We had the good fortune of connecting with Louise Hazel and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Louise, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I am a big risk taker. Sometimes, I think my attitude to risk is that abnormal compared to the average person. Some of the decisions I make probably make no sense whatsoever to those around me, but if you’re a person with big vision or an entrepreneur, then risks are just part of the game. You can’t shy away from them, and as an Olympian I was never one to back down from a challenge, so why would I stop now? The difference now is that I’m much more particular about the fights that I take on. My husband Eric thinks I’m impulsive in my decision making, but what looks like impulsivity on the surface is actually strategic underneath. One of the things that makes me a good businesswoman is foresight and having extreme confidence in your ability to figure things out. Experience has taught me that business is extremely predictable, either you get what you want or you don’t, but don’t give up. Life, however is extremely unpredictable life will wipe you out when you least expect it and that’s where the risk comes from!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
The thing that Slay does better than anyone else in the world of personal training is that we meet you where you are at, not where we are at. And when it comes to training and nutrition we show you what your potential is and what the possibilities are for you, your body and your fitness – it’s completely personalized. Most of us adults have forgotten how athletic we are, and at Slay we pull the inner athlete out of everyone we meet and remind them who they are and what they came here to do. I’m excited to go to work everyday and improve the lives of people that I genuinely care about.

Starting a gym wasn’t easy, I had to raise money but more importantly I had to let go of a lot in order to make it work. I moved into the gym because I had to decide whether I wanted to create sustainable income source and be independent or stay in a relationship that wasn’t working but made me financially comfortable.

The lesson I learned as a woman, is to never give up your independence – have something that is solely yours! It’s necessary for your sanity and self worth.

I want to remind people that I came to Slay, and you did too! Never forget it!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Monday – Massage at Slay with Jesse Tuesday – Shopping at The Grove
Wednesday – Arclight Cinema but it closed so Universal City Walk cinema
Thursday – Disney and California Adventures
Friday – Saffy’s restaurant
Saturday – Paradise Cove for a beach day
Sunday – Griffith Park morning hike, followed by brunch at Great White in Larchmont

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I am an Olympian and Gold Medallist because of the people that were on my team, and I’m extremely thankful for that but before anybody else believed in me, my parents did. They instilled confidence and a strong work ethic. Sadly both of my parents passed away. My father died in 2008 and my mother passed recently in 2021 so shoutout to Peter Hazel and Ann Williams who taught me to work hard and never give up on myself! I miss them both so much, but I feel their guidance and advice daily.

Website: www.slayathletic.com

Instagram: @louisehazel

Other: Slay Podcast https://spotify.link/F2e0MAgPBDb Slay App Iphone https://apps.apple.com/us/app/slay-challenge/id1621730581 Slay App Android https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pgj9c6tcfifm.pwa3ihqmapp&hl=en_US&gl=US

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