When Blake Edwards isn’t representing the Ord Minnett Aussie Sharks on the world stage, he’s helping Australians navigate one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives.
As founder of BE Astute and a qualified mortgage broker, the Paris 2024 Olympian has built a career in business that mirrors everything that made him exceptional in the pool – discipline, resilience and an unrelenting drive to perform.
“Day-to-day can vary a lot. Some days I’m meeting clients, analysing financials and working through lending strategies, while other days I’m negotiating with banks, managing applications or leading my team.
“Like elite sport, business is very performance driven, so consistency, communication and preparation are everything.”
Blake’s path into the finance industry wasn’t mapped out from the start. Like many elite athletes, sport consumed his focus for the better part of his twenties – but a timely introduction through his club, Drummoyne Water Polo, opened a door he almost didn’t walk through.
“The best advice I received came from former DWPC President James Tuite, who told me that when an opportunity comes knocking on your door, you need to take it.”
That opportunity came via John Kolenda, founding director of Finsure, who connected Blake to the industry in 2019. He started at the grassroots, making up to 100 outbound calls per day in a call centre, before building the confidence and experience to launch his own business in early 2020.
“I found many similarities to elite sport and quickly became passionate about the profession.
“Sport teaches you so much about yourself – how you communicate, how you handle pressure and what environments bring out your best.”
At the Paris 2024 Olympics, Blake co-captained the Ord Minnett Aussie Sharks to their best result in over a decade, guiding the team to statement wins over defending Olympic champion Serbia, host nation France, and Hungary on the way to a quarter-final appearance – the team’s deepest run since London 2012. But the leadership lessons he’s drawn from both environments run deeper than results.
Ask Blake the secret to juggling international competition with running a business, and he’s refreshingly direct – balance isn’t about doing everything equally, it’s about managing your energy wisely.
“You can’t operate at maximum intensity all the time in either sport or business. Recovery, communication and consistency become really important.
“Balance doesn’t always mean everything is perfectly equal every day – sometimes sport needs more attention and other times business does.”
“Don’t wait for the ‘perfect time’ to start building your future outside of sport. Even small steps – studying, networking, volunteering or gaining work experience – can create huge opportunities later.
“I’d also encourage people to embrace setbacks. A lot of our Olympic team had experienced disappointment at different stages of their careers, myself included, but those experiences often become your biggest advantage because they build resilience and perspective.”
With the Water Polo World Cup Finals coming to Sydney in July, Blake is excited about what the tournament means for the sport domestically.
“Having a major international event in Sydney gives fans the chance to experience the sport at the highest level and helps inspire the next generation of players.
“Events like this help grow the sport and showcase how exciting and physical the game really is,” he said.
It’s a fitting backdrop for a player who has spent his career proving that Water Polo can produce not just outstanding athletes, but exceptional people – in business, in leadership, and in life.
“I think one of the biggest lessons I’ve learnt through both sport and business is that growth usually comes from stepping into uncomfortable situations.
“Whether it’s competing internationally, starting a business or leading a team, you learn the most when you challenge yourself and stay open to improvement.”
