For Chicks Who Dig Sports!

Lesley Batson is the owner of FANATCHICKS, a company that was born out of her intense love of sports.  Lesley, a former college athlete, and avid sports fan, discovered that she was not the only die-hard female football fan during a solo trip she made to Miami to watch her beloved Chicago Bears play in the Super Bowl.  During this trip, she realized that the female sport's fan was an untapped market, and she began to brainstorm ways in which she could unite the female sport's enthusiasts.  Following this trip, Lesley began to lay the ground work for what would soon become FANATCHICKS!  In 2010, FANATCHICKS.COM was launched, bringing with it insightful sports news, contests, fitness and lifestyle information for Chicks around the world who Dig Sports!  

SL: First tell me, what is FANATCHICKS?

LB: A fanatchick is a female sports fanatic. Fanatchicks.com is an online community where female sports fans can get together in a safe and fun environment and discuss their favorite team, athlete or sport. they can also listen to a fun podcast, be part of fun contests and learn more about sports.

SL: What inspired you to start FANATCHICKS?

LB: I love sports,  I love marketing, I was so ready for a career change and I identified an untapped market. I wanted an adventure and a business I could run from anywhere.

 SL: Who would you say is your ideal target market?

 LB:  Women from 18 to 48 who watch sports and/or workout in the U.S. and Canada 

SL: How did you come up with the Slogan for FANATCHICKS?

LB: I wanted a tag line that was succinct,  clear, relevant and easy to remember. Since the brand is Fanat"chicks" and I refer to us members as chicks, it made sense to say that Fanatchicks is 'For Chicks Who Dig Sports!" 

SL: What impact would you like for FANATCHICKS to have on Sports Fans?

LB: Just like the brand Kleenex is synonymous with tissue and Jacuzzi is for jetted tub, I would like Fanatchicks to be synonymous with female sports fans to everyone, not just sports fans.  I want our members to feel proud to be women who know their sports.

SL: Do you think FANATCHICKS can educate the novice, and turn more women into sports fans?   

 LB: Yes, absolutely. There are different types of Fanatchicks. Some women know every stat about their favorite team or athlete, others know very little but want to learn.  When we complete our website redesign, there will be the Chickipedia that members can visit to learn the basics or just learn more about a sport, team, athlete or sports industry personality.  There will be video, audio and written articles.

SL: How else do you get FANATCHICKS involved in sports?

LB: In 2012 we will start to have watch parties and tailgating parties in cities across the country. We will also create groups for the fitness fans who are looking for workout buddies.

SL: What are some of the obstacles you've had to overcome as a business owner?

LB: As I've launched Fanatchicks.com while working, time and money have been my great hurdles. I have specific ideas of how I want certain things to be and need to budget to get them done.  I definitely need to hire a manager who I can delegate certain projects to so [that] I can be more productive. 

SL: How important has it been or how essential do you believe it is to have other professionals on your team, i.e. lawyers, accountants, web developers?

LB: It is important to use legal, tax and accounting professionals for any business, no matter what industry.  There are certain things that simply need to be done the right way or they will cost you way more time and money to fix later.  I wanted to get my non-profit started and was going to buy a book to do the 501c3 filing myself. I found a firm  that does the whole thing for a very reasonable fee and I can rest assured that when my big donors support our charity, they will get their tax deduction. 

SL: What advice would you give to someone wanting to start his/her own business?

LB:  You don't need to have a detailed business plan to get started but you must have a vision, do some research and a high-level plan and most importantly a budget. Find out what immediate investments you need to make and go for it. There might never be a 'perfect' time to launch so get started when your passion is strong and you have a high level plan to execute.  Create the business plan as you go and make sure you revise it regularly as your business grows or changes.

SL: Many entrepreneurs reach a point where things become stressful and sometimes have thoughts of giving up, how do you manage those times?

LB:  I have moments like these because stress is inevitable with a startup.  You must stay focused on your goal and be mindful of sharing your ideas with too many people. You would be surprised at who can be very cynical and if you get their doubts or negative comments at a moment when you're feeling overwhelmed, it can affect your confidence. Network with other entrepreneurs - online and offline.

SL: If you had it to do it over again, would you make the choice to start your business?  

LB: I would have started this business in 2007 when I first had the idea but I shared it with someone - a guy - who said he didn't get it and said it would flop.  Thinking back now, I guess he shouldn't have totally got it since he's not a woman, but it is a lesson learned. Trust your own instincts. Do your research and plan your future as a business owner. 

SL: What's next for FANATCHICKS?

LB:  We plan to show our new website in January, have some events in different cities and have a fundraiser for Fanatchicks Care, Inc., our charity whose mission is to improve access for women and children to sports and an active, healthy lifestyle.

SL: Thanks again for talking with us, and if there are chicks or men out there who Dig Sports, how do they become a part of the FANATCHICKS movement?

LB: Thank you for the opportunity to share my experience.  You can visit our website at 
www.Fanatchicks.com and sign up for our email newsletter called 'The Locker Room' to get the latest news and announcements.  You can also follow us on facebook www.facebook.com/Fanatchicks , twitter  www.twitter.com/Fanatchicks  and LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/fanatchicks

SL: How would someone contact the Chief Chick? :-)

LB: I can be contacted at 866.44.CHICK or at 
lesley@fanatchicks.com
 




Locations

 

Mailing Address:

PO Box 186

Blue Island, IL 60406

 

Offices located in Shorewood, Chicago and South Suburbs.

 

 

Phone

312-257-3000

Fax312-257-3001

 

E-mail

info@shabazzlaw.com

 contact form.

 

Business hours

9:00a.m.-5:00 p.m. CST

 

Shabazz Law News


Print | Sitemap
© 2021 Shabazz Law