Your Commercial Edge

In this episode of Your Commercial Edge, Colm and Niamh break down why LinkedIn is the most underused platform in an athlete’s commercial toolkit, using Irish rugby star Tadhg Furlong as a live case study. They start with the numbers: four LinkedIn posts in four years, yet a single update about his ACCA accountancy studies generated engagement that most CEOs would dream of. From there, they unpack why LinkedIn is uniquely powerful for athletes who are serious about life after sport, and why Tadhg’s combination of elite rugby career and professional qualification is such a rare commercial asset. Colm shares his own experience of retirement and the sudden drop in calls and opportunities, highlighting how a simple, consistent presence on LinkedIn during his playing days could have transformed his transition. Niamh zooms out and connects the dots to a wider trend of top athletes like Lewis Hamilton and Lindsey Vonn using LinkedIn to build a second career while they’re still competing. Together, they explore how a stronger LinkedIn footprint changes the type of brands an athlete can talk to — especially professional services, accounting, finance, and consulting firms who live on the platform. Finally, they get practical. Niamh outlines a simple three-post-per-month playbook tailored to someone in Tadhg’s position: honest updates on ACCA milestones, short reflections linking lessons from rugby to business, and quick behind-the-scenes snapshots from professional appearances or study sessions. Colm closes the loop by framing LinkedIn not just as a short-term sponsorship channel, but as a 30-year professional network that stays with an athlete long after the final whistle.