Thriving in Transition

Inclusion Catalyst

Today on the show, Julien speaks with Alana Beard. A philanthropist and entrepreneur, Alana utilizes the power of business and sports to shift how women and girls experience opportunities. She is the Founder of Transition Play, a talent firm that specializes in helping women athletes live prolific lives across their personal, professional, and public domains beyond the game. Alana is the Founder and President of the 318 Foundation, a nonprofit committed to improving college, career, and life outcomes for young women in underrepresented communities through the 318 V.I.S.I.O.N mentorship program. Alana is also leading a bid to acquire the rights to a WNBA franchise.

Best known for her storied athletic career, Alana won Championships at every level, from high school to the WNBA and internationally. She was the first woman basketball player to have her jersey number retired at Duke University, a four-time WNBA All-Star, and an integral piece in leading the Los Angeles Sparks to a WNBA Championship in 2016. At the back end of her career, Alana won back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year Awards in 2017 and 2018. She retired in January 2020 after 15 years.

During and after her time in the WNBA, Alana found success as a small business owner, start-up founder, mentor, and advocate for female athletes in corporate America. After her retirement in 2020, she served as a Senior Associate at Silicon Valley Bank. Today we discuss:

• The resilience of elite athletes and how their value on the court or field translates powerfully into value in corporate spaces.
• Seeing is believing—the importance of representation and setting the pace for those that follow after you.
• How inclusive leaders can support elite athletes in their transition and the power of instant feedback.

Our host, Julien Geiser, is the Director of Corporate Support at Greatheart Consulting. Greatheart develops inclusive leaders for courageous cultures by focusing on practical behaviors that can help build relationships of trust and accountability across all aspects of identity. To learn more about their work, visit www.greatheartconsulting.com.

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