From Athlete to Founder: Why This Medalist Dove Into Business

“Just keep swimming”, in this episode of Open For Business, we explore how SEA Games medalist Ryan Kee turned his passion for swimming into a thriving business.

Sailfish Swim Academy was established in 2016 by SEA Games medalist Ryan Kee to tackle multiple challenges: reducing drowning incidents among children, creating career pathways for ex-athletes and fresh graduates, and discovering talent for Selangor through Persatuan Renang Amatur Selangor (PRAS).

Operating across seven locations in the Klang Valley, the academy offers lessons tailored to children as young as four months old.

In this episode of Open for Business, we speak with Founder Ryan Kee and Managing Director Ethan Chew about Sailfish’s journey—from its humble beginnings to becoming a thriving academy. We discuss their approach to program development, building a mission-driven team, navigating the challenges of scaling, and their ambitious plans for expanding swim education in Malaysia.

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