Communication also means networking, connecting with other people, finding like-minded individuals, and supporting each other. Or, as people say in Berlin: “It’s good to know someone who knows someone.” For example, the partnership between FC Viktoria Berlin and Jokolade came about through contacts of contacts. In the start-up world, networking plays a crucial role and can often make the difference between success and failure.
Our women’s team is part of FC Viktoria 1889 Berlin, but we also see ourselves as a football start-up. We think entrepreneurially and rely on a strong and unique network across politics, business, culture/media, and sports. Our goal is not only success in football but also creating a sustainable and social female movement.
There are many great initiatives for supporting women in sports, such as The League or Equalate. On top of that, FC Viktoria Berlin offers its players a mentoring program with our many investors. One of these mentoring pairs is Pia Ortner and Anja Mengel. In this interview, Pia shares how she benefits from her mentor.
Prof. Dr. Anja Mengel (right) has been a lawyer for over 24 years, specialising in labour law – so, professionally speaking, she has nothing to do with the sports business. Still, Anja and Pia are a perfect match, like a ball and a goal.
Pia Ortner (left), our player wearing number 10, has been playing for FC Viktoria Berlin since 2014. The 19-year-old finished high school a year ago and recently completed her voluntary service with the Berlin Football Association.
(Credit: Kai Heuser, @heuserkampf) _________________________________________________
I N T E R V I E W W I T H P I A O R T N E R
What did you learn during your year at the Berlin Football Association?
P I I got to know the entire association. I had insights into all kinds of projects and tasks. For example, I worked on a project for refugees, a girls’ project, and in the referees' department. My highlight? I was at the men’s DFB-Pokal final.
What path do you want to take now?
P I I definitely want to study. Either sports science or sports management. But I still need to do some research on career opportunities in those fields. Of course, I can also imagine pursuing a professional sports career if I get fit again. I tore my meniscus two months ago. My parents support me and think what I do is cool, but of course, they also want me to have security.
Where does your determination come from?
P I When you’re young, you think a lot about your future career. But I feel like many people my age don’t know exactly what they want. I’m lucky because football has shown me what I enjoy. And I’ve seen how cool the people are who work in the sports sector.
How did you meet your mentor, Anja?
P I The pairings in the program were made randomly. All the players who were interested could sign up, as could the investors. So, most of us were assigned freely, but you could also specifically look for someone. Originally, I even wanted to become a lawyer. But after seeing Anja’s daily routine, I realised that law wasn’t for me. Learning laws by heart, doing tons of paperwork, sitting all day… That’s fine for a degree, but that’s when the real job starts. I want to work with people and have variety, like in sports.
How do you work together?
P I We meet every three to four weeks in a restaurant. I was a bit nervous at our first meeting. By now, it’s like meeting up with a friend. We often end up talking for three or four hours. We both just love to chat. She tells me about her job, she travels a lot, to different cities and even internationally, and I tell her about football. Anja has become part of the furniture at FC Viktoria Berlin. She’s at almost every home game and is super interested.
So she learns something from you too…
P I Yeah, for her it’s really cool to get insights into the team. I’m basically her connection to the squad. It’s different than just being a spectator.
Anja finished her degree ten years before you were born. What have you learned from her so far?
P I I’ve learned that I don’t want to become a lawyer, but I am drawn to working independently. I know a lot of people at the Berlin Football Association who work nine to five. For some, it’s the best thing because they have a steady routine. But I’ve always been really good at organising my own time. I don’t feel like I’m overworked. I’m very structured and have lists for everything.
What I’ve also learned from Anja is how to handle stress, pressure, or criticism. For example, there was some tension with a teammate once. She was annoyed, and I was annoyed. Anja advised me to approach her again and talk things out. It was the right thing to do.
The mentoring program has been running for a year now. The second round is starting next year. Are you continuing, or will you throw your name back into the hat?
P I I’d love to continue and explore other career fields too. Maybe I’ll specifically look for someone who can help me with my studies. I’m thinking about dual studies, let’s see what’s possible and which contacts I can make!
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