My 1st Gig: John VanderHaagen—Career Shot Out of a Hot Dog Cannon!

From cold calls to championship rings: John VanderHaagen’s first gig.

When John VanderHaagen took his first post-college job, he didn’t expect to be microwaving hot dogs for a mascot to shoot into the crowd. But as a Ticket Sales Account Executive for the Grand Rapids Griffins and Grand Rapids Rampage, John quickly learned that a job in minor league sports means wearing a lot of hats—and sometimes, dodging flying hot dogs.

John recently sat down with My 1st Gig hosts Allie Walker and Ryan Gajewski to share his journey from cold calls to championship rings, offering insights into the lessons he learned along the way.

The First Gig: Ticket Sales in Minor League Sports

John’s first professional role came by way of an internship, a path many young professionals take, though few dive in quite as early as he did. As a sophomore at Calvin College, where he double-majored in business and communications, John landed an internship with the Griffins. That experience stretched over his junior and senior years and ultimately secured him a full-time position before he even graduated.

“It’s not what you know, it’s who you know,” John admitted, crediting his connection with a Calvin alum at the Griffins for opening the door. He started in corporate sales but quickly realized that while selling sponsorships wasn’t his passion, working in an environment where people went to have fun was. 

Learning the Ropes—and Handling Rejection

John’s first full-time role involved making 100 cold calls a day, trying to sell group ticket packages to businesses, churches, and organizations. “You hear ‘no’ about 99 times a day,” he recalled. “But every ‘no’ is one step closer to a ‘yes.’”

He credits that experience with teaching him resilience, persistence, and the art of asking the right questions. “If you’re not the person who makes these decisions, who should I be talking to?” he learned to ask.

Other Duties as Assigned: The Reality of Minor League Sports

In minor league sports, job descriptions often end with the phrase “other duties as assigned.” For John, those duties included everything from changing arena signage to shuttling special guests from the airport. And yes, preparing hot dogs to be launched into the crowd.

“I would pick up hot dogs from Meijer, microwave them in the afternoon, wrap them in tape, and they’d sit until game time,” he laughed. “They were probably cold by then, but that was just part of the job.”

The long hours meant that sometimes, the easiest solution was just sleeping under his desk between events. “Normal weeks were 60 to 70 hours, and sometimes, we had three games in a row. I lived close by, but it was easier to crash at my desk than go home,” he admitted.

From Cold Calls to Social Media Pioneer

John’s time with the Rampage ended when the team folded, a business decision that made financial sense but still stung. Rather than look outside the organization, he walked across the arena to pitch an idea to the Griffins’ president: let him run the team’s social media.

At the time, no other American Hockey League team had a dedicated social media person. John saw an opportunity and created a new role focused on using Facebook and MySpace to build fan engagement and ticket sales. That shift into digital communications ultimately shaped the rest of his career.

A Championship Ring and Lifelong Lessons

One of John’s fondest memories from his first job? Winning a championship ring when the Rampage took home the ArenaBowl title in 2001. “It was a whirlwind start to my career,” he said. “I graduated in May, we won the championship in August, and then the world changed in September.”

The inscription inside his ring reads, “No excuses.” It was the team’s mantra that season, and it’s a mindset that has stuck with him ever since.

Reflections on the First Gig

Looking back, John wouldn’t change a thing. His early experiences taught him how to handle rejection, adapt to new challenges, and take initiative when opportunities arose. “I always made sure to ask other departments if they needed help before I left,” he said. “That’s how you make an impression.”

Now serving as the Director of Communications at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, John’s career has evolved far beyond cold calls and mascot antics. But the lessons from his first gig—hard work, perseverance, and creativity—have shaped the communicator and leader he is today.

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