We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Chanel Holston a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Chanel , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?
I was in school and knew that I wanted to go into sports. Something I noticed was that when there is a panel of analysts speaking about sports, it is always one woman with the rest being male, with the woman being the moderator for the men to talk about sports. I felt that this was completely wrong and that women are just as capable of talking about and debating about sports as men. Also, I saw that when it came to podcasts and people (mainly men) talking about sports, they were only focusing on one sport. They were not discussing different sports and the different stories that are happening in different sports. So I, as a woman, wanted to create a platform where I would be discussing different sports so that way people like me who watch different sports at once can be on one platform and keep up with what is happening in these sports.
Chanel , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I am a current law student who is about to graduate with a Juris Doctor and a masters of law degree. I am the founder of Ball Talk with Chanel, a sports media page focused on providing the latest news and scores that’s happening in sports around the world. I got into this by posting videos on social media about the latest news and providing an opinion and analysis on that news, and then eventually expanding out to a podcast available on Youtube, Spotify, and Patreon. Additionally, I have a series called Ball Talk 101 which teaches people the fundamentals of sports and understand the rules. My platform aims to not only bring more women into sports and serving as an analyst rather than a moderator, but also allow there to be discussions about multiple sports on one platform. Something I am most proud of is the way in which I have grown, the way in which I am more confident on camera, able to give opinions faster and with more analysis, and being able to create content in a way that attracts people. The main thing I want people to know about Ball Talk with Chanel is that this is a platform focused on multiple sports, talking about different sports in one day, rather than focused on one sport. I want Ball Talk with Chanel to be a place where everyone, regardless of what sport they are into, are able to be in this space and have a discussion with people.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
I built my audience on social media by consistently posting. I would post in the morning, in the afternoon, and at night. I would also try to put my own twist into it, posing questions to spark engagement, and even putting out my own opinion on a hot topic. The goal for me when it comes to posting is not only do I want to be quick with the news, but I also want to put my own twist into the topic of conversation so that people hears a new perspective. My advice for those just starting to build the social media presence is to make sure they pick a niche and stick with that niche. Do not create a page for the niche and then start posting content that falls outside of that niche. I also recommend that people just stay consistent when it comes to posting, because in the beginning it may feel as if nothing is working but if you keep posting your audience will grow.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
One book that helped me is Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. The reason why is because in order to grow your business, you need to have the correct mindset, and that book does help with having a great mindset. Another book I recommend is Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne. This books talks a lot about thinking outside the box so that one can be more creative with their services and what they are offering to the public. Outside of those books, I use Skillshare to learn more about social media and video editing, and just looking up different topics on Youtube to expand my knowledge.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://newsletter.balltalkchanel.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/balltalkwithchanel
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61571819581387
- Youtube: https://YouTube.com/@balltalkwithchanel
- Other: Patreon: patreon.com/balltalkwithchanelSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4FQJxGuqWJbdp11VsLqma0?si=L_UC7OvKT-uZyErdep1XQg
Tiktok: tiktok.com/@balltalkwithchanel
