Chris Smeal

So nice to meet you! First off, what’s your name? Tell our readers a bit about yourself: where you’re from originally and where you live now.

Chris Smeal, originally from Poway, CA, and I actually live back here in Poway now, since 2011.

Tell us one thing you love about where you live now.

I love being close to family and the Poway community, and being able to get to all parts of San Diego County rather quickly.

Tell us a little more about what your company does and how it started. How does it help your customers?

Future Champions Golf started over 20 years ago with a simple goal: to create more opportunities for junior golfers to compete, improve their games, and pursue their dreams. As a PGA Professional and golf coach, I saw firsthand how important tournament experience was for young players and wanted to build something that would help them develop and reach their potential.

What started as a small junior golf tournament program in San Diego has grown into a worldwide junior golf organization. Today, we operate more than 200 tournaments annually, including our FCG Callaway World Championship, which brings together hundreds of talented junior golfers from more than 40 countries. We offer everything from local events for kids playing in their very first tournament to elite international championships where players compete in front of college coaches and earn opportunities to advance in the game.

What makes FCG special is that we're focused on the entire journey of a junior golfer. We want to help families navigate the process, whether that's getting started in competitive golf, building a tournament schedule, improving their skills, or pursuing a college golf scholarship. We've also launched Campus, our college recruiting platform, to help connect players with college coaches and make the recruiting process more accessible.

One of the most rewarding parts of building FCG has been watching kids grow up through our tournaments, go on to play college golf, and in some cases become successful professional golfers. We now have former players bringing their own kids into our programs, which is pretty incredible.

We're continuing to expand around the world, building partnerships with golf organizations in different countries and creating new opportunities for players to compete internationally. At the end of the day, we're much more than a tournament organization. We're trying to build a community that helps young golfers develop, make lifelong friendships, and create opportunities through this amazing game.

If someone wants to start a business, what advice would you give them?

My biggest advice would be to find something you're truly passionate about and just get started. Don't wait until you have everything figured out or the perfect business plan. When I started Future Champions Golf, I had a vision of creating more opportunities for junior golfers, but I had no idea it would grow into what it is today. I just kept working hard, building relationships, trying new things, and learning as I went.

I think one of the most important things in business is to always look for ways to provide more value to your customers. Listen to what they need, pay attention to what's working and what's not, and never stop trying to improve. Don't be afraid to take chances or make mistakes. Some of my biggest lessons have come from things that didn't go exactly as planned.

Surround yourself with good people, build strong relationships, and think big. There will always be challenges, and building a business takes a tremendous amount of time and energy, but if you love what you're doing, it makes the journey so much more rewarding.

Most importantly, enjoy the process. Don't get so caught up in chasing the next big milestone that you forget to appreciate what you're building along the way.

What is one piece of feedback from a happy customer or client that you won't forget?

There have been many, but one of my favorites is always when a parent is worried about their child not succeeding, and then they do, and they do it far better than they even dreamed. It's about empowering these kids to see they are capable of so much more.

Where do you see your company in the future?

I see Future Champions Golf becoming the premier junior golf platform in the world. We've spent more than 20 years building something special, and I truly believe we're just getting started. Our goal is to continue expanding internationally, creating more opportunities for junior golfers to compete, develop their games, and pursue their dreams of playing college golf and beyond.

We're already connecting players from more than 40 countries, and our vision is to build a global network of tournaments, academies, coaches, and partnerships that give young golfers a clear pathway from their first tournament all the way to the highest levels of the game.

With the growth of our World Championship, our new Global Golf Games, our college recruiting platform Campus, and our expanding international partnerships, I think the next five to ten years are going to be incredibly exciting.

One thing that will never change is why I started FCG in the first place. I love seeing young players succeed, watching them grow up through our tournaments, and hearing their stories years later. If we can continue creating those opportunities for thousands of kids around the world while building something that has a lasting impact on the game of golf, that's what success looks like to me.

What is the biggest misconception about your industry?

I think one of the biggest misconceptions about junior golf is that it's all about winning tournaments and getting college scholarships. While those are certainly important goals for many players, there is so much more to the journey.

Golf is an incredible game that teaches young people so many valuable life lessons. They learn how to handle adversity, manage their emotions, set goals, work hard, and compete with integrity. Some of the most successful stories I've seen over my 20-plus years in junior golf aren't necessarily the players who won the most tournaments, but the ones who used golf to create opportunities for themselves and grew tremendously as people along the way.

I also think there's a misconception that every junior golfer needs to follow the same path. Every player develops at a different pace, has different goals, and needs a different plan. That's something I've always been passionate about with Future Champions Golf. We want to create opportunities for everyone, from kids playing their very first tournament to elite players competing on the world stage.

At the end of the day, our job is to help kids fall in love with the game, challenge themselves, and see just how far they can go.

What has been one of your biggest struggles building your business, and how did you deal with it?

One of the biggest challenges has been learning how to grow the business while still maintaining the quality and personal touch that made Future Champions Golf successful in the first place. When I started FCG, I was doing just about everything myself, from running tournaments and coaching players to marketing, answering emails, and building relationships. As we grew, I had to learn that I couldn't do everything myself and that building the right team was essential.

I've always been someone who has a lot of ideas and a big vision for what we can accomplish. The challenge has been learning how to turn those ideas into reality while managing the day-to-day operations of a growing business. I've dealt with that by surrounding myself with great people, learning from mistakes, and constantly looking for ways to improve.

I think one of the biggest lessons I've learned is that you have to be willing to adapt and keep moving forward. There are always going to be challenges, things that don't work out, and moments when you question your decisions. But if you truly believe in what you're building, you find a way to figure things out. I've always tried to focus on the bigger picture and remember why I started FCG in the first place: to create opportunities for junior golfers and help them achieve their dreams.

Also, Covid was a huge challenge, but we navigated it brilliantly. We processed refunds for a whole month, then when golf courses opened, we were the first tour to start hosting events again, by almost a full month. We made them not look like tournaments, followed all safety precautions and, most importantly, let the kids play!

What was your favorite music artist and athlete growing up?

Tiger Woods was definitely my favorite athlete growing up. His impact on golf has been incredible, and I've always admired his competitiveness, work ethic, and ability to perform under pressure. As someone who has spent my career coaching young golfers, I think he's a great example of what dedication and believing in yourself can accomplish.

As far as music goes, I've always enjoyed a wide variety of artists and genres, so I can't say I've ever had just one favorite!

Any shoutouts you want to make?

Yes, to our FCG Executive Director Antrone Williams, who does the best job coordinating the best tournaments in junior golf. He deserves the recognition for how hard he works and what an amazing job he does for everyone and the game of golf.

Where can our readers learn more about you and your company?

www.futurechampionsgolf.com