Today we’d like to introduce you to John Crist.
Hi John, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
When my son started playing t-ball at McCabe Park Little League and I began coaching his team, I looked around casually for an indoor facility to supplement what we were doing outside.
Being relatively new to Nashville, it was surprising to discover that there really wasn’t much out there at the time — this was back in 2019. My neighbor told me about this place out by the airport that was popular with locals, but I went once and felt like I needed a tetanus shot afterward.
I always knew that I had what it took to run my own business one day, so I started exploring the franchise model for batting cages and training academies. While there were a few names out there with up-and-down track records, D-BAT had clearly established itself by then as the only one that truly mattered. Within a week of me going to that dirty old mom-and-pop, I’d already written a check for the franchise fee.
Our goal for the Nashville location was the same then as it is now: to be the premier baseball and softball batting cage and training academy in all of Middle Tennessee. We now have approximately 500 members and about 15 people who work for us, plus our reputation in the local community speaks for itself.
Even though my staff does a wonderful job running the day-to-day operation, I still make at least a courtesy appearance most every day and genuinely enjoy being on site.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The devastating tornado that occurred in March of 2020 delayed our opening by about three months because it took Metro forever to issue us a building permit.
By the time we actually did open that August, Covid had taken over the world and completely changed what it meant to be a brick-and-mortar business — we were doing temp checks at the front door and giving private lessons while wearing masks. D-BAT now has over 200 locations from coast to coast, and our first full quarter of operation was dead last in terms of revenue collected in the history of the company.
But now we’re in Year 6 and coming off three straight appearances in the prestigious Million Dollar Club, and if anything we’re busier than ever.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about D-BAT Nashville?
I don’t have a specific job title or set of responsibilities, so I just refer to myself as the owner and operator.
When you see me at the facility, I’m just as likely to be dealing with a customer as taking out the trash. Behind the scenes, I handle the majority of the marketing efforts, social-media strategy and e-mail communication — always personal, never auto generated. I also do all the hiring myself and say no much more often than I say yes, as I’m quite protective of our culture and look for very specific personality traits.
That being said, if I happen to be out of town for a week, I still sleep comfortably at night because my management team is fantastic and understands how I want the business to function.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
My wife Andrea is a titan in Corporate America and allows me to live the life of an entrepreneur from day to day, so this idea never would’ve been a success if not for her belief in me.
You hear good and bad things about franchise models of all shapes and sizes, but I honestly have nothing but positive reviews for the D-BAT corporate office in Dallas. If I happened to bump into the CEO in an airport terminal somewhere, not only would he know who I am, but he’d probably be able to tell me how my location did this past quarter, too. While every franchise has a playbook they want you to follow, I’m given just enough flexibility to do things my way and see what’s best for the Nashville market.
It also helps to have such a strong relationship with one of the biggest brands in the game, Rawlings, which outfits our pro shop with top-of-the-line equipment, accessories and apparel.
Pricing:
- $78 for a Platinum membership, $58 for Gold
- $95 for a 1-hour private lesson
- $60 for a 1-hour cage rental
Contact Info:
- Website: https://DBATNashville.com
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/DBATNashville
- Facebook: https://Facebook.com/DBATNashville
