An interview with Louise Hazel
The gorgeous Louise Hazel (photographed by Henry R. Jones II)
She is a track-and-field Olympian, a TV and podcast host, the CEO of SLAY and a female founder… I had the amazing honor of asking some questions to the multi-hyphenate businesswoman and talented Olympian, Louise Hazel.
Louise competed in many different championships and tournaments including the World Championships and the 2012 Olympics, she has also participated in several celebrity TV competitions like Ninja Warrior UK and MTV’s The Challenge. Before starting SLAY, Louise created The Podium Effect, an online workout and guide deemed “the world's first 360-day online solution to weight management”.
Louise Hazel in the 2012 Olympics
In 2017, Louise moved to the US and took LA by storm. Last year she started SLAY, a gym with the aim to ignite sustainable training for women worldwide. Louise and her team provide personal training and online training via the Slay Challenge Community. And I have absolutely no doubt that SLAY will evolve into a female fitness brand, a clothing line, and everything Louise hopes (and more).
(photography by Malanda Jean Claude)
What inspired you to start Slay?
I was constantly facing rejection from male owned gyms in town, and I quickly understood that if I’d joined existing gyms as a female fitness professional I’d constantly be undervalued for my experience as an Olympian and my skills as a businesswoman and marketer. There was no space... so I created my own space.
What were some of the first hurdles you had to tackle as an entrepreneur in the fitness world?
The first hurdle was stepping into my power. The second hurdle was raising the funds. I did this via a go fund me campaign that friends donated to. In publicizing my vision I attracted 3 investors - one of which dropped out last minute. So I started the gym on a shoestring budget. Which I’m grateful for now.
How would you like Slay to evolve?
Whilst SLAY currently exists as a physical space for private personal training and online via our SLAY Challenge community. I’ve always envisioned it to be a female fitness brand - the opportunities are endless. There will be apparel and there will be more spaces!
What do you wake up looking forward to today?
Serving people, it’s my purpose to create sustainable training solutions for women worldwide so I’m grateful that I get to do that on a daily basis.
Do you have any advice for fellow entrepreneurs?
Don't start a company with profit in mind, start a company with purpose in mind.
Recently Louise published a letter calling out the fitness industry on behalf of Black women and female health/fitness professionals, for the unequal playing field it is. Louise was so gracious in her letter, not calling out to shame but inviting the different fitness industry sectors to amplify the voices of Black women, be it inviting Angel Investors/VCs to invest in Black women (the fastest growing demographic of entrepreneurs) or asking magazines to shine a light on Black women on their different fields.
Thank you so much to Louise for taking the time to chat with us, it was a true honor! Here's to an amazing female founder! bbw