---
title: "Christy Swaid of Checkered Flag Living LLC: Key Lessons in Pop Culture and Building Lasting Impact"
url: "https://authoritymag.co/articles/christy-swaid-of-checkered-flag-living-llc-key-lessons-in-pop-culture-and-building-lasting-impac"
publisher: "Authority Magazine"
author: "Authority Magazine Editorial Staff"
authorUrl: "https://authoritymag.co/authors/authority-magazine-editorial-staff"
interviewee: "Christy Swaid"
company: "Checkered Flag Living LLC"
category: "Pop Culture"
datePublished: "2025-01-03T17:44:17.479Z"
dateModified: "2026-11-12T17:06:06.654Z"
tags: "Pop Culture"
---

# Christy Swaid of Checkered Flag Living LLC: Key Lessons in Pop Culture and Building Lasting Impact

*The six-time world champion and entrepreneur shares how the grit, faith, and discipline forged in extreme sports translate directly into business success and nonprofit leadership.*

> When fear tries to be my boss, I quote this scripture. This scripture gave me the resilience to endure 9 crash landings resulting in serious injuries prior to executing a world record jet ski back-flip.

---

As*a part of our series about the work*[ethic lessons we can learn from professional athletes](https://medium.com/authority-magazine/search?q=work%20ethic%20athlete)*, I had the pleasure of interviewing Christy Swaid Founder and CEO of Christy Carlson Racing, Jet Gems Inc, HEAL United (501c3), and now Checkered Flag Living LLC.*

*6 x World Champion Professional Jet Ski Racer and Fittest Woman in America (Muscle & Fitness)*

*Current world record holder (2024) the “Oldest woman to execute a 15 foot 9- inch backflip on a stand-up jet ski” (Pending Guinness review).*

*I grew up on the south side of Chicago with a mother and father that loved me but failed each other. They divorced and we experienced the pain of struggle and poverty. My two older brothers (5 & 6 years older than me) and I went to a Catholic school. The required uniform helped us conceal our poverty and our lack of fashionable or needed clothes. Mom took two jobs but we were not making ends meet. Her hair began to fall out in clumps. This was a sign of a nervous breakdown. Grandpa Hawley (mom’s dad) was a widower and welcomed us to move in with him. This was a blessing on so many levels. Grandpa played violin and asked me to carry on this family legacy. I could never deny my grandpa’s request so off to violin lessons I went. He took me each week and I maintained the first chair of the first violin section from third grade to high school.*

*My dyslexia caught up with me. Totally undiagnosed, it became impossible for me to follow the speed and density of words and music notes. This lack of performance made me ineligible for scholarships and yet our slightly better than poverty tax bracket, disqualified me for financial aid. I was stuck and yet Jesus provided a way.*

*My dad reinvented himself in Florida and opened Jet ski rentals. My brothers and I visited him on school breaks and throughout the summers. My brothers were accomplished athletes and loved to challenge me. They pushed and shoved me around on the jet skis and this became familiar. When I entered my first race in 1984, I was unintimidated and it caught the attention of the sport’s elites. I loved the experience so much, I prepared to race every chance I could.*

*By the time I was a junior in high school (in Chicago) applying for colleges, I realized I was not good enough for college scholarships and not poor enough for financial aid so racing became my ticket to pay for my education.*

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**Thank you so much for doing this with us! It is a great honor. Our readers would love to learn more about your personal background. Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?**

Igrew up on the motto, “Don’t be sorry, be effective.” Victim mentality is a dead end. Everyone struggles. Struggle is a growth opportunity. Jesus is a singular solution. He can solve every problem better than any other influence.

**What or who inspired you to pursue your career as a high-level professional athlete?**

I must give the first credit to my mom who loved me unconditionally. She named me Christy Joy because she took joy in my very existence. She never failed to prove this basic fundamental. I trusted her love, advice, and prayers. She found unconditional love in Jesus Christ and was transformed by that. She invested her faith in me and that was and is the defining element for my success.

**None of us can achieve success without some help along the way. Was there a particular person who you feel gave you the most help or encouragement to be who you are today? Can you share a story about that?**

I must give credit to my racing coach and engine builder Bill Chapin. He was the visionary. He trained the champions of our sport. I was blessed when he saw talent in me. He saw my potential as a trail blazer for women in our exploding sport. Bill propositioned my father to support and train me to compete at the top level. This offer required severe sacrifice but I had everything to gain and nothing to lose.

**Can you share the funniest or most interesting mistake that occurred to you in the course of your sports career? What lesson or takeaway did you learn from that?**

There are so many funny and not so funny. This one that comes to mind is important to me. I was in my hometown Chicago, surrounded by family and friends. The brutal Lake Michigan, cold freshwater surf is unforgiving. We took off the starting line. I charged to the first turn but hit a wave set that thrust me into the trough of a wave and sent me six feet under. I was separated from my ski (totally catastrophic). The race course marshal, Shawn Alladio, reached her saving hand grasp to me and screamed, “REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE!!!” I got back on my ski and worked my way to victory. A voice like that can spark life or death!

**OK, thank you for all of that. Let’s now shift to the core focus of our interview. As an athlete, you often face high-stakes situations that involve a lot of pressure. Most of us tend to wither in the face of such pressure and stress. Can you share with our readers 3 or 4 strategies that you use to optimize your mind for peak performance before high-pressure, high-stress situations?**

These are good and pointed questions. My intention and mindset rely on the Bible. I trust Jesus and the New Testament. I trust prayer and loyal love. 1 Timothy 1:7 says, “God does not give us a spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind.” When fear tries to be my boss, I quote this scripture. This scripture gave me the resilience to endure 9 crash landings (resulting in serious injuries) prior to executing a world record jet ski back-flip. A 90 to 1 ratio. 9 fails before experiencing a win. The lesson??? Never quit!

**Can you tell us the story of your transition from a professional athlete to a successful business person?**

The transition was simultaneous. I chose to race so I could pay for school and life. Racing was a business from the start. I am the beneficiary of many great teachers who taught me how to harness my marketability and value for the benefit of stakeholders. My dad taught me to balance a checkbook, dodge debt, and invest for future growth. These principals lay the foundation to support successful business. Success happens when opportunity meets preparation. I also believe necessity is the mother of invention. Inventing solutions that meet relevant needs and wants makes a person valuable in the marketplace.

**What are some of the most interesting or exciting new projects you are working on now?**

I am the founder and CEO of HEAL (Healthy Eating Active Living) United. HEAL United is a 501c3 that I formed in 2002. This nonprofit organization embodies my love and passion to help children prevent diseases through healthy lifestyle behaviors. I started HEAL Inc. right after I married my husband, Dr. Swaid N. Swaid. A dedicated neurosurgeon and man of the community. The choice to marry meant full retirement from my career of extreme sports and film stunts, based in Los Angeles. I retired and moved for love and reinvented my life in sweet home Alabama. I always dreamed of being a good wife and a good mom. Getting pregnant wasn’t as simple as that. In the waiting, I formed a business to address the obesity and chronic health epidemic plaguing the south. Statistics were startling. I learned that children by the age ten were being prescribed medication for diseases previously only seen in adults. Ten-year-old’s were and are getting diagnosed with early signs of heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes due to poor exercise and eating habits. I quickly formed a team of the brightest and best advisors in all respective fields of education, medicine, and state leadership. With my background and education in sports performance, fitness, nutrition, and marine safety, I pivoted from reducing tragedy on the waterways to rescuing children from preventable diseases. HEAL is an education-based initiative that is implemented in over 220 k-12 schools and colleges, serving over 45,000 students and reaching over 2,000,000 households with our free digital resources. The team I started with is still arm-locked with me and more passionate than ever. Team HEAL would agree that our greatest rewards are the “significant” measurable outcomes that result year after year. The thousands of student testimonies are more rewarding than any dollar we can generate. However, this good work can’t be executed without strong funding. While HEAL United is not a new venture, we keep it fresh and relevant by developing new curricula to meet the most pressing needs at hand. Recent years of grief and trauma throughout the pandemic influenced us to launch a whole new set of mental health curricula and support. My newest LLC., Checkered Flag Living is also a result of overcoming a series of personal grief and traumas. I have endured very difficult circumstances in life but never tasted sadness or danced with hopelessness, fear, and despair at this level. Checkered Flag Living (CFL) is my newest communication platform designed to share stories of resilience in an attempt to shine light in dark spaces and deliver hope to the hopeless. The CFL mission is to empower people to resist despair by discovering joy and purpose in all seasons of life. In January of 2020, my mother, who was my best friend and faith anchor, suffered a brutal battle with cancer and died. In August of 2022, my iconic racing coach passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. In December of 2022, my dad was displaced by Hurricane Ian and most of his possessions were destroyed. Hopelessness triggered his painful health decline that led to his death. These horrible losses of my key mentors and voices of reason overlapped the trauma of the pandemic. I was appointed to supervise end of life care, celebration of life services, and management of estates. Overlapping the chaos of the pandemic, my two sons were in the process of applying to colleges and taking college entrance exams. My husband was in the trenches of acute care medicine, and HEAL United shifted operations toward helping rural families find food and ways to stay plugged into education. There was no space for me to acknowledge my grief. I was a high-performing dead person. I was void of joy. The only thing that kept me together was faith in Jesus coupled by His love extended through family, friends, and faith partners. I received great therapy and binged on self-care podcasts and books. I then dedicated to become a certified life coach. All these influences filled my belly with fire to help others resist despair. CFL is a ministry to help people not only survive the treacherous waves of life but thrive and strive to enter heaven’s winners circle by crossing the finish line. I hope to inspire people to discover their best quality of life and never give up. Winning in life is all about loving God, and your neighbor as yourself. Winning is defined by love, kindness, grit and grace.

**Do you think your experience as a professional athlete gave you skills that make you a better entrepreneur? Can you give a story or example about what you mean?**

My experiences as a professional athlete helped shape and force me to be a smart entrepreneur. It was an issue of independence, safety, and survival. I learned at a very young age that businesses can come and go. Businesses and investments can spike and fail. My father was the ultimate entrepreneur. He succeeded and failed in many business ventures. He was smart, creative, innovative and disciplined. I watched him win and lose from a very young age. He fed me all his life and business lessons. In 1977, He had the courage to buy a fleet of broken jet skis, off a failed jet ski dealership, at the price of a fire sale. He repaired the jet skis himself and opened the first jet ski rental in south Florida in the 1970s. He formed an LLC called Resort Systems and provided recreational services for beach front resorts. This was my front row seat in “entrepreneurship”. My two older brothers and I were automatic employees. Whatever skills we could contribute were expected. My mom taught me to sew baby clothes. This helped as my dad needed lifejackets to be repaired. My mom taught me to clean our house and cars. My dad had me sweep floors and polish bikes and boats. My brothers and I pulled cables through tires of hundreds of beach bicycles, rigged sailboats and maintained two stroke jet skis. At the same time, we learned the art of customer service and how to provided top hospitality for the resort guests. When I was offered a racing deal, I applied the same lessons we learned regarding hard work combined with creative innovation. I also was aware of the fans. They represented customer service. The fans deserved ultimate respect and hospitality. Their appreciation justified our careers. My first attempts at business as a teenager was babysitting, teaching beginner violin lessons, and working my dad’s resort hospitality rentals. My tax paying ventures began with Christy Carlson Racing and Jet Gems. I managed the dynamics of a racing program which involves budgeting for travel, staff, parts, entrée fees, and personal lifestyle. I helped launch the first line of women’s jet ski racing apparel for a company called Jet Pilot and saw an opportunity to open my own line of jet ski jewelry and comfortable bathing suits. This small business gave me a wakeup call that there is no “small” in small business. After investing in branding, marketing, quality products and staff, I was lucky to break even. There was way too much sweat equity involved to be ok with breaking even. The proudest moment of that business was my ability to sponsor my fellow competitors. Women racers had an uphill battle with securing sponsors and financial support.

**Entrepreneurs and professional athletes share a common “hustle culture”. Can you share your “5 Work Ethic Lessons That Entrepreneurs Can Learn From Athletes”? Please share a story or an example for each.**

Five??? Five !!! OK I will come up with five

1. Clarity and mindset are number one. I can’t execute a good day none the less a good career without purpose. Establish your purpose first. Each morning set aside quiet time to meditate on wisdom and prayer. I am a follower of Jesus. His direction keeps me grounded in purpose and elevated in hope and joy. Your purpose must be higher than a personal goal. It must be spiritual or you will lack the power of resilience to execute. I respect all people regardless of faith but I must be free to say I believe Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. He embodies all the answers to life’s trials and triumphs. He extends love to all people without judgement. He was inclusive before inclusive was cool.
2. Mentors and GOOD Companions, set your intention and make a plan of action according to your purpose with wise council. I believe good coaching and companionship is defining. I have experienced the detriment of bad coaching and companions and the rewards of good coaching and companions. Please choose your mentors and companions wisely.
3. Scheduled Discipline. Once a goal is established and the proper support crew is in place, a strict order of discipline, preparation and follow-through must be outlined.
4. Execution. Courage to take risk, and Resilience in the face of failure _ Follow-through is the response to wise council, intelligent scheduling and a strong support system. This is where things get gritty and the weight falls on the shoulders of the performer. This is where all the preparation and support collide with faith, courage and grit. These are the moments of truth and definition.
5. Appreciation. I always say there is no letter “I” in TEAM. Every triumph is shared by the team and every trial is endured by the team. It is imperative to honor your team in all seasons of life. We trade places of power and weakness.

**What would you advise a young person who aspires to follow in your footsteps and emulate your career? What advice would you give?**

Role modeling is a sacred place. My prayer is that anything I say or exemplify would only support a greater good for anyone who is listening or watching. If you are listening, I want you to know you are a magnificent creature. God only creates masterpieces. You are loved just as you are. You are destined for a meaningful purpose. You are wanted and you belong. Please never give up on your worth. Please connect with me if you feel lost or hopeless. I will grab your hand. You will make it through and will see better days.

**You are by all accounts a very successful person. How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?**

I have no power to do anything except to share the most powerful faith in the force in the universe, Jesus Christ. He defeated the grave and everything ugly that is connected to death. Only He can singularly solve anyone’s personal problems. He nailed to the cross all shame, death, traumas, insults, injury, disappointments, anxiety, addiction, sin, depression, regrets. Then, He rose from the grave and empowers us to rise with Him in love joy, and peace. The son of God (Jesus) lived without sin so His death on the cross could pay the debt of the sins of anyone who would choose Him and live by faith in Him. Good deeds can’t come close to paying that price. He purchased and secured reconciliation between flawed humans and a Holy God. Receiving such a glorious gift should fire us up to do the things that please Jesus. Doing good deeds are a reaction to recieving the gift of grace. Jesus is most pleased when we demonstrate love with good deeds for all humanity and promote peace wherever we can. The journey is compared to a race in the bible (1 Corinthians 9:24, 2 Timothy 4:7, Philippians 3:12). I love the bible, particularly the New Testament. It is totally cool and full of grit, grace, and the answers for every grieving, scared heart.

**You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)**

I live by the prompt and power of Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior. The Bible book and chapter of Matthew 22:37–40 sums up my core values: Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

Authentic love is the key to quality of life. I am comforted that Jesus is all inclusive. He gives us orders to love people and not judge them. This is so refreshing. We can pray for our enemies. Hate is not in His narrative for any living creature. Humans need love more than food and water. Jesus offers perfect love and teaches humans how to love others and ourselves in a non-selfish way. This is a daily, hourly, lifelong practice that we never fully grasp. It’s the best way to face a new day. Start by imagining the biggest loving smile aimed at you from your personal Lord and savior Jesus. He knows you and loves you right here, right now, exactly as you are. He chooses to cover all your failures and has great plans and honorable purpose in store for you. Enjoy a moment of gratitude and then then ask Him how you can love Him, others and yourself well today. You might not get all the answers you are looking for in the moment but He will give you just enough to keep you closely connected to Him in faith. That’s the safest place and most rewarding place on this side of heaven and beyond.

**Can you share your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Why does that resonate with you so much?**

“Necessity is the mother of invention!” I have adhered to this reality and apply courage and resilience continue to do so. Courage is choosing faith over fear and resilience literally means flexible. Resilient people bend and don’t break. Resilient people tolerate discomfort for a greater good. Resilient people are survivors and warriors. My mentors are resilient and they encourage me every day. Please connect with people that lift you up. Protect yourself from connivers, haters, and jealous people. The bible teaches us to put on the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10–18). Let insults hit your shield and drop to the ground. Don’t let those fiery darts penetrate your heart. So many young people are tormented by social media. Be careful what voices you tune into. If the voices break you down, shut them off! Listen to the One (Jesus) who loves you and died for you. He would tell you that you are amazing, you have not seen your potential, you have a calling and a purpose at every stage in life, you are valuable, and you belong. Don’t waste another minute in a sea of negativity. Your race is ON and the timer has started. Get on the track and have some fun!

**We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we both tag them :-)**

It would be my honor to connect with people who have unknowingly been an inspiration to me:

Brene Brown: (My most modern inspiration, I binged on her podcasts when I was very low)

Oprah Winfrey (I was in her studio audience at age 14 in Chicago in 1985 for teens who speak out)

Michael Phelps (I have felt all his sacrifice and victory and loved him through it all)

Simone Biles (her mental health breakthroughs are pivotal for me, she doesn’t know me but I love her like a sister)

**This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for the time you spent on this. We wish you only continued success.**

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Source: https://authoritymag.co/articles/christy-swaid-of-checkered-flag-living-llc-key-lessons-in-pop-culture-and-building-lasting-impac (Authority Magazine, Pop Culture). Interviewee answers are first-person statements of the guest. Index of all pages: https://authoritymag.co/llms.txt