- Story by Tess Van Straaten Photography by Don Denton

Stepping into SPAR害羞草研究所檚 downtown Victoria workout studio for the first time, I feel like I害羞草研究所檓 in a night club. And that害羞草研究所檚 exactly the point.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e doing a 害羞草研究所榝ight club meets night club害羞草研究所� atmosphere,害羞草研究所� explains SPAR co-founder Victoria Courtnall. 害羞草研究所淵ou box to the beat of the music.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淲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,害羞草研究所� adds SPAR co-founder Hayley Gustavson. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 also therapy for some people because you can take your aggression out on the bag.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淲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害羞草研究所檇 be stronger together than apart and that害羞草研究所檚 definitely been true,害羞草研究所� 29-year-old Hayley explains.

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

害羞草研究所淚 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,害羞草研究所� the 32-year-old Victorian says.

害羞草研究所淚 think fitness just brings well-being to everybody害羞草研究所檚 life and it害羞草研究所檚 so enriching and enhancing and such a journey for everybody 害羞草研究所� and it害羞草研究所檚 different for everybody,害羞草研究所� adds Hayley. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e seen it be such a positive thing in my life, it害羞草研究所檚 hard not to be passionate about it.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淏oxing was somewhat untouched at the time, even in the US, so we thought let害羞草研究所檚 get into the market in Victoria with something that害羞草研究所檚 a proven concept and learn from that,害羞草研究所� Hayley explains. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 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.害羞草研究所�

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

害羞草研究所淚t was really important for Hayley and me, from the beginning, to have our own brand,害羞草研究所� Victoria says. 害羞草研究所淲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.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淚t was a part of the business we really didn害羞草研究所檛 expect to take up so much time,害羞草研究所� Hayley explains. 害羞草研究所淏ut it害羞草研究所檚 been so lovely working with all of our trainers and front desk staff and we害羞草研究所檝e brought friends onboard. Balancing those relationships has been a learning curve and you want to make sure everyone stays happy.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚 think we害羞草研究所檝e been able to overcome that by building an incredible team, over time, that embodies our vision and executes it on a daily basis,害羞草研究所� Victoria adds, who says they learn something new every day. 害羞草研究所淭he biggest thing we害羞草研究所檝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.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淚n this period of starting the businesses, Hayley害羞草研究所檚 had two kids and I害羞草研究所檝e had a baby and I害羞草研究所檓 pregnant again,害羞草研究所� says Victoria, who is due with her second child in October.

害羞草研究所淟iterally, one of us has always been pregnant since we started this,害羞草研究所� laughs Hayley. 害羞草研究所淪o trying to find the balance between having a really amazing opportunity and career in front of us 害羞草研究所� being able to do exactly what we love 害羞草研究所� and being able to spend time with our families and nurture those relationships as well is a big balancing act.害羞草研究所�

For Hayley, who害羞草研究所檚 married to business guru Peter Gustavson害羞草研究所檚 son, Matthew, having expert advice close at hand has definitely been a big help.

害羞草研究所淚 get really, really great business advice from my father-in-law,害羞草研究所� she laughs. 害羞草研究所淪ometimes I like to think I might know more than I do, and then I realize he害羞草研究所檚 always right.害羞草研究所�

So what害羞草研究所檚 the best advice he害羞草研究所檚 given her?

害羞草研究所淭o always think about working on the business and not getting tied up working in the business,害羞草研究所� Hayley says. 害羞草研究所淧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.害羞草研究所�

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

害羞草研究所淭he Courtnall name brings a reputation of being athletic, so that害羞草研究所檚 certainly helped us, but people always just assume it害羞草研究所檚 our husbands害羞草研究所� business,害羞草研究所� Victoria says. 害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e very supportive husbands but they害羞草研究所檙e not involved in the business.害羞草研究所�

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害羞草研究所檚 is a 害羞草研究所楽pin it Forward害羞草研究所� ride and SPAR has 害羞草研究所楶unch for a Purpose.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 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害羞草研究所檙e helping a charity,害羞草研究所� 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害羞草研究所檛 be easy.

害羞草研究所淎 good friend of mine always says: 害羞草研究所楪et comfortable with being uncomfortable. It害羞草研究所檚 the only way you learn and grow,害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 Victoria says.

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