![Elena Mirandola [#42]: Running FC Como Women Like a Tech Startup](https://s3.castbox.fm/40/bb/cb/1ccd6b73efda6ddccdc27235f6f2814e6e_scaled_v1_400.jpg "Elena Mirandola [#42]: Running FC Como Women Like a Tech Startup")
Elena Mirandola [#42]: Running FC Como Women Like a Tech Startup
Description
On today’s episode, I’m joined by Elena Mirandola, CEO of FC Como Women — the first club to be backed by Mercury13, a pioneering women’s football consortium with bold ambitions to build a global multi-club network and unlock the commercial potential of the women's game.
Elena’s path to becoming a football club CEO is anything but conventional. Her career began in digital marketing, working with global powerhouse brands before moving to work directly with travel platform Expedia just as the pandemic struck.
In our conversation, we explore the unique business model of FC Como Women, from its approach to branding and operating like a tech start-up to its success in attracting blue-chip sponsors like Nike. We also discuss the unique opportunities and challenges of running a women-only football club — one of only two to do so in Italy’s top flight.
Time Stamps
3:00 – Elena’s Unconventional Path to CEO
7:00 – Addressing Gender Disparity
10:00 – Reframing the Women’s Football 'Product'
12:00 – Overcoming Infrastructure Challenges
14:00 – Speaking to a Global Audience
17:00 – BEYOND: Launching an Educational Program for their Players
18:00 – Understanding the Modern Female Fan
20:00 – Building Partnerships with Global Brands
21:00 – Merchandising & Nike Partnership
27:00 – Adopting a Female-First Approach
30:00 – Building a Fan Database from Scratch
32:00 – Empowering Female Athletes as Content Creators
36:00 – Avoiding the Pitfalls of the Men’s Game
40:00 – Future Ambitions & Mercury13’s Multi-Club Vision
Additional Links
Como Women appoint new CEO and COO following Mercury/13 takeover, plus more
Nike announces multi-year deal with FC Como Women
Women's football investors Mercury/13 'ripping up blueprint' on club ownership
Giorgio Chiellini makes six-figure investment in women’s soccer, inspired by watching Angel City
DAZN has partnered with F.C. Como Women to bring Exclusive Content and Behind-the-Scenes Access
Connect with Elena on LinkedIn - Here
Connect with Andy on LinkedIn - Here
![Avelino [#65]: Reshaping the Future of Football Representation with Nexus Football Group](https://s3.castbox.fm/75/55/cb/79838e1b5ed79163b6e06ede3f181776be_scaled_v1_400.jpg "Avelino [#65]: Reshaping the Future of Football Representation with Nexus Football Group")
![Misha Sher [#63]: Lessons from 20 Years in Sports and Athlete Marketing from WPP's Global Head of Sport & Entertainment](https://s3.castbox.fm/a8/e1/6c/31e26cb3e238a613693892e3a14dfecde1_scaled_v1_400.jpg "Misha Sher [#63]: Lessons from 20 Years in Sports and Athlete Marketing from WPP's Global Head of Sport & Entertainment")
![Rob Pilgrim [#62]: Making YouTube the Best Digital Destination for Sports Fans](https://s3.castbox.fm/57/99/f8/88a683d73978aa39a3feadf8ec5a2869fc_scaled_v1_400.jpg "Rob Pilgrim [#62]: Making YouTube the Best Digital Destination for Sports Fans")
![Vansa Chatikavanij [#60]: Investing in a New Era of Sports and Entertainment at Present Ventures](https://s3.castbox.fm/71/51/8a/93241385496eda65fdd7cb4e3f19d8d6d3_scaled_v1_400.jpg "Vansa Chatikavanij [#60]: Investing in a New Era of Sports and Entertainment at Present Ventures")
![Matthew Jafarian [#57]: How the Miami HEAT Empowered Entrepreneurship from Within](https://s3.castbox.fm/fe/67/da/910384d1fa1011c543f46f182cbc62229c_scaled_v1_400.jpg "Matthew Jafarian [#57]: How the Miami HEAT Empowered Entrepreneurship from Within")
![Rich Buchanan [#56]: Bridging the Gap Between the Boardroom and the Dressing Room](https://s3.castbox.fm/b3/64/ef/2049822dbab0a8e418f47a1b830438a8b0_scaled_v1_400.jpg "Rich Buchanan [#56]: Bridging the Gap Between the Boardroom and the Dressing Room")
![Sukh Sadhra [#55]: Selling Out the Premiership Rugby Final Two Years Running](https://s3.castbox.fm/09/e6/75/95f9edb4fc79e2e02074f0ed47ba1606e2_scaled_v1_400.jpg "Sukh Sadhra [#55]: Selling Out the Premiership Rugby Final Two Years Running")
![Leanne Bats [#53]: Taking Lessons from FC Barcelona and the All Blacks to a Regional Sports Trust](https://s3.castbox.fm/de/42/ae/a6187bd3d6d32f2abdcd5bef16018ad7c2_scaled_v1_400.jpg "Leanne Bats [#53]: Taking Lessons from FC Barcelona and the All Blacks to a Regional Sports Trust")
![Michael Israel [#52]: Applying AI Across The Kraft Group](https://s3.castbox.fm/03/3c/a8/2335eba1f47eb930458d2c9ad593335456_scaled_v1_400.jpg "Michael Israel [#52]: Applying AI Across The Kraft Group")
![Andy Thompson [#51]: Taking SailGP to an Audience Beyond Sailing](https://s3.castbox.fm/21/ea/e0/2a86ed9ad097265b1a4f607ed0bfcc12c5_scaled_v1_400.jpg "Andy Thompson [#51]: Taking SailGP to an Audience Beyond Sailing")
![Dan Porter [#50]: Building Overtime into an IP Powerhouse for the Next Generation of Sports Fans](https://s3.castbox.fm/a7/9a/98/b5831ceed9bf115bb3477fbbf1259a734f_scaled_v1_400.jpg "Dan Porter [#50]: Building Overtime into an IP Powerhouse for the Next Generation of Sports Fans")
![Siobhan Cassidy [#48]: Why CHANEL Sponsored The Boat Race](https://s3.castbox.fm/8f/c0/45/b6dc9fa4587bac8bc33301a6d01f0275e8_scaled_v1_400.jpg "Siobhan Cassidy [#48]: Why CHANEL Sponsored The Boat Race")
![Emily Heath [#47]: Leveraging a Global Brand to Get Girls Moving](https://s3.castbox.fm/ba/a7/1c/7a44e3d61b92f07e218013f9a76d0bd204_scaled_v1_400.jpg "Emily Heath [#47]: Leveraging a Global Brand to Get Girls Moving")
![Brett Gosper [#46]: Taking the NFL, International](https://s3.castbox.fm/69/90/01/61c6216f9248780135642e0c8b5ccb3a7c_scaled_v1_400.jpg "Brett Gosper [#46]: Taking the NFL, International")
![Michael Yormark [#49]: Empowering Vini Jr and Siya Kolisi's Purpose-Led Approach](https://s3.castbox.fm/ec/1e/8c/587d2536d821722e895e6ed98fe9a53cc8_scaled_v1_400.jpg "Michael Yormark [#49]: Empowering Vini Jr and Siya Kolisi's Purpose-Led Approach")
![Roddy Campbell [#45]: Transforming the Australian Open into the 'Super Bowl of APAC'](https://s3.castbox.fm/8a/d2/bf/00a641c766b1939ec4e72557fa48b7be69_scaled_v1_400.jpg "Roddy Campbell [#45]: Transforming the Australian Open into the 'Super Bowl of APAC'")
![Olga Correia [#44]: Why Sport Must Embrace Hybrid Reality Formats Like supertri-E](https://s3.castbox.fm/d9/16/1e/278aa15a0a3ff133a734089b72b9ddb9d0_scaled_v1_400.jpg "Olga Correia [#44]: Why Sport Must Embrace Hybrid Reality Formats Like supertri-E")
![Jessica Hammond-Graf [#43]: Launching a Professional Women's Rugby League in the U.S.](https://s3.castbox.fm/4f/cb/13/dca4ca269a4d6338a1ee7a9496892276d2_scaled_v1_400.jpg "Jessica Hammond-Graf [#43]: Launching a Professional Women's Rugby League in the U.S.")
![Dr Susie Tomson [#41]: Being Sustainable Doesn't Need to Mean Doing Less](https://s3.castbox.fm/87/2c/0a/255bfcd85a8fc57310359a97792a879073_scaled_v1_400.jpg "Dr Susie Tomson [#41]: Being Sustainable Doesn't Need to Mean Doing Less")
United States
