Meet Abbie Fish

 

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Abbie Fish. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Abbie, so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?

I’ve learned that respect is earned and not given. I work as a swim coach, which is an industry that is predominantly run by cis-gendered white, men. There are very few females in the coaching space, and even less non-binary individuals. I realized a few years ago, it didn’t make sense to make myself smaller to accommodate them. If I wanted their respect, I needed to show up authentically and do the job – regardless of what I looked like and/or wearing. If the job is done well, respect is earned.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I run a virtual swim coaching business called: Swim Like A. Fish. You can find more information about it here: https://swimlikeafish.org. Basically, I started swimming when I was 4 years old and haven’t stopped. I capped off my swimming career at the University of Georgia back in 2014. In 2019, I ventured in solo-entrepreneurship and haven’t looked back. My goal is to create great, online content for coaches and swimmers to get them faster in the pool. I’m well versed in technical analysis for athletes, including video review, race strategy, and technical analysis. On my site, we offer different have training plans for coaches, a mentorship program with former Olympic Coaches, Swim Camps/Lessons Offered, Custom Workouts, and more. I absolutely love what I do and I’m currently working on building out this platform by increasing our exposure and reach.

Right now, we service swimmers all over the world and predominantly work with athletes ages 8 and up. I want to help others be successful in the pool, along with becoming better people. You can find more about my personal story on this link: https://swimlikeafish.org/abbie-fish

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

1.) Don’t over plan – follow your gut, but enjoy the ride.

2.) Just because someone hasn’t done it yet – doesn’t mean it can’t be you.

3.) We’re no different – everyone is growing and learning.

Advice for Others: I would say be kind to yourself. It’s really easy to get stuck in the weeds and forget your bigger picture. Keeping your ‘why’ where you can see it daily, is important. Little soft reminders of where you’re going and where you’ve come from – are key to keeping your motivated when you get up in the morning. Not everyone wakes up ready to take on the day – we are all figuring this out together. So do the work, but enjoy the process.

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?

My college coach, Jack Bauerle. Through him, I have learned what it is like to fail, but also pick myself up. I’ve never had a coach-athlete relationship with someone who I’ve felt the deepest lows, but also the most amazing highs. Our athlete-coach relationship has now blossomed into friendship and that has taught me more patience, perseverance, and how in the darkest hours, you can still find the light.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Jess Amburgey, USA Swimming, and Swimming Australia

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