In the heart of the tech world, where careers are forged in data and code, a different kind of disruption is taking place. Three friends—Jessica Talbert, Katie Lampert, and Neil Chainani—walked away from established careers at companies like Lyft to bet on a sport few in Silicon Valley had even heard of. Their venture, Park Padel, is building a community around one of the world’s fastest-growing games, proving that the most valuable connections aren’t always digital.
Padel is best described as a hybrid of tennis and squash. It’s a fast-paced doubles game played on a smaller, enclosed court where the glass walls are very much in play, leading to long, dynamic rallies. While a sensation in Europe and Latin America, its presence in the United States has been minimal. The trio saw an opportunity born from their own desire. They wanted to play, but the courts simply didn’t exist in the Bay Area.
A European Discovery Sparks a Business Idea
The idea wasn’t born in a boardroom. It started during a summer trip to Europe in 2022. Jessica and Katie, who met playing rugby at Stanford, had long talked about starting a business. Separately, Jessica and her now-husband Neil, former colleagues in research and data science at Lyft, had similar conversations. It all clicked when their paths converged on the continent.
“We saw it first in Lisbon — under the bridge, which actually reminded us of San Francisco — then again in Rome, and finally in Spain, where we spent a week learning how to play,” Jessica recalled. “People were obsessed with it — total beginners and semi-pros playing side by side, all having fun.”
They returned home with a new passion but no place to play. The Bay Area, however, seemed like the perfect incubator. Neil pointed to the region’s great weather, its large Latin American and expat populations, and a local appetite for new social activities that don’t revolve around alcohol. The problem was clear. The solution was bold.
“And there were no courts here!” Jessica said. “We wanted to play, so we figured we’d have to build them.”
Launching a Sport in a Crowded Market
Park Padel’s first move was a masterstroke in marketing. They launched their initial public courts in November 2023 at San Francisco’s Embarcadero Plaza, a location with immense visibility. The choice was deliberate. It put the sport on display for thousands of commuters, tourists, and residents of the Financial District.
The curiosity was immediate. People would stop and ask the inevitable question: “Is it pickleball?” The team used these moments as opportunities to educate and invite people to try. While they love pickleball, Neil emphasized the need to differentiate padel. The walls change everything. They introduce an element of surprise and strategy that keeps players hooked.
“The ball can come from any direction, so it activates your brain differently,” Neil explained. “There’s a special kind of joy when you pull off a shot off the wall that you didn’t think would work — it surprises you and keeps you hooked.”
This dynamic gameplay creates a high ceiling for athletic growth. It’s easy to learn in an hour, but difficult to master, making it both accessible for beginners and challenging for seasoned athletes.
Leveraging Tech Skills in a New Arena
Leaving Silicon Valley didn’t mean leaving their skills behind. Each founder brought a unique tech-honed perspective to Park Padel, creating a well-rounded leadership team.
- Jessica Talbert (CEO): With a background in user experience, she focuses on what makes the club “sticky” for members and ensures the customer experience is top-notch.
- Katie Lampert (COO): Coming from people and talent, she builds the company culture and manages the team, ensuring a great environment for employees and members alike.
- Neil Chainani (CFO): A data scientist by trade, he manages the numbers and builds internal AI-powered tools for scheduling and operations, allowing the small business to operate with the efficiency of a larger one.
This expertise was crucial as they navigated the unfamiliar sectors of real estate and construction. They opened their flagship club in South San Francisco, a large indoor facility with high ceilings perfect for the lob shots central to padel. Located in the biotech cluster and near the airport, it’s designed for corporate events and travelers, featuring a lounge, showers, and recovery tools.
More Than a Game, It’s a Community
When the founders told friends and family they were quitting their jobs, the reaction was disbelief. “You’re not actually leaving your job, right?” Jessica remembered being asked. Their first round of funding was a bet on them, not on a sport their investors had never seen. That leap of faith has paid off, not just financially, but emotionally.
For the founders, the community is the core of the business. It’s a hands-on effort. They are constantly at the clubs, introducing players and organizing matches.
“Every time I’m at the club, I think of it like hosting a party,” Jessica said. “My favorite thing is seeing members who met here hang out outside the club… That’s when you know it’s working.”
Katie added that after the pandemic, people were hungry for a “third place” beyond home and work. Creating that space has been the most rewarding part of the journey. The trio has ambitious plans, aiming to open 100 courts over the next five years, beginning with an expansion into the East Bay. They are deeply invested in the Bay Area, hoping to make Park Padel a household name before growing across the West. For these founders, the biggest win isn’t just a successful business—it’s building a place where people truly connect.