Inside Gold Athletics’ Merchant Team — What Makes Our Gold Cards Stand Out
- Gold Athletics
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
Turning Fundraisers into Game-Changers: How the Gold Athletics Card Became a Powerhouse Product
At Gold Athletics, fundraising is more than just raising money — it’s about creating real value for athletes, families, communities, and supporters. Our model is built around the idea that when you combine team pride with everyday savings, everybody wins.
In today’s world, discount cards and digital offers are everywhere. From cookie-cutter coupon books to “discount” apps loaded with expired deals, the space is saturated — and not all discount cards are created equal.
So what makes a Gold Athletics Gold Card so effective, so trusted, and so consistently valuable to supporters and local businesses alike?
Meet the secret sauce behind it all: Julie Ross and Amanda Delage — the powerhouse duo leading our Merchant Services Team. These two don’t just make the phone calls. They build relationships with local businesses, track down hometown favorites, ensure every deal is verified, and help create a product that families actually want to use.
Let’s go behind the scenes to see how it all works.
MEET THE MERCHANT TEAM
A Closer Look at Julie
As the Director of Merchant Services, Julie runs the show. She manages a team of callers, tracks deadlines, works closely with sales representatives and coaches, and ensures each Gold Card product is completed on time with the right number of quality, approved local offers. Accuracy is non-negotiable.
“My main job in this department is get all discount products completed on time with the correct amount of businesses signed up to participate,” Julie says. “This includes managing a team of callers who reach out to the businesses, working with sales reps who share information about the team from the coach or boosters so we know which businesses they would love to have on their products, and making sure our records are accurate so all merchant information is correct on each product.”
Spotlight on Amanda
Amanda, our Merchant Services Manager, is the voice local businesses know and love. She’s the one reaching out directly — explaining the benefits of participating in a fundraiser, gathering offers, and making sure beloved businesses return season after season.
“My Job on the Merchant team is to contact local businesses to see if they would be interested in participating on a fundraiser for their local area sports teams!” Amanda explains. “We like to call it a Win-Win. FREE Advertisement while also showing that you support the local sports teams!”
She also handles resigning business — getting repeat businesses back on the card year after year. And supporters notice.
“I know that the supporters love to see the repeat businesses they love so much!”
BEHIND THE SCENES: How Businesses Get Added to a Gold Athletics Card
The Outreach Process
The Merchant Team doesn’t rely on mass emails or scraped online data. Every business is contacted directly — typically through phone calls and personalized follow-ups.
Amanda says, “Usually, it takes a few times to get the decision maker on the phone. Restaurants are always busy so sadly, there is never a great time to call. If I were to get the decision maker on the phone I would give the highlighted points of our products.
Discount is their choice, cards are multi-use and valid for a year, and it doesn’t cost anything to participate on! Coupon books are discount is their choice just has to be at least $5 value, 2-4 single use coupons, and the books are valid for a year!” If the owner is swamped, Amanda follows up with a custom email.
Logging & Tracking in Real-Time
Every interaction is logged in HubSpot, the CRM platform used by the entire Merchant Services team. From initial call attempts to final offer terms, everything is documented — making it seamless for follow-ups and quality control.
Julie says, “The main process is to call or email the decision maker. We explain the product to them, how it works and how they can be involved.
Quality Control: No Offer Goes Live Without It
Before anything hits the card or the Gold Athletics app, it’s been vetted and confirmed.
“ We keep records in a database that includes that person’s name, email, phone number and we add their offer, any exclusions and the expiration date of that offer into the record and link it to the team.”
Deals are reviewed at least annually — often more — to make sure supporters aren’t left with a product full of broken promises.
INTRODUCING GOLDDEALS+: Nationwide Savings, Always in Your Pocket
What if you could combine local deals with national discounts — all in one place?
That’s exactly what GoldDeals+ delivers. Built into the Gold Athletics App, this platform adds hundreds of everyday-value offers from trusted brands in travel, dining, retail, and entertainment. It’s digital-first, always updated, and always on hand.
Supporters get access to:
Local, hand-curated deals from Julie, Amanda, and the Merchant Team
National discounts through GoldDeals+
Instant savings, whether they’re at home or on the road
Even better? Businesses can join GoldDeals+ anytime — even if no printed card is running in their area.
Julie shares of GoldDeals+, “GD+ is great since nobody forgets their phone but most people forget the card on their kitchen table! The great thing about the app is that any business can sign up to participate at anytime (even if a printed card isn’t being created near them) and they can be live on GD+ immediately!! Free advertising within a day is pretty cool.”
GOLD ATHLETICS CARDS VS. “IMPOSTER” DISCOUNT CARDS
Let’s call it like it is — not all fundraising cards are built the same.
What Competitors Claim
Some companies churn out discount cards with:
Unverified, outdated offers
No real merchant partnerships
Little to no digital integration
No national network
Zero quality control
These cards often look legit — but they leave supporters disappointed when the deals don’t work.
What Gold Athletics Actually Delivers
With Gold Athletics, every card includes:
✅ Real partnerships with approved businesses
✅ Offers tailored to each team’s local community
✅ Access to GoldDeals+ via the GA App
✅ A full-time Merchant Services Team vetting every deal
✅ Ongoing communication and resigns with local merchants
✅ Better offers. More variety. A product people trust
WHY NOT ALL DISCOUNT CARDS ARE CREATED EQUAL
Anyone can print a card — but not everyone does it right.
At Gold Athletics, we believe a fundraising card should be more than a piece of plastic. It should be a product that drives value for local businesses, saves money for supporters, and fuels fundraising goals for teams.
Our secret? A team — led by Julie and Amanda — who are dedicated to doing things the right way.
Integrity. Quality. Real relationships. That’s the GA difference.
THE MERCHANT TEAM DIFFERENCE: Raising the Bar for Fundraisers
Julie and Amanda aren’t just building cards — they’re building connections between teams and their communities. Their work behind the scenes ensures every Gold Athletics fundraiser delivers real value, real savings, and real results.
Want to learn more or bring Gold Athletics to your next fundraiser?