LaunchBreak presents an innovative professional development platform that is specifically designed to harness the competitive advantages of female athletes in corporate leadership. The service capitalizes on compelling research showing 94% of C-suite women have sports backgrounds, as well as the stark gender disparity in executive roles, where women currently hold just 3.4% of CEO positions globally.
LaunchBreak was founded by former Division 1 tennis players Philippa Portnoy and Teresa Saputo-Crerend. The professional development platform recognizes the transferable skills developed through athletics — from teamwork and resilience to strategic thinking — and provides targeted career support, including mentorship connections, resume optimization, and interview preparation.
By creating a dedicated networking community for women with athletic backgrounds, LaunchBreak offers a unique value proposition that differentiates it from generic professional development services.
Image Credit: LaunchBreak
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Athlete-to-executive Platforms
- Innovative platforms are emerging to harness the skills of female athletes for executive roles, offering a unique pathway to leadership development.
- Targeted Mentorship Networks
- Female athlete-specific mentorship networks are growing, creating opportunities for personalized career guidance that leverages sports-derived skills.
- Gender-specific Leadership Programs
- Female-focused leadership programs are utilizing insights from sports to effectively address gender disparities in corporate leadership.
Sectors Adopting This
- Professional Development
- The professional development industry is evolving to offer niche services that align athletic competencies with corporate career paths.
- Corporate Training
- Corporate training is increasingly acknowledging the value of sports-based skill sets, integrating them into executive coaching and development.
- Women in Leadership
- The women in leadership industry is seeing growth in initiatives that specifically target former athletes, fostering increased female presence in C-suite roles.
