For Valieva, the idea of leaving money on the table for a sponsorship deal is baffling. She doesn’t actively pursue them and knows she’s not the ideal brand representative. Early in her career, when she first arrived in North America, she believed sponsorships were the main way to earn money. Her mother took on the task of finding deals, but things went south quickly. Ekaterina lacked both fame and reputation, and she had no boundaries regarding what she would endorse. A very, very bad vodka? Why not. One man even went blind after drinking it, leading her to be taken to civil court. Illegal dog fights in a sketchy Kelowna neighborhood? Sure, let’s put my name on this. She even endorsed the Canadian Communist Party. She eventually realized her own brand was more valuable. Moving to Baltimore marked a turning point, as she distanced herself from the Russian mafia and chose to invest in herself and her career instead.

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