What inspired you to start your business? Where did you start and where are you now?
The idea for Goalposte came to me during my time working as an attorney in NYC for a big law firm. I was staffed on a case representing major league baseball, which was exciting but also terrifying because I had no idea what was happening in baseball. As I got more entrenched in the case, I was invited to events and business development dinners with high-profile sports clients and law firm partners. All the while, I was on pins and needles that I would be discovered as a fraud.
One day, I shared my anxiety with one of my good friends at the law firm, and he wrote me a brief update of all the top sports news of the day. What he wrote for me was basic, but it offered me an unbelievable amount of comfort. I was relieved that instead of sitting mute, I could now ask the right questions and follow along with the water-cooler chatter.
From this experience, I thought there was a need in the marketplace for a product that could make sports fun and accessible for anyone who wanted to learn more. A product that could help ambitious young professionals, sports novices, or casual sports fans alike to stay on top of daily sports news. The idea stuck with me for the next several years, and just this year I decided to take the leap and create Goalposte, a daily newsletter that summarizes the top sports news of the day.
What do you see for your future?
I’m just starting out, so it’s an exciting time because there are a lot of directions that I can go with Goalposte. In the future, I want to continue to make sure I’m serving my customers in the best manner possible, by allowing different personalization for topics that they want to hear about—whether that is a focus on a specific region or sport.
How large is your business? How many employees do you have?
Right now it’s just me running a one-woman shop. As Goalposte grows, I expect to take on employees.
Tell us a success story about funding your business.
I decided to start Goalposte with a really lean model. Starting so leanly has its advantages and disadvantages. I’m working with fewer resources, but it allows me to be creative and flexible with my tactics and to have complete control over the direction of the company.
What do you see as challenges for you and your business? What are some opportunities?
At this point, the biggest challenge is reaching my target market and continuing to grow and scale up. I think there are a lot of people that would like to learn a bit more about sports or casual fans that want to stay up-to-date, but I have to keep thinking of creative ways to reach them.
Tell us a story about a success in your business and a mistake you overcame?
Getting started was the hardest part. It was really daunting to taking the leap from a stable income and respectable career as a management consultant to becoming an entrepreneur. It was terrifying but also thrilling to put my skin in the game and work on something that I feel passionately about.
What do you love about being an entrepreneur?
I love that I’m creating something from nothing. I get to decide what I want this company to be—its focus, its values, and its voice. I’m so proud of what I’ve done so far and I’m excited to see where it goes.
What about your business matters most deeply to you? How does it engage your values?
My customer. I’ve heard from a lot of my readers that Goalposte has been helpful in their daily lives already. I want to continue to improve and help focusing on topics that my readers care about. Also, because of my own origin story and professional background, I have a particular desire to create a tool that helps even the playing field for young professional women who are trying to navigate male-dominated workplaces.
What would you say is your “entrepreneurial superpower?”
I guess it would be my ambition and hard work. I have a background in big law and management consulting. Both of them were really intense, competitive environments with a lot of smart and talented people. I think I’ve brought the motivation and discipline that I used in those fields to my own company.
Who is the entrepreneur you admire most right now? Why do they inspire you?
I’ve been doing a ton of networking recently and meeting all sorts of small business owners, who have been at it for a few years. Honestly, I admire all of them for grinding it out and never giving up, because it’s really hard to keep putting yourself out there time after time.
What’s the best and the worst thing about being an entrepreneur, as a woman?
Being a woman and entrepreneur is a dual-edged sword. There are very few women, which makes it a challenge. At the same time, it creates a strong sense of community. As a recent entrepreneur, I have loved meeting other strong women who have been at this longer than I have. It’s a very supportive network of women sharing their experiences so that we can all learn, provide feedback, and grow our businesses together.
Do you think male entrepreneurs are “different” from female entrepreneurs?
There are certainly more male entrepreneurs than female entrepreneurs, but women are starting to close the gap. It’s really exciting to see a growing number of extremely successful female entrepreneurs and that women are seeing their expected profits increase at a rate that’s faster than among entrepreneurs as a whole. See this article in Fortune, for instance.
What the best advice you ever got, and from whom?
My parents always taught me to work hard and that success would follow. I think that’s the best thing you can do as an entrepreneur, work hard on something that motivates you. You are going to inevitably face some challenges and setbacks, but the one thing you can control is your own hard work and doing your best to continue to set yourself up for success.
What social media can our readers use to keep up with you and Goalposte?
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