Main Photo by Ben Yosef | Smoothie King photos provided by Latoya Hart.
OUR JOURNEY OF OWNING THREE SMOOTHIE KING LOCATIONS WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT GOD ALIGNING OUR EVERY STEP.
ATHLETE ENTREPRENEUR: Can you share the journey of how you became the “Queen of Smoothie King” and a successful entrepreneur with three locations?
LATOYA HART: Our journey of owning three Smoothie King locations would not be possible without God aligning our every step. We were fortunate enough to be able to be in a position to sell our first time after the economy started to recover from the recession in 2016. After many discussions, we made the decision to begin our journey with business ownership.
AE: What sets your Smoothie King locations apart from others?
LH: Smoothie King is a franchise model, so guests should have a similar experience across all locations. With that being said, one thing that sets us apart is our work in the community and with our local schools. We engage actively with the local community through charitable activities, event sponsorships, and collaborations. Enhance brand visibility, foster goodwill, and build loyalty among our local guests.
AE: As an IPL Figure Pro and fitness magazine cover girl, how does your personal fitness journey influence your business approach and leadership style?
I BELIEVE A PERSON WHO IS PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY WELL IS BETTER SUITED TO FACE THE DIFFICULTIES THAT COME WITH BEING A LEADER.
LH: My personal fitness journey has definitely influenced my leadership style and contributed to my business approach. I believe the pursuit of your fitness journey can help mold your leadership style. When prepping for a fitness competition, it takes extreme time management skills, self motivations, problem-solving skills, and knowing how to prioritize stress management. I believe a person who is physically and mentally well is better suited to face the difficulties that come with being a leader.
AE: Being a mother, how do you instill a healthy lifestyle in your family?
LH: As a mother, it’s my duty to teach and model a healthy lifestyle. We try to involve the kids in meal planning and talk regularly about different ingredients and portion control. I’ve been an athlete since the age of 6, and their dad has as well. Between the both of us, we coach four different sports, so our kids have always enjoyed being active.
One of the most rewarding things for me was the ability to have my kids see me go through the prep process for a fitness competition. They understood my assignment and they were there to always keep me accountable. At any moment, they would call me out if they thought something I was eating was not on my prep list. Them seeing us doing what we talk about is probably the biggest lesson for them.
AE: Can you tell us about your experience being featured on the cover of a fitness magazine? How has it impacted your life?
LH: Doing a fitness competition is no easy task and I’m honored to have been featured on the cover of Natural GAINZ Magazine with the IPL. This experience has been fun and rewarding and I look forward to future collaborations.
AE: What does a typical day look like for you, juggling family responsibilities, maintaining your fitness regimen, and overseeing three Smoothie King locations?
NO DAY IS A TYPICAL DAY. [LAUGHS] EVERY DAY IS AN ADVENTURE, TO SAY THE LEAST.
LH: No day is a typical day. [laughs] Every day is an adventure, to say the least. Depending on the day, week, or even season, my week can vary. I’m definitely blessed to have my husband in the trenches with me as we navigate our day. I typically workout in the mornings after getting the kids to school. I find that if I wait to work out in the evening my productivity drops. Then the rest of the day is dedicated to going to each store. In the evening, our second shift kicks in as we coach our kids in the three different sports they currently participate in. Our night cap begins with catching up on work, dinner time, then I’m getting the kids off to bed. Definitely hectic days, but I wouldn’t change it for anything.
AE: The fitness industry is constantly evolving. How do you stay ahead of the trends and incorporate them into your businesses?
LH: Smoothie King has a great group of people working to continuously stay ahead of the trends. There’s a lot of market research to get onboard with a trend if it aligns with our mission and vision. People and their fitness goals are priority number one. We typically identify the goals and purposes first, then the team creates a product based on that goal or purpose. This allows us to stay true to our mission.
AE: How do you empower your team at Smoothie King to align with your vision and commitment to health and fitness?
IT STARTS WITH OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM. WE GET OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM ON BOARD WITH THE MISSION AND VISION OF THE BRAND.
LH: It starts with our leadership team. We get our leadership team on board with the mission and vision of the brand. We have weekly communications with the team. We then have a goal-setting meeting with each manager to go over company and personal goals with clear action plans on how we can get there while staying committed to our vision.
AE: Can you share a memorable success story or a challenging moment in your entrepreneurial journey and how you navigated through it?
LH: My husband and I opened our first Smoothie King location one month before the Covid 19 shut down. Though we didn’t have to close our location, it was very difficult to navigate our new climate as new business owners. We struggled with our team getting sick and being short-staffed at a time when a lot of people decided to travel to Florida since most places were shut down. Most days we had to run our business alone for many months. At times, I wondered what I signed up for, but I knew I had to just trust God and remain steadfast.
I remember being exhausted one night after taking out the trash at closing, after working 16-hour days for a few months due to being short-staffed. I cried out and asked God for help. Within about three days, we received information about a church organization that brings college students into the area to work and intern. The next day, we secured eight college interns that helped run our stores for the busiest season. I can’t say enough how much God comes through for us.
AE: Many may not be familiar with Smoothie King. Can you describe what makes it unique and why it has become such a significant part of your life and business?
BEING SUCCESSFUL IN OUR BUSINESS ALLOWS US TO GIVE BACK TO OUR PEOPLE, FAMILY, AND COMMUNITY. THIS IS WHAT INSPIRES ME TO CONTINUE TO GROW OUR EMPIRE.
LH: Smoothie King’s mission is to inspire people to live a healthy and active lifestyle. To be an integral part of every health and fitness journey. Smoothie King is unique because every smoothie is created with a purpose in mind to help you on your health and fitness journey. From getting fit, to managing weight and overall wellness, there is a Smoothie King smoothie to help you reach your goal. We simply wanted a business that matched our lifestyle. A place where we wouldn’t have to worry so much about what our kids could eat or drink.
AE: What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs who want to make a mark in both the business and fitness worlds?
LH: One piece of advice I would give is to find your passion. When you base your ideas on something you truly love, you’ll be more focused and motivated. Another one would be to learn how to fail in order to succeed. From failure, we learn resilience and humility. Our failures allow us to see what didn’t work so we can adjust our next attempt and learn about ourselves in the process. It brings us one step closer to reaching success.
AE: Looking ahead, what are your future goals for both your family and your Smoothie King empire, and how do you plan to achieve them?
LH: My future goals are to continue finding healthy alternatives for my family and modeling a healthy and balanced lifestyle for our kids. Being successful in our business allows us to give back to our people, family and community. This is what inspires me to continue to grow our empire. AE
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