Athletepreneurs Academy – From the Court to a New Chapter
Written by Kerdu Lenear, Athlete Transition Coach
Kerdu Lenear is a former pro basketball player, Athlete Transition Coach, keynote speaker, and Certified Neuroencoding Specialist. Through her Mindset Fitness™ methodology, she helps elite athletes train the part of themselves no one ever coached, so they can step into their identity, confidence, and purpose, on and beyond the game.
When my basketball career ended, I didn’t just lose a schedule, I lost a sense of who I was. For years, every day had purpose, early practices, long travels, and that fire before every game. My identity was built around performance, discipline, and belonging to something bigger than myself.
Then, one day, it was over. The structure, the next goal, gone. And I was left with a question that no one had prepared me to answer. Who am I without the game?
That question is one many athletes face but rarely talk about. When the final whistle blows, the world applauds what you achieved, but it doesn’t tell you what to do next. Behind the medals and discipline often hides fear, fear of losing direction, identity, or relevance.
It’s a silence I know well. And it’s the silence that eventually led me to create Athletepreneurs Academy™, a movement helping athletes rediscover confidence, clarity, and purpose beyond sport.
Finding my own way forward
When I finished playing, I didn’t have a clear plan or business background, only the same persistence that had carried me through years on the court. I decided to start anyway.
My first step was Swops, a small platform for buying and selling used brand-name sports gear for young athletes. I had no business degree or experience, just determination. It wasn’t perfect, but it was real, and it taught me how to build something from nothing.
That experience led me to join BNI (Business Network International), the world’s leading business networking and referral organization, to surround myself with ambitious, growth-minded people. It gave me a sense of team again and showed me how much environment matters. The right people don’t just support your growth, they accelerate it.
In 2024, I became the first female president of the BNI North Star Tallinn Chapter, an experience that strengthened my confidence as a leader.
That chapter inspired me to keep learning, so I returned to university and earned my MBA (Master of Business Administration) to deepen what I’d already built. I wanted to understand business not just as an athlete, but as a creator, someone who could turn experience into impact.
Those steps led me to found Mindset Fitness™, where I now coach other professional athletes through the same kind of transition. Every stage of my journey, from athlete to entrepreneur to coach, became a bridge. And my purpose today is to help others cross that same bridge with more clarity and support than I ever had.
What happens after the game ends
The end of a sports career often brings more than physical rest. It brings a quiet void that few expect. Research shows that athletes frequently experience identity loss, emotional strain, and uncertainty when transitioning out of sport.[1]
Without the structure of training and the validation of performance, self-worth can drop. Finances shift, relationships change, and even daily routines lose meaning. It can feel like starting over from zero, except now, the playbook is gone.
But here’s the truth, athletes are not starting from zero. We’ve already trained for this.
The same discipline, focus, and adaptability that drive success in sport are the exact traits that make successful entrepreneurs. We’ve already learned to recover from losses, to adapt under pressure, to lead ourselves and others. We just need to learn how to use those strengths in a new arena.
Merging two worlds
For a long time, I thought I had to leave basketball behind to be taken seriously in business. I tried to separate my past from my future. But over time, I realized that my power came from embracing both.
The athlete in me, the part that thrives on growth, consistency, and challenge, is the same part that makes me a better coach and entrepreneur. When I finally merged the two worlds, that’s when I found real passion again. The same spark I once felt walking onto the court returned, only now it’s fueled by purpose.
That’s what I want other athletes to experience, not an ending, but an evolution.
Athletes who have made the shift
The world is full of examples of athletes who turned competition into creation:
Venus Williams built EleVen, merging her precision and creativity into design and real estate.
Maria Sharapova founded Sugarpova and became an investor in tech and wellness.
Shaquille O’Neal turned his brand into a diversified business empire.
Michael Jordan built a legacy beyond sport through ownership and strategy.
What they all share isn’t fame, it’s focus. They used the same mindset that made them great in sport to succeed in business.
And that’s exactly what Athletepreneurs Academy™ helps others do.
The beginning of a movement
The Academy began in Estonia with five current and former professional basketball players, Siim-Sander Vene, Artur Konontšuk, Ivo Van Tamm, Janar Soo, and Sven Kaldre, who wanted to learn, grow, and share. What started as small workshops in finance, sales, and negotiation soon became a community built on trust and growth.
Janar Soo, former pro athlete and entrepreneur, says, “I joined because I wanted to meet like-minded people, exchange ideas, and gain new knowledge. I’ve gained confidence knowing that when I take on something new, I have people I can ask or collaborate with.”
Artur Konontšuk, current pro athlete and investor, adds, “I joined because I want to become an entrepreneur. The knowledge shared here is helping me see what it really takes, and that excites me.”
They were the first to believe. Today, they’re helping shape what’s becoming a global movement for athletes ready to grow beyond the game.
What Athletepreneurs Academy™ offers
The Academy is built for athletes who want to redefine success, not by leaving sport behind, but by building on it.
Inside, members gain practical tools in business, branding, and mindset, guided by mentors who’ve walked the same path and other experts in their field. It’s a place where athletes learn to translate their discipline into impact, and where belonging replaces isolation.
You don’t need a business degree to succeed. You already have the mindset, we simply help you turn it into direction and action.
A new season begins
Looking back, I see that every chapter, from basketball to business to coaching, was preparation for this one. Athletepreneurs Academy™ is more than a program. It’s a bridge for athletes ready to move from potential to purpose.
The first international English-language group launches in early 2026. If you’ve ever felt there’s more waiting beyond the game, this is where your next season begins.
Join the waitlist today.
Read more from Kerdu Lenear
Kerdu Lenear, Athlete Transition Coach
Kerdu Lenear is a former pro basketball player turned Athlete Transition Coach, keynote speaker, and Certified Neuroencoding Specialist. As the founder of the Mindset Fitness™ methodology, she helps elite athletes train the part of themselves no one ever coached, their identity, confidence, and purpose. After navigating her own identity shift post-retirement, Kerdu is now building her Inner Game™ coaching experience and leading the emerging Athletepreneurs™ movement. Her mission is to empower pro athletes to thrive on and beyond the game.
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