The Average Not Average Podcast

*Please note: Linus' video often freezes throughout the episode due to connection issues. We apologise for the technical difficulties and appreciate your understanding!

In this episode of The Average Not Average Podcast, CK Yew and Viktor Axelsen sit down with Linus Sebastian — founder of Linus Tech Tips and Linus Media Group — to talk badminton and business.

Linus and his wife Yvonne opened Smash Champs, a high-end badminton centre in Surrey, BC, Canada. We explore why he entered the badminton industry, what it takes to build and run a large-scale sports facility, and how it compares to running one of the internet's biggest media operations.

Chapter Timestamps:
00:47 Introduction to Linus Sebastian
04:06 How Linus Discovered Badminton
07:04 Why Badminton Is A Complete Sport
10:18 Badminton’s Potential In North America
13:26 Creating Smash Champs Badminton Club
15:43 Designing The Badminton Facility
19:38 The Challenge Of Drift In Badminton
24:22 Costs Of Building A High-Tech Badminton Club
25:46 Choosing The Right Flooring
27:51 Designing The Right Lighting
31:50 The War Between Contractors
34:46 The True Return On Investment
36:05 Badminton Clubs In Denmark
39:28 The GOAT 2026 Tournament & 15-Point Scoring
41:19 Running A Media Company Vs Smash Champs
42:55 Making Custom Broom Stands
44:58 Why Clubs Should Offer Rental Rackets & Shoes
51:39 Revenue Streams At Smash Champs
53:57 Impact Of The Right Badminton Community
56:47 Business Lessons
01:00:58 From Professional Sport To Entrepreneurship
01:02:40 The Story of Linus Playing Against Viktor Axelsen
01:08:40 Badminton’s Unwritten Rules

Follow us on social media for more content!
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theaveragenotaverage/
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theaveragenotaverage

Keep in touch with CK & Viktor here:
- CK's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@UCkmY5ThPy3GLINI0m06ffaQ
- Viktor's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@UCkuVto4oGsgdEisvXlUaHvg
- CK's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ckyew_official/
- Viktor's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/viktoraxelsen/

You can also find our conversations on:
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0BwlJdllHEuttY24Jbcrz8?si=d5-BYAQkSoG7pMhKdskf4Q
- Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-average-not-average-podcast/id1797766159- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQxuJfUZRhZn4s5SDKoS_Vw

*A quick heads up! Alex and Kestutis’s connection occasionally breaks up throughout the episode, so you may see them come in and out of the frame at certain times. We apologise for the technical issue and appreciate your understanding!

In this exclusive episode of The Average Not Average Podcast, we’re joined by recent 2026 BWF World Champion of men’s singles, Alex Lanier, and his coach Kestutis Navickas. We delve into the victory and preparations leading up to it, the rise of French badminton, and insights behind their success. Tune in to hear all about training, the coach-athlete relationship, mental resilience, equipment, federation support, future goals and more.

Chapter Timestamps:
00:40 Intro & Post-Victory Check-In
03:13 Processing Becoming World Champions
12:10 How The World Title Was Built (Season Plan)
22:51 Staying Ahead Of Opponents
25:48 Support From The French Federation
33:12 World Championships Reflection
49:59 Reflecting On Alex’s Season
57:34 Alex’s Equipment Of Choice
1:04:22 Post-Championships Attention
1:06:13 Mindset Of Continuous Improvement

Follow us on social media for more content!
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theaveragenotaverage/
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theaveragenotaverage

Keep in touch with CK & Viktor here:
- CK's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@UCkmY5ThPy3GLINI0m06ffaQ
- Viktor's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@UCkuVto4oGsgdEisvXlUaHvg
- CK's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ckyew_official/
- Viktor's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/viktoraxelsen/

You can also find our conversations on:
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0BwlJdllHEuttY24Jbcrz8?si=d5-BYAQkSoG7pMhKdskf4Q
- Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-average-not-average-podcast/id1797766159
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQxuJfUZRhZn4s5SDKoS_Vw

In this episode of The Average Not Average Podcast, CK Yew and Viktor Axelsen sit down with Ben Lee - former Olympian, 9-time US National Champion, founder of Synergy Badminton Academy, and one of the most influential figures in American badminton.

Together, they explore Ben's journey through more than four decades in the sport, from competing at the Olympic Games to building one of North America's leading badminton academies. They discuss the realities of running a successful sports business, growing badminton in the US, sponsorships, facility management, and the lessons Ben has learned from developing players, scaling a business, and helping shape the future of the sport.

Chapter Timestamps:
00:42 Introduction To Ben Lee
03:30 Barcelona 1992 (First Olympic Badminton Appearance)
08:27 London 2012 & How Olympics Has Evolved
11:08 How Synergy Badminton Began & Grew
18:58 Biggest Costs Of Running A Badminton Academy
24:19 Why Passion Matters In Business
25:43 Long-Term Sustainability
30:29 The Team Behind Synergy Badminton
34:02 Scaling Synergy Badminton
39:40 Badminton Clubs In Europe
45:53 How Badminton Clubs Make Profit
47:16 Misconceptions Of Running An Academy
48:25 How To Balance Family, Life & Business Together
53:54 Costs & Considerations Of Setting Up A Badminton Facility
57:12 Quality Control & Maintaining Playing Surfaces
1:03:27 How Badminton Synergy Evolved
1:07:52 CK’s Path To Badminton Media
1:11:56 When Ben Started Synergy
1:12:40 Sponsorships & Player Support

Follow us on social media for more content!
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theaveragenotaverage/
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theaveragenotaverage

Keep in touch with CK & Viktor here:
- CK's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@UCkmY5ThPy3GLINI0m06ffaQ
- Viktor's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@UCkuVto4oGsgdEisvXlUaHvg
- CK's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ckyew_official/
- Viktor's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/viktoraxelsen/

You can also find our conversations on:
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0BwlJdllHEuttY24Jbcrz8?si=d5-BYAQkSoG7pMhKdskf4Q
- Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-average-not-average-podcast/id1797766159
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQxuJfUZRhZn4s5SDKoS_Vw

In this episode of The Average Not Average Podcast, CK Yew and Viktor Axelsen sit down with Sports Psychologist, Muhammad Deen, who shares insights on high performance psychology, mental resilience, and applying sports psychology principles to everyday life and leadership. They discuss mental resilience, cultural differences, and practical strategies for managing pressure, developing self-awareness, raising young athletes, and building trust within teams.
To learn more about Muhammad’s work, check out his website here: https://www.mdperformpsych.com/

Chapter Timestamps:
00:39 Introduction to Muhammad Deen
03:47 How Muhammad & Viktor Met
05:58 Journey to Sports Psychology
10:30 Cultural Differences & Emotional Openness
16:30 Parents, Pressure & Junior Athlete Development
26:47 Coping With Sensitive Situations As A Sports Psychologist
31:33 Communication Between Athletes, Coaches & Psychologists
33:23 Trust & Athlete’s Inner Circle
38:40 Handling Pressure & Performance Nerves
47:39 Building Mental Resilience Through Training
49:17 Self-Awareness, Self-Belief & Reflection
59:54 Why Sports Psychology Needs Greater Investment
1:07:47 Where To Find Muhammad
Follow us on social media for more content!
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theaveragenotaverage/
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theaveragenotaverage

Keep in touch with CK & Viktor here:
- CK's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@UCkmY5ThPy3GLINI0m06ffaQ
- Viktor's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@UCkuVto4oGsgdEisvXlUaHvg
- CK's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ckyew_official/
- Viktor's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/viktoraxelsen/

You can also find our conversations on:
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0BwlJdllHEuttY24Jbcrz8?si=d5-BYAQkSoG7pMhKdskf4Q
- Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-average-not-average-podcast/id1797766159
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQxuJfUZRhZn4s5SDKoS_Vw

*A quick heads up! From around 55:00 onwards, Selena's audio occasionally falls out of sync with the video. We apologise for the technical issue and appreciate your understanding!

In this episode of The Average Not Average Podcast, CK Yew sits down with three-time Olympian, Selena Piek. Selena shares her journey of being an elite badminton player to being recently retired from elite sport. Discussions include insights on financial management, career transition, the business side of badminton and how we can grow the sport globally.
Photo Credit For Thumbnail: @badminton.21 (Instagram)

Chapter Timestamps:
00:32 Introduction to Selena Piek & Transitioning Out of Professional Sport
05:50 Financial Realities of Elite Athletes
12:28 Income as an Elite Athlete
19:31 Lessons Learned from Experience
28:55 Negotiating Contracts & Sponsorships
37:00 Growing the Pie: A Better Approach to Negotiation
40:47 The Commercial Landscape of Badminton
45:41 Viktor’s Transparency & Professionalism
51:46 Characteristics of Top Athletes
56:36 Engaging New Audiences in Badminton & Learning From World Cup
1:05:39 Collaborative Efforts for Growth
1:13:30 Commentating Badminton

Follow us on social media for more content!
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theaveragenotaverage/
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theaveragenotaverage

Keep in touch with CK & Viktor here:
- CK's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@UCkmY5ThPy3GLINI0m06ffaQ
- Viktor's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@UCkuVto4oGsgdEisvXlUaHvg
- CK's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ckyew_official/- Viktor's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/viktoraxelsen/

You can also find our conversations on:
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0BwlJdllHEuttY24Jbcrz8?si=d5-BYAQkSoG7pMhKdskf4Q
- Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-average-not-average-podcast/id1797766159
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQxuJfUZRhZn4s5SDKoS_Vw