- Story by Tess Van Straaten Photography by Don Denton

Stepping into SPAR香蕉视频直播檚 downtown Victoria workout studio for the first time, I feel like I香蕉视频直播檓 in a night club. And that香蕉视频直播檚 exactly the point.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e doing a 香蕉视频直播榝ight club meets night club香蕉视频直播� atmosphere,香蕉视频直播� explains SPAR co-founder Victoria Courtnall. 香蕉视频直播淵ou box to the beat of the music.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淲e want to make it as fun an experience for our clients as possible while still giving them a challenging, badass workout that gets the heart rate up and incorporates core and lower body exercises for a full body workout,香蕉视频直播� adds SPAR co-founder Hayley Gustavson. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 also therapy for some people because you can take your aggression out on the bag.香蕉视频直播�

The boxing-inspired group fitness studio opened in May, after Hayley and Victoria pedalled their way to success with two SPINCO studios. The pair, both Oak Bay High School grads, launched SPINCO Victoria almost three years ago and opened a second studio in Langford in January.

香蕉视频直播淲e both wanted to get into the fitness world and we both had our own ideas about how that would look but we thought we香蕉视频直播檇 be stronger together than apart and that香蕉视频直播檚 definitely been true,香蕉视频直播� 29-year-old Hayley explains.

Both women played team sports growing up and are clearly passionate about fitness.

香蕉视频直播淚 love going to the boutique fitness studios, which I think Victoria was definitely lacking. My husband (Bruce Courtnall) and I both do road cycling so I always was into cycling and spin as well,香蕉视频直播� the 32-year-old Victorian says.

香蕉视频直播淚 think fitness just brings well-being to everybody香蕉视频直播檚 life and it香蕉视频直播檚 so enriching and enhancing and such a journey for everybody 香蕉视频直播� and it香蕉视频直播檚 different for everybody,香蕉视频直播� adds Hayley. 香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檝e seen it be such a positive thing in my life, it香蕉视频直播檚 hard not to be passionate about it.香蕉视频直播�

When they first started talking about going into business together, Hayley and Victoria punched out ideas on the boxing concept but say they settled on spin instead because it was the safer bet for their first foray into the fitness business.

香蕉视频直播淏oxing was somewhat untouched at the time, even in the US, so we thought let香蕉视频直播檚 get into the market in Victoria with something that香蕉视频直播檚 a proven concept and learn from that,香蕉视频直播� Hayley explains. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 great to be part of a franchise that has such great brand recognition across Canada right now and we got to figure out the nitty-gritty details of what it means to own a fitness studio.香蕉视频直播�

But even as they built the SPINCO business, they always had a bigger plan in mind.

香蕉视频直播淚t was really important for Hayley and me, from the beginning, to have our own brand,香蕉视频直播� Victoria says. 香蕉视频直播淲e looked at developing spin on our own but I think it worked out really well to have the experience of the franchise and then build on that to branch out on our own.香蕉视频直播�

For Victoria, who was a mortgage broker, and Hayley, who had her own catering business in Kelowna, the biggest business challenge has been learning how to manage so many people.

香蕉视频直播淚t was a part of the business we really didn香蕉视频直播檛 expect to take up so much time,香蕉视频直播� Hayley explains. 香蕉视频直播淏ut it香蕉视频直播檚 been so lovely working with all of our trainers and front desk staff and we香蕉视频直播檝e brought friends onboard. Balancing those relationships has been a learning curve and you want to make sure everyone stays happy.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淚 think we香蕉视频直播檝e been able to overcome that by building an incredible team, over time, that embodies our vision and executes it on a daily basis,香蕉视频直播� Victoria adds, who says they learn something new every day. 香蕉视频直播淭he biggest thing we香蕉视频直播檝e learned through all of this is that there is always more to learn because the moment you stop learning, you stop improving and we constantly want to be improving.香蕉视频直播�

But the entrepreneurs, both young mothers, say by far the greatest challenge is the work-life balance and trying to grow their families while growing their business.

香蕉视频直播淚n this period of starting the businesses, Hayley香蕉视频直播檚 had two kids and I香蕉视频直播檝e had a baby and I香蕉视频直播檓 pregnant again,香蕉视频直播� says Victoria, who is due with her second child in October.

香蕉视频直播淟iterally, one of us has always been pregnant since we started this,香蕉视频直播� laughs Hayley. 香蕉视频直播淪o trying to find the balance between having a really amazing opportunity and career in front of us 香蕉视频直播� being able to do exactly what we love 香蕉视频直播� and being able to spend time with our families and nurture those relationships as well is a big balancing act.香蕉视频直播�

For Hayley, who香蕉视频直播檚 married to business guru Peter Gustavson香蕉视频直播檚 son, Matthew, having expert advice close at hand has definitely been a big help.

香蕉视频直播淚 get really, really great business advice from my father-in-law,香蕉视频直播� she laughs. 香蕉视频直播淪ometimes I like to think I might know more than I do, and then I realize he香蕉视频直播檚 always right.香蕉视频直播�

So what香蕉视频直播檚 the best advice he香蕉视频直播檚 given her?

香蕉视频直播淭o always think about working on the business and not getting tied up working in the business,香蕉视频直播� Hayley says. 香蕉视频直播淧eter constantly wants us to grow and the only way to do that is to be working on the business and not in the business.香蕉视频直播�

For both women, marrying into famous families has been positive when it comes to name recognition, but it can also have its drawbacks.

香蕉视频直播淭he Courtnall name brings a reputation of being athletic, so that香蕉视频直播檚 certainly helped us, but people always just assume it香蕉视频直播檚 our husbands香蕉视频直播� business,香蕉视频直播� Victoria says. 香蕉视频直播淭hey香蕉视频直播檙e very supportive husbands but they香蕉视频直播檙e not involved in the business.香蕉视频直播�

Giving back to the community is also important for Victoria and Hayley, who grew up here. Both businesses have a weekly charity class, with all the proceeds going to different causes. SPINCO香蕉视频直播檚 is a 香蕉视频直播楽pin it Forward香蕉视频直播� ride and SPAR has 香蕉视频直播楶unch for a Purpose.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 also a discounted class so people get a chance to try it for half price and they get to feel good about it because they香蕉视频直播檙e helping a charity,香蕉视频直播� Victoria explains.

As this dynamic duo muscles their way to even greater success, they plan to take SPAR across the country. But they know it won香蕉视频直播檛 be easy.

香蕉视频直播淎 good friend of mine always says: 香蕉视频直播楪et comfortable with being uncomfortable. It香蕉视频直播檚 the only way you learn and grow,香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈�� Victoria says.

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