Flipping the Script: Turning Perceptions into Strategic Assets

First impressions are everything; and they can be a double-edged sword.

Stepping into a new chapter of your career often means reintroducing yourself to people who think they already know who you are. Whether you’re entering a completely new environment or returning to familiar territory with a different role, your brand, and the perceptions about it, enter the room before you do.

They establish an immediate connection. But they can also trap you in outdated perceptions.

These perceptions hold more weight during major career transitions. Sometimes your pedigree comes into question. Other times your past achievements overshadow your current capabilities.

Navigating the Residue of Your Past

As a former pro athlete, I know how challenging it can be to shake off the residue of past roles.

Over the years, I've repositioned myself and my brand to pursue various business opportunities. My most recent transition stands out as more challenging than others.

Earlier this year, I launched Champion Venture Partners, a sports focused investment firm. We’ve been steadily building ever since, raising capital from investors and building relationships with companies we may invest in.

I keep running into one specific challenge. As a first-time fund manager, people want to see your track record.

It’s a common hurdle for many first-time fund managers. Potential investors in the fund want to see a track record on the people running it. But my situation has an added layer. My experience in VC looks much different from what people expect.

Many see ‘athlete investors’ as forward-facing marketing assets—brand ambassadors whose primary function is to bring eyeballs. Most of these roles are visible, allowing people to see activity and engagement.

But my reality is different. I’m an introvert who isn’t comfortable being the face of brand campaigns and ads. My experience isn’t rooted in an educational pedigree or influencer status. It’s driven by over 15 years of working within companies helping them launch, scale, and sustain as a partner, advisor, consultant, owner, and financial advisor.

Perception often wins, in spite of reality.

I can feel the vibe early in some introductory conversations— I know when the perceptions are winning. Some assume I’m another athlete investor fronting a company; they tolerate conversations with me to get to the ‘real business people’ running the firm. While others take veiled shots at my experience and character, even know we’ve never met.

It used to be something I spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to change.

I’m no stranger to proving value. But It’s draining when you constantly feel the need to put on a show just to level the playing field. You know at best, the misaligned perceptions make the journey longer. At worse, you lose opportunities before they even materialize.

Double Click

These challenges aren’t unique to athletes. Everyone faces similar hurdles when transitioning to a new career or industry. The key is to recognize these patterns and leverage them to your advantage.

People tend to put you in boxes based on what they think they know about you. Some will underestimate your abilities, assuming that your expertise is limited to your previous career. Others might be curious but unsure of your capacity to excel in a new field.

Understanding these perceptions allows you to categorize and strategize your interactions. Over years of seeing the same patterns play out over and over, I’ve learned to group interactions into two buckets:

1. The Dismissive:

   They write you off because they perceive you as inferior or lacking the necessary skills for your new role. The Dismissive can stay superficial in their interactions or over-explain things, underestimating your intelligence and intuition. These relationships are typically not worth your time. Their dismissive attitude is often a symptom of a larger behavioral pattern—arrogance that creates blind spots.

   🧐 Study their moves carefully. While you might not invest in these relationships, you can certainly use them to gather valuable insights. When you identify a blind spot, use your unique perspective and intuition to exploit it to your advantage.

2. The Open-Minded:

   They are open-minded and curious about replacing their initial perceptions with reality. The Open-Minded are genuinely interested in learning who you are, what you stand for, and what you bring to the table. Their initial assumptions may be outdated or formed from a lack of knowledge, but they’re willing to invest in understanding your true potential.

   🧱 These are the people to build with. Building relationships with open-minded individuals can lead to collaborations that expand comfort zones on both sides. These partnerships are instrumental in repositioning yourself in new environments and building the influence and impact you’re aiming for.

The Big Picture

The next time you step into a new room or environment, remember that the way people see you is just the starting point. Repositioning yourself and your brand, especially during a major career transition, is challenging—but not impossible.

Your job is not to overcome every stereotype. But make sure you recognize the perceived value others see in you.

Once you do, determine how you can turn it into a strategic asset as you reposition yourself for success in this new chapter.