1. What is your name, and how long have you been living and working in Summerside?
My name is Aaron Dawson, and I’ve been living in Summerside since 2010. I was away playing hockey for a few of those years, but my wife & I got married in 2010 after graduating from UPEI & we bought our home together here in Summerside.
2. What inspired you to start this business, and what made you choose your location?
When I finished playing hockey, I got a job at Vector. It was a great place to work and it was my first desk job. It was not long into that that I got to thinking that maybe this type of work is not for me. One of the parents of a young hockey player approached me and asked if I would be interested in training their son. I said “sure” and ended up training a couple of hockey players out of Slemon Park.
Eventually, we sold our home & bought a new one that had a big garage built on, so that’s when I decided to incorporate and start an actual business, sort of a side ‘Huslte’ for lack of better term and it grew from there.
I started getting into group fitness classes, and this was when I started looking for other real estate. We have been here for five years. There were not a whole lot of options that fit my vision at the time, but this has turned out to be an unreal location. It was a risk. I was still working part-time at the CRA, and I had to make a decision whether it was the safety of a permanent job, or try to pursue entrepreneurship. I chose the ladder, and that’s where my heart is. My wife still works at the CRA, and I could not do any of this without the security of her position, knowing that if things fell apart, we would still be okay.
3. Can you tell me about your business and what products/services you offer?
At Hustle Athletic Training, we recently added in the 24hr gym access in addition to what we always offered: personal training & very private group fitness classes. Now that we’ve opened up into a 24-hour key fob access over the last couple of years, we do see more people working out on their own and people have found their hours.
The majority of our members are here for classes at 5 am, 6 am, or noon, and when it’s not summer, there are some evening classes available as well. That’s when you will see the most amount of cars here, but with people working out on their own, there are usually 2-3 people at a time.
The ultimate goal for me is to make the gym a place where you’re comfortable going. A lot of people can feel intimidated by gyms, and that’s my goal: never overcrowd the space. We also have a goal of maybe 30 more members, but that’ll be it to keep it comfortable for everyone.
4. What do you love most about being a business owner in the Greater Summerside Area?
I like the freedom to make my own choices. I guess that doesn’t specifically apply to the Summerside area, but just on being an entrepreneur. I like taking risks, I like making the decisions & I like to be accountable to myself and my family. To me, I treat it like a sport. It’s like a challenge, ‘what’s today going to bring?’, ‘What’s this month going to look like?’ and forecasting out where I want to be and what it will take to get there.
But more specifically to Summerside, the location is amazing. I don’t think you can compare what we have here to anywhere else, like walking on the treadmill & overlooking the water and boardwalk, it’s hard to beat.
5. What advice would you give to someone looking to start a business, and why should they choose the Greater Summerside Area?
Start small & don’t go all in at the beginning. If you think you’re going to be successful right out of the gate and putting all your eggs in one basket, I think you’re setting yourself up for disappointment & I would say that would discourage a lot of people from continuing to move forward. Not to discourage people if they are really passionate about it and betting on themselves, but know the road to successful entrepreneurship is rocky and you never know what’s coming. Be cautiously optimistic & know it takes a lot of hard work. It’s not just about having a good idea; it’s about following through with the hard work!