"The Olympic track and bobsled champion earned $200,000 a year at age 20, yet by 30, she was interning for $12 an hour. Despite being the first American woman to medal in both the Summer and Winter Olympics, her post-Olympic opportunities were scarce. "There's this misconception that because I'm the first to do this thing-and still no one else has done it-that I'm booked all year long for speaking engagements," she told CNBC Make It."
"Though she had initially been turned down for work at the firm, she said the owner decided to bring her onboard after hearing about her impressive background. "I was behind the ball because I was 30 years old and just starting, whereas I had friends who were already doctors and lawyers and well into their careers," she added. "I spent all of my 20s competing, so I felt kind of insecure that I didn't have any real work knowledge.""
Lauryn Williams earned substantial sponsorship money early in her career but faced limited post-Olympic opportunities despite historic athletic achievements. She earned $200,000 a year at age 20 and made $80,000 the year she became the first American woman to medal in both the Summer and Winter Olympics, yet sponsorships did not sustain long-term income. Williams experienced large agent fees and taxes that reduced earnings. By 30 she began interning at a financial advisory firm and felt behind peers who had entered traditional professions earlier, prompting a career shift toward finance and professional development.
Read at Fortune
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