Two ex-Bank of England analysts. One idea that wouldn't go away. The SPORTL story.

Matt and Ryan didn't set out to disrupt fitness. They started with a grassroots sports idea, got told the money wasn't there, pivoted, and landed on something they couldn't shake: why is pay-as-you-go the norm in every industry except fitness?

In this episode we get into the full story. The validation walks around London at 6pm after full-time jobs, the fundraising wins that weren't wins until the money hit the bank, building a team of five before the product launched, and why the fitness industry is one of the most surprisingly collaborative spaces either of them have encountered.

What we cover:

• Why they walked away from stable Bank of England careers
• How they validated with 250 gyms before writing a line of code
• Raising smart money over fast money and turning down property developers
• Building culture early: run clubs, autonomous teams, and no two days the same
• The biggest bet they've taken so far
• Where SPORTL needs to be in 12 months
  
  

Best line of the episode: "I've never been busier. I've never worked harder. I've never been poorer. I've never loved work more."

Health Stack is the podcast for founders, operators, and investors building technology companies in health and human performance.

New episodes every two weeks.

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