The Time My Son Max Spotted A Unicorn - Whoosh.IO

Good morning everyone…

Fun story to share quickly…

A few summers ago my son Max was working in Montana at a private golf course. A few days into the job he called me and said ‘Dad, the software that runs the course and operations at the pro show blows…nothing is connected, the software works for shit on iPad and iPhones and I have to enter so much information and click so many buttons just to get people set up to play’.

I laughed of course and said ‘welcome to the workforce’.

I also told him about a product called Whoosh.io, a modern hospitality software company that's revolutionizing the golf operations and activity management software. I said take a look and tell the GM of the club (your boss) to invest the money and upgrade to Whoosh. All you have to do is introduce your GM to Colin Read, the founder.

I doubted Max would even take a look but he called me the next morning and said. ‘Dad, this Whoosh is a Unicorn!’

He made the intro for Colin and long story short the course now uses Whoosh.

Whoosh is a long way from becoming a ‘Unicorn’ but a few weeks ago they closed a $10.5 million Series A round led by my friend Marshall Porter at Alley Corp (who I also introduced to Colin).

Over the last 10 years I have helped organize just four SPV’s (single purpose vehicles) to invest in companies that are outside the scope of our fund Social Leverage (stage, valuation, etc) and one of those is now Whoosh. My son Max even invested a little bit from his Bar Mitzvah money.

As I’ve written about previously, The Golf Investment Theme is Growing...

A Little Background

Whoosh is not just another golf tech startup; it's a company that's solving real problems in an industry dominated by outdated, on-premise software. Since its launch in 2022, Whoosh has become the leader in golf operations software for private clubs. They’ve built the industry’s first cloud-based, tablet-focused tee sheet and booking tool, which streamlines operations and enhances the member experience and are now in an expansion period beyond private clubs.

Why Whoosh?

1. Market Opportunity: The private club industry has been using software that's over 25 years old. Whoosh’s modern solution not only caters to private clubs but is also expanding into public golf courses, resorts, and even "eatertainment" venues. This expansion, in partnership with Square, allows them to double their average contract value and quintuple their serviceable market.

2. Product Excellence: Whoosh’s software is already considered best-in-class. It’s used by top courses like Shinnecock and Whisper Rock, and the team is continually innovating. They’ve integrated with Square to improve public golf course operations and are adding new features regularly.

3. Strong Traction: Whoosh has been tripling its growth year over year and recently surpassed $1 million in annual recurring revenue. With 100% logo retention and 91% margins, they’ve built a sticky product that club managers love.

4. Vision and Execution: The team at Whoosh is top-notch. Their vision for a comprehensive, cloud-based solution that integrates everything from tee times to payment processing is exactly what the industry needs. Plus, their execution has been flawless so far, with plans to reach cash flow positive within the next 18 months.

The Road Ahead

With this new round of funding, Whoosh is set to accelerate its growth even further. They’re expanding their product to public courses and other activity-based venues, enhancing their integration with Square, and scaling their team to meet the surging demand for their software.

A Final Nice Circle Of Life Note

My son Max is working this summer at his old home ‘public’ course on Coronado. He is also working as an intern learning sales at Whoosh!

Have a great day.