121 - Chris Ruder, Spikeball

In Ep. 121 of Earned, Conor sits down with Chris Ruder, CEO of Spikeball—the world’s largest supplier of roundnet equipment. To start, we dive into the background of Spikeball, which originally launched in 1989, before learning how Chris revived the name in 2004. With his original job being a sales position at Microsoft, Chris shares that he had no idea what steps to take, but that inspiration struck after seeing the game on a family vacation. Next, we explore the journey of building up to the re-launch, and how Chris was able to use his resources to create the product we know as Spikeball. Chris speaks to how he balanced running the Spikeball brand while simultaneously working his corporate job, and claims that the energizing work he did on Spikeball was what kept him going. We discuss what Chris loved about having the autonomy to build a consumer-forward brand, and how it led to feeling fulfilled in his career. By following the community of Spikeball players and monitoring what they’re asking for, Chris empowered a group of avid-roundnet players into a loyal fanbase itching to participate in tournaments. We then learn how Spikeball has maintained its focus on its competitive community while also maintaining the balance of making “at-home players” feel valued. Between the way Spikeball motivates its customer service to treat players as friends, the ‘Spikeballer of the week newsletter,’ and its social media strategy, Spikeball is always chasing the idea of being fully human. To close the show, Chris shares his own level of skill at the game, and how much he admires those who dedicate themselves to the craft. 

 

In this episode, you will learn: 

• The importance of balancing engagement between niche communities and broader markets. 
• The power of humanizing your brand by blending humor and relatability to foster strong customer connections.
• The value of community investment and how Chris's distribution of free Spikeball sets led to both grassroots growth and brand loyalty.

Resources:

• Spikeball - https://spikeball.com/

 

Connect with the Guest:

• Chris’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisruder/

 

Connect with Conor Begley & CreatorIQ:

• Conor’s LinkedIn - @conormbegley

• CreatorIQ LinkedIn - @creatoriq

 

Follow us on social:

• CreatorIQ YouTube - @TribeDynamics

• CreatorIQ Instagram - @creatoriq

• CreatorIQ TikTok - @creator.iq

• CreatorIQ Twitter - @CreatorIQ

 

Timestamps:

1. [4:01] How Chris initially approached marketing and distribution for Spikeball

2. [14:46] How Chris balanced the needs of competitive players with those who play Spikeball casually

3. [25:01] How Spikeball infiltrated niche groups, like Christian youth organizations

4. [35:31] The importance of brand protection and becoming a proprietary eponym