Welcome to "Fairway Founders," the podcast that provides an insider look at the world of golf entrepreneurship. Hosted by Jake Pisano, this show features interviews with top executives, entrepreneurs, and founders in the golf industry. Tune in to hear inspiring stories, expert insights, and valuable lessons on building a successful business in golf. From launching a golf technology company or to owning a golf course, our guests share their personal journeys and the strategies they used to overcome unique challenges and seize opportunities.
Ep. #4: Clinch Golf-From Leather to Better! Matt Mahoney, Co-Founder
I sat down with Matt Mahoney Co-Founder of Clinch Golf. Clinch Golf is a golf accessories brand based in Portland, Oregon, that creates innovative products designed to help golfers perform in all conditions including its signature Clinch Tactile glove. Clinch Golf was founded in 2021 by two Oregon golfers who believe there are better materials to make a golf glove. The Pacific Northwest is their home and proving ground, offering a diverse test from seaside mist to the high desert heat. If a golf glove works here, it works anywhere. Clinch Golf’s mission is to bring golfers an innovative product that performs in all conditions.
We chat about how Matt and his partner came up with their business idea and the quick steps they took to tackle the problem—realizing that a leather glove might not be the best choice. Matt shares the challenges they faced sourcing materials and searching for a leather alternative. Their aim was a more durable and weather/heat-resistant material; you can even wash the glove like you wash your hands without it getting stiff.
Matt and his team are big on sustainability and have cool reusable packaging for the gloves. We also touch on how the design of the packaging plays a role in building the brand and creating awareness as well as getting into different verticals like apparel and other golf accessories.
Check them out!
https://clinchgolf.com/
22 May 2023
Ep. #3: Creating a more inclusive game with Kat Ramirez, Founder of Golfing Buddy
Episode 3, Kat Ramirez, Founder of Golfing Buddy
On episode 3, Kat Ramirez, Founder of Golfing Buddy, and I, talk about the challenges she needed to overcome as a young sales professional utilizing golf as a networking tool which ultimately led to the founding of Golfing Buddy.
Golfing Buddy is a match-like platform that connects golfers on all sorts of levels including skill, interests, ethnicity, gender, etc.
Kat has over 30 years of experience as a Sales Trainer, Marketing Expert, Sales Coach, and LinkedIn Influencer, bringing a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table. She also served our country with the United States Air Force.
As a serial entrepreneur, she has successfully founded and led ventures such as adBidtise, #SocialBuzz, 10x Business Broker, and her passion project, Golfing Buddy.
You will hear about the game-changing role golf played in her sales career and discover her ingenious strategies for closing deals and forging strong connections. Brace yourself for an inside look at the challenges she conquered, including breaking barriers and empowering fellow women to embrace the sport helping make golf a more inclusive game one golfing buddy at a time!
1 Apr 2023
Ep. #2: Building Customer Loyalty with Improved Club Managment Software: Luke Nieuwland, Co-Founder of Birrdi
Luke is a proud Owner of Whisky Run Golf Club in Port Colborne, Ontario Canada. His family has been dedicated to this facility for over 30 years.
Over the past 3 years, he was able to introduce an entirely new system that has nearly doubled their revenues. The best part, this system can be replicated for not only golf but many other industries! https://www.whiskyrun.com/ (https://www.whiskyrun.com/)
He is a Co-Founder of Birrdi Inc., a golf tee sheet software platform that fully integrates with Square. He wants to ensure golf courses are empowered with the latest technology changes which the golf industry has historically been very poor at. https://www.birrdigolf.com/ (https://www.birrdigolf.com/)
He is also a Co-Founder of Lake Effect Distillery, opening soon. It's a micro-distillery focused on whisky production.https://www.lakeeffect.ca/ (https://www.lakeeffect.ca/)
11 Mar 2023
Ep. #1- Using AI and Machine Learning to Accurately Predict Lightning & Weather Developments on the Golf Course with FLASH AI
On episode #1, I sat down with Jamie Castle, CFO and VP of Sales at FLASH AI and Steve Merritt VP of Sales at FLASH AI.
With a career spanning over 33 years as an operational meteorologist, Jamie Castle started out as a meteorologist with the United States Air Force, where he served for seven years before being honorably discharged as a disabled veteran. During his time in the Air Force, James was deployed worldwide to provide meteorological support for military operations carried out by the Air Force, Army, Navy, and Marines. He was also the lead meteorologist in charge during the Haitian military intervention Uphold Democracy in 1994. James most recently served as Chief Meteorologist and Dispatch Manager at NetJets, where he spent over 26 years contributing to the development of the meteorology and dispatch departments. His instrumental role has been instrumental in improving these departments to a remarkable standard.
With over three decades of experience in Information Technology, Steve Merritt has held various roles, including IT help desk support, engineering, architecture, and project management. In addition, he spent seven years as an Air Force Weather Craftsman Forecaster, during which he served as a RADAR coordinator, METSAT Coordinator, and Superintendent of weather station operations. Steve took pride in training new weather observers and forecasters right out of school.
FLASH AI is on a mission to save lives with its AI-powered weather intelligence platform and technology. Their software accurately predicts the start and end of lightning up to six hours in advance—capable of predicting the first strike before any storm has developed and the last strike from an active storm—and our hardware solution protects against damage to critical infrastructure.
This is revolutionary technology that aims to assist golf course and club managers to accurately assess weather and lightning developments in advance and ensure their guests are escorted on and off the course in a timely fashion. This enables clubs to maximize their time and give their players a peace of mind in potential threatening weather situations. Tune in to hear Jamie & Steve dive into this matter and more!
FLASH AI is currently running a crowdfunding campaign on https://www.startengine.com/offering/flashscientific (http://startengine.com/). If you like what you hear and want to learn more please visit the start engine page. To date, they have raised over $3 million dollars!
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