Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and fitness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Hutter Black, Owner of Spenga Chapel Hill, located in Chapel Hill, NC, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

SPENGA- a fitness franchise. SPENGA is a boutique fitness studio, and our main session combines 20 minutes of spinning, 20 minutes of strength training, and 20 minutes of yoga. Our combination gives you everything you need in one session- cardio, strength, and flexibility.

Most fitness concepts fail to give their clients a proper recovery at the end of their sessions. At SPENGA, you will never leave without getting a proper stretch in! Aside from the fitness aspect, we have an AWESOME community of like-minded individuals. One of our main focuses is creating a space where people work out to feel good!

Tell us about yourself

My sister and I own the studio together. We have always been huge consumers of group fitness, and it was always a dream of ours to open our own studio. We were both working for a large franchise on the corporate side. Through this experience, we realized that it would be possible for us to open our own studio. We heard about SPENGA when only just a few studios were open, and we knew it was the perfect opportunity to get in on a new concept. While it has been a challenging time to be in the fitness industry, we are motivated every day to keep going by our awesome staff and members.

Seeing the difference working out can make in someone's day is awesome. Not only is working out good for you physically, but mentally it is a game changer. Also, seeing a community come together and watching our staff and clients become friends has been a huge motivator. Knowing you have created a space for people to escape their everyday reality is extremely rewarding.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

This is a hard one to answer when you see accomplishment as getting to a place where you are succeeding financially. The past two years have been a roller coaster of masks, no masks, covid outbreak, no covid, back and forth, and on top of all the other regular challenges, you face as a business owner. I think our biggest accomplishment would be the fact that we have made it through it all with a smile on our faces!

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Managing people! It is hard to be a people pleaser and still know how to draw the line. One of the toughest things I have to do in my life.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Hire people who care about what you are doing.
  2. Do not let the little stuff bother you- problems come up every day, and you will spend every hour of the day stressing if you worry about little problems!
  3. Do not hold onto employees if you are questioning them. End it before their problems spread to other team members!

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Whatever you do for your business, make sure it is something you are passionate about. When the goings get tough, you want to be dedicated to your cause! Treat your employees well. Their happiness determines your success!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://chapelhillnc.spenga.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spengachapelhill/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spengachapelhill/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hutter-black-b6a628126/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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