Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Michele Sinclair, Founder & CEO of Brandnew Athlete Inc., located in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Brandnew Athlete is an online, video-based, inspirational learning platform that focuses on the personal development of elite athletes aged 16-26.

Tell us about yourself

They say that some of the best business ideas come from personal experience. I'd like to think that this is the case with Brandnew Athletes. My son was an athlete for the better part of his life. He played high school football, rugby, Provincial Soccer, and Rep hockey right up to Grade 12, went to University on a Football scholarship, then switched to play varsity rugby for 4 years to end his sporting career. When he returned home, we were super pumped to see what the world had in store for him. Here he was, a university graduate with a business degree and a former varsity athlete. I mean, what more did he need to be a success? Instead, the only thing that happened was that he sat on our couch for over 3.5 months until, one day, I had enough. After many heartfelt conversations, I learned that my son had no idea how to move forward in life. That stopped me dead in my tracks. I mean, was I that bad a parent? Did I miss the memo? I sincerely thought that at this juncture in life, he'd be totally prepared for future success. It was obvious that he had an incredible athletic experience and an incredible academic experience to earn a business degree, but he was severely lacking in any kind of personal development. For me, that was when the lightbulb went on. I knew at that moment if I could create a learning tool that coaches/organizations/parents could use with ease, that would help athletes have access to that personal development piece that is clearly missing, that would take them to the next level of success, that this would be a gamechanger. I knew it would have to challenge the status quo, meaning it would have to enable an athlete to TRANSFORM while they were still competing rather than TRANSITION after sports.


It would also have to:
• focus on long-term player development
• capture the current landscape to address every topic that has been shoved under the carpet for far too long
• level the playing field by providing equal opportunity to all
• finally, become a recruitment & retention tool for organizations

I believe that this generation of youth, for a plethora of different reasons, is simply not receiving the holistic attention they need to be successful as they can be both inside or outside of sport.
They have no playbook. They have no foundation on which to build, and yet, they have one of the unique experiences from which to draw.
What motivates me every day is knowing that I can impact the path of success for elite athletes once they graduate and/or end their sporting careers.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

The biggest accomplishment that I've had as a business owner is having an idea and taking the idea to fruition. Many people have ideas and never act on them, and even though it took me 4.5 years to see them through, I stuck with them until it was complete.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

The hardest part of being a business owner for me is not knowing when your next sale will happen. The business of sports is not a predictable business, and so planning financially is often quite frustrating. I have learned to be careful and keep our resources carefully invested in ensuring the company will be in good nick if ever needed.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Love what you do. If you don't love what you do, it will be difficult to sustain its growth and success.
  2. Treat everyone you work with, with the ultimate respect. This philosophy will always win every time.
  3. Never give up. Just when you think you can't continue or a sale will never happen, it does when you need it to.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://brandnewathlete.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brandnewathlete
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandnewathlete/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/brand-new-athlete/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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