Philip Van Asselt, an IART member with 27 years in the tennis industry, operates a full-scale brick-and-mortar business in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dedicated to long-term growth, he has consistently invested in his business by enrolling both himself and his employees in IART symposium training in the past. His passion for tennis and commitment to his business exemplify how he has successfully turned his love for the game into the reality of owning his own tennis enterprise.

1. What motivated you to start your business in the tennis industry?
I fell into it a little by chance. I went into business with close friends when we bought an existing tennis shop almost 27 years ago. I had run the pro shop at the tennis club where I had once worked, stringing and purchasing tennis equipment. It was a seamless opportunity to do the same for our small business. My partner focused on the apparel side, while the other was business-focused, doing the incorporation and dealing with the financial side. My partners sold three years into starting the
business, and I became the sole owner of the business.

2. Can you describe some of the key challenges you faced when launching your business and how you addressed them?
Fortunately, our business grew to the point where loans were quickly paid. We all had other jobs – this was not our sole business venture. I was the head pro at a local swim/tennis club, and we balanced the work schedule as needed.

3. What were the most important factors you considered when choosing the equipment you use in your business?
Price and Quality. Having a relationship with a company opens opportunities. Attending numerous IART Symposiums gave us a hands-on opportunity to try various products before making the investment.

4. Things such as a stringing machine and diagnostic equipment are important to a tennis business that services racquets. What factors did you consider when investing in the specific brands and models of equipment you use?
We started our business using Prince Neos machines. Looking to separate ourselves from other stringers – we looked at stringing machines that looked great and gave us options. We have multiple stringers using machines, and it’s a fantastic option when machines can be programmed to tailor to an individual stringer. We now have 6 Wilson Baiardo Machines on our shop floor and most recently purchased a Baiardo Tune Pro to replace our older (in still great condition) Babolat RDC
These are things that I feel show we are serious about stringing and service.

5. Looking back, what would you have done differently when it comes to starting your business?
I wish we had gotten into online selling in the beginning. One of my partners was a computer guru, and it should have been a focus in those early years. I would love to have found a retail space to purchase instead of renting for all these years.

6. What were some pivotal decisions that significantly contributed to the success of your business?
Our business began by selling mostly closeouts and discontinued products. We soon realized the need to carry the best products available. We pivoted and opened accounts with all the major retailers. We teamed up with Nike to buy a concept shop that branded all Nike products with displays and merchandising hardware. With Babolat, we opened an account when the company first launched its racquet line. Being one of the early vendors certainly helped, as Babolat was slow to open that many stores, giving us a certain exclusivity. We have relationships with many of the other brands from my running the pro shop for the club I once worked for. These other accounts were a catalyst to expanding our footprint as a go-to destination for everything tennis.

7. How did you determine your target market, and what strategies did you use to reach them?
That’s a difficult question as I think one’s market is everyone. I believe in having an array of products from multiple brands – treating customers for the long term and providing consistent service have been key.

8. If your business has ever had employees, what has been your approach to hiring and building a strong team?
We have about ten part-time employees. Some work 20- 30 hours a week, and a couple who have been with us for twenty years or more work additional hours. Good teamwork and comradery have made for a cohesive team.

9. Can you share a specific marketing or business strategy that yielded great results for your company? What were those results?
Not really. We use constant contact to alert customers of sales and new products.

10. What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs in the tennis industry based on your experiences?
I am fortunate to have played tennis from an early age – having taught tennis was helpful and I’ve always been interested in new racquets and equipment with the approach to serving customers so that they might play their best game. Having a background and passion for the game is imperative.

11. How did you personally acquire the necessary skills and training to excel in the tennis industry?
Working initially at a large organization – the club had 15 or more teaching pros when I joined, gave me ample opportunity to learn from them to develop my skills as a teacher. This club had an excellent stringer. He was kind enough to mentor me and
when he left the club, that put me in a strong position to take over the pro shop. Stringing at that time was a fantastic additional revenue stream. I was teaching 30 – 35 hours/week and would string more than 100 racquets a week during the height of the summer camp that the club ran. Talk about opportunities. After starting my own business, I was then fortunate to have inquisitive stringers that put us all on the path to stringing enlightenment. You don’t know what you don’t know until someone opens your eyes to new possibilities.

The IART symposiums altered this trajectory for all of us, accelerated my knowledge, and gave me the confidence to be better at communicating with our customers. My two other staff members have since moved on. One runs the pro shop
at a prestigious Cricket Club in Philadelphia, and the other is now a member of the Wilson Stringing Team at the French and US Open and manages the Pro Shop at a major tennis facility in Florida.

12. What resources or experiences were most valuable in your personal development?
USPTR—Van der Meer’s inspired me to turn a hobby into a profession. I had never thought of teaching full-time until attending. It was the springboard to everything that followed in my tennis career.

13. Have you invested in training for yourself, and if so, what specific training programs did you invest in? What positive outcomes have you observed as a result of this investment?
Beyond improving my skills as a stringer, I learned QuickBooks with the assistance of my accountant and became responsible for doing my own books. I had used a bookkeeper for years before that and had no clue as to the health of my business. I am more focused on costs, especially labor, shipping and payment terms, always looking to take advantage of an early payment discount or deal. I feel more empowered and look at the numbers in a completely different light. I also invested in myself and my employees by attending several IART symposiums.

14. How did your business evolve to compete with Internet retailers?
Online is still a challenge, and I feel I have fallen too far behind to compete. Tennis players need great customer service, and I feel that is where we must excel to remain competitive. We cannot do it on price. Online retailers certainly drive the market—we can’t compete with them, in my opinion.

15. How many years have you been in the tennis business, and what was your most challenging year?
We have been in business for 27 years. Our most challenging year was 2020 when COVID-19 shut down the economy. We were closed for three months, but a PPP loan allowed us to keep staff and pay bills, which put us in a position to make a strong
recovery. Business certainly rebounded after COVID-19 as travel restrictions had people stay at home, and many turned to tennis as a safe activity during a trying period.