Greg Rutherford

Olympic athlete

One adage which strongly resonated with me in my sporting career was ‘you have to get comfortable being uncomfortable’ and that’s something I now apply to my working life in general.

As an Olympian I’ve circumnavigated the globe, competing in over 30 countries and earning the titles of Olympic, World, Commonwealth and European (twice) Champion. I’m the first British long jumper in history to win 2 Olympic medals, have competed for Team GB in bobsleigh and was awarded an MBE by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 2013.

With my background in mind, it’ll now be apparent why sport and wellness are of real interest to me and why, alongside a career in broadcasting, I’m working to disrupt the fitness industry with my brand, aila. It’s powerful to connect with like minded individuals and figure out ways in which I can be involved aiding human performance and well being. The spark I was possibly missing from competing to sold out stadiums has been reignited by a love for building this brand and seeking out other startups worth growing and investing in.