This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Abigail McCulloch, founder of Alma Padel. It has been edited for length and clarity.
A few years ago, I was feeling very uninspired about my career. I studied economics, Spanish, and German in college, then worked for a tech startup in New York City. I couldn’t see myself in that world long-term, so I decided to go to business school. At the time, it felt like a natural next step.
At the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, recruiting starts almost immediately. I attended recruiting events but left feeling apathetic. I couldn’t see myself working in banking for the rest of my life.
I realized I was most motivated to work hard when I was passionate about the project. If I didn’t buy into what I was working on, I struggled. It became clear that I was going to need to build something of my own — I just had no idea what that might be.
The idea started with a joke
Around that time, I started playing padel with a group of classmates from Wharton. I wanted to try something new and connect with people. I wasn’t the best player, but I immediately loved padel. It felt like a combination of the many sports I’d played growing up. Because the sport is relatively new to the US, everyone is open and friendly, and I really enjoyed the social aspect.
Driving home from padel one day, I lamented that I really needed to figure out what to do with my life. Someone joked, “You should just open a padel club.”
I laughed along, but inside I instantly knew that’s what I would do. I got to work immediately, creating a business plan and conducting research.
I invested 6 figures of my own savings
I applied to an accelerator hosted by UPenn and was accepted about eight weeks after I’d first had the idea of starting a club. That was crucial as I moved the business forward. I received a five-figure grant, but even more importantly, I leveraged the acceptance to give my idea legitimacy. I could point to the accelerator and say, “Smart people think this is a smart idea.”
Ultimately, I needed to put my own money behind the club to make it what I wanted it to be. I invested about 80% of my savings — six figures — into the business. That felt risky, but necessary.
At that point, I wanted to drop out of Wharton. It wasn’t a question to me: it needed to be done. Since padel is relatively new, time was of the essence in getting the club off the ground.
When I told my parents I was dropping out, my dad immediately understood. My mom — who is an entrepreneur herself — wasn’t thrilled. She comes from a family where education is a very strong safety net. I think she’s still hoping I go back and finish my master’s.
We did over $1 million in revenue in our first year
Things moved quickly. I signed a lease within eight months of that comment in the car; six months later, the club opened. In hindsight, it was a quick turnaround, but at the time, the minutes crept by slowly. Today, the club has been open for about 14 months.
There’s nothing sexy about being a founder at this stage. A lot of my work is service-oriented. I spend time connecting with the community and being on the courts. It’s not something you necessarily need a degree for.
I’ve been working so hard that I haven’t had time to pause and appreciate where we are. And yet, the club is successful. During our first year, we did over $1 million in revenue. I’m not yet where I want to be with the business, but I’m on my way and excited about the future for myself, my club, and this sport.
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