Game Changers Dope #74

How Footballer Ana Maria Marković Built a Thriving Vegan Protein Brand: The RELOADZ Story.

In the world of sports, athletes are celebrated for their resilience, discipline, and mental toughness. But beyond the field, some athletes are finding ways to channel these qualities into entrepreneurship, and Ana Maria Marković is a perfect example of this trend. Best known as a professional footballer for SC Braga and the Croatian national team, Ana is also the founder of RELOADZ, a plant-based protein water brand tailored for athletes and health-conscious individuals.

Her journey into entrepreneurship showcases how passion, personal experience, and ambition can intersect to create something unique and impactful.

The Athlete Behind the Brand

Ana Maria Marković’s story starts in sports. She began her football journey at the age of 13, quickly making a name for herself in Swiss football leagues before earning a spot on the Croatian national team

Ana Maria Markovic. Her career has been marked by perseverance, including overcoming significant injuries like a torn ACL, which only added to her determination both on and off the field.

However, like many elite athletes, Ana understood that sports careers have a finite window. She began thinking about what would come next. As someone deeply connected to fitness, health, and recovery, she found herself consistently dissatisfied with the options available for protein and recovery drinks. This realization was the spark that led her to create RELOADZ.

The Birth of RELOADZ

RELOADZ was born from a personal need. Marković knew firsthand how important recovery is to an athlete’s performance and longevity. In 2022, she launched RELOADZ, a vegan protein water designed for people with active lifestyles who are looking for clean, plant-based nutrition

Unlike typical protein drinks that can be heavy and loaded with artificial ingredients, RELOADZ offers a lighter, more natural option without sacrificing the protein content needed for recovery and muscle repair.

Marković’s vision for RELOADZ wasn’t just about filling a market gap. It was also about promoting a health-conscious and sustainable lifestyle that reflects her values. Veganism and clean eating are rapidly growing trends, especially among younger generations of athletes who are increasingly focused on sustainable, plant-based diets. RELOADZ taps directly into this market, offering a product that aligns with modern fitness and dietary trends.

Leveraging an Athlete’s Mindset

One of the most striking elements of Ana’s entrepreneurial journey is how seamlessly her athlete’s mindset has translated into business. The qualities that make her a great footballer — discipline, perseverance, and adaptability — are the same qualities that have fueled her success as a businesswoman.

Balancing a demanding football career with the day-to-day tasks of running a business is no easy feat. But Marković thrives on this challenge. She has spoken about how football taught her to stay focused under pressure and develop long-term strategies, traits that have been crucial in navigating the entrepreneurial landscape

These skills were particularly important in the early stages of launching RELOADZ, where she had to handle product development, branding, and logistics all at once.

Ana’s ability to push through tough times, whether recovering from an injury or overcoming business setbacks, has been key to her success. Much like in sports, entrepreneurship comes with its fair share of failures, but Marković approaches them as learning opportunities, continually refining her product and business model.

Building a Personal Brand

One of Ana’s greatest strengths as an entrepreneur is her ability to leverage her personal brand. As a professional athlete, she already has a large following on social media, which has been a crucial asset in promoting RELOADZ. Her fans, many of whom are also athletes or fitness enthusiasts, are exactly the kind of consumers who would be interested in her product.

Through her Instagram and other platforms, Ana has been able to engage directly with her audience, offering an authentic voice that resonates with her target market. Unlike traditional businesses that need to spend heavily on marketing, Marković has the advantage of built-in trust with her audience, allowing her to promote RELOADZ in a way that feels organic and credible

She has also used her platform to advocate for veganism and sustainable living, aligning her brand with broader trends in the health and wellness industry. By positioning herself not only as an athlete but also as an advocate for clean living, Marković has carved out a unique niche in a competitive market.

Challenges and Triumphs

Of course, the road to success hasn’t been without its challenges. Launching a business is a demanding process, particularly for someone who is still competing at a professional level in sports. From securing partnerships to handling the logistics of production, Marković has had to learn how to juggle the responsibilities of being both a CEO and an athlete.

One of the biggest challenges has been product development. Marković wanted to ensure that RELOADZ wasn’t just another protein drink but a superior product that aligns with her values and meets the high standards of her target audience. This involved extensive research into ingredients, testing various formulations, and ensuring that the product was both nutritious and delicious.

Additionally, entering the competitive sports nutrition market is no small feat. RELOADZ is up against established brands with much larger marketing budgets. However, Marković’s unique positioning as both an entrepreneur and a professional athlete gives her an edge. She knows her audience intimately and is able to connect with them on a personal level, something that big brands can’t always replicate.

The Future of RELOADZ

Looking ahead, Marković has big plans for RELOADZ. Currently, the brand is focused on protein water, but she envisions expanding into other areas of sports nutrition, potentially offering supplements, protein bars, and other recovery products. Her goal is to make RELOADZ a staple for athletes around the world, not just those in her immediate market

She’s also looking to scale the brand across Europe, using her connections within the sports community to gain traction. The growing demand for vegan and sustainable products gives her plenty of room to expand, and if her track record as an athlete is any indication, she’ll continue to push RELOADZ to new heights.

Inspiration for Entrepreneurial Athletes

Ana Maria Marković’s journey from football star to entrepreneur is not only impressive but also deeply inspirational for other entrepreneurial athletes. Her story shows that athletes have the potential to take the skills they’ve honed on the field and apply them to the business world. Whether it’s discipline, strategic thinking, or the ability to perform under pressure, these qualities are just as valuable in entrepreneurship as they are in sports.

For athletes considering their own ventures, Marković offers a powerful blueprint: identify a market need based on personal experience, leverage your platform and personal brand, and approach every challenge with the same determination that makes you successful in sports.

Ana Maria Marković is proof that with the right mindset and passion, athletes can transition from the field to the boardroom and build something truly special.

💰 MONEY MOVES

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Golfer Brooks Koepka is taking his off-course efforts to the next level by investing in Locker Room, a newly launched athlete investment fund from Orlando-area sports tech investment platform Lead.1. Full story
NBA All Star Gordon Hayward and former Butler University teammate and Assistant Coach Emerson Kampen announced the launch of the FORM, an affordable, patented basketball training tool. Full story

🤝 BOARDROOM DEALS

Private equity billionaire Tom Gores has agreed to pay $750 million to buy 27% of the National Football League’s Los Angeles Chargers at an enterprise value of $4 billion. Full story
Chicago White Sox majority owner Jerry Reinsdorf is open to selling the Major League Baseball franchise. Full story

🤿 WTF BRAND

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♻️ IMPACT STANDOUT

Play Mental Foundation, led by former footballers Gianni Zuiverloon and Edson Braafheid, is committed to improving mental health for teens and (young) adults. By sharing our own experiences, as well as offering professional insights, workshops and clinics, we want to create awareness for mental health issues.

We know what it is like to deal with restlessness, pressure, stress, depression and other mental obstacles. We want to give everyone we can reach the tools to deal with these setbacks, so that they can become the best versions of themselves.

Everyone deserves the opportunity and support to work through mental blocks and grow to be independent, successful and meaningful in society.

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🎙️ CONTENT HIGHLIGHT

"The successful warrior is the average man, with laser-like focus." - Bruce Lee