N.U.T.S - Hi
N.U.T.S
runuts.ca
Instagram//Facebook//Youtube
Owner: Hi Nguyen
2253 Gladwin Crescent, Ottawa, ON K1B 4K9
Interview + Photography: Marianne Rothbauer, Rothbauer Studio
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I am 44 years old and I grew up in the suburbs of Montreal. I have always been very curious about science and history and have generally been hyperactive all my life. I have practiced and been passionate about martial arts for over 30 years. I have 2 wonderful teenage kids who will soon conquer the world with their evil plans. I am a driven, creative person who strongly believes in making the world a better place.
What sparked the inspiration for N.U.T.S.?
I have always dreamed of having my own business. When I seriously began thinking of starting something, it was clear to me that I wanted to offer something fun and unique for families. I wanted to offer an activity where you actually GAINED from the experience. The book “Spark” written by Dr. John Ratey is the source of all the science behind what we do at N.U.T.S.
What has been your biggest challenge?
The biggest challenge has been creating awareness and building sales for this entirely new concept. Because this is a completely new invention, I had to start with educating the public on what we did and have them buy in on the idea even before I could sell to them. That is still a giant challenge today.
What is the benefit of being challenged mentally and physically at the same time?
At N.U.T.S., we essentially challenge the concepts of leisure time and learning in general. First of all, why not learn something valuable when you are having fun? We are unfortunately raising a generation of kids hooked on garbage like “memes” and violent over-sexualized video games. I want to challenge that by showing them that you CAN have fun by being active and learning cool stuff. Second, we are disrupting the entire educational system. For hundreds of years, we have had people learn while sitting down. Wether it is in schools or in a corporate boardroom, people have to sit for 6-8 hours a day and cram their brains with information. Yet, we have thousands of scientifically proven studies that show that our brains are made to learn while we are in movement. N.U.T.S. was designed specifically to have you learn any customized content while you are on the move.
How does N.U.T.S. build teams?
Teams learn to bond and work effectively together when they are DOING things together. At N.U.T.S, we have created a team building environment where people not only learn together, they also overcome challenges and obstacles together. Our clients really become engaged when they have to solve exciting leadership challenges as a team.
Have you ever had a one-person team who was a star-athlete and genius and made the course look easy?
Of course! It happens all the time. In fact, “nerdy athletes”, wether they are 10 years old or 48 years old, are the ones who perform the best on our obstacle course.
Is there math involved?
A little bit. Simple math is what makes the most sense in our obstacle course format. We have not yet found a way to deliver more complex math problems in our concept, but who knows? One day we may help people launch Tesla’s in space!
