3 methods the Olympics are just like entrepreneurship

Lou Cysewski, EO Seattle, is co-founder and CEO of Coolperx, the world’s first internet carbon impartial merchandising firm. As a minority feminine entrepreneur, Lou shared her observations on the Olympics and the way they mirrored and uncovered the struggles of feminine entrepreneurs striving to construct sustainable companies. With the 2022 Winter Olympics upon us, we’re reposting this text that initially appeared on EO’s Inc.com channel.

The 2020 Summer time Olympic video games (which befell in Tokyo in 2021), had been my 10-year-old daughter’s first actual publicity to aggressive sports activities. She’d watch and ask, in her candy innocence, “Why are the People teasing the opposite group with the ball? Why don’t they throw it? I don’t like that!”

Her observations alerted me to methods wherein we see and expertise competitors all through our lives. I observed many similarities between the athletes’ experiences previous to and through competitors and my very own journey over the previous 4 years as a minority, feminine entrepreneur.

Listed here are three observations I made about how the Olympics are just like entrepreneurship:

Braveness is required.

I care deeply in regards to the environmental affect of my trade, which led me to assemble carbon emissions information on all client items. I knew I couldn’t maintain this information for simply my purchasers. This was necessary data to share with the world, as we slowly however absolutely shift to extra sustainable methods of working and dwelling. However I used to be unsure about presenting it publicly. The little voice inside my head, the one which questioned whether or not individuals would work for me, purchase from me, and comply with my lead initially of my entrepreneurial journey gave me pause about my firm’s necessary contribution to stopping and reversing local weather change.

Through the Olympics, I watched athletes crouching on the beginning traces and ready for the beginning gun so they may get on the market and defend their presents, strengths and abilities. They had been laser-focused and utterly within the second, prepared to provide their all. I noticed that so as to succeed and push for a distinct future, I additionally needed to get on the market. My husband and I had been shocked at how a lot slower some Olympic data of the previous are in contrast with those who athletes are setting now. It solely takes one distinctive athlete, with a mountain of braveness, to utterly elevate the bar and alter historical past. Just like the Olympians, I must get out of my head and lift the bar for environmental sustainability in my trade by revealing the attributes my firm, Coolperx, was constructed to carry to the world.

There may be nonetheless a variety of bias to be handled.

Once I heard in regards to the refusal to permit black athletes to put on swim caps which can be snug for his or her hair, I considered all of the methods wherein prevailing bias can maintain us from evolving. Equally, Sha’Carri Richardson joins Colin Kaepernick and plenty of others who had been ousted from sports activities merely due to their beliefs. They’re now recognizable family names due to their efforts to attract consideration to systemic racism and injustice.

In my expertise, feminine entrepreneurs are usually not taken as severely as our male counterparts, even though 42 p.c of all companies are owned by girls. But girls personal solely 2 p.c of enterprise income. Any lady entrepreneur will inform you that the first approach systemic sexism pops up is the problem of securing enough funding to begin a enterprise. Once I’m invited to take part in a spherical of pitching to potential buyers, it’s most of the time a part of an organization’s advertising technique round proving to the world that they care about fairness for ladies. For instance, I’ve needed to submit a 30-second pitch video on my social media and direct my followers to go to the corporate’s web site to vote for me. My husband has by no means as soon as been requested to pitch this manner, however he has gotten into the room with some very massive buyers to pitch his innovations. Most of these rooms had no girls on both facet of the pitching desk, additional proof of the various ways in which insidious biases exist in every single place.

You need to look out on your personal psychological well being.

Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka are proving that, in a world the place self-care is just not culturally accepted or assured, you need to sometimes be prepared to place down some necessary work and maintain your self. Certainly one of my cherished self-care actions, round which I place strict boundaries, are my remedy classes. Throughout my weekly appointments I can transfer out of my overly energetic considering mind and right into a extra clear and current state, the place I can take a look at myself and look at the affect I’m having on individuals and the world round me.

Meditation and different types of self-care are good instruments, however I want extra so as to do that necessary work. Clearing my very own perception programs and biases is a vital a part of my psychological well being care. My job is difficult and infrequently exhausting. Taking good care of my very own psychological well being allows me to reset, regroup and refresh my resolve. I see it as key to my firm’s long-term success.

Any lady who needs to begin a enterprise, and any athlete who needs to develop into an Olympian, should know how one can stand sturdy within the face of many challenges. The street is just not at all times clear, and we additionally must maintain renewing our personal power to proceed on the trail. That is, I imagine, the successful components for fulfillment.