2ndwind Academy Podcast
2ndwind Academy Podcast
103: Carla Ryan - From Cycling Champion to Athlete Manager: Navigating Passion and Career Change
Curious about how social connections can ignite a passion for sports? Carla's story vividly illustrates the power of community in transforming recreational activities into professional athleticism. She highlights the importance of maintaining joy and passion, even when facing financial sacrifices and putting a business on hold. Discover how continually pushing personal limits and engaging with a supportive network played a crucial role in Carla's athletic journey and professional transformation.
Tune in to hear about her current role with Compress Sport, where she manages athlete partnerships, and learn the skills and experiences that have shaped her success. This episode is a testament to resilience, growth, and the relentless pursuit of fulfillment.
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
What did you have to start to give up in order to put more effort into your sporting world?
Speaker 2:Oh for sure I had to give up, like my financial income, you know this part of things really had to go back a step to allow myself to progress as an athlete in the beginning. So you have to give and take a bit in that way and I was living on a friend's floor and a mattress and just moving around parts of the city where I could like until I could really start to take a step. In fact, for my first race I broke my wrist. It was like just things didn't go like that smooth in the beginning. So that's where I say I missed the skill set straight, you know, from the beginning, so that I had to also really practice that and learn. And then, step by step, things started to go better within a national domestic scene and then I was able to win a national championship.
Speaker 1:Hi, I'm Ryan Gonsalves and welcome to a Second Wind Academy podcast, a show all about career transition through the lens of elite athletes. Each week, I invite a guest to the show who shares their unique sporting story. Please join me to delve into the thoughts and actions of athletes through a series of conversations. Don't worry, there's plenty to learn from those of you that aren't particularly sporty. Elite athletes are still people after all. Let's be inspired by the stories of others. Carla, welcome to the show.
Speaker 2:Thank you, thanks for having me.
Speaker 1:Absolute pleasure. I know we caught up last time and I think we were both out and about, so it's good to have us both seated and know, I guess, not chasing children around in in any shape or form, so it should be quite good yes, exactly yeah, well, look when we're talking.
Speaker 1:I said one of the beautiful things about having someone like yourself on the show is that people are going to be able to learn from multiple aspects about, firstly, from your journey, but then also the type of impact that you have had and certainly are having today. So looking forward to this conversation to try and cover some of those, those points it should be fun awesome.
Speaker 2:Yeah, look forward to it great.
Speaker 1:Now listen. I would want to say. There's going to be a lot of people listening into this, watching this today, who they're going to know a bit about you. But let's open up. I'd love for you just give us the introduction, tell us who you are and and what you're up to I'm carla, I'm australian living in spain, so basically I came here as an athlete to europe.
Speaker 2:I was, uh, cycling professionally and, yeah, moved to gerona, north of barcelona, in the northern end of sp and basically where it's the home of, let's say, non-european cyclists, because it's a very livable. Well, it's not so much a town anymore as it's a bit more of a city, but it's grown quite a lot for athletes all around the world, and especially in my day when I come here, it was more cycling and it still is. But, yeah, a lot of different athletes that use this as their home when they're not based in their non-European home. But for me it's become my home and now this is where I live. I have a family and, yeah, that's post-sporting life. Now into the next stage and chapter of what it is to be a retired athlete and move on to the next phase. But, yeah, totally happy and where I am and going, let's see what's what's coming as well yeah, that's great love that, and indeed we do.
Speaker 1:It's really fascinating these conversations very much about how you got to where you are, but then we start, we do try and delve in a little bit about, well, what is next, and and try and follow that journey a little bit. And you know so for me give me a bit more of an understanding as to your current role and sort of who you operate and who you work with on a day-to-day basis sure, yeah.
Speaker 2:So I work with a swiss-based brand called compress sport. Basically they deal with compression, high performance sporting wear for athletes from triathlon, trail, trail running, running and cycling. So I became into this role post my racing career, looking for an opportunity to have like an internship or a practicum to finalize my degree in Bachelor of Business Sports Management at the time, and I got offered the role to take care of athletes and, yeah, manage the athletes in the brand, sponsored athletes, ambassadors and now it's been over eight years working still with the same brand, traveling a bit with the brand for to see different athletes and events, taking care of partnerships, our major sporting partnerships as well as yeah, it's been in excess of 40 50 athletes throughout the year, as well as cycling teams. So, yeah, it's definitely very different hands-on and great to be involved with athletes still and I enjoy the role a lot. So it's a nice industry. For sure.
Speaker 2:That's where I saw myself post-racing myself. I didn't really as a racer when I was in the sport. I knew that I needed to find something to do after, so that's why I did. I went straight into getting a degree while I was still racing to, you know, keep on that same track and I thought that's where I really want to be. I love, I'm passionate about sport. Who knows what sport it might be at the end of the day, but that's where my passion lies. So let's follow this path and then see after what comes with that. And yeah, I was very fortunate in ways and also you just just uh, open the doors and it kind of fell in my lap a little bit.
Speaker 1:Well, I think that's so good. I like the way you described you. You sort of followed your passion. You took another big bet on sports. Sports, keep studying it and see where it lands, and just the way you describe it it makes it sound like a dream job. It makes it sound like the perfect place for a former athlete to land. You know, still work with athletes with a with a bit of a business side as well, and chatting is is that basically the role?
Speaker 2:yeah, no for sure, and I see I don't see myself as like a coach or I mean a lot of athletes go into that role, thinking that's the next step as an athlete, to then share your knowledge with other athletes or to help other athletes. But I feel like my side yeah, is that more marketing business side being the person there beside the athlete in a different sense rather than you know, helping them to be a better athlete, helping them to be a better person, athlete from the other side, as a marketing sense and marketing themselves and connecting with brand and brands and brands. That's yeah, that's where my role is basically at the moment.
Speaker 1:You mentioned there that piece about you know you're not coaching them to be better athletes or performers. Let's talk about your journey. Introduce me a bit to talking through your journeys. Becoming a cyclist when did that begin for you? Where did you start to get a sense of, hey, cycling? This is something that I want to be part of.
Speaker 2:Yeah, to be fair, actually I didn't like it at all.
Speaker 2:I really didn't like the sport. I grew up in a small country town where I think you can ride 50 kilometers without to climb 10 meters of elevation, so, and the 20 Cape roads like dead flat country, victoria in Australia and two of my brothers were riding bikes and they were always racing a bit and I was just like what is this sport? It's boring. You know they watch it on TV and I'll be like yeah, no, I'm not into it at all, like it's that was they talking about cycling? And this was sort of early teens growing up and just didn't click for me. I didn't take it on board with them. It wasn't until I finished high school and then I moved to the northern part of Australia in Queensland, and I was just, you know, seeing what else was out there. I didn't go to uni at that point. In fact I was joining a local running club because I really enjoyed running at that time and did some half marathons and just was really getting into running until I got injured, of course. So then one of my friends in triathlon said get a bike, you should join us for some small triathlons. And so I did that without the real. I sort of did it in a bit of reluctancy, like I just okay, let's, if you say so sort of thing, didn't really enjoy it. But next step, there was like an ad in the newspaper to say, if any, they're looking for girls between 15 and 30 or 18 and 30 years of age to join a local talent search quest to potentially go to Europe and race for Australia. And you know there's lots of opportunities that might come from it. So my friend was like you should go and get your testing done, your VO2 test. I mean just even for that, you know, it's not even to go into the academy or to just to see where your numbers are at, yeah, and see how fit you are, basically. And I was like, all right, all right, yeah, let's see. So I sent an email to the person in charge and they're like, yeah, I'm sorry it's, it's actually a bit late, we've we've closed the the applications, but anyway, look, come in, we'll do a lot. We've had like 100 girls already apply. We can't take anyone else, but come in anyway and we'll just do some tests on you. I said, okay, fair enough.
Speaker 2:So I did that and it pretty much, yeah, it went exceedingly well and I didn't. I surprised myself and them as well with my numbers. So I guess I had a bit of. I had a strength from running and didn't have the strength in the legs from cycling at that point because I hadn't done much of it, but I had a good engine, um, aerobically and from my running days. So they said, look, we're going to open up another spot for you. So they took 12 girls on board and I was one of them and it sort of just went from there. Yeah, I went into the academy and things just sort of. I had to basically learn to ride and race. So coming in from that point was not like I'd grown up on a bike. So for me the challenge as a cyclist then was actually being able to race technical, like to learn the technical aspect, because I had the engine but I didn't have the skills.
Speaker 1:That's amazing and you know I didn't realize you could get into something like cycling quite so, you know, relatively late. But for you, you know, it showed engine, but not the skill. I mean, was that normal?
Speaker 2:I think it's becoming more normal because around this time and I think even now, you see some of the younger guys come through that have these swift programs where you can earn a spot into a pro team and may not have the you know, know, the skills, but they've definitely got they show, they've got the power and they can make it in a different way. So I was around 21 and I hadn't even yeah, I hadn't even been on a bike, apart from the BMX I rode as a kid, you know. So, just around the around home. So, yeah, I think it's becoming more and more like more acceptable or normal to be able to do that.
Speaker 1:What is fascinating is that you said you came in at 20, 21 years old. I get a sense that for the first 20 years, or at least as a an early teen, you hated the sport. So from one where you talk about a passion and you jumped into sport and you kept it going and that's hence what's got you into the role as you are now. It didn't start off as a passion.
Speaker 2:What shifted yeah, for me sport has been from my birth.
Speaker 2:I won't say birth, because I didn't come running out of the womb as such, but literally from a young, few years old girl, I was playing any sport that I could. So, from tennis, squash, badminton, swimming, athletics, netball in Australia was everything from you know, go to school and then after school you'd go to three different sporting activities until you literally fall into bed and you do that all during the week and then on the weekends you play, and I think it was just our way to do something in a small country town. We took that route, rather than maybe the route that was probably the less you know less healthy way. Yeah, so anyway, so we went down that route, myself and my brother, and from there it was just like a love. From the beginning that's all I wanted to do and it was a social thing. That was my way of, I don't know, hanging out with my friends and was going to do all these sports with them and and meeting other people and, and that just progressed all the way through school until, yeah, when I left school then it was still my urge to keep on doing things, so that I found a running club and I was doing sport then with other people and new people, new friends creating, you know, just new networks.
Speaker 2:And for me that's sport and social shouldn't be separate. You know, to me they combine and that's what I really loved about cycling. That I took to so much is because we had this team of girls and then I actually some of them, my best friends to this day and it was not really about training in the beginning, go out in the morning, even if, yeah, we had to train before work. It was like 4.30 in the morning. You get up, you go and do three or four hours on the bike and then you stop and have a coffee and go quickly rush to work. But it was just like for me that wasn't training, for me that was just fun. You know you race each other up the heels and you just have a good time and the whole time. Of course you're getting stronger in the process, but you don't know that you just it's just a, it's a new fun activity.
Speaker 2:So that's where my passion grew for, for the sport, I think because of the social aspect. If from the first day you say I have to go and do this on the bike, I have to train like they, I have to do x amount of hours by myself, these intervals. Probably I wouldn't have the same passion for it that I do today and for any sport, to be fair, because for me, yeah, like I say, sport and social they go hand in hand and one without the other I don't really enjoy it. So I have to go and do something by myself. It's not the same as if I can get go and do it with a friend, or I think that's what it's all about and that's what sport is about really it is, and I'm so with you.
Speaker 1:I love the fact, you for you, it's so intertwined with the social aspects, the, the friendship, the communication as you go, but then, as you say, a little bit of competition, racing one another up the hill, doing these types of things exactly it gradually comes in.
Speaker 1:So when did, or how did how did it become, I suppose, more serious, more professional? What was that shift for you like? Because you know we talk a lot about transitions in life from one stage to another and you know I feel like for you getting into the institute or to sport and then becoming professional, what was that transition like for you?
Speaker 2:Yeah, it was very exciting. I mean, it was like, I guess not expected, because it was all my life while I had a talent, because I just have the ability from growing up doing so much sport and it's always been a part of me and I have the strength over the years but I never really thought that it would be a profession. So when I got the chance to go into this squad it was sort of like wow, actually I could probably just let's see how far I can take it. I was working but eventually could cut my work back a bit so I could train more and try to find this balance, because I was actually starting a small business at the time and I thought, actually, do you know what? I, because I was actually starting a small business at the time, and I thought, actually, do you know what? I will never get this opportunity again. Let's me put this on hold and I'm going to just go for it. I love sport in general. Let's see, it can be cycling, running, whatever it is. I'm going to go for it.
Speaker 2:So, a whole time, of course, just enjoying it, but just, I guess, each step of the way, sort of taking a little bit more, yeah, taking, sort of taking a little bit more, yeah, taking it to another level.
Speaker 2:So I'd sort of start to look at more how I can be better and going that extra mile at 1%, which as a beginner you don't really think too much about. But as I started to see myself getting stronger and, you know, having some results, let's say, well, maybe I can do something with this. So then I did start to take it more seriously, but without forgetting what I love about it, which later in my career I mentally had to go back to this moment, thinking about what, exactly what actually brought me to this in the beginning and why did I get so much success and enjoyment and fulfillment throughout the processes of you know when, why? So I'd often question myself that later in the career, where I did struggle with why I was doing it and what made me happy and and everything. Then those little moments and yeah, it was really about that, you know finding that enjoyment but continuing to push yourself and reminding yourself why you're doing it.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, it started to become what was your motivation at that time?
Speaker 2:I mean, I was young, free and just wanted to enjoy, like I just wanted to see how far I could take it, so pushing my own limits of myself. I wanted to see my own limits really Like could I be the best in Australia? Could I be the best in the world? Could I be? I don't know, let's see. Actually, where is my limit in the sport?
Speaker 1:What did you then have to start to reduce? You spoke about you were starting your business. You had ideas to go down that path. What did you have to start to give up in order to put more effort into your sporting world?
Speaker 2:oh for sure I had to give up, like my um financial income, you know, but this, this part of things really had to go back a step to in order allow myself to progress as an athlete in the beginning. So you have to give and take a bit in that way and I was living on a friend's floor and a mattress and just moving around parts of the city where I could like until I could really start to take a step. In fact, for my first race I broke my wrist. It was like just things didn't go like that smooth in the beginning. So that's where I say I missed the skill set straight, you know, from the beginning, so that I had to also really practice that and learn and then, step by step, things started to go better within a national domestic scene and then I was able to win a national championship from borrowing a friend's bike, sort of just last minute.
Speaker 1:You're saying that and all the people you meet are thinking I trained hard, I had that special bike and you borrowed a bike and just off you went Well that's yeah, I mean that was a fortunate moment as well.
Speaker 2:I think obviously that's where the talent helped me and I was able to it all come together and from then I was like, wow, yeah, now it's. Now things are starting to get a bit more serious because, you know, I had an opportunity then to go to Europe with the Australian team. They took me on board and then I started to look at things on a bigger scale than probably how I was looking at it at that moment.
Speaker 1:What was the business you were contemplating? Taking over the world?
Speaker 2:Yeah, it was in like not so much taking over the world, but it was just something. I wanted to start something of my own and and not knowing to, I hadn't gone to uni. I was not sure what I was going to do at uni. At that point in time, like, hey, let's me start, I wanted to do something of my own. So I this was called the gourmet girl, so it was like small gourmet food I was selling at the local markets in Brisbane in Australia, where I was, and it was really just getting kick-started, so working with some suppliers and distributors to really get the fresh natural products that I wanted to be able to sell, and things were going all right. But I really needed to put a lot of time and effort, and the same on the on the flip side, the same with cycling. So something had to give and that that's what I chose to put aside at that moment and so what was the European experience for you?
Speaker 1:like you know, you gave up gourmet girl. What was it like competing, you know, year after year in world championships? How would you describe that experience?
Speaker 2:I mean crazy. I feel it's a life experience really. I mean, on the one hand it's a sporting experience and the connections you make, the places you see In fact I don't know half of my country to what I know of all of Europe.
Speaker 1:I'll say what.
Speaker 2:I've seen of Europe and then what I've seen of Australia, like it's quite. I've seen a lot of places and I'm very grateful for that and grateful for the people I've met and the experiences that I've made throughout the years. So it's pushing on eight years that I was able to do that Some really nice moments, some really horrible moments in terms of accidents and, yeah, it's not always smooth sailing sport, high level sport and especially on a road bike. Yeah, the accidents are a part of it.
Speaker 1:So they do. They look awful on tv. The pace I go up is not very fast, but watching professionals, you look at that and you think that hurts.
Speaker 2:That's, that's really bad yeah, for me it really kind of one of my accidents really shaped the rest of my my career. Things might have been a bit different, happened and happened, but it's a part of it, like I said, and I can't regret. I had a really bad accident, like just after one of I'd won um the dual championship in australia time trial and road race back in 2009 I think it, and pretty much that same year, like two months later, I'd taken the trip to Europe to start my season in my new Australian colours and you know I was really motivated and, coming off a bit of jet lag, I went straight into a race a few days later in the Netherlands and coming into I don't know 200 girls I think at the time at levels and it was quite massive start. So it was only a short amount of time how many kilometers into the race, but not many kilometers into the race and you go from these big roads there's lots of road, what I call road furniture in Europe in these kind of races and we go from a big road to these small dikes they have in the Netherlands across the channels and it's just some girls in front of me have put on the brakes and I've basically that's all I remember. I had nowhere to go. So I had some really big damage to my face, massively concussed, spent a few months in hospital with a pretty bad concussion and broke all my front teeth and I still have a jaw and plate in my jaw to this day for these. So preceding that it just that season was quite tough to come back from.
Speaker 2:That whole year as such, I went into a bit of depression throughout the end of that season I was selected to be in the World Championships for Australia but I couldn't go. I was just physically I could but mentally I couldn't and I really struggled to come through that. I think because I was putting so much expectation on myself after winning those championships. I was really just I had to be there and I had to be coming back for my team. I had a new contract and I just signed like professional at that year. So it was sort of lots of things that had just been put in front of me and I felt like I was not able to fulfill for myself and for those around me. So it just sort of put me into a bit of a hole until I could really sort of come out of that towards the end of that year and finally I declined my spot to be the leader for the for Australia at that point, and then the world championships, and then I went on then the following year, able to come back from it.
Speaker 1:But the journey there that you talk about, that struggles that we have through sport are very common and many go through it. As you were going through it at that time, did you feel that you know? What support did you have at that time, or did you feel quite isolated?
Speaker 2:I guess I probably had more support than I realized. But at that moment I was in a bit my own, stuck a bit in my own self, that it was hard for me because I was struggling. I didn't really reach out to anyone. I think there is a lot more. If you do Now, I see of course there's a lot more and for people that and there should be and there should be, I think, given the option to for people to have that and for the athletes to feel like there is someone out there or this thing's out there to have that support. But I think when you're into that moment it's hard to see, especially for myself. I was on the other side of the world, living alone in a team house where I had I felt like I was alone too, and and then it only makes you go down a bit of a downward spiral where it's yeah, it's hard to explain well.
Speaker 1:What did you do to get out of it?
Speaker 2:For me, it was one point where I, just I really was like I cannot face the rest of this season, and it was, I remember, one of the hardest things I had to do in my sporting career in those years and I remember writing this email to the national team, thinking of I cannot do this, like I felt like I was a biggest failure to them, to myself, and I, just I cannot be present at this year's world championship. And now, when I look back, I think, well, it's just a race, it's not a problem. But at the time it was like, well, the end of my world, you know. So that was like a turning point where I made that decision for myself that I had to step away and take some time. And once I did that, I took the time I needed and I was able to just take a complete break, went back to Australia it was the end of the season and find my way slowly. At the moment I felt like I don't know if I could ride my bike again, because I didn't want to and I wasn't in the mental space, but I just felt like I needed to do other things that I, you know, found enjoyment in. So that's when I did.
Speaker 2:I took to other things, I went back to running for just to enjoy and and finally, yeah, I took to the bike again, without any pressure and without any calculation of what I was doing and only training, calling it as such. I just went out to enjoy it and then, slowly it came back and of course I was on. I still had a contract, so I hadn't given up completely, but I just needed a time away. And the team manager at the time of my team was very supportive and said go back to Australia, take all the time you need, you need to have a break and don't come back to Australia. Take all the time you need, you need to have a break and don't come back until you're ready.
Speaker 2:So for me, I felt super supported. Yeah, for sure, I mean after the years following, for sure it affected me. And that's where I say that it really was like a turning point in my whole career because as a racer I was never at the level again. Physically, yes, but mentally I was never able to race like I did prior to that accident. And I tried everything I had to go back to the basics and do descending training, do more skills training, because I just didn't have the confidence anymore to race like in the peloton after that accident.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So these moments, like you said at the start, they define as they, they shape our world right and they shape and you know you speak there about that that confidence factor I suppose I'm I'm interested in. During that period, as you contemplated not going back on the bike and not competing now I know you did you came back to do, still do great things. I'm curious, when you thought about stopping, what did you think you would do instead?
Speaker 2:I don't know if I thought about that. I didn't. I just no, I just thought at that moment, I just thought I just I need to, I need. I actually did. I thought I don't know if I will be able to come back to doing this, because right now I'm not enjoying what I'm doing, I'm not enjoying this sport and I don't want to also take the spot of someone that is giving everything to be there and it's not fair and it's also the sport is too hard to not enjoy as well. I mean, you have to put in the effort but you have to enjoy it. And I didn't think so much about what would happen beyond that, but I was thinking it's got to be better than what I'm feeling right now. Do you know what I mean?
Speaker 1:so well as you come into. And so now I'm interested now giving up work so early on you're working part-time, then you make the jump contract, you go into sort of full-time professional cycling. At what point did you start to think there's going to have to be something that follows this?
Speaker 2:for sure during my oh, I always knew, of course I mean, you always know that it's not going to last forever. In fact, I didn't even think twice about that. I knew that early on. Okay, I'm going to put a business aside because I'm going to do this for a short period how long I don't know. But let's roll with it because it's I'm never going to get this chance again and it's what I really want to do be involved in, you know, being a professional athlete. Well, that's it. That's a dream for sure. So, with that, of course. And then it got to a point where I was thinking what do I want to do? I think for me more. So I didn't really know what was cut, what I want to do post. So it was just sort of post-sport. I was sort of finding the, the way and the getting some ideas along the way, but I was heavily focused on what I was sort of finding the way and getting some ideas along the way, but I was heavily focused on what I was doing.
Speaker 1:How were you getting those ideas? How were these ideas of what comes next infiltrating your sort of cycling mind?
Speaker 2:That's a good question. I don't know if any specific input. It was more my own thought process of what I would ask myself often what should I do in terms of study? Because study for me was a no-brainer. I had to do it or I wanted to do it. But I also believed that I should do it in some capacity. I don't know how, I don't know what, but I need to study somehow. I need to keep progressing myself on an academic level and not just be stagnant and being an athlete. Because that's where I feel, or I felt at the time, that if I didn't do something throughout, then later, yeah, I would be a bit more limited into what I could do, maybe not, maybe something else would come along, but I felt for myself that was what I felt like I needed to do, so to feel satisfied with my progression and satisfied with what I was doing to help myself post-cycling career.
Speaker 2:So early on, yeah, I was more asking myself what I want to study Like. Do I want to go into business? Do I want to go into sports nutrition? Do I want to go into I don't know what, but it was always along the lines of sport because, of course, that was always what I saw myself doing, like I said, anything sports related. So finally I decided on a degree that I could do while I was racing. I wanted to do sports nutrition but I had to take on chemistry and I didn't have a chemistry background but I also didn't want to study chemistry because I didn't like it. So it sort of didn't work hand in hand that I didn't like it but I wanted to be into nutrition. So well, that's not going to actually work. But at the same time I like business, like I was having a small business, like I mentioned. But I thought this working with athletes and being involved in sport from a business sense, a marketing sense I think that can be something that I can really do. I sense I think that can be something that I can really do. I don't know what could be, who knows, but it's a starting point. So I thought I'm going to do this degree, which was fantastic that I could do one externally, basically do the whole degree externally from Europe, while I was racing and studying part-time. I did it over six years, I think, while I was racing.
Speaker 2:How did you find the time? Found the time? Yeah, I mean, that's always the challenge, but it's possible. There is a lot of time in the day. As athletes, especially as cyclists, I feel like you don't have to do two, three sessions a day. Sometimes you need to do a couple of sessions a day, but the majority of time you can do three, four, five hours, or sometimes just two Depends on do three, four, five hours or sometimes just two. It depends on the training program. But you have a lot of time in between when you're at home, at your base, and when you're racing.
Speaker 2:As a female athlete, a female cyclist, in the past it was more like a week away at racing, a week at home.
Speaker 2:Sometimes it would be longer and then you would have more time to study.
Speaker 2:For me, that's where I set myself a goal to do one subject a semester. I think it was, and that was manageable because when I was away at a racing or a camp I still could manage, or if I couldn't do anything during the racing days, then I could do it when I was back at my base. So I could manage it for sure, and it was definitely helpful, I would say, because it gave me an objective outside of racing. So I think it's necessary as well, because it's a bit the people that work and want to train and do sport. They can be often more efficient than semi pros or pro athletes. They know they have only had this set of time in the day and then they have to vote the other time to work and whatever else. So I feel like you can be also a better athlete if you have other things to do. So you'll be a bit more efficient and effective with the time you have for your training and then you're also switched on for your other study work, whatever.
Speaker 1:That's right In some respects. If you want me to be efficient, just give me less time and we then work it out.
Speaker 2:Exactly exactly.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So for you that transition became I guess you know a six-year thing. You'd started to put the pieces together Now as you came towards the end of your degree and your career, did finishing your degree sort of propel you to think okay, it's time for me to stop cycling. Or did these things come together just sort of naturally? When did you know it was time to make some bigger steps towards that transition out?
Speaker 2:Definitely the last few years like I had not the best run, with illness and injury, so I had some. I finished one contract and then I just had like a period of six months where I was sort of like without a contract but also not stressed about it because I knew I was not in the best way to race. I think it was the time where I had a parasite infection and kept me out for like six months and then I got the opportunity to race again just for another six months to step myself back in the game. At that point I was kind of thinking I could walk away. But I'm not ready to walk away without to do it on the terms that I'm ready. I don't want to be like, okay, I don't have an opportunity, so that's my end of my career. I want to have the opportunity and then decide it's enough. So I was fortunate I'd come through the illness and I got another opportunity.
Speaker 2:I raced and returning to racing I felt I wasn't, it was close. It was going to be probably my last year because I just I knew the training as well. I didn't have the feeling to do the extra time I did, but I didn't. I mean, I did what I had to do, but I didn't. Let's say I didn't enjoy it like I used to. Or I was already thinking, oh, I could be going to study now, or I could be doing this or I could be. That's a lot of time to train. Today, well, that sort of wasn't the same feeling anymore, like I was thinking, well, if I do this and I'm targeting that race, and if I could do this extra climb here or do this extra interval, it wasn't really. It didn't have the same effect on me anymore as it used to. So cycling and training and so forth. So that's when I started to realize, okay, now we're getting close and it's just a matter of time. And in fact it was towards the end of that season.
Speaker 2:Then, when I had another accident and I broke my wrist. The same wrist I broke when I had my first race and I was like I said to myself that's a calling, I'm going out on the sport like this. And that was it. I decided that's it. I come in my first race, I go out my last race with that same injury and that's what I decided. I decided that was it. I didn't have the desire to come back again from something. To try to fight again for another contract when I was 21 or 25, it didn't, you know. Okay, when can I get back on the bike? I want to go, even if I'm broken or beaten up, it doesn't matter. Just you have that much desire to improve, to be better. Then it wasn't the same at that anymore. Eight years later, it was like I didn't have that feeling anymore to to keep getting up, and getting up, and getting up. So so that was it. That was my, my end, and I was very satisfied, though, with that.
Speaker 1:It was like a so fulfilling to have that feeling that, okay, I'm okay with that it's good to be able to somewhat go out on your on one's own terms or at least be a at a point where you feel, as you say, fulfilled, fulfilled in that career that you've had. So I'm curious how you you know you spoke about your degree and getting your placement how did you manage to get in at Compress Sports? What happened there for you to get the opportunity?
Speaker 2:I was looking for opportunities and I just emailed someone through an agency that was recruiting for this company, for Compress Sports. I said that my resume. I said I need to do this, I'm interested in this, and straightaway I got a reply to say, yeah, let's have a talk. We're actually looking for someone to take over this role, not necessarily practical. Yeah, yeah, just like that. So yeah, that was pretty. I mean, it doesn't happen like that. I won't say to everyone it's the standard way to get a job.
Speaker 1:People are listening now thinking all I need to do is just I'll just send an email, the first one. They're going to get back to me super quickly.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know, I mean like extremely unheard of, let's say so. They're very fortunate and yeah, so it's still. You know, it was not for a couple of months. They were changing the person that was there towards the end of that year and that was actually the end of the year where I'd just gone. I still needed to complete some subjects in my degree, so I'd stopped cycling and I thought, okay, I'm just going to go full-time, finish the degree and then let's see what we can do after that or what comes up. So I hadn't.
Speaker 2:Actually, I was comfortable with where I was, finishing studies and not stressing about I don't have a job, I don't have any cycling career. I was just in a good spot and it just was. I guess the pieces just were falling into place, like they had done the last 10 years, cycling, with its good and bad moments. Everything had fallen into place to get me in my, to get me into cycling and now progressing out of the sport. It was sort of happening, happening well too. So I just went, I went with it and I said, okay, let's, I haven't finished my degree 100% because I was, that was going to be my practicum, but let's me, uh, let's. I was a bit unsure. Let's say, I do know, should I just take this step and go for it? Or well, what's the worst that can happen? And eight years later, yeah, now I'm here and still here and and doing so many cool things.
Speaker 1:So which is really cool, and I guess let's talk a bit about that, and I'm keen. Then, what was it like coming off the bike and the study to go into this work, this office environment? How did you cope with that?
Speaker 2:I think I coped pretty well. Actually, I think I didn't feel like it was challenging, coming from studying and being diligent and I think studying and racing, training, everything around that whole environment, and really set me up for that role. It was also a role where, based from home, we'd just travel to races, travel to the office every now and then, which was Annecy in France. But it was easy to transition because I already had that time management skills and you had to work.
Speaker 2:Maybe in the beginning it was a bit more difficult to to manage my time like I would want to be. You know, on emails 24, 7 or you know. Then I started to get more than nine to five rhythm. Obviously it's it's a role that's always not not always nine to five because you're working on the weekends as well and after hours, but in the beginning it was very much like you know 100 or you have the guys emailing me in the US or in Australia during the night and you're awake and so. But no, it was quite easy. I feel like I transitioned well. I feel like I had the ability to do that.
Speaker 1:So I'm curious, then, because you speak, then about that desire to be on all the time, that, hey, this is me, this is me being diligent, and that means being responsive, being first. How did you well, I suppose I should ask, have you switched that off? How did you find that ability to say, oh, hold on, I don't need to be on all the time, I can take breaks here.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, having a family, now that definitely it's made it so it's yeah answer for itself, let's say, because, yeah, you have a child and you have to just be with them when you're, you know, outside of working hours. So that's been easier. And also I'd like to go for a run.
Speaker 1:Carla, that doesn't sound like switching off to me, that actually sounds… Well, you're different.
Speaker 2:Switching off from work, yes, sure.
Speaker 1:Switching off from work, but Well, in a different sense switching off from work.
Speaker 2:Yes, Sure, switching off from work, but, yeah, different sense. So, yeah, I obviously like to do sports still, so my time to switch off to aside from work and family is to go for a quick run or something.
Speaker 1:So what is it that you do? What is the job that you have right now?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so my job title is an athlete manager, so I'm taking care of our trial runners, our triathletes, cycling teams. What do?
Speaker 1:you mean by taking care?
Speaker 2:taking care. So, in terms of manage, so managing from contract negotiations from the beginning, uh, all the way through to content creation and everything that we want to do with them activ do with them, activations with them around the brand, taking care of their products that they need, what we are working with our digital team, our digital marketing, social media team, and how we want to communicate on the athletes throughout the year organizing training camps, being present at events, doing activations with them at events. And then there's also another part which I take care of major brand partnerships that we have with the brand. So I'm working as sort of like a partnership, like communications manager, in that way yes, yeah.
Speaker 1:So I think a lot of athletes who I speak with who are keen to look at what's next they talk a lot about for me. They describe your role. But they talk a lot about for me. They describe your role, but they talk a lot about working somewhere in sponsorships, working in athlete management, and many times I say to them, well, what does that mean to you? And they always find it very difficult to describe what it is. But I think, if I understand your role, it very much is for compressed sport as a brand, as a clothing brand will sponsor athletes, will fund athletes with equipment et cetera for them to wear, but in return, well, you want them to wear it. But it's also, like you say, activation. It's getting them to be present at events, doing different filming and things like that for them to, I guess, be role models for your product.
Speaker 2:Yeah, correct. Yeah, yeah. So we sponsor athletes and then obviously it's like any agreement you give and you take. So we work out what we're giving and the financial and material and all the other part, and then what they're giving back in return. So it's basically a full circle. The role that I do integrates the full circle of everything around what we give and take from the athletes.
Speaker 1:Yeah, for me it's really interesting and it's fascinating for you to move into that role as a former athlete. So when you sort of stepped in, you didn't imagine what this role would be. You kind of you've grown this role. Indeed, it grown with you. We spoke about what's next. What do you think is next for this sort of area that you're working in, perhaps in not just your role but industry-wise, that sort of athlete partnership management. What do you think might be next in that world?
Speaker 2:the world is growing immensely. From where I've seen, where it's gone from the beginning, even the experience I've had with athletes and agreements and the specificities I can't even think of the word.
Speaker 1:Maybe that's not a good one to use. Definitely use it.
Speaker 2:Going back from where I was when I started with the role today to see the changes is immense from athletes' sponsorships, agreements to how they've changed over the years, and it still seems to grow. But that's becoming as a result of the inputs from the industry. Like we're talking I will make reference to, like on the weekend there's this T100 triathlon race series that's just started in Miami. It was the first race of the series this year and, like massive enterprises that are starting events like this, it's huge. It's really pushing the boundaries of the sport and it pushes the athletes to be at a higher level and it pushes the brands to come also alongside that and to push themselves even higher and if there's potential for the brands to input more. And yeah, I mean it's growing and I don't know where that's going to end, but it certainly seems like every year we're just getting a bit bigger, a bit bigger, a bit bigger and I've seen it grow so much from you know, from the years I've been just with Compress Sport even, and prior to that, as an athlete.
Speaker 2:If I look back now you see the women's cycling is a huge example. I was getting a salary, but there was many girls that were not getting a salary even, but now they have a minimum wage for women cycling. So a women's world tour, massive races, just as much as you know, as big as the men's Paris-Roubaix we never had these races before. So, yeah, it races just as much as you know. It's because the men's pair ruby. We never had these races before. So, yeah, it's growing a lot and that's, I think, it's only going to continue to grow as long as, um, they can continue to be money there and investment from the bigger brands and the bigger companies, and for sure it will just keep progressing yeah, what role do you think the athlete has nowadays in promoting, I guess, the game, the event?
Speaker 2:I think it's huge. I mean it's a given that the athletes now they're requested much more of than they were and their value is quite large. So that's why they're getting huge agreements and they're being questioned a lot more than than they were. You know that being asked the time is being asked of much more than previously. So that picture of the meaning most brands you know when you're high level sport they're. They're the ones at the forefront of the brand and and brands are using them a lot.
Speaker 1:So that's absolutely brilliant. And look, Carla, thank you for sharing your story and some of your thoughts as we've gone through this conversation. If people want to keep following you and learn more about you and your story, where's the best place to find you and be in contact?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean follow me. You can follow me on my Instagram. I'm not much of a social media, much of a huge Instagrammer, let's say influencer. Yeah, I'm Cobra Sport anything around the brand that's happening with athletes. If you follow most of what's going on there, you see most of it. All the athletes, the top-end athletes, are the guys and girls that I'm working with and continue to to do so.
Speaker 1:So yeah, brilliant. Well, look, I've really enjoyed the conversation, but there was one question I did want to ask that I completely forgot, which is with your role today, which is so cool, all these things coming together. What's the most exciting bit about your role?
Speaker 2:for me it's uh, when everything comes together, like the athletes are happy they're getting a result or they're not getting a result, like seeing them give everything and you know at the finish where they feel supported and everyone's been a part of it, I mean it's it's always special. You see, you know we have some big races that we're always a part of, like the ultra trial, mont blanc, which is a, like, the biggest trail racing event on the calendar, and being a part of that, following an athlete through the night, 24 hours without sleep, seeing them give everything, supporting them and seeing them come away with a result, it's yeah, it's next level, it's a really nice feeling. Likewise, you know, you see one of the athletes that win an Ironman World Championship that they've given everything to get. It's like it's really something. Special Results, of course, they're always giving her really nice feelings and it makes you feel quite attached to everything around the sport, the brand. But aside from that, just working with athletes that are passionate, genuine, they love what they're doing, and it's super nice, it's super nice.
Speaker 1:Wonderful Carla. Thank you very much for sharing your story with us today, no problem.
Speaker 2:Thank you. Thank you for sharing your story with us today. Great, no problem. Thank you.
Speaker 1:Thank you for listening to the Second Wind podcast. We hope you enjoyed hearing insights from today's athlete on transitioning out of competitive careers. If you're looking for career clarity for your next step, make sure you check out secondwindio for more information or to book a consultation with me. I'd like to thank Claire from Betty Brook Design, Nancy from Savvy Podcast Solutions and Cerise from Copying Content by Lola for their help in putting this podcast together. That's all from me. Take it easy Until next time.
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