Full Steam Ahead into the Pickleball Boom: Indiana Entrepreneurs Rally to Capitalize on America’s Fastest Growing Sport
How two serial entrepreneurs are aiming to build a 10-location pickleball franchise empire across the Midwest
As the sun rises over the cornfields of Indiana, lifelong entrepreneurs Scott Howard and TK Herman brew their morning cups of ambition. While most of their neighbors are still asleep, these two self-starters are gearing up to capitalize on America’s hottest new sports craze: pickleball.
After successful decades building tech startups and indoor trampoline parks, Howard and Herman sold their companies in 2021. Rather than relax into retirement, the business partners saw pickleball as the perfect new opportunity to leverage their entrepreneurial energy.
“We knew the explosive growth in pickleball as a sport made it a smart business move,” explains Herman, 52. “And after Scott got hooked playing pickleball himself, we realized opening dedicated pickleball facilities aligned perfectly with our skill sets and passions.”
Hooked on Pickleball
Herman first invited Howard to try pickleball in mid-2021 at a court he had built at his Indiana home. Though unsure at first, Howard was soon signing up for tournaments out-of-state and planning family vacations around the sport.
“I became absolutely addicted,” says Howard. “Next thing I know, I’m traveling all over to play pickleball tournaments.”
Seeing the crowds flocking to outdoor neighborhood pickleball courts gave Howard the idea they should build an indoor dedicated facility in their hometown of Fort Wayne. He excitedly called Herman about the business concept, who was intrigued but not fully convinced yet.
Eureka Moment: Converted Convention Centers
The lightning bolt idea to go all-in on pickleball struck when Howard visited a tournament in Las Vegas. He was blown away to see how the Mandalay Bay Convention Center had been transformed into a massive temporary pickleball venue.
“Seeing how they used interlocking floor tiles to convert a convention hall overnight showed me the huge potential,” Howard remembers.
He dug into the company that made the modular flooring and shared his research with Herman. The market opportunity was clear - they could be first-movers opening dedicated pickleball centers using this transformable flooring across the Midwest.
Full Steam Ahead into Pickleball
In February 2023, Herman and Howard moved rapidly to turn their pickleball business idea into reality.
“We told the flooring company we didn’t want to just open one or two locations, but aimed for 10 by early 2025,” Herman explains. “We requested an exclusive multi-state territory so we could cast a wide net for potential sites.”
Through a Google search on "pickleball franchise", Herman discovered that Ace Pickleball Club was in the process of launching a franchise model. Howard and Herman signed on as franchisees, becoming one of the first in Ace Pickleball Club’s nationwide expansion.
Construction on converting their first site in Fort Wayne is already underway. They have over half a dozen more locations progressing, from Louisville to Cleveland and beyond.
Plane Sailing
A key factor that motivated Ace Pickleball to grant Howard and Herman such a large exclusive territory was Herman’s secret weapon: his own private plane.
“It’s a huge advantage to be able to fly out early, visit sites across multiple states in a day and be home by dinner,” says Howard. “It really expands our geographic possibilities.”
Having flown together often for their previous companies, Howard knew Herman was an expert pilot. But even experienced pilots can face unexpected challenges in the air.
Pickleball Pee Panic
On a 2-hour flight to view a potential new pickleball center location, Howard faced a harrowing test of his bladder control.
After consuming coffee pre-flight, he started to feel a pressing need to urinate midway through the trip. But as landing time approached, it kept getting delayed further and further.
“I realized I probably gonna pee my pants - the one thing I desperately wanted to avoid,” Howard says, shaking his head.
Herman offered solutions, trying diligently to help his friend and business partner avoid an embarrassing accident. But finding a receptacle that could safely hold a full adult bladder's worth of urine while piloting a moving aircraft proved difficult.
As a last resort, they turned to the airplane bathroom’s built-in relief tube - a small funnel that exits the plane underside for discreet in-flight relief.
“I was determined to use the relief tube,” says Howard. “But the timing was challenging with TK simultaneously trying to land the plane.”
Relief and Regret
Howard positioned himself in the cramped co-pilot seat while Herman made the final descent towards the runway. As the plane jostled, Howard tried to maintain a steady stream out the tiny relief tube.
“I felt my foot hit a pedal and heard TK say ‘This isn’t good’,” Howard recounts. “In that moment, I realized I might cause us to crash the plane!” (The Pickleball Pee Panic Story Continues In The Franchise Story EP 2)
Fun and Games, or Serious Business?
While amusing anecdotes abound in the world of pickleball, Howard and Herman make it clear they plan to approach growing their franchise with strategic focus.
Herman explains “We’re having a blast, but we’re not playing games when it comes to executing our vision for building a first-class pickleball organization.”
By combining their business acumen with strategic use of resources like Herman’s plane, the plucky partners plan to continue aggressively seizing opportunities in this surging sport.
“We want to provide best-in-class facilities for all the growing pickleball addicts out there,” Howard says with a smile.
With their eyes on the prize and paddle hands ready, this dynamic entrepreneurial duo are clearly excited to venture forth into pickleball’s high-velocity future. For Howard and Herman, when it comes to pickleball, the sky's the limit.
Introduction: TK Herman is a lifelong entrepreneur who co-founded a software company in 2003. Scott Howard is from Fort Wayne, Indiana and loves business
00:18 
Background: After selling their businesses in 2021, Scott and TK were looking for their next ventures. Scott got into pickleball in mid-2021 and became passionate about it.
01:34 
After selling the companies
1:44 Back story on how TK and Scott got into pickleball
2:55 Seeing converted convention centers into pickleball facilities made Scott think they should open one in Fort Wayne. This led them to explore pickleball business opportunities.
03:13 
Scott realized a pickleball facility business aligned with his passions for playing and business.
04:15 
The explosive growth of pickleball. TK discovered Ace Pickleball Club franchise and contacted them. Scott and TK aimed to open 10 Ace Pickleball Club locations by early 2025 across multiple states. Their first location build out is underway in Fort Wayne.
05:08 
Part of the Ace Pickleball Club family. Scott highlights how TK being a pilot with a plane helps efficiently visit potential locations across states.
06:03 
On a flight to see a location, Scott desperately needed to use the bathroom as landing was delayed. Hilarity ensued trying to find a solution.
09:23 
As Scott tried to use the relief tube in the plane bathroom with TK landing, he accidentally interfered with plane controls concerning TK.
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