Every industry has its rules, or unspoken expectations about how things “should” be done. But if you play by the same rules as everyone else, you get the same results they do.
Jesse Cole built his success by doing the opposite of “should.”
When he bought a small collegiate baseball team in Savannah, Georgia, he didn’t just want to sell tickets. He wanted to create something unforgettable. The result was the Savannah Bananas, a baseball experience that’s part game, part spectacle, and 100% joy.
Imagine players dancing on the field, dads in Mandalorian helmets performing halftime routines, and grandmas (known as the Banana Nanas!) stealing the spotlight. Every inning is designed to surprise and delight.Jesse’s revolution built on one principle: Fans First.
The Fans First Philosophy
At the heart of this approach is a simple question:
“What’s best for the fan?”
That question drives every decision. Ticket prices stayed affordable. Fees disappeared. Every guest could enjoy unlimited food and drinks. Sponsors were limited to protect the experience. Even their ticketing platform was built in-house to eliminate hidden costs.
The goal? Make every fan feel seen, appreciated, and part of something they couldn’t wait to share.
Fans First is both a mindset shift and a business strategy. When you design experiences around the people you serve, loyalty and word-of-mouth take care of themselves.
Find Your Yellow Tuxy
Jesse is known for his bright yellow tuxedo. At first, it was a quirky idea to stand out, but it became a symbol of something deeper: authenticity, fun, and boldness.
He calls it “finding your yellow tux.” It’s about identifying what makes you unmistakably you, the thing that captures your spirit and values, and owning it unapologetically.
For Jesse, it’s the tux.
For Stephanie Scheller, founder of Grow Disrupt, it’s the violin, an emblem of creativity, elegance, and performance that sets her apart.The key is that your “yellow tux” isn’t about attention for attention’s sake. It’s about doing something meaningful that amplifies who you are and what you stand for.
Attention Beats Marketing
Jesse often says, “Marketing is what you say. Attention is what people remember.”
The Savannah Bananas don’t rely on traditional ads. They create moments worth talking about and stories fans can’t wait to retell. Every dance, every laugh, every surprise is part of a bigger narrative that travels further than any campaign budget could reach.
So don’t just market your business. Make it memorable. Create experiences that your customers want to share.
Turning Customers into Fans
When someone interacts with your business, are they impressed…or are they inspired?
That’s the Fans First difference. It’s the shift from “how do I sell more?” to “how do I make people fall in love with what we do?”
When customers feel like fans, you don’t have to chase attention. It comes to you.
Learn How to Find Your Yellow Tu
Grow Disrupt’s own Stephanie Scheller has spent five days learning directly from Jesse Cole. The lessons she took away have reshaped how she leads, markets, and creates experiences that stick.
At The Reflect, Stephanie will share never-before-shared insights from those conversations; practical ways to “yellow-tux” yourself, your business, and your customer experience.
If you’re ready to stop competing and start captivating…
to create a business people can’t stop talking about…
…this is where it starts.