1137: Revolutionizing GOLF through technology… and lessons from a start-up journey w/ Ryan Walsh

What happens when a surfer, digital marketer, and golf addict sees a massive inefficiency in the sport he loves? He builds a startup to fix it. In this episode, Ryan Walsh, founder of Fairway Finder, reveals how he's disrupting the $84B golf industry by creating the "Google Flights of golf tee times."

Ryan shares how he went from teaching surf lessons to fund his rent to launching a tech platform that’s solving problems for both golfers and golf courses. From spotting opportunities others ignored to navigating the challenges of being a nontechnical founder, Ryan drops insights that every entrepreneur—especially those thinking about tech or marketplace businesses—needs to hear.

💡 What You'll Take Away For YOUR Business

• 🚀 How to turn a personal pain point into a scalable business idea
• 🧠 Why starting with a cash-flow business (like an agency) can fund your startup dreams
• 💸 The monetization strategies behind a dual-sided marketplace
• 🤖 How Fairway Finder is leveraging AI and automation to disrupt traditional booking systems
• 🔎 The difference between startups, small businesses, and enterprises—and why it matters
• 🔧 How to build tech products as a nontechnical founder (plus the “technical cofounder Venn diagram”)
• 📊 Why obsessing over real customer pain is your competitive advantage

📝 About Ryan

Ryan Walsh is an experienced entrepreneur who spent a decade steering his digital marketing agency before diving headfirst into the golf tech scene. As the founder and CEO of Fairway Finder, he's revolutionizing how golfers find and book their tee times by offering a single, streamlined platform that not only simplifies the booking process but also introduces an innovative waitlist feature for the most sought-after courses. Born and raised in San Diego, Ryan's love for golf runs deep, which shows in his commitment to making Fairway Finder a game-changer for golfers everywhere. Whether he's hitting the fairways or tapping away at his keyboard, Ryan is committed to making golf more accessible and enjoyable for all.

🎯 Ryan’s BEST Piece of Advice for Wantrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs

“Start with a business that gives you cash flow—then use that money to fund your bigger ideas.”

📢 Memorable Quotes

“It’s hard for me to experience pain and not want to address it with some sort of business venture.” – Ryan Walsh

“The best analogy for Fairway Finder is Google Flights—but for golf.” – Ryan Walsh

“I wasn’t going to wait for permission from every golf course’s system. We built our own crawling tech.” – Ryan Walsh

💡 Actionable Takeaways

✅ Identify problems in your daily life—those are often your best business opportunities
✅ Don’t overcomplicate your first venture—start simple and cash-flow positive
✅ Explore how to build value for both sides of a marketplace (buyer & seller)
✅ Use AI and automation to solve repetitive, time-consuming tasks
✅ Think in first principles: question industry norms and build from scratch if needed

🔗 Links & Resources

• Visit Fairway Finder’s Website
• Follow Fairway Finder on TikTok
• Find Fairway Finder on Instagram
• Connect with Ryan on LinkedIn