Dear colleague,
This week I sat down with David Daoud, CEO of Compliance Standards to share my thoughts on on how elite teams vet sports tech startups, on the common mistakes made by startups. We also discussed the world of elite sports which is based on relationships. We also touched on the tech budget side of teams, and the need to get internal champions to successfully do pilots with teams. We also touched on what makes a strong founder in the eyes of teams.
You can listen to the audio interview by clicking on the above button or just watch the full video interview by clicking on the âWatch the video interviewâ below. You can also check out the best quotes of my interview in the section below.
đShow Notes: Through this interview, I touched on:
On how elite teams vet sports tech startups
On common startup mistakes
On relationships and breaking in
On scientific validation
On budget and internal champions
On pilots and workflow fit
On what makes a strong founder
Best,
You can read the full transcript of the interview located at the top of this blog post. Here are below the best quotes from my interview:
đ On How Elite Teams Vet Sports Tech Startups
âThere are really two types of teams when it comes to adopting sports tech. The first groupâusually the more experienced teamsâstart with clearly defined goals, like reducing soft tissue injuries, improving sleep quality, or speeding up recovery. Once they identify the outcome they want, they go out and actively search for technologies that can support that specific goal. Theyâre methodical and selective. On the other hand, you have younger or less experienced practitioners who tend to jump on the latest shiny object just because it looks cool or because someone else recommended itâwithout a clear idea of how it actually fits into their workflow or objectives. And that often leads to poor integration and wasted time.â
âThe process most teams follow is not random. First, thereâs an intro meeting or demo. If theyâre interested, they set up a pilotâusually lasting one to three months. Thatâs when both sides test how well the product fits into the teamâs ecosystem. But one thing many startups overlook is that even if the product works, teams will always reach out to their peers and ask, âWhat do you think about this company? Is it legit?â Peer validation is huge. Thatâs why we built a peer-review section into the Upside platformâso teams can share real feedback, not just rely on vendor claims.â
đĄ On Common Startup Mistakes
âOne of the biggest mistakes I see from startups is overpromising. They say their product will reduce injuries, improve load management, predict fatigue, and do everything else under the sun. But when they show up for the demo, either the product doesnât work or it does far less than what was promised. And at this level, you only get one shot. If your demo failsâor even just confuses the staffâyouâre done. These teams are incredibly busy. They wonât circle back six months later.â
âAnother issue is that some founders just arenât coachable. They donât listen to feedback from teams or advisors. Sometimes they come from top schools or strong engineering backgrounds and think that makes them ready for elite sportsâbut they donât understand the culture, the demands, or the daily grind that staff go through. Iâve seen founders alienate teams by being too aggressive or by not respecting their time. And when I hear that from a team, I wonât recommend that vendor again. Because if theyâre difficult with me, theyâll definitely be difficult for the team.â
đ¤ On Relationships and Breaking In
âThis industry is one of the hardest to break into. People think that just sending LinkedIn messages or emails will get them a meeting, but these practitioners are inundated with pitches every week and donât have time for unproven vendors. If you donât have a warm intro, or you havenât built a relationship through an advisor, mentor, or a conference meeting, your chances of getting in are slim.â
âThe key is relationships. One of my former colleagues at Samsung used to say, âPeople will work with you if they like you.â It might sound simple, but itâs true. If youâre likable, respectful, and helpful, teams will remember you. Itâs not just about closing the dealâitâs about showing that youâre in it for the long haul, that you care about solving their problems, not just pushing your product.â
𧪠On Scientific Validation
âScientific validation is one of the most underrated assets for a startup. Right now, less than 30% of performance-focused sports tech companies have published peer-reviewed studies. But those that do are far more likely to raise capital and land major clients. Especially in the performance and medical categoriesâif youâre making big claims about reducing injury risk or improving recoveryâyou need to back that up with real research. Teams are getting more sophisticated, and they want proof before they invest time or money.â
đ On Budget and Internal Champions
âBudgets vary by league, but for context, most NBA teams allocate between $200K and $300K a year for performance tech. MLS teams are usually in the $75K to $100K range. But budget alone doesnât mean a deal will close. You need an internal championâsomeone who believes in your product and will advocate for it internallyâand you also need to win over the budget gatekeeper, which is often the GM. Sometimes the person who writes the check isnât the same as the person using the product every day. You need to win both.â
đ On Pilots and Workflow Fit
âA good pilot is shortâusually 1 to 3 monthsâand focused. The best ones start small, integrate lightly, and avoid disrupting the team's workflow. If your solution requires a massive process change, you're likely to lose the team. The smartest vendors offer simple data exports, sample dashboards, or light API integrations so they can show value fast. The goal isnât to overhaul the systemâitâs to fit into it with minimal friction.â
đ§ On What Makes a Strong Founder
âI canât emphasize this enough: the strength of the founding team is everything. Iâve seen startups with incredible tech fall apart because the CEO didnât listen, didnât know the market, or wasnât responsive to teamsâ needs. Great founders know how to raise money, how to build a team, how to take feedback, and most importantlyâhow to support their customers. In elite sports, customer success is everything. If a team emails and you donât respond in 24 hours, youâre out. Full stop.â
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