In a Bli Bli boardroom late on a Friday afternoon, Richard Thompson leans back in his chair, completely at ease. It’s hard to imagine this is the same person who once pushed his body to extremes, winning two Ultraman World Championships and breaking a world record before stepping away from professional athletics in 2023.

“I’ve always been curious about what’s possible,” he says with a slight smile. “I’d rather try something new than wonder what could have been.”

This mindset has guided Richard through multiple career pivots – from lawyer to professional athlete and back again, culminating in founding Thompson Legal in 2024. His story feels particularly relevant now when so many of our members are breaking into new careers, figuring out their next moves or wondering about starting something new.

Changing course

Richard’s career began conventionally enough. He studied law and accounting in Brisbane but was already racing triathlons on the side and won a Junior World title in Hawaii while at uni.

“After I graduated, I moved to the Sunshine Coast and worked here for five years as a lawyer,” he explains. “Then I became involved with an online triathlon coaching business as a hobby, and that eventually opened doors to becoming a professional athlete.”

While Richard wasn’t unhappy in law, curiosity pulled him towards something new. He wanted to see what life as a full-time athlete might offer.

“I never thought I’d go back into law. I thought that was a closed chapter in my life. I studied for seven years and practiced for five, but I wanted to do something different,” he admits.

Different indeed. During his time as a professional athlete, Richard didn’t just break records; he also cultivated a high performance mindset and discipline and built a network of relationships that would prove valuable in unexpected ways.

Then, he walked away from professional sport.

“I made the decision to stop fairly abruptly,” he says. “I don’t do things by halves. When I decide to make a change, I commit completely. I didn’t know what I wanted to do next, but I knew I could achieve anything I set my mind to.”

Redefining the finish line

Richard found himself in that uncomfortable in-between space, wanting a change but not sure what to pursue next. 

“I was sitting there for a few months afterwards, not training or working, just looking after the kids and not knowing,” he reflects. “I was an uncomfortable place to be in but I knew I couldn’t rush the process. I needed to understand what truly excited me next.”

When deciding on his next career move, Richard took an unconventional approach.

“I couldn’t fabricate wanting something,” he explains. “So instead of trying to understand what I really wanted to do, I went by virtue of ticking things off that I didn’t want.”

This process of elimination led him unexpectedly back to law.

“I realised athletics was just a vessel that allowed me to set a big goal, bring an incredible team around me and do something exceptional,” he says. “I wondered if I could do that in law with my own firm, maybe it could tick off all those same boxes and be just as fulfilling.”

It’s a perspective that turns traditional career advice on its head. What drives us might not be the specific job or industry but the underlying challenges and values that transcend a particular field.

On risk, mentors and community

Today, Thompson Legal is a growing property, commercial and wills/estates law firm with a team of 14 and clients all across the Coast.

“It has been everything I could ever dream of,” he says. “It’s not always easy, but I don’t believe things of value can be easy. You need the challenge.”

When I ask him what advice he’d give to others navigating career pivots, whether stepping into a new industry, launching a business, or simply figuring out what’s next, he pauses for a moment before answering.

“Back yourself and know you are worth it,” he says. “Not in an empty confidence way. But if you’re serious about building something — a career, a business, whatever it is — you have to believe it’s possible before anyone else will.”

He talks about the mindset shift that came with starting a business without existing clients and no safety net and the value of surrounding yourself with people further ahead.

“In my twenties, I was definitely risk adverse. I never would’ve signed a lease or hired staff. But I started spending time with people who had done it, people with far more successful businesses, and that changed everything.”

Rather than waiting for mentorship to happen, he went looking for it. Richard deliberately built what he calls a “the brains trust” — successful local business owners willing to share their experience. Many of those relationships continue today.

“I still have monthly breakfasts with some of them. I bring whatever pain point I’m hitting — strategy, growth, staffing — and just ask for their advice. I am so grateful for their willingness to share,” he says.

For any SCYCC members navigating uncertainty or starting something new, he suggests doing the same: find the people a few steps ahead and keep asking questions.

I ask what he’d say to his 25-year-old self, the junior lawyer, just out of uni, still figuring out what matters.

“Just keep opening doors. That’s what I’d say. Keep stepping into things, even if they’re not the plan, and see where they lead.”
Curious where your next step might lead? Start by meeting the right people. Come along to a SCYCC event — we’d love to see you there.