Dani Gonçalves [#34]: Creating a Fantasy Product to Drive Women's Football Fandom

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Dani Gonçalves, Co-Founder and CEO of Fantasy WSL.

Dani’s journey is a unique blend of creativity and technology. She started her career as a musician, moved to London to pursue her dream, and soon found herself immersed in the world of social media and digital marketing, even before it became the major industry it is today. After honing her skills with brands like Lush Cosmetics, Dani transitioned into the world of tech, working for a fintech startup, which is where she met her co-founder, Jimmy. Their shared passion for fantasy sports and a desire to make women’s sports more accessible, having watched the Lionesses win the Euros, led to the creation of Fantasy WSL.

In this conversation, Dani shares her fascinating background, the pivotal moment that inspired Fantasy WSL, and how she’s helping to bring the women’s game to new audiences - and in the process building one of the most engaged platforms and communities around women's football.

Timestamps 

3:00 - Dani’s Journey

7:00 - Applying lessons from Lush Cosmetics

10:00 - The Fantasy WSL Audience

14:00 - Women’s Football Rivalry

17:00 - Breaking Through

19:00 - Leveraging Media Relationships to Build Community

23:00 - What if the League Launch an Official App

27:00 - Differentiating the Product

31:00 - Getting Engagement from Players

35:00 - Leveraging First Party Data

37:00 - Future Plans… 

Additional Links

Create your own Fantasy WSL team

Pipe dream or masterplan: will WSL fantasy football make it big? The Guardian

Connect with Dani - Here

Connect with Andy - Here