198 Nick Lawson, Co-Founder & CEO of SQWAD, on Turning Fan Engagement into Sponsorship ROI

Nick Lawson, Co-Founder and CEO of SQWAD, joins the Sports Business Leaders Podcast to discuss how teams can generate more sponsorship revenue and prove the value they deliver to brands.A former college football player with a background in design and sponsorship sales, Nick shares how a job interview turned into SQWAD’s first paying customer. Today, the company helps college and professional sports organizations build interactive activations that connect fans with sponsors through games, first-party data, and redeemable offers.We discuss creating new sponsorship inventory, turning fan participation into qualified leads, and helping brands follow up with the right message at the right time. Nick also shares advice for companies selling into sports, including understanding each team’s challenges and delivering results for your first customer before chasing the next.