Aly Teich: Breaking From Corporate, Networking Tips, and the Fitness Industry's Talent Problem

Gamma Project

Aly Teich is one of the toughest, most inspiring women I have ever had the pleasure to meet. She is also one of the most connected and knowledgeable people in the fitness industry. Aly is the founder of The Sweat Life, a popular fitness blog and online video series, which I’ve been a fan of for years. Since leaving the corporate world behind to pursue her now ubiquitous fitness startup, Aly has grown her brand to over 70.000 Instagram followers and collaborated with some of the largest brands in the world, including Adidas, Clif Bar, and many more. Aly is also president of The Talent Hack, a newly launched website that connects professionals to brands in the fitness industry. In this wide-ranging interview, Aly recounts, in detail, what it was like to detach from corporate America and start her own business. We discuss all the emotions, expectations, highs, and lows that came with that decision, as well as how she overcame specific challenges along the way. At the heart of Aly’s success—aside from an immortal work ethic and a genuine compulsion to make people healthier in their daily lives—is her skill as a networker. In this conversation, Aly explains the tactics she employs when reaching out to a brand for the first time, as well as the strategies she relies on to convert an idea into a conversation and, ultimately, a business deal. In that vein, she provides some great insight into the inner workings of The Sweat Life—particularly how she designed the architecture of the site to support a booming partnership business from day one. We also talk about Aly’s three pillars for personal wellness, which support her energy, creativity, and mental health, as well as the behaviors she avoids—including incessant social media interactions—in order to remain healthy, happy, and focused. This episode is truly one for everyone, and, as always, I encourage you to listen all the way through. It’s a powerful one. ______________________ This episode is brought to you by Altra. I was introduced to Altra a couple of years ago, and their running shoes—known for their signature Footshape toe box and Zero Drop platform—have since become a sort of secret weapon for me. I break them out for especially punishing runs, and when it’s time to go off-road, their trail shoes are the only ones I’ll wear. (The Lone Peak is my personal favorite.) This spring, Altra wants you to #EmbraceTheSpace and get fired up for taking your runs outside with their lineup of fast and light road shoes. One model to check out, for sure, is the Altra Duo, which features 31mm cushioning beneath both the forefoot and the heel, and weighs in at a crazy-light 7.5 ounces. If you’re interested in checking out the Altra Duo, you can head to fleetfeetsports.com. They’ll be available there through March. AltraRunning.com