Career Clarity with Athletes: A 2ndwind Podcast with Ryan Gonsalves

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When the stadium lights dim and the roaring crowds become a memory, what's next for the athlete whose life was once defined by the game? Our 100th episode marks a celebration of such journeys, featuring Allana Ferguson, a former professional rugby league and rugby union player, now an Australian sports commentator, radio personality, and mom. Jeremy, who enjoyed an 11-year career in professional rugby league in the NRL, transitioned to the corporate space as a mortgage specialist before co-founding Unite the Dream. We explore the richness of life after sports—balancing broadcasting, business ventures, and family, all while holding onto the essence of identity and passion that fueled their athletic endeavours.

Tune in to learn more about:

• The current endeavors of the Jeremy Latimore and Allana Ferguson
• Their earliest sporting memories and paths to professional Sports 
• What to hold onto on the women's sports 
• The experience and emotions of changing clubs and dealing with rejection 
•  Allana’s realisation of her personal brand and the role she could play in supporting others
• Sneak peek into Jeremy's structured approach to his day-to-day life
• What they would have done differently to set themselves up better for life beyond sports 
• The opportunities Sports avail to athletes and how to best leverage them
• Gems on having the thirst to learn from others and continuously network 

… and so much more!

Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out www.2ndwind.io 

Links:

Allana: https://www.instagram.com/allanaferg_  

Jeremy:https://www.instagram.com/jeremy_latimore 

Allana's X: https://x.com/Allanaferguson

Jeremy's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-latimore 

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Imagine stepping off the court for the last time, your identity as an athlete hanging up its jersey as you prepare for the 'real world.' Frances recounts this very passage, discussing the emotional toll and the resilience required to pivot from the structured life of an athlete to the unpredictability of the job market. Frances  is a former Division 1 volleyball athlete, the co-founder, and Chief Growth Officer at Postseason, an experienced marketing professional and strategist. Her narrative resonates with anyone who's faced the daunting task of reinventing themselves, exemplifying how the skills honed on the court—leadership, adaptability, tenacity—become invaluable assets in the boardroom. Frances's path is not just her own but a source of inspiration for those who dare to dream beyond the final whistle, proving that with the right mindset and support, the end of one chapter can be the start of something extraordinary.

Tune in to learn more about:

- Exploring her roots and volleyball journey from the ground up.
- Unveiling her aspirations at the onset of her athletic career.
- Navigating the challenges of collegiate sports as a female athlete.
- Wrestling with post-college uncertainty amid athletic dreams.
- Sacrifices made on the path to realizing her athletic aspirations.
- Tracing the trajectory from college to her current endeavors.
- Embracing coaching and mentoring roles post-athletics.
- Shedding light on Postseason's mission and vision.
… and so much more!

Are you looking for career clarity for your next step, for more information or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out www.2ndwind.com 

Links

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frances-garcia-mba-a38bb618 

X: https://twitter.com/franceslive?lang= 

Instagram: https://twitter.com/franceslive?

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Stepping into the shoes of an elite athlete, few of us can grasp the sheer dedication it takes to excel, let alone pair it with the cunning of a sharp entrepreneur. On this episode, we bring you a session with Matt Mooney, the mastermind behind Athletic IQ and an international basketball player. Matt opens up about his extraordinary journey through the realms of professional sports and entrepreneurship, offering a rare glimpse into the tenacity required to foster a groundbreaking startup while pursuing the pinnacle of athletic performance. His vision for Athletic IQ is ambitious yet grounded in the desire to uplift and transform the world of basketball. Join us for an episode that's as much about heart and soul as it is about hoops and high stakes.

In a nutshell, you will learn more about:
- Matt’s childhood dream of playing basketball and his achievements in the sport
- The premature end of his NBA career and its mental and emotional impact on him
- Overcoming his reluctance to play overseas and the challenges he faced upon moving to Spain
- Valuable lessons learned from his time as an NBA player, despite limited opportunities
- His entrepreneurial journey and mindset, cultivated during his high school days and at the University of South Dakota
- The inspiration behind founding Athletic IQ
- How he drew lessons from his brother’s startup and surrounded himself with the right people to propel his business venture
... and so much more!

Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out www.2ndwind.io   

Links:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-mooney-athletiq 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matt_m_mooney/ 

 X: https://twitter.com/matt_m_mooney 

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In this episode,  Abbie Wolf takes us on a riveting journey from basketball jerseys to boardroom battles. With her, we uncover the parallels between sports discipline and business acumen as she recounts the pivotal choices that propelled her from the collegiate courts of Northwestern to the strategic arena of Counterpart Ventures. Abbie's story is not just about career change; it's a playbook for leveraging life's lessons across divergent paths.

Tune in to learn more about:
- Where her love for basketball was ignited and her dreams for it began
- Her escapades in Europe and the authentic culture she experienced
- How she maintained a balance between her academics and sports as basketball opened up opportunities
- The role of sports as a pathway to unforeseen ventures
- What got her thinking about her second wind and how she prepared herself for it while playing at a professional level
- Traits learned from basketball that have played a significant role in making her successful in the business world
- The stress involved in working in a start-up and how she navigated it
- What success looks like for her today in this phase of her career
- Unveiling opportunities from a place of vulnerability and how to make the most of them as a sportsman
… and so much more!

Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out www.2ndwind.io   

Links:

Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbiewolf21/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wolfie

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Ever wondered how the grit of a sports field can pave the way for success in the corporate world? Join us as we sit down with James, whose journey from elite rugby to a vibrant career at Unity is nothing short of inspiring. Our conversation peels back the layers on the transformative power of opportunities, even those seeming miles away from the try line.

James candidly shares the emotional upheavals of leaving a professional sports career, the tenacity required to overcome injuries, and how such setbacks can lead to unforeseen ventures like coaching. His story champions the idea that life's crossroads, while daunting, are brimming with growth potential. Through our discussion, we uncover the parallels between the determination on the rugby pitch and the corporate hustle, offering you a playbook for channeling your own inner resilience.

Tune in to learn more about:

• James' childhood aspirations of his rugby venture as an eight-year-old and how they shaped his journey
• Reflections on his total dedication to rugby and invaluable lessons learned from those moments
• Importance of embracing challenges as opportunities for learning and growth rather than fixating on them as setbacks
• James’s feelings of betrayal  from rugby, his fallout from the game, and how he found his way back to rekindling his love for rugby
• How James cracked his way into his dream industry gaming and finding new sense of fulfillment beyong  the sports
• Events that led to his shift in playing rugby for enjoyment and how this positively supplements his off-the-field career
• What success looks like for James in the gaming space
• His passion and dedication for leadership and how he is prepping to make a change and impact the current and next generation of leaders
• What an individual needs to shed to embrace transformative and successful leadership

…and so much more!

Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out www.2ndwind.io   

Links:

Linkedln: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-thacker/ 

Linkedln Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12949484/ 

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Join the conversation as Ryan chats with the extraordinary Chandra Crawford, Olympic gold medalist turned inspiring life trailblazer. Chandra's journey from the snow-clad peaks of Canmore to the uncharted terrains of life beyond the podium is nothing short of awe-inspiring. As we navigate her story, you’ll be privy to an intimate discussion on the transformative power of persistence, the joy of discovering new passions, and the courage to redefine identity when life calls for a new chapter. This is not simply a tale of athletic prowess, but a testament to the undying quest for personal growth and the profound impact one can have on the next generation, affirming that true success is not always measured in medals, but in the milestones of life's relentless race.

Tune in to learn more about:

• A sneak peek into the activities in the Rocky side of Canada and her first love, biathlon
• How she used negative experiences as fuel in her athletic career
• Her first super highs in cross-country skiing 
• How she went around the thoughts of throwing in the towel in the hard phase of her transition
• Redefining her definition of success and how it resulted in a beautiful experience during her last race 
• The values of having interests beyond sports that are worth your every minute  
• Finding the rhythm in her shift to the non-profit world
• Hurdles she had to face whilst building a family, running her charity, and doing her MBA
• What she would opt to do differently about her transition and setting herself up for her present life

Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out www.2ndwind.io   

Links:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chandracrawford? 

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When the roar of the stadium fades into the quiet buzz of an office, life takes an unexpected scrum. Former rugby professional Jason joins Ryan to share his remarkable journey from scoring tries to advising on financial ties. An athlete's path is never linear, and Jason's tale is a testament to the tenacity required both on the field and in the world of finance. We traverse his transition from the Southern Kings to capturing Google Maps footage, then to his adept hand at wealth management — proving it's not just muscle that flexes in the face of change but the mind too.

Our dialogue extends beyond the pitch, focusing on the critical need for financial literacy and tailored advice for those whose careers peak early in life. Tune in for an episode that tackles more than just rugby tales — it's about navigating life's financial scrums and scoring goals for the future.

Tune in to learn more about:

• The deep-rooted significance of rugby in South African heritage and what inspired Jason's journey into the rugby fields
• Jason’s aspirations as a 16/17 year old rugby player in a a professional setup
• His proudest moment playing internationally
• Reflections and insights on getting a degree whilst playing professional sports and how it shapes his future
• Challenges he faced in his effort to strike a balance between sports and his academic life
• The moment it dawned on him to put things in motion for his second wind and the opportunity he went ahead to create for himself
• Financial situations and challenges commonly faced by athletes and invaluable insights on securing a stable financial future
• Jason’s nuggets of wisdom on financially setting yourself up for life beyond sports

… and so much more! 

Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out www.2ndwind.io   

Links:

Linkedln: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonbaggott12/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jasonbaggott12 

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• What was on the back of his head juggling three spheres; elite sports, military, and coaching
• His secret to stitching all the three together and making all work out
• The role basketball players in his childhood as one of mixed race
• How to strategize against obstacles that come along in your life and find the solace to trust the process from his personal experiences 
• Transferable skills and lessons he brought from basketball that support his military and business career 
• Get to know his analogy of the two types of Ayers; the piano player and piano pusher 
• Sneak peek of what sports is like in the military and why young athletes that are transitioning should eye on it

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Do you ever look at a champion athlete and wonder what mountains they'll conquer when the cheering crowds have faded? Today, I have the pleasure of bringing you the extraordinary story of Peter Bakare, an Olympian whose competitive edge on the volleyball court has spiked into the imaginative realm of creative entrepreneurship. With the launch of Nutritroops, Peter is volleying his way into the hearts and minds of children, educating them on nutrition and health through the captivating world of animation.

Navigating through career transitions is no small feat, as Peter attests with the mental fortitude and strategic steps he employed. He shares practical tips on breaking down grand ambitions, utilizing networks, and positioning unique skills for success. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur or someone at the threshold of change, Peter's insights are a playbook for transforming passions into purposeful pursuits. So come along and get inspired to set your own career transition in motion with wisdom from an Olympian who's rewritten the rules of the game.

Tune in to learn more about:

• How he's changing the lives of the youths through his organization, Nutritroops
• Peter's first love, basketball, and how he got into playing it
• His frustrating transition to volleyball and when he became good at it
• Why did he sacrifice his passion for animation and script writing to play volleyball he didn't hold dear and the mental dilemma his decision beared
• What motivated his focus on making it to the 2012 Summer Olympics
• Profound insights on breaking down the fears you built up and how to reaffirm yourself
• The dynamics of starting afresh that athletes face after the sporting dreams they pursue come to an end
• The process he followed in pursuing his passion and building the right nodes
• What he would change in his history but still end up doing the amazing work he is doing today 

… and so much more! 

Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out http://www.2ndwind.io/

Links

Website Website: https://www.nutritroops.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peterbakare/ 

X: https://twitter.com/peterbakare

    https://twitter.com/nutritroops  

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From the relentless push of an oar against water to the strategic planning within the halls of Volleyball England,  Guin Batten's story is one of incredible transformation. As a world-class rower turned Deputy CEO, she joins us to unravel the journey that connects the adrenaline of elite sports with the finesse of sports administration leadership. In our conversation, Guin charts a course through the challenges of career transition, reminding us that success is hardly ever a straight sprint to the finish line.

Tune in to learn more about:
- The diverse existing and emerging disciplines encompassed within Volleyball England
-  Playing loads of sports when she was younger as a means to get respect 
- Nostalgia of how the one sport that she wasn't instantly good at brought her fond memories and adventures
- How she embraced the shift from being a team athlete to an individual athlete
- Beautiful perspective on caging out your inner confidence from her confidence battles
- The time she realized her rowing flame had dimmed and the first step she took
- How she learned to build and maintain a meaningful network as an athlete
- Insights on the struggles athletes undergo when pitching themselves in their post-sports career
- Motivation behind the amazing helpful work she has been doing 
… and so much more! 

Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out www.2ndwind.io