Building Success in Uncharted Territory: Leadership Lessons from Christina Unkel

Insights from Embarc Collective’s Builder Series featuring Christina Unkel, President + General Manager of Tampa Bay Sun FC, in conversation with Claire Lessinger, Vice President of Events at Tampa Bay Sports Commission.

When Christina Unkel took the helm of Tampa Bay Sun FC, she wasn’t just stepping into a new role—she was building something entirely from scratch.

As President, General Manager, and General Counsel of the women’s professional soccer team, Christina has navigated the unique challenges of rapid scaling, team building, and establishing a sports franchise in uncharted territory. Her insights from Embarc Collective’s recent Builder Series offer invaluable lessons for entrepreneurs and leaders facing similar challenges.

The Reality of Rapid Scaling with Unknown Variables

The Challenge: Building a team of 13 technical staff members within six months while scaling both front-of-house operations and managing professional athletes, all with people she’d never worked with before.

The Lesson: “This is the first time I scaled a business with a bunch of people I didn’t know,” Christina reflects. “When I had scaled businesses before, I had done it with people I knew their habits, strengths, weaknesses. But interview processes can only tell you so much.”

Tactical Takeaway: Accept that scaling with unknowns requires a different approach. Be prepared to reassess and restructure positions as you learn more about your team’s actual strengths and fit.

Finding the Right People: Running To vs. Running From

One of Christina’s most impactful insights centers on recruitment strategy.

The Framework: Distinguish between candidates who are “running from something” versus those who are “running to you.”

Why It Matters: “What we’re doing isn’t a job, it’s a vocation,” Christina explains. “When you have an incredible concept and idea, you need people who are purpose-driven. The majority of startups face this. You need people who will blow through walls and do it the proper way.”

Application: During interviews, dig deeper into candidates’ motivations. Are they seeking to escape a bad situation, or are they genuinely excited about your mission and vision?

The Art of Strategic Repositioning

The Reality: Not every hire will land in the perfect seat initially, and that’s okay.

Christina’s Approach: Rather than cutting ties immediately, she focuses on finding the right fit within the organization. She shares an example of moving someone from ticketing to corporate partnerships: “If you hadn’t done tickets, you wouldn’t understand the pinch points of the ticketing sales team. Now you can talk about corporate partnerships not just intelligently, but empathetically.”

Key Insight: Experience in one area can provide valuable perspective for another. Look for transferable skills and unique insights that come from cross-functional experience.

Redefining Work-Life Balance

Christina challenges the traditional notion of work-life balance with a powerful metaphor.

The Framework: “Imagine you’re juggling balls. Some are rubber, some are glass. Define which ones are glass (spirituality, family, core relationships), and everything else is rubber. When you drop a rubber ball, it bounces back up.”

The Mindset Shift: “Get rid of the word balance. It’s a myth that will keep you feeling guilty. You’re going to have extremes at certain times, that’s seasonal and okay.”

Practical Application:

• Identify your non-negotiable “glass balls”
• Accept that some seasons require extreme focus in one area
• Define success for yourself, not based on societal expectations

Building Community Through Sports

Christina’s vision extends far beyond winning games, it’s about creating lasting community connections.

The Philosophy: “Sports needs to be tied in with community. You have to have that brand loyalty so fans still show up when you’re not performing on the field.”

The Strategy: Tampa Bay Sun’s foundation operates on three pillars:

1. All-girls soccer camps and training development
2. Growing the game and leadership
3. Community support during crises and challenges

Business Lesson: Building authentic community relationships creates resilience during difficult periods and establishes long-term brand loyalty.

Embracing the Creator Mode

For the next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs, Christina offers this guidance:

The Opportunity: “We have the ability and adaptability with technology. There are no longer any boundaries. Everyone has access to almost all technology and resources.”

The Balance: “Tap into creator mode, but also learn how to do your research to make sure your facts are correct.”

The Application: Leverage available tools and technology to innovate, but maintain critical thinking and thorough research practices.

Leadership in Uncharted Territory

Perhaps Christina’s most powerful insight relates to leading as a woman in male-dominated spaces:

The Reality Check: “I’m not ignorant to the fact that I don’t have as much leash for grace as a male colleague in this position would have.”

The Response: Rather than being deterred, Christina uses this awareness to build stronger teams, ask uncomfortable questions, and create transparent communication channels.

The Takeaway: Acknowledge systemic challenges without letting them limit your vision or execution.

The Foundation of Authentic Leadership

Throughout the conversation, Christina emphasizes the importance of servant leadership, learning from mentors like Daryl who demonstrate “traditional handshake, multimillion-dollar deals” built on trust and community protection.

Key Characteristics:

• Intentional support without making others feel inadequate
• Bringing others along in the journey
• Maintaining transparency in communication
• Building trust through consistent action

Looking Forward: The Women’s Sports Momentum

Christina is clear: what we’re seeing in women’s sports isn’t a moment, it’s momentum. “The cost of women’s sports five, ten years ago is not the cost of women’s sports now. Look at the valuations.”

For entrepreneurs in any space experiencing rapid growth, her advice is timeless: position yourself to capitalize on cultural shifts and key moments, while building authentic brand value that sustains through both peaks and valleys.

Christina Unkel’s insights from Embarc Collective’s Builder Series remind us that building something from nothing requires not just vision and determination, but also the wisdom to adapt, the courage to restructure when needed, and the community focus to create lasting impact.

Whether you’re scaling a sports franchise or any other venture, these lessons offer a roadmap for navigating uncharted territory with purpose and authenticity.