Angela Sneed, Founder of Advanced Athletic Training Solutions
Angela Sneed’s BIO
Angela Shirk Sneed is a Licensed Certified Athletic Trainer, who received her bachelor’s degree from Catawba College in Salisbury, NC in 1993. Since then, she has worked with several of the major hospital based physical therapy groups in the Charlotte area performing duties such as treatment of patients in the clinics, marketing and referral development. She also performed Athletic Training duties for several of the area sports teams, such as the Charlotte Rugby Team, Carolina Cobras Arena Football Team and several NASCAR Motorsports Teams. She also worked for PIT Instruction & Training as an Event Coordinator and provided Athletic Training services to the pit crew athletes who attend PIT CREW U and continued on with 5 OFF 5 ON Race Team Performance along with several of professional Motorsports Teams.
Currently, Angela owns Advanced Athletic Training Solutions. She works with area physicians and health care professionals to provide rehabilitation and fitness programs for professional Motor spo
Angela resides in Mooresville, NC with her husband and their 4 dogs, Bailey, Baxter, Jayda and Kayla. When not working she spends time with her husband and their animals, reading, being outdoors, gardening, traveling and watching the NASCAR Truck, Nationwide and Cup Series.
http://www.advancedathletictrainingsolutions.com
IN THE SPOTLIGHT INTERVIEW
1. Please share with us what prompted your involvement with Advanced Athletic Training Solutions.
Angela: I started Advanced Athletic Training Solutions in June of 2007 to work with the pit crew’s and road crews of MOTORSPORTS. I started volunteering my time in 2004 one day a week for a year with a pit crew coach. I went around to all 6 of his teams and treated his guys. I learned that in MOTORSPORTS, the pit crew guy does not want anyone to know if they are hurt because they may not have a job if someone in charge finds out. They didn’t have anyone on their side and they didn’t know where to turn. This is where I came in. I gained their trust, had physician contacts that would see them within 24 hours and I was on call 24 hours a day. After a while, I had so many guys who mI did this for that several of my colleagues where I was working kept telling me that I should do this as a business. So in June of 2007, I left PIT and started Advanced Athletic Training Solutions. I only worked the business part time until January 2012. At that time, I decided to work the business full time and open up my own location that would be open to the public. I wanted/want to create a place where people can come and get not only the rehab/injury prevention but also acupuncture, nutrition and massage at affordable prices. I think it is important that people are given another option (besides a prescription) to feel better. So I created a one- stop shop for wellness that is open to the public!
2. There is no typical day in the life of an entrepreneur. Please share with us a sample of your day, start to finish.
Angela: This depends on the day. For example,Monday’s and Tuesday’s, I spend 4 hours each day at a Motorsport team, then 6 hours at the office seeing patients!
/clients and doing paperwork.
On Wednesday’s, I am at the office all day seeing clients/patients from 8 am until 7 pm along with admin. work, meetings.
On Thursday’s, I am at my teams from 7:30 am until 4 pm and then back in office from 4:30 to 7 pm.
Friday’s, I am in the office treating patients and finishing up any loose ends.
Sunday’s are race day. I am up at 3 am,leave the house by 4 for 5:00 am boarding (if not west coast). Garage opens at 6 am (sometimes 7am) and I set up my portable training room, treatments start 30 min after garage opens and I treat the guys with Ultrasound, Electrical Stimulation, Trigger Point/Myofascial Release, Stretch them and tape them up. I have 13 pit crews in total that I take care of on race day. I close up treatment area 1 hour before race and then head to the 99 garage stall to start stretching all the guys. 10 min before race starts I gather my radio and gear and head out to the 43 pit stall. During the race, I stand in the 43 pit stall so if some thing happens at any of my other crew stalls, they know where to find me. After the race, we head to the plane, where if needed I hand out ice bags and look at anyone I need to or contact my team physician with injury status’s if needed. We fly home, I go to bed then start all over Monday morning at 7 am.
3. What are your ‘can’t live without’ Smartphone or desktop applications?
Angela: I can not live with out my Smartphone or my IPad. Since I do so much traveling back and I forth, I have the mobility of my iPad. My Smartphone is essentia because I receive and send texts constantly.
4. What are your tricks for time management?
Angela: I have to have a schedule and everything gets placed in a time slot, even my time for myself. I have learned to say no, which has helped my time management and helps to not have any wasted time.
5. What was the best advice you received when you started your career?
Angela: Don’t let anyone tell me I can’t do something because I am a female. If it is a passion, I love what I am doing, and I am persistant, all the time and hard work that I put into my business will pay off.
6. Given the current economic climate, what has been your strategy for building awareness of Advanced Athletic Training Solutions? ( what you do for short term and long term growth)?
Angela: Most of my building awareness is through word of mouth and my aligning with other professionals so clients/patients would benefit from having the best tools and options for feeling better, becoming healthier, Or what ever it is that they are coming to see us for. We care, they are not just a number. We participate in a lot of community events to get the word out to everyone, plus being in Motorsports as long as I have, the people I work with or see also help by spreading the word about my company!
7. What is your proudest achievement as an accomplished entrepreneur?
Angela: Have have several….
1.) when I finally broke into an all male dominant sport and contracted with several Motorsport teams for ATC Services, and not being a part of a major healthcare organization, only myself.
2). Being inducted into my College’s Sports Medicine Hall of Fame in Feb. 2012.
3.) Opening my own 2000 sq. ft. facility in Jan of 2013 that houses my one stop shop for wellness.
8. How do you achieve balance in your life?
Angela: This has always been hard for me, and it has only been in the past year that I have been able find balance between my personal life and my business life. It has been my calendar that has helped me. If I do not write it down and have my day scheduled, my ability to balance goes down the tubes.
9. Your top 3 book recommendations?
Angela:
It’s Your Business by JJ Ramberg ;
Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson M.D. ;
The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy.
10. What are your most rewarding charitable involvements?
Angela: I do a lot of work with local animal rescues in the Mooresville area along with Bark for Life. This year, I have started to get involved more with Cancer societies.
11. Who has influenced your career the most?
Angela: I have had several…
1) my parents because they have always been my biggest supporter and cheerleader. It is my Dad whom I call when I need advice or just need to bounce ideas off of someone.
2). To the Crew guys and doctors who I have worked with and currently working with. Without them and their trusting in my abilities to help them, I would not be in the position I am today with my business!
12. What is your advice for someone interested in entrepreneurship?
Angela: If you have the desire, the want and tenacity…Go for it. Have a business plan with your goals. It is not easy, it is hard work, dedication, and at times very frustrating, but the end result is great!
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