Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in sports but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with CJ Johnson, Co-Founder and Coach of WeArePickleball, located in Incline Village, NV, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
We Are Pickleball is an educational company that teaches pickleball players who are frustrated and confused about how to gain confidence and proficiency and enjoy the game more fully. We help pickleball players who are new to the game through an intermediate level.
Tell us about yourself
I'm a three-sport professional athlete who started playing Pickleball in 2015. There was limited instruction, and most of it was not helpful. In addition, pickleball players who tended to be a little older at that time were getting injured at an alarming rate. That's why I founded the Better Pickleball YouTube channel, to help players learn the game and explore their inner athletes. The channel has almost 60k subscribers and more than 4 million views. Since I started coaching more than three decades ago, one thing has remained the same: I'm committed to helping students see their potential and to do everything I can to help them realize their untapped potential. In addition to my expertise in Pickleball, I am a PGA Golf Professional, PSIA Ski Instructor, and ISSA Personal Trainer. This diverse background allows me to provide comprehensive guidance to help pickleball players achieve their best performance on and off the court. Watching older players realize they are an athlete, gain confidence and be able to have fun playing a sport makes it all worthwhile.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
In our first year, we created and released a comprehensive online course to give pickleball players access to quality, affordable instruction. It includes prerecorded videos, live coaching calls, and a member-supported community. Since then, we've had more than 1000 players enroll in the class.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Starting out as a solopreneur on a limited budget, I had to know how to do everything. Now I'm stepping away from working in my business to managing a team to scale the business. It requires a change in focus and a change in my thinking.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- You don't have to do everything yourself. Determine your worth and hire someone to help you with the things that you don't do well. Your business will grow faster if you do.
- One of the fun things about being an entrepreneur is you can try whatever you like. Don't be afraid to take chances.
- Have fun. I like my work, and it's fun, so I could spend a lot of time at work, but to be a well-rounded human, I need to do the other things I enjoy doing too.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://wearepickleball.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wearepickleballcom
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wearepickleballcom/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathyjojohnson/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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