Allyson Felix, the most decorated U.S. track & field athlete in history, is retiring at the end of the 2022 season.
But she’s already prepared for her next endeavor.
Business owner.
In 2021, Felix and her brother Wes co-founded community-focused lifestyle brand, Saysh.
The budding footwear brand was the vision of Felix after her public split from Nike in 2019, which stemmed from Felix feeling the brand punished her and other pregnant athletes.
She became an activist for maternal rights and a year later partnered up with Gap Inc.’s Athleta division.
One of their first initiatives was to establish a $200,000 grant that covered childcare costs for pro athletes, including a few of her fellow Olympians.
Now less than a year later, Felix, with the help of Gap, Athleta, Iris Ventures and Redpoint Ventures, has completed a Series A funding of $8 million for Saysh.
According to Women’s Wear Daily, “The company will use the funding to amp up its branded e-commerce, wholesale distribution and community-based retail — an area that the founders are looking to build up. The $8 million investment will also be used to expand its product range and to introduce activity-specific sneaker styles.”
Saysh footwear is labeled as “a lifestyle sneaker designed for and by women”, and Felix has made sure that it addresses the needs of women.
From the design and colors to the maternity returns policy, Saysh continues Felix’s mission of understanding, empowering and helping women.
When a woman becomes pregnant, her foot size can increase. But with Saysh’s maternity returns, customers can contact Saysh and they will send them a “fresh pair of Saysh One sneakers in your new size” free of charge.
Saysh is another big win for Felix, who isn’t quite done on the track yet.
But when she is, she already has her next job funded and ready to go.
