Athletes Who Are Also Successful Entrepreneurs: Athletes are known for much more than their performance on the field. Their dedication and passion go way beyond sports, and many of the top athletes are leveraging these skills, fame, and strategic thinking to create and nurture successful businesses, and in the pursuit of this, they are inspiring millions worldwide. These innovative businesses are not limited to the world of sports but go much beyond that. Some athletes open up their business ventures and start to deal in fitness products, others go for arts and entertainment ventures, while some target the nutrition domain.
These are five athletes who are also successful entrepreneurs:
Tim Tebow
Tim Tebow is an athlete who has successfully built his business and is the founder of The Tebow Group, which is a creative agency and a technology accelerator, and a talent management firm. He runs this venture in partnership with his wife, and the mission of their business is purposeful investing and to help other companies grow. Additionally, Tim Tebow also runs a foundation by the name of Tim Tebow Foundation, which was established in 201,0 that helps people who are vulnerable due to reasons of human trafficking and more.
Abby Wambach
Abby Wambach was a star professional soccer player who leveraged her experience and platform to become the co-founder of a leadership company by the name of Wolfpack Endeavor that aims to promote resilience and authentic leadership. Moreover, she also made a significant investment in wellness brands. She is also a part-owner of the National Women’s Soccer League, where she is seen advocating for higher salaries for female athletes. Wambach is also a podcast host who deals with topics of personal growth, vulnerability, and other social issues, which debuted at number one on Apple Podcasts.
Ryan Howard
A former basketball player, Ryan Howard, after his retirement, started his entrepreneurship journey and became a partner at SeventySix Capital, which is a venture capital firm that primarily invests in health, sports, and other retail sectors. Additionally, he is also a successful franchise owner and is the brand ambassador for SMB Financing, where he undertakes the role of advising aspiring franchisees. He is also the founder of the Ryan Howard Foundation.
Marques Colston
Marques Colston, former New Orleans Saints wide receiver, has also taken steps towards entrepreneurship and is the founder of Marques Colston Enterprises, which focuses on the personal and professional development of athletes. He is also the founding partner at Champion Venture Partners, which is a sport-focused private equity and venture capital firm where over $100 million has been raised.
The reason for the success of these businesses that are run by athletes is due to the presence of authenticity and their personal brand, along with the strategic use of fame and influence, which enables these athletes to focus on the impact and purpose of their business with consistency and a long-term vision.
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