Pre-Zero Sports Talk
Pre-Zero Sports Talk is built on real conversations beyond the game.
Hosted by Sid Bensalah, with over 30 years of global sports industry experience, the podcast explores sport as a platform for deeper conversations about leadership, faith, performance, purpose, identity, community, and impact.
This is not only a podcast about sport. It is about what sport reveals about people, how we lead, how we handle pressure, how we pursue meaning, and how we build lives, teams, and communities with purpose.
Through honest, long-form conversations with athletes, coaches, leaders, founders, innovators, and changemakers, Pre-Zero Sports Talk explores the deeper why behind performance, success, resilience, clean progress, human potential, and the future of sport.
Topics include sports leadership, coaching culture, athlete well-being, faith and purpose, human performance, community impact, clean progress, sustainability, innovation and technology, governance, and sports business.
No filter. No bias. Straight talk.
Subscribe and join real conversations on sport, leadership, faith, performance, purpose, and life beyond the game.
Pre-Zero Sports Talk
From Setback to CEO: Kandace Kalin’s Playbook for Rebuilding After Loss
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In this inspiring episode, host Sid Bensalah speaks with Kandace Kalin, a former elite synchronized swimmer and founder of O2 Sports Insurance. Kandace opens up about her personal journey — from the rigor of competitive athletics to the boardroom — sharing how grief, wrongful termination, and profound loss reshaped her career and mission. She discusses how the resilience, structure, and discipline from her swimming career helped her build a purpose-driven business that now champions mental health and athlete support in the insurance world.
The episode dives into themes of sports leadership, female entrepreneurship, identity after athletics, and building mentally healthy workplaces — especially in male-dominated industries.
Whether you're an athlete, executive, coach, or parent, Kandace’s story delivers a masterclass in rebuilding from rock bottom, leading with empathy, and turning adversity into impact.
00:00 From Setback to CEO: Kandace Kalin’s Playbook for Rebuilding After Loss
03:11 Overcoming Personal Tragedy
05:13 Lessons from Synchronized Swimming
07:19 Transitioning from Athlete to Entrepreneur
14:24 Challenges and Triumphs in Business
22:15 Navigating a Male-Dominated Industry
29:36 Creating a Supportive Work Environment
33:38 Making a Difference Through Sponsorships
35:50 Balancing Parenting and Career
38:05 Teaching Resilience to Children
41:58 Future Goals for O2 Sports Insurance
44:52 Lightning Round: Quick Insights
47:50 Reflections on Resilience and Legacy
Topics Covered
- Athlete to entrepreneur transformation
- Women in the sports business
- Mental health and workplace culture
- Leadership and resilience
- Parenting and purpose
- Female CEOs in insurance
- Sports career transitions
- Building mission-driven companies
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