974 - Creating A Marketplace For Student Athlete Babysitters w/ Meaghan Franks (Sport Sitters)

In this episode of Forward Thinking Founders, Mat Sherman sits down with Meaghan Franks, founder of Sport Sitters, a marketplace that connects college athletes with families for high-trust, high-energy babysitting.

What started as an accidental idea at Arizona State quickly became a powerful new way for student-athletes—especially women and non-revenue sport athletes—to earn income through NIL while inspiring the next generation of kids. Parents get vetted, elite athletes in their homes. Athletes get meaningful income, brand-building, and real community impact.

Timestamps
00:00 – Introduction to Meaghan Franks and Sport Sitters
01:10 – The origin story: athletics, parenting, and NIL colliding
03:00 – How Sport Sitters works for parents (matching, safety, experience)
05:00 – Why parents don’t choose the sport—and why that matters for kids
06:40 – Athletes as role models, not just babysitters
09:00 – NIL explained: why Sport Sitters couldn’t exist before
12:00 – The challenge of international athletes and NIL restrictions
14:30 – Meaghan’s journey as a first-time, non-technical founder
17:00 – Building the platform, tech bottlenecks, and lessons learned
19:30 – Why overusing AI slowed development instead of speeding it up
22:45 – Strong demand, scaling pressure, and “good problems”
23:45 – Pricing, payments, and how parents actually book
28:00 – The long-term vision: Sport Sitters as “first-class” babysitting
31:00 – Where to learn more and how to get involved

This is a must-listen for founders building two-sided marketplaces, anyone curious about NIL beyond brand deals, and parents interested in a new, elevated approach to babysitting that blends athletics, role models, and community.