Why Being a Great Athlete Doesn’t Make You a Great Coach (and How to Build a Real Business)

Have you ever wondered what it takes to turn your love for endurance sports into a sustainable, full-time coaching business?

In this episode of Real Fuel with SLS, host Stevie Lyn Smith is joined by 20-year industry veteran and endurance coach Michelle Lake. Michelle has coached athletes to world-class achievements—including coaching the oldest female Ironman Kona finisher in history—and now helps coaches transition from hobbyists to thriving "coachpreneurs."

Stevie and Michelle walk down memory lane, reminiscing about the "good old days" of mass starts, non-wetsuit-legal swims at Lake Placid, and tracking race progress by hand on paper. They dive into how communication technology like TrainingPeaks and Zoom revolutionized the coaching landscape, the common pitfalls modern coaches face, and why being a fast athlete doesn’t automatically make you a great coach.

Whether you're an athlete curious about coaching or an established coach looking to streamline your systems and set better boundaries, this episode is packed with practical wisdom and business strategy.

Learn more about Michelle and The Dream Programs: www.coachmichellelake.com

Follow Michelle on Instagram: @coachmichellelake

Follow Stevie on Instagram: @stevielynlyn

Learn more about Stevie: https://stevielynrd.com/