The sports and entertainment sectors are famously competitive, especially for women of color. Tish Galindo, the Latina founder and CEO of The 360 Agency, knows firsthand how challenging it can be to rise to the top. That’s why she founded Women Raise the Game—a platform designed to foster connections and career advancement for young female trailblazers in these industries. Galindo, alongside Tamala Barksdale, the agency’s Chief Strategy Officer, recently hosted a wildly successful networking event for Latinas in Sports and Entertainment at the Grammy Museum, with even bigger plans ahead.

In this interview, Tish Galindo and Tamala Barksdale share how they’re using Women Raise the Game to make a difference for the next generation of female leaders. They discuss their personal journeys, creating authentic spaces in the workplace, and how collaboration, not competition, is key to success.

How Women Raise the Game Came to Life

According to Galindo, Women Raise the Game began with a simple conversation at the kitchen table. She and Barksdale reflected on their own careers and the many women they’d met in the sports and entertainment industries. “We are a Latina-and Black-owned agency, and we’ve had so many opportunities to work with global brands and create opportunities for athletes and celebrities,” Galindo said. “But we also noticed that many incredible women were doing great things without getting the spotlight they deserved.”

That realization sparked the idea for Women Raise the Game: to shine a light on women who often go unrecognized, particularly women of color in leadership positions. “We wanted to give back so women don’t have to bootstrap it,” Galindo added. “And it took off like wildfire. We didn’t expect so much support.”

Uniting Sports and Entertainment: A Strategic Move

What makes Women Raise the Game stand out is its focus on both sports and entertainment—two industries that, according to Barksdale, are “incredibly competitive.” Women in these fields often find themselves locked out of the most powerful rooms where the biggest deals happen.

“When I joined the agency, I learned how critical it was to be able to call the ‘big four’ talent agencies and sports agencies and have your call taken,” Barksdale explained. “Those rooms are not often filled with women, and we want to see them be more accessible.”

Galindo added that the industries themselves are booming, and sports and entertainment are closely intertwined. “A lot of the work we’ve done in branded entertainment has involved celebrity sports figures,” she said. “We know that entertainment has the potential to become a powerful economic engine for women, especially those looking to break into the industry.”

Galindo and Barksdale both see sports-oriented women as “D1 players” in terms of vision, collaboration, and risk-taking. “We gravitate toward that,” Galindo said, emphasizing how these qualities—shared by both women and athletes—can spark lasting success.

Women in Leadership: Breaking Barriers and Changing Data

A major motivation behind Women Raise the Game is addressing the stark gender disparity in leadership roles. According to Galindo, fewer than 3% of creative directors are women, and even fewer—less than 1%—are women of color. “We own this space, but we don’t want it to continue to be that way,” she said.

Barksdale brought up some telling statistics: “75% of women under 30 say they want to lead. How do we open that pathway? 60% of women say they want a woman sponsor for their company.” She believes it’s time to create space for ambitious women who want to share in the prosperity of these industries, which are worth nearly a trillion dollars.

A Multicultural Approach to Marketing

As the CEO and CSO of The 360 Agency, Galindo and Barksdale have applied their multicultural approach to marketing, working with brands such as HBO Max, AT&T, and Expedia. Barksdale explained that The 360 Agency specializes in “platform work,” which allows brands to tell expansive, authentic stories that resonate with diverse communities. “Platform work lets us live at the intersection of a brand’s value proposition and the many diverse ways people live,” Barksdale said.

“It’s about meeting the value proposition of the brand and telling a multicultural story that speaks directly to the consumer,” Galindo explained. This is a departure from the traditional approach to multicultural marketing, which often simplifies complex identities. Instead, Galindo and Barksdale’s agency embraces the full spectrum of people’s lives—be they Latina, queer, Black, Afro-Latina, or beyond.

Authenticity as a Competitive Advantage

During the Women Raise the Game event, one of the panels was titled “Authenticity as a Competitive Advantage.” Both Galindo and Barksdale emphasized how important it is to show up authentically in business. “The reason this partnership and business work so well is that we show up 100% as who we are,” Barksdale said. “There are no apologies.”

Galindo recalled a time early in her career when she tried to fit into a more corporate mold. “I was the girl with the suit and the bun because I wanted to be very corporate,” she said. “But you realize that takes dimension away and doesn’t allow you to show up with your superpower.” She now believes in the power of diversity, embracing all the different facets of oneself. “Authenticity means showing up, using every bit of your talent, everything that you are, and not trying to be like everybody else,” she said.

Collaboration Over Competition

At the core of Women Raise the Game is a philosophy rooted in collaboration. Both Galindo and Barksdale believe that working together—not against each other—leads to greater success. “You don’t have to compete with other women,” Galindo said. “Nothing great is made alone. You need other people, and you invite them to pour into you.”

Barksdale echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that collaboration is a “force multiplier.” She also encouraged women to push themselves, take risks, and believe that they belong at the table. “Start by believing that the opportunity is yours to seize,” she said. “What began as a passion project has grown into a movement.”

The Power of Networking and Women Supporting Women

The Women Raise the Game event was about more than just networking—it was about creating a community where women could support each other. According to Barksdale, many women in the room were eager to make meaningful connections and believed that the women at the event would pour into them. “The worst that can happen is a ‘no,’” she said, advising attendees to push for what they want.

Galindo added that asking for what you want is key to overcoming fear. “Turn off the negative talk,” she said. “You have to ask. People can’t read your brain. Ask, and it will happen.”

The Future of Women Raise the Game

So, what’s next for Women Raise the Game? According to Galindo, “So much.” She and Barksdale plan to continue expanding the platform’s reach with upcoming events at major industry gatherings like the Super Bowl, NBA, WNBA, and South by Southwest. They are determined to make lasting changes for women in sports and entertainment.

“We have a full roster of events—you should follow the community and stay connected,” Galindo encouraged, giving a glimpse into the future of Women Raise the Game. With the momentum building, it’s clear that the best is yet to come.

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