This post is for the CrossFit 858 community. You will see why I’m specifying that later with an announcement at the end.
Year 4 is coming to completion at CrossFit 858. To say time has flown by is a huge understatement. The gym has grown. The community has grown. Personally, I have experienced more personal growth in the past 4 years than I have in my entire life.
Here are 4 things I’ve learned as owner of CrossFit 858 in the past 4 years.
1. A CrossFit gym is a living breathing entity.
On paper, a gym is an asset. It’s a means of generating revenue and providing a service to “clients” But we all know this is so far from the truth. A good gym becomes almost like it’s own being. Someone can “own” it, but you have to let it grow and evolve. You can’t try to forge it into a shape that it is not meant to be, but you can lead it, nurture it, and guide it,
Leading with integrity is paramount to building the character of the gym. And when you infuse integrity into the culture it becomes a part of the genetic makeup of the gym. It will attract like minded individuals and repel those who don’t fit the same mold. We’ve seen our fair share of both types come through our doors in the form of athletes and coaches. The ones that fit in always end up staying. The community will end up governing itself.
Like any living being, it’s important to listen to the gym because it will ultimately end up expressing its needs. It will tell you when its time for a change whether it’s logistical, social, or operational. This is where learning to recognize the needs of the box and adapting your approach to meet those needs is key. You have to learn to grow with it.
2. Have fun, it’s all apart of the journey
Coming from the high pressure, high stakes Fortune 500 world, I was used to taking on specific corporate projects or tasks and executing them with laser focus. I wasn’t there to make friends. You either helped the cause, got out of the way, or got steam-rolled as collateral damage. If there was a deadline to be met or a quota to be made, I was hellbent on not only meeting the goal but surpassing it.
When it came time to own my own business, I approached it the same way. I didn’t know any other way of executing the plan. Yes, CrossFit was fun and community based, but it was still MY business. And in the process of building the business, I shot for 100% perfection and didn’t take any “BS”. From anybody. That approach wasn’t sustainable.
Now, I’m not saying nowadays I don’t shoot for perfection and that I take BS. I’m saying that I learned to stop and smell the roses. A lot was due to the influence of my incredibly insightful and intelligent wife, Kelsey. She taught me that I need to have fun and let certain things go. I learned, sometimes the hard way, that you can’t control everything. You have to learn to take things in stride, worry about the things you can control, and focus on the community in front of you only.
And when I started making that shift, that’s where magic happened. I became less stressed about the numbers. The numbers took care of themselves. I smiled more. I joked around more. More members started jokin
g back with me. I felt more connected to the community. The problems I worried about disappeared and new problems, problems you want to have started showing up. I started worrying about what to do with the 200+ members and larger class sizes at night. (hire assistant coaches, duh) I started worrying about how to best use all of my amazing coaches on this staff to their highest potential.
I ended up having more fun than ever, and the gym became more successful than ever.
3. Don’t run this business like a business (all the time)
Ever hear the quote “If it doesn’t make dollars, it doesn’t make sense”? Very corporate. Very black and white. Very wrong for this business.
Not everything that’s conducted at the business needs to generate revenue to help it grow overall. Thinking back to point 1, the main concern that I have in my mind isn’t “does this make money?” it is “does this help the culture?” In any other business, if someone doesn’t have money, they don’t get service or product.
There have been many times, countless now, where people have come to me saying “I need to cancel”. I always ask why. Not just “why” so I can fill out the reason check box for membership processing, but I want to know what is going on in that person’s life.
Too many times, I’ve heard a story or scenario where they actually have nothing against the gym, but on the list of bills and priorities financially the gym is outranked by other items. I’ve seen many people break down in tears not because of the sadness of leaving the gym, but from the sadness and pressure of things going on in their lives-outside of the gym. The gym is what they looked forward to during tumultuous times.
To me, in these scenarios I tell myself that the gym will run with or without the person, I see about a hundred athletes a day over several hours. But from their standpoint, sometimes the one hour they spend here in their day could often times be the best hour of their entire day. Depending on the scenario, I sometimes have helped out certain individuals temporarily in different degrees financially. I’ve seen the stress of having to quit something they love become a nonfactor, and further go onto be a stress relief. It’s therapeutic for them…. and for me.
And that’s how you end up having a lifelong supporter. Someone who won’t forget what you did especially when things get better for them, and how it flies against conventional business wisdom. In the end, it’s a net win for everyone.
4. The Power of Community knows no bounds
Every box says “community” is their best asset. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. It’s one thing to talk about it, but you have to walk the walk. Action, not just words.
I’ve learned that the community and culture is like a fire. You have to keep stoking the fire. You have to let out a rallying cry and see who responds. Having events, inviting all, and seeing each other in a different light than just working out is critical. There is an incredible momentum and inertia that comes out of this that builds and builds.
I have seen the community at this box demonstrate its power time and time again. Whether its for helping one of our own, or even someone that’s not a part of us, I have stopped counting the number of times I’ve seen people pick each other up.
I continuously see new friendships being forged, new memories being made. And the best part is that they are inclusive. Whenever someone new comes along, they are automatically swept up by the community and made one of our own. Nobody new comes into the gym without being assaulted with “hello’s” and introductions. I see it every day, as do the coaches. I’ve even made a game out of this, where when someone new comes in to check out the gym I say “Don’t say a word to anyone. Watch what happens and tell me if its happened to you at a globo gym.”
I am most proud of this. I truly am.
This culture and community is unbreakable and will only continue to grow………
…. which leads to the announcement.
It is uncanny that this coming week, on August 13th, marks our 4 year anniversary at CrossFit 858. Almost on the same day, on August 10th, CrossFit 858 Mission Gorge will begin full operations.
Yes, I’m thrilled and so happy to announce that we are expanding.
Now “expanding” is such a business word. For those of you at CrossFit 858 who know my CrossFit history, you have an idea of the impact of this moment. This is so much more than a business decision. This is one that is driven by emotion, love, determination to do whats right. For those that don’t know my history, allow me to explain.
The gym we are assuming ownership of is CrossFit Mission Gorge. CFMG is where I did my very first WOD. CFMG is where I learned to be the coach I am today. CFMG is where I made many of the friendships I have and will take to my grave.
This place is my alma mater, my CrossFit hometown. I truly love this box and always have.
And like a student returning to become dean, or hometown kid returning to become mayor, I’m 100% owner of the gym where I got my start. I cannot find the words to sufficiently describe how honored and humbled I am. Even writing this stirs up emotions deep inside me. And just as intense as those emotions are, my determination to make CrossFit 858 Mission Gorge better than it ever has been, rivals that.
I want to thank Ian McHugh for letting me take the helm of this ship. I promise to take CrossFit 858 Mission Gorge far into the future based on the initial learnings and culture I experienced early on at CFMG, combined with what I’ve made into my own at CrossFit 858. Thank you for believing in me and trusting me. You gave me the gateway to do what I love, and now I’m able to do that exponentially.
To those that are reading this that are currently at CFMG: I will have a separate message for you after a town hall meeting Monday night. I hope this reflective blog offers you a little bit of insight as to what is headed your way. I promise that we will not let you down.
You have always been family to us at 858, and now its official. I cannot wait to help you.
-Mark
