Entrepreneurial success requires discipline, fortitude and enormous self-belief. Little wonder then that a lot of sportsmen and women have succeeded in business, either post-retirement or while they’re still playing. There’s George Foreman with his grill, Magic Johnson with Magic Johnson Enterprises (valued at USD1-billion) and Tony Hawk with clothing and video games. After his retirement from racing, 1979 Formula 1 World Champion Jody Scheckter made millions with firearms training simulators and Niki Lauda founded and ran three eponymous airlines. Here are seven athletes making strides in the business world.
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Venus Williams
Between 2000 and 2008, Venus Williams won seven grand slams, including five Wimbledon titles. After that, injuries and illness scuppered her career and, though she still plays and ranks in the top 40, she’s never reached the same heights. However, she has poured into business the same focus and resilience that saw her recover from repeated setbacks. She is the founder of her own clothing line, EleVen and CEO of V Starr Interiors, a design company.
Nico Rosberg
After winning the 2016 Formula 1 World Championship following a tense battle with Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg—then 31 years old—shocked everyone a week later by announcing his retirement from the sport. Some praised him for his decision, others thought he was crazy to bow out in his prime and forgo the high salary he would have continued to earn for at least another five seasons or so. Over the following years, instead of spending his time relaxing at home in Monaco, Rosberg jetted off to Silicon Valley to learn about and invest in tech start-ups and green technology. He is also a shareholder in the electric-powered Formula E Championship.
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Maria Sharapova
Five-time Grand Slam winner Maria Sharapova launched her Sugarpova sweet brand in 2013. Starting off with gums and candies, Sharapova announced in 2016 she was partnering with a Polish chocolate company to make luxury chocolates. Sugarpova now distributes to 22 countries.
Ryan Bertrand
He may be on a healthy pay packet at Southampton, but England left back Ryan Bertrand adds to a fair percentage of his income through business ventures. In 2015, he launched Silicon Markets, a Fintech brokerage that offers AI products to retailer traders. He also partners with former Chelsea teammate John Terry on the FootiEmoji app, which allows users to send emojis based on their favourite players.
Eddie Irvine
He may have spent a large part of his Formula 1 career as Michael Schumacher’s number two, but even before leaving the sport in 2002 Eddie Irvine was making great returns from property investments. Now the owner of his own private island in the Bahamas, Irvine builds and sells ‘mid-market’ homes in Northern Ireland and high-end, luxury waterfront
properties in Miami. He also co-owns a logistics company in Belfast.
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Mathieu Flamini
French midfielder Mathieu Flamini may not have the superstar sparkle that gives players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and David Beckham endless endorsement opportunities, but what he lacks in on-field sparkle he more than makes up for in business. He is partner in GF Biochemicals, a company that produces environmentally friendly fuels and derivatives. GF Biochemicals, founded in 2008 by Flamini and business partner Pasquale Granata, is a leading producer of levulinic acid, a biofuel used in plastics, solvents, fuels and the pharmaceutical industry. According to the company’s website, GF’s aim is to ‘de-carbonise the economy’ by reducing and replacing the use of fossil-based chemicals. The company has offices in Milan and the Netherlands and employs over 400 people.