In this episode, I sit down with longtime friend and fellow basketball visionary Collin Castellaw — someone many know from Shot Mechanics, but whose journey has taken him far beyond shooting tutorials.

We go deep into Collin’s evolution from coach and content creator to co-founder of PlayersTV, a fast-growing, multi-million dollar, athlete-owned media company redefining sports and culture content. He opens up about how Shot Mechanics was more than just a YouTube channel — it was his “PhD in online business” and laid the groundwork for understanding digital strategy, community-building, and scalable content.

Collin walks us through the gritty early days of PlayersTV, the “silent grind” behind the scenes, and the bold pivot during the 2020 pandemic that turned obstacles into momentum. From building an ad-friendly tech stack to helping fans become owners alongside athlete investors, Collin shares the real playbook behind their push toward “Athlete Content 2.0.”

If you’re an athlete, coach, or creative trying to build something meaningful — this one’s for you.

00:00 The Journey of PlayersTV
03:02 Navigating the Entrepreneurial Grind
06:09 Balancing Family and Business
08:50 Adapting to Challenges During a Pandemic
12:04 Building a Unique Media Company
14:46 Innovative Advertising Strategies
18:06 Understanding Metrics and KPIs
21:09 Engaging with Fans and Investors
24:04 The Future of Athlete Content
27:01 Learning and Adapting in Business
30:09 Final Thoughts and Future Plans

If you got value from this conversation, share it with another trainer, coach, or hooper who needs to hear it. Until next time 💪 

If you're passionate about basketball, content creation, or building a brand from the ground up, this episode is a must-listen. Ian Hietala joins us to share his journey from aspiring trainer to one of the most promising voices in basketball edutainment—blending skill, strategy, and storytelling to make a lasting impact.

In this episode, Ian Hietala takes us through his journey as a rising force in the basketball training world, blending education and entertainment to create impactful content for the next generation. He shares how his youth, discipline, and dedication to daily content creation give him a unique edge, while his media agency and online training serve as core revenue streams.

Beyond the content, Ian opens up about the importance of building relationships in the training community, learning from mentors, and embracing experimentation—both in business and in training methods. From optimizing his tech stack to setting realistic financial goals, Ian emphasizes the value of consistency, authenticity, and volume in achieving long-term success.

00:00 Introduction to Ian Hietala
03:01 Goals and Ambitions in Basketball Training
06:10 The Art of Edutainment in Basketball Content
08:07 Youth Advantage in Content Creation
11:11 Daily Routine and Content Strategy
15:21 Revenue Streams in Basketball Training
18:17 Organic CTAs and Audience Engagement
19:26 Tech Stack for Content Creation
20:29 Training Sessions and Business Model
22:38 Navigating the AAU Landscape
24:01 The Impact of Online Presence on Offline Training
25:17 Building Relationships in the Training Community
26:41 Logistics of Collaborative Training Sessions
28:24 Learning from Industry Leaders
30:48 The Importance of Experimentation in Training
32:07 Scaling Content Creation and Team Dynamics
34:28 The Role of Money in Career Development
38:01 Setting Realistic Revenue Goals
39:59 Content Style and Audience Engagement
46:11 Lessons from Failed Ventures

Whether you're a coach, creator, or entrepreneur, Ian's story is packed with insights to fuel your own growth. Tap in, take notes, and get inspired to level up with purpose, passion, and consistency.

What's up, basketball trainers? It's been a while. I hope everyone's enjoying the weekend.

Let's go straight to business, shall we?

In this episode, I'm back with three of the most respected voices in the basketball training world—Peter Danyliv, Shane Hennen and Micah Lancaster—to unpack the major shifts transforming the industry today. If you're a basketball trainer running your own business or dreaming of starting one, this conversation is a must-listen.

Together, we explore how the training game has moved beyond just cones and court work into a new era shaped by content creation, personal branding, and social media influence. We dig into the realities many trainers face today: standing out in a crowded online space, building legitimacy without compromising on quality, and turning training into a scalable business.

You’ll hear real talk about:

• 🔄 How the traditional trainer model is evolving—and why clinging to old methods could be costing you growth.

• 🎥 Why being a great trainer isn’t enough anymore without smart content strategy and a digital presence.

• 🧠 The role of mentorship and collaboration in accelerating your business and improving your craft.

• 📈 The importance of knowing your terminology, systems, and messaging to elevate both your clients and your brand.

• 🤝 Why the future of the industry lies in partnerships, thought leadership, and continued learning—not just flashy workouts.

We also dive deep into how to balance authenticity and engagement when marketing your business online—so you're not just another trainer posting highlight reels, but a trusted educator and authority in your niche.

Whether you're just getting started or looking to level up your training business, this episode is packed with insight, actionable advice, and inspiration to help you build a career that’s not only impactful on the court—but also profitable off of it.

You post daily. You train hard. You got talent. So why aren’t you booked out? 

This Sunday, we’re unpacking what’s really holding back basketball trainers. 

Spoiler: it might not be your skills — it might be your systems.

Will be posting the link  soon.

What's up basketball trainers? I hope everyone had a warm and relaxing holiday season! New year, new goals, new strategies, but same goals - growing our basketball training business as we grow into better versions of ourselves year after year. And so, let's start this year with an engaging conversation with Coach Shane Hennen.

In today's podcast episode, Coach Shane reflects on his journey over the past three years, discussing the contrasts between his upbringing in a small town and his current life as a prominent basketball trainer. He shares insights on evolving goals, the balance between content creation and in-person training, and the importance of building a local presence through social media. Shane also delves into navigating brand deals and the grind behind his success, emphasizing the dedication required to thrive in the competitive landscape of basketball training.

00:00 Reconnecting After Three Years
02:00 Life Lessons from Small Town Living
05:55 Evolving Goals in Basketball Training
10:04 Balancing Content Creation and In-Person Training
14:03 Finding Inspiration for Content
17:50 Building a Local Presence Through Social Media
22:01 Navigating Brand Deals and Management
25:55 The Grind Behind Success

Some takeaways:

- Growing up in a small town has its advantages and drawbacks.

- At one point, some trainers' focus shift towards impactful training rather than just financial gain.

- Content creation is now a significant part even in the basketball training business model.

- Social media presence can greatly enhance local business opportunities.

- Building a brand requires consistent effort and creativity.

- Brand deals can significantly increase income for trainers.

- The grind involves doing what others are not willing to do.

- Success comes from a combination of talent, hard work, and strategic content creation.

I hope you all enjoyed today's podcast episode. We'll surely have more of these with Coach Shane soon, so stay tuned!

What's up, basketball trainers? It's been a while since our last half-time break episode here at Basketball to Business podcast. So, let's go straight to business, shall we?

For today's episode, we'll be joined by Coach Justin Furtado. He is the founder of BTG (Beyond The Game), a basketball coaching business.

In our conversation, Coach Justin shares his journey from a small town in Northern California to launching BTG (Beyond The Game), his basketball coaching business. He opens up about the challenges of transitioning to a big city and turning his passion into a sustainable enterprise.

Moreover, Coach Justin dives into key aspects of his business, including pricing strategies, marketing breakthroughs through email campaigns and social media ads, and tackling seasonality in the industry. He also highlights the importance of community engagement, trust-building, and networking, as well as his vision for global expansion through camps and clinics.

00:30 A little background about Coach Justin

13:10 Budgeting and financial strategies are crucial for sustaining a business.

16:54 Coaches spill some resources that could be of help you and your training business.

19:26 Find out Coach Justin’s ultimate goal for BTG - global camps and clinics for athletes and coaches.

22:34 Camps generate the most revenue compared to other services offered by BTG.

26:52 HI Testimonial

27:50 Hear Coach Justin’s biggest breakthrough as he runs BTG

35:45 What makes an ad effective is touching the pain point on kids

38:50 Understanding seasonality helps in financial planning for your business.

41:18 Trainers learning from trainers - how fun is that!

47:15 Word of advice from Coach Justin: Constant improvement and building connections are essential to business development.

This episode surely offers valuable insights for anyone navigating the world of basketball training and business.

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Basketball to Business. Stay connected for more conversations with basketball enthusiasts who share valuable tips and strategies to help you turn your basketball passion into a thriving business. Catch you in the next episode!

What's up, basketball trainers?

In our podcast episode today, I had a great conversation with Justin Wakefield, a basketball trainer and educator, where we explored a range of topics related to coaching and player development. We discussed the importance of having thick skin as an educator, effective techniques for teaching players of all ages, the ideal training schedule, and the concept of "your body is your level" in basketball. We even reflected on our experiences in industries like sales and hardwood flooring and how those lessons have influenced our coaching styles.

The conversation also touched on key themes like time management in training, using basketball as a tool for growth beyond the game, the importance of relationships and networking in the basketball community, and the different cultures of the sport in various markets. And towards the end, we emphasized the value of showing love, being a good person in the industry, and staying true to yourself through perseverance while building a successful training business.

00:00 Introduction and Thick Skin in Education
04:02 Effective Techniques for Teaching Basketball
10:12 The Ideal Training Schedule
12:24 Playing Off the Ball in Basketball
15:26 Your Body is Your Level in Basketball
19:10 Exploring Different Industries and Gaining Perspective
24:20 Efficiency and Time Management in Basketball Training
25:19 Using Basketball as a Tool for Building
26:04 Building Relationships and Networking in the Basketball Community
31:23 Understanding Different Basketball Cultures in Different Markets
37:25 Showing Love and Being a Good Person in the Industry
43:14 Perseverance and Staying True to Oneself in the Basketball Training Business

Overall, it was a deep, honest conversation about what it takes to be successful in basketball training and beyond. I hope you guys took away some solid gems from this episode. Thanks for tuning in, and as always, keep grinding and keep growing.

Until our next podcast episode!

What's up, basketball trainers? Hope everybody had an awesome Labor Day weekend!

Appreciate you guys waiting for this final episode of our special podcast series with Coach Peter, Coach Tyler and Coach Micah.

In today's episode, we continue to explore the myths and challenges of being a training professional, discussing the importance of cultivating customers through valuable educational content, the role of social media in generating revenue, and the need to balance entertainment with education. We also touch on the different success between in-person and online training, highlighting the necessity of strong communication with online clients. And finally, we'll share share with you our aspirations to expand into other sports and our hopes for the industry's growth and coexistence.

Takeaways:

Thanks for tuning in to this special podcast series! We hope you enjoyed the discussion and gained some valuable insights.

Stay tuned, as we might bring these great coaches back for another podcast series for more meaningful takeaways and conversations.

Don't forget to subscribe and share this podcast with others who might find it helpful. See you next time!

What's up, basketball trainers?

Part two of our special podcast series with Coach Peter, Coach Tyler and Coach Micah is here.

In this episode, we explore the importance of building a personal brand and understanding the business side of training professional athletes, from setting boundaries with clients to navigating the challenges of getting compensated by NBA organizations. We also delve into the complexities and rewards of the basketball training industry, highlighting the need to consistently showcase your value.

Takeaways:

What's up, basketball trainers?

It's been a while since our last episode. And so, we're back with a special podcast three-part series, where we'll dive deep into the business side of basketball training. This series will be split into three parts, with the first part airing today.

For the second time around, we're thrilled to have with us coaches Peter Danyliv, Tyler Leclerc, and Micah Lancaster. Together, we'll explore a range of topics, from shifting focus from NBA players to younger athletes, to the challenges of monetization and dealing with agencies. Tune in as we uncover the myths of training pros and share valuable insights on building a successful training business.

Part 1: Shifting Focus and Valuing Your Craft as a Basketball Trainer

In this first episode, we debunk the myth that training professional athletes is the ultimate marker of success, revealing the often low expectations many pros have for their training. The conversation highlights the shift from focusing on NBA players to developing younger athletes, emphasizing the importance of valuing your craft and getting paid what you're worth. We also stress that success as a trainer comes from building credibility and reputation in the community, rather than simply working with high-profile clients.

Takeaways: