Running The Business – Samantha Hale

HOW EASY WAS IT TO JUST DROP EVERYTHING AND GO?

It took an awful lot of planning! A lot of my work these days is internet based, so I can do it wherever I am, because I’ve made sure I have the right team in place back at the two bases. It also helps that my husband works in the businesses and is also there. But at London 2012, like I said, I started at five in the morning, but was probably finished by four in the afternoon, and that gave me until eight, ten, twelve – whetever was necessary – to sit back on my computer and do the work. Just long, hard working days. But that’s the way I’ve been throughout my career. Basically, if I’ve wanted to do it, I’ve found a way to make it happen.

WHAT WAS THE HIGH POINT OF LONDON 2012 FOR YOU?

Well, my high points probably wouldn’t be the same as other people’s high points. I was there
in the stadium when people were getting medals and things, which was fantastic, but it was those mornings at five o’clock when there was nobody in the stables and I was there with 90 of the world’s top horses. Just that peace – it was amazing.

NOW THAT INTEREST IN HORSES BUSINESS HAS SPAWNED ANOTHER BUSINESS…

Yes, this is where Rider Secrets, my other business that I started a year ago, comes into play… Having all my contacts and experience at the top level
of event riding, I again saw a gap in the market. Riders need to be fit to ride horses at that level, and obviously we do sports nutrition, which keeps people hydrated and energised, and I knew event riders would benefit from that, and I knew they would benefit from core strength training and so on. So, through my contacts, I got three of the world’s leading riders as my ambassadors, and we’re now going through the process of going through the gait analysis, working with heart rate, and then we’re hoping to do a series of articles in magazines and then develop it from there and cascade what we’re doing down to grass roots level. So that’s something I’m working on at the moment. Again, I’ve had to go to the top, because going half way up isn’t quite good enough for me! I’ve got big ambitions for it – we’re hoping to work with one of the horsey TV channels – but it is a bit of a slow burner. I’ve got to get lots of things in place first. So I am, in my own way, incorporating the horses into the normal business.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU?

Developing the Triathlon Centre. I just want us to be recognised as the leading place to come to in the UK for running. Any problems, any issues, anything you want to do, we have all the people in place to do it.

THE TRIATHLON CENTRE IS IN CONJUNCTION WITH IAIN CRIGHTON’S GREENWHEEL CYCLES CRIGHTON’S HYDROPOOLS. HOW DID THAT COLLABORATION COME ABOUT?

It’s a relationship that we have. When I needed to expand to bigger premises it was the same time that Iain was looking to open Greenwheel Cycles, so we had the chat that wouldn’t it be good if we were next to each other, because then we could really develop it. And the pure fact that we are next door to each other has allowed us to create the joint brand, which is the Triathlon Centre, with swim coaching at Iain’s hydropool centre, with filming of swimmers both above and below the water. It’s just a case of pooling our resources, but we are completely separate businesses.

THAT TIES IN RATHER NICELY WITH SOME OF THE DISCUSSIONS WE’VE HEARD RECENTLY ABOUT INDIE RETAILERS WORKING TOGETHER.

I think it’s defintiely the way forward. I go to Stamford because I like the quirky, independent shops. I’m always keen to work with people – that’s how our business works. I have a sports therapist who runs his practice from my store, and I don’t charge him any rent but he is there for my customers, so he enhances my business as well. So I’m very keen on that kind of thing, because everybody wins.

WHAT ADVICE HAS STOOD YOU IN GOOD STEAD, THAT YOU WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE STARTING OUT?

Stick with your gut feeling. And work with the right people. Listen to advice and take it on board. Think outside the box. Don’t just go down the route that everybody else has gone down. Be confident.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT:

https://www.advanceperformance.co.uk/

https://www.ridersecrets.co.uk/

https://www.triathloncentre.co.uk/