From PRs to PR: How Claire Manley Turns Athletes Into Brands

Claire Manley went from chasing PRs on the track to building a storytelling engine for athletes and running brands. She is the co-founder of Meet @ 7 Studios, a women-led social media and personal branding agency designed for professional runners and endurance athletes. Her work focuses on giving athletes Fortune 500-level strategy and visibility while helping them own their stories and reach new audiences. Before becoming a strategist and agency founder, Claire carved out her own story on the track. A walk-on at Gonzaga University, she battled her way to captaincy and scholarship status while setting a 5000m personal best of 16:31.06 at the Oxy Invitational (in May of 2019), along with collegiate bests of 10:04 for 3000m and 4:47 for 1500m, and qualifying for the NCAA West Preliminary Round that year. Her career timeline includes stops at Nike-sponsored Bowerman Track Club, where she built global community programs and launched the BTC Summer Training Program that drew participants from across 40 states and eight countries. Today, she runs Claire Manley Consulting in Brooklyn, continuing that momentum through her independent strategy work. Most recently, Claire has been active in Gonzaga’s alumni ecosystem, engaging with career treks that connect current students to NYC’s marketing and branding scene. While she may not be lining up for NCAA championships anymore, her presence in the endurance space remains sharp, shaping the way athletes connect, communicate, and thrive in an increasingly digital sport. Tap into the Claire Manley Special. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider following us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and giving us a five-star review! I would also appreciate it if you share it with your friend who you think will benefit from it. Comment the word “PODCAST” below and I’ll DM you a link to listen. If this episode blesses you, please share it with a friend! S H O W N O T E S -The Run Down By The Running Effect (our new newsletter!): https://tinyurl.com/mr36s9rs -BUY MERCH BEFORE IT’S GONE: https://shop.therunningeffect.run -Our Website: https://therunningeffect.run -THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClLcLIDAqmJBTHeyWJx_wFQ -My Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -Take our podcast survey: https://tinyurl.com/3ua62ffz