In today’s episode, we are joined by Karen Polle, an equestrian athlete representing the Japanese National Team, a 2024 Paris Olympics Alternate, and an Asian Partner Rider at Hermés. Polle shares her exposure to this sport growing up in New York City and dives into the mental rigors of training, emphasizing how the psychological preparation is more difficult than the physical aspect at times, especially in a sport “where my partner is a 1200 pound animal who has it's our own thoughts, opinions, moods. It's like you're constantly getting presented with things that you cannot prepare for and you can't foresee.” As a partner rider of Hermes, a Kinoshita Group Sports athlete, and an ambassador for Mikimoto, Polle discusses the responsibilities and qualities that define a great ambassador of global brands. She shares her perspective competing in a gender neutral sport, carrying a mindset of “equal footing” during competition while also noting how she may be perceived differently than her male counterparts in both athletic and workplace settings.
00:00 Introduction and Welcome
01:00 Early Life and NYC
3:22 Exposure to Riding
04:26 Mentors and Athletes
05:02 Mental Preparation
10:05 Being a Good Ambassador
11:46 Competing in a Gender Neutral Sport
15:46 Pursuing Economics and Business
17:56 Staying in the Present