Today, we meet Jason Esseboom, former athlete, co-founder & CEO of Joyned Capital, who is super happy to meet and discuss the world of investments from an athlete’s perspective.

Jason is a former football player who aims to transform athletes into smart investors. His company, Joyned Capital, runs an educational platform that introduces athletes to the world of investing and operates an angel syndicate that invests in sports technology startups.

Jason co-founded Joyned Capital with (ex-) athletes like Benjamin St. Juste, Robin Haase, Jeremiah St. Juste, Calvin Jong-A-Pin, Malte Binting, and Willie Overtoom. Since then, the community has grown to over 20+ athletes who’ve invested with Joyned Capital in six startups and a real estate project in Bali.

Going from sports to working with startups.

Let’s learn from Jason how his football journey started and what made him transition toward the world of startups.

“I had the ambition of becoming a pro athlete, and as a kid, I loved football and did all kinds of sports. By the time I was 10, I started playing football and soon discovered I was doing it quite decent. So, at some point, I was scouted to join a professional academy that would carry me on until I was 19. Like many kids, I dreamed of playing in the Champions League, but unfortunately, it became quite clear that wouldn’t happen.

By the time I was 23, I had played three years in the semi-pro league in the Netherlands, and it quickly became clear to me that I didn’t have what it takes to become a pro football player in a league that I found interesting. So, I decided to quit football and focus entirely on my career.

My career changes came with the challenge of staying fit because when you go from a very active routine to a less active one, you’re getting out of rhythm. Luckily, I regained my schedule in time, had sports as part of my constant routine, and worked out four to five days a week.

After deciding to give up on football, I started to work in banking as a financial advisor. After three years, I moved to the corporate side of banking, which gave me a new perspective on how companies up to 300M in revenue operate.

This way, I could nurture my side passion: business and entrepreneurship. It got me so excited that one day, I decided to inform my manager I was quitting the job and taking the leap in testing an idea I had for a while.

Thankfully, she was supportive, encouraged me to do it, and ensured the door remained open for me to return if things didn’t work out.

With this move, I ventured into the unknown right after buying a house with my wife, so from that perspective, it didn’t seem like the ideal moment. However, deep down, I knew this was the path I needed to follow.

The idea of being an entrepreneur appealed to me - taking ownership of building a big and successful business seemed like the next best thing after a failed attempt at pro football. However, after six months, my co-founders and I realized it would not work out because we couldn’t find a business model and were about to run out of cash.

We pulled the plug, and I moved to do consultancy work. My co-founders had a marketing agency. During this time, I immersed myself in all the literature available about lean startup methodology and design thinking geared towards creating structure in the chaotic process of entrepreneurship.

Managing Qatar SportsTech.

Next, Jason told us about the challenge of moving to a new country after going for entrepreneurship and what he learned from it.

“Right after we finished renovating the house and my first daughter was born, I got an offer to move to Qatar. After thinking about it thoroughly with my wife, we left the Netherlands to move there to design and run a sports-focused accelerator program for tech startups.

For the better part of two years, I designed and ran a pilot accelerator program for local entrepreneurs for Qatar SportsTech and coached startups in the main accelerator program. It was a great experience, where we analyzed +1000 startups to find teams that clearly understood the customer problem they solved, had a sound founding team that demonstrated that they were suited for the job, and helped them prepare for an investment round.

Our vision in Qatar was to create a fund unlike any other, fueled by investments from those within the sports community—athletes, coaches, sports marketers, and executives. Unfortunately, the higher-ups didn’t approve of the idea. Yet, in my final months there, I set up a successful collaboration between a football player and a startup from our accelerator. This partnership remains strong and beneficial to this day.

However, the journey to that point was challenging. Sealing the deal took nearly a year, with several discussions. Many active people in the sports world are not aware of the startups' high-risk, high-reward nature, which is quite different from more traditional businesses.

Working for Qatar SportsTech (QST) was a great experience; I learned many things, and moving to a new country also comes with many learnings, especially with a newborn. However, living in Qatar was not our best scenario from a health point of view due to the bad air quality. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic put the world on hold, leading to my company letting go of me and the other external hires.

So, after thinking thoroughly, we decided to return to the Netherlands and pursue something closer to my heart.”

A new mission is born. Help athletes become investors.

Jason's relentless pursuit of knowledge wasn't without its setbacks.

Each experiment and challenge he faced became a stepping stone, propelling him closer to his true calling: building a platform that empowered athletes to become savvy investors.

“This is what brought me to Joyned Capital.”

One key insight I've gained from my experience at QST is that many investors in this field are agnostic. They aren't deeply rooted in the sports industry, lacking extensive expertise or connections, yet they share a passion for sports.

Their enthusiasm is wonderful, but startups need more than just financial backing; they need customers. The most impactful investors can make introductions that can lead to sales.

At Joyned Capital, we're building a business focused on financial education to help athletes become financially savvy. We've built a financial media company that offers educational content sold to and through clubs and individual memberships for athletes who want to invest alongside us.

Currently, we're having our first conversations with clubs. Clubs recognize the value of having financially savvy athletes, understanding that financial well-being contributes to better performance on the field.”

The modern sports team wants to develop their athletes holistically, and financial education remains the missing piece.

What does Joyned Capital's investment strategy look like?

After learning about Joyned Capital's mission and history, we wanted to understand the investment process.

“Amsterdam is our home base, but our athlete community spans the globe. We have athletes training across Europe, Southeast Asia, and the US.

Diversity is one of our superpowers because it's not just because of ethnicity or gender, but particularly also with sports. A basketball player operating with different resources and playing at other times looks at a company differently than a football player or tennis player.

Variety helps minimize our blind spots, offering a more comprehensive view of each investment opportunity.

Our investment strategy is very collaborative. We chose to do the deal only if at least five athletes expressed genuine enthusiasm about a potential investment.

While individual athletes can pursue their investments, we only facilitate deals that garner collective excitement. This threshold ensures we're cautious and collective in our approach, avoiding missed signals or overlooked details.

Our philosophy is grounded in the belief that a broader consensus signals a stronger, more promising investment opportunity.”

Educating today, the investors of tomorrow.

Investments are just a part of what Jason and his team do at Joyned Capital. They also built a media platform that gives the best education for athletes looking to learn more.

“We have built a media platform as part of our offering, and educational content is core to our mission. We currently have a collection of around 50 or 60 videos, but we want to expand it into an entire library with hundreds of resources. I love to think that this is just the beginning.

Over the last two to three years, we've noticed that new athletes often join us when an investment opportunity arises. The initial engagement typically starts with a call, particularly for newcomers, where they meet with a founder. Initially, these athletes might remain quiet, perhaps asking a single question before shifting into listening mode.

However, their curiosity and engagement visibly increase as they become more involved. They start coming to calls prepared with questions, indicating they've thoroughly reviewed the materials we've shared, signaling a deepening interest.

In the sports world, athletes find two or three people in the locker room to talk business with.

At Joyned Capital, we are trying to provide this conversation space where you are encouraged to exchange ideas, nurture your passion, and connect with fellow athletes with the same interests.”

Leading through example — Robin Haase.

We asked Jason to share a few inside stories from other athletes' colleagues in the fund and how they decided to take this path. One of the stories comes from Robin Haase, a well-known Dutch tennis player.

“Robin Haase, well known as a tennis player, is one of the investors who first joined our community of investors and, later on, as a Founding Partner. He owns multiple businesses and has invested across various asset classes over the past 15 years.

Robin took his passion for investing from his father.

At 14, he took his savings and made conservative investments in the stock market under his father's guidance. Without fully grasping what was happening then, Robin was pleasantly surprised to see some ROI three years later, sparking his interest in the financial world.

He believes in the transformative power of investing for athletes, particularly in how it can secure their futures after their careers.

Given that an athlete's career doesn't stretch indefinitely—Robin, still an active tennis player, knows he doesn't have another 20 years on the court—learning about investing can significantly impact their long-term outlook and even their identity.”

Secure your career in advance through investing.

The career of athletes is a short one. So, looking to invest in startups shouldn’t be a goal only after you retire. Jason advises us to start as early as possible to make sure they develop a thorough education and investment thesis.

“The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the fragility of an athlete's career, revealing just how quickly 15 years can pass.

Many athletes, focused solely on their sport, are at a crossroads at 35, still determining what comes next. Our mission is to offer these athletes a broader perspective on investing and engaging with the businesses they invest in. This engagement opens up a world of learning and opportunities, whether they lean towards technology companies or other interests, showing athletes that life extends beyond sports.

This approach isn't unique to Robin. My co-founder Benjamin and his younger brother Jeremiah, who plays for Sporting, share a similar story. While Benjamin's brother didn't start investing early, he did start earning significant money at a young age.

Recognizing the opportunity, Benjamin saw the importance of smart financial planning to secure a future beyond sports. The underlying message is clear: start investing as early as possible, just like Robin did.

It's about building the habit and understanding of investing, which is essential given the early financial peaks in careers like football.

Ultimately, our goal is to equip athletes with the financial literacy to make the most of their earnings during and after their sports careers.”

Investing isn't just a backup plan. It's a strategy for cash flow.

One of the other things Jason advises us to consider when investing in startups as early as possible in our career is cash flow. The earlier you start and the more you invest, the more ROI your portfolio can generate and help you diversify and expand your revenue.

“Think of it this way: during your active career, your expenses cover everything from housing and insurance to food, leisure activities, and perhaps even your children's needs. These expenses don't vanish when you retire; you still need to cover them without your primary income from sports or endorsements.

In our workshops, we emphasize how crucial it is to start replacing that income early on through investing because it often takes time for investments to start paying off.

Depending on the individual, this period could be as short as a year or two or as long as 10 to 15 years.

For the lucky few, their investments might secure wealth for their children and grandchildren, creating generational wealth. Those earning enough to think about generational wealth have more room to make mistakes. However, most athletes don't have the luxury of enduring many financial missteps.

That's why we advocate starting with small investments.

Our minimum investment is 10,000 euros, but we want to lower it to 5,000 euros as our community expands. This approach allows athletes to diversify, engage with more companies, and hone their investment skills. The more experience they gain, the better their chances of success.”

Four qualities Joyned Capital looks for in founders.

We also wanted to see what type of founders Jason and his community are looking to back and what qualities those founders need to have.

Here are four traits that he explained.

1. Domain expertise.

“We're drawn to founders with a deep understanding and expertise in their field.

This knowledge is foundational for navigating the challenges of their industry and innovating effectively.”

2. Strong execution.

“The ability to turn ideas into action—and results—sets apart successful ventures.”

3. Traction.

“Concrete progress and growth are key indicators of a founder's capacity to execute their vision.

While a compelling story and an eye-catching pitch deck are important, the real test lies in the founder's ability to achieve and sustain growth.”

4. Full-time dedication.

“We look for founders who devote themselves full-time to their startups. This dedication is typically shown by achieving significant milestones, like surpassing $20,000 in earnings.

These achievements demonstrate an active business and a founder with deep commitment.”

5 final pieces of advice from Jason.

Before parting ways with Jason, we asked for some actionable advice you can learn and apply in your career as an investor. Here’s what he shared with us:

1. Trust but verify.

Understand whether you make decisions based on intuition or analytics. Your analytics should back up your gut feelings. If your instinct questions someone's credibility, but their numbers add up, look closer.

Conversely, it's best to steer clear if you feel positive about someone but the numbers don't add up. Your feelings are an important data point but should be paired with analytical validation to make informed decisions.

2. Baby steps. Learning about investing is not that hard.

The perception that investing requires countless hours is common, especially among athletes. However, learning about investments is manageable.

We've designed our educational content, like videos, to be short and digestible, requiring as little as five minutes daily to improve investment knowledge. Diving deeper into making investments will demand more time, but initial learning is accessible and straightforward.

3. Get inspiration from role models.

Just as in sports, if you aim to excel in investing, look up to those who are where you aspire to be.

Find mentors or role models who excel in investing, learn from their strategies, and immerse yourself in their knowledge. Theory is crucial, but application brings learning to life.

4. Apply what you learn.

Theory alone isn't enough. Applying what you've learned is crucial. Like mastering free kicks in football by observing and practicing with the best, investing requires putting theory into practice to understand the concepts and strategies.

5. Start with what you have.

There's a misconception among investors in general that you need a significant sum, like 100,000 euros, to start investing. That's not the case.

Starting small with risk-free investments. Even an amount as modest as 50 euros is worth your time because it's about learning the process and building a new set of skills akin to muscle memory in sports.”

Connect with Jason:

• Linkedin
• Joyned Capital

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