Building wealth beyond sport

That was one of the strongest themes to emerge from the second Wrapped episode of Everything Counts: Sports Edition, where Investec experts Schalk Brits, Vumi Dludlu and Moses Bokaba unpacked the practical steps athletes can take to create lasting financial security. While athletes often earn significant income during relatively short careers, the challenge is ensuring that money continues to support them long after they leave the field of play.

Why a first contract should trigger a financial plan

For many athletes, a first professional contract is a life-changing moment. But while increased income creates opportunity, it also creates risk.

The experts emphasised that the first priority should not be lifestyle upgrades. Instead, athletes should focus on building a financial foundation through budgeting, emergency savings, protection and disciplined spending habits.

The goal is not simply to earn more money, but to create a structure that can support long-term wealth creation.

One of the key messages from the discussion was simple: saving is not wealth. Saving is the foundation of wealth creation.

Saving provides security and flexibility, but long-term wealth requires money to work harder through investing.

Why athletes need tailored financial strategies

The challenge for athletes is balancing short-term needs with long-term goals, particularly when income can fluctuate throughout a career.

Athletes often have a finite earning window. The earlier they begin investing and planning, the greater the opportunity to turn income into lasting wealth.

Not all athletes face the same financial realities.

A footballer earning a club salary faces different challenges to a golfer funding life on tour. A Paralympian balancing multiple income streams has different needs to a rugby player earning abroad. This is why financial advice cannot be one-size-fits-all.

Factors such as earning patterns, career length, family responsibilities and geographic location all influence the type of financial plan required.

The building blocks of long-term wealth

The discussion highlighted three important components of long-term wealth creation: safety, growth and legacy.

Safety focuses on having accessible funds available for emergencies, opportunities and short-term obligations. Growth is about building wealth through long-term investments designed to grow over time.

Legacy centres on creating structures that preserve wealth and support future generations. 

Together, these pillars help transform income into sustainable financial security.

Planning for life beyond sport

One of the biggest financial risks athletes face often arrives after retirement.

Unlike many professions, athletes cannot always predict when their careers will end. Injury, selection decisions or changes in form can bring retirement forward unexpectedly.

This makes planning for life beyond sport essential.

The experts stressed that retirement planning is not only about money. It is also about identity, purpose and preparing for the next chapter.

Many successful athletes invest in education, skills development and business opportunities while still competing, helping create options for the future and easing the transition into life after sport.

The value of trusted advice

Throughout the episode, one message surfaced repeatedly: no athlete succeeds alone. Just as elite performance relies on coaches, trainers and support staff, long-term financial success often requires a trusted team.

That team may include financial advisers, wealth managers, tax specialists, insurance experts and estate planning professionals.

The right advice helps athletes avoid costly mistakes, make informed decisions and stay focused on their long-term goals. Beyond technical expertise, trusted advisers can also help athletes navigate family expectations, lifestyle pressures and major life decisions that often accompany financial success.

While the conversation focused on athletes, the principles are universal.

Key takeaways in this episode include:

• Start planning early
• Build an emergency fund
• Save consistently
• Invest for the long term
• Seek trusted advice
• Think beyond today's income

Financial security is not determined by how much you earn. It is shaped by the decisions you make with what you earn. Whether you're a professional athlete or not, building wealth requires discipline, structure and a long-term perspective. Because ultimately, wealth is not about a single pay cheque or a successful year. It is about creating a financial future that can withstand change, support your goals and endure over time.