Winning at Business: Lessons from Sport

Great business leaders don’t operate in silos. Their sharpest strategies, boldest decisions, and most resilient mindsets are often built outside the boardroom—on sports fields, in extreme environments, or through personal adversity. The ability to draw from diverse life experiences not only enhances their problem-solving skills but also cultivates a deeper understanding of leadership, teamwork, and perseverance. 

In conversations with some of the best businesspeople in the country there is a clear pattern. Other areas of life, such as sport, teach lessons especially applicable to business success. 

Christian Beck: From Winning the Sydney to Hobart to Winning Legal Tech 

Christian Beck , founder of LEAP Legal Software APAC , is a prime example of this interplay between life and business. Known for his grit and innovation, Beck’s success in the tech space mirrors the precision and perseverance that helped him win the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, one of the world’s most challenging sailing competitions. 

Sailing a boat to victory in such a challenging race requires exceptional teamwork, strategic foresight, and an ability to adapt to ever-changing conditions. These are the same qualities Beck brings to his business ventures. He has spoken about how the focus on long-term planning during a yacht race—plotting courses, predicting weather patterns, and optimising every decision for the end goal—directly parallels leading a fast-growing tech company. 

Beck’s key lesson? Leadership is about preparation, but it is also about staying calm when the plan goes awry. Just as unexpected storms hit the water, markets can shift without warning. His philosophy: “You can’t control everything, but you can control how you respond.” 

Greg Taylor: Rowing Lessons in Perseverance and Culture 

Greg Taylor - We're Hiring , the founder of Step One , credits much of his business acumen to his experience as a rower representing Australia. Rowing at an elite level demands relentless discipline and an unbreakable belief in collective success. As Taylor has often reflected, every stroke in a rowing race is a battle against exhaustion, self-doubt, and the fear of mediocrity—challenges any entrepreneur will recognise. 

What Taylor has carried into his business is a focus on culture. In rowing, the team operates as one; the slightest misalignment can cost a race. This ethos informed his approach to building Step One’s team, emphasising trust, transparency, and alignment of purpose. 

Taylor’s advice? “The best teams aren’t just skilled—they’re connected. They know why they’re rowing together.” It’s an important reminder that business success is rarely a solo achievement. Whether rowing across the finish line or scaling a company, it is the combined effort that pushes you forward. 

Brad Moran: From AFL to a $205 Million Exit 

Brad Moran ’s story takes us to the football field. A former AFL player, Moran turned the discipline and strategic thinking he honed on the field into the driving force behind CitrusAd , the e-commerce software platform he co-founded and sold for $205 million. 

For Moran, success in both football and business has revolved around agility and strategic execution. As a professional athlete, he mastered the art of responding instantly to opportunities while sticking to a well-rehearsed game plan. In business, this translated into a unique ability to pivot quickly while maintaining focus on CitrusAD’s mission. 

Moran’s key insight? "The lessons you learn in sport are about resilience and commitment. You might lose a game, but how you recover determines the next outcome." For entrepreneurs, the message is simple: setbacks are inevitable, but it is critical to continue to trust the process and persevere despite the difficulties along the way. 

Sport and Business Success 

What unites Beck, Taylor, and Moran is not just their success but the diversity of experiences they’ve harnessed to fuel their achievements. Their stories highlight three universal lessons: 

1. Discipline is transferable: Whether it’s the daily grind of training for a race or the relentless effort required to scale a company, discipline in one area sharpens your ability to excel in another. 

1. Teamwork is non-negotiable: From yachts to rowing crews to football teams, the importance of collaboration cannot be overstated. Building a strong team with a shared vision is critical for long-term success. 

1. Adversity builds resilience: Stormy seas, grueling training, and tough games prepare you for business’s inevitable challenges. Resilience, as these leaders demonstrate, is a muscle strengthened through experience. 

These examples also point to a broader truth: the best business leaders embrace experiences outside of their core industries. They understand that life is the ultimate training ground—a place to develop empathy, resilience, and creativity. Whether it’s travel, sport, or personal passion projects, engaging with the world beyond work fosters the kind of innovative thinking that gives leaders an edge. 

As Christian Beck, Greg Taylor, and Brad Moran show us, life and business are not separate domains—they are intertwined. Success in one can profoundly influence the other. So, learn to leverage those lessons. For anyone in business it’s important to draw from every experience. Your next big idea or solution might not come from a business book or a strategy meeting but from something as simple as a sport you love or a challenge you overcame. 

General Disclaimer: This information is of a general nature only and may not be relevant to your particular circumstances. The circumstances of each investor are different, and you should seek advice from an investment adviser who can consider if the strategies and products are right for you. Historical performance is often not a reliable indicator of future performance. You should not rely solely on historical performance to make investment decisions.