An interview with Samantha King Sablan, co-owner
By: Denise Mendiola-Hertslet
Senior Business Counselor/WIB Program Coordinator
(Guam SBDC)
Custom Fitness and CrossFit Gof Metgot is a family-owned, woman-owned small business. The business partners are Samantha King Sablan (married to Matthew Sablan with one daughter, Matea Grace), brother-in-law Steven (married to Maria DeVille with two sons, Stevie Joe and Rocco) and his godbrother Paul Claros, along with his twin, Ryan Claros.
Why did you decide to start your own business?
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| Custom Fitness Co-owners: Ryan Claros, Samantha King Sablan, and Paul Claros. Not pictured: Co-owner Steven Sablan |
Why did you decide to start your own business?
SS: Paul and Ryan had always dreamt of opening their own fitness facility. When Ryan completed his Doctorate of Physical Therapy, he finally moved home after more than a decade away, to turn that dream into a reality. Seeing that they would need help and wanting to keep it in the family, they recruited me to run the day to day operations, and my brother-in-law who is currently pursuing his degree in Exercise Science, to assist with the training and help develop a children’s program.
What experience do you have in this type of business?
SS: This is my first time owning my own business, which is quite daunting, but I do have experience managing a front office. Ryan, Paul, and Steven all have experience coaching, degrees in the exercise field, extensive certifications, and personal training experience.
How did the Small Business Development Center and other resources help you?
SS: We had our business plan ready but needed help fine-tuning it, as well as the expertise of someone who had experience with small businesses. Denise was a God-send! :)
What was the start-up process like?
SS: A lot of work! We tried to do as much as possible ourselves, and literally poured our blood, sweat, and tears into the business.
SS: A combination of savings and private investors. Currently we are in the process of procuring a small business loan to fund our expansion into a physical therapy clinic and additional space for our CrossFit classes.
SS: Not knowing what to expect. However, we will be so prepared for our expansion now that we have an idea of what goes into opening your own business.
What is your most memorable triumph in your start-up process?
SS: Having people believe in our vision and our expertise. Developing a member base has been a great experience and we really feel like our community is a family.
What are your short-term and long-term plans for your business?
SS: Short-term goals include opening our physical therapy practice, kicking off our children’s program, and retaining members, as well as recruiting new ones. Long-term plans are to be Guam’s premier functional fitness facility, having the most knowledgeable and educated staff and continuing to better and improve ourselves and our facility so that we always have the best product possible. We also hope to continue to contribute to the island’s ecomomy by buying local, contributing to GRT, and eventually increasing our workforce by employing qualified individuals to be a part of our team.
What advice would you give to others who want to start a business at this time?
SS: Go to the Small Business Development Center and see Denise! It is a great resource and it’s free!
For more information about UOG-Guam Small Business Development Center contact Denise Mendiola-Hertslet at denise@pacificsbdc.com or 671-735-2594.
