We Didn't Invent Referrals. We Just Gave Them Wi-Fi.
Sports businesses have been sending customers to each other forever. We just made it trackable, incentivised, and not limited to whoever you happen to know personally.
The Honest Version
Here's the thing: the cycling coach in Boulder already tells clients about the sports nutritionist across town. The bike shop in Girona already points tourists toward the best physio. The running club in Calgary already recommends that one massage therapist everyone loves. This stuff happens every single day.
But it's all word-of-mouth. It only works if you've spent years building local relationships. It doesn't cross borders. Nobody tracks it. Nobody gets properly thanked. And the small business owner who just opened shop? They're invisible until they've put in their time.
We thought: what if we just made the thing that's already happening... actually work? A place where sports businesses can find each other, set up referral incentives, and grow together — locally and across borders. Not a disruption. Not a revolution. Just the obvious thing that nobody had built yet. So we did. Badly at first, but we're getting better.
The Problem (As We See It)
Word-of-Mouth Is Brilliant
A referral from someone you trust beats any Instagram ad. When a coach says "go see this physio," the client actually goes. It's the most powerful marketing channel in sports — and it costs nothing. The problem isn't the concept.
...But It's Painfully Limited
It only works with people you already know. It's restricted to your local area. It takes years of community building to develop. New businesses can't access it. Nobody tracks who sent who. And the person doing the referring? They get a "thanks mate" at best. As endurance athletes and small business owners, we already do many hard things the hard way. Revenue growth shouldn't be one of them.
100% Volunteer Powered (Yes, Really)
This entire platform is built and maintained by unpaid volunteers who are passionate about these sports. We're the people who think a 5am ride before work is "self-care." Our judgment may be questionable, but our commitment isn't.
"The world ran just fine before this marketplace existed. And our volunteers have day jobs that occasionally demand attention so they can afford their bike habit. We're pedaling as fast as we can. Literally and figuratively."
What We Actually Care About
Community Over Competition
Local sports businesses do better when they work together. A referral from a trusted partner is worth more than any ad spend. We're not here to disrupt anything — we're here to connect people who should've been connected already.
We Actually Do These Sports
Every volunteer on this project is an active cyclist, runner, or snow sports enthusiast. We've bonked on long rides, DNF'd races, overtrained into injury, and still signed up for the next one. We understand the ecosystem because we can't stop participating in it.
No Shady Stuff
We verify businesses. We don't sell your data. We don't take a cut of your referrals. We're not building this to flip it to some VC. Just good people helping good people grow their businesses. Boring? Maybe. Trustworthy? We hope so.
The Money Question
Right now, SportConnect is completely free. Funded by our own coffee money and the occasional post-ride beer fund. We believe in building something valuable first and figuring out sustainability later. (Our accountant hates this plan.)
At some point, as the network grows, we may ask for donations or a small fee to cover hosting costs. But that day isn't today. And when it comes, we'll be upfront about it — because that's how we'd want to be treated.
No subscription fees, no commissions, no hidden costs, no "premium tier" upsell. If you want to buy us a coffee though, we won't say no. We're volunteers, not monks.
A Gentle Disclaimer
We're a small team of volunteers who squeeze in development time between rides, runs, and ski days. (Priorities, right?) If you spot a bug, we appreciate your patience. If you have a suggestion, we genuinely want to hear it. And if you want to help build this thing, pull up a chair.
Found something broken? Got a brilliant idea? Just want to tell us our copy is trying too hard? We're all ears.