Sarah Horrocks is the founder of PALAIR, a London-based brand making premium padel and activewear for women and men, designed to be worn on and off the court.
The company took the label to the US in March 2025 with a week of events in Miami built around The Show Miami trade fair, according to its own announcement. Last month she was at the Sci-Mx Padel Series at Manchester Padel Club in Stockport, where she was reported as heading up the Padel Foundation, a registered charity working to bring the sport to communities that need it most. She tells Business Matters how a sport she discovered in 2023 became a business, and why a background in recruitment has proved more useful than she expected.
What do you currently do at PALAIR?
I am the Founder and CEO, responsible for driving the vision, strategy and growth of the brand. I am very hands-on, as I am running the brand solo.
My role spans product, brand positioning, partnerships, marketing and commercial growth. As a very early-stage company, I am involved in everything from the big picture strategy to the day-to-day detail, building the brand and creating opportunities for long-term growth.
I have found this extremely useful for understanding the whole business, and the challenges and opportunities within each area.
What was the inspiration behind your business?
The inspiration really came from my own lifestyle. I fell in love with padel in 2023 when I discovered the sport at my local tennis club, and I am someone who practically lives in activewear unless I am going out in the evening.
I always felt there was a gap. I loved the comfort and functionality, but I did not always want to look like I was dressed for the gym.
I wanted to create something that brought those two worlds together: pieces you can genuinely move and play in, but that also feel stylish and considered enough to become part of your everyday wardrobe. The idea was to take you from the court into the rest of your day without feeling like you need to change.
Who do you admire?
I do not think there is one individual person I would say I admire. I am inspired by lots of people, but I really admire anyone who works incredibly hard for what they want, and especially women who genuinely support and champion other women.
Since starting this business, I have experienced first hand how generous people can be with their time, advice and support. I have had people help me when they absolutely did not have to, simply because they wanted to see me succeed, and I will always be incredibly grateful for that.
I suppose those are the people I admire most: the ones who work hard for their own success but still make the time to lift others up along the way. As I grow the business, I would love to be able to do the same for others.
Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently?
Absolutely, but I think that is part of building any business, especially in an industry you are learning as you go. I am hoping I will look back and laugh at some of the things that have happened. There are definitely decisions I would make differently now, simply because I know more than I did when I started.
Building a fashion brand has taught me that there is a huge difference between having a great idea and actually bringing it to life. You make decisions, some work and some do not, and you learn very quickly from both.
I am also very conscious that I am still building the business, and I certainly do not feel like I have “made it” yet. Ask me again in a few years and I am sure I will have a much longer answer.
What defines your way of doing business?
Hard work and relationships are probably at the heart of it. I really believe in treating people well and building genuine, long-term relationships, whether that is with customers or the people I work with.
I am also very intentional about having high standards. If I am going to put my time, energy or name behind something, I want it to be done properly. I care about the details, I am not afraid to challenge people, and I want to work with people who have that same drive to make something the best it can be.
I will always expect a lot from the people around me, because that is what I put in myself, and I want to share the journey with those people.
What advice would you give to someone starting out?
Just go for it. I had no experience in either the fashion or sports industry when I started. My background was in recruitment, so there was a huge amount I did not know, and I am still learning every day. I quickly realised that you do not have to have all the answers at the beginning. You learn so much by actually doing it.
What I did have were transferable skills. Recruitment taught me how to build relationships, network, communicate with people and not be afraid to pick up the phone and ask for help. Those skills have been invaluable in building the business.
I think sometimes we all focus too much on the experience we do not have, rather than recognising what we can bring from somewhere else. I still do not feel ready some days and I have made mistakes, but I think that would happen even if I had industry experience, and that is all part of it.
