Today we’d like to introduce you to Ian Hietala
Hi ian, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
After playing college basketball at Santa Ana College from 2020-2021, I decided I would take a small break from competing and start training basketball players on the side
As I started training, I also filmed and edited content, such as basketball drills, and posted in on social platforms. Within 3 months of doing this, I gained a rapid 10.3k followers on instagram
With this happening, I made the choice to continue training players and go full time, creating a business and culture, that players and parents could be involved in and see true transformation in their game and lives
I began researching and studying basketball skill, strength & conditioning, and other well known skills trainers
What separates my style of training from the rest of the trainers in the area, is that we focus on a “hybrid” approach, meaning training players movement, speed & agility, instead of just basketball skill, and live Competitive play
Not only does the “hybrid” approach improves our players athleticism, but it also ties into their skill, as now they can carry smooth movement onto the court
Live Competitive play helps to transfer the skills we work on, to the game itself, allowing our players to become more comfortable and efficient playing against a defender, like in a Real game!
For some time I struggled to get players, find gym time, and make consistent monthly income
Then I met a business owner by the name of Ethan Whitaker, owner of Whitaker Dogcare in Glendale, who showed me the systems and mindset to running and scaling a business, instead of a side hustle
I began to then study marketing, sales, psychology, and operations, which allowed me to then apply it into my own basketball training business
This allowed me to attract clientele & develop systems for growth / scalability,
After this content became king for marketing and deleting myself from the competition. The average trainer doesn’t post good quality content consistently on social platforms, which doesn’t give them market credibility
Studying content, psychology, and video editing allowed me to solidify myself as the biggest trainer in my area
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Struggling with attracting clientele, not being able to find gym space, & having low monthly income for multiple months
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
IWH Basketball LLC, is a hybrid basketball training organization, focusing on improving players movement, speed, and agility, and the blending it in with skill training to create the most dynamic player they can be
We are known for specializing in movement and live 1v1 play
What sets us apart from other trainers and organizations, is our social media content & training style
I’m most proud about how we’ve been able to separate ourselves from the competition, and develop a particular social media style and following, as well as transform our players movement and skill
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Risk taking has been at the fore front of my story, I began taking a risk by putting myself out there on social media and exposing my training and personality to the world, not knowing if I’d be accepted or liked
I took major risks on paying money up front for gym space, not knowing if I’d be able to make payment or profit at the end of the month
I quit college and pursued a dream of creating my own business and brand to support my life and needs
Pricing:
- Group Session: $35
- Semi-Private: $70
- Private: $150
Contact Info:
- Website: https://iwhbasketball.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iwhbasketball?igsh=NGVhN2U2NjQ0Yg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@iwhbasketball?si=Pox3iVu0gmvKzvMO
Image Credits
Joel Short – NWDYS Productions
