Run a Profitable Gym

If you're a Gym owner, where do you turn to get help? John Manser, from CrossFit Dynamo in Atlanta, GA joins us today, and he is the go to resource for CrossFit affiliate owners to get answers. John is an experienced CrossFitter and has been ranked as high as 147th best in his age group. He has a long sports career including collegiate tennis and a being a sponsored triathlete. He is a certified level 2 coach, has extensive programming experience and has been noticed by the Garage Games for his plans. John got in to CrossFit and wanted to start a box but knew he could not afford to fail. He went online to solicit advice from others on Facebook and get advice from current box owners. From this, the Affiliate Owners Group (AOG) was formed. John talks about how the group was formed and how it grew from its humble beginnings in Atlanta, GA. In today’s episode we cover topics such as how the AOG was formed, the most popular questions/topics on the AOG, and the future of the AOG. We also cover an important topic, the Abundance Mindset. John defines this as, “The Giving of your skills to the people that need them around you, without necessarily expecting anything in return”. This is truly what the AOG is all about. For John, there truly is nothing in it for him besides helping other affiliates.Be sure to send John an email and thank him for all his hard work he and other admins do at the AOG!Timeline:3:06 John Manser Introduction3:55 Trying CrossFit for the First Time5:05 Getting CrossFit Advice Online8:50 Creation of the Affiliate Owners Group12:05 Recurring CrossFit Questions15:07 Recruiting the First Moderators of AOG18:30 Dealing with Leadership Problems20:24 The Abundance Mindset21:41 Managing Expectations24:49 Why AOG is so Popular?26:12 Guidelines of the AOG28:56 Best Lessons from the AOG30:53 Lessons That Did Not Work32:52 Deleting Comments on the AOG34:31 More Best Lessons from the AOG35:21 Most Important Posts to Read (How to Find Customers)37:48 Avoiding Problems Other Owners39:02 What is the Future of the AOG42:26 The Upside of the AOGContact John:https://www.facebook.com/groups/319154731484810/ (Affiliate Owners Group)https://www.facebook.com/johnmanserjrhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/AffiliNation/http://affilination.org/http://crossfitdynamo.com/https://www.facebook.com/CrossfitDynamo

Josh Trahan from CrossFit Breaux Bridge in Louisiana joins us today. Josh is a military veteran, level 3 certified trainer, and successful CrossFit affiliate. Although accomplished and successful this was not always the case for Josh. He is a recovering alcoholic and drug user of four years. A problem that soon began after leaving the Marine Corps. Josh’s love for working out stems from his high school football days. He was always strong and enjoyed helping others train. After high school he was still looking for a competitive spark so he joined the Marine Corps and served through several deployments in Iraq. After serving Josh began to struggle greatly with alcohol and drug use causing weight gain and general unhappiness. After a disastrous series of events, Josh moved to Georgia and embarked on his road to recovery. Josh was living in a halfway house and working at McDonalds where he would walk to work 8 miles each day. It was at this moment that he began intently focusing on CrossFit and initially recruited his roommates train with. After continued hard work Josh set out to become a CrossFit trainer and open his own box. He worked at local affiliates and learned as much as possible about box management and training techniques. Josh then completed his certification and opened his own successful box. Josh enjoys competing in CrossFit but most of all he enjoys bringing CrossFit to the general public. Listen today and learn how Josh pulled himself out of addiction and how he is helping others do the same today with Sobriety WOD. Timeline:1:25 Josh Trahan Introduction2:42 Josh’s Beginnings4:41 Joining the Marine Corps7:30 Life After the Marines12:59 Hitting Rock Bottom17:55 The Last Drink25:50 Honest Appraisal of Self28:15 First CrossFit Workout31:58 CrossFit and Sobriety39:14 What is the Point of Fitness49:12 How CrossFit Sobriety Works54:09 Succeeding with CrossFit and Sobriety57:28 Segmented Training1:00:55 Tracking CrossFit Sobriety Progress1:07:04 CrossFit Sobriety Seminar1:11:15 The Value in Service

Are you better off than you were 3 months ago?

The worst word in the English language is...

Who are your "One In Ten"? and last call for Calgary!

"Nobody wants our job. But everyone thinks they do." These are the words TwoBrain Mentor Jay Williams texted me on Friday night. After a rough week in which even my podcast interview didn't happen on schedule, I reflected on how well I handle stress NOW than I did five years ago. I recalled those dashboard-punching, angry-email-sending days, and thought, "I bet these lessons can help someone else get through it."This episode is dedicated to the martyr; to the workhorse; to the owner who thinks, "I'll just outwork everyone else, and things will be okay." It's not going to happen, and you're hurting everyone (including yourself) in the meantime. You need to do something different. But that's stressful. Here's how to deal with it.Other times, things are going to go wrong. Sometimes they'll all go wrong at once. When they do, here are the tools to get you through.

This week's Food For Thought question comes from Dan Martell.

Robin and Aaron Maier of Stone Brook Strength and Conditioning join us today.They founded CrossFit Regina and operated it from 2007 until 2013. Since moving back to Manitoba, they have gotten the CrossFit itch again and have started CrossFit in their own basement. Learn how they started over and what they are doing differently at Stone Brook Strength. Robin started CrossFit in 2007 as a New Year’s resolution and it has since became a way of life. She enjoys how the workouts are functionaland that they relate to making you stronger and fitter for real life. She enjoys working with people and helping them reach their goals. Aaron started CrossFit in 2004 and began with his own homemade equipment. In 2007, he coerced his wife to start. They built a business from their garage to a huge gym. Then, in 2013, they sold their share and started over in Manitoba.In this episode, we'll talk about their journey, what they're doing differently this time, and what they've learned.Timeline:1:52 Getting Started in Fitness5:46 Where to Obtain First Clients8:29 A Typical Day for a New Gym9:10 Where to Spend Your Time10:11 Adding a Partner to The Business 11:12 Leaving the Business Behind12:18 The Last Straw13:14 Selling a CrossFit Business14:20 Getting Started Again15:35 Working towards Critical Mass18:26 Opening Up a New Location21:32 What to Do Different24:38 Diversifying Revenue Streams27:20 Change in Mindset at New Location30:12 Local CrossFit Competition32:52 Starting from Scratch33:46 How to Maintain a Happy LifeContact:robin@stonebrookstrength.comaaron@stonebrookstrength.comhttps://twitter.com/sbscrossfithttps://www.facebook.com/StoneBrookStrength/https://www.instagram.com/explore/locations/1017169164/Links:http://www.stonebrookstrength.com

What are your SUNK COSTS - or the bad decisions you wish you could erase?

Lon Kilgore, from the Kilgore Academy, joins us today.Lon has a Ph.D. in Anatomy and Physiology and is an accomplished weightlifting and athletic coach. You can read his full CV, including his published research, here. He has competed in powerlifting, the first CrossFit Total event, wrestling, and rowing. In addition to this, he is the developer of the Basic Barbell Training and Exercise Science specialty seminars for CrossFit. He is a military veteran and currently runs the Kilgore Academy. Lon has authored many bestselling books including Starting Strength, Fit, Practical Programming for Strength Training, and Anatomy Without a Scalpel.Today’s episode is focused heavily on education for coaches. We spoke with Lon for two hours in this episode! We talk about where the best education in fitness can be found, how do you do it, and where do you learn. We also talk about certifications, the Kilgore Academy, and more!The second hour of the episode covers a discussion of Academic versus Commercial training for Fitness instructors. In this hour we discuss the pros and cons of both and Lon’s experience in each track.Timeline:11:06 Getting Started in Fitness19:20 Practical Programming28:07 Academia vs Practice32:49 Applied Fitness Research40:53 Publishing Fitness Papers45:53 Good Research vs Bad Research51:04 The Most Up to Date Science54:13 Fitness Advice Red Flags56:34 Placebo Effects of Training60:09 Experimenting on Clients63:37 Kilgore Academy Online Courses67:02 Academic vs. Commercial Training72:21 When to Pursue Academic Education74:24 Starting a Fitness Career84:08 Technology’s Role in Education89:01 More on the Kilgore Academy100:28 Replacing Academic Education103:00 Lon’s Creative Side110:49 Never Stop LearningContact:Lon Kilgore: lon@lonkilgore.com https://www.facebook.com/lon.kilgore Links: http://lonkilgore.com/ http://www.kilgoreacademy.com/ http://www.itcamefromasciencejournal.com/