Marcel Hirscher: The Relentless Pursuit of Excellence, On and Off the Slopes

KEY POINTS

• Marcel Hirscher’s recent World Cup comeback isn’t about winning titles but about leaving a legacy, balancing his roles in sports, family, and business.

• Through his VAN DEER ski brand and a collaboration with Red Bull, Marcel combines his technical expertise with innovative equipment development to make a lasting impact on alpine skiing.

• Marcel's business ventures, including VAN DEER and The Mountain Studio, alongside his strategic real estate investments, reflect his evolution from champion athlete to an entrepreneur focused on redefining his legacy in winter sports.

👉 Bonus: Below you will find five ChatGPT prompts that you can use to develop your expertise in this area.

Marcel Hirscher celebrated a successful comeback in the Alpine Ski World Cup in Sölden. 2,051 days after his last race to date, the 35-year-old Austrian, who now competes for the Netherlands, finished 23rd in the giant slalom at the season opener in Sölden, Austria.

For over a decade, Marcel Hirscher carved a name for himself as one of the greatest alpine skiers, clinching eight consecutive World Cup titles and dominating the sport in a way that felt almost supernatural. His technical prowess, tenacity, and unparalleled consistency made him a household name not only in Austria but worldwide. But as Marcel now embarks on an unorthodox comeback—racing under the Dutch flag and putting his own line of ski equipment even more prominently on the window shelf—his journey is less about a return to past glories and more about a transformation from sporting icon to entrepreneurial innovator—even if he would never call himself an entrepreneur: „I would never call myself an entrepreneur,” he says. "I love to develop gear, especially on skis – to tune and make skis for every condition, and that’s what I did the last six months.“

A Surprising Comeback: Not About Trophies, but Legacy

After his retirement in 2019, Marcel could have remained a beloved figure, resting on the laurels of his 67 World Cup wins, eight consecutive World Cup titles, seven world titles, and two Olympic golds. But Marcel’s approach has never aligned with sitting idle. Now, at 35, he has returned to the World Cup stage, this time skiing for the Netherlands—his mother’s birthplace—rather than Austria. The flag switch raised eyebrows, but it was strategically simple: Marcel wanted to make room in Austria’s ranks for emerging athletes, a testament to his respect for the sport’s future. „For me personally, is was really important that I'm not taking away any resources from the young talents in Austria“, Marcel said in a statement. „I didn't want to be in the way of young athletes and the future of Austrian skiing.“ In the Netherlands, he is confident that he will not be taking anything away from anybody - but has a chance to "do a lot".

In Sölden, he entered his first World Cup event after a five-year hiatus, capturing not only media attention but also the loyalty of long-time fans, especially as he candidly explained that his aim wasn’t to win. „For me, it’s about balancing family, business, and sport,“ Marcel remarked during a press conference in Zoetermeer, Netherlands. „I’m not here to chase seconds but to collect memories.“

A discussion between Frida AI Fridason (Entrepreneur & Advisor, former S(ai)lor) & Tom AI Tomson (Entrepreneur & Investor, former Mount(ai)n Biker) on the topic:

Be aware that this is one of our AI experiments, so Frida and Tom don’t really exist.

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VAN DEER: Red Bull Collaboration and Project 68

Central to Marcel’s post-competition career is his ambitious business venture, VAN DEER-Red Bull Sports, a premium ski brand designed to revolutionize alpine equipment. Established in 2021, VAN DEER quickly became a serious player in the competitive skiing industry, even supplying Henrik Kristoffersen— Marcel’s former rival—with winning skis. By 2023, Kristoffersen had claimed a World Championship slalom gold using VAN DEER skis, securing the brand’s credibility on the World Cup stage.

Marcel named his entry into ski manufacturing „Project 68“ as a nod to his own 67 World Cup victories, with the idea that the next win would come on VAN DEER skis, allowing the Marcel name to endure in the sport without him at the helm. This dual role as an athlete and entrepreneur aligns with Marcel’s personality, as he describes himself as „someone who loves to tinker and tune.“ His obsessive attention to detail, previously aimed at his skiing, is now directed at crafting equipment, with each VAN DEER ski undergoing rigorous testing to meet his standards.

Reinventing Alpine Skiing through Precision and Innovation

Marcel’s passion for technical perfection shines through in his work with VAN DEER. Reflecting on his new role, he mused, „If I hadn’t been a ski racer, I might have been a technician or designer.“ This meticulous approach, combined with Red Bull’s global marketing reach, has propelled VAN DEER’s reputation far beyond the slopes. The brand now caters to a high-performance niche, producing custom skis priced between €700 and €1,000—a high-quality investment for serious skiers.

But VAN DEER’s success doesn’t come without challenges. Alpine skiing is a crowded market, dominated by legacy brands and technical innovation. Marcel’s team, now led by former Austrian Ski Association director Anton Giger, remains undeterred, driven by the vision to create skis that outperform the industry standard. Despite early financial losses, VAN DEER has benefitted from Red Bull’s strategic backing.

The new headquarters of “VAN DEER – Red Bull Sports Equipment” is called “House of The Deer” internally. It is a new factory for the production of premium skis from Hirscher/Red Bull, including a flagship store, which is currently being built on the site of an old gravel pit in Scheffau in the Tennengebirge mountains near Salzburg. This will create around 100 jobs in total. Together, they aim to make VAN DEER synonymous with high-end performance, become a strong brand in the ski circus and thereby make Marcel's legacy grow bit by bit.

A Broader Vision: From Skis to Real Estate and Beyond

Marcel’s business interests extend beyond skiing. Alongside VAN DEER, he co-founded The Mountain Studio, a premium outdoor apparel brand based in Zermatt, Switzerland. Created in partnership with the founders of Peak Performance, the company specializes in high-end outerwear crafted for extreme conditions. The Mountain Studio outfits VAN DEER’s World Cup racing team, adding another revenue stream to Marcel’s growing business portfolio.

In Austria, Marcel has also invested heavily in real estate. His portfolio includes residential and commercial properties in Salzburg’s most desirable neighborhoods, capitalizing on rising property values. His investment strategy has drawn mixed reactions, especially as Salzburg faces an affordable housing crisis. Nevertheless, Marcel remains characteristically private, keeping details about his holdings under wraps and revealing little about his business strategy.

Redefining the Comeback: Marketing Masterclass or Genuine Passion?

Though Marcel prefers not to label his return a „comeback,“ his re-entry into competitive skiing has undeniably generated buzz—a feat of brand-building that any marketing executive would envy. His reluctant embrace of this narrative reflects his desire to control the terms of his involvement in the sport. Indeed, Marcel’s ability to captivate fans and command attention without committing fully to competition underscores his unique role in the sport as both a participant and an architect of its future.

Many see Marcel’s return as a breath of fresh air in a sport facing multiple challenges, from declining participation rates to climate-induced changes in snow conditions. His comeback brings energy and visibility to alpine skiing, positioning him as an ambassador for both the sport and his own brand, which now aspires to extend beyond racing to outdoor lifestyle markets.

5 PROMPTS THAT ATHLETES CAN USE TO DEVELOP AND BUILD EXPERTISE

• How can an athlete leverage personal brand and sports reputation to create a successful business or product line, similar to what Marcel Hirscher has done with VAN DEER?

• What are key steps in transitioning from a sports career to entrepreneurship, including identifying viable business ideas and finding the right partners, as seen in collaborations like Marcel Hirscher's with Red Bull?

• How can former athletes invest in high-impact industries, such as real estate or niche markets, to secure sustainable financial growth while supporting community needs?

• What are the essentials for building a performance-driven brand in a competitive market (like skiing or sports equipment) and differentiating it through innovation and precision?

• What strategies can athletes use to maintain authenticity and passion when promoting their businesses, and how can this strengthen both customer loyalty and long-term brand impact?

👉 Check ChampionsChat GPT for your prompts.

A Legacy of Relentless Evolution

Marcel's transition from professional athlete to entrepreneur—even if he doesn't want to call himself an entrepreneur—demonstrates his ambition to remain influential in the winter sports industry, albeit in a different capacity. His businesses leverage his expertise, reputation, and passion for skiing and outdoor activities.

Marcel’s journey is a testament to his adaptability and relentless drive. His transition from athlete to being a player in the business world is emblematic of a broader trend among elite athletes who increasingly leverage their sporting fame to create business empires. Figures like Roger Federer, Ruben Dias, Serena Williams or LeBron James have set precedents in the sports-business space, but Marcel’s approach is uniquely hands-on, blending his expertise in skiing with an unwavering commitment to craftsmanship.

As Marcel continues to redefine his relationship with the sport he once dominated, his story is one of perpetual transformation, balancing personal and professional passions while carving new paths for future athletes and entrepreneurs alike. His quest for excellence never truly ends—it simply evolves. And in doing so, Marcel Hirscher remains not just an athlete but a visionary reshaping the very essence of alpine skiing.

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I really appreciate you reading my note today.

Have a good start into the coming week,

Irg

Irg’s work is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. You should always do your own research and consult advisors on these subjects. This work may feature assets and entities in which the author has invested.

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