Rebecca Mahadeva

Chief Financial Officer

“I’d like to thank Rebecca Mahadeva for sharing her journey with us! As CFO at Excel Sports, Rebecca manages financial transactions, budgeting, and compliance, drawing on her unique blend of a liberal arts undergrad in History and American Studies and an MBA/MS in Accounting. Her career milestones include roles at Coopers & Lybrand, the NY Mets, and eventually Excel Sports, showcasing her ability to blend finance with sports expertise.

Rebecca has navigated the challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated industry by focusing on meaningful contributions and leveraging a supportive work environment. Balancing work and life, she utilizes a hybrid schedule and strategic planning. Her advice for young women includes staying authentic, confident, and making use of female mentors. Outside work, she enjoys outdoor activities, traveling, and spending time with her family and mini Aussies, though she admits to disliking peas and raisins.” – Zara Halabu

Please describe your role; responsibilities at that position?

Responsible for all financial transactions, reporting, budgeting, bank and tax compliance, facilities and operations, treasury management and a senior leader in the organization

What did you study in college and how did your educational background shape your career in the sports industry?

BA in History and American Studies at Brandeis University MBA/MS in Accounting at Northeastern University. Having a liberal arts undergrad degree gave me an analytical foundation to not only crunch the numbers but to solve business challenges – which is increasingly the expectation of a CFO.

Can you share the key milestones in your career that led you to your current position in the sports industry?

Definitely my MBA/MA in Accounting which led to my first professional job with Coopers & Lybrand (pre-PwC). The NY Mets were my audit client and I eventually left public accounting to take the Asst. Controller job at the Mets. I left after 12 years because there were no growth opportunities. Took my first Controller position with a healthcare advertising company, which led to an SVP Finance position, and ultimately my first CFO opportunity. While I didn’t love the industry, it was the right path to continue to elevate my skills and career. Excel Sports reached out to me on LinkedIn for the CFO role and it was the perfect culmination of all of the skills I learned in Sports and Advertising.

What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a woman in sports business; how have you overcome them?

I have had supportive leaders – male and female and I am fortunate for that. The challenges were more self-imposed when I had children. There was definitely a feeling for a number of years that I was dropping balls personally and professionally. But a hybrid schedule and a husband who WFH (and my kids now driving and UBERing) has made it quite manageable.

Balancing a career is demanding. How do you manage a work -life balance? What strategies have worked well for you?

I wake up early naturally and usually check emails, push out a deliverable or two, before I really start my day. This relieves any anxiety I have about what is waiting for me when I get to the office. The hybrid schedule really helps. I work 3 in the office and 2 at home and it’s actually a perfect balance. I will also say, setting realistic expectations is critical. I have learned that I can’t do it all, I can’t promise to do it all, and that my meaningful contributions to the business far outweigh my inability to meet every on-demand request.

How important is mentorship for women in the sports industry? Have you had mentors or role models who played a significant role in your career and can give some details?

This is a tough one, because I truly believe that if your contributions are meaningful, as a woman, you will be given opportunities. I really don’t ever feel I was “passed up” or treated differently in my career because I am a woman. We do need to deliver at a high level, at least equal to our male counterparts. I am driven by always learning, always expanding my role, always looking for a smarter, better way to approach a business challenge. I am respected as a CFO and senior leader because of what I contribute, not because I “made it” as a female executive in sports.

In a male-dominated industry, do you feel women are given equal opportunities? What steps do you think can be taken to promote gender equality in the sports industry?

I work with really smart people in a respectful and collaborative environment. I love that. And I do think that people who played sports at an elite level (which I did not) or who share the same values, drive, team-orientation and determination (which I do) work at a higher level than folks in other industries.

I see challenges in my work every day, but not because I work in Sports. The challenges are related to how to scale our systems and processes to our growth, how to maintain culture when a company expands quickly, whether to stay in an office or move after a lease, how to integrate acquired businesses into our ecosystem, etc. These challenges are industry agnostic.

What aspects of your work in the sports industry do you enjoy the most? What parts do you find the most challenging?

Transparency, accountability, and authenticity are buzz words but they are core to how I have operated since my first job in public accounting. Don’t ever pretend you know something – ask. Be confident enough to see yourself as deserving as the men you work with. In meetings, take a prominent seat at the table, don’t be afraid to speak if you have something meaningful to contribute.  And use the female leaders around you – something I did not do a lot in my career – but women are VERY supportive of the NextGen female leader. Good luck!

What advice do you have for young women aspiring to build a successful career in the sports industry?

Transparency, accountability, and authenticity are buzz words but they are core to how I have operated since my first job in public accounting. Don’t ever pretend you know something – ask. Be confident enough to see yourself as deserving as the men you work with. In meetings, take a prominent seat at the table, don’t be afraid to speak if you have something meaningful to contribute.  And use the female leaders around you – something I did not do a lot in my career – but women are VERY supportive of the next gen female leader. Good luck!

What is your long-term personal goal that you still want to achieve both business wise and personal?

I am not a goal setter. I do very much take advantage of opportunities around me. I did not predetermine my career path, could not have predicted it if I wanted to. Things are different now, especially through internships, LinkedIn, networking groups, etc. I will always continue to be driven to learn and grow and contribute to my environment as it gives me personal satisfaction. And I will be very happy to empower the next leader who fills my shoes.

Any fun facts you’d like the world to learn about you? Favorite food, hobbies, number of kids, pet peeves, etc. The more the merrier!!

I live in NY, have an 18 yo who starts at Northeastern in the fall (Lisbon for her first semester, then Boston) and a 16yo son who plays a lot of baseball. We have 2 crazy and anxious mini aussies. They are adorable which is why we haven’t killed them yet. My home away from home is Cape Cod. I am here now. Long term, this will be my husband and my home-home. I love golf, tennis, hiking and basically any outdoor activity. I love to travel – Greece, Iceland, Spain, Israel and Egypt are some of my favorites but I have soooo much more to see. I hate self-defeatists. There is always a solution to the most difficult challenge. I hate people who are closed minded. I have strong convictions for sure, but diversity of thought is important and necessary. I also hate peas and raisins.