An Olympic Career Change: Slopes and Ladders

Retiring at 30 isn’t a possibility most professionals have to consider when they look into the future and think about how their career path might take shape. 

Yet at 30, I was faced with having to make a career change – and a big one at that. My 13 years spent competing on the world stage in skiing, during which I represented Canada at three Olympic Games, came to a close. I was left with the question of what, exactly, I was going to do next. I was still ambitious, my competitive spirit still intact, yet unsure of the direction in which to focus. Far from aligning myself with a notion of who I was in the past, I was determined to look forward, and to shake off my identity as an athlete just enough to be able to write my next chapter freely.

The thought of this new challenge gave me inspiration and fire, but it was harder than I first thought. Despite feeling compelled to advance my education – which I had put on hold for my sporting career – my first attempt was less successful than I had hoped. I enrolled at the University of Calgary as a sophomore, but felt out of place among teenage peers – my priorities were different. Gone were the days when I would be interested in frats – my home was more appealing than the dorms and my reception as an Olympian was markedly different from those that were studying alongside me.

After being asked for an autograph by a chaperoning parent during a study group session, I felt as though my days were numbered. I knew this wasn’t the right place for me to grow, learn new skills and broaden my horizons. I needed to find people, institutions and companies willing to think outside the box and empower me along a new career path - to bring out my potential. A close friend who was also an athlete and had recently completed an MBA, combined with my experience in running the Emily Brydon Youth Foundation provided the inspiration I needed to envisage how I could enact my career change. I went home and started my research on MBA courses.

From alpine slopes to lecture theatres

After perhaps the most comprehensive search for the perfect course, I narrowed it down to a shortlist of universities I felt most matched my character and strengths, and were most likely to help me shape my career path away from the slopes. I was initially attracted by the entrepreneurial and interdisciplinary focus of Imperial College Business School’s MBA program, and appreciated the school’s recognition that my years as an athlete had taught me a different, more holistic approach to problem solving and given me experience working within nearly 20 different countries. Despite not being the ‘traditional’ student, I was accepted onto the course.

Another huge draw for me was Imperial’s location – not only is London a booming hub of business culture, it is also a melting pot of diversity. This is one thing I think the university has mastered completely – by providing a safe space for discussion, it facilitates the open sharing of knowledge between people from different cultures with vastly different experiences, personalities and outlooks. This helps to provide one of the best and most rewarding climates for learning, and maintains a vast alumni network. I will always view the people as one of the most interesting and insightful aspects of Imperial, taking the time to get to know those around you is as enlightening as it is useful.

However, finding my place in the first few weeks of the course was a challenge. Not only was there a lot of information to take in, I felt at times as though I couldn’t share in the past experiences of others around me and, at first, did not share my own. In my mind, I paled in comparison to a class of managers, consultants and analysts and found it difficult to be confident that I was bringing value to group discussions – I needed to find a way to contribute meaningfully to the conversation.

The question of transferable skills

The support I received from my peers and mentors was instrumental in my development. They encouraged me to acknowledge the transferable skills I had acquired during my athletic career. Though I was filling in gaps in my statistical and analytical knowledge, I was already experienced in reputation brand management, negotiation, sales and marketing, as well as being highly driven. My MBA experience enabled me to pull all of these skills together, and begin to map out my desired career path.

I wanted to add value to society and empower others, and thanks to my MBA at Imperial, I’ve been given the tools to pursue my future successfully. I have been lucky enough to work in London, Shanghai and now San Francisco, from where I currently manage 29 retail gas stores for the BP Arco ampm brand as part of the BP Future Leaders Program, through which I am looking to expand my international portfolio.

The MBA was instrumental in providing a platform for me from which to build a strong corporate base and support a massive career change. Not only did I gain real-life experience in developing a business plan and writing an academic paper on community bonds, I learnt valuable lessons about leadership, private equity and risk management, among many others. Imperial empowered me to recognise I could become a leader even after my sporting career had ended. In fact, I believe that corporations should look to tap into the potential and unique skillsets of those in a similar position to mine.

This course reinforced my belief that life is a series of mountain peaks - each one different from the last and each unique in its own way. Yet, fundamentally, they are all underpinned by the same skills, values, behaviours and passion – sometimes you just need an equipment change!