Known for Making People Faster - EVOQ. BIKE
Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in athletic development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Brendan Housler, co-founder, and President of EVOQ.BIKE, located in Blowing Rock, NC, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
EVOQ.BIKE is a cycling coaching and media company that provides one-on-one coaching to cyclists looking to tackle their next big event, whether that be their first Gran Fondo or a national championship! The business reaches hundreds of thousands of cyclists via its blog, daily podcast, and social content posts.
Tell us about yourself
I have coached athletes since 2010, but it was always just as a side hustle to my main job in Medical Device Spine Sales. In 2018 I started to get burned out after 13 years in the spine industry and was looking around for something new to light my fire from a career standpoint. With a small coaching business already rolling, I decided to take a crack at making this more than just a local coaching venture. I took some SEO classes, started a website, started blogging heavily, and answered questions for athletes in any forum that I could get in. Word slowly spread about what I was doing, and we started to get inquiries from around the globe for coaching. EVOQ.BIKE now has athletes in the US, Canada, and Europe!
I'm motivated by not only helping the cycling community from my experience with training and racing for over 150,000 miles but also excited to help the EVOQ.BIKE coaches create a career in the cycling industry.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I feel most proud of taking a side hustle and turning it into a successful business by leveraging social media and content creation to reach a large number of cyclists. I'm proud that I can provide for my family by being active in the cycling industry, and I'm excited for big leaps forward over the next decade!
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Some days you might feel a bit alone or isolated, wondering if you're doing all the right things. I find it helpful to remind myself why I started this venture and to imagine where I want it to go. Am I feeling motivated and hungry to get there? It's easy to look around at what everyone else is doing and wonder if I should be doing that too! I shouldn't; I should follow my path.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- If you love the thing that you're trying to turn into a business, you'll find a way to make it successful. Don't do it for a quick buck; it's not sustainable.
- Hire for what you aren't good at, even when money is tight. Invest back in your business; your time is extremely valuable.
- Focus on building up your brand and business as opposed to being worried about what your competition is doing. You'll be more engaged with projects that you truly want to do as opposed to things you feel like you have to do. Your authentic excitement will shine through to potential customers.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Don't have paralysis from over-analysis. Launch it TODAY. Start an Instagram page, get Facebook set up, and Post Content. Don't worry if the website isn't PERFECT. You know what's perfect? Good enough. LAUNCH IT.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.evoq.bike/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bhousler
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brendanhousler/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/brendanhousler
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanhousler/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.