Success in Business: Building a Scalable Sports Tech Company Through Smart Pivots and Data-Driven Growth, Co-Founder of Athlete Agent — Creating the IMDb for Athletes and Turning Vision into a Profitable Platform. (Episode 759 - Ryan Rottman)

In this episode of the Grow A Small Business Podcast, host Troy Trewin interviews Ryan Rottman, Co-Founder of Athlete Agent, shares how he built a scalable sports tech platform by identifying market gaps and making smart pivots. He explains the power of data-driven decisions, focus, and customer feedback in driving sustainable growth. Ryan also discusses leadership lessons, managing teams, and adapting quickly in competitive industries. This conversation highlights how resilience and clarity turn ideas into profitable ventures. A practical story of building long-term success in business.

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Troy delves into our guest's startup journey, their perception of success, industry reconsideration, and the pivotal stress point during business expansion. They discuss the joys of small business growth, vital entrepreneurial habits, and strategies for team building, encompassing wins, blunders, and invaluable advice.

And a snapshot of the final five Grow A Small Business Questions:

1. What do you think is the hardest thing in growing a small business?
   
   According to Ryan Rottman, the hardest thing in growing a small business is knowing when to pivot. He emphasizes listening closely to customers, recognizing early signs that something isn’t working, and having the courage to change direction before wasting too much time, money, and energy on the wrong path.
   
   

2. What's your favorite business book that has helped you the most?
   
   Ryan Rottman’s favorite business book that’s helped him the most is “The Lean Startup” by Eric Ries — he often says its principles of rapid testing, validated learning, and iterative growth were game-changers in how he approached building and scaling Athlete Agent.
   
   

3. Are there any great podcasts or online learning resources you'd recommend to help grow a small business?
   
   Ryan Rottman recommends learning from practical, founder-led resources, especially podcasts like How I Built This, Masters of Scale, and The Tim Ferriss Show for real stories on growth, resilience, and decision-making, along with hands-on platforms like Y Combinator Startup School and HubSpot Academy for actionable lessons that help small businesses scale smarter.
   
   

4. What tool or resource would you recommend to grow a small business?
   
   Ryan Rottman often points to project management and customer engagement tools as must-haves for small business growth. One he recommends is Notion — it’s great for organizing ideas, goals, workflows, and team collaboration all in one place. For customer growth and marketing, he also suggests HubSpot CRM, which helps track leads, manage contacts, and automate marketing without a huge budget. Both tools are practical, scalable, and especially helpful when you’re building structure and consistency in your business.
   
   

5. What advice would you give yourself on day one of starting out in business?
   
   According to Ryan Rottman, his advice to himself on day one would be to focus intently on what customers actually need, not on your own initial vision. He would stress communicating with concise clarity to earn quicker and more meaningful responses. He recommends building a firm but fair management style by setting clear expectations from the beginning. Additionally, he advises pivoting decisively when the data shows a need, rather than delaying out of pride. Finally, he emphasizes developing a resilient mindset to withstand rejection and persevere through challenges.

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Quotable quotes from our special Grow A Small Business podcast guest:

A small win in a small business feels like a huge win — Ryan Rottman

Humor and self-deprecation can be the most powerful forms of marketing — Ryan Rottman

Success is not just selling the business, it's waking up every day loving what you do — Ryan Rottman

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