223 Jan Sibbersen - Keys to a Championship Mindset in Sport, Business, and Life (Part 1)

Matt welcomes the founder of wetsuit company Sailfish, and Hawaii Ironman World Championship swim course record-holder, Jan Sibbersen, to the show. Part 1 of this 2 part series covers Sibbersen’s road to conquering the Kona swim record in a comeback performance at the age of 43 and how his swimming background influenced his success in the water and inspired him to build a business from the ground up.

With Sailfish, a company he started 15 years ago, now expanding into the U.S. market, Sibbersen takes us through the lessons he gleaned from a career in competitive sport and business, and how those lessons have influenced his leadership and his company’s growth.

Topics they discuss include:

• Sibbersen’s foundation of swimming and his eventual transition to triathlons.

• The driving force and frame of mind behind the quest for a comeback and a shot at the Kona swim record.

• The parallels between entrepreneurs and triathletes and how to apply the lessons of one career to the other.

(49:47) “if you're well prepared, and if you've done your homework, there's really not that much to worry about on race day…you know if you've put in the work if you've rested well, that there's a very, very good likelihood that you're going to have a great race. It's so similar to the world of business.”

• The brick-by-brick approach: the benefits and challenges of growing a business organically, without external capital.

(42:05) “I liked the freedom of not having any investor's...being able to make my own decisions, and do the things that were right for the long-term growth of the company, and maybe not for short-term profitability.”

• Important traits to effective leadership and establishing strong team dynamics.

(57:39) “You need to be able to steer the tempo or the speed of a team. So I think when there is quieter times…you need to let go”

• Managing and mitigating adversity and stress.

(57:39) “I think growth pretty much only happens when there is a healthy amount of stress.”

• Strategizing growth and expansion into new territory.

• Tips for entrepreneurs and small business owners.

The goal of this discussion is to understand the mindset of a high-performer in both sport and life and to apply the behavior and principles to your endeavors.

Jan Sibbersen Career Highlights  

-German National Swim Team (1990 to 2000)

-Harvard University: Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Economics (2000)

-Goldman Sachs New York and Frankfurt: Financial Analyst (2000 and 2002)

-IRONMAN Hawaii World Championships: Swim course record, 46:29min (2018)

-IRONMAN Hawaii World Championships: “First out of Water” (2001-2004)

-IRONMAN Germany: Swim time record holder, 42:17min (2004)

-IRONMAN Germany: “First out of Water” (2002-2004)

-IRONMAN Canada: "First out of Water" (2005,2006,2008)

-IRONMAN USA: "First out of Water" (2006)

-IRONMAN France: "First out of Water" (2007)

-Managed Patrick Lange: two-time IRONMAN World Champion (2016-2021) 

Episode Timestamps

0:02-05:44 Introduction and Matt's Personal Picks

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5:59- The Meat and Potatoes - Jan Sibbersen - Keys to a Championship Mindset in Sport, Business, and Life (Part 1)

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