In this episode of The Average Not Average Podcast, CK Yew and Viktor Axelsen sit down with Ben Lee - former Olympian, 9-time US National Champion, founder of Synergy Badminton Academy, and one of the most influential figures in American badminton.
Together, they explore Ben's journey through more than four decades in the sport, from competing at the Olympic Games to building one of North America's leading badminton academies. They discuss the realities of running a successful sports business, growing badminton in the US, sponsorships, facility management, and the lessons Ben has learned from developing players, scaling a business, and helping shape the future of the sport.
Chapter Timestamps:
00:42 Introduction To Ben Lee
03:30 Barcelona 1992 (First Olympic Badminton Appearance)
08:27 London 2012 & How Olympics Has Evolved
11:08 How Synergy Badminton Began & Grew
18:58 Biggest Costs Of Running A Badminton Academy
24:19 Why Passion Matters In Business
25:43 Long-Term Sustainability
30:29 The Team Behind Synergy Badminton
34:02 Scaling Synergy Badminton
39:40 Badminton Clubs In Europe
45:53 How Badminton Clubs Make Profit
47:16 Misconceptions Of Running An Academy
48:25 How To Balance Family, Life & Business Together
53:54 Costs & Considerations Of Setting Up A Badminton Facility
57:12 Quality Control & Maintaining Playing Surfaces
1:03:27 How Badminton Synergy Evolved
1:07:52 CK’s Path To Badminton Media
1:11:56 When Ben Started Synergy
1:12:40 Sponsorships & Player Support
Follow us on social media for more content!
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theaveragenotaverage/
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theaveragenotaverage
Keep in touch with CK & Viktor here:
- CK's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@UCkmY5ThPy3GLINI0m06ffaQ
- Viktor's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@UCkuVto4oGsgdEisvXlUaHvg
- CK's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ckyew_official/
- Viktor's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/viktoraxelsen/
You can also find our conversations on:
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0BwlJdllHEuttY24Jbcrz8?si=d5-BYAQkSoG7pMhKdskf4Q
- Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-average-not-average-podcast/id1797766159
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQxuJfUZRhZn4s5SDKoS_Vw
