Tennis One's story :  from a coaching academy in Mission Bay to Tennis New Zealand's Club of the Year  just landed on one of the world's leading go-to-market strategy podcasts.

🎙️ Podcast: The GTM Engineer Podcast Episode: This Is What Modern Community-Led Growth Looks Like ft. Juan Luis Ramirez Duration: 15 minutes Released: 26 May 2026 Listen: Spotify

Tennis One Is Now on the Podcast Map

When most people think of tennis clubs, they think of court fees, committee meetings, and a noticeboard with a few flyers pinned to it.

Tennis One thinks differently. And now, so does the international GTM and business strategy community.

On 26 May 2026, Tennis One Director Nelson Cuellar and GTM Engineer Juan Luis Ramirez appeared on The GTM Engineer Podcast — a globally distributed show focused on go-to-market strategy, revenue operations, and the future of sales and marketing. The episode, titled "This Is What Modern Community-Led Growth Looks Like," covers how Tennis One built itself from a coaching academy into Auckland's most talked-about tennis lifestyle brand — without a single paid advertising campaign.

The episode is 15 minutes. The story took years to build.

What the Podcast Is About

The conversation centres on the systems and philosophy behind Tennis One's growth — specifically how the club turned community-first thinking into national recognition, brand partnerships, and a waiting list culture for its events.

Key topics covered in the episode:

The Influencer Outreach Playbook Juan runs Tennis One's entire influencer outreach operation through Instagram DMs, targeting creators with 5,000 to 50,000 followers whose content naturally aligns with the Tennis One lifestyle. The offer is simple: free coaching in exchange for authentic content. The reply rate sits between 60 and 80 percent. The first seven months produced nothing. Then one influencer said yes — and the compound effect began.

Seven Months of Nothing, Then Everything The episode is honest about what growth actually looks like before it looks like growth. Nelson and Juan speak plainly about the patience required to build a community-led strategy — and what happens when the tipping point finally arrives.

Why Tennis One Won Club of the Year Mission Bay Tennis Club, home of Tennis One, was recognised as Tennis Auckland and Tennis New Zealand Club of the Year 2024–25. The podcast explores the connection between community-building, brand identity, and that result — and why inbound partnerships now come to Tennis One rather than the other way around.

Nelson's Take as a Business Owner Nelson's perspective cuts through clearly: one specialist who can build and operate a community growth system is worth more than a full marketing team running ads. That view has defined how Tennis One is structured — and it's paying off.

From Mission Bay to a Global Audience

Tennis One was built on the courts of Mission Bay, one of Auckland's most loved waterfront locations. What started as a coaching programme has grown into a community — one with its own social event series, hospitality partnerships, junior development pipeline, and now, an international media profile.

The GTM Engineer Podcast reaches founders, operators, and growth professionals across New Zealand, Australia, and beyond. Being featured on it places Tennis One's story alongside some of the most innovative community and growth strategies in the world of sports and lifestyle branding.

This is what happens when you lead with value, build a real community, and trust the system long enough to see it work.

About the People Behind the Episode

Nelson Cuellar is the Director and founder of Tennis One, an ITF Level 2 certified coach, and Tennis Auckland's Club Coach of the Year 2018–19. Originally from Estonia, Nelson has spent over a decade building one of the most distinctive tennis communities in Auckland. His philosophy — that tennis should be accessible, energising, and deeply social — is the foundation everything else is built on.

Juan Luis Ramirez is Tennis One's GTM Engineer, responsible for brand growth, social media, community development, and the influencer outreach strategy discussed in the episode. His background spans hospitality, IT, tech sales, and now go-to-market strategy — and his approach to building Tennis One's brand has been recognised by operators and marketers well beyond the tennis world.

Listen to the Episode

If you're part of the Tennis One community, this episode gives you an inside look at what's happening behind the scenes — and why your club keeps growing.

If you're new to Tennis One and found us through the podcast, welcome. The courts are at Mission Bay. The community is real. And Friday nights include free pizza for beginners.

🎧 Listen on Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/episode/4JnMkXSygPUnxLKXu1xapR

Want to Be Part of the Story?

Tennis One runs beginner to advanced programmes for adults and juniors across Mission Bay and Pakuranga year-round. Whether you're brand new to tennis or looking to compete, there's a programme for you.

Follow @tennisone_nz on Instagram for events, highlights, and community updates.

Book your first session → clubspark.kiwi/tennisone

Tennis One — Tennis, Passion & You. The Perfect Match. 🎾