Allyson Felix on Building an Empire After Nike and Her Vision for Women's Sports

From Olympian to Entrepreneur

• 🏅 Allyson Felix identifies herself primarily as an Olympian, a foundation that has enabled her passions in entrepreneurship and advocacy.
• 🚀 Her journey into professional athletics was unexpected, stumbling into the sport in high school due to shyness, rather than following a predetermined path.
• ⚡ A pivotal moment was winning a professional race in Mexico City at age 17, running the fastest time in the world at that moment, which revealed her potential beyond college scholarships.

The Nike Standoff and Maternal Protections

• 💔 Felix recounts her difficult contract renegotiation with Nike after nearly a decade, where the offer was 70% less, amplified by her pregnancy.
• 🤰 Facing contract pauses and penalties for pregnancy, she shifted her ask from financial concerns to demanding maternal protections.
• ✅ Nike, after her public op-ed, changed its policy to offer 18 months of maternal protection for female athletes, a significant win for gender equity in sports.

Launching Saysh and Addressing Industry Gaps

• 👟 Inspired by her experience and unable to find a new sponsor, Felix co-founded her own shoe company, Saysh, with her brother Wes.
• 💡 The company was driven by the discovery that women's shoes were not being made on lasts specifically for women, but rather on molds of men's feet.
• 🗣️ This realization fueled a mission to change the shoe industry, ensuring women's footwear is not an afterthought.

Navigating Entrepreneurship and Imposter Syndrome

• 🚧 Felix discusses the challenges of entrepreneurship, including significant imposter syndrome and feeling underestimated as a woman of color in the VC space.
• 🧠 She emphasizes translating her athletic skills of hard work, perseverance, and dedication to overcome business challenges.
• 🤝 The importance of building a world-class team, as advised by Magic Johnson, is crucial for navigating the business world and achieving ambitious goals.

Founding Always Alpha and Future of Women's Sports

• 🌟 Always Alpha, a talent management firm co-founded with her brother Wes, is dedicated to being fully focused on women's sports.
• 🎯 The firm aims to represent female athletes, helping them build their businesses both on and off the field, modeled after the entertainment industry.
• 🏆 Felix is deeply involved with the LA28 Olympic Games as an IOC member and LA28 board member, focusing on seamless execution and leaving a lasting legacy.
• 🏃‍♀️ She continues to stay active, ensuring she can keep up with her daughter, and advises aspiring entrepreneurs to take the first step and pursue their beliefs without waiting for a perfect moment.