The Training Table

In this conversation, Nick discusses his experience with consolidating gyms and dealing with lease issues. He reflects on the challenges of managing multiple locations and the impact it had on his personal and professional life. Nick also shares his attempt to buy the building and the decision to walk away from it. He talks about the staffing challenges he faced and the realization that expanding horizontally was not necessary for his goals. Finally, he discusses finding a new location and the decision to close the other location. In this conversation, Nick discusses the challenges and decisions he faced while managing the transition from one gym location to another. He emphasizes the importance of timing and ethical considerations in shutting down the old location and transitioning members and staff to the new one. Nick also shares the experience of fitting out the new location while shutting down the old one, highlighting the intense workload and time constraints. The conversation concludes with a discussion of the lessons learned from these experiences.

Takeaways

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

01:38 Consolidating Gyms and Lease Issues

03:09 Challenges of Managing Multiple Locations

05:36 Reflections on the Gym Experience

06:31 Attempt to Buy the Building

08:23 Lease Negotiations and Decision

09:12 Staffing Challenges

21:45 Identity Shift and Changing Goals

28:44 Finding a New Location

37:00 Deciding to Close the Other Location

40:09 Managing Timing and Ethical Considerations

42:07 Transitioning Members and Staff

43:28 Shutting Down and Fitting Out a New Location

44:45 Lessons Learned

46:33 Closing Remarks

Every transformation has its Day 1, and for Chris Williams, that day came a decade ago—garage workouts at nearly 400 pounds, a struggle with self-belief, and the first steps towards a future he could never have imagined. His story isn't just about shedding weight but about lifting up a community, now from the helm of his two gyms in Tracy, California. Through the lens of personal vulnerability, we explore the nuanced journey of Chris's evolution from hesitant newcomer to confident gym owner, and the role that CrossFit played in his metamorphosis.

By drawing back the curtain on gym ownership, we confront head-on the challenges of valuing a fitness business, the sacrifices necessary for its survival, and the strategies for nurturing growth. The episode culminates in a discussion of the importance of support networks, the joy found in community connections, and how Chris's ventures are not just building stronger bodies but fostering a stronger sense of belonging for athletes and entrepreneurs alike. Engage with this heartfelt episode for an authentic look at the interplay of fitness, business acumen, and personal growth, as told by one man's remarkable journey from weight loss to wellness leader.

https://www.instagram.com/lock34/

https://www.instagram.com/cftfitness/

(00:01) - Chris Williams' Journey Into CrossFit

(07:46) - Benefits of One-on-One Training in Fitness

(15:31) - Rebranding and Owning a CrossFit Gym

(26:00) - Valuing and Challenges of Gym Ownership

(33:17) - Expansion of a Personal Training Business

(41:39) - Target Audience and Training Options

(50:55) - Struggles, Coaching, Retiring, and Future Goals

(55:27) - Finding the Right Support and Networking

Transformation, Fitness, Gym Ownership, CrossFit, Personal Training, Business, Growth, Community, Coaching, Support, Brand Identity, High-Intensity Workouts, Tailored Training, Gym Business, Valuing, Challenges, Expansion, Target Audience, Training Options, Struggles, Networking

Listen in as Nick and Chris chat about staying active and maintaining a balanced lifestyle while running a business. Discover how Nick uses his new walking treadmill to keep fit during long video calls, and how this simple act of movement can inspire a more active lifestyle. You'll also hear about Nick's recent travels to Greece and Turkey, drawing parallels between the engineering marvels of ancient monuments and the precision required to manage a business.

(00:01) - Training Table

(08:11) - Exploring Greek Isles and Istanbul Architecture

(11:41) - Take Time Off as Business Owner

(24:39) - Prioritizing Goals and Work-Life Balance

(29:49) - Building a Flexible Schedule and Lifestyle

(39:37) - Endurance Runs and Personal Challenges

Work-Life Balance, Business Owner, Mentor, Walking Treadmill, Lifestyle Business, Prioritizing Goals, Flexible Schedule, Endurance Runs, Personal Challenges, Ancient Engineering, Greek Isles, Istanbul Architecture, Vacations, Mindset, Physical Tasks, 3.7 Mile Loop, 12 Hour Walk, 26.2 Hour Sitting

Ever thought of plunging into an icy bath as a way to build mental resilience? Seems daunting, right? Our guest, Matt Chenard, a gym owner from Camrose, Alberta, tells us about his fascinating journey of managing his autoimmune conditions through cold water exposure. Matt's viral ice bath experiences on social media not only garnered millions of views but also opened up a dialogue about using these seemingly intimidating tasks as a tool for mental strength and resilience.

Matt, Nick, and Chris also discuss the importance of setting achievable wellness goals. We challenge the notion of perfect performance and instead, encourage aiming for an 80% success rate. Discover with us the importance of finding a work capacity that is uniquely yours, acknowledging that the routines that work for one may not always work for others.

Wrapping up, we delve into the profundity of finding meaning in exercise and aging. Matt shares a heart-wrenching story of a gym member who finds inspiration in his mother's battle with Alzheimer's, reminding all of us to appreciate the time we have. We talk about the significance of action, and again, setting realistic health and wellness goals. Join us for this enlightening conversation as we explore the potential of cold water exposure and the art of setting achievable health and wellness goals.

Go follow Matt at:

https://www.instagram.com/mattchenard/

https://www.truealphacoaching.com/

(0:00:02) - Ice Bath Training

(0:14:42) - The Benefits of Cold Water Exposure

(0:28:16) - The Importance of Setting Realistic Goals

(0:39:24) - Finding Meaning in Exercise and Aging

Cold Water Exposure, Mental Resilience, 80% Success Rate, Realistic Goals, Mental Strength, Hard Tasks, Cold Exposure, Viral Video, Gym Owner, Camrose, Alberta, Daily Reminder, Mortality, Alzheimer's, Taking Action, Appreciate Time

Two controversies have popped up recently and we wanted to talk about them. One is about gendered barbells (calling 45# barbells "men's barbells" and 35# barbells "women's barbells") and the other is elite athlete Lauren Fisher posting a controversial video on her Instagram feed. What are your thoughts on these topics?

There's a lot of different certifications and courses to take in the fitness industry. You can go down the traditional route of exercise science and/or kinesiology degrees, but you can also look at things like the CSCS, NASM, CrossFit (Levels 1-4), and speciality courses, etc.

In this episode, Nick and Chris sit down (stand up?) to talk about the courses they've taken and which ones they think are worth it.

Have you ever dropped into another CrossFit/functional fitness gym and had a terrible experience? We have and here are some of those stories, plus some general tips for coaches out there looking to improve their practice.

Two-Brain Business puts on a Summit each year where gym owners and coaches from around the world gather to hear and share best practices with each other. Here's a recap from Nick's and Chris's perspectives from the 2023 Summit held in Chicago, IL.

To learn more about Two-Brain Business, go to www.twobrainbusiness.com

We invited special guest Jason Willis on the show to talk about his recent attempt at doing the Presidential Traverse with Chris. The Presi Traverse is a series of mountains in New Hampshire that the pair attempted to do within one day, but were met with temperatures as low as 10 degrees and wind gusts up to 70 mph in the middle of May. Needless to say, they didn't quite make all seven summits, but did come away with some good stories.

Welcome to The Training Table podcast where we have conversations about functional fitness coaching and business. Nick Habich owns Sharkbite Fitness in Cape Coral, FL (www.sharkbitefitness.com) and Chris Plentus owns Kanna Fitness in Ambler, PA. (www.kanna.fit). They met through a business mastermind and loved talking about all things fitness and business that they decided to record some of their conversations.

This first episode covers our origin stories and how we got into fitness and gym ownership. Leave comments for any questions or topics you might have for future episodes!