Hey Everyone! Coach Dana here with Advantedge Goaltending. Below, you will find the third installment in a series of interviews that I have done with female business owners who are finding success in the world of hockey and fitness (you can read my interview with Carrie Keil here and the second with Jenna Corbin here).
In this interview you will meet Laura Slayton one of my friends/teammates/fellow coaches and a personal trainer who runs her own business, LHOP Training Company. Laura works with local hockey teams, fellow hockey players, and youth and adults from all walks of life in her gym with a focus on fitness, nutrition, and committing to personal goals. Although Laura did not play hockey growing up she caught the hockey bug in her 30s and hasn’t looked back since. Her passion for the game has helped to found a women’s only summer hockey league with a very unique format.
The league is called WHAM (Women’s Hockey Across Michigan) and it welcomes women of all skill levels ranging from brand new, all the way to college players who are home for the summer. What makes it possible for such a range in skills to be in one league is the format, which holds a draft skate each summer and ranks players from 1-5 based on their skill level. By allowing players to rank themselves, be evaluated, and having an impartial committee made up of the league’s captains it is possible to form eight competitive teams for weekly games. The emphasis in both the league and the gym with Laura always comes back to self-improvement and positivity. This mindset fosters an environment where her clients consistently reach and exceed their goals and are excited to come to the gym. LHOP also offers bootcamps at different times throughout the year with progress tracking, a fun community feel, and prizes to the winners. All of this adds up to success, both inside and outside of the gym!
DANA: Tell us about your business!
LAURA: LHOP Training Company (Laura’s House of Pain) is the name of my personal training business and was a name rightfully given to me by my clients. I offer a full range of resistance training, weight loss and group classes to satisfy the needs of all fitness levels.
What was your biggest goal with opening your own gym?
As a personal trainer, taking the leap of being on your own says that you believe in yourself and the service you are selling. My biggest goal was to help people and give them the strength, confidence and motivation to realize that anything is possible with hard work.
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
When one of my clients reaches a goal, no matter how big or how small. The smile and the thank you that I receive are extremely rewarding and I believe that I didn’t really do anything except find a way to bring out of them what was already there.
What has been your biggest challenge in making your dream happen?
Never let yourself feel defeated. Life will bring ups and downs, so you have to always be prepared and surround yourself with good people who will help you rise to any occasion.
What advice would you give to girls who want to play college hockey?
Have a plan, stay focused on your goals and be the best possible version of yourself. If you talk to any person who has achieved a high level of success they will all say the same thing, “hard work got me here”.
What advice would you give to anyone out there trying to chase their own dreams by opening a business?
Be willing to sacrifice time and money to reach the end result. Which to me means freedom and flexibility in my schedule, along with the ability to do something on a daily basis that I absolutely love to do! This is so important because not many people can say that the truly love their job and I am proud to be one of them.
To connect with LHOP please visit their Instagram, Facebook, and website.
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