Season 3, Episode 2: Darren Thornton

In this episode of Two-Brain Radio, Mateo Lopez of Two-Brain Marketing speaks with Darren Thornton, owner of CrossFit Defy in Toronto, Ontario.

Though Darren’s passion for CrossFit was born out of a love for competition, today, he runs CrossFit Defy for one purpose: to help people get better at life. He’s also a brand-new entrepreneur—CrossFit Defy is less than one year old.

But that doesn’t mean he lacks experience to share. Darren learned quickly the lesson it takes many gym owners years to learn: Get help. Though he’d experimented with Facebook ads and had hired another coach just a few months after opening, he soon realized he needed “a bit of direction.” The business was stable, but growth had halted.

Today, after completing the Incubator, Darren is flourishing in Farmer Phase, having learned some valuable lessons about business structure, digital marketing and how to hire according to your long-term vision.

Links:

https://crossfitdefy.com/
https://www.levelmethod.com/

Contact:

[email protected]

Timeline:

2:11 – Finding CrossFit in the British Royal Marines.

3:58 – From commando to competitor to gym owner.

5:21 – Discovering Two-Brain Business: “I knew I needed help.”

6:30 – Darren’s mission: to help people get better at life.

8:18 – Lessons learned in the Incubator.

10:49 – Onboarding new clients, personal training and hybrid memberships.

12:28 – It’s all about relationships.

17:15 – Upselling as you go.

18:59 – Hiring for the bigger picture.

24:25 – There’s no magic success pill—you’ve got to work for it.