We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Stephanie Allen-Tunsil a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Stephanie, thanks for joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

In the Summer of ’23, our Co-Founder Lauren N’namdi introduced me to Pickleball. I had never played or really heard of it. We took a clinic together and I was instantly hooked! Lauren then says, “You should start a group to get more people of color together playing Pickleball!” One month later Pickleballin’ LLC aka Pickleballin’ – Lifestyle Club was born. We formed a super team of 4 Co-Founders and quickly began to add a splash of color and style to Pickleball courts around South Florida and Atlanta. We found that not only women of color were interested in our community; men, children, and people of all ethnicities enjoyed our “lifestyle” approach to the game! Today we encourage over 200 members, comprised of women, men, and children, to learn the sport and enjoy the lifestyle with us.

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

Most of my career experiences have been in the hospitality industry. From events, to restaurants, to hotels, and most recently owning and operating a custom cake shop. So bringing people together for a good time comes naturally to me. As one of the Founders of PLC, I have been able to lean on each and every one of my past career experiences to contribute to the company’s success thus far. Skills like social media marketing strategies, growing creatively, discipline, problem solving, and stacking wins have all been gained from previous roles.

Currently, I manage all of PLC’s social accounts, seek out sponsorship and collaboration opportunities, and source, develop, and launch products.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I love that I am often the introduction to our company and the sport of Pickleball for many of our members. I get the opportunity to welcome, support, and engage with every member through social media and our group chat communities. When someone boasts about how much they love playing with PLC or how their skill has grown since attending our play dates and clinics, I feel proud that I had a hand in that. Showing our faces while doing what we love has been the largest driver in building our reputation. People have been drawn to our members looking good, being active, and having fun through Pickleball.

We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.

Pickleballin’ – Lifestyle Club continues to grow by word of mouth and social media and community engagement. When you join our club, you instantly feel like part of the family because you were likely introduced by a friend or family member. We welcome all level players, we provide equipment if you need it, and we share tips to get better at the game. Our members are proud to share their experiences with others which helps us grow a stronger brand identity.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/pickleballin_lifestyleclub
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/pickleballinlifestyleclub

Image Credits
individual photo- Stephanie Allen-Tunsil (me) all white group photo- Founders of Pickleballin’ Stephanie Allen-Tunsil (front) Lauren N’Namdi (back left), Aisha Stith (center), Sunja Leon (back right) All black group photo- (left to right) Stephanie Allen-Tunsil, Aisha Stith, Lauren N’Namdi, Sunja Leon.