“Your identity is bigger than the game, and the skills you build as an athlete can become the foundation for your future.”
— Chloe Barnes-Henderson
310. The Athlete Beyond the Game: Chloe Barnes-Henderson on Identity, Purpose, NIL & Building Athletech Academy
“Your identity is bigger than the game, and the skills you build as an athlete can become the foundation for your future.”
— Chloe Barnes-Henderson
What happens when the identity you’ve built around being an athlete no longer fits? In this episode of Turmeric & Tequila, I’m catching up with one of my favorite humans, Chloe Barnes-Henderson, for a conversation about student-athlete identity, mental health, entrepreneurship, NIL, artificial intelligence, and building a future where more young people have access to opportunity. Chloe is a former Division I basketball student-athlete, technology executive, professor, and entrepreneur. After a career that included leadership roles at Twitter, IPG Media Brands, and Oscar Health, she is now working to reimagine how young people prepare for the future of work through the Athletech Academy and Athletech LLC. We start with the athlete experience—what happens when an injury changes your identity, how difficult it can be to find purpose outside of sport, and why the life skills developed through athletics can become the foundation for an entirely new career. From there, we get into the business of social media, the realities of NIL, and why young athletes need more than monetization opportunities. They need education, support, ethical guidance, and the tools to navigate a world where their personal brand follows them long after the game ends. Chloe also shares how her experiences in corporate America, including the challenges of her final corporate role, helped clarify the work she was meant to do next.
We talk about:
• Student-athlete identity and finding purpose beyond sport
• Mental health, career transitions, and knowing when to choose a different path
• The business and cultural impact of social media
• NIL education, contracts, brand partnerships, and financial wellness
• AI upskilling and preparing young people for the future of work
• Why sports can be the gateway to entrepreneurship and opportunity
• Building a more accessible ecosystem for students, athletes, and communities
This is a conversation about graceful disruption, choosing purpose over the expected path, and using everything you’ve learned to build something that matters. Because sometimes the next chapter isn’t about starting over. It’s about finally putting all the pieces together. Connect with Chloe and learn more about the work: https://www.athletechacademy.org/
Time Stamps:
00:00 — Welcome to Turmeric & Tequila and Chloe’s third appearance
01:03 — Introducing Chloe Barnes Henderson and her D1 athlete background
04:31 — Life skills through sports and helping athletes prepare for life beyond competition
05:00 — Chloe’s basketball injury, depression, and losing her athlete identity
06:45 — The administrator who helped Chloe reconnect with purpose through other student-athletes
09:00 — Transitioning from athlete to technology executive, professor, and entrepreneur
12:00 — Lessons from working at Twitter, IPG Media Brands, and Oscar Health
15:00 — Social media, cyberbullying, ethics, and mental health
18:00 — Recognizing signs, trusting timing, and knowing when it is time to leave
19:00 — The creation of Athletic Academy
21:23 — Building Athletic Academy into a grades 9–12 sports-focused high school
22:19 — Athletic LLC and Athletic IQ
22:29 — NIL education, contract management, market research, and conflict resolution
23:00 — The interpersonal dynamics and challenges surrounding NIL compensation
23:00 — Athletic Advantage and AI upskilling for businesses, schools, and nonprofits
23:30 — Using sports as a gateway to teach future-of-work skills
24:00 — AI, financial wellness, entrepreneurship, credentialing, and skill-based learning
33:29 — Connecting student interests with sports, technology, culture, music, and fashion
34:00 — Helping students explore interests instead of locking into one career path
37:00 — Why access to sports and opportunity should not depend on income or ZIP code
37:12 — Keeping Athletic Academy programming free for students
37:43 — Corporate partnerships, donations, and workforce development
38:00 — Teaching students and organizations to use AI ethically and responsibly
44:56 — Chloe’s vision for the future of sports, education, and workforce development
45:10 — Final thoughts, where to learn more, and closing conversation
46:34 — End of episode
Chloe Barnes-Henderson is a former Division I student-athlete, technology executive, professor, and entrepreneur reimagining how young people prepare for the future of work. A former leader at Twitter, IPG Mediabrands, and Oscar Health, she now serves as a Professor of Practice at Michigan State University and leads Athletech Academy and Athletech LLC, two organizations using AI, workforce development, and the business and culture of sport to create new pathways to opportunity for students across the country.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/chloebarnes03
https://www.facebook.com/chloe.barnes.750983
https://www.instagram.com/chloebarnes03
Athletech Academy is a 501(c)(3), who uses the business and culture of sport to prepare students for the future of work. We are less than a year old and are in grassroots fundraising mode! Anyone that feels compelled by our mission, we would love them to consider a tax-deductible donation via the following link: https://givebutter.com/athletechacademy.
https://www.athletechacademy.org
Connect with T&T:
IG: @TurmericTequila
Facebook: @TurmericAndTequila
Website: www.TurmericAndTequila.com
Host: Kristen Olson
IG: @Madonnashero
Tik Tok: @Madonnashero
Website: www.KOAlliance.com
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Sponsors:
Colorado Clownfish Swim School
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