We recently connected with Ryan Ang and have shared our conversation below.
Ryan, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
Many individuals can claim that they either created or found their own purpose. Meanwhile, my purpose was a mixture of the two. A few years ago, I never thought about becoming a basketball trainer nor starting my own basketball training business. I was just another basketball player in the gym working on my skills and improving my game. One day, I was in the gym practicing when one of my coaches asked me if their son could join. I agreed as helping people has always been a huge part of who I am. As I was practicing with the coach’s son, I wasn’t just going through the motion, I was also teaching him techniques and talking him through the drill. As the practice went on, my training caught the attention of parents passing by and asked me if I was a basketball trainer. In response, I explained I was just another basketball player helping out another athlete. Towards the end of practice, the coach, whose son I have been training with, told me that I might have the potential to help more athletes. Taking his kind words, I gave it a shot. On the following days, I looked for athletes that wanted to get better and train with me. Even after a couple of weeks, becoming a basketball trainer never crossed my mind until one training session at the gym, a parent offered me money to train their kid. From there, it sparked the idea that maybe I have the potential to be a basketball trainer and start up my own basketball training business. With my parents support, I gave it my all and till this day, I am very grateful for the opportunities that people gave me.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
Ang1 Trainings, a basketball training business, was founded a few years ago by accident. It only has one employee and that’s me, Ryan Ang. Before I opened up my own service, I never really thought about becoming a basketball trainer. It all happened because people saw potential in what I did. During the early stages of my basketball training business, I started out by giving free sessions and taking videos of it; building a portfolio. From there, I would promote myself through social media, flyers, and business cards. My basketball training business did not start to expand until the pandemic and even after it too. During the pandemic when we all had to stay inside due to quarantine. Because we were essentially stuck inside the comfort of our own homes, I decided to take my business online and offer free basketball training sessions via Instagram and Facebook live. I also created fun challenges to keep athletes busy such as the gatorade bottle challenge – a challenge in which athletes would need to dribble the ball while throwing, catching, and placing a bottle on the ground simultaneously. One of my biggest accomplishments during the pandemic is being able to train athletes worldwide. For example, I was able to train athletes via live streaming platforms from Spain, Japan, Ecuador, and more! It was a very fun experience being able to connect with different ethnic groups through the game of basketball. On top of that, it was a fun challenge for me as there was a huge language barrier. Even after quarantine was lifted, many if not all, basketball courts remained closed, thus I created home service training sessions. Home service training sessions is when I travel to the athlete’s home and train them there. Because of my innovative ideas during and after quarantine, my basketball training business grew. Till this day, I am expanding little by little trying to help athletes and their needs.
One of the things that helped my business grow is the fact that I am currently assisting my college basketball team. I am the student assistant coach for Fairleigh Dickinson University – metropolitan campus. FDU is a NCAA Division I basketball team located in Teaneck, NJ. Last year, the FDU men’s basketball team and myself made history in the NCAA national tournament, also known as March Madness, when we beat Purdue in the first round. Our victory made history as there has only been one other team to beat a number 1 seeded team in the first round. Being a part of that team definitely gave me more credibility as well as respect within the basketball community.
While I am currently assisting my college basketball team, I am also a nursing student at FDU. My primary career goal in life is to become a registered nurse and possibly become a nursing educator in the future. Helping those around me is in my blood and what is a better way to do so than at the bedside. As a study to become a nurse, another job I have (besides being a basketball trainer) is being a patient care technician. As a PCT, my primary objective is to essentially provide direct patient care and attend to any of the patient’s needs.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Time management, communication, and dedication are three qualities that were most impactful in my journey. For those who are in the beginning stages of their journey, they should first focus on dedication. Many people want to start their own business, they have all these ideas but when it is time to finally put things on paper, they fold. Many people have great ideas, but many people do not execute their ideas because they are not dedicated to the cause. It takes a strong minded person to push aside the nerves and actually start doing things rather than just thinking about it. Even when you start something, you better finish it cause that is dedication. Next is communication, as they say “communication is key.” When running a business, you have to effectively communicate their your clients. If you can’t communicate in a timely manner, clients will think that you are not responsible and you are not trust worthy either. Same goes for healthcare. Communication in healthcare is essential as doctors and nurses must communicate effectively to provide the best care towards the patient. Lastly is time management. Time management is easier said than done. In order to improve on one’s time management, I simply wrote things down. For example, when I schedule my training sessions, I make sure I right down everything to ensure I do not double book anyone. It also helps me organize my day and allows me when I can fit other clients in or when I have time to do other things.
What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?
One of the biggest challenges I am currently facing and will continue to face is managing my week. At the moment, I am a basketball trainer, a student assistant coach, a patient care technician, and a full time nursing student. Overall, I have a lot on my plate. I must be able to manage my studies, while working in the hospital, assist my college basketball team and manage my basketball training business. It’s not easy but with my time management skills, I am able to preserve. I do so by balancing my schedule. I first start by making sure I work on all of my assignments and study for any upcoming exams. After that, I schedule my training sessions as well as assist my college basketball team with any of their needs. Finally, with any free days, I schedule myself to work at the hospital. Although that is my ideal schedule, it sometimes doesn’t always work out. In order to accommodate, I sometimes need to sacrifice one thing for another. For example, if I have an exam on Monday, I will not work at the hospital on Sunday but instead use that day to study.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://instabio.cc/Ang1Trainings
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ang1trainings/?utm_medium=copy_link
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ang1training/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-ang-8471aa234/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/madysamy1
- Other: Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ang1trainings
Image Credits
I own all photos
