Thomas Shields

MFM listener turned a pickleball newsletter into a full-time retail business

Sam recounts a Facebook group member, Thomas Shields, who started a pickleball newsletter after the hosts suggested it, partnered with the pro pickleball tour, began selling his own equipment out of a van, and ended up in retail stores.

“Did you see someone in the Facebook group, um, launched a pickleball newsletter because we told them to, uh, a few months ago? Because we told them. And it's now, it's now their full-time job and they traveled the country, uh, getting their products into stores and things like that. So it started as a pickleball newsletter, right? And then they partnered with the pro tour of pickleball, which I didn't know was a thing. And then they started selling their own stuff out of a van, their own pickleball equipment, and now they're in retail stores.”

Steal thisStart a niche newsletter around an underserved sport or hobby, then expand into branded products and retail distribution.