Dani Aravich Transcript
17. Rise of the Paralympics with 2x Paralympian and Google Influencer Dani Aravich
Farrell Sports Business Podcast
Interviews with unicorns from sports business and their unique stories, dreams, ideas, insights, innovations, flops and career paths. Get a unique perspective of the inner workings of jobs working in sports beyond just pro sports leagues. Hosted by 30-year sports business veteran Matt Farrell, President of Farrell Sports and CEO of Bat Around.
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Episode 17 - Host Matt Farrell talks with Dani Aravich, a two-time Paralympian, social media worker, Google influencer and keynote speaker. She discusses her career as an athlete and her work in social media. She talks about her sports background, including her transition from running to Paralympic track and field and cross-country skiing. Dani also shares her experiences working in social media for brands like Kodiak Cakes and the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee. She discusses the importance of inclusion and representation of Paralympic athletes in advertising and media coverage. Dani emphasizes the need for brands to activate with Paralympic athletes and highlights the opportunity to ride the wave of the Paris Olympic Games to increase awareness and support for the Paralympics.
Farrell Sports Business (00:00)
On this week's Farrell Sports Business Podcast, we're going to shift our focus from the Olympics to the Paralympics. And if any of you were like me where the Olympics ended and you just felt like you couldn't get enough and wanted more, it's a great time to make yourself aware of the Paralympic movement, which starts in Paris here soon. This week's guest is a two -time Paralympian who has also worked as an influencer with Google. We'll talk about her career, how she's
really parlayed athletic success into business success and social media work, as well as talk about the growth of the Paralympic Games generally, how different advertisers and sponsors are incorporating Paralympic athletes into their advertising more everything from Google to Toyota, to Nike, to Bridgestone, to Delta. It's really a great shift in the Olympic sports world. And now
the growth of the Paralympic sport world. So the guest this week on the Farrell Sports Business Podcast, two -time Paralympian, Dani Aravich
Farrell Sports Business (01:24)
Dani, welcome to the podcast. Great to have you.
Dani (01:27)
Thanks so much for having me on. Interesting how we met through business and now we get to do this together.
Farrell Sports Business (01:35)
Right? I love it how it all comes together. So first of all, just where are you right now?
Dani (01:41)
I am in a small town in Eastern France, training in between my Olympic and Paralympic stays in Europe. And so I've tried to squeeze in three weeks of more focused training amidst the Olympic and Paralympic games. So I'm actually here with the French Paralympic cross -country ski team at one of their sports centers doing some training before I head back to Paris.
Farrell Sports Business (02:06)
So we'd love to hear just a little bit about your career as an athlete, and then we'll jump back to the business side. Two -time Paralympian, but tell us a little bit about your sports background.
Dani (02:19)
Growing up with a physical disability, I didn't know really anything about the Paralympics. So I always played non -Paralympic sports. And ultimately the thing that got me to college was running cross -country and long distance track and field. And so I went on to college to run at Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana, and very quickly realized at the time I was meant to be an elite athlete. So kind of shifted my focus towards.
my professional career and getting a job outside of when I graduated college. But it's while I was working my full -time job in the industry, I thought I wanted to be in that. I had this family friend whose daughter was starting to train for Paralympic track and field. She reached out to me and gave me some advice if I wanted to look into it. And I started doing some more research and
Ultimately started training again for track and field. That was just in 2019. And unfortunately, my events I ran in college were not eligible for my classification in Paralympic track and field. So while I was competing in the same sport, I was learning a brand new event. I was learning how to run a 400 meter when I had been more of a 3000, 5 ,000 meter runner. And so was quite a different experience. But through, through that training while also trying to balance a full -time job.
I caught the attention of a Paralympic cross -country ski coach and got invited to try that sport out. And suddenly without really intending to, I was two sport athlete and training for that chaos that was the delayed Tokyo Paralympics and Olympic games because of COVID. And then six months later we had the Winter Olympic and Paralympic games. And so I ended up being one of four Team USA athletes to do the back -to -back.
Tokyo, then Beijing for summer, winter, and realized that that was extremely challenging. And I don't think the, the two sport life is very difficult. unless you are already at a very high level in both. And I still have so much to learn at each respective sport. And so I made the decision after that to move forward for this next quad with cross country skiing and biathlon. So.
My full focus now with some dabbles in other sports for fun when I can like trail running, but my full focus is on Milan, quarantine at 2026. And so that's, that's what I'm training for. And as a Nordic skier, you have to train 11 months out of the year, even though you only get to race on snow. And so summer training is a lot.
Farrell Sports Business (04:47)
You
Can you just describe your classification in Paralympic sports?
Dani (05:09)
Yes, but what's complicated is it's different for every sport. the parallel, yeah. Yes. The classification system is honestly even complex for us. And you know, there's definitely flaws to the system because ultimately a human is trying to quantify a disability. And particularly when those disabilities are not as apparent to the eye, it becomes a lot more challenging to quantify that.
Farrell Sports Business (05:13)
Well, maybe for the novice, your general disability and yeah.
Dani (05:38)
So I'm an arm amputee right below my elbow. And so I'm like a classifier's dream because they're like, okay, we can see what it is. It's not going to grow back perfect. And so in track and field, it's the largest Paralympic sports. So they can get a lot more specific within the classification. So really get nitty gritty with like how specific they are against who you're competing against. So I only compete against people with arm impairments.
my classification was something called the T 47, which is basically a person who has an arm impairment that's below the elbow. we get grouped together with the T 46, which is above the elbow, to do those races. And then in cross country skiing, it's actually somewhat similar almost to the Alpine skiing is we have three broad classes. You either a standing skier, you are a sit skier or you're a visually impaired skier.
and we all race together, but within there, there's different classifications and it then takes time off your result. So if you're more impaired within that wider class, you at the end, when you see the results sheet will have more time taken off your result. call it a factor. So it's basically them creating a math percentage of how affected you were in said race, but
Every Paralympic sports a little bit different, like team sports, it's also very interesting and complex because there's like point systems where you can basically have people who you can't have the most people in the court who are the least disabled. So you have to have a mix of disabilities on the field of play. And so it's really interesting, but hopefully, you know, was broadcast and media attention.
starts to become more widely spread on the Paralympics, the viewer can understand that because I do understand the challenge of watching the sport and not necessarily understanding like why is that person racing that person?
Farrell Sports Business (07:45)
classification is probably a whole nother podcast for another day. so Dani, where you are just career wise and sport wise, you're really living kind of these two parallel lives of your work in social media. Some of that with the U S Olympic and Paralympic committee while training as an athlete. Can you talk a little bit about some of your, your business side and social media work?
Dani (07:47)
Yeah.
I've been very lucky since I started training full -time and left my more corporate career, which was also in professional sports, but more of a traditional office situation. I had definitely a few years while I was first starting amidst COVID where I struggled to find remote work, but I always said, well, if I'm gonna pursue this athletics thing.
I need my LinkedIn resume to continue to match or be better than my athlete resume because I had that corporate experience and I see so much the benefit of continuing to hone your skills in your career outside of sports. And that has just always been such a big priority for me. So I've been very lucky then I found some really good part -time or flexible remote work. started out.
doing social media for brand. was with Kodiak Cakes that was located in Park City, Utah. And then I moved in to casting. And so I actually worked on meta marketing campaigns and cast people. And I really tried to hone in on the disability or para community amidst those castings. And then I moved into sports sponsorship sales for a group called Parity, which focuses on closing
the opportunity and income gap for women in sport. And that was awesome because it was focused on female athletes. I was allowed to bring a lot more conversation around para to that space. And my previous experience in work full time was in sales in the sports industry. And then through all that, somehow I just met the right person at the United States Olympic Paralympic Committee and
Talked to them about some athlete perspective things that I wanted to see on our social channels. And that spurred a conversation that ended up in a contract position that's now been almost two years in. And so I've been very fortunate. I've gotten to also attend events on behalf of the USOPC. I got to attend two of the Paralympic trials this year. I've attended some world championships all to work. So it's been a really unique experience, I think for both their side and my side.
to be a part of the organization as an athlete, but then also see this backend stuff and kind of just help them also understand maybe what athletes want to see on our channels.
Farrell Sports Business (10:47)
think it's really great and how you've how you described the balance of the LinkedIn resume with the athlete resume is really insightful. So one of the things that you have almost single handedly taken over my TikTok feed that and Australian break dancers but your ad with Google Gemini how to
Dani (11:06)
Hahaha!
Hahaha!
Mm -hmm.
Farrell Sports Business (11:18)
Everything that you just described obviously led to it, but I'm not looking for financials of the deal, but how did it come about? How does it work? Cause it's really cool to see you on my TikTok feed for those Google ads.
Dani (11:31)
I know I've gotten a lot of screenshots from like people from my past who I haven't talked to in years too, who are like, you just came up on my TikTok. And I am seeing though, you know, like our one post on Instagram, I think is at 50 million right now, but it's the first time I've ever, because it's getting so much viewership.
and from a big brand, it's the first time I've received like eight comments on my social media, which has been an interesting experience to read those. But I mean, I feel super fortunate. Like team USA has a group of partners that are signed on with the committee. And typically those partners activate with a group of athletes. Some are more longer term partnerships. Like.
Farrell Sports Business (12:00)
Come on, yeah.
Dani (12:18)
Toyota has had athletes on their roster for years and years as a Team USA partner, and then others activate a lot more during a game cycle or a games year. And so typically a brand who works in this space already will have that partnership with the US OBC and then activate with specific athletes because then they are able to kind of not have to follow some of the rule 40 rules that come about with the Olympics and Paralympics.
And so Google actually signed on with Team USA. I don't know specifically when, but not too long ago for a partnership. Yeah, I think it was sometime in early summer maybe and they...
Farrell Sports Business (12:52)
Felt like weeks before.
Yeah, maybe it was a month or two, but it just felt really close.
Dani (13:02)
Yeah, it was announced very, close to the games and they decided to do some activations on the ground in Paris, which was a very specific ask. And the partnership is just through Paris right now. And so I think Google was just definitely trying to find some athletes who'd be on the ground for Olympics or Paralympics and then had this.
opportunity with NBC to have NBC help produce the content as well. And I am just very fortunate that through kind of my work in the landscape, both as an athlete and as a professional, I've gotten to know a lot of people at brand and agency side. And some folks I've worked with on other brands who are at GMR marketing, which is based in Milwaukee.
They ended up activating with Google and that's what has just been so cool is like what people, know, never my goal when I started this, I never thought I'd make money for being an athlete. And it's just been cool to see that somehow I've been able to provide value to these brands as an athlete. And I think my professional career also helps that. Cause I also understand then where they're coming from on content or.
Farrell Sports Business (14:15)
Yeah.
Dani (14:25)
Where are there opportunities to activate and stuff like that? so far, my experience with Google has been phenomenal. I've gotten to hang out with them in Paris. If you see the piece of content, it's actually me going on a run in Paris. So it's very true to myself. And the struggles I went through at the Olympics was trying to find a place to train because I still have to train every single day. And so it was really cool that we got to create an entire basically large piece of content.
around that whole concept of here's a Paralympian who's here to cheer on Team USA, but she still has to train.
Farrell Sports Business (15:01)
So just purely just like as a spectator and fan, as you watch Olympic advertising in general, not Google. I would point out in a good way, Google, Toyota, and even, even the Nike, am I a bad person ad just seems to be this really major shift of greater on inclusion of Paralympic athletes in.
Dani (15:01)
Yeah.
Mm -hmm.
Mm -hmm.
Mm -hmm.
Mm -hmm.
Farrell Sports Business (15:28)
corporate advertising. Do you feel that's the case? Still a long way to go. What's your take?
Dani (15:29)
Mm -hmm.
There is a big difference, I think, with the Team USA partners and then the non -partners. There is, I mean, again, I do not work on the sponsorship side of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, but once the committee joined with the Paralympic Committee, and we're one of the few countries in the world who have that exist where it's Paralympic and Olympic live under the same committee, that...
was the big shift in the partnerships. And I'm sure there are details to partnerships that require a certain amount of buy -in goes to the Paralympic side as well as the Olympic side. And so that I'm sure has helped diversify the athlete rosters that brands like Toyota and Bridgestone and Visa, Google, Nike, any brand that's associated with the Team USA brand has really
stepped up in a beautiful way. Delta is a new great example of a partner who is, I believe their roster for Paris is 50 -50. It's 50 % Olympians to 50 % Paralympians, which is actually almost a better ratio for us because there's less Paralympians competing. we technically probably have a higher count based off of the numbers competing. And so it's been really cool to see that happen. And the people who have that buy -in to Team USA already,
They get it. Like they see the power of partnering with athletes with disabilities because I think it also just helps broaden more interesting conversations behind the scenes of their own companies. It helps them really reflect internally about their values and how they, as individuals or as the brand view people with disabilities in society, because I think sports is just a great way that we can look more internally at our society at large.
and hopefully then see those changes that we can make through sport come to life in culture and education and employment opportunities. But I think there is still a huge opportunity for brands who are not in our Olympic and Paralympic space to be activating. And it's just probably because maybe it wasn't required at first or they're
They still haven't dipped their toe in, but when you see some of these brands who have started to, because they just met the right person, like one of my closest friends is a professional trail runner for on running. And he was the first person with a disability who was signed to any of their running teams amongst track or trail or road. And I have gotten to meet some of the people he works with it on, and just did an event with them in Paris. And it's like.
Those people now that they've had that experience with that one athlete, they get it. They want to sign more now because they see that value. And this is not to discredit other athletes because I do think, especially in the Olympic space, there's so many incredible stories. But the Paralympics, a Paralympian, think, can just relate to folks in such a unique way. And I think it's the perfect way for a company to show
buy into DE &I, like put a Paralympian in a boardroom to talk about inclusion and like minds will be blown of, you know, sea level execs of, wow, this person really understands what it's like to this lifetime to not be thought of and always be an afterthought. But they've also managed to become this elite athlete. Like it's this beautiful.
bridge of sport, high level sport and social inclusion. And so my advice to any brand is to really always check out para athletes as well. And I think hopefully, you know, this games could be big for the athletes and hopefully their social followings are growing as well. And so then it's kind of this like beautiful mystical thing that you can get this athlete with a huge social following who also has a disability, who's also the best at their sport. Like I think as
If I was at a brand, that's like gold mine.
Farrell Sports Business (19:51)
Just even talking to you, you're a great spokesperson for it, but the, for, to, advocacy and, really just furthering the cause. So you're, you're, killing it. And hopefully this. Interview will influence it in some way. So, but this is more of a general question, Dani, but I just feel like, and obviously I've spent a lot of my career in Olympic sport and Paralympic sport. I just feel this.
Dani (19:55)
thank you.
Thanks.
thanks.
Mm -hmm.
Farrell Sports Business (20:20)
steady growth of awareness and media coverage of the Paralympics. It certainly may still have a ways to go. But what do you feel like the opportunity is to ride the wave of the Paris Olympic Games and where Paralympics is right now in this time and place?
Dani (20:22)
Mm -hmm.
Mm -hmm.
My biggest hope right now, and I've been chit chatting with a lot of other para athletes who are heavily involved in the social media space as we look at these next two weeks. So we're right now exactly in the two weeks in between the games. And there's been, I had honestly a big fear that Gen X, Gen Z, whatever Gen we're on right now, wasn't going to love the Olympics at large.
our parents, our grandparents, like I feel like the Olympic culture almost, and maybe it was with having two games that were back -to -back COVID games with no fans and, the growth of other sports in the United States. Like, obviously we have these major sports leagues that dominate a lot of the sports media space. I had a little bit of a fear that the Olympics could be losing its like glitz and glamor at large, but Paris like showed
out and this generation on social media created heartwarming content, comedic content, like just everything in between. was these unsung heroes that were from niche sports that never get even attention, probably enough during the Olympics that have become mega stars like Stephen from men's gymnastics and Alana Mar from women's rugby. Like there is just this very cool fascination and social media.
helped, I think, the Olympics a lot this time. And I think it's now for the track for LA, it's going to be phenomenal. But then that flip side is all this content now the past day or so has been, what do I do with all my free time? The Olympics are over. Like, I loved watching the Olympics, the Olympics. And myself and probably like, I've seen dozens and dozens of other Paralympians are getting on X, are getting on threads, or are getting on Instagram.
and commenting on these major sports platforms or pieces of content that are talking about the Olympics wrapping up and just dropping in. Like we are trolling the internet and dropping in comments like, don't worry, the Paralympics start in two weeks. Good thing you can turn on your TV in two more weeks. And there's been some really cool growth. Like I've had just on some comments on some bigger sports platforms, like getting thousands and thousands of likes on a comment about watching the Paralympics.
And so we need this generation on social media to pick it up. And that's, think what will spurt the growth and then hopefully grow the athletes on social as well. Because obviously with something as unique as the Paralympics, when we're talking about disability and sport, if the narrative is placed in the hands of people who aren't disabled, it could get swayed maybe in the not best way or maybe not the best, you know, the most politically correct way.
that could maybe do some damage to the movement. And we never want pity watches or pity claps in our space. So I'm hoping through the games, a lot more athletes grow so they can take the ownership of how we create the narrative around the games. I think just based off a few days of social media, if these people who have been posting about the Olympics turn their TVs back on and
Farrell Sports Business (23:40)
Yeah.
Dani (24:08)
That's what's so awesome about a partner like NBC for broadcast is they're going to air more coverage of the Paralympics than there's ever been. They're having Paralympic hosts, disabled commentators, like people who get the sports. And so I think that combination could be like very deadly in terms of seeing this thing explode in the best way possible.
Farrell Sports Business (24:31)
I really hope so. And I probably shouldn't say this, but it's the truth. I have lot of my career in the Olympics and usually by the end of the Olympic games, I'm, I'm, I'm tired. There's some fatigue. and, and I would say the same thing about the end of world cup soccer or at the end of the super bowl, I'm ready to shut it off for a little bit. I, didn't, I didn't feel that way this time. And so maybe the, I was like, keep it coming. Like many of those people.
Dani (24:41)
Yeah, it's a long two weeks.
Mm -hmm.
Mm -hmm.
Mmm.
Yeah, people wanted more, yeah.
Farrell Sports Business (24:59)
And so hopefully that's a, that's a good setup for really coming back with the, with the Paralympics. But I want to hit, you know, maybe last question or two about your career and you've blended being an athlete and social media and in many ways, I've just like really built your own brand and worked in social media. Any, did you make that jump?
Dani (25:04)
Mm -hmm.
I agree.
Farrell Sports Business (25:29)
into the sports side as a career and any great breaks you got along the way.
Dani (25:36)
Ooh, well, I know I wanted to be in sports from a young age. Like I remember making this little scrapbook that when I was in elementary school or middle school, that was things I wanted out of my life. And it was like the type of car I wanted and stuff like that. But most of it was dedicated to sporting events I wanted to attend or work at. And it was things such as the Olympics and, you know, a Super Bowl and World Cup soccer.
And stuff of that nature. so when I got into college, I kind of already had a feeling that like my career would be tailored somehow to sports. then especially after I stopped competing collegiately, like sports still had to be involved. And so I went to Butler university, which is in Indianapolis, Indiana. So very lucky that we had some great sports organizations. The NCAA is headquartered there as well. And we had just come off of when I got to school, a Superbowl had been there.
They were bringing a lot of like the big 10 conference events there as well. And I was very fortunate enough that I had enough colleagues from my university who helped me get in, ultimately do a Pacers internship. And I worked in game operations. And then I did a Indianapolis Colts internship, worked in marketing events. And I think it was those things that then set me up to be able to have those conversations, get my first job in sports, which ended up being with the Utah Jazz. So in the NBA. And what I think
You know, I think sports for careers is often like athletes looking for sponsorships. It's all about who you know. And it's also all about not having fear to ask for help. Like I latched onto LinkedIn very early in my college career when I could. And it was messaging people who had no idea who I was, who I just said, I respect your career. would love 15, 30 minutes of your time to get advice as I seek out my first.
full -time job in this space. And that I think is one of the scariest things for people, but it's also one of the most simple you could do to put yourself on a good trajectory. And it, I think ultimately helped me get my job. And then the thing that helped me when I had my job is like the work didn't stop there. Yes, you have to actually do the work you're being paid to do. But then my next challenge was, obviously this isn't my job for forever at this organization.
Or maybe it's a different organization, who within this company should I be getting to know to give me advice or that next step or that next opportunity? And that's also what kind of helped me with my ultimately Paralympic career was people in our space were just willing to help me find a potential sponsor then, or they helped me find coaching just because I created relationships with them more career focused. And so.
My biggest piece of advice is like send the LinkedIn DM always, you know, appropriately, but people like to talk about themselves. So if you're willing to ask about their careers, that is, no, you're fine. That is like so vital is to be able to, yeah, ask people for advice, ask people for help, and then they'll be willing to offer you something in return. And I think just.
Farrell Sports Business (28:40)
You
Dani (28:58)
The more people you have in your back pocket, the more people you have in your network is so valuable and you never know when it could turn into something else. Like now those folks have been able to help me as an athlete and in turn, maybe when I'm looking for my next step in my professional career, people I've met through being an athlete could lead me there. know, relationships with these brands or agencies and so on and so forth.
Farrell Sports Business (29:24)
Dani, you just threw out some gold in terms of advice and
Dani (29:28)
I feel like it's really simple at the end of the day. It's just taking the initiative to do it. It's taking that step.
Farrell Sports Business (29:32)
what's funny is...
No, you're, you're, right. And it's a, I have a Tik Tok account myself and I've just talked about that's one of the most common questions of, of how do I network? What do I do? And the secret sauce is people love to talk about themselves. It it's the secret sauce. Well, Dani, we're going to look for you on social during the Paralympic games. We'll look for you on the field of play in 2026.
Dani (29:50)
They love to talk about themselves. Yes.
Farrell Sports Business (30:05)
I just can't thank you enough for joining this. really appreciate it.
Dani (30:09)
my gosh, of course, and make sure you tune into the Paralympics starting August 28th.
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