Identified a gap in a fast-growing market, then built a product end-to-end across performance, lifestyle, and community.
I got hooked on padel in 2021. Sociable, inclusive, addictive. The UK was where it was scaling fastest. UK court applications were stacking up and growth was double-digit, but the equipment market was bifurcated: hyper-technical pro brands on one side, legacy tennis names borrowing credibility on the other. The social athlete (performance-minded, design-literate, in it for community) wasn't being served.
The bet: a racket where design and identity were treated with the same seriousness as performance. Premium feel and restrained graphics. Would players actually switch from the names they already knew?
Founder, end-to-end. I owned product strategy, MVP scope, sourcing, brand, pricing, channel mix, and supply chain.
Sources: International Padel Federation; Lawn Tennis Association (UK); padel industry market research.
Built for professional players. Hyper-technical, hyper-loud.
Borrowed credibility. Weak authenticity in padel.
Social players who care about performance, aesthetics, and identity in equal measure.
Three principles guided every decision.
The launch scope was deliberately narrow: three rackets across two shape silhouettes, one round shape for forgiveness and two teardrop shapes tuned for different points on the control-to-power spectrum. All built for the beginner-to-intermediate player, the fastest-growing segment in the UK market.
I could have launched six rackets across every combination of shape, weight, and balance. Each one adds inventory cost, supply-chain complexity, and a brand that reads "catalogue" rather than "considered." Three well-made products with clear playstyle deltas would teach more about willingness-to-pay than six variations would.
Each one a deliberate cut. A market to come back to, not chase at launch:
I looked at manufacturers across China and Morocco before settling on a small, experienced factory in Spain. Higher unit cost in exchange for craftsmanship and 30+ years of R&D. Essential to making the positioning credible from day one. Finding a partner willing to work with low MOQs and early prototyping was difficult, but necessary to test without committing to scale too early.
Advice from founders who'd shipped before me: get something real into players' hands and learn from there. Don't chase perfection in a vacuum.
Decision: launch a refined MVP and iterate from real-world feedback.
Performance and feel at competitive level.
UK-ranked coaches assessing handling, balance, and durability.
Aesthetic appeal and brand resonance with the social-athlete segment.
"The sweet spot feels quite high up on the racket, which makes it feel less balanced overall. It's probably not going to suit players who want something more forgiving."
The aesthetic direction was strongly validated. But players surfaced a clear gap, particularly with the round racket, designed to be more forgiving. Weight distribution and grip feel needed refining for early-stage players.
Translated into requirements — rebalance EVA foam placement to shift weight away from the head, improving control and forgiveness for developing players.
End-to-end build: photography, content, checkout.
SEO from day one: racket category, brand terms, padel content.
Editorial-led content. Player stories, build process, brand voice. Targeting paid Instagram to those interested in padel within 20 miles of courts in the UK.
Early conversations with a small set of UK clubs: pilot placements, member sessions, and informal ambassador outreach.
For a new brand in a category dominated by established players, this validated willingness to pay at a £200+ price point with zero brand equity, indicating early traction for a design-led positioning in a performance-led category.
Benchmark: UK D2C equipment median ~1.4–1.8%.
The brand direction resonated strongly across cohorts. Players associated the product with premium design and lifestyle positioning rather than commodity performance equipment.
The design and branding was on point for the social athlete, but competition became stronger very quickly. Over time, new entrants focused on material innovation (Cork Padel), personalisation through custom names and initials, and shock-absorption technology. V2 would need to go beyond design to hold a defensible point of difference.
Instagram-led growth proved costly. The path to scale runs through community-led and clubhouse-based distribution too.
Ran into scenarios where artwork didn't meet design standards, making some stock null and void. QA processes between design approval and production weren't strict enough. V2 needs more rigorous gates to ensure quality meets expectations.
The first drop validated demand for a design-led entry into the category, but also clarified the requirements for scale: stronger product differentiation beyond design, and support with performance marketing.