#5 Resilience Royalty - Allyson Felix, Who Run the World

Hi folks, and welcome back to the Resiliency Project where we have another one of my favorite episodes of Resilience Royalty. I'm your host, Annie, and you know I like to bring you inspiring stories of people that give us a little inspiration for our own resilience journey.

All right, so buckle up, because what I'm about to tell you is the tale of a true queen. After giving birth, Nike reduced Allyson's contract by 70%. She wasn't going to stand for that.  

Allyson Felix to me is the Beyonce of track and field. And we are here for every fabulous moment of it and not just track and field, but of life. Allyson, cheers to resilience, empowerment and running your own race in style, in your style. We'll see you next time on The Resiliency Project. I'm Annie. I'm your host. Thanks for tuning in.

Episode Transcript

(00:01):
Hi folks, and welcome back to the Resiliency Project where we have another one
of my favorite episodes of Resilience Royalty.
I'm your host, Annie, and you know I like to bring you inspiring stories of
people that give us a little inspiration for our own resilience journey.
All right, so buckle up, because what I'm about to tell you is the tale of a true queen.

(00:23):
Imagine being 18 years old, and instead of worrying about prom or getting a
driver's license or whatever we were worrying about.
You're in Athens, and I don't mean Athens, Georgia.
I mean in Athens, Greece, competing in the Olympics. That's right.
I'm talking about Alison Felix, the sprinting sensation that if you don't know

(00:48):
her story, we're gonna fix that today because you absolutely need to know what she's all about.
So picture it, 2004, Athens, Greece.
Most of us were figuring out what to do with
our lives and allison no no she was taking the
world by storm snagging a silver medal 18
years old in the 200 meters at 18 fast

(01:10):
forward and for the next decade plus allison becomes
the reigning queen of track and field here she's
scooping up medals championship records and
guess what nike is right there with
her throwing sponsorships and endorsements her
way big time you know you've hit the big league then
but here comes the plot twist as there

(01:32):
usually is when a resilience story is
involved in 2018 Allison gets
pregnant with her first baby yay babies but wait complications arise and unfortunately
she had to go an emergency c-section which is really really scary stuff as if
that weren't enough to deal with you'd think I think Nike would be sending flowers, right?

(01:57):
Nope. They decide, oh, congrats on the baby.
We need to cut your contract by 70%. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. What? Yeah.
70%. Allison, who's just given birth, probably fought for her life and that of her baby.
Oh, no, she's not having any of that. No, no.

(02:20):
She says, excuse me, Nike, and has some critique for them.
And she takes her fight, not only just to Nike, but to Congress. That's right.
She's not just running on the track. She's running the world. Maybe she should be.
And then get this, she decides, no, no, that's not enough, ladies,
ladies and gentlemen. No, no, that's not enough.

(02:41):
She decides, I'm going to start my own shoe company.
And it's called Sash, but it's spelled S-A-Y-S-H, S-A-Y-S-H.com,
Shoes for Women and by Women.
She's like, hold my champagne.
I'm going to do you one better. And I'm going to give you shoes that actually work for women.

(03:03):
And these shoes, let me tell you, they are special.
Once you're a customer, you buy your shoes made by Women for Women.
If your feet change size during pregnancy,
sash will send you replacements do you want to talk about understanding your
customers i know look my feet are not going to change due to pregnancy.

(03:28):
And I'm grateful at this stage in my life. But I know where my next pair of shoes are coming from.
And I am not endorsed by them any way, shape, or form. I have never met Alison Felix.
I just think her story is amazing.
So again, it's SASH, S-A-Y-S-H, S-A-Y-S-H.com.
Pronounce SASH, which stands for Say She or something equally empowering.

(03:53):
I can't remember right now.
Go to their website, read the story. She's amazing.
But wait, there's more. There's more to this amazing story.
Allison doesn't just sit back and say, ha ha, talk to Congress,
started a shoe company, having my baby. Yep, I'm mom.
She then goes back to the Olympics in 2020.
Thanks COVID for that delay. And you know what she was doing?

(04:16):
She was wearing her own damn shoes.
Allison Felix in her own shoes. Does it really matter if she won a medal when
you show up in your own shoes.
Heck yeah, it matters because she showed up in those shoes and that was the win itself.
But she did win a medal just in case you were wondering because she's a queen.
All right, so Alison Felix to me is the Beyonce of track and field.

(04:41):
And we are here for every fabulous moment of it and not just track and field, but of life.
Alison, cheers to resilience, empowerment empowerment and running your own race in style, in your style.
We'll see you next time on The Resiliency Project.
I'm Annie. I'm your host. Thanks for tuning in.