From ESPN to Entrepreneurship: How Gabby Robuccio Built a Business on Pro Event Tips
- mgraziano45
- 3 hours ago
- 4 min read
On this episode of Adventures in Business, Amani and Mandi interview Gabby Robuccio, former ESPN events and production powerhouse turned founder of Pro Event Tips. With a background that includes organizing logistics for massive international sporting events like the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Gabby brings a rare mix of experience, grit, and heart to the conversation.
Climbing the Ranks at ESPN
Gabby knew she wanted to work at ESPN from a young age – so she did everything she could to make it happen. She chose the University of Connecticut to be close to ESPN’s headquarters in Bristol, joined the campus TV station, and networked her way into a job during the 2008 recession.
She started at the bottom, working overnights, but quickly found her niche. A friend pointed out how good she was at planning group events, and that led her to a production coordinator role. From there, Gabby was off and running – coordinating everything from hotel blocks and visas to talent bookings and broadcast logistics.
For over a decade, she managed logistics for sports broadcasts around the world. And while the job sounded glamorous on the outside, she’s honest about the reality: “I saw a lot of hotel rooms and loading docks.”
Why She Left Her Dream Job
Eventually, Gabby realized it was time for a change. After 10 years of nonstop travel and high-stakes production, she was ready to slow down and shift gears. Her then-boyfriend (now husband) got a job in Utah, and she took the leap – leaving behind her dream job to start a new chapter.
Gabby’s next role was in the nonprofit world, planning hospital fundraising events. And that’s when she truly saw the scope of the events industry: from sports and television to healthcare and corporate, logistics and relationships were always at the center.
Turning Experience into Education
All of those years in the trenches gave Gabby a passion for helping others thrive in events. That’s how Pro Event Tips was born – her business and educational platform for up-and-coming event professionals. Whether you’re a total newbie or a seasoned planner, Gabby shares practical, real-world advice rooted in decades of experience.
And yes – she’s got an Emmy to prove it. Her work on ESPN’s College GameDay, one of the most intense and fast-paced productions in sports, earned her one of broadcasting’s top honors. “That Emmy is my battle scar,” she jokes. “That season was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”
How Gabby Robuccio Has Sharpened Her Communication
Communication has been a huge factor to Gabby Robuccio’s success – and she credits this skill to something she’s worked to be able to do well: taking feedback. Gabby points out that feedback – positive or negative – is always a gift. Even the tough stuff has value if you’re willing to get to the root of it. That self-awareness and willingness to improve is what gives her an edge.
And it shows in her work. In Pro Event Tips, she works with event pros, corporate teams, and internal departments to fix fractured relationships and build strong ones from the start.
At the heart of her approach is what she calls the REAL Event Relationship System, a framework designed to strengthen communication between sponsors, vendors, internal teams, and clients. Whether someone reaches out because of a relationship breakdown or because they’re struggling to be heard, Gabby helps them assess, reset, and rebuild.
From Burnout to Breakthrough
Gabby’s work today is shaped by her own experience with burnout. While working at ESPN – her dream job – she poured everything into her role, until it started to consume her identity. “ESPN was me,” she recalls. “The thought of leaving… I was like, well, who am I?”
The recovery didn’t come easily. It took therapy, deep self-reflection, and something unexpected: running. “Running was my saving grace,” she says. It forced her to disconnect, breathe, and be present. “It took physical recovery for me to emotionally recover.”
That time helped her realize she’d accomplished what she set out to do – and it was time to help others build more sustainable careers in events.
What’s Next for Pro Event Tips?
Gabby has big plans. She wants to work with corporate event teams, event associations, and organizations like ESPN and Special Olympics International. Her goal is to offer long-term consulting partnerships – quarterly or year-long – where she helps teams build better communication foundations from the inside out.
And of course, she wants to get on stage and speak. “That’s the ultimate goal,” she says.
Gabby Robuccio’s Secret to Balance
Gabby shared that one of the biggest shifts in her mindset was letting go of the idea that having it all means doing it all. “When I’m a great founder of Pro Event Tips, I’m probably not the best wife or the best mother. And when I’m all in on my kids, I’m not as focused on my business. And that’s okay.”
Her approach now? Be all in on whatever you’re doing in the moment—and make sure you’ve carved out time for each of your priorities, even if it’s not perfectly equal.
Her tip: Schedule your time with intention. Ask yourself, “What are the top five most important things I need to do today?” Do those first. Everything else is a bonus.
A Note to Her Younger Self
If she could go back to college Gabby, sitting in a coffee shop the day after graduation, she’d give her this advice:
Bet on yourself, don’t be afraid to fail, and don’t worry about looking like you have it all together – because no one really does.
“You’re going to win if you bet on yourself,” she said. “Putting yourself out there is the only way to get where you want to go.”