Credit: Wikimedia/Keith Allison

Shane Battier And Why He Started With LeagueApps

This story appears in both the January 2017 edition of Entrepreneur magazine and online at entrepreneur.com. You can read the full article here.

In February 2015, Shane Battier attended a dinner for sports-tech companies, hosted by the professional development company Gerson Lehrman Group. He especially loved meeting Jeremy Goldberg, the president of LeagueApps, which makes tools to manage youth sports leagues. The two bonded over how poorly run those leagues are — Battier has two kids, so he knows — and they kept in touch after.

Two things impressed Battier from there: Goldberg talked in detail about building LeagueApps’ company culture, and the inspirations he drew from great coaches and sports teams. Then Goldberg invited Battier to talk to his team about winning cultures.

“That really spoke to me, that these guys are trying to bring a championship mentality to business,” he says, and so he used the trip as an opportunity to do some reconnaissance: “I think it’s important to visit the offices and see who’s on the ground and if there’s a spirit and a belief in what they do,” he says. Battier invested a few weeks later.

Shortly before this article was released on Entrepreneur magazine, the LeagueApps team was treated to an pep talk from Mr. Battier at the R/GA offices.

“I love what you guys are doing as an athlete, a parent, and an organizer,” he said. You can read some more of Mr. Battier’s words to the LeagueApps team below.

"This is when championships are made- at OTAs when no one's looking" –@ShaneBattier #otala pic.twitter.com/V4zI8FaHnp

— LeagueApps (@leagueapps) January 17, 2017

Special thanks to @ShaneBattier for speaking to us today at the @leagueapps #OTALA about #Consistency #Certainty #Signficance #Contribution

— Ammad Sheikh (@ammadpsheikh) January 17, 2017

"There are two types of ppl in the world: Problem identifiers and problem solvers" – @ShaneBattier at @leagueapps #otala

— Casey Miller (@caseybmiller) January 17, 2017

@ShaneBattier dropping some knowledge on the @leagueapps team. Learning a lot before 11am thanks to @RGA #sportstech pic.twitter.com/PI7Mk8hQ1p

— LeagueApps Dugout (@LA_Dugout) January 17, 2017

Awesome press for @leagueapps! https://t.co/KN0e0ncj3k

— Michael A. Rabil (@MichaelRabil) January 17, 2017

@ShaneBattier Thanks for speaking to @leagueapps at OTA's. As the cap'n of our bball team, we could use another role player. Thursday at 6.

— brian koffler (@blk_haveiturway) January 17, 2017

"Certainty / Connection / Contribution / Significance" Wise words from @ShaneBattier to the @leagueapps team here at #OtaLA. @RGA

— Greg Cucccinello (@TheReal_GC30) January 17, 2017

So Awesome! Read how Shane Battier got involved with @leagueapps #otala #leagueapps https://t.co/FExsLsjBVl

— Mike Belloli (@mbelloli3) January 17, 2017

Nice press for @leagueapps (and @jeremygoldberg) https://t.co/BuHnVUOLMr

— Nick Begley (@nickbegley) January 17, 2017