1 – Q) Kindly give our readers an introduction to your business. Please include what your business is all about, in which city you are located and if you have offices in multiple locations/cities.
A) Alpha Win is an endurance sports company focused on producing triathlon and running events around the United States. With a dozen events in three states, New York, California and Florida, Alpha Win has a nationwide, year-round footprint, bringing endurance sport to the doorstep of athletes around the country. With its mantra “A Distance For Everyone®”, Alpha Win prides itself on catering to the first-time competitor and the elite athlete, and everyone in between. With its family-friendly feel and beautiful locations, Alpha Win provides a destination racing series that anyone can enjoy.
2 – Q) Kindly give us a brief description about yourself (it should include your brief educational or entrepreneurial background and list some of your major achievements).
A) I, Thomas “Tommy” Struzzieri, am the Owner of Alpha Win. The company was first started by my father in 2011 as HITS Endurance, which he managed alongside HITS Horse Shows. Running and endurance sports are a true passion of mine, and when I was 19 I convinced my father that this was the business for me. I took over operations in 2020 and haven’t looked back. While some of the original races and locations remain, such as the Palm Springs (CA) and Ocala and Sarasota (FL) triathlons, I have put my own flair into the races and added some mazing locations such as Napa and June Lake (CA) and Lake George (NY). I share an office with my father’s company, Diamond Mills Resort, in Saugerties New York, 90 miles north of New York City, where I live.
3 – Q) What inspired you to (start a new business venture) or (to make significant changes in an existing business)? How did the idea for your business come about?
A) I ran Division I track at Syracuse University. I was competitive but unfortunately fell to several injuries that cut my running career short. I still run for fun (nearly 10,000 miles in the past 5 years) but when I knew I was out of competitive sports, I turned that energy toward developing competitive opportunities for others in the sport that I love. There’s nothing better than watching others share your passion and attain their goals – whether it’s simply completing their first triathlon or 5K run, or setting a PR in a classic distance triathlon or marathon.
4 – Q) What three pieces of advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs?
A) When you have a business you love, work hard at your business, believe in your business, and believe in yourself.
5 – Q) What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur?
A) Learn your business inside and out. Be the owner, be an employee, be a customer. If one of those experiences doesn’t feel right, fix it – change it right then. If you don’t fix it now, it will only be harder later.
6 – Q) How many hours do you work a day on average?
A) I’m of the generation that craves work-life balance, and I embrace that when I can. When I’m getting ready for an event, or it’s during an event, it’s 24 hours a day for as long as it takes. Nothing gets in the way of producing the very best event and experience for our customers. And because it’s a sport I love, it’s easy to put all of my energy into it.
7 – Q) To what do you most attribute your success?
A) Passion for a sport that I love, and for sharing that with others.
8 – Q) How do you go about marketing your business? What has been your most successful form of marketing?
A) Social Media and Direct Email are the only way to go. It sounds so simple at first – who wouldn’t love to spend all day on Facebook and Instagram posting about their business? But it’s really hard to develop content that draws followers, and even harder to convert those followers into customers. For sure more than half our efforts go into marketing.
9 – Q) Where did your organization’s funding/capital come from and how did you go about getting it? How did you obtain investors for your venture?
A) I’m lucky that I was able to take a business that my father had already started, so my initial startup was not as difficult as for others. But I still had to make it my own and put my stamp on it. I am pleased with how I’ve done that, and that I have been able to grow the business since taking it over. I’m young, and the athletes weren’t sure about that in the beginning, but I have gained their respect over time, and I have learned a lot. I’ve also been in their shoes as a competitor, and I can relay that experience which often creates a level of respect between us.
10 – Q) What is the best way to achieve long-term success?
A) You have to love what you do and wake up every day wanting to do it again. Even when it’s hard, you have to love it. I look forward to the events, to putting on a show, so to speak, where the athletes have no idea of the challenges we might have faced. When it all comes together at the starting line, and the finish line, nothing feels better than having created an event and experience that put a smile on everyone’s face.
11 – Q) Where do you see yourself and your business in 5 – 10 years?
A) I want Alpha Win to be the “Ironman” for the everyday athlete. I hope to add a dozen more races in the most beautiful locations, and broaden our impact on the sport, and on a healthy mindset. I want people to come to our races for the destination and the experience, and to feel like I was part of their journey. Again, it doesn’t matter if it’s their first time, or they’re an Olympian, I want them to have the best experience possible and to foster their love of the sport.
12 – Q) Excluding yours, what company or business do you admire the most?
A) The NBA and WNBA. They are marketing geniuses. The NBA manages to gain in popularity almost despite some of their star players, but they manage a world-wide presence that is unfathomable. The WNBA has taken its own direction this past year with its star players out of college, and they really capitalized on their success at the Olympics this summer. I’m also in awe of how they attract and service their sponsors. I know both leagues have almost unlimited marketing budgets, but I take their ideas whenever I can.