, you know, it's all about relationships, right?
So that is one thing that I was really intentional about
when I started at NASCAR because there's so many people,
right? - Yeah.
- There's so many people as part of NASCAR,
as part of sports teams.
I really wanted to get out there.

(48:44):
And so that means I was on my first, you know,
first quarter of my first year of being there.
I was on the road more than I was home for the reason
of getting out there so that they could get to know me.
They can understand who I am.
They can understand who I am as the leader of Phoenix Raceway.
And that's what makes them respect you, right?
Before I have a race, I mean,
one of the biggest drivers in NASCAR history,
Jeff Gordon is sending me a text to say,

(49:06):
"Hey, thinking about you this weekend,
let me know if you need anything."
Those are the types of relationships I go to them
because I don't know everything, right?
And I know I don't know everything.
So I went and toured a few track teams,
like track house, I went to Hendrick Motorsports,
and really got like behind the scenes
so that I can understand from a driver's perspective,
a team perspective, like what's important for all of you?

(49:28):
That's how they respect you.
That's one of the things that Julie is really great as well,
is hey, we are vulnerable enough to be able to say,
I know Phoenix Raceway,
but I don't know if Phoenix Raceway as a driver, right?
I don't know if Phoenix Raceway as a team owner, right?
So I need to be able to go to you in your element
and understand ham asking as many questions,
but I'm also giving you the opportunity
to ask me questions as well and tell me,

(49:50):
like say something, if it's not right, you don't feel right,
we're missing something, tell us, and we go from there.
- Well, I've loved having you on.
Thank you so much for sharing your birthday.
- Thank you, cool.
- With us here at her table.
- Thank you, thank you.
- Keeping amazing, keep doing amazing things.
We're coming, her table, motor home is coming November.
- Yes.
- Everyone wants to know, we're gonna save us the camping spot.

(50:13):
We might need a couple just to bring our friends along.
- Yeah.
- And then you can come down, just put us on the good.
It's like a street, she'll know what street to put us on.
Just don't lose us.
- Don't lose you, I'll tell you what, though, like I said,
our campers are so loyal, they sell out like that.
So we're probably--
- Why me we know somebody.
- Yeah, we know somebody.
- I mean, we know somebody, right?
You might know someone that knows someone.

(50:34):
- Yeah, I mean, we might know someone that knows someone.
That knows someone that we could get there.
- Yeah, but--
- No, but-- - They just told us one side.
- Oh, yeah, listen, I have definitely enjoyed this
and really, seriously, what you all are doing
with her table and all the amazing women that you've had on.
It's just an amazing thing.
We, as women, have to continue to do things like this
and share our stories.

(50:55):
So I can't wait for you guys to come back to Phoenix Raceway
and then I'm gonna come support you all
in all the awesomeness that you're doing.
- I love it, I love it.
- Oh my gosh, Kate, I've heard such great things
about Latasha and not only did she meet expectations,
but she exceeded them, she was amazing.
I told you, she's a good energy, she's a vibe,

(51:15):
she's a whole vibe in herself.
- Yeah, it's a vibe.
I was just really cool getting to know her journey
and how she started in working in finance
and how she's now worked at NASCAR as a president
of the Phoenix Raceway that is such a big deal
and it was just awesome hearing her story.
- It's really fascinating to me how you can be an HR
and you can work as banking system.

(51:37):
And now you're the president of Phoenix Raceway,
but had she not been so successful?
- I don't know if I can rely her to that.
I don't know that she would have enough to do.
Not only for NASCAR, but for Phoenix Raceway.
So it's just a testament to follow your path,
find your purpose and creating culture and people

(51:57):
and experience is really what she is.
Like she and herself was a vibe,
but she wants to create a vibe for everybody around
and the community that she impacts.
And to hear her say like she serves NASCAR fans,
it speaks a lot to like what Julie said, right?
Which is like your consumer, your fan base
is what serves and what drives your business
and she really took that to heart

(52:19):
and seeing just how ingrained she is in the community.
The basis, new people and two experiences
they might not have had before.
I mean, it's inspiring to watch and listen.
- It really is and you can tell how she's really good
with people, she's a big relationship person
and that was her advice to our younger audience
is just to create those relationships network,
go to those leadership conferences,

(52:39):
gain that experience at a young age.
And I think for our listeners to hear that
and see where she started and where she is today
is just such an incredible thing.
And I just loved having her on the show
and I really want to go to Phoenix
and experience a NASCAR firsthand.
- I know, I'm only going if she'll stay in our camper with us.
- Yes, please.
- I would have home.
I think we need a tour bus.
I think camper makes it not sound like what we need.
I think we need a tour bus.
- Tour bus?

(53:00):
The her table tour bus needs to stop at NASCAR for sure.
But you know what, I'm just so proud
of also the way she handled that hiring process
because I think I look at myself
and I would have been like,
oh my gosh, she's a big promotion.
This is a big opportunity.
And she really took a step back and said,
like, hey, is this the right fit for me
and either right fit for you?
Because she told a lot of people and a lot of men,

(53:22):
I'm going to show up myself.
If that's a problem, raise your hand now.
And I don't have the confidence to do that,
but I'm going to channel her when I need to
and say that's the confidence that I need to have
when I do that because it's such a healthy way
to look at things instead of like,
oh, am I good enough for this?
It's kind of like, well, is this good enough for me?
And when you're at those monumental places in your career,

(53:43):
I think you do have to take a step back and reflect.
So like, I'm totally taking that away from me
in my career of like, okay, I might be good for you,
but are you good for me?
And that's a new way to look at things.
Yeah, it is.
And just the fact that she was open to experiencing
that challenge, taking a whole right turn like we said
and starting a whole different career.
And I love that for her.
No, she's changing the culture.

(54:03):
She's got one more fan in Megan.
Oh, for sure.
We're gonna have some more fans after this show.
But thank you guys so much for watching, tuning in.
Make sure you guys like, subscribe, let us know
if there's somebody we need to have on the show.
We appreciate you, we love you.
Thanks for tuning in, that's it for her table.
We'll see you guys next week.
[Bell]
(bell rings)