From Olympic Gold To Financial Advisor: Lauryn Williams Trades $200K Nike Deal For $12-An-Hour Internship To Follow Her Passion

As a certified financial planner, the former Olympian supports and educates younger athletes as an advisor through her firm, Worth Winning.

After a 10-year athletic career, Olympic gold medalist track star Lauryn Williams went from making a $200,000 annual salary with Nike to a $12-an-hour internship to expand on her current passion as a financial advisor and educator for younger athletes and professionals.

After a decade-long career in sports, Williams may have been financially secure by age 30, but now, at 40, she recognizes that her athletic earnings won’t sustain her for life. In an interview with CNBC Make It, the former Olympian, who studied finance at the University of Miami, discussed how she now focuses on financial planning for athletes and young professionals through her firm, Worth Winning, and serves as an ambassador for the CFP Board Center for Financial Planning.

After passing her CFP exam in 2017, following two unsuccessful attempts in 2013 and 2015, Williams sought an internship through her coursework and was brought on by a CFP firm owner. “It was a perfect fit for me,” she said. In her CFP bio, she stated, “CFP certification is a worthwhile journey…Helping people is the best part of the work.”

Williams, also a motivational speaker, retired from track and field in 2013 following an injury. She completed her Olympic career after winning a silver medal in the bobsled in 2014. Navigating the ups and downs of managing her finances throughout her career as a professional athlete fueled her desire to further understand the intricacies of finances.

“What people don’t realize, even with a $200,000 income, is that your agent takes 20% of that. And then you have to pay taxes as well,” she said. “The money doesn’t go quite as far as people think it does.” Experiencing situations with her financial advisors that weren’t suitable during her career prompted her dedication to helping others make smarter financial decisions.

“Olympic sports, in general, are kind of like the world,” she said. “You have a 1% that is earning very, very well and has more money than they will ever need, you have the vast majority of people who are getting by, and you have the people who are struggling.” Olympic headliners who rake in more than enough to live off of after retirement must organize their finances properly if they desire to never work again. However, for several of Williams’ gold medal-winning clients, they weren’t even making $100,000 a year.

Williams shared that spending all of her 20s as a competitive athlete triggered insecurities. She said she lacked real work knowledge while her friends were already pursuing careers as doctors and lawyers. She advises everyone to prioritize themselves by automating their savings and opening a retirement account.

Check out Williams’ 2022 interview with Parity as she discusses generating income for student-athletes.