Geaux Play Takes Fitness To Heart: Interview with Lisa Shores Hall

Summary

Podcast Summary: Locally Owned – "Geaux Play Takes Fitness To Heart: Interview with Lisa Shores Hall"

Episode Details:

• Title: Geaux Play Takes Fitness To Heart: Interview with Lisa Shores Hall
• Host: The Street Smart Entrepreneur
• Release Date: January 3, 2025

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Introduction

In this inspiring episode of Locally Owned, host Sarah engages in a heartfelt conversation with Lisa Shores Hall, the passionate owner of Go Play Sports Gym in Pelham, Alabama. The discussion delves into Lisa's entrepreneurial journey, the unique ethos of her fitness center, and her unwavering commitment to community and personal well-being.

Lisa Shores Hall's Background and Inspiration

Lisa's Early Life and Familial Influence

Lisa attributes her deep-seated passion for fitness to her upbringing. She shares, “[...] I have a twin sister, and I think my dad wanted a boy but ended up having twins. [...] my dad was really big on fitness, so I got to watch him and some of the boys in the neighborhood work out” (00:52). Her father's dedication led to the creation of a home gym in their garage, fostering an environment where Lisa and her sister were actively involved in sports from a young age.

Balancing Nutrition and Active Lifestyle

While her father emphasized physical activity, Lisa's mother focused on nutrition. She recalls, “we tried to run away from home one time [...] just being very active” (03:09). This balanced approach instilled in Lisa the importance of both exercise and healthy eating, values that continue to shape her business philosophy.

The Founding of Go Play Sports Gym

Transition from Martial Arts to Fitness Entrepreneurship

Lisa's journey into entrepreneurship began with her involvement in martial arts. After achieving a black belt in Taekwondo and teaching martial arts for over a decade, she faced personal and professional crossroads. Following a challenging divorce and a stint in the corporate world, Lisa decided to fully embrace her passion for fitness. She explains, “I always taught some kind of either kickboxing [...] and personal training. So that was always my passion to do that” (07:20).

Establishing Go Play Sports Gym

Combining her martial arts expertise with her love for sports, Lisa founded Go Play Sports Gym. The name, inspired by her ex-husband— a professional baseball coach— reflects a philosophy of "go hard or go home." She notes, “we got Go play, because he's from Louisiana. [...] So we just continued it on” (17:15).

Challenges Faced and Overcome

Relocation and Personal Struggles

One of the significant hurdles Lisa encountered was the sudden sale of her gym's building by the landlord, forcing an abrupt relocation. Facing this alongside a personal divorce, Lisa demonstrates resilience: “I just made a choice of, let's just keep going and don't stop” (15:53). With the support of her sons and community, she successfully relocated to a larger facility, ensuring the continuity of her business.

Navigating the COVID-19 Pandemic

The pandemic presented additional challenges, including temporary closures and financial strains. Despite these obstacles, Lisa's commitment to her mission kept Go Play Sports Gym thriving. She states, “we are still growing and want to grow even more” (31:18).

Go Play Sports Gym's Unique Approach and Services

Comprehensive Fitness Solutions

Go Play Sports Gym is not just a traditional gym; it’s a multifaceted training center catering to a diverse clientele. Offering 24-hour gym access, specialized classes in martial arts, softball, baseball, spin, kickboxing, and personal training, Lisa ensures that members receive personalized and comprehensive fitness programs. “[...] it could be a kickboxing class, a spin to a boot camp, or we do a full body workout with weights” (32:52).

Focus on Athletic Performance and Health

Lisa emphasizes sustainable health improvements over temporary fixes: “I want to help you get off these meds. [...] I just want you to be healthy” (21:11). Her approach includes detailed assessments of weight, fat percentage, and BMI to tailor fitness plans that promote long-term well-being.

Community and Accessibility

The gym fosters a welcoming community atmosphere, often attracting new members through friendly interactions and a supportive environment. Lisa mentions, “you get greeted by two fur babies [...] they get a lot of loving” (34:32), highlighting the inclusive and friendly nature of Go Play Sports Gym.

Client Success Stories

Transformative Journeys

Lisa shares touching stories of clients who have overcome significant challenges through her programs. One such story involves a young lacrosse player recovering from a severe injury: “Your support and kindness have made such a difference during some of my toughest days” (38:57). Another standout narrative involves a police officer battling PTSD post-accident, ultimately returning to duty after rigorous training and emotional support: “[...] she's about to go back on duty soon” (43:36).

Personal Testimonials

The impact of Lisa's work is evident through heartfelt letters from clients, underscoring her dedication: “Your gentle push to help me keep going when things weren't easy means more than words can express” (40:37).

Building Community and Incorporating Faith

Integrating Faith into Fitness

Faith plays a significant role in Lisa's approach to business. She believes her work is a divine calling: “[...] I believe that this is my God-given gift and I want to keep serving people in the community” (43:59). This spiritual foundation fosters a supportive and uplifting environment within the gym.

Community Engagement and Support

Go Play Sports Gym actively participates in community events and charitable activities. Lisa recounts, “we did a fundraiser for my son [...] a karate tournament at the facility for St. Jude's Hospital” (37:16). Such initiatives reinforce the gym's commitment to giving back and building strong community ties.

Future Goals and Expansion

Vision for Growth

Looking ahead, Lisa aims to expand Go Play Sports Gym to accommodate growing demand and diversify offerings. Her goals include adding volleyball courts, pickleball facilities, and specialized weightlifting programs for middle and high school athletes: “going to start a program for middle and high school kids to come in and do weightlifting” (31:55).

Enhanced Facilities and Programs

With plans to further enhance the facility's capacity and introduce new sports-specific training, Lisa envisions Go Play Sports Gym becoming a premier destination for comprehensive athletic development: “we want it to be like a one-stop shop” (36:14).

Conclusion and Key Takeaways

Lisa Shores Hall's journey with Go Play Sports Gym exemplifies the fusion of passion, resilience, and community-centric values. Her story underscores the importance of aligning business practices with personal values and the profound impact such an approach can have on individuals and the broader community.

Notable Insights:

• Resilience in Entrepreneurship: Overcoming personal and professional setbacks through determination and support systems.
• Community Building: Creating a supportive and inclusive environment that fosters mutual growth and well-being.
• Holistic Health Approach: Emphasizing sustainable lifestyle changes over temporary fixes to promote long-term health.

Key Quote: “Your support and kindness have made such a difference during some of my toughest days.” – Client, 38:57

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Final Thoughts

Lisa Shores Hall's dedication to fostering a healthier, more connected community through Go Play Sports Gym serves as an inspiring model for local entrepreneurs. Her blend of expertise, empathy, and faith-driven leadership highlights how businesses rooted in genuine passion and community service can thrive and make a lasting positive impact.

Transcript

[John]

Imagine walking into a gym, but with the specialized expertise of an athletic training center and the medical attentiveness of a weight loss center, and yet somehow it feels as familiar and friendly as walking into your church. Like everyone there is on their own journey, but they're sharing their journeys together. Well, that's how you feel when you walk into Go Play Sports Gym. And today we're going to be talking to Lisa Shores hall, the owner of Go Play Sports Gym. Hello, and welcome back to another episode of Locally Owned.

[Sarah]

Today I have Lisa Shores hall, owner of Go Play Sports Fitness Center.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yes.

[Sarah]

And that's in Pelham, Alabama. And I'm excited for her to share with us her entrepreneurial journey and what makes Go Play a great place to work out and a unique place. So, Lisa, thanks for being here and sharing your journey.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Thank you.

[Sarah]

So obviously, you're a sports and fitness. It's important to you. How did that come about in your life?

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Probably. Probably when I was little because I have a twin sister, and I think my dad wanted a boy but ended up having twins. And so I have identical twin sister. And so he was really big on fitness, and so go to the gym with him, watch him work out. And then he eventually had his own gym in our garage. And so I got to watch him and some of the boys in the neighborhood and around workout, which was kind of fun, you know, in my own way. And then my mom was pretty big about, you know, nutrition and things like that. So I think my sister and I actually, we tried to run away from home one time, crawling out of windows so that we could go eat all the junk food that we wanted to and candy and all. My dad caught us. He always had us in some kind of, you know, just very active. And we played softball. We started probably around nine years old, and he coached us. So we were heavily involved in that and just loved it. And so. And then went, you know, went on scholarship for that as well. So my sister and I both, and we're, you know, I guess basically tomboys. I mean, I was on the dance team and did things like that, too, but it was just always very active and it was a lot of fun. Yeah.

[John]

You know, the gym has this special vibe to it because the owner, Lisa, has really made it this way because it's an extension of who she really is, and it goes even deeper than that. It comes from within her because she grew up watching her dad build a home gym and then invite the neighborhood boys over and help train them.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

So your parents had a strong Influence on your nutrition and exercise and everything. Oh, that's great.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

A lot of people didn't have that, you know.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

No. And still you see that now and it's, it's sad. The parents and what they're feeding their kids and a lot of it, you know, be city with the kids and, you know, it's sad to see that.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

So does that. I have a feeling that plays into what we're going to hear about today at Go play sports.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yes. Yeah.

[Mike]

All right.

[Sarah]

Yeah. Because I had the more traditional parents that, you know, gave you whatever came out of a box and cooked it. And my dad, he never did a healthy thing in his life. Never exercised, never ate. Right. Ate chili dogs for breakfast, that kind of thing. So you're lucky to have that. That's a, that's a good influence, you know.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yes, I was very blessed to have that. And it's just, like I said, it's just really sad. I think some of the parents may not know how to do the nutrition part because we're in such a fast paced world and everything as well. So let's go through the drive through. But it's just learning how to make the special orders, you know, more of nutritional type orders. If it's a salad versus, you know, french fries, and I'm not saying french fries is. You can have one, you know, have some every now and then, but it's just the amount and it's always a balance.

[Sarah]

No, I know I try to eat right now, you know, but fries are, they're limited.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Sarah]

If I'm gonna get them though, I'm gonna get them with bacon and cheese on them, you know, might as well go all but. So you were involved in sports growing up and did you have a favorite sport that you really liked?

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Well, softball was great. I loved it. Had a lot of friends and then got heavily involved in martial arts. Always wanted to do martial arts growing up for some reason. And my parents always said, well, you can't do that until you can afford it yourself. So as soon as I got a job, I was like 17, 18, went and signed up. My dad had to come and sign the contract, you know, for me.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

So I got really involved in that. Loved it and went through the different belt systems and got my black belt and then eventually started teaching that.

[Sarah]

What'd you get a black belt in?

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Taekwondo.

[Mike]

Taekwondo, yeah.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

That's a beautiful form of martial arts.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yes. There are so many types of styles which I think they're all great. So that's What I got into to, you know, for the longest time and then dabbled in some other things as well. So it's, it's a. I highly recommend it for everybody to do.

[Mike]

Yeah, yeah.

[Sarah]

It's. It's. You've got a little bit of a. Across the spectrum, you're part of a team sport in softball and then you're part of a. More of an individual sport in martial arts. So. Yeah, I played baseball, so very similar. I play softball now, but. What position did you play in softball?

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Shortstop.

[Sarah]

Oh, nice, nice.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

You got a lot of action over there.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

I'm little and short, but I was feisty.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

And you can throw accurately?

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yes.

[Sarah]

I could not throw accurately. They put me in the outfield. I could catch just about anything. But when I went to throw it, you had no idea where it was going to go.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

That's not good.

[Sarah]

No, not really. So. So you've got this love for sports.

[John]

So what did you. You didn't go directly into business for.

[Sarah]

Yourself though, when you.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Well, I did for a while, actually. Started teaching martial arts. I opened up my own schools, so.

[John]

Oh, okay.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

A lot of people don't know that, but that was a while back ago. I did that for 10 years and loved it. I had two boys and kind of got out of a situation in a marriage and just decided to move and start over with the boys. Went into corporate world for a while and did that for several years. But I always taught some kind of either kickboxing, you know, at a gym or step classes or some kind of fitness type classes, and then got into spin classes and things like that and then personal training. And so I always stayed in the fitness field. So that was always my passion to do that.

[John]

You know, Lisa understands it's business, but because of the influence of her dad, it's so much more than that. So even though Lisa is this total athlete, getting a college scholarship for softball, becoming a black belt in martial arts, and then teaching martial arts for over a decade, it's really not about personal achievement for her. It could be, but she sees it.

[Sarah]

As so much more.

[John]

She sees fitness as this thing that you do as a community, and I love that.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

And you were always training. You weren't just involved in it. You were training people, right?

[Mike]

Oh, wow. Wow.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yeah, that was, you know, kept my passion there. So the corporate world was basically, you know, the bills and insurance and benefits and things like that, and having my two sons and just trying to have that balance to where they were all involved in sports as well. So making sure. That they could play their sports and being there for them, that was my high priority for that.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

Now why was it a priority to you to have your kids in sports?

[Lisa Shores Hall]

I think it's something to where they learn how to be on a team and to be a team player. I wanted them to stay active as well, but I wanted them to find the sport that they wanted to be in. So they got involved in anywhere from martial arts to soccer to. My son played football and basketball. And so now Sean, he coaches his own. He has his own gym or a facility where he has his own martial arts facility out in Clanton. So that helps me too, because he'll come and do like women's self defense classes at my facility. And then BJ played football and basketball and did some martial arts and so they both did soccer or some. But they got to meet so many different friends and coaches and role models and things like that as well at the same time. So, you know, just me raising the boys, basically, it was something good for them to be around.

[Mike]

Yeah, yeah.

[Sarah]

I mean, anybody that's parented teenagers knows that, you know, it's. It definitely helps. Helps them stay out of trouble. And yeah, a lot of their values get shaped by being in sports and, you know, being around others and learning how to not be selfish and all that kind of stuff.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yeah. And it was fun because if it was soccer or football or whatever, you know, I was out there with them and playing and, you know, later when BJ was able to throw really hard, I was like, okay, we gotta get somebody else. I can't catch for you anymore. So just seeing them progress and then they got. BJ went on to play football for Troy and so now he gets to bring that into the facility because he is a trainer at the facility. So with his background, he's working with kids constantly, from speed and agility to personal training for all different types of sports.

[Sarah]

Oh, cool.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yeah. So.

[Sarah]

Wow.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

So it really took with him then.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yes. Yeah.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

So you didn't have to force him to.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

No, no. And he's really good at it. And then of course, my other son is involved in martial arts, so he's always working with kids constantly. From three years old, he'll have like a little ninja classes. And it's just amazing to see them with the kids and what they give back to them.

[Sarah]

That's great. That's great. So what, what made you decide to start go play sports? Fitness. It's not just the gym where you come and work out.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Right. When I was in the corporate world. I still, you know, wanted to keep that passion going with sports. And let's back up.

[Sarah]

What did you do in the corporate world?

[Lisa Shores Hall]

I worked in clinical research.

[Mike]

Oh, okay.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yeah. So where'd you work? It was Biocrest Pharmaceuticals.

[Sarah]

Okay.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yeah, I did that about 10 years. Yeah. So I got married, and the guy I was married to was a baseball guy, and he coaches some pro ball, and so he's traveling a lot. And then we actually started a very small place and like, a little warehouse, so we had, like, one cage. And then I taught some boot camp classes, and so we did that. And then I was working in the corporate world. Great money, benefits and things like that, so. But then the division I was in, they decided they're going to move it to another state. And so I was kind of miserable in my job. And so we had this small facility, and we decided what made you miserable? You know, when you're having to work for someone else and they don't appreciate sometimes what you do, it's more about what else can they get out of you? I don't know. I just feel like I want to do a job that I feel like I'm making a difference, too. So I didn't feel like I was doing that all the time, even though I worked hard. I mean, I would go and work and then go train people and then go back into work and work to, you know, late hours just to get, you know, my job done. Because I'm just. I believe in just working hard and.

[Sarah]

Yeah, most entrepreneurs are not afraid of work.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yeah. Yeah. So.

[Sarah]

So do you think if you had somebody that did appreciate you, do you think you would have left the corporate world?

[Lisa Shores Hall]

I can't say they didn't appreciate me. It's just when you're dealing with, like, all different, you know, states and stuff, they're building and big facilities or changing roles and things like that, then a lot of your beliefs and things that you're into, they're not into that, if that makes sense. I don't want to badmouth, you know, corporates or anything like that, because I love the people I worked with. And just at the same time, I felt like I needed to do more for myself and for people, and I just wanted to be more of a service to people.

[John]

Lisa said she was miserable in the corporate world, and yet she doesn't really pin being miserable on the corporate world or what. It's about the way she presents it. She was miserable because it just wasn't the environment where she could do what she does best. And that is getting involved in people's lives and help them live better through fitness. Whether she's helping someone off their medication, which is kind of interesting because she was miserable in the corporate world, researching pharmaceuticals or helping someone lose weight or helping them achieve better fitness, that's just where she shines. And she has done this long enough to know that she can actually be the difference in people giving up on themselves or flourishing. And when you discover that that is your talent, that you can make that kind of difference in people's lives and then build a business around it, that business cannot help but grow and keep attracting the kind of clients that you're looking for.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

That's why we started this small business. And you know, one cage did some boot camp classes. And then all of a sudden the business I'm working for, they decided they're going to move the department to another state. And so I didn't want to stay into this field. So we ended up opening up a much bigger facility. So we just had a big opportunity of this building coming open and all the money that I saved up and things I put into that. And then we hired more instructors for baseball and softball and I started teaching more different types of classes and spin classes, kickboxing and things like that. Hired another martial art person, personal training and things like that. Got into speed and agility classes and just kept building that up and then bought equipment, weight equipment and things like that. So just expanded even bigger. But there's, there's a lot of hardships, you know, with that financially and things like that. And you've got, all of a sudden you're got this business going and you're doing great and your landlord walks in and says, up, just sold the building. And you're like, what?

[Sarah]

And so they usually don't like to give you a heads up on that either.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yeah. And so, but it was, I think he gave me like maybe three months or something like that, but I went out that was on a Friday and I went out on that Sunday two days later and started looking for a building.

[Sarah]

Oh, wow.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

And just trying to find a building with high ceilings and the things that we need and also found a little bit bigger building and did that. So it's just, you know, and just moving and. And then in the process of that was going through a divorce and I was like, man, I just, I just want to ball up and cry, you know, and. But I'm like, okay. But I made a choice of, let's just keep going and don't stop And I had my boys to help me. I had my friends.

[Sarah]

How old were your sons when.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

When all that started? Yeah, gosh, that was. They're in their 20s.

[Mike]

Okay.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Early 20s. So they've just been a, you know, a big help and just kind of moved on from there and just then grew that business. And so, you know, you're going through Covid, you know, having to close down to, you know, rent keeps going up and things like that. But.

[Sarah]

So when you and your husband got divorced, were you partners in the business at the time or.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

Okay. And so you basically took it over?

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yeah, like I said, he was in pro ball, and he was gone a lot, and so, you know, I just. I just kept the name. We got Go play, because he's from Louisiana. And so I just continued it on.

[Sarah]

How's that spelled?

[Lisa Shores Hall]

G, E, A, U, X. Yeah, the first time I saw that name, I was like. Or that word, I was like, I don't even know what that is. And here we are. So we kind of say, go hard or go home.

[John]

With her athleticism, you almost expect her to overcome tough things easily. But she faced some real challenges. A divorce, a break from the court, corporate world, having to relocate the gym. Those are difficult challenges for any local.

[Sarah]

Business owner to handle.

[John]

But she was able to lean on her community during this time. Her sons, her instructors, they all pulled together, and that's why this place has such a strong community vibe to it. It's like it's in the DNA. You know, as business owners, we're often the ones to carry the weight of the business. But it's important to remember that we're not immune to the same struggles in life that everybody else has. And Lisa is so smart to build that community and lean on it, to support her during times of trouble. And it's a great lesson for all of us to not just build our business, but to build a community of support to help us carry the load during those times where life gets really hard.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

But, yeah, it's been great. And just watching these kids that come in that. And now they're driving or they're in college, and, you know, we're getting to see them grow and becoming young men and young women. I just love that, too, as well.

[Mike]

Yeah, so.

[Sarah]

So you're. You've got a background in softball and in, you know, in playing sports yourself. And a traditional gym is a place that just has a lot of weights, a lot of equipment, and maybe some classes, you know, but yours is really different. Yours is geared more towards athletes.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Right.

[Sarah]

What made you see a need for that and decide that you were going to meet that need?

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Well, with me being an athlete back in the day, we didn't have a lot of that type of, you know, like speed and agility and how to run correctly and form and things like that. Knowing really how to lift correctly, squat correctly. And so we teach a lot of that there. So I know I've worked in a lot of gyms and things, and I'm like, I would see things like, you know, people sitting behind a desk and not helping somebody that's in need or, you know, on a equipment backwards. And I'm like, dude, what? You know, so I'm like, I am not going to be that type of person. And so much encouragement is needed for these kids and adults. You know, you have people that are coming in, going through, you know, so many different life things that's going on with them, from the divorce or depression or just not being healthy to medical issues and having to take all these meds because they're obese or high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes and things like that. And so when they come in and I'm asking them these questions and what's their goals and I'm like, you know, the first thing I want to do is help you get off these meds. And they're like, look at me. Like, really? I'm like, yeah. I mean, that's, that's my first goal for you. I just want you to be healthy. You know, it's not always about the way you look in your jeans and bathing suit. Yeah, we want to look, you know, great and everything, but it's more about the becoming more healthier for, you know, for you. You know, God made you to move and you're supposed to be taking care of your body. That's just really important to me. And I don't try to go in and put somebody on strict diets to where you lose a ton of weight at one time, because I want them to learn how to eat right and, okay, we're going to put you on an 800 calorie diet and starve yourself.

[Sarah]

It's not sustainable.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

So just learning how to make better choices and, and things like that.

[Sarah]

So do people come there looking for that?

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Oh, yeah, yeah. Or they may not know that, you know, they come in and they just didn't realize there's a lot of things that they needed. I have people coming in and, you know, if it's especially at seniors, you know, just helping them make sure that they can get off the couch or off the floor. And then, you know, I want you. I'm like, I want you to be able to get off the potty, you know, and things like that. And they're. And I always wish that they started this earlier because they wouldn't be where they're at.

[Sarah]

Yeah, which is why it's important that you gear towards a lifestyle and not just get this result.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Right.

[Sarah]

I mean, I grew up, and there's so much more information available now than, you know, when I was growing up. I mean, some of the things that coaches did, I guess, with good intentions, you know, to toughen us up, are horrible. You know, like, they. They let you get dehydrated. Thinking it just makes you tougher or things like that. And so there's so much more information available that makes athletes smarter. But, you know, I would imagine that there's a certain mentality that you have to overcome where people might think, well, I don't need all that. I just want to work out and get healthier, you know, how do you, like, get people from where they're at? This is all I need is a gym and a workout to know you need to adjust your whole lifestyle. Or do people come at that point where they're like, what I'm doing isn't working.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yes, definitely. And, well, I'll do their weight as well. So then we'll see where your weight is, and then I'll do their fat percentage and their bmi, and then I do their measurements as well. And so, you know, somebody that's skinny doesn't mean that they're healthy. You know, it's like your heart and lungs is a muscle, so you've got to work those out. If we're doing your fat percentage, you know, okay. And your weight, I'll be like, okay, this is where I want your fat percentage to get. You know, this is. Your BMI is really high, and we need to get it down, you know, 25 and under, things like that. So when they see the numbers, they're like, wow, I didn't know I was like that. And I'm like, hey, you're on your way to type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure if you're not already there. And then the ones that are there, okay, let's work on that to get it better and start working on your nutrition and working on the amount of calories. You know, they don't realize, you know, if they weigh a certain amount, that they're. They're taking in this amount of calories to maintain it. And then sometimes I'll find out where they're not even eating enough. And so your body is like hoarding, you know, that food. And you know, it's like you gotta, you gotta have nutrition to where it's just like the gas tank in your car, you know, if you don't put gas in it, you're gonna run out, you know, and plus you don't want to put trashy gas in your car because it's gonna, you know, run bad. And that's the same thing with your body.

[Sarah]

Well, everybody's putting trash and gas in their car right now around the holidays.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Sarah]

As a matter of fact, I got some cookies and fudge downstairs if you want to take with you.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

No, no. And that's, you know, people ask me all the time, like, how do you do it? And I'm not perfect. I mean, I, if I want a cookie, I'll eat a cookie. I just know for me, I'm not gonna take a whole, you know, box of cookies home because I know for me that I will sit and eat that whole box of cookies.

[Sarah]

Nobody can resist the power of sugar.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yeah. So, you know, that's just learning how to have healthier things in your house and because if it's there, you're going to eat it.

[Sarah]

Right.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

And I know that's a definite for me. And so it's just learning how to do those tricks.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

You know, it's easy to think that, you know, well, you've been doing this a long time, so you've developed this willpower where, you know, it has no effect on you, you know. But you're telling me that if it's at home, you're going to eat it.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Sarah]

So you just learn to, to avoid it. You know that that's the only, that's the way to overcome it, Right?

[Mike]

Yeah, right.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

I'm human. And, you know, I'll get.

[Sarah]

Do you do drop ins on your clients where you come into their home and see what they got there?

[Lisa Shores Hall]

They'll send me.

[Sarah]

I'm just kidding.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

No, I mean, well, they do, they're supposed to send me especially we're doing a weight loss challenge, which we're doing one in January 4th, but they're sending me a list of their foods or they'll put it on like my fitness pal and things like that. And I can look at it.

[Mike]

Oh, yeah, yeah.

[Sarah]

And I use that. My fitness pal.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Okay.

[Sarah]

And a couple years ago I decided I wanted to see if I could get down to 10% body fat. And so I knew I needed a tracker, so I was using that. It's amazing when you use something like that. Like, a handful of trail mix is, like, 145 calories. And it's like, right, oh, my God, this little handful is a hundred.

[John]

Like, I would eat it by the.

[Sarah]

Handful all day, you know, and. And just. It's amazing once you start tracking it, you start seeing, like, okay, well, this is why, like, you think you're not eating that much, and you actually think you're eating something healthy. It's trail mix, you know.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Oh, yeah. And then go try to burn that off on a treadmill.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

145 calories at one time. It takes a long time to do that. I think I get more excited with my clients when they lose weight or lose inches or get off a med or something like that. I'm just ecstatic. And then when they do have a downfall or things like that, I'm not disappointed in them. I just think about, okay, what do I need to do to help them even more? Of course, they got to help themselves, and I'm not there with them 24 hours and things like that. They're just funny incidents where two ladies come in and, you know, they like, okay, we like to drink wine and things like that. And I said, okay, you can drink some wine. And I said, just, you know, maybe go with red wine. It's. It's lower calories. It's higher in antioxidants, Just things like that. So they join up, they leave. They go send me pictures of them drinking wine. It's a whole bottle each. And I was like, no, no, no, no, no, no. That's not that. You know, so, I mean, we have a lot of funny things, so let's work on that one glass, you know, or something like that.

[Sarah]

Right? Yeah.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Some subtle changes.

[John]

You know, there's this common misconception that you have to discover what you're passionate about and then build your business all around what you're passionate about. And that can be a huge mistake. You know, there are a lot of artists passionate about the work, but they're starving, and that doesn't really serve anybody. Well, your business has to center around a skill or a talent that you have. And Lisa, being a black belt and having years of playing sports, is definitely talented in the fitness arena, but she also combines that with her passion for helping others and building community, and I love that. She doesn't talk about how many members she has or how much the gym has grown. She talks about the members themselves and how much she loves helping them. And when you can combine your talents with your passions, then you don't brag about numbers. You tell stories about the people you've helped. And I love that.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yeah, it's just making those, you know, if you drink. Drink five Mountain Dews a day. Okay. Let's. Let's kind of bring that down to, you know, two or three and then let's back it off a little bit more and you know, sweet tea or something like that. Let's do half and half. You know, just trying to make those little tricks. Your body will change your taste and things like that. So if you haven't been eating sugar for a long time or, you know, greasy foods or something, then you go and eat it and how sick you get.

[Sarah]

Right, Right.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Some people don't realize how they really actually feel because they're eating all this greasy food and then they. When they stop, they're like, wow, I didn't know I felt that bad previously.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

Yeah. I don't know if it's just from me getting older or from changing my diet, but if I eat something deep fried, it's. I'm gonna pay for it. Yeah, I gotta really want that deep fried shrimp or whatever. French fries.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yeah.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

So did your ex husband being a. Was he a professional ball player or.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yeah, he did. He coached some indie ball and then some aaa. Yeah.

[Sarah]

So I would imagine he saw as well and brought to what you guys were doing, some real specialized training that, you know, you just don't get in a lot of other places and so. And you're continuing that now?

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yeah, I am very blessed to have, I mean, great coaches, instructors there and they care about the clients as well. And I mean, if they have a signing, you know, college signing, they'll go and go to it. I've got to go. I've been asked to go to some signings and stuff and it was. That was awesome to watch that. And you know, we, yeah, we've got to make money and, you know, pay the bills and things like that, but we are the instructors I have and we're such a big family and we work really well together and it doesn't matter what, you know, if it's personal training to a baseball softball instructor, things like that. So we're just like a big family. We trust each other and we feed off of each other as well.

[Mike]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Sarah]

So I know a lot of other businesses at some point. I mean, I faced it two or three times in my business. Needed to Move to a larger facility. What was the challenges you faced and how did you get past that to.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Move to a bigger facility?

[Sarah]

That's a lot of work.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yeah. Moving it was one thing between my kids and my friends and community just coming and helping. We did it and, you know, painting and things like that too. Not just moving heavy turf and the equipment. And it's always a work in progress. Constant, constant. But we did it. And we're still growing and want to grow even more and, you know, actually would like to even have a bigger building. And I have a lot of goals still set for myself and for the facility as well.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

Okay, what are some of those goals?

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Oh my goodness. To have a bigger building, which I'm in 18,000 square feet right now, but which is big. And trying to. Yeah, trying to keep that clean. And things are growing. You know, volleyball's growing. So do I need to get some volleyball courts? You know, pickleball, you know, things like that. Just things that I think of like that. And then going to start a program for middle and high school kids to come in and do weightlifting and learning how to weightlift correctly. And it's, you know, for their sport as well. So are they in season, out of season? What do they, you know, are they having injuries? What do we need to work on? Things like that. So, you know, it's not always about just weightlifting. You know, they're stretching and working on balance and things like that as well.

[Sarah]

Okay, so if somebody wants to join your gym, did they come in and then they're automatically with a trainer or can people just come in and work out and go home? Is there any part of it that's like a traditional gym or.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yeah, yeah, it's a 24 hour gym. So you can sign up for the gym part and then I include the fitness classes as well. So it could be a kickboxing class, a spin to a boot camp, or we do a full body workout with weights. So we have that part and then we have. If you want a personal training, we have personal trainers as well. And I do that and then I have other trainers. And so I try to match people up to what would be good for them. And of course the hours and stuff, like what times can you come in and so what times are the trainers that can be there? So it's not like you're limited of, oh my gosh, only can come in at five in the morning or at, you know, at night. So if you only can come at certain times, then we'll set that trainer up for you like that. And then you have access to the gym as well on top of that.

[Sarah]

Okay, so 24, 7. But you get a trainer as well.

[John]

So what exactly is Go play? It's a gym. It's a training center. They teach martial arts, they teach softball, baseball, speed and agility, weight loss. They offer 24 hour gym membership. If you're looking for something that's not just a gym but serious specialized sports training and instructors and a community of people to journey with, then this is your place. They keep it fun by having weight loss challenges and cornhole tournaments. But it's a serious gym to really improve your fitness.

[Sarah]

So who comes to your place and goes, this is exactly what I was looking.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Gosh, I have all types of people, anywhere from the baseball player or a kid needing speed and agility. So we start that from six and up all the way to seniors that is looking for an instructor. So, you know, some people get intimidated about coming to a gym and then they hear about our place or. And then they walk in and they may get greeted by two fur babies. And I actually had some people sign up, come into the gym and go, hey, we're here to sign up. Because I saw, you know, the dogs on there and I was like, oh my gosh.

[Sarah]

The dogs get a commission.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yeah. Because they get free rent and you know, the vet bills and food and things like that. But they get a lot of loving. So it's, it's not intimidating as you know when you do come in and you get to meet the people and see the people that are working there.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

So you and your ex husband started this and then through the divorce he moved on to doing what he was doing with professional sports. And this is full time year thing that you do and you've got dreams to build this even bigger. What inspires those dreams is it you see a need. Like, because I know pickleball has picked up and you mentioned, I'd like to have a pickleball court. Like, do you see what's going on or what people are being drawn to? What makes you think we need to do this here?

[Lisa Shores Hall]

I think there's a need because I love watching people do things that they love to do. If it's just pickleball. I haven't actually really played pickleball yet. One day I will when I have time, you know, but I feel the same way. Yeah.

[John]

Right down the street.

[Sarah]

I can play anytime I want and I still haven't done it yet.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yeah, I think too, you know, there's so Many people are trying to get involved in, you know, like say the volleyball that's gotten so big and it's hard for people even to find a place to work out. And so like at my place, I want it to be like a one stop shop. You know, you can come and work out, you can get your training in, you can get your speed and agility in. And then you can have an instructor there that helps you with say volleyball or you know, like what we do now is baseball and softball and then the speed and agility we do for all sports. But then I have rentals that come in for football practice because they don't have room or it's raining and things like that. So we get to do a lot of different aspects at the facility because, you know, we do have a big area and I can rent space. Like we just had a big cornhole tournament. Yeah. A few weeks ago and then we just had a sport. Yeah, more of a game. Yeah, yeah. We're actually having anything that you could.

[Sarah]

Drink while you're playing.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yeah. So yeah, they do that. And we're having our. We're going to have our own fun cornhole tournament coming up and I think it's the third Saturday in January and that's going to be just, you know, for fun and fundraiser and things like that. And we just did a fundraiser for my son, like I said, teaches martial arts and so he had a karate tournament at the facility for St. Jude's Hospital.

[Mike]

Oh, wow.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

And so we're all about trying to help the community and raise money or have fun at the same time.

[Sarah]

Yeah, you can do that, you know, I mean, you've got a lot of fun things there. I mean, everybody loves playing cornhole, you know.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yeah, yeah, that's fun.

[Sarah]

It's an easy game, you know, so.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

And you don't really need speed and agility skills to play cornhole.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yeah, it's fun. And just what. But like the people that came in, gosh, a few weeks ago, they're like, like major league, you know, people coming in and they're big time. So. So people like me don't want to play against them because you're just standing there losing 21 to zero, you know, and stuff. It would be fun.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

Nobody likes playing somebody that just is a pro. So I would imagine you've probably had some really nice success stories over the years of people that you've helped either get off meds or lose weight or. I heard you have a nice letter that you from somebody. I'd love for you to share some of those.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Okay. Yeah. This letter came to me, actually. She takes speed and agility from my son, but she wrote this letter to me because, you know, like I said, we're a big family and things there. And so what's her backstory?

[Sarah]

A little bit.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

She actually goes to school in Helena. She plays lacrosse. And so she had an injury playing lacrosse, and it just really got her down because she's trying to get a scholarship. She's got some D1 schools looking at her and things like that, and she thought, oh, my gosh, am I going to be able to do this? And so we just kept working with her and encouraging her. She had to have major surgery, but we're working through it, and she's coming in and doing her workouts, and she'll bring in her training that she needs to do for physical therapy and work on that with her. And then if it's lacrosse, you know, she may be sitting, but doing lacrosse drills and things like that. So it's just watching her, and not that she was going to give up or anything, but she just really needed love to give to her. Hey, you've got this girl. You know, you're gonna. You're gonna do this. And. And so she wrote me this letter, and it says, Ms. Lisa, I wanted to thank you for everything you've done for me, especially through my injury. Your support and kindness have made such a difference during some of my toughest days. Whether I've been struggling physically or mentally, you've always been there to listen, encourage, and offer your guidance. I can't thank you enough for your patience for always checking in on me and for your belief in my abilities. Your gentle push to help me keep going when things weren't easy means more than words can express. So I just love that. That really encourages me to know and that this is my gift that God's given.

[John]

She really has a heart for the younger generation. No doubt this was instilled by watching her dad build a gym in the home and then open it up for the neighborhood kids to come over and then train them on how to work out. So creating all this is obviously a labor of love, and she's passionate about what she does, and that's what fuels.

[Sarah]

Her drive to keep going through the hard times.

[John]

She really does that so well that sometimes it's easy to forget that it's a business and it needs to be run well and make a profit so that it can keep serving the community. But she puts the community aspect of it first, letting that lead the way. Because she's confident that the profits are going to follow.

[Sarah]

Yeah. The impact you're having, that's. That's incredible.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

Who wouldn't want to do that, right? I know.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yeah. I love my job.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

Well, do you have any other stories you want to share? Give us one more.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

I've got a client right now. She's actually a police officer, and she was in a bad car wreck while on duty, and she was trying to get back, and she got really depressed, and she basically just was. Didn't think she was going to be able to be a police officer anymore, and just because of her injuries and things like that. So she's going to physical therapy. She actually called me one day and said, I need help. And I'm like, okay, come on. And I asked her if I could talk to her physical therapist so we could team up a little bit, and she said, of course. So we teamed up and talked. And so she'd come in, and basically a lot of stuff she's gone through, it looked like it was more of a ptsd, you know, things for her wreck. And so I just kept encouraging her and started small. And just like, one of the examples, I don't know if you know what a BOSU is, but it's this kind of like a dome where you stand on and balance. So she was just so nervous about getting on that and just even me holding onto her, and I'm like, you're going to do this. And so we worked on that and just different balance drills and then went from there and just working out with weights and getting her stronger and just kept encouraging her, and she kept saying, thank you, Lisa. Thank you. And I'm like, no, you're here. You're doing the work as long as you're here. And just last week, I've been working on the bozou and balance drills, and I said, okay, you're gonna do this by yourself. I'm not gonna hold on to you. And she's like, lisa, I can't do it. I'm like, yeah, you can. And she got on it and did it, and she stood there and she about cried, you know, she was like, thank you. I didn't think I could do it. And I said, well, we've got one more thing we're gonna do. I'm gonna throw a ball at you. You're on this bo zoo. And she's like, lisa, I know. And so I did. And she.

[Sarah]

So mean.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yeah, I know, I know. But she did it, and she was so proud of herself, and I was so proud of her as well. She's about to go back on duty soon.

[Mike]

Oh, wow. Wow.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

That's got to be a great feeling.

[Mike]

Yeah, Yeah.

[Sarah]

I mean, so they're not just members coming in and doing their thing. You're there to help them achieve and grow as a person, and you're interested in your. The people that come there.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

I am, yeah.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

That's great. So I get the feeling that your faith is important to you. How does that play a role in how you handle business?

[Lisa Shores Hall]

A lot of prayers and faith and. Yeah, I feel like this is, you know, my gift from God for me to what I'm doing, and I love what I'm doing. And so, you know, even all the things I've gone through in the past, if it's, you know, from surgeries to, you know, divorce, my landlord keeps going up on my rent, you know, things like that, it's like, you know, just having the faith that I know God's going to take care of me and take care of the business and take care of the employees that work there, because we all feel strong about that. And, you know, we've done sometimes in the mornings, little small groups, and I've had small groups from my church. You know, different churches come in and use the facility as well. Because I just believe that you have to have faith. If you don't, I mean, what else can you do?

[Sarah]

Yeah. One way I see it playing out is, you know, I mean, that's a big part of what God does and did through becoming one of us as Jesus. He healed us, you know, and that's a big part of what you do. You bring about healing for people and give them more life in that way, you know. So it's a blessing to see your faith come to life in that way.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yeah, I feel like it's a blessing that I can give that to them, and then at the same time, they're a blessing to me because I could be having just a bad day or, you know, or something, and I go to work and we laugh, we have a good time, and if we need to pray over each other, we will. And some of my instructors that I could talk to, like, hey, you know, I'm having a bad day, or I'm having this going on, and they're the same way. They can come to me as well. And even the clients, we do that with each other.

[Sarah]

Oh, that's great. When it's that natural, it's. It's real, you know, it Just seems more real, you know, if it's that natural that your clients can just, you can talk about it, you know, and your employees and nobody feels like, is HR going to say something about this? You can't help but have success when.

[John]

You have a why Like Lisa, she says, I believe that this is my God given gift and I want to keep serving people in the community. That is such a powerful statement of purpose and calling. It's about her business and yet it extends beyond her business and it's about serving her community. Community in a way that she's passionate about and certainly has a gift for.

[Sarah]

Well, when people hear this, I'm sure there's going to be a lot of people that go, that's the gym I want to go to or I need to get some help from them.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yeah, love to have them.

[Sarah]

How do they find you? Get a hold of you or.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Well, they can. Website is goplayalabama.com and it's G E A U X play Alabama. Or they can call at 205-406-5830. And so that phone number is. It goes to my cells. So if you call me at, you know, 10:00 at night, it goes to my cells. So it'll transfer to that. But. Or you can stop by. We're at 2790 Pelham Parkway and I write off a 31 and you know, we're right across the street from U Haul. We don't have a main sign on the road yet, so I'm working on that and. But yeah, you can call me anytime and love to talk to you.

[Sarah]

All right, sounds good. Well, this has been great.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yeah, thank you.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Sarah]

Well, thank you for coming.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Thanks for asking me. Yeah, I loved it. I love your dog here too. I just. Your dog's here and just loving it. And so, yeah, I think something interesting if somebody didn't know about me, of course I have my fur babies there, but sometimes I'll have some foster dogs and I've done a ton of foster dogs and so every now and then you may see something like that there or a squirrel or something that I'm fostering and rehabbing. So. But it's fun and wow.

[Sarah]

Okay, so if you have. If you're rehabbing a squirrel that's just in you to rehab people like you're the real deal. Like if anybody needs help rehabbing, it's. And they're going anywhere else.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Right.

[Sarah]

They're making a mistake.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Thank you.

[Sarah]

All right, well, maybe when you get in your bigger facility, we can have you back and you can tell us more about it.

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yeah. Yeah. If anybody has a place, let me know.

[Sarah]

Yeah. You looking at Pelham?

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yeah. Close. Well. Or anywhere close by. Yeah.

[Sarah]

Okay. All right. Well, anybody listening? If you got a place, give Lisa a call. You got her number?

[Lisa Shores Hall]

Yeah. Thank you.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[John]

So what about the go play approach to business speaks to you? How can you build your business around your talent and your passion? And more importantly, how can you do that to serve others? Whatever your business is, maybe you can take some time to think about how it can better reflect your values. And just as Lisa's passion and work has helped so many others, how do you see your business making a difference in the lives of the people in your community? Thanks for listening to another episode of Locally Owned. I hope you found this episode to be helpful and offer quick, actionable strategies. Please don't forget to hit the subscribe button and leave a review. You can find more episodes on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or go to our website, streetsmartontrepreneurship Biz to find show notes and links and more Sat.