We were lucky to catch up with Mike Schroder recently and have shared our conversation below.

Mike, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

We believe sports have unique power – the traditions, the joy of victory, and the connections. Win or lose, sports provide an opportunity to spend time together – especially across generations, over a shared passion. Our mission is to spark and cultivate those connections by unlocking an understanding of a sport in a young child.

This mission is personal to me. In January 2022, my Cincinnati Bengals were on an unexpected run to the Super Bowl, winning their first playoff game since 1991. I had been waiting my whole life for this moment. My oldest child, five at the time, was into the pageantry surrounding the playoff run (fight song, homemade snacks, cheers), but would lose interest as soon as the game came on…because she didn’t understand the game. I of course was always trying to explain what was happening, but I was failing miserably. I was heartbroken that I couldn’t share this incredible experience with her. It was clear to me that I needed a different approach to explain the sport in a way that would resonate with her. Looking for something to help, the only thing I could find were direct explanations in books and videos, the same approach I was already taking with her.

Frustrated and without a solution, I was drawn to the idea of utilizing stories as a way to capture her imagination and embed them with the rules of sports. And such, the concept behind Future Fans was born: a storybook-led experience, embedded with parallel games and situations, teaching the core concepts/rules of a sport (without the child even realizing it).

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I would describe myself as problem solver with a deep sense of curiosity, whether that be in my professional or personal life. I’ve worked in the corporate world, first at Target’s HQ and then 10+ years in management consulting. I’ve always liked the idea of products, physical or digital, that solve a specific problem. Target, for example, sells thousands of these products and the market provides feedback on whether a given product (1) solves that problem effectively and (2) whether enough people have that problem. I love the direct nature of problem –> solution and the immediacy of that feedback.

Future Fans is all about trying to solve a problem that was very real to me and a belief that enough other people also have that same challenge. And the problem itself, how to explain a complex sport, to a five year-old I find invigorating. For example, how do you explain downs in football? We generated dozens of ideas while ruthlessly testing them, not just for understanding with a child, but how do we embed that learning into a book and translate into a physical product that the child can then experience his or herself (after reading about it). This type of problem solving and creativity led us to what is in our Football product: a game called Circle Toss. There are four hoops and four bean bags. The child stands in the first hoop with four tries to throw one bean bag into the next hoop. If they do, they move to that hoop and get four more tries, or another first try. If they reach the last hoop, they get 6 points (just like a touchdown in football) and get to dance the Scratchy Bottom Hop dance.

Teaching in this parallel manner is incredibly simple, but powerful and completely unique when it comes to helping introduce kids to sports that are difficult to understand.

How’d you meet your business partner?

I met my Co-Founder when I moved back to Columbus in 2010 for my wife’s pediatric residency; his wife was in the same residency program. We saw each other on occasion (including a 2013 “Weekend Update” bit at a residency function of what it’s like to be married to a resident), but in 2016 both joined the executive team of a healthcare organization. We eventually spun that organization out into our own consulting firm and have always discussed various ideas along the way. Future Fans was an idea that we were both really excited about and began pursuing earnestly in 2022, in parallel to our consulting work.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

In 2010, I had to move to Ohio for my wife’s job, leaving Target in Minneapolis where I had spent the first four years of my career. While challenging at the time, it forced me to really evaluate what it was that I liked in a career, in a way I probably would not have internalized had I continued progressing at the only place I had ever worked professionally.

The self-evaluation process that I went through highlighted to me that I liked solving problems and I loved doing it in different types of business. For example, during my time at Target, I had worked in office electronics, mobile phones, pharmacy, and music. These were all vastly different business with different drivers, supply structures, and ways they interacted with customers. I found that fascinating. As a result, I specifically didn’t seek out retail jobs in Columbus as the retailers headquartered here are largely specialty retailers where I wouldn’t have the variety I so desired.

I got a job in management consulting to continue my learning, leveraging my Target experience, but also serving all kinds of different clients, eventually focusing in on healthcare….and industry so big that it feels like it encompasses multiple industries. That career pivot, from a corporate position in retail to management consulting, accelerated my development in problem solving and, more importantly, communicating effectively around a problem and strategy and plan to address it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.futurefans.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/futurefanssports/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-schroder-54869014/