Laura Gainor at the Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort &
Spa pickleball courts .
but I was committed to jump in and figure it out .”
Intrigued , Gainor asked three of her friends to sign up to learn how to play pickleball at the local community center , which was hosting free clinics to teach people how to play the sport .
“ Like everyone else who plays for the first time , we were hooked ,” she said . “ We were laughing so much and having so much fun that by the end of the night , we officially knew how to play pickleball .”
While living in Chicago , Gainor used her professional event-organizing skills to start the
Chicago Pickleball Club , which met at a local gym on Friday nights . As an entrepreneur , Gainor quickly realized the potential both for the sport and for her budding agency .
“ While the sport of pickleball is continuing to grow at an immense rate , there are not many marketing agencies that focus solely on the promotion of the sport , its players , and its brands ,” she said . “ With the need for pickleball marketing growing just as fast as the sport itself , I knew that there would be a need for agencies like Vossberg Gainor to help pickleball players and brands distinguish themselves throughout the pickleball community .”
Then , a mere five months after launching her agency , the pandemic struck .
“ We were playing pickleball weekly , but that came to an abrupt halt when indoor events were shut down ,” she said . “ It was devastating .”
However , in the summer of 2020 , another opportunity presented itself — this time , for her family of four to relocate to one of the country ’ s pickleball hot spots : Florida .
“ In June of 2020 , after the four of us were about to hit our breaking points of being inside and forbidden to do what we loved most , we went down to Florida to visit my sister and family , who had just moved to the Nocatee community , which had 12 brand-new pickleball courts and multiple waterparks for the kids ,” she explained .
Shortly after the visit , the Gainors made the decision to sell their home in Chicago and move to Florida to live near family . The move also allowed pickleball to become a lifestyle .
Following the move , on the oneyear anniversary of her business , Gainor decided to pivot her agency to become the first-ever pickleball marketing agency . The agency ’ s goal is to help pickleball brands , organizations , and players successfully market themselves throughout the worldwide pickleball community .
This past year , inspired by her love of travel , lifestyle , and leisure — and having the opportunity to write destination features for Pickleball Magazine — she launched her passion project , Pickleball in the Sun , a website that promotes the “ luxurious side of pickleball ,” including exclusive destinations around the world that pickleball players can visit to play the sport . The website also partners with a variety of organizations that offer paddles , eyewear , social clubs , activewear , and more .
“ Together , this brand is focused on defining pickleball as a destination travel-worthy game , while simultaneously sharing deluxe brands and lifestyle opportunities the sport offers along the way ,” Gainor explained .
As pickleball continues to grow along with her marketing agency and website , Gainor hopes that more people will find a passion for the game and discover the lifestyle that accompanies it .
“ I ’ m excited to see more pickleball enthusiasts build more courts so that more people can have the chance to play the game ,” she said . “ We have a lot of exciting opportunities in the works that will bring this game from 5 million players to 10 million players faster than you think . I look forward to looking back 10 years from now and remembering these ‘ early ’ days , when pickleball was the hottest topic in the nation !”
JULY / AUGUST 2022 | MAGAZINE 51