Today we’d like to introduce you to Barbara Halina.
Hi Barbara, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
Athlete and entrepreneur: The two words I most often associate with myself. I have been involved in sports since I could hold a ball, and being in and among them has been an integral part of my life, particularly after my parents’ separation at 5 years old. At 8, I started playing competitive volleyball, and at 11, the idea that I could play in college began to flourish. The summer I turned 13, I started my first business, Red Wagon Car Washin’, and my startup funds came via a small loan from my dad for supplies. That summer spent earning and learning the intricacies of money management created an enduring internal fire. In high school, I was diagnosed with ADHD and acute heart arrhythmia. My involvement in sports tempered the symptoms of my ADHD, but on occasion, my irregular heartbeat was debilitating, causing me to be unable to participate in the sport I loved. Despite this, I began training year-round and earned an opportunity to play volleyball with the University of Alabama Crimson Tide.
Although a dream realized, I discovered it was not the place for me, and I transferred to the University of Texas and joined the club volleyball program. During my tenure, my team and I won a National Championship; however, with it came a personal loss: the unexpected passing of my father. At 20, I was thrust back into business, and my sisters and I took over my dad’s oil & gas company, but my aspirations to play volleyball at a higher level persisted. I stayed connected to the sport through coaching, and although this gave me much joy, at 27 (2018), I moved to Australia to coach and pursue volleyball and joined a semi-pro team in Melbourne, where we earned a state and national title. For the 2020 season, I was selected captain, but the season came to a screeching halt with the onset of Covid. My athletic endeavors shifted as I needed an activity to stabilize my mental health and physical being, and l pivoted to play Australian Football (AF). AF was a sharply different sport than I had ever played before. It is outside, played during winter, and is a full-contact sport. With it came a new challenge of navigating how to adapt my body and mind to be the best it could be for the team’s benefit.
Team sports are an exhilarating microcosm of our real-world experiences, and adapting to a different culture and a niche sport brought welcomed challenges. After 3 years in Australia, I returned to Austin, Texas, shifted into policy strategy and governmental affairs along with coaching, and continued to play Australian football with the Austin Crows. On the heels of 2021, I entered one of the most challenging times in my life. Unsure about how I wanted to dedicate my time, my attention quickly turned to caring for my mother upon her terminal cancer diagnosis. Devastated, angry, and full of frustration, I was now navigating how to prepare my mother for death. On Mother’s Day, 2022, my mother peacefully passed, and the six months we spent together changed my life forever. I am eternally grateful for the time and the stories we were able to exchange with each other, and if it weren’t for that divine time, my path back to entrepreneurship may not have happened. That time made me understand that I am responsible for creating the life I want and that true personal freedom can only occur from within. 2023, in its entirety, was a momentous year as I was selected to play for Team USA’s Australian football team, and I founded my business, Cynisca Athlete Excellence. After spending years dissecting my conditioned patterns and adventuring into understanding the mind-body mind-body connection, I combined my two passions: sports and wealth, enabling through entrepreneurship. My life purpose is to facilitate wealth for athletes by optimizing their name, image, and likeness (NIL). With the onset of AI, our NIL and our talents and skills as humans create connections and ultimately differentiate us from computers, and being able to support them, their growth, and their brand creates the opportunity for long-term wealth generation. This can be life-changing, and I am fortunate to be here during the onset of NIL deals.
Would it have been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Mentioned throughout the last questions as well. The road has had its closures, potholes, and uneven terrain. My fears, uncertainties, doubts, and insecurities that I created held me back for so long. My beliefs led me to constantly compete with others, whereas true competition is with yourself. Changing my mindset to compete with myself allowed many external factors to be welcomed as a part of the human experience. It showed me that I am resilient and capable. Often plagued by the societal pressure to meter my success by those around me, it proved to be fleeting and unfulfilling. Those moments of imposter still creep in, but instead of debilitating, they now allow me to use them as a benchmark to see how far I’ve come. All of it has led to me being where I am today, and I’m thankful for them. Life is about how we frame. We create the story of our life.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Cynisca, the first female to win gold at the Olympic Games, was the most apparent choice to be associated with my business. I specialize in supporting elite high school female athletes. I teach them how to show up authentically and in their values so that they can utilize social media rather than it utilizing them. The exponential growth and investment in women’s sports are happening, and as a result, the ability to have a career as an elite athlete is possible. Sports greats make their most significant monetary gains through sponsorships and partnerships, and now is the time for female athletes to take their slice of the pie. My experience and my passion set me apart. I deeply care, and I put myself second when I coach an individual athlete or a team. This is about them and their growth. I am fortunate to be in a position to facilitate and apply my skills to be able to do so. I am proud that my brand aligns with my core values: Integrity, compassion, and empowerment. My legacy mission is to enable wealth. When there is a generation of equity, change happens, and implementing that change and utilizing that platform creates leaders. I want readers to know that athletes’ PGs (parents, grandparents, and guardians) also have support. You are not alone in navigating this unfamiliar territory. Being a liaison between the two is an essential element of my business. Working with athletes for at least 6 months through the AthleteU program and seeing their dreams become reality brings me the greatest joy. Consistency is key. The journey is not linear. Compassion for the self and the commitment to disciplined action day after day to a higher purpose, to a dream, that they visualize for themselves is key, and being a part of their growth, to see their transformation, is invaluable. These are the leaders of tomorrow. 90% of women in C Suite positions are former athletes. It’s time for girls and women to rise into the opportunity.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some changes you expect to see over the next five to ten years?
My forecast is tremendous growth. In its first 3 years, NIL is already an astonishing $915 million industry, and investment in women’s sports is exponential. Women’s soccer leagues in Europe, two professional volleyball leagues in the United States, and the expansion of the WNBA and AFLW (Australian Football League- women’s) in Australia are the tip of the iceberg. Viewership and attendance for women in sports will continue to grow, and as the line between computers and humans blurs, humanity will increasingly appreciate the art of sport.
Contact Info:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090675218115&mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Twitter: https://x.com/barbarahalina_?s=21&t=LDvBPRXhtEmH0hlyi62YAQ
- Other: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2538195952985493/?ref=share_group_link
Image Credits
Ben Carpenter- Nwanyanwu
