Life after the Olympics: Jamie Anderson eyes organic underwear line
While 27-year-old Jamie Anderson has been bombarded with a slew of business deals after making Olympic history this February -- as the first female snowboarder to earn two gold medals -- she says she has some business plans of her own.
“I have always wanted to start my own company, but it’s challenging in a world where I have so many partners that almost cover every single category,” Anderson tells FOX Business.
Over the years, the Lake Tahoe native has signed a barrage of deals with companies ranging from Procter & Gamble (who is currently promoting its Downy Nature Blends products) to United Airlines to clothing designer Ralph Lauren, but she says she still sees two areas for opportunities.
“I have always been crocheting hats and my mom has an alpaca farm in Vermont and my future goal is to use her fabric from her alpacas, which is the most sustainable and really the most beautiful wool on the market and I would love to make hats and do some charitable cause with the product,” Anderson says, adding that she also wants to create “an organic cotton underwear line.”
“Because that is one area that I’m not contracted by — and it would be cool to support organic farms and spread that love or partner with brands that are already doing it but nothing is totally in the works yet,” she adds, confessing that she even used bamboo for underwear in the past.
“I think it’s important to keep it as whole as possible [down there], [which] is good for us and for the planet.”
Anderson, who sprang onto the snowboarding scene at the age of 15, says growing up in the mountains has made her very passionate about the environment and it has prepared her for the business world.
“Ever since I was a little kid mowing lawns and making money, I’ve been about saving money and investing in smart things,” she says.
At the age of 10, she says she scored her first sponsorship by making her own resume with photos and a little bio with her sisters and just started sending them out to different companies to see if they would bite.
“We were really young, like preteens, and we ended up getting lots of free products and our first sponsorships, and those eventually grew, so I think when you really want to do something–even when there are struggles with traveling or financial things that come up–as long as you have a goal, you can make it happen.”