Vermont State University entrepreneurship students get knockout lesson in business

Tammy Landon gym owner and teacher shares entrepreneurial insights

In a unique fusion of academia and athleticism, Tammy Landon, a seasoned gym owner and entrepreneur, extended her knowledge to the classroom Tuesday evening April 30 as she welcomed Vermont State University instructor Chris Coughlin and his entrepreneurship students into her realm of fitness and business expertise at The Gymnasium on 11 Cottage Street in downtown Rutland.

The visit included a comprehensive tour of the gym, offering students insights into facility management and customer engagement strategies. Additionally, the students had the exhilarating opportunity to partake in a boxing lesson, adding a physical dimension to their entrepreneurial education.

During the visit to The Gymnasium, Landon, a teacher herself at Vermont State University, provided firsthand accounts of the trials and tribulations inherent in running a gym, navigating the entrepreneurial landscape and answered probing questions about her most challenging obstacles and greatest rewards as an entrepreneur. Landon discussed how the gym endured through the Covid pandemic, adding online fitness classes to maintain and gain memberships and most recently created “Knockout” boxing sessions that focuses on the fundamentals of boxing.

“We covered all of the trials and tribulations associated with being an entrepreneur,” Landon remarked, reflecting on the immersive learning experience she facilitated for the students. Landon continued, “Boxing and entrepreneurship both require determination, strategy, and resilience. In both, you face challenges, setbacks, and opponents. Success often comes from adaptability, quick thinking, and the ability to seize opportunities. Just as a boxer must train hard to excel in the ring, an entrepreneur must continuously learn and improve to succeed in business.”

Once the class finished their tour, the students put the boxing gloves on and had a chance to experience a boxing session with seasoned trainers John McCutcheon, former heavy weight amateur boxer, as well as John Bottomms, hall of fame Jui Jitsu Master (10 Dan). The students got a crash course on hitting the heavy bag, speed bag, shadow boxing, jump roping, basic footwork and punch combinations.
“Fun was had by all,” Landon affirmed, emphasizing the enjoyable and enlightening nature of the experience for both herself and the visiting students.