We’ve always believed in the power of community, and what happens when people come together around something they love.

A few years ago, that belief turned into something much bigger than we expected. Alongside my husband Dustin, I co-founded Pickles Indoor Pickleball Club with a simple idea: create a place where people could learn, play, and feel like they belonged. What started small quickly grew into a thriving community, and ultimately, a successful exit.

We built it from the ground up and lived it every day behind the counter. And through that experience, we learned something that stuck with us: Not just how to build something, but what actually matters when it comes time to step away from it.

Since then, we’ve continued that work through DinkyBalls, a brand inspired by the personalities and connections that make pickleball feel like home.

And more recently, through conversations with other club owners. The question we kept hearing was simple: “What would it actually take to sell this?” Having gone through that process ourselves, we’ve seen how much of it comes down to clarity, how a business is understood, positioned, and valued from the outside.

So we’ve started working with a small number of indoor pickleball club owners, helping them think through that part of the journey. Not consulting. Not brokerage. Just sharing perspective from someone who’s been through it.

If you’re part of the pickleball community, as a player, owner, or builder, we’d love to connect. See ya’ on the courts.

Lisa DeMeritt