For every successful start-up, there are about 8 failures - that's the harsh reality of the start-up world. And even the few companies that really take off experience hard times and fuck-ups that really hurt. Here, two successful founders reveal to you which business ventures they really messed up and what you can learn from them - honestly and relentlessly.
Failure is simply part of the journey to success and is also always an opportunity to grow and become even more resilient. In most cases, it is not a single failure that leads to the downfall of a startup. But rather the combination of several fails that gradually weaken the company.
Stephan Peters, CEO of Sport Pioneers, and Andy Gugenheimer, SVP Business Development & Strategic Partnerships at Humanoo and CEO of Sportyjob & AG Sport Consulting, take an honest look back at their fuck-ups and learnings:
Andy Gugenheimer has founded a total of 15 companies himself or was involved as an investor and co-founder - that adds up to quite a few fuck-ups.
His second start-up , Promo-Stock, was perhaps his biggest failure and one of his most significant learnings. He had the idea in 1998 to create a B2B online platform that sold discontinued sporting goods to retailers across France - a forerunner of deal platforms like Private Sports Shop and Veepee.
The products were to be showcased on Promo-Stock via video. The problem? Unfortunately, there wasn't enough bandwidth to stream smoothly back then. In addition, manufacturers were not willing to send products directly from their warehouse to the customer. The bottom line was that the product couldn't work that way. On top of that, Andy and his partner were completely inexperienced and had no idea how to successfully build a business of this kind. After two years, the two had to pull the ripcord and Promo Stock give up.
Andy's learnings from this fail were:
"We were too early for several reasons. Because we were still completely inexperienced. Because the technology wasn't ready yet. Because companies weren't ready to logistically implement our idea. Something that is commonplace today." - Andy Gugenheimer
When is the optimal time for innovation? In theory, always. But before any idea is developed, it is important to analyze the market, observe the competition and plan the right implementation strategy.
"I was frustrated to see how other competitors were doing positively. We lacked the ambition to say, 'We're taking a chance on B2C.' We're going to rent a warehouse." - Andy Gugenheimer
If the original idea doesn't work, that doesn't mean you have to jettison it. Often, the better way is to develop it strategically and adapt it to technologies, logistics, changing society, target audience and changing demand
"If we had had two or three other people on the team, it could have really been something. As it was, it was just my partner and me. We worked seven days a week and still didn't get to the finish line." - Andy Gugenheimer
Things just work better together: with a broader range of skills, startups can respond more confidently to challenges. A well-assembled team can help you make decisions faster and take the right steps to become successful.
Good founders pursue a clear vision in order to be successful. They think entrepreneurially and leave as much capital as possible in the company, even if that means not paying themselves a salary. Nevertheless, a monetary incentive is an important motivational boost and also necessary for survival.
"I learned then that if you don't pay yourself, it's bullshit. No matter how small your salary is, you have to build that into your business model to create a positive mindset. We were working in our small apartment, just dealing with promo stock every day. It was too much and at some point there was no incentive to keep going with it." - Andy Gugenheimer
Stephan Peters' first entrepreneurial project was a B2B event agency, which he founded together with his best friend. Although there was no real business plan, the two threw themselves into the work with enthusiasm and had great success after the first two years. When one of the major customers did not pay his invoices and no more orders came in due to the economic crisis in 2008, the company had to be dissolved. The fact that the two had founded a GbR and thus their private assets were also affected was particularly hard.
Even if it comes as a surprise at first glance, Stephan is glad that he had this experience. Because it motivated him to found his sports marketing agency Sport Pioneerswhich has been running successfully since 2010 - and that is also due to the lessons learned from his fuck-up:
"If something doesn't go according to plan, you need to move on with it in the best way possible. Straighten your back and deal with it proactively. That's the only way you can look in the mirror at the end of the day." - Stephan Peters
For companies in the sports business, the same is true as for all other companies: Resilience and pro-activity are gamechangers and perhaps even the key factors for success.
That also means enduring defeat and staying determined to keep going when things don't go smoothly, as well as taking the initiative to achieve your goals and move forward. And being able to deal with setbacks constructively.
"Our accountant advised us against the GbR right from the start. It was the wrong choice for us, because we were liable for the company with our private assets and had to repay the debts over several years according to an agreement with the bank." - Stephan Peters
The legal form is the basis for the success and future of a start-up. The right choice can minimize the risk of insolvency, protect your business from unexpected costs and help it grow.
This applies to both your co-founders and your customers. Both can make or break your startup.
"I just do business differently today because the experience has had a big impact on me interpersonally. I'm much more sensitive to what my partners and customers do and say. If a customer frequently doesn't pay on time, consider whether it's worth continuing to do business with them. A background check on larger orders is always a good idea." - Stephan Peters
Every successful startup has experienced setbacks, and learning from those failures leads to an unbeatable growth mindset. Accepting this as a natural part of the startup process can help you refocus, adapt, and ultimately succeed. So don't be afraid of it - fuck-ups are simply a leg of the road to success.
Less mass of products, more sustainability and community thinking: These are the big topics of the outdoor industry. 2023 could be the year in which the industry not only recognizes the major challenges, but also implements them. Outdoor media professionals agree on that. We spoke to the industry's insiders - honestly, relentlessly and with motivation.
Whether trail running, skiing or cycling: People love to be outdoors. Outdoor sports are booming - not least because of the pandemic and its aftermath. And: People love to spend money on their hobby. The outdoor industry is benefiting from both components. Hiking, in particular, is inspiring more and more people and has long since ceased to be a sport for mountaineers only. Hiking has arrived in the mainstream - to stay.
The good news is: The boom in the outdoor industry continues. The bad news is: the industry also faces numerous challenges that the industry must overcome. Product glut, inventory pressure and supply shortages are the big issues in 2023 that companies will need to keep a special eye on. Whether at the Sports and Media Day or at networking meetings: The industry is discussing and looking for solutions. We spoke with outdoor media professionals and experts. People who have been close to the industry for years, understand the industry and discover trends early.
1. long love instead of short affair
The motto "Long love instead of short affair" was not only the focus of the Consumer Insights Report, but applies to the entire industry; there are enough products on the market. Now it's time to grow green, via services.
Repair services and recycling are hot topics in the service sector. According to experts, the industry cannot avoid finally thinking through the major issue of the "circular economy" to the end and living it. Products must be repaired, recycled, upcycled and returned to the cycle, which requires close cooperation between industry and retail.
According to our experts, reprocessing goods is becoming just as important as making them recyclable in the first place. In this context, the production of single-variety products is a top priority. Whether polyester, merino wool, cotton or biobased synthetics: pure products still have to be made available to the masses, for which the infrastructure is not yet designed according to our media professionals.
According to outdoor journalists, the industry must therefore start at the preliminary stages and support them, especially in the production of biobased plastics.
2. full warehouses with matching collections
Another current challenge, according to our media professionals, is overstocked warehouses. The difficulties of recent months and years have led to major buying and order holdbacks, leaving retailers struggling with full warehouses. No reason to completely abandon offers! Now it is necessary to react to the Händler:innen and to develop suitable collections. According to outdoor experts, these should be prepared in such a way that they still fit in with the stocks in the retail trade and complement them so that there is a harmonious picture in the store. In this way, innovation and old stock can be sold hand in hand.
3. supply chain bottlenecks and transparency
Nothing new, right? Supply chain bottlenecks have been on the minds of the outdoor industry for quite some time and will continue to be a very big issue. Especially with new EU legislation, such as the Supply Chain Sourcing Obligations Act (LkSG), which has been in effect since January 1, 2023, companies will continue to face challenges until companies "groove in." According to our media professionals, these two topics will become particularly relevant: transparency regarding production partners and suppliers, and agreement on standards, regulations, software solutions and much more that work for the entire industry.
What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger - right? Because with the right approach, companies can use these challenges to their advantage if they react early enough. All outdoor media professionals agree on that. The most important thing here is rethinking. A change in thinking that has already taken place among consumers and that they are now demanding from brands. According to our experts, it will be important for the industry to realize that there is a limit to the constant growth. It is much more a matter of perceiving one's own impact on society and nature and drawing growth opportunities from this. Examples? Eva Karlsson with Houdini or Yvon Chouinards with Patagonia live sustainability and green growth. Patagonia's Repair Truck is just one of many examples that should serve as inspiration for others.
Patagonia leads the top 5 love brands in the latest Consumer Insights Report. Is this due to their distinctive repair concept? At the very least, additional benefits such as repair services, subscriptions, and unique experiences are absolutely in vogue among consumers. The brand-new Consumer Insights Report for the first quarter of 2023, which was presented at the Outdoor and Media Day on March 9, reveals this and much more. The trend report shows: Consumers want more than just a product, they want an experience and the brand as a companion. And: In the brand ranking, two brands of the Amer Sports Group come out on top. Download the complete Consumer Insights Report 2023 now for free!
It's the big trend among consumers: exclusive additional services for the product. And repair services, subscriptions, and other exclusive access to a brand are right at the forefront. But where does this change of heart come from? Generation Z, at the latest, has a different approach to resources and sustainability. The megatrend is also reflected in consumer behavior: half of those surveyed prefer to repair a product before even considering other options such as buying new or second-hand. For sporting goods manufacturers, this means, urgently include repair services and lifetime repair guarantees as part of their offering. This is a trend that has been taking hold in the fashion industry for years and is now spreading to the sports industry. Consumers also want to get even closer to brands; subscription options and exclusive access create a closeness that strengthens the relationship with the consumer and expands it in the long term.
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The Consumer Insights Report looks not only at trends, but also at brands that are holding their own in the market or establishing themselves anew. Among the top 5 sports brands of the first quarter of the year are Salomon, Ortovox, adidas as well as Dynafit. But topping this list is a love brand that has raised the bar, especially in the past year: Patagonia. Its rise is hardly surprising, as the outdoor clothing brand has changed in favor of the planet since its transformation into a kind of NGO in the sports industry. Consumers* with a sense of sustainability love that.
But there are also surprise winners among the top rankings: For the first time ever, hardgood-heavy brands like Head and Fischer have established themselves among the love brands, as the Consumer Insights Report reveals.
The company Amer Sports made it into the top rankings of the Consumer Insights Report 1/2023 with two brands at once. Salomon and Arc'teryx are the flagships of the Amer Sports Group and prove that both have consistently developed into a love brand. The Arc'teryx brand in particular, popular with outdoor-minded millenials, has been on the verge of making the top rankings several times, and 2023 could be its big year.
Short-term affairs between brands and consumers are a thing of the past. A major trend is the long-term relationship between companies and consumers. Brands are moving away from simply being product suppliers. Consumers expect brands to develop further and offer their consumers additional services beyond the product. More than half of the respondents in the Consumer Insights Report cite this as a purchase argument. Whether as a coach, service provider, or with access to special benefits such as a repair and care infrastructure or unique experiences, : companies can only succeed with such ideas to draw customers into their own ecosystem in the future and have them by their side for life. A long-term relationship, as every brand would like to see.
In order to keep up or even win the race in the next few years, brands should start now to follow the needs of consumers and adhere to the new rules of the market. This is the only way to turn a first encounter into a long love affair.
And there is something else that is more than important to consumers: attitude! Especially in the outdoor, sports and lifestyle sectors, brands are so emotionally close to consumers that credibility and truth become the be-all and end-all. And consumers demand pure transparency, especially in times of fake news, and rely on credible evidence such as certificates or seals. Therein lies a great opportunity. Brands should follow Simon Sinek's mantra: "What you do simply proves what you believe in.
Active vacations and sports vacations are very popular and have become an integral part of consumers' vacation plans. These are not only of great importance for tourism and destinations, but are also an important instrument for sports brands. Sports vacations are a decisive reason for new purchases. Companies are faced with the opportunity to convince consumers and profit with targeted combination packages and linked offers. New cooperations between sports brands and tourism destinations are the big topic for 2023.
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Veloine founder Sandra Waschnewski on her goal to make cycling more female with her company, the need for a raison d'être for brands and the benefits of a flexible corporate structure.
I am Sandra Waschnewski, passionate cyclist, mother and entrepreneur. In 2019, together with my business partner, I founded the label Veloine because I was disappointed with cycling apparel from other brands and the industry as a whole. The typical cycling jerseys for women were pink or printed with floral patterns. Women like me, who are in the middle of life, somehow didn't feature as a target group at all. We saw potential in that. We made a virtue out of this need and created Veloine out of my need, so to speak. With our cycling clothing specifically for women, we wanted to make a contribution to making the sport more female.
The numbers were promising even then, and positioning ourselves in a niche was a very conscious decision. We also benefited from the fact that the entire industry experienced a push through Corona. Women formed the fast-growing segment in cycling. A lot has happened, and the percentage of women has risen to over 25 percent. Yet female cyclists are still significantly underrepresented. It's a vicious circle: If you hardly see any women on bikes, you don't want to try it yourself. There is a lack of strong role models among the general public. We want that to change, want to give women more space and better address their needs with our products.
Of course, profitability and margin are important. But it should not be the only premise of entrepreneurial action. Especially in our world, where we live in absolute abundance, a brand needs a raison d'être. Purchasing decisions are made much more consciously today. Not only for reasons of sustainability, but also because of the crises of our time, inflation, the poor consumer climate. This results in a new demand on the brand promise: What is the actual value of my product for my customers?
As a start-up, we have a very lean structure. We currently have three shareholders and permanent employees. In addition, we have many freelancers, and this flexibility has proven very successful for us. Veloine is completely self-financed, so we have to operate extremely economically. Depending on the situation, we can quickly adjust our resources up or down and focus on the most important areas.
To strengthen the relevance of our brand, we also have products in our range that may not make such a large contribution to coverage. Our Pregnancy Kit for example. If our range were limited exclusively to cycling apparel for pregnant women, it would probably not be economically viable. Nevertheless, we spent two years developing it. Until then, there was simply no special cycling clothing for pregnant women. Again, a sign of how much the female target group is neglected in cycling. The Pregnancy Kit closes this gap. It illustrates our approach and has Veloine with the award of the ISPO Brandnew Award 2021 a lot of attention.
It is a similar story with our recycling program Veloine x renew, where new products are made from materials, that would otherwise end up in the trash. Crashed jerseys, press proofs or prototypes from development, for example. We recycle these textiles into caps or small bags, among other things, which go back on sale. This is not a business case for us, we do it out of conviction. It's important to us to take responsibility for ensuring that everything that has cost resources is reused by us wherever possible.
From the very beginning, it was out of the question for us to produce in South-East Asia, even though that would certainly be more economical. In terms of sales, we have a strong focus on Europe - we don't want our products to have to travel halfway around the world first and we have no control over the production conditions. That's why our manufacturing is located in Italy. Not only does it give us a better conscience, the geographical proximity has paid off so far because we have more control over the supply chain and things are easier to coordinate. Even though we are of course just as affected by supply bottlenecks as everyone else.
We are a company that pursues an economic purpose - nevertheless, a meaningful activity is at least as important to us three shareholders. We try to combine both in the best possible way. Social networks are the best way to reach our target group and we want to create a new awareness of our company with Veloine women who are enthusiastic about cycling - and not just online. To do this, we are in close contact with female cyclists throughout Europe - our Local Heros - and organize regular rides just for women. The desire for affiliation is especially strong among female beginners. They are looking for like-minded people and want to pursue their passion together, without any pressure to perform or macho posturing.
I think we all realize that the market is getting back to normal a bit after the two-year pandemic high. Companies need to adjust their sales plans and expectations to reality and ask themselves what makes a brand really relevant, why a customer should buy it even in these difficult times. I am convinced that this is a great opportunity for both brands and buyers.
I am basically optimistic because an important process has been started in our niche. And if we work with Veloine we can make a small contribution to making cycling more female, that makes us very happy.
Most people know Cristiano Ronaldo. Just like Roger Federer. But are the female counterparts to these sports superstars well-known? Rarely! The world of sports still seems to revolve around its male heroes far too often. What about the issue of equality and diversity in the sports universe? ISPO.com takes a look at facts and figures - and shows you how fairly the sports industry plays when it comes to men and women.
If you search Google for the soccer players with the most international goals, you'll find the name Cristiano Ronaldo seven times on the first page of results - but not a single Christine Sinclair. And when asked about the most world championship title defenses in boxing, the search engine spits out the name Joe Louis eight times - but consistently omits Regina Halmich.
These two examples show that female athletes still have a long way to go on the road to gender equality and fairness. In fact, Canada's Christine Sinclair is number one in this statistic, with 190 international goals, far ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo's 118. And against German boxer Regina Halmich's 45 title defenses, former Max Schmeling opponent Joe Louis is clearly knocked out with 27 such fights. But: It's "only" about women's soccer and women's boxing, and not about soccer and boxing.
At least that's how Google sees it, which ultimately only reflects the queries and interests of its users. The global initiative "Correct the Internet" now wants to change that. It calls for such misinformation, which exists in many sports, to be reported to search engines - and thus to ensure more balanced and fairer results on Google & Co.
"Correct the Internet" is just one of many global initiatives and activities that aim to advance women in sports and make them even more visible. And there is still a lot of work to be done here. Because as the website Athlete Assessments reports that in 2020, 40 percent of all top athletes were women - but only 4 percent of the coverage in newspapers, magazines and electronic media was about them. And among the 50 highest-paid female athletes in 2022, the list from Fox Sports only two women - tennis players Naomi Osaka (19th) and Serena Williams (31st).
But there are also numbers that speak to tangible progress. According to a survey According to a BBC study, women now receive the same prize money as men in 83 percent of sports. But in 17 percent of disciplines where this is not yet the case, the differences add up to millions of dollars or euros.
Even if women still have a lot of catching up to do in top-level sports, and despite some setbacks, there are numerous positive examples that prove it: Things are finally moving forward with gender equity in elite sports. ISPO.com tells "You can do it" stories of women who, loosely based on David Bowie, show: We can be SHEROES - and for much more than just one day.
There is much to be said against the International Olympic Committee (IOC) - not least following the recent demand of German President Thomas Bach to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus back into the Olympics. But when it comes to gender equity, the IOC is making its mark. At the 2024 Summer Games in Paris, equal numbers of women and men are to compete for the first time. Tokyo 2021 has already set a new record with a 48 percent share of female athletes. And in And in Paris in 2024, it's more or less parity - the same city where women were first allowed to compete in the Games in 1900.
Back then, their share was still more than modest at 2.2 percent - or with 22 women among 975 men. "Today, no organization or country can afford to leave behind the skills of 50 percent of the population," it is now said by Thomas Bach. And even in the commissions of the IOC there are now 273 men - and 273 women. There may be a lot of politics and calculation behind this on the part of the Olympians (and recently also female Olympians). And the old men from Lausanne certainly didn't turn into feminists overnight. But the 2022 IOC Women's Day motto is coming to life: "If she believes it, she can be it" - "If she believes it, she can be it."
The next goal is to increase the number of female coaches at the Olympics. In 2021 in Tokyo, it was just 13 percent. A new program by the IOC aims to increase that number significantly.
"Equal Pay", the fair payment of men and women, has been one of the central demands of top female athletes for years. U.S. soccer idol, world champion and activist Megan Rapinoe gave a high-profile speech to Congress in Washington in 2021. In it, she called for fairness for female soccer players and many other concerned athletes: "You want us to fill stadiums - and we do. You want us to be role models for your children - and we are. You want us to be respectful, you want us to be world-class performers, and you want us to represent the U.S. on the international stage in the best way possible. We have done all of that. So it's unacceptable that we still have to fight for equal pay."
Bitter conclusion from Rapinoe, who already filed a court complaint for "wage discrimination" in 2016 together with four teammates: "We can't even be good enough to prevent discrimination." But progress is being made. Under a 2022 agreement, U.S. women soccer players - who are four-time World Cup champions and are far more successful than their male counterparts - will receive agreement with the U.S. Soccer Federation, they will now, for the first time, receive the same win bonuses, appearance fees and shares of sponsorship and spectator revenue as the men's team, which has explicitly welcomed the historic agreement. Nationals player Tim Ream in a Tweet: "It's been a long process for all sides. But we are proud of everyone involved for achieving this goal. It really is one nation, one team now."
Similar agreements for women's soccer now exist in many other countries, including pioneer Norway, Finland, Denmark, the Netherlands, England, Spain, Brazil, Australia and New Zealand. Germany, on the other hand, is still waiting before the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. In 2022, even German Chancellor Olaf Scholz "Equal Pay" for the men's and women's national teams - although the German female soccer players are currently even more interested in comparable working and training conditions. National player Svenja Huth: "We first have to create the basic structures in the league for all clubs. That refers to the infrastructure - and that the female players don't still have to work 40 hours a week."
In other sports, such as the World Surf League, equal pay for athletes has long been commonplace. Seven-time world champion Layne Beachley explainswhat this means for female athletes on a day-to-day basis. They no longer have to "buy a dozen pairs of Levi's 501s in the U.S. to sell at a spectacular profit in France" to finance their sport, as they used to. And it's no longer, "The waves suck, so send the girls out."
In general, the female athletes and activists are not interested in always raking in the same millions as their male colleagues. After all, if Julian Nagelsmann's players at FC Bayern sold out the Allianz Arena every game and kicked in front of 75,000 fans, but the Bayern women only managed an average attendance of 2,205 in the current season, that would be presumptuous and unrealistic. In fact, it's all about fairness, as the U.S. basketball leagues NBA (men) and WNBA (women) show. By its very nature, the WNBA cannot remotely compete with the billion-dollar spectacle and earnings of LeBron James and Co. But the players demand the same share of the revenue their league generates. The NBA men have recently received 49 to 51 percent here - and the WNBA women a maximum of 22.8 percent. Distributing different incomes fairly - that's what "equal pay" is all about.
On March 19, a world premiere will take place in winter sports: 20 years after the first ski jumping competitions for women, female jumpers will plunge from a giant flying hill for the first time. The premiere of women's ski flying will take place on the "Monsterbakken" in Vikersund, Norway. The record there is 253.5 meters, set in 2017 by Austrian Stefan Kraft. Now his teammate, world champion Sara Marita Kramer, may also jump from the world's largest hill - and try to break the unofficial women's world record of 200 meters set by Austria's Daniela Iraschko-Stolz.
"I'm definitely a flyer," enthuses Sara Marita Kramer to the historic event - but for which some restrictions apply. Because the level in women's ski jumping is not yet top in all countries, only the top 15 in the World Cup and only jumpers over 18 are allowed on the monster bakken. "Allowing all female athletes to participate would be far too dangerous," interjects team world champion Kramer as well.
Some older men remain skeptical. Toni Innauer (64), Austrian Olympic champion in 1980, warns above all of the danger in the event of serious falls: the female jumpers are "less resistant due to the gender-specific lower proportion of muscle in the total body weight." This may be true. However, experts had already warned two decades ago, when women's ski jumping was officially introduced, that "the knee and ankle joints of female jumpers could be physiologically overstrained." Since then, the sport has developed magnificently, and in 2024 there is to be a Four Hills Tournament for women for the first time. And nothing is known of any lasting damage to the female jumpers.
Women are currently causing a sensation in many areas of top-level sport where they played no role at all just a few years ago. Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen owes his 2021 and 2022 world championship titles in large part to Hannah Schmitz, the chief strategist of his Red Bull team. The Englishwoman develops the tactics for the races, plans pit stops and has to react within seconds to unforeseen events such as accidents involving other cars. Since Formula 1 was founded in 1950, this has been a job for men. Now a young woman directs the world champion to his victories.
"She is incredibly calm and simply very good," Verstappen praises his chief strategist. Hannah Schmitz became world-famous in 2019 when she was allowed onto the podium as a team representative after a victory in Brazil: "That was a very special moment and the highlight of my career. I had just returned to work after the birth of my first child. So it was a big thing for me to prove that I was still there and could do the job well."
When the German team failed once again in the preliminary round at the World Cup in Qatar at the end of 2022, many men were to blame - but certainly not referee Stéphanie Frappart. She was the first female referee to officiate at a men's World Cup. National coach Hansi Flick already had "100 percent confidence" in the French woman in the run-up: "She deserved it with her performance." Germany's 4:2 in the final group match against Costa Rica was not enough to advance. The Cologne Express praised the fact that Stéphanie Frappart "didn't let herself be impressed at all in a routine performance." And the fact that everyone was talking about the next German soccer disaster after the world premiere, and hardly anyone about the referee, was the best sign that female referees will be a matter of course in men's soccer in the future.
Former U.S. basketball player Becky Hammon is considered the greatest hope for a woman to one day coach an NBA team. In fact, she's already done it: as assistant coach of the San Antonio Spurs, she suddenly assumed full responsibility at the end of 2020 during a game against the Los Angeles Lakers after head coach Gregg Popovich was sent off. Currently, Hammon has returned to the WNBA women's league as coach of the Las Vegas Aces. But her dream of the NBA is alive and well. And she has made an impression. Spain's basketball legend Pau Gasol raves outright: "I've worked with the brightest minds in this sport. And I'm telling you: Becky Hammon can coach. I'm not saying she can do it quite well. And I'm not saying she can coach well enough to get by reasonably. I'm not saying she's nearly as good as the male coaches in the NBA. I'm simply saying Becky Hammon can coach basketball in the NBA. Period."
Amélie Mauresmo had to experience that women's careers in areas of sport previously dominated by men do not necessarily lead ever higher. The Frenchwoman, former world No. 1 tennis player, became the coach of world-class Scottish player Andy Murray in 2014. A woman coaching a top male player - that was a sensation and made even a tough woman like Mauresmo not cold: "I had the impression that I had a lot of responsibility and didn't have the right to make mistakes. If I screwed up, all the women would screw up with me."
She did celebrate some success with Murray, including reaching the final at the 2015 Australian Open and winning the Madrid Open the same year. But after the birth of her first child and a few defeats, she stepped down in 2016, saying, "I don't think I fit in. People didn't respect me because I was a woman and because I had never really coached before." Andy Murray regretted the decision, saying, "I feel like she was judged harshly by a lot of people just because she was a woman. When I lost matches in the past, people questioned me, not my coach. When I worked with Amélie, it was different."
What remains as a conclusion is that there is progress in many areas that encourage women. But until they can become SHEROES as a matter of course in male-dominated sports, longer than just one day - there is still a lot to do.