Less than a month ago, very few Canadians knew who Cindy Klassen was. After the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics, she has become a Canadian legend. She’s managed to bring home five medals making her the most commemorated Canadian at Turin’s Olympics. To top it all, it happens that she’s won more medals that any Canadian athlete in history.
All these achievements have earned her a powerful title: Cindy Klassen, the most successful Canadian Olympian.
Not bad from someone who first wanted to make the hockey team, failed to make it and jumped at another opportunity: speed skating.
She still has some good years left in her and if she manages to win more medals when the games are hosted in Vancouver, Canada in 2010, she will just cement her powerful credential. The odds will certainly be in her favour as she will have the “home court†advantage.
What do sports, Ms Klassen, freelancing and personal branding have in common?
1) There are many roads to success. Cindy could have given up her Olympics dreams in 1998 when she did not make the Hockey team but she chose to try out another sport (less popular at the time).

On your quest to success, keep your eyes open, as the opportunities that may arise might have nothing to you do with what you had in plans.



2) A powerful brand takes time to be built. Cindy Klassen devoted most of her life to sports. Although she had managed to win some major championships and break some records that she still holds today, it was Turin 2006 games that made her a household name.



As a freelancer, the same will happen. It takes time for people to learn about your services and especially about your focus or specialty. It takes time to get the media to recognize your achievements but when they eventually do, your career is made.


3) Getting there is the hardest thing, staying there is another thing. As I write this, I don’t see any possible contender to Cindy in the next ten years except maybe for Clara Hughes another successful Canadian Olympian. Cindy just needs to win one or two more medals in the next Olympics and she will be in a very comfy lead giving her the chance to benefit from her title for many years to come.

Once you are on top of your game, you need to protect your leadership status. Business like sports is a very competitive game. The more you rest assured that there will always be contenders to your title, the more you can remain one step ahead allowing you to keep your reign.


4) A powerful personal brand opens wider doors. As an legendary Olympian Cindy Klassen will probably not become a millionaire… however, she does not need worry as all kinds of sponsors and business people will be knocking at her door offering her large sums of money to endorse their products, motivate their people, coach their athletes and anything else you can think about that comes with one’s celebrity status.


Becoming your industry’s power brand opens doors to more clients, higher fees and all sorts of business propositions. When you are the leading writer, publishing houses will fight each other to offer you gazillions of dollars in advance fees to write your next best seller. When you are the leading graphic designer, software development companies will be offering you ridiculous amounts of money to get you to endorse their products and so on…


In today’s times that are so immersed in celebrity culture as a freelancer or independent contractor, you have no choice but to achieve a celebrity status. We’re not talking about Hollywood here. You just need to become the hottest personal brand in your industry and all good things will happen to you.



The Canadian Olypic Team’s mission chief just said that Canada’s great performance in the Turin 2006 games will boost the morale of the nations’ youth who will be motivated to participate in more sports especially those that are not as popular but in which Canadians achieved some wonderful results.
I think the advice should extend to all freelancers worldwide… just think of a person who’s done well with their freelancing career and just remind yourself that if they can do it so can you.
We actually have it easier than athletes where only the gold medals counts. In business you can create your own race and since you are the one who knows its ropes you can earn the gold medal and scoop all the goodies that winners get to take home.
Go for gold…

