FOR Louise Hazel, COMPETITION HAS ALWAYS COME naturally.

She still remembers the thrill of winning her school’s sprint race at seven years old and beating all the boys—a moment that sparked not only her love of track and field, but also her appetite for rising to a challenge. By age ten, Hazel had already set her sights on becoming an Olympian. That ambition ultimately carried her to the world stage, where she represented Great Britain in the heptathlon and cemented her reputation as one of the sport’s fiercest competitors.

Today, she channels the same discipline, resilience, and bold vision into SLAY, the wellness platform and training community she founded to create spaces where ambitious women feel seen, supported, and empowered to take up space unapologetically. What began as a single gym in Hollywood has evolved into a growing brand with ambitions that stretch far beyond personal training. Read about Louise Hazel’s journey in her C&C 100 interview below.

What’s a behind-the-scenes wellness habit or ritual that plays a major role in how you show up each day?

Visualization has always been a huge part of how I show up. From mentally rehearsing my races the night before the World Championships or Olympic Games to rehearsing my lines for a huge Nike event. I always make sure I’m well rested and well prepared.

Many of us were first introduced to you as an Olympian, but you’ve since evolved into an entrepreneur. When did you know the time was right to launch your brand SLAY?

I knew it was time to launch my brand Slay the day I was told that my brand name was “too aggressive” by an established publisher in the UK. His opposition and lack of cultural understanding told me that I had to keep going. He didn’t understand that I wasn’t trying to fit the mold or the cooker cutter image of wellness back then. I wasn’t trying to go along with the status quo. I was trying to reach young women who were ambitious, ethnically diverse AND health conscious. Women who were physically strong, women with a voice, women who were not only totally comfortable taking up space but women who demanded new spaces that were designed with them in mind. This is why I launched our gym in Hollywood first. We needed a physical space, a community, and a place to belong!

What are the most rewarding and most challenging parts of becoming an entrepreneur?

The most rewarding part is seeing your community and your people win as a result of something you’ve built or a vision that you’ve made a reality. The most challenging part by far is scaling what you’ve built because it requires funding, time and a team that is committed. It’s rare to have all three at the same time!

“I’ve done so many reps in my lifetime that the stakes NEED to get higher every time to feel worthwhile.”

Did you raise capital for your business—and if so, what surprised you most about the process?

Yes, I started the gym in 2018 with minimal funds that were raised from Angel Investors. In 2019, the pandemic killed the business because we were closed for 2 years. I decided to move into the gym to save funds and keep the online business going. Somehow I managed to pay back my investors in full in 2021. The thing that surprised me the most is that we bounced back so strong and just how much people valued our personal training, our space and our community!

When the stakes are high and all eyes are on you, what keeps you steady and confident in those moments?

When the stakes are high and all the eyes are on me - I think let’s goooo! This is where I thrive and I think to myself “it’s time to do something great today.” I’ve done so many reps in my lifetime that the stakes NEED to get higher every time to feel worthwhile. It’s definitely an addiction.

What dreams/goals do you have for your business that both excite and scare you?

My goal is now to expand the Slay world beyond personal training into women’s fitness studios, apps, apparel, beverages and more. It’s exciting to be able to grow into scalable products and operations. The thing that scares me the most is the idea of not doing it in my lifetime. That’s just not an option.

How do you define success for yourself now vs. earlier in your career?

Success for me before, was defined by proving to myself whether or not I have what it takes to become an Olympian and a Gold Medalist. Success now is very different. Now I KNOW I’ve got what it takes. Success now is defined by what I do with it!