U.S. cycling icon Kristen Faulkner made history in Paris in more ways than one. Faulkner went from cycling as a hobby to becoming a pro in just three years, ahead of the Paris Olympics. Earlier, the champion cyclist graced the Unfiltered Waters Podcast, where she revealed her whirlwind journey from leaving a high-paying job to earning Olympic gold.

During her conversation with hosts Katie Hoff & Missy Franklin, Faulkner said she took a huge risk moving away from a job with a base salary of around $100,000. However, what she had learned during her time as a venture capital analyst helped the 31-year-old immensely. Swimming icon Missy Franklin inquired how the “idea of delayed gratification” had helped the cyclist remain optimistic.

“This industry that can be really bizarre. You can’t really look to validation from other people to know if you’re successful,” replied Kristen Faulkner, while mentioning venture capitalism. Her job as an analyst was to source new investment deals for firms. Thus, the Olympic medalist banked on the possible future success of the startup she handpicked for investment.

So embarking on her ‘dream’ of winning Olympic gold was a similar experience. For her, “it was hard to know that in the very beginning,” if banking on herself would lead to the success Faulkner dreamed of. “So I had to learn how to be comfortable without immediate feedback,” she revealed on the Unfiltered Waters Podcast.

However, little did the 31-year-old know that she would achieve far more than her Olympic dream. The cyclist’s success in Paris started with the 98-mile road race, where she finished just 58 seconds ahead of the silver medalist. Kristen, who came in as a replacement just a month ahead of Paris, made history. She had become the first American woman to win Olympic rod race gold in four decades. However, that was only the beginning of her historic success.

How Kristen Faulkner made it to the Olympics

The former venture capitalist achieved the “biggest life dream” and then doubled it. After her triumph in the road race, Faulkner returned to the track for the Team Pursuit event. The Olympic debutant tamed up with Chloé Dygert, Jennifer Valente, and Lily Williams to once again make history for Team USA. The feat became even more astonishing because Faulker wasn’t part of the initial roster.

The Associated Press noted that despite winning the U.S. Road Race ahead of the Olympics, Kristen Faulkner didn’t make the Olympic team. Instead, Taylor Knibb and her team pursuit teammate Chloe Dygert earned the two automatic spots. However, just a month before Paris 2024, Knibb pulled out the cycling events to solely focus on the triathlon.

Knibb’s move allowed Faulkner to fly to Paris, and to say she made the most of it would be an understatement. Interestingly, the cyclist credited her experience in venture capitalism with helping shape her Olympic success. “In a race, I take that mindset with me: What is the risk-reward ratio? Knowing when to go all in,” the Olympic medalist told the Associated Press on August 4.