>> I came to USC on a full athletic scholarship in track and field.
I followed my brother's footsteps.
My father came here as well with a full scholarship in track and field.
I studied biological sciences; I wanted to be a veterinarian.
However, I realized that I had a talent in track and field and went
on to run as a professional for 13 years.
I have an Olympic Gold Medal, various championship medals and so at some point
when I turned 33 I realized I'm not sure if it's the right time to go back to school
and go through veterinary school and 8 years of school again.
So before I retired from track and field I made a decision and said you know what am I going
to do, what do I like to do and what have I done?
And started my own company while I was still traveling overseas and had a business partner
that was here and we started [inaudible] Productions.
It's interesting because as an athlete I mean and other athletes can relate
as well the discipline that you put into it.
I mean it was a lifestyle especially being a pro it was a complete lifestyle.
You ate, you slept, you drank that whole world so I never had a spring break,
I never had an opportunity to go to Cancun.
So, I was training through all of that.
That type of discipline I think permeates your entire world that goes beyond track and field.
So, it makes easy for our transition if you put your mind to it
and dedicate yourself to something.
I know in track and field we're traveling probably 4-5 months out of the year.
We're in Europe and Asia and we're there.
So you're living in that part of the world for most of the year
and then you come back when you're training.
So for me it was, you know, how am I going to transition myself at some point?
I know I'm getting to the point where the body is breaking down, I can't run forever.
I literally talked to my business partner who was my friend from high school.
She was in a completely different field.
She was in education.
I said, you know, we grew up planning events from the Tournament of Roses and we talked
about doing when we were 15, 16 and 17, you know, this is something that I think
that as an entrepreneur I think I could dedicate myself
to after I'm finished running, but I need your help.
So I knew I needed to enlist someone and list somebody to help me with my next step.
It was great because the day that I retired in May of 2005 I said, okay, thanks,
I ran my last race the next Monday I was in the office.
It was great.