About the business

• Industry: Youth Sports & Empowerment  

• Location: San Francisco Bay Area, CA  

• Annual Reach: ~1,000 girls per year  

• Founded: 2014  

• Structure: Nonprofit (with for-profit arm added in 2022)

The challenges

Bre Russell’s journey began on the soccer field and took her worldwide. After a transformative experience in the Peace Corps, where she built a championship women’s soccer team in Vanuatu-Bre, she returned to the Bay Area and was determined to empower girls through sports. She founded Girls Leading Goals to keep girls engaged in soccer, develop women coaches, and provide underserved youth with access to the game and its life-changing lessons.

Over nearly a decade, the organization grew from nine teams to a dual nonprofit/for-profit model, reaching thousands of girls. But after years of growth, a global pandemic, and a personal desire to start a family and help other entrepreneurs, Bre faced a new challenge: how to step away from her creation on her terms, ensuring its mission would continue and her legacy would endure.

Why Baton?

After years of hands-on leadership, Bre had built a strong team and streamlined operations so the business could run without her. As she considered her next chapter, she sought guidance from her network and was introduced to Baton by Alexis Grant, a fellow entrepreneur.

Bre spoke with several brokers, but Baton stood out for three key reasons:

1. Personal Connection: “You were more personable… character matters.”

2. Alignment of Vision: “You understood what I was trying to do.”

3. Expertise & Transparency: “You were knowledgeable, professional, and reasonably priced.”

With a clear, supportive process and a focus on her goals, Bre felt that Baton was the right partner to guide her through the sale.

From “hello” to close

Bre’s journey with Baton began in 2023, after she’d ensured Girls Leading Goals could thrive without her daily involvement. Here’s how the process unfolded:

1. Preparation: Bre created a list of “must-haves” and “nice-to-haves” for her ideal buyer, ensuring her organization’s mission would be protected.

2. Listing & Outreach: Baton helped package the business, gathered financials, and launched a targeted outreach to qualified buyers.

3. Buyer Interest: “I talked to maybe six or seven interested buyers. In the end, we got three LOIs-three serious letters of intent.”

4. Decision: Bre selected a family with two young daughters and strong business acumen. “They checked all the must-haves and a few nice-to-haves. I thought they were the best candidate to run it without me.”

5. Support: Throughout the process, Baton was a sounding board-helping Bre navigate offers, buyer conversations, and the emotional rollercoaster of selling a business.
   

“The process was pretty seamless… very helpful just being able to pick up the phone and chat. Baton was a great sounding board for me.”

The Most Surprising Part  

“The last 48 hours before the agreement was finalized were intense—every minute felt emotional, even through the night. And after the sale, the transition period was really challenging as an entrepreneur. Not enough people talk about that part.”

Advice for other owners

• Plan for After the Sale: “Think about the transition period after you sell and go through all the possible scenarios. You’re focused on the before, but the after is just as important.”

• Get the Right Help: “Work with someone who’s done it before. I had a coach, but she hadn’t sold a business herself. Having someone with that experience would have helped.”

• Know What You Want: “Write down your must-haves and nice-to-haves for a buyer before you start.”
  

What’s next for Bre?

Bre now serves as a business advisor with Cultivate Advisors and runs her agency, FemThrive, supporting women founders and small business owners. Her focus: helping entrepreneurs understand their business’s value and plan for a successful exit—because, as she says, “One day you will exit, whether you want to or not.”