We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Anthony Giallanzo a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Anthony, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
As a child, witnessing the financial and life struggles my parents endured instilled in me a deep sense of resilience. Their perseverance in the face of adversity became my guiding light, teaching me invaluable lessons about resilience and determination. Despite facing numerous challenges, they never waivered in their commitment to provide for our family, demonstrating resilience in its purest form. Their resilience became ingrained in my up bringing, shaping me into a resilient individual capable of overcoming obstacles with unwavering determination. Through their example, I learned the importance of resilience, grit, and perseverance, traits that continue to define me to this day.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
With a degree in education and certification in personal training, I quickly realized my passion was in teaching fitness rather than in a classroom setting. It was 2006 and at the young age of 25 I formed my first S-Corp and began accommodating Long Islanders with mobile personal trainers, as well as multi-sport classes and parties for children. Fast forward to 2017 and the sport of ninja warrior and obstacle course training was exploding on television and gyms. By 2019 I refocused my business and opened my first ninja obstacle training facility now called No Limit Ninja, offering classes, competitions, training and parties. After a successful 7 months in business I was forced to close my doors due to COVID-19. Due to the pandemic, many people starting to invest in their homes and backyards and with that the calls started to come in asking if we could sell the same equipment that we have in our gym but in their backyard. So in the Spring of 2020, Ultimate Ninja Course Builders LLC. was born. We began with residential backyards and quickly expanded to summer camps and day camps. We were the first company to build outdoor ninja courses for summer camps and since then have worked with dozens of camps along the east cost, creating customized designs tailor to each customer’s and camps needs. For 2024 we have plans to expand west to more camps and communities.
No Limit Ninja successfully rebounded from the pandemic and has since expanded from its original location on Long Island to a 10,000 sq. ft. space in Yonkers and New Jersey by later this year.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Looking back, the three most important things I can attribute my success to are my resilience, adaptability and integrity. As an entrepreneur, being resilient will enable you to bounce back from setbacks and challenges with determination. Resilience is not about avoiding adversity; it’s about navigating through it with grace, strength, and courage.
In business you will be thrown many curveballs, so being adaptable will allow you to be flexible and able to adjust your strategies and approaches in response to changing circumstances.
It is important to let others know that you have integrity in what you do. Adhering to a high ethical standard and maintaining honesty and integrity in all your dealings.
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
Owning and operating multiple businesses can be overwhelming at times. A few strategies I use to help cope are to take a break and step away from whatever is causing me stress, even if it’s just a for a few minutes. Take a walk, go for a drive or just find a space to clear my mind.
I find that prioritizing tasks by making a list of everything I need to do and prioritize them based on importance and urgency. I try to focus on completing once task at a time instead of trying to tackle everything at once.
Most importantly, seeking support. I won’t hesitate to reach out to family, friends, or colleagues for support. Sometimes talking to someone else about what’s on my mind can provide valuable perspective and reassurance.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ultimateninjacoursebuilders.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/ultimateninjacoursebuilders
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/ultimateninjacoursebuilders
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/agiallanzo/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@UltimateNinjaCourseBuilders
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/ultimate-ninja-course-builders-farmingdale?uid=OW8PDV8ktC4PO3_skFYGtQ&utm_campaign=www_business_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct)
