35. Can Sports Fundraising Replace Your Corporate Salary?
Former coach Stuart Miller built a $2M business with Fundraising University — helping high school sports teams raise $500–$700 per player in just one week.
⭐ INTERESTED IN FRANCHISE OWNERSHIP? Schedule a call with Alan today at https://athletetoowner.com/ready
🎙 Episode 35 - Stuart Miller loved coaching. State championship in year two. But the paycheck kept pushing him out the door. Twice. What happened next started with a divine sign, a very unusual email, and a trip to Arizona. Stuart is now a multi-territory owner with Fundraising University across six territories in Louisiana and Mississippi, generating over $2 million in revenue, and he still wakes up every day excited about what he does.
Learn how he went from the baseball diamond to a seven-figure franchise in four years, why fundraising is one of the most overlooked opportunities in franchising, how the Blitz System raises $500 to $700 per player in a single week, and how he scaled from one territory to six without a buildout, a lease, or a city inspector. If you love what you do but cannot afford to keep doing it, this one is for you.
⏱ Video Chapters
0:00 - The Email That Arrived 3 Seconds After He Asked God for a Sign
0:41 - Meet Stuart Miller: Coach, Franchisee, and Multi-Territory Owner
1:15 - From Baseball Player to Coach: Knowing in 30 Seconds
2:32 - Leaving Coaching for a Fitness Franchise and What He Learned
3:25 - Hitting the Same Wall Twice: Passion vs. Paycheck
3:47 - The Crossroads Moment That Led to Fundraising University
5:12 - Going to Arizona and Knowing This Was It
6:02 - Four Years Later: Six Territories and a Seven-Figure Business
7:00 - What Fundraising University Actually Does (It Is Not Cookie Dough)
7:42 - The Blitz System: Coaching Frameworks Applied to Fundraising
10:16 - One Week. One Check. Coaches Just Get to Coach.
12:08 - Real Results: $36,000 for a Baseball Team and a Camera System to Match
17:00 - Why Running One Fundraiser Beats Running Four
19:43 - How Student Athletes Are Held Accountable, Just Like in Sports
23:07 - What Year One Actually Looks Like as a Franchise Owner
26:27 - Year Two Is Where the Magic Happens: 90-95% Client Retention
30:13 - The Range of Opportunity Inside a Single School
32:00 - The First Team Stuart Ever Signed and What Happened Next
33:29 - Raising $5,048 for a Team That Went Further Than They Ever Had Before
36:00 - The Numbers: $1M Year One, $1.6M Year Two, $2M+ Now
38:08 - Scaling Without a Buildout: How Territory Expansion Actually Works
43:13 - Do You Have to Be a Coach to Do This?
45:11 - The Ringgold Basketball Story: $10,000 in a Town That Never Raised $800
46:30 - Making a Living Doing Something That Actually Matters
47:48 - Stuart's Final Advice: Go All In. No Plan B. Ten Toes Down.
50:42 - Burn the Boats: What Sports Teaches Us About Business
52:07 - Why Fundraising University Has a Mental Performance Coach on Staff
📌 Resources & Mentions
▸ Athlete to Owner Franchise Coaching: https://athletetoowner.com
▸ Schedule a free consultation: https://athletetoowner.com/ready
▸ Download "The Franchise Fit Playbook" for free: https://athletetoowner.com/playbook
▸ Interested in connecting with Stuart or learning more about Fundraising University? Reach out to Alan for an introduction.
▸ Subscribe to The Franchise Champion Show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast platform
▸ Leave us a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review if you enjoyed the episode - we appreciate your support!
Connect on Social Media:
▸ Website: https://athletetoowner.com
▸ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/alanregala
▸ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AthleteToOwner
▸ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AthleteToOwner
▸ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/athleteowner/
▸ Email: [email protected]
⭐ READY TO EXPLORE FRANCHISE OWNERSHIP? Alan helps successful professionals find the perfect franchise match and prepare for championship-level success. As a franchise coach, he works one-on-one with qualified candidates to navigate the entire franchise selection process - completely free of charge. Visit https://athletetoowner.com to get started on your path to greater autonomy, wealth, and purpose through business ownership.
#franchise #entrepreneur #businessowner #franchising #FundraisingUniversity #sportsfranchise #coachtobusiness #TheFranchiseChampionShow #AthleteToOwner #franchisecoach #recurringrevenue #athletemindset
