Dawn Riley
Dawn Riley is both an expert big-boat and match-racing sailor. She was the first woman ever to manage an entire America's Cup syndicate, the first American, man or woman, to sail in three America's Cups and two Whitbread Round the World races.
2004-2007, General Manager K-Challenge America's Cup 2007
2002, IC45 world champion
2000, America True CEO and captain, America's Cup
1999, Winner again, Santa Maria Cup
1995, Team captain of America3, the women's team in the America's Cup
1993/1994, Skipper of Heineken, the only all-women's entry in the 1993-94 Whitbread round-the-world race
1992, Pitperson for America3, winner of 1992 America's Cup and first woman to have an active role on an America's Cup team
1992, 1st place in Women's Cup in Portofino, Italy
1992, Winner, Santa Maria Cup
1989/1990, Watch captain/engineer on Maiden, the first all-women's team in the 1989-90 Whitbread race
Personal Facts
Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan Residence: St. Clair Shores, Michigan Education: Graduate, Michigan State University
148: Dawn Riley, part 2: Minding her beeswax
Right off the bat, we talk about Olympians, Americas cup winners, and a Crossfit games champion. The places Dawn brought me to were elite -- this time a fundraiser on Wall Street, the first time the New York Yacht Club, the next time her sailing facility for world-class athletes, Oak Cliff. Yet Dawn is as down to earth as anyone I've met -- scrappy, as she put it. She makes pickles for world-class athletes. She already reduces waste and tours composting facilities. So hear how someone like her, probably busier than you and I and responsible for people's hopes and dreams, takes on environmental challenges many people consider distracting. She makes it fun. On another note, I recommend learning to sail. You meet people like Dawn. Humans have been doing it for 7,000 years. In my case, it's brought everything flying did, of exploring the world, cultures, people, and so on. If you're think you're too busy to act on your environmental values, how many America's Cups have you won? Or led others to win? How many Olympians follow you? If you answered not as many as Dawn, maybe it will help you create in your life what Dawn created in hers. Read the transcript.
Right off the bat, we talk about Olympians, Americas cup winners, and a Crossfit games champion. The places Dawn brought me to were elite -- this time a fundraiser on Wall Street, the first time the New York Yacht Club, the next time her sailing facility for world-class athletes, Oak Cliff.
Yet Dawn is as down to earth as anyone I've met -- scrappy, as she put it. She makes pickles for world-class athletes. She already reduces waste and tours composting facilities.
So hear how someone like her, probably busier than you and I and responsible for people's hopes and dreams, takes on environmental challenges many people consider distracting. She makes it fun.
On another note, I recommend learning to sail. You meet people like Dawn. Humans have been doing it for 7,000 years. In my case, it's brought everything flying did, of exploring the world, cultures, people, and so on.
If you're think you're too busy to act on your environmental values, how many America's Cups have you won? Or led others to win? How many Olympians follow you?
If you answered not as many as Dawn, maybe it will help you create in your life what Dawn created in hers.
Elite athletes stepping back into the 1950s [2:08]
What's necessary to bring American sailing back at the top level [5:55]
How to wrap 30 sandwiches full of stuff without using plastic [9:02]
Why getting people to reach their full potential is [not] a challenge [12:56]
Mother Nature never gets tired [17:25]
Oakcliff https://www.oakcliffsailing.org
Carvel https://www.carvel.com
Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com
YMCA https://www.ymca.net
New York Yacht Club https://nyyc.org
Nasdaq https://www.nasdaq.com
Saran Wrap http://www.saranbrands.com
ESPN https://www.espn.com
Outdoor Life Network https://www.oln.ca
Coca-Cola https://www.coca-cola.com
Starbucks https://www.starbucks.com
Mystic Seaport Museum https://www.mysticseaport.org
https://www.dawnriley.com
131: Dawn Riley, part 1: After winning the Americas Cup, revitalizing sailing
Dawn Riley has sailed in 3 Americas cups, won around the world races, and led other teams. I wish you could see the context for our conversation. We're at the sailing center she runs to restart the elite level of American sailing. Before this conversation she sent me out to see Olympic medalists competing on the Long Island sound. Shortly after, they all came in for a barbecue -- Olympic medalists, a gold medalist, a Crossfit Games champion, and more. You'll hear these world-class athletes, trainers, organizers, and so one talking in the background over the course of the conversation. My top measure of leadership is who follows them. Dawn is surrounded by people who are themselves global leaders, and she is taking them to the next level. She leads athletes, business people, educators, parents, and more. I wish I could describe the force of nature she is in action. Her results speak for themselves. I hope this conversation shows the potential of leadership and cultural change If you didn't know, I met her because I'm learning to sail, which I'm doing to travel off North America without flying. Most people think of what they miss by giving something up, even to live by their values. What you replace it with matters more. When you replace something you devalue with something you value, you've improved your life. Sailing and meeting people like Dawn and her community are what others would fly to meet. When you live by your values -- that is, when you lead yourself with integrity -- you attract similar people. I guess if you live by "what I do doesn't matter," you'll also attract similar people. Your choice! Besides, I've spent far less money on sailing than on flying. What everyone says they don't have time for -- bothering with the environment -- Dawn does without a second thought. You'll hear in the conversation her visceral connection to the environment. I hope it rubs off. If as a world-class athlete, educator, and businesswoman, she can make stewardship an effortless part of her life, you probably can too. In the meantime, get out on a sailboat. Read the transcript.
Dawn Riley has sailed in 3 Americas cups, won around the world races, and led other teams. I wish you could see the context for our conversation. We're at the sailing center she runs to restart the elite level of American sailing.
Before this conversation she sent me out to see Olympic medalists competing on the Long Island sound. Shortly after, they all came in for a barbecue -- Olympic medalists, a gold medalist, a Crossfit Games champion, and more.
You'll hear these world-class athletes, trainers, organizers, and so one talking in the background over the course of the conversation. My top measure of leadership is who follows them. Dawn is surrounded by people who are themselves global leaders, and she is taking them to the next level.
She leads athletes, business people, educators, parents, and more. I wish I could describe the force of nature she is in action. Her results speak for themselves. I hope this conversation shows the potential of leadership and cultural change
If you didn't know, I met her because I'm learning to sail, which I'm doing to travel off North America without flying. Most people think of what they miss by giving something up, even to live by their values. What you replace it with matters more. When you replace something you devalue with something you value, you've improved your life.
Sailing and meeting people like Dawn and her community are what others would fly to meet. When you live by your values -- that is, when you lead yourself with integrity -- you attract similar people. I guess if you live by "what I do doesn't matter," you'll also attract similar people. Your choice!
Besides, I've spent far less money on sailing than on flying.
What everyone says they don't have time for -- bothering with the environment -- Dawn does without a second thought. You'll hear in the conversation her visceral connection to the environment. I hope it rubs off. If as a world-class athlete, educator, and businesswoman, she can make stewardship an effortless part of her life, you probably can too.
In the meantime, get out on a sailboat.
What it's like to win at America's Cup [3:04]
Building leaders through sailing [6:57]
Why you fail as a visionary if you have to call Federal Express [12:40]
People that are driven to be exact [19:09]
What's disheartening for sailors in the pristine ocean [26:00]
Why Dawn prefers to run on a beach full of garbage than go to the gym [31:12]
How to wrap a sandwich for racers in the most environmentally friendly way [34:24]
The biggest myth about sailing [43:21]
"The Last Navigator" by Stephen D. Thomas
Oakcliff Sailing Center https://www.oakcliffsailing.org
Women's Sports Foundation https://www.womenssportsfoundation.org
Volvo Cars https://www.volvocars.com
America True http://www.americatrue.org/
Federal Express https://www.fedex.com
UL https://www.ul.com
Saran Wrap https://www.fedex.com
New Heights Youth https://www.newheightsnyc.org