Founder Interview Video
How Podplay Reached $3M Contracted ARR and 200 Locations with a Vertical SaaS Platform for Sports Clubs (Interview with Co-Founder Ben Borden)
Chapters
- 0:00Opening Numbers: $3M ARR and 200 Locations
- 0:55Guest Introduction: Ben Borden, Co-Founder of Podplay
- 1:20Background: Hedge Fund Days and Co-Founder Max Koeghler
- 4:31Origin Story: PingPod and the Autonomous Club Concept
- 6:36First Location Launch in February 2020 and COVID Impact
- 9:15Unit Economics: $30 Per Hour and 60 to 70% Utilization
- 9:27Transition from PingPod to Podplay Software Platform
- 11:12First Outside Customers in Summer 2023 and City Pickle
- 13:07Pricing Model: Per-Court Monthly SaaS Fees and Tiers
- 15:08Growth Rate: Triple Digits Year over Year
- 16:05Funding: $8M Series A Led by Frontier Growth
- 19:00Autonomous Facilities and the Future of Staffless Sports Clubs
- 21:19How Clubs Make the Math Work Without Charging $100 Per Hour
- 22:57Hidden Costs of Opening an Autonomous Pickleball Court