‍At the beginning …

When they took over Frisco Sports most of the custom and team business was with the local school district and local sporting leagues and she figured the basic sales principles were the same as in other businesses. “I thought this would be a breeze. Boy, were we in for an awakening.”

The team sports challenge …

Sperone admits they were not prepared for all of the many facets of this industry and the level of personal investment it would take for them to learn and gain command of the existing business and then plan and execute a strategy to take our business to the next level.

The first step …

Not long after purchasing the store the Sperones realized that being in control of their own production could be a game changer, so they made the major decision to bring their screenprinting and embroidery operations in-house and a year later they opened their initial print shop in 2017. “The freedom that has brought us in servicing our customers has been invaluable in growing our business,” she explains. Now Patrick manages the retail store and the sales force and she manages the production facility and day-to-day administrative duties.

A “Typical” Day …

“I used to be more customer facing in day-to-day sales and now I am more behind the scenes,” Sperone explains, adding that she works with the team in their production facility to make sure they are supporting the sales staff. She also oversees the inbound product receiving team, graphics designers and all elements of production. “At the end of the day, I make sure everybody is doing their part to meet order deadlines and put out a great quality product. We have many crazy days, but no day is the same.”  

Favorite part of the job …

Helping customers figure out what they want, as many do not know when they come in because often they are newly in charge of a team or organization and look to Frisco Sports Center to help them. “It is such a compliment that they trust us to take care of them and it is rewarding to work through the process and deliver something they are proud to offer to their group.”

Least favorite part of the job …

Not being able to help someone. “Whether it’s that we just can’t accomplish what they want or can’t get what they need or for any other reason, it is tough to not be able to satisfy every customer,” she says. “We believe that ultimately operating our business with honesty and integrity earns customer trust and will keep them coming back.”  

A woman in the team business …

Sperone points out that she has mostly been in male-dominated businesses, so team sports is no different to her. “My guess is most women in business would say the same,” she says, pointing out that she has been fortunate that she has not run into anyone that has treated her in an unfavorable manner because she is a woman. “However, I do feel like men gravitate more to other men in this industry for support and assistance. I feel like in many ways it takes more for a woman to earn the trust of a coach or an athlete and to prove her knowledge of the products she is selling. But I can tell you, there are some amazing women I have met that are great at what they do. They have innovative ideas, expert knowledge and can add great value  to any challenge you may have.”  

Advantages of a woman in team sports …

Being able to hire and support women is important to Sperone and her husband. Frisco Sports has women salespeople who are customer-facing with coaches and organization directors and on the production end they have hired several former stay-at-home moms that were previously customers. “Being in a position to empower other women, and put them in a position to thrive and continue moving our business and our industry forward in a positive way, is so rewarding.”  

Advice for team dealers about selling to female athletes …

“Really get to know your customer,” she says. “It is different selling to females. We care about what we look like and how we feel wearing something — not just in terms of a uniform being cool colors or having a nice logo, but in how it’s cut and how it fits our bodies. The adage of ‘Look Good, Play Good’ really means something.” Also, she urges team dealers to understand that women are every bit as competitive as men and they want the best uniforms and equipment to help them reach their potential. “As opportunities for females to advance their athletic careers increase, so do your opportunities to sell them everything they need along the way. Just really listen, we generally have a lot to say about what we want.”

Frisco Sports Center in 2024 …

Frisco Sports Center has had to make a commitment to adding staff, building out infrastructure and processes and adding equipment to increase its capacity to accommodate growth in its community and in 2024 has already added an inside salesperson and is evaluating the possibility of adding production staff, particularly in screenprinting. “We expect organic growth to continue within our city limits as more houses and schools are added, but also for our customer footprint to keep expanding into surrounding areas,” she says. “It is both an honor and a great responsibility to service our local community in an industry where so much is custom and often times involves families and their children. We embrace this responsibility and look forward to doing everything we can in 2024 and beyond to continue offering the highest quality products and service to our valued customers.”