Dani Gonçalves [#34]: Creating a Fantasy Product to Drive Women's Football Fandom

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Dani Gonçalves, Co-Founder and
CEO of Fantasy WSL.


Dani’s journey is a unique blend of creativity and technology.
She started her career as a musician, moved to London to pursue
her dream, and soon found herself immersed in the world of social
media and digital marketing, even before it became the major
industry it is today. After honing her skills with brands like
Lush Cosmetics, Dani transitioned into the world of tech, working
for a fintech startup, which is where she met her co-founder,
Jimmy. Their shared passion for fantasy sports and a desire to
make women’s sports more accessible, having watched the Lionesses
win the Euros, led to the creation of Fantasy WSL.


In this conversation, Dani shares her fascinating background, the
pivotal moment that inspired Fantasy WSL, and how she’s helping
to bring the women’s game to new audiences - and in the process
building one of the most engaged platforms and communities around
women's football.


Timestamps 


3:00 - Dani’s Journey


7:00 - Applying lessons from Lush Cosmetics


10:00 - The Fantasy WSL Audience


14:00 - Women’s Football Rivalry


17:00 - Breaking Through


19:00 - Leveraging Media Relationships to Build Community


23:00 - What if the League Launch an Official App


27:00 - Differentiating the Product


31:00 - Getting Engagement from Players


35:00 - Leveraging First Party Data


37:00 - Future Plans… 





Additional Links


Create your own Fantasy WSL team


Pipe dream or masterplan: will WSL fantasy football make it big?
The Guardian





Connect with Dani - Here


Connect with Andy - Here