Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha Peszek.
Hi Samantha, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I actually just recently moved to Austin! I am from Indianapolis, Indiana, but spent ten years in Los Angeles, California.
During the pandemic, I got curious about other cities and decided that I should try this up and coming city that so many people have been gushing over – Austin! I grew up on a lake and I love good food/drinks and how warm and friendly everyone is, so it felt like a good balance between Indiana and Los Angeles. So far, it has lived up to the hype!
I am the founder of Beam Queen Bootcamp, which is a gymnastics event that travels around the world, but I have an entrepreneur spirit, so I always love having a ton of passion projects as well. I am a sports broadcaster for the PAC-12 Networks and ESPN and host of the I Have Cool Friends podcast.
It’s a show that sparks inspirational conversations about business, wellness, and personal development. I interview Founder/CEOs, psychologists, authors, etc. It’s been so amazing for me to learn from some of the smartest, kindest, *COOLEST* people in the world. 😉
Basically, I love meeting people and getting to hear their stories. Whether it’s my business, podcast, or the stories I get to tell on air, I feel like it’s my life mission to inspire others. Growing up, my parents always told me that I could do anything I set my mind to. That really built the foundation for me to accomplish my dreams as an athlete, so I want to give that gift to others as well.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Absolutely not. Starting a business is never easy. It’s way harder than I thought it would be and I work way more hours than I thought I would. There’s not a minute in the day that I’m not thinking about what I should be doing for my company. I’ve read all of the entrepreneurial books and had amazing mentors, but nothing can prepare you better than just doing it. A lot of my struggles came from “inventing the wheel.” No one in my sport has ever done a camp like this for only one event. So, I had to create the business model, design the registration site, brand the events, and choose staff all based on intuition. Ironically, I realized that a lot of the messages I was preaching to the gymnasts was what I needed to remind myself in business. I really had to work at keeping the same level of confidence I had as a gymnast to being this young female entrepreneur right out of college. There were a lot of days where the hardest thing was just making a decision. As a perfectionist, I wanted to make the right decision in business. It’s good to be calculated, well-educated, and prepared, but at a certain point, you just have to make the decision, know you have good intentions and hope it’s the right one.
Each event, I got a little more bold when it came to business decisions. I would add another merchandise item or change the program slightly to see what the customers were truly wanting in their experience. We are really engaged with our parents, so a lot of the structure of Beam Queen Bootcamps are crafted by what their gymnasts want in an event and how it could benefit them outside of the gym too.
We tell our gymnasts that you have to actively practice confidence. Yes, some days are easier than others, but you still have to practice. I think it’s a great reminder for young girls, adults and definitely me since not every day is sunshine and rainbows when you’re starting or growing a company.
As you know, we’re big fans of Beam Queen Bootcamp. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I was a gymnast for 22 years. I was lucky enough to experience the sport at every single level from “Mommy and Me” classes all the way to the Olympic Games where our team won a silver medal. After I retired, I wanted a way to give back to the sport that has given me so much. Balance beam used to be my nemesis and I actually almost quit gymnastics because I had so many fears on the event. I taught myself how to love the challenges and how to have confidence on a 4 inch beam. It ended up becoming my best event and my favorite event. So, I started a company called Beam Queen Bootcamp, which is a traveling gymnastics event to help gymnasts improve their physical and mental techniques. We even have an entire rotation on “Confidence Training,” which makes our event unique. We offer a new perspective on the most difficult event in the gymnastics. Our approach is to uplift, encourage, and motivate these athletes. We want to help them learn important life skills just as much as we want them to succeed in the gym. I hired my friends who were also Olympians and NCAA Champions. We’ve had gymnasts representing 49 states and six countries attend and most of our events have 100 gymnasts on the waitlist. This community is something that I’m really proud to have built. During the pandemic, we even started an online program called, The Club that has live digital events most months and is full of videos tips from the best gymnasts in the world. This has really been a fun way to connect with our international gymnasts. I feel like this was our breakout year, but at the same time, it feels like we’re just getting started. I’m really passionate about helping young girls and women find confidence in their life whether it’s in sports or outside of the gym. I can’t wait to continue growing this worldwide community of strong, confident girls and women.
We also have a growing presence on Instagram (@BeamQueenBootcamp) Facebook (@BeamQueenBootcamp) and TikTok (@BeamQueenBootcamp). We post inspirational, comical, informative and appropriate gymnastics content! Follow us!
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I tore my Achilles my junior year of college and couldn’t compete at all that year. It was devastating and really bad luck. However, it gave me the time to prepare mentally for the following year and think about my life beyond gymnastics. I ended up winning NCAA’s my last year and had so much clarity for my life after retirement. That tough year was the greatest gift I could have received.
On the flip side, you definitely need a little bit of good luck on top of everything else when you’re trying to make an Olympic team. So, you could say that I’m fortunate to have experienced both good luck and bad luck in life and in business. You want to work hard and prepare yourself well to set yourself up for the good luck, but we all know it doesn’t always happen that way. However, all of my biggest setbacks and shortcomings have led me to something much greater, which is a reminder I try to tell myself when I’m in a rut.
Contact Info:
- Email: Speszekinfo@gmail.com
- Website: BeamQueenBootcamp.com
- Instagram: @SamanthaPeszek @BeamQueenBootcamp
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeamQueenBootcamp
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6Gv6zQfVl3oBDCmCBq1gEQ
