S2 Ep. 13 — Building a dating app because pickleball kept bringing people together (Anneliese)

Anneliese, CEO and co-founder of PickleMatch, didn't set out to build a dating app — she just needed a way to meet people after a big move and a breakup. Pickleball became her safe place, her social lifeline, and eventually the spark behind an idea that turned into a full-blown business. In this episode, she shares how the courts became her community and how that community became the foundation for PickleMatch, an app designed to help pickleballers find love, friendship, and connection. If you've ever felt like pickleball is more than just a sport, this episode will hit different.HighlightsHow pickleball helped Anneliese rebuild her social life after a move and a breakupThe birthday party moment that made her realize something bigger was happeningHow PickleMatch started as a joke and grew into a real platform for connectionReal dating success stories straight from PickleMatcHow proximity is the secret ingredient to making new friends as an adultThe court pet peeves we all secretly relate to (bad line calls, anyone?)How pickleball taught her that it's never too late to learn something newChapters00:00 Intro03:44 After her move, pickleball was a way to meet new people08:47 How pickleball became her safe place after the breakup14:37 The realization at her last birthday party18:51 A dating app for pickleballers - yes please. Meet Pickle Match21:53 How PickleMatch started as a joke23:12 Launching the app by hosting events & limiting geography25:13 Dating success stories from the app27:55 Playing pickleball obsessively every day30:36 Being overly competitive and bad line calls - big pet peeves34:39 When a bunch of Scorpios played together on the courts35:26 Pickleball has made her realize she can always learn new things37:05 Navigating dating and pickleball on the courts38:28 How to meet new people is all about proximityResourcesPickleMatch Website - https://picklematch.coPickleMatch Instagram - https://instagram.com/picklematchappPickleMatch TikTok - https://tiktok.com/@picklematchapp