We recently connected with Stephen Sweezey and have shared our conversation below.

Stephen, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

My name is Stephen Sweezey and I’m the new owner of The Running Hub in Santa Fe, NM. Taking over the business in May 2025 was a significant risk and life-changing moment. I was the store manager for 9 years, and the previous owner approached me with the opportunity to purchase the business when he was ready to retire. The purchase made sense (The Running Hub has been an established local business in Santa Fe, NM since 2001, and my wife has deep roots in northern NM), but it was still a big financial risk and investment. My wife and I ultimately decided it was the right choice and worth the risk, and we took the leap to becoming small business owners! The main challenge has been the intense learning curve in many areas; regardless of how much you think you know, there is always more to learn. Prior to moving back to New Mexico in 2016, my wife and I co-directed Birchwood Camp in Chugiak, AK. The camp was a non-profit and we learned a lot about managing programs, fundraising campaigns, staff and volunteers, along with building maintenance. This gave me a lot of relevant skills and experience, but running a non-profit is certainly different from owning/operating a small business. Starting my professional career in the nonprofit world has shaped the way I view my current role as owner: not only am I concerned with the future of my family, I now have staff that relies on me running a profitable business for their futures as well. I’m also dedicated to contributing to my community and partnering with like-minded businesses and organizations to create a positive impact in Santa Fe. Taking on this risk has allowed me to reinvent the conventional role of a business owner into a more compassionate, community-minded, servant leader approach.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I received my Master’s Degree in Sports and Recreation Management with the intention of becoming a teacher. However, the best plans can (and often do) change! In 2009, fresh off grad school and the great recession, my wife and I moved to Alaska to manage a camp & retreat center. Looking back, it was a leap of faith for us, moving to a new place into brand-new-roles. Our time at Birchwood Camp proved to be a life-shaping experience in many ways. Camp is where I developed a love for building community and helping others reach their potential. Alaska is where I got into running, and ultimately found my passion for ultra-distance runs (aka “Ultras”). Ultras are running events or races that go beyond the standard marathon distance of 26.2 miles. They can be 50k, 50 mi, 100 mi or more! The ultra running community is one of deep comradery, as a deep support system and love for endurance is typically needed to complete these long events. I love helping runners experience the challenge and joy of completing an ultra. To date, I have been fortunate enough to complete twenty 100-mile races, which is my favorite ultra distance. My next race will be the Susitna 100 in February 2026 back in Alaska. Today, I bring the ultra running mentality of helping others into my store, The Running Hub. We serve a wide variety of customers from new and seasoned runners, to walkers, to folks who have been referred by a doctor, podiatrist or physical therapist, and everyone in between. In a world that offers endless online shopping opportunities with a mediocre (at best) customer experience, we provide a truly customer-centered experience at our store. We specialize in gait analysis, shoe fitting and excellent customer service, and we exist to help folks achieve their goals of fitness or personal health.

Let’s move on to buying businesses – can you talk to us about your experience with business acquisitions?

In May of 2025, I purchased The Running Hub. The Running Hub has been an established run specialty shoe store in Santa Fe, NM since 2001. This was my first business purchase and while most things went smoothly, it was far from easy. In order to secure funding for the purchase, I needed to use an SBA loan. I had a great team to help me navigate this process and could not have done it without my wife. I purchased The Running Hub because I had been managing the business for the previous owner, John Lumley, for 9 years. When he was ready to retire, the purchase made sense. The process started with acquiring an LLC and a business license. From start to finish, the process took 8 months. After that is when the real fun began. Going into the purchase, I knew I would have to reapply for a new account with all of my vendors, which ended up taking an additional 5 months. Here I am 6 months into ownership and still learning new skills and altering/developing new methods for my staff. Was this process difficult, yes. Would I do it all over again knowing what I know now? Absolutely! Becoming the owner has allowed me to support my local community in ways I had previously only dreamed about.

We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.

My business partner is my wife, Marie Sweezey. She and I met in college, when both of us were working as summer staff at Glorieta Conference Center north of Santa Fe. She worked in the coffee shop and I was part on the recreation staff team. As a long-time coffee enthusiast, I easily found my way to Marie and had a good excuse to see her often. The rest is history!

Marie is a hands-off owner and has a full time job outside of the store that she loves. She helps me regularly by listening to ideas and giving feedback. I have found it very beneficial having a business partner that isn’t actively in the same industry, as it gives her a completely different lens. It can help identify blind spots and gives me perspective about what’s going well and areas that need improvement.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://runsantafe.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therunninghubsantafe/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Running-Hub-100064034136100/