#2 OVERTIME Edge | Simone Biles: The Art of Falling Up
How the world's greatest gymnast turned vulnerability into her superpower
WARM-UP ⏯️
Eight years ago, as part of a mandatory class in my freshman year of college, I started a little WordPress newsletter called Jugadas de Estrategia. The best possible translation I can think of would be “Strategic Set Pieces”
My point is that I’ve always been passionate about this intersection between business and sports (the proof is right there!). Back then I even wrote an article about Simone Biles. Today, we’re updating it. Because the American gymnast hit rock bottom and then reinvented herself to climb back to the top, building one of the strongest personal brands along the way 🔥
December 8, 2017 | Original Article
Simone Arianne Biles proved to the world she was the best gymnast at the Rio 2016 Olympics, winning four gold medals and one bronze. For many, she is the greatest of all time, even ahead of Nadia Comaneci.
Her professional debut came in 2013, when she won the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Antwerp, Belgium. Since then, the medals haven’t stopped. Known for her physical and mental strength, the insane difficulty of her routines, her brilliant smile, and her 4’8’’ frame, Biles was the best in the world in 2013, 2014, and 2015.
That resume turned her into a national sports star. Gymnastics is a true institution in the U.S., and Biles became its face.
Her talent and attitude captivated judges, the press, and fans alike. At just 20 years old, Simone was living the dream.
Brands noticed and jumped in. Biles quickly became a role model for the African-American community and for women everywhere. Her story of overcoming adversity only added to her marketability: born into a troubled family in Ohio, Simone and her siblings were placed in foster care after authorities removed them from their mother due to alcoholism and drug abuse.
This powerful backstory led Simone to sign sponsorship deals with Hershey’s, Nike, and Kellogg’s worth around $4 million.
There was no doubt: Simone Biles had found in the Olympics a unique opportunity to grow her personal brand, and sponsors had found in her a safe bet to connect with the market.
Tokyo 2020 | Sometimes It’s OK to Stop 🧠
Simone Biles landed in Tokyo and everything seemed perfect. But not all that glitters is gold. During warm-up, the alarm bells rang. She was totally overwhelmed by the pressure of rewriting sports history. The media attention was suffocating 😶🌫️
Biles started the competition, but after her first vault, she withdrew. She didn’t hide though. She spent the rest of the meet supporting her team from the stands. That takes serious courage.
In a sport with such high risk of serious injury, when body and mind aren’t in sync (what gymnasts call the twisties), you have to stop and figure out what’s going on.
Some still saw her as the GOAT, others called her a quitter. But the reality was that mental health was back on the table in sports — and this time, the noise was impossible to ignore.
Redefining Her Brand Through Vulnerability 🔄
During her two-year competitive break after Tokyo (remember the Games were held in 2021 due to COVID), Simone took care of her mental health, openly embracing therapy as her secret weapon and completely redesigned her personal brand.
She was no longer just the invincible gymnast. She was human. Vulnerable. And instead of weakening her, that multiplied her impact exponentially. Simone Biles had become an icon💡
Here’s a timeline I put together with her sponsorships ⏬
Key point: before 2021, her deals were based on visibility, performance, and success. After 2021, they became a reflection of her story, her voice, and her inner fight.
That shift didn’t just consolidate her image. It fortified it. Her brand no longer depended on how many medals she won, but on what she represents. And that’s way more powerful 🎯
Quick example: in 2021 she left Nike to sign with Athleta, a Gap Inc. brand focused on women’s sportswear, with a strong commitment to female empowerment 📍
By 2024, only 5% of her income came from competing ($200K in salary and prize money). The rest (over $11 million) came from collaborations. Simone’s smile is very expensive 😃
Paris 2024 | Simone is Back
After Tokyo, the pressure was back. Same spotlight, same expectations. And what do champions do in those moments? They rise to the occasion. Simone wasn’t going to let her critics write the ending. She would ✍🏾
“After everything I’ve been through, I promised myself my story will be bigger than my fears.” — Simone Biles Rising (Netflix) 🔝
And deliver she did. Coming off her 2023 World Championship wins in Belgium, Simone produced another masterpiece in Paris 2024: 3 gold medals and 1 silver, making her the most decorated gymnast in history. Not bad 🤯
Olympics: 11 [7🥇 2🥈 2🥉]
Worlds: 30 [23🥇 4🥈 3🥉]
Today, there are five elements officially named after her: the “Biles” on floor, vault, and beam among them. Her style, impossible skills, and constant reinvention have redefined artistic gymnastics.
The Power of Reinvention 🚀
Her Tokyo withdrawal could have been the end. Instead, it became a turning point. She managed it with intelligence and humility. And when your purpose is making the world a better place… recognition follows 👇
🏆 Laureus 2024 (Comeback of the Year)
🏆 Laureus 2025 (Best Female Athlete)
🏆 ESPY 2025 Best Athlete
🏆 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year 2024
These awards aren’t just for her medals. They’re tied to her legacy. Her story is life itself: you work hard, you fall, you learn, you suffer, you rebuild, and you rise again. That’s the game ❤️🔥
I admire Simone Biles deeply. Every time I watch her, I’m blown away by her power and speed. But I respect her even more for redefining what it means to be an elite athlete — proving that caring for mental health is not a weakness, but a strength 🧠💡
OVERTIME Edge Recs 💎
📚 August is perfect for reading. My pick: OPEN by Andre Agassi. With brutal honesty, Agassi tells his story — how he became one of the greatest in tennis despite hating the sport. A must-read.
On my nightstand next: The Almanack of Naval Ravikant. People rave about it.
🎥 Simone Biles in action: 90 seconds of highlights from Rio 2016 💥 And if you haven’t yet, check out her Netflix doc — really good stuff
If you want to read more stuff about the Sports Business world in Spanish, you can also find me at OVERTIME👇
As always, thanks for reading. Remember you can subscribe for free! See you soon 🤝