- Story by Tess Van Straaten Photography by Don Denton

Stepping into SPARB次元官网网址檚 downtown Victoria workout studio for the first time, I feel like IB次元官网网址檓 in a night club. And thatB次元官网网址檚 exactly the point.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e doing a B次元官网网址榝ight club meets night clubB次元官网网址� atmosphere,B次元官网网址� explains SPAR co-founder Victoria Courtnall. B次元官网网址淵ou box to the beat of the music.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淲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,B次元官网网址� adds SPAR co-founder Hayley Gustavson. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 also therapy for some people because you can take your aggression out on the bag.B次元官网网址�

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.

B次元官网网址淲e both wanted to get into the fitness world and we both had our own ideas about how that would look but we thought weB次元官网网址檇 be stronger together than apart and thatB次元官网网址檚 definitely been true,B次元官网网址� 29-year-old Hayley explains.

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

B次元官网网址淚 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,B次元官网网址� the 32-year-old Victorian says.

B次元官网网址淚 think fitness just brings well-being to everybodyB次元官网网址檚 life and itB次元官网网址檚 so enriching and enhancing and such a journey for everybody B次元官网网址� and itB次元官网网址檚 different for everybody,B次元官网网址� adds Hayley. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e seen it be such a positive thing in my life, itB次元官网网址檚 hard not to be passionate about it.B次元官网网址�

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.

B次元官网网址淏oxing was somewhat untouched at the time, even in the US, so we thought letB次元官网网址檚 get into the market in Victoria with something thatB次元官网网址檚 a proven concept and learn from that,B次元官网网址� Hayley explains. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 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.B次元官网网址�

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

B次元官网网址淚t was really important for Hayley and me, from the beginning, to have our own brand,B次元官网网址� Victoria says. B次元官网网址淲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.B次元官网网址�

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.

B次元官网网址淚t was a part of the business we really didnB次元官网网址檛 expect to take up so much time,B次元官网网址� Hayley explains. B次元官网网址淏ut itB次元官网网址檚 been so lovely working with all of our trainers and front desk staff and weB次元官网网址檝e brought friends onboard. Balancing those relationships has been a learning curve and you want to make sure everyone stays happy.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚 think weB次元官网网址檝e been able to overcome that by building an incredible team, over time, that embodies our vision and executes it on a daily basis,B次元官网网址� Victoria adds, who says they learn something new every day. B次元官网网址淭he biggest thing weB次元官网网址檝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.B次元官网网址�

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.

B次元官网网址淚n this period of starting the businesses, HayleyB次元官网网址檚 had two kids and IB次元官网网址檝e had a baby and IB次元官网网址檓 pregnant again,B次元官网网址� says Victoria, who is due with her second child in October.

B次元官网网址淟iterally, one of us has always been pregnant since we started this,B次元官网网址� laughs Hayley. B次元官网网址淪o trying to find the balance between having a really amazing opportunity and career in front of us B次元官网网址� being able to do exactly what we love B次元官网网址� and being able to spend time with our families and nurture those relationships as well is a big balancing act.B次元官网网址�

For Hayley, whoB次元官网网址檚 married to business guru Peter GustavsonB次元官网网址檚 son, Matthew, having expert advice close at hand has definitely been a big help.

B次元官网网址淚 get really, really great business advice from my father-in-law,B次元官网网址� she laughs. B次元官网网址淪ometimes I like to think I might know more than I do, and then I realize heB次元官网网址檚 always right.B次元官网网址�

So whatB次元官网网址檚 the best advice heB次元官网网址檚 given her?

B次元官网网址淭o always think about working on the business and not getting tied up working in the business,B次元官网网址� Hayley says. B次元官网网址淧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.B次元官网网址�

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

B次元官网网址淭he Courtnall name brings a reputation of being athletic, so thatB次元官网网址檚 certainly helped us, but people always just assume itB次元官网网址檚 our husbandsB次元官网网址� business,B次元官网网址� Victoria says. B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e very supportive husbands but theyB次元官网网址檙e not involved in the business.B次元官网网址�

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. SPINCOB次元官网网址檚 is a B次元官网网址楽pin it ForwardB次元官网网址� ride and SPAR has B次元官网网址楶unch for a Purpose.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 also a discounted class so people get a chance to try it for half price and they get to feel good about it because theyB次元官网网址檙e helping a charity,B次元官网网址� 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 wonB次元官网网址檛 be easy.

B次元官网网址淎 good friend of mine always says: B次元官网网址楪et comfortable with being uncomfortable. ItB次元官网网址檚 the only way you learn and grow,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� Victoria says.

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