THE FOUNDER | Mike Mitchell
I graduated from NC State University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management, with a focus in Marketing and I've spent the 20+ years of my career essentially running programs from the operationally demanding industry of property management to youth sports.

My career in property management gives me something most marketing graduates never get - the chance to apply marketing strategy in high-stakes, results-or-consequences environments. In student housing and new construction lease-up, you don't get to wait for results. You have a community full of empty units, a hard deadline, and a budget to hit. You learn fast what works, what doesn't, and how to drive real occupancy through smart positioning, targeted outreach, and relentless follow-through.

Student housing lease-up is essentially a recurring brand launch. Every year, you're re-marketing to a completely new audience. Building awareness, generating leads, converting prospects, and retaining residents all while managing the full operational side of the property simultaneously. That experience sharpened every marketing instinct I have: positioning, messaging, digital presence, community outreach, and conversion. Those same skills now drive campaigns, social media strategy, and sponsor development for the youth sports programs we serve.

THE CROSSOVER | What 20 Years Of Property Management Taught Me About Youth Sports
Running properties and running youth sports programs have more in common than anyone expects. Both require airtight operations, clear communication with a large community of stakeholders, people coordination, budget discipline, and a consistent marketing presence. The difference is that in property management, these systems are expected. But in youth sports, they're rare. That gap is exactly where Run The Program HQ lives.

THE YOUTH SPORTS CHAPTER | How A Sports Dad Built A Business
My entry into youth sports was organic. The way it is for most parents. When we settled in Wilmington, NC, I volunteered to coach during i9 Sports' very first season in the area. What started as a way to get my son plugged into basketball quickly went from Volunteer Coach to Side Hustle as an i9 Sports Site Manager who was responsible for game day operational execution across multiple sports. Staffing, facility coordination, parent communications, marketing. I was running a weekend sports program the same way I ran properties: systematically, professionally, and with the customers' experience always front of mind.

My son's journey through competitive basketball then opened a completely different door — the world of travel ball. As a volunteer team parent, I experienced firsthand the operational complexity that travel-level youth sports demands: tournament logistics, communication across coaching staffs and families, and managing expectations. Being inside that environment — not just watching from the bleachers — is what ultimately led to Run The Program HQ.

THE FAMILY | Youth Sports Runs In Our House
My wife, Leanne, has her own deep roots in youth athletics through her passion for gymnastics as a former Level 10 gymnast. After earning her Masters in Sport Psychology, she's been building her career in the gymnastics community. Whether our boys or an endless number of kids out there, she has been supporting young athletes, understanding the unique culture of youth sport, and bringing her perspective on youth athletic development. Her involvement has shaped how our family thinks about what youth sports programs owe to the kids and families they serve.

Our boys, Kellan (15) and Koren (6), are the living proof of everything we believe in. They're the reason we care so deeply about getting youth sports right. When a program runs well, kids thrive. When it's disorganized, kids feel it. We've seen both sides and we know which one we're here to build.