Annie Flamsteed, Founder and CEO of iNSPIRE Sport, supports aspiring young athletes with the life skills needed to succeed both in and out of the sporting arena.
iNSPIRE Sport provides young athletes and their clubs access to expert content and guidance on a range of wellness issues including sports science, psychology and nutrition. For more information download the iNSPIRE Sport app or head to www.inspiresportonline.com
Tell us about iNSPIRE Sport.
From a technological perspective, iNSPIRE Sport is a mobile app that allows young athletes to access heaps of wellbeing programs in the areas of Sports Psychology, Sports Science, Sports Nutrition & General Health whilst allowing them to track their wellness to give coaches insight into how they’re feeling mentally and physically. However, it is so much more than that to us and to our athletes and customers. iNSPIRE Sport is a movement spreading awareness for mental health and health in general to young athletes globally. We are on a mission to not only destigmatise mental illness in athletes of all ages but to also give them the educational tools they need to improve their mental health, their performance and their overall quality of life. At the end of the day we provide sporting clubs, coaches and athletes with an educational solution combined with a biometric health tracking system all in one mobile app.
What inspired you to start iNSPIRE Sport?
My own personal experience as an athlete struggling with injury, burn out and psychological stress combined with the research showing the increase in mental illness, physiological burn out and dropout rates in athletes not just in Australia but globally too! As a society we are doing a much better job of destigmatising mental illness in the adult population, but there is still not a lot out there for young people, let alone young athletes. Athletes are always on show, they have to be confident and there is little room for them to admit they’re struggling. I am inspired to change this and give athletes a chance to 1. Speak up if they’re struggling and 2. Access the tools they need to make progress through our app.
Tell us about your career and background.
I’m a
former elite gymnast, and the training and discipline I gained growing up in
this sport has guided my entire career history. For years I coached at my
parents Gymnastics centre in Toowoomba and
now I’ve spent the past two years researching, piloting and redesigning iNSPIRE SPORT. This app is a combination of all my passions, and ultimately, I want to give young athlete the support I wish I had!
Describe a typical work day for you.
I start my day very early, around 4:30 or 5:00am. Go for a walk or a long run and get a verrrrryyy strong coffee. I like to get to the office early, to get my emails done and plan my day before the team arrives so I am fresh. Usually after this, every day is different! It depends if I am doing sales, investment pitching, running team work shops or speaking at events. Everyday finishes with some more exercise, usually a walk with my boyfriend, a healthy meal and 30 minutes or so of getting ready for the next day.
What advice do you have for those wanting to start a business?
Honestly? Just do it. But before you do so, make sure you believe whole heartedly in what you’re doing, why you’re doing it and why someone should buy it. If you don’t know those three things, it’s going to be a longer, tougher road than normal! And lastly of course, surround yourself with people who have done it before, and are doing it now. I have learnt so much from my peers and people before me- best advice I was ever given.
What’s next for you, and iNSPIRE Sport?
We are closing out our latest funding round between now and May and focussing on sales and expansion into other sports. We are planning to push into the US sport market in July / August this year so everything we are doing is in preparation for that. As for me personally, I am hoping to get to more women in business and women in tech events to empower more young women to get started on their own start up / business journeys.
