Working with friends is a dream, but dreams don’t come without lessons. Over the past year at Foundation Disc Golf, I’ve learned that growth brings not just opportunity, but responsibility as a leader and that responsibility sometimes looks like structure, processes, and organization (areas that I am not naturally good at).

What started as a small operation in a garage has grown into a full-fledged company with multiple departments and a growing team. I always want the fun carefree environment to exist, but I’ve realized that without some framework, even the most talented and cohesive teams can struggle to work efficiently.

I’m still figuring out the balance between being a friend and being a leader. Some days it’s easy, other days it’s not, but I think implementing more structure to our organization over the past year or so has reduced the number of times I need to step into the ‘boss’ role. The journey isn’t over, but I feel more confident that we’re steering Foundation Disc Golf toward a future that’s not just bigger, but smarter and more sustainable. Rather than just reacting to the market, it feels more like we’re in control and can adapt as needed.

Ultimately, growth is a learning process. If you’re running a small business, my advice is simple: enjoy the chaos when you can, but don’t be afraid to build the structures that will let you thrive for the long haul. I am in the middle of that process, but so far I have found that structure eliminates stress.

I was looking at these numbers and I always find stats like this fascinating so I thought I would share with you all as well!