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Meet Tanya Vassar of Hustle Denver in Stapleton

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Tanya Vassar.

Tanya, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was always involved in multiple sports growing up, went to college on a track and field scholarship, and started coaching track and field at the college level right after receiving my Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science. I pursued my Master’s degree in Human Performance while coaching at my first university, and after two years I took a job at an NCAA Division I university. I spent four years there, coaching elite-level athletes as well as developing many who missed out on what they needed at the high school level to be noticed by college coaches.

Year after year I found myself feeling more and more burnt out and less and less personally satisfied with my chosen career. I really enjoyed “developing” athletes through specific and precise training, inspiring and challenging them to be better people off the track, and creating an experience that the typical college student misses out on. However, my job hinged on their “performance” in a single competition each year.

I reached a point where I no longer wanted to be a part of a system that relies on a single day to determine an athlete’s “worth” nor did I want to be limited by a single day to define my abilities as a professional. So, I quit college athletics. Just like that: dropped the safety and security of a salary, the medical benefits package and the unbeatable retirement plan. When I announced my plans to leave to my team I told them, “I might epically fail, but at least I have the courage to try.”

What might I epically fail at? Since sophomore year in high school, I have always had this vision of owning my own training facility. A place where athletes can come and get the direction they need in order to achieve their athletic goals and feel self-efficacy in their sporting endeavors. Over time my vision developed into providing athletes with the things I was missing out on as an athlete at the high school (and even college) level but so desperately needed in order to reach the level I believed I could. When I left college athletics, it was to embark on that vision: giving athletes the training, tools, and techniques to reach the next level, have the opportunity to get a college education and compete as a student-athlete for as little as possible, if not free.

I believed it would take me a minimum two years to be at a point where I needed to consider opening my own doors; at least that’s what the internet told me to expect. Hustling between five “in-between” jobs (Uber driving, front desk work, fitness classes with two different companies, and real estate) as I built up my clientele and to make ends meet, I made it eight months before it became overwhelming obvious that I needed my own space in order to train these kids the way I envisioned. Fast forward to five months later when I opened the doors to my first what-I-would-call “modest” facility in August 2018. It wasn’t the big, extravagant end-goal facility by any means, but it was mine, and it was exactly what I need right then.

Unfortunately, not even six months later, I had outgrown the 1,100 square foot space. I needed more room, more trainers, and if possible, more time in the day to train! Luckily, my landlord believed in my vision (probably the only reason I was able to obtain the space in the first place) and allowed me to have the best unit in the building to encompass everything I needed to make Hustle Denver what it really should be. Fast forward to mid-May 2019, the new 2,400 square foot space is ready and flowing with athletes.

In the new facility, we have added many athlete recovery services, including physical therapy and massage therapy, indoor turf for speed and agility work, and of course we have replicated the strength training area from the first space. The vision of this location is to make it a one-stop-shop for athletes: training, recovery, recruiting, and injury rehab, all in an encouraging and conducive-to-success environment.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I feel a “smooth road” is in the eyes of the beholder. Everything in the world is neutral; our personal interpretation of it determines if it is good or bad, smooth or bumpy. Anything worth having is going to come with struggles, but having the patience to see them through is the real test.

We all know construction is the worst when it comes to timelines, but it is also out of my personal control. Upsetting? Yes. Worth being upset about? No. Having to build out two facilities within months of each other was never the plan, but it became the plan. A lot of work? Absolutely. But worth it? Absolutely. Setting up and building a legitimate business via Coach Google comes with a lot of its own struggles, but being willing to educate yourself, seek answers, and execute what you feel will work best for you is invaluable to success.

So bumps? Yes. But with some hardiness, work-ethic and elbow grease, none that were insurmountable.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Hustle Denver story. Tell us more about your work.
Hustle Denver provides planned, precise, and periodized training programs through 1-on-1, small group and team training sessions, primarily to athletes who are seeking to reach the next level athletically, but also to adults for health and fitness. It is our hope that each athlete discovers self-efficacy, and if they so choose, is given the opportunity to seek college athletics. We pride ourselves on coaching with encouragement and providing an environment that is conducive to each individual’s success. This coaching style and environment alone sets us apart from competitors, but we also insist on having coaches who have been in the athletes’ shoes, are highly educated in the sport-performance realm, and have proven success of the training programs to produce results for our athletes.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I do not believe there is such a thing as “luck.” You either work hard and get the results in direct proportion to your effort, or you passively hope or expect something to happen without effort and end up disappointed. If you seek opportunities and hustle your a** off it will be returned. No need for luck with that sort of mindset.

Pricing:

  • Individuals $60-70/session
  • Small group (3+) $25-30/person/session
  • Team training (8+) $15-20/person/session

Contact Info:

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