An Inspired Chat with Kala Vaughn of Goodyear

Kala Vaughn shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Kala, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
Solo hiking trips in Sedona make me lose track of time and find myself. My last solo trip to Sedona, I hiked three different trails for a total of 12 hours. I was able to meditate, reflect and enjoy the nature and occasional people around me.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Kala Vaughn, and I’m the founder of Hustle & Stride Run Club in Goodyear, AZ. I started my run club with the mission to build a welcoming community for West Valley residents. Our mission is “to bring people from all walks of life together to encourage health and fitness for every lifestyle. From walkers, joggers, to runners, Hustle & Stride aims to be a community for all to embrace individuality and radically sustain healthy habits.”

The run club started in April of this year (2025), and it has been a great experience so far. Starting this new venture has been an extreme change from my previous business, a home-based bakery (Belle Sweets). I closed my bakery in 2022, and now being in a completely different industry, I have decided once again to dive into business ownership. It’s not for the weak, but I’m somehow up for the challenge once again.

One thing about being a run club leader is you can’t be glamoured or stress about what other run clubs in the city are doing. I’ve needed to put my blinders on so that I don’t compare or create a sense of competition in my mind with organizations that are probably paying me no attention. My main goal with the run club is to build a welcoming, inclusive community, collaborate with other run clubs around the city, and have fun while navigating this new landscape.

Along with Hustle & Stride, I created and am building my fitness training company, enVision Fitness, where I aim to assist individuals in their fitness journey, with a focus on mobility improvement.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
Unmet expectations can be one of the easiest ways to break bonds between people once reality sets in. We tend to let our minds wander about people, a new job, or a situation, and we allow ourselves to get caught up in fantasies. Disappointment comes, and bonds break when reality sets in with how things are supposed to be, and it can be an earth-shattering experience at times.

The best way to restore these bonds is through transparent, truthful communication.

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Don’t second-guess yourself, girl! Everything is not about appearances or what others may think. Go with your first mind when it comes to how you want to express yourself, what you want to do as your first career, and how you stand up for yourself.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes and no. I don’t believe in code-switching or putting on a persona for different audiences. Am I a great actress? Yes! But I don’t believe in hiding who I am to fit into different spaces. I say no, because I am much sillier than most people realize or know. I find the funny in almost any situation, and that can be very bad at times, so I mask my extreme comedic side more often than not.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What will you regret not doing? 
Not trying. There have been so many times I’ve psyched myself out of trying something because I was scared I couldn’t do it, didn’t know what to do, or didn’t think I had the right skills. But as I’ve matured, I take those chances with an optimistic outlook.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hustleandstride/