Talk business, not just comms: Lessons from FanDuel’s internal comms leader

Modupeh Jahamaliah leads internal communications at FanDuel, where she has helped build the company’s LinkedIn presence and executive profiles in pursuit of one big goal: the most educated employee base in the industry. A first-generation Liberian American who grew up playing soccer in North Carolina, Jahamaliah arrived at the University of Maryland set on becoming the next Christiane Amanpour. She left with degrees in communications and government and politics, plus a first look inside a sports front office from her work with the Terrapins football team.

The comms leader got her chops at Ketchum Sports & Entertainment in New York City and finishes her MBA in May. Along the way, she’s learned that a message lands best when you understand the business behind it.

During Ragan’s Future of Communications Conference next month, Modupeh Jahamaliah will discuss why business fluency matters for communicators and how speaking the language of the business helps comms earn a seat at the table.  To register, click here. 

You studied communications and government and politics at the University of Maryland. How has that combination shaped the way you approach your work today?

Government and politics, as well as communications — both of them teach you how institutions can earn and lose trust. In communications, you’re talking about stakeholders. In government and politics, you’re talking about constituents. That’s where I’ve been able to merge the two in my profession. One degree taught me how to say it well, and the other degree taught me who needs to say yes, who loses something, what has to be true for a decision to stick.

Was there a turning point in your career, or a risk you took, that changed your direction?

It was more like a path I decided to choose, and that was moving to New York City right after I graduated college. I had an internship, and then that internship turned into a role that was based in New York City. I was bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, eager and excited. Being in New York at that age, at my first actual 9-to-5-plus, really helped me cut my teeth. That was a huge pivotal moment for me. That’s where I got my chops. That’s where I got my chip on my shoulder a bit — how I need to perform and be in a corporate setting in order to survive.

At FanDuel, you’ve built the company’s LinkedIn presence and executive profiles while also creating the channels that reach more than 5,000 employees. How do you keep the story people hear inside the company consistent with the one they see outside it?

With communications, you learn about your stakeholders, and your stakeholders can be investors, your stakeholders can be customers, your stakeholders can be your employees. I like to think of it as that broad range. I’ve had the experience of being at an agency and working for clients. I’ve had the experience now working in-house, internally, for internal communications. And I think the key thing there is keeping that through line when you’re communicating something, so that there’s a level of transparency that you’re giving your customers — because, again, it’s about that reputation — but then there’s also a level of transparency that you have with your employees. The motto that I created for my internal communications team, and our goal, our vision, is to have the most educated employee base in the industry. And I think that should hold true for any company. Your employees are powerful ambassadors that you can have to represent your brand. Whether an employee goes on LinkedIn and feels like they should promote the company on LinkedIn or wants to like their employer’s post. That’s the through line that you can have with building that engagement with external audiences as well as internal audiences.

You’re leading a business fluency session at the Future of Communications Conference, what’s one thing you hope attendees can take away from it?

I’ve seen this a lot on LinkedIn recently, but something I want people to take away is that communications deserves a seat at the table, because reputation is make-or-break, and internal and external communications are mixing significantly. Communications is a stronghold and a powerful, powerful tool. Our communicators need to understand how to talk the business language, not just the communications language.

When did you realize that understanding the business was just as important as being a strong communicator?

Honestly, that was the reason why I decided to pursue my MBA. Here at FanDuel, our parent company was headed to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange, and I was working on a lot of communications. There were things that were totally going over my head, and I was looking them up and trying to better understand them. That’s the moment I was like, I should get my MBA, so I can better understand the top and bottom of what’s happening across the business. I want to increase my business acumen, because that’s only going to make me a stronger communicator.

What does a good day look like for you outside of work? What helps you recharge? 

I love reading. I’m a huge, huge reader. I’ve been a reader since I was a kid, tucked away in the public library, tearing through books and reading challenges in the summer. You can always find me with a book in my hand. It’s either that or going on nice walks and enjoying nature and the fresh air. Those are definitely the best ways that I like to recharge.

Who has had the biggest influence on your career, and what did they teach you?

I’d have to say it’s my parents. Being first generation, the sacrifices that they made for me are sacrifices that a lot of parents make, but everything that I do, I will always want to make them really proud and give them tenfold what they gave me. That’s where my motivation is rooted.

Is there a quote or anything that they’ve said to you growing up that you refer to often?

Nothing that they said to me, but there’s this “Mulan” quote that I love: “The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all.”

Isis Simpson-Mersha is a conference producer/ reporter for Ragan. Follow her on LinkedIn.