ON THE JOB: Health Hut works to help customers meet wellness goals

ALBANY — Breckyn Guzman started her professional career as a teacher. When that did not quite work out as anticipated, she found another avenue for her skills, an avenue that hundreds in the Albany area have come to embrace.

Guzman is the owner of Health Hut, located in Albany’s Lancaster Village at 2345 Lake Park Drive. The business offers healthy shakes, teas, sports nutrition supplements, and wellness and fitness coaching. The products are categorized based on what they are intended for — fat burning or energy — and come in vanilla, chocolate, coffee, fruit, sweet, mint or snack form.

Aloe can be offered in some products for the purpose of helping with digestion.

“We help people to reach their health and wellness goals,” Guzman said. “We are not just a shake and smoothie shop.”

The coaching methods are meant to cover goals such as weight loss, weight gain, energy enhancement and good nutrition. Staff also strives to create a peaceful and happy place where people can bring their children or hold business meetings.

“We promote a family atmosphere,” Guzman said.

The owner said everything at Health Hut is based on Herbalife’s products. She used products for weight loss while she was living in Philadelphia, eventually selling the products to make some extra money while she worked as a math teacher.

Along the way, that led to a second career, one in which she said there are fewer restrictions and the ability to make a greater difference.

“I still get to teach, but on my own terms,” Guzman said.

Her new career began when she opened Health Hut on Sept. 1, 2012. The goal for a business like Health Hut is to bring in 100 customers a day, a number that Guzman said her establishment has tripled.

On average, there are 200 once-a-weekers, and about 10-20 new people coming in weekly. All of them are served by a staff of eight people.

“From the beginning, it has exceeded my expectations,” she said.

The business has been able to meet Guzman’s goals without relying on traditional advertising.

“We feel the best advertising is word of mouth,” she said.

Guzman said running her own business has been a learning experience, specifically in the rules of opening a business and making sure there is enough staff on hand to offer the personalized service her customers have come to expect.

“The first thing in the morning, people are in a hurry to get to work,” she said. “(It is) the same thing for lunchtime. (We want to make sure) they are getting quality, not just in and out.

“We try really hard to learn everyone’s name (and bring) a more personal experience than just a transaction.”

Guzman said customer service and atmosphere are what set Health Hut apart, as well as listening to what the customers want.

“My goal is for people to feel better when they walk out then when they came in,” she said.

While staying away from franchising, Guzman is involved in helping people open other businesses like hers — such as Amber’s Health Spot in Leesburg.

“My goal is to have 10 nutrition clubs like this in a 30-mile radius (of Albany),” she said. “We live in a busy, on-the-go society.”

She also said she does not want to get into the restaurant business, so her intention is to stick with the basic services in helping people to live healthy.

“The main goal is to help people live a healthy life,” Guzman said.

Health Hut can be found on Facebook, and can be reached at (229) 344-2025. The business is open from 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday through Friday, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5-7 p.m. and 9 a.m.-noon on Saturdays.

Jennifer ParksJennifer Parks