Behind the Business with Sue Forberg, Owner of H2T Elite Dryland Training

For Sue Forberg, work is a family affair. Whether it’s bringing the boys to the gym or having husband Steve help with the business behind the scenes, every day is better with family.

We interviewed the director of H2T Elite Dryland Training – a multi-faceted state of the art dryland facility specializing in the ages 5-16 – to talk about her passion for kid’s health and how she balances running a thriving business while raising a young family.

We have a saying on the wall:
“CAN’T DOESN’T EXIST HERE”

What inspired you to become an entrepreneur?

It’s more like who inspired me. My family and best friend Ali helped me realize it was my time to find the real “Sue” and follow my dreams of helping children stay fit.

What’s the best part about owning your own business?

Being able to do things my way!

Describe a typical day:

No sleep! Everyday the chaos begins early in the morning and carries right throughout the day and evening. No two days are ever the same. I spend a good part of the day planning and facilitating programs for children, youth and adults. Keeping our programs fresh and up to date on the latest exercises is a full time job! Once the teams are in the facility the fun starts, the look of empowerment when a child finishes something he/she never thought he could is priceless. It’s those moments, those smiles that make it all worth it. We have a saying on the wall ” can’t doesn’t exist here” and the kids really believe it. It’s amazing what positive praise and support can do for anybody. That’s our focus at H2T; you’re here to gain knowledge, exercise, socialize and have fun all in a positive environment.

Who do you count on for help? Do you have a network of family that answer the call?

My family are great. My boys come to work with me when they can and they help out with the younger teams showing drills. It’s a win win situation they are exercising and having fun, and i get to be with them. My husband is also a big help making sure the business side of things runs smoothly. My family has embraced my beliefs and ideas and they have become amazing examples for other children. Thanks gang!

We are a very active family so we are always outside playing sports, walking in the forest or just chilling as a family.

Have you ever had to sacrifice something at work to make the family work?

It’s usually the other way around. I was that mom that never missed a hockey game, unfortunately I’ve missed a few these past few years, but my boys understand that I’m always with them and I’m just a phone call away. I still try to make it to at least 1 game each a week so it’s not that bad. The great thing about my job is I get to train both their teams so we get to spend lots of time together.

What do you do on a day off? Do you even know what a day off is?

I’m a mom what’s a day off? Lol! I spend any time I have with my family and our new puppy Jersey. If you haven’t guessed it we are a pretty close knit family, and I love it.

What does the future look like?

We are opening our first location the middle of June. It’s over 7000 sq. ft. of fitness fun. Our goal is to open multiple locations in the next few years in all the major cities. We want to reach as many children as we can.

Are you active in your local community?

Yes! More and more moms are finding ways to work from home to create more balance in their work and home lives. I have an extensive network of MOMpreneurs that I network with, and bounce ideas off every day. It’s important to support each other!

Name another entrepreneur who inspires you:

I would have to say my last employer Anna, she’s raised two great boys, runs two successful businesses and has done it all on her own. She is one of the strongest ladies I have ever met and she inspires me to be a better mom, career person and woman.

Any tips for mom’s thinking of starting a business?

The best lesson we can teach our kids is to follow their heart and believe in themselves, and that’s what I encourage moms out there to do. Lead by example, go for it, it’s okay to be scared, it’s okay to even fail, but get back up and keep trying. How we deal with the roller coaster of life defines who we really are. And isn’t that what we really want to teach our kids? To find out who they really are?