From Athlete to Advisor: How My Athletic Journey Built My Business Playbook
From the Athlete to Advisor: How My Athletic Journey Built My Business Playbook
By Bre Russell | Business Advisor, FemThrive & Cultivate Advisors
Before I was a business advisor helping entrepreneurs grow profitable, scalable companies, I was lacing up cleats and chasing championship wins on the soccer field as a Division 1 college athlete. What may seem like two very different worlds—competitive sports and entrepreneurship—are, in fact, deeply connected. The lessons I learned on the field have become the foundation of how I lead, advise, and empower business owners today.
🏆 Game Plan Over Guesswork
In soccer, no team walks into a game without a plan. You study the competition, anticipate challenges, play to your strengths, and adjust in real time. In business, it’s no different. One of the first things I do with my clients is build a clear, customized strategy—we're not here to play reactive defense. We're here to make smart, strategic moves that drive revenue, increase enterprise value, and reduce chaos.
You don’t score goals without taking shots—and you don’t grow your business by staying stuck in “maintenance mode.”
⚡ Offense Wins Championships
One of the biggest mindset shifts I help business owners make is to stop playing defense—just managing issues—and start building an offensive playbook for growth. That means:
Building a predictable sales process
Optimizing operations to free up capacity
Developing your team’s leadership skills
Creating financial systems to support scaling
Too many founders operate in constant reaction mode. But real momentum comes when you take control and run plays that generate results.
🤝 Your Team Is Everything
On the field, I relied on teammates who communicated, supported, and pushed each other to the finish line. In business, your team is your biggest asset—or your greatest bottleneck. I work with founders to build aligned, empowered teams that can function without the owner being in the weeds every day.
We talk hiring strategy, role clarity, retention, and training. Because just like in sports, you need the right players in the right positions to win—and a coach who knows how to get the best out of them. That’s where I come in.
🧠 Business is a Sport—Are You Playing to Win?
Business ownership isn’t just about staying afloat—it’s about playing to win. Whether you're aiming for profitability, sustainability, or a future exit, the right game plan makes all the difference.
If you’re ready to level up your business and stop playing small, I’d love to help you build a strategy that gets you there.
📩 Book your complimentary advising session today.
Let’s get you out of the weeds and into your power—coach’s whistle and all. 💼⚽🚀
Hi, I'm Brianna “Bre” Russell Business Advisor at Cultivate Advisors & Founder of FemThrive
I support women identifying business owners who want to scale & grow their business or nonprofit beyond owner dependency. Schedule a free advising session with me using the link above.