Louis Saha: Footballer turned tech trailblazer shares insight

Louis Saha made his name as a Premier League striker, having spells at Newcastle United, Fulham, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur, Sunderland and Manchester United, where he won two Premier League titles and a Champions League medal under Sir Alex Ferguson.

Now, the 20-time capped former French international is building a legacy off the pitch as founder of AxisStars, a digital platform designed to empower professional athletes and entertainers.

Drawing on lessons from his playing career – adaptability, consistency and courage – Louis aims to democratise access to trusted business advice, using tools such as artificial intelligence (AI) to level the playing field.

His venture has become so successful that it is now valued at around £4.3 billion and serves more than 550 clients worldwide.

Here, Louis shares his insights on the impact of technology in sport, the importance of passion in business, and how clubs and federations must evolve to meet the changing needs of players and fans.

How do you think technology will change sports and entertainment, and where does AxisStars fit in?

I think technology is already changing everything in so many ways, and teams will have to adapt. 

This is where I think, when you look at business in general, if you don't apply a strategy around AI, you're going to be left behind. 

Sport is always extremely protective. 

You can see that with unions. 

Clubs or federations will always try to protect their control on the game. 

I developed the AxisStars Community to democratise access to information and trusted companies, so that Pro-Talent can get the support they need. 

By using tools like AI we can ensure access to the most relevant and successful advice.

With AI, knowledge will no longer be as exclusive as it is. 

So, clubs may need to readdress and be prepared to share more knowledge and power. 

They will try to resist but ultimately, they will have to give in and give more to the players and the fans.

Technology will keep changing the nature of broadcasting, and it will need to better serve the interests of players and fans. 

I think players are starting to understand already that the power rests with them. 

As an entrepreneur, what advice would you give to current athletes and entertainers looking to leverage their personal brands into successful business ventures?

The most important thing is to have the right support. 

You can't do it alone, especially when you're playing football. 

Just as in business, you can’t have your focus elsewhere; you need to focus on your job. 

It’s hard to do two things at once, so athletes and entertainers should only work with people they can trust.

Secondly, you’ll only be successful in your venture if it’s something you have real passion for. 

Don’t play in sectors you don’t like and don’t invest in areas that you have no idea about. 

You might like gold, you might like another kind of asset or investment, but if that isn’t your field or your passion, someone is going to take your money from you.

You can quickly lose control and be at the mercy of someone else. People need to identify their passion and stick to it in business. 

They must look at their industry, see what they don’t like and use that passion for change. 

That’s the idea for a new business that can succeed.

You’re well known for your time at Manchester United. What key lessons from playing under Sir Alex Ferguson have you carried into leading and growing AxisStars?

You must have resilience and courage. 

You need courage to do things you believe in.

And you must always look at technology, or at different things going on in society, and you have to adapt. 

The ones who adapt survive. 

That’s what Sir Alex Ferguson did. He always adapted to stay current.

Sometimes it was changing an assistant coach, with the new man able to appeal to a new generation of players – he would always try to find the right coach for the squad he had. 

It was staff management at its peak. 

He would revolutionise the entire tactical systems, but he’d never go against tradition and he always showed the club respect. 

He was someone who looked to the future, while cherishing and embodying the values of the past. 

That combination is what I want to take into the way I conduct business. 

The best advice I can offer is to be consistent in whatever you do.

Be able to adapt, show resilience, humility and passion. 

That’s what Sir Alex is all about, and those values are essential to successful businesses.

Credit: Coin Poker

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