Photo Credit Matin Nazari

Brittney Reese stands shoulders above all in Olympic history. She is a three time Olympian, 2016 Olympic Silver Medalist, 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist, eight-time World Long Jump Champion, and Indoor American Record Holder and a successful real estate investor.

Despite her on-field accomplishments which are well-publicized, she’s a shy character who tends to exhibit humility in all areas of life.

In my recent interview, she gave us a glimpse into her entrepreneurial mind and what she values the most in her life.

Contributing To Her Community

Brittney knows the importance of supporting her community. Whether it’s her home state of Mississippi or other cities she’s grown accustomed to like Baltimore.

“When Black Panther movie came out I was able to secure a movie theatre so kids could see the movie free of charge.”

“I have 2 scholarship funds, one in Gulfport and one in Baltimore. The kids write an essay, the school chooses the finalist, then I choose the winners. The scholarship pays for books, rooms, anything they need.”

What Mindset It Takes To Be World Class Time and Time Again

When asked how she made it to the Olympics 3 times, she shares how her first defeat motivated her to be better so she could accomplish this rare feat in Olympic sports.

“It takes a strong mindset. My first Olympics, I was projected to take third but took fifth and it took a toll on me. I made a promise to myself that I would never be left off the podium again”

After this disappointing experience, Brittney decided to delve into the world of sports psychology to address the mental part of athletic competition.

“Yes, you can be one of the world’s greatest athletes but sometimes the world’s greatest don’t perform, you could mess up easily.”

She Hired A Life Coach

When I asked Brittney what crucial factor helped her stay competitive for so many years she share about her life coach. She knew she needed a way to get out of the slump after her first Olympics:

“It was at a point that I had a low in my career and I needed someone to talk to. It became troublesome for me so I had to talk to someone. My life coach helped me get the emotional part and the mental part”

“Talking with her helped put me in the position I am now. Without her, I wouldn’t really be where I am right now. It was a lot of work focusing and believing because I knew what type of athlete I could be.”

Meditation & Manifesting

Brittney also utilizes various modalities to keep an edge on the competition, namely meditation:

“Outside of track and field, a huge part of my life is meditation, it’s necessary in order for me to get in the mindset it takes for me to achieve what I want to achieve.”

Her Brand Values

Brittney shared with me what she represents, what her values stand for and what she finds most important when working with brands.

“Family is important to me. We have a level of respect for one another and putting my trust in God comes first. When working with brands, it’s all about being family-oriented, being better, being successful, and hopefully, I can help take that brand to the next level.”

“I’m humble, a really shy person but they call me B Reese the beast for a reason. When I’m on the runway I bring out a whole other person.”

Her Final Olympics

Finally, Brittney shared what areas she’s moving towards after her professional career and also about her entrepreneurial plans.

“We say last one, best one. I’m trying to go out on top. I’ve given everything I have but one thing I haven’t achieved is breaking the world record. That’s it. I want to get the world record. I know I will be in the position to break that record. I want to leave a legacy that I know I can by being one of the greatest long jumpers in history.”

It’s clear Brittney Reese is on her way to another successful Olympic campaign but her entrepreneurial lessons and heart to give back are something every entrepreneur can learn from.

She closed our conversation sharing how she wants to start a clothing line to sponsor young talented track and field athletes to compete against some of the top athletes in the world. It’s no surprise to hear this from the champ and it’s certain you will experience some of Brittney Reese’s impact sometime in the near future.