The Most Important Decision You’ll Make for your Fitness Business

“You and Eric seem to have an efficient system in place.  How do I go about finding a business partner so that I can distribute responsibilities the way you guys do?”

This right here is among the most commonly asked questions asked during my weekly business consulting interactions.  While there are times when I wish a recipe existed for identifying the perfect business partner, the existence of such a tool would actually take away one of our biggest competitive advantages here at CSP.  Our cohesive decision-making processes and clearly defined ownership roles have proven to be true differentiators for us in relation to many of the fitness facilities we compete with.

I’m sorry to tell you this, but I’ve yet to figure out a structured way to identify the right person to start a business with.  Instead, I can tell you how Eric and I stumbled into this scenario, and why I think it works for us.

It all started when…

During the summer of 1999 I received a packet in the mail from Babson College: 

Congratulations on your acceptance to the class of 2003! As an on-campus student, you have been assigned to live in room 201 of Forest Hall.  Your roommates will be Eric M. Cressey, and Jean-Pierre Mondalek.

So, there you have it…you can find the perfect business partner by sitting back and allowing your college or university to arbitrarily make that call for you.  (I should note that JP is also still a friend and currently doing big things in the U.A.E. working for UBER)

In all seriousness, this random room assignment for my freshman year of college has had an immeasurable impact on the direction of my career and life as a whole.  Several of the guys from my floor in Forest Hall continue to be among my close friends today.  Eric and I managed to survive a year of living in tight quarters.  We went on to have rooms just doors apart the following year before he made the decision to transfer to another program and pursue an exercise science education.

Though we didn’t realize it at the time, we’d spent months working surprisingly well in a collaborative format.  Nothing says compatibility quite like walking into a forced-triple as strangers and emerging as friends eight grueling months later. 

We shared an interest in local sports.  We dabbled in the club sports scene on campus.  We routinely made the trip to the dining hall together.  We even teamed up in the classroom to successfully complete a project for our Statistical Analysis course.  Long story short, we demonstrated a propensity to function effectively as a team.

Eric eventually moved on to a different university and started the long process of becoming an educated and influential contributor to the fitness industry.  I stayed the course in pursuit of a business degree and then began to accumulate professional experience in a 9-to-5 workplace setting.  It was during the spring of 2007 that the two of us reconnected and began the discussion of opening a strength & conditioning business.  We haven’t looked back since.

Here’s why it works for us…

There are a couple of reasons why I believe we’ve proven to be compatible business owners to this point in time.  For starters, we were friends going in to the process, but not best friends.  I mentioned in my most recent post that my dad taught me life-lessons relating to lending money, and he had similarly impactful words on the dangers of going into business with friends or family.  In his words, “the personal relationships are far more valuable than any business will ever be”.

For me and Eric, the occasional email exchange and ongoing AOL Instant Messenger banter (his username was EricMC10 – hit him up on there) was enough to keep a friendship in tact between 2001 and 2006, but surely not enough for us to lay claim to best-friend status at that point in time.

The second reason why our business partnership has thrived is that our mutual interest in owning a successful business is just about the only place where our interests overlap here at CSP.  Eric enjoys assessing athletes and designing training materials.  I have an odd interest in tracking our performance metrics so closely that I can tell you how many dollars we need to collect today in order to be on track to outperform our September of 2014 number.  We’re both aware of our strengths, and focus on doing what we do best. 

If you were ever to ask Eric his keys to success in building a great team of strength coaches, he’d tell you that he focuses on hiring complimentary parts, as opposed to clones of himself.  This rationale holds true in searching for your potential business partner. 

My close friend Kevin Colleran is a co-founder of Slow Ventures, a venture capital firm investing in early stage technology companies.  The vast majority of Slow Ventures’ 200+ investments involve multiple co-founder scenarios.  I reached out to him discuss their evaluation protocols for potential investments and he shared a similar attitude relating to co-founder compatibility.  He explained, “I usually avoid scenarios pairing two Type-A personalities who are going to compete over who is effectively the CEO.  I’d prefer a “divide and conquer” approach based on split responsibilities.”

Some important questions to ask yourself…

If you can comfortably say that your potential business partner has a personality type and management style which will compliment your own, and you are not putting yourself in a position to possibly compromise a lifelong friendship, I’d encourage you to consider these five important questions:

Am I prepared to trust another individual with my credit? 

Starting a business isn’t cheap and owners are going to be accountable to any investments made on its behalf. 

Do I know someone I’d be comfortable allowing to spend my life savings? 

Big money decisions will be made on a daily basis during the early stages of building your fitness business, and micro-management of every call will only serve to slow you down.

Is there a person out there that I’d be okay with seeing 6+ days/week for the next couple of years? 

If 7+ was an option in the last sentence, I would have used it.

Do I get along with their significant other? 

When you go into business with someone else, you’re effectively going into business with his or her spouse.  Thankfully, Eric and I get along with each other's wives, and they happen to be friends as well.  I urge you not to overlook this piece of the puzzle, as it is likely to influence major decisions during the lifespan of your business.

What are their long-term career goals? 

If this is going to be your livelihood, it is best that your business partner share the same long-term vision you possess. 

How can I help?

Let me know if I can be of assistance during the business building process!  I can be reached at pdgymsolutions@gmail.com to discuss consulting opportunities.  Good luck!

5 Ways to Dominate your Fitness Sales Pitch

I am the person who outlines services available at Cressey Sports Performance here in Massachusetts.  Be it in an email, telephone, or in-person format, the responsibility is mine.  With over 3,500 athletes currently in our client database, I’ve had plenty of opportunity to fine-tune my pitch.

I take a great deal of pride in being able to effectively overcome the most common hurdles encountered during the selling process.  What makes this particularly challenging for me is that fact that I am selling fitness instruction without a history of actually having instructed fitness.  The success of our business is largely dependent on my skill-set in this realm, so I am continuously modifying and improving my approach.

“You can make the best cup of coffee in the world, but if you can’t sell it, you’re out of luck. Cash is oxygen. Money is what will take you to the next level, so if you can’t get it, you won’t move on.”

— Gary Varnerchuck

Here is a look at five of the most useful tools currently sitting in my “selling toolbox”.  Hopefully other fitness facility owners will find one or two of these tips to be of assistance as they work to increase their conversion rates during the sales process.

1.  Ask a bunch of questions…and then ask some more

If there is one lesson I’ve learned during 8+ years of customer service here at CSP, it is that people enjoy talking about themselves.  What they appear to enjoy even more is talking about their kids.

How’d you hear about us?  What inspired you to get in touch?  How old is your son?  What sports does he play?  Does he have any type of unique injury history we should be aware of?  Has he been exposed to any strength training up until this point? Is he planning on playing a fall sport?  How’s his diet?  Does he typically do a good job of balancing academics and athletics?  Is he hoping to play sports in college?  Have you put any thought into possibly training with us while your son is here?

There really is no such thing as too many questions during the initial stages of a phone call with a prospective client.  At CSP, we embrace the idea that they don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care, and this mentality kicks in beginning as early as an initial phone call.

2. Identify your key words and use them often

I often joke that I could step on to the CSP training floor and be perceived as a competent coach by simply screaming the most common cues at arbitrary moments.  If you’ve spent any time training under the supervision of a decent strength coach, you know exactly what I am talking about.

“Tuck your chin!  Chest tall!  Hips through!  Drive through your heels! Get your air!”

Much like these cues can serve as a crutch during the coaching process, I have a handful of “go-to terms” which I use in each and every sales pitch.  Parents can’t get enough of terms such as: suggested corrective exercise, faulty movement patterns, and flexibility limitations.  Every time I say to a dad that we’re going to “place a heavy emphasis on the importance of adhering to our arm-care protocols”, I can almost hear him taking out his wallet to find his credit card on the other end of the telephone.

Parents want to know that their kids are in the hands of professionals whose primary focus is injury prevention first, and performance enhancement second.  Each and every one of the descriptive terms I’ve outlined above helps me to convey this message effectively.

3. Establish areas of expertise to differentiate staff members

Whenever asked the “what would you do differently if you could start over” question, I am quick to say that we wouldn’t have put Eric’s name on the business.  The biggest problem that comes with the name “Cressey” being on our tee shirts and business cards is that every other staff member is perceived to be wildly inferior by comparison to Eric.  This presents a serious problem since Eric can’t handle assessment, programming, and coaching responsibilities for every athlete to step through our door (spread over 2 facilities). 

The most effective adjustment I’ve made to counter this problem is to focus on individual areas of expertise for each staff member.  If you come to us with a history of low back or hip-related injury issues, you can expect to be evaluated by Greg Robins.  If you inform us that you’ve been dealing with lower-extremity ailments, you should prepare for a consultation with Tony Gentilcore.  Are you fresh off of a Tommy-John procedure?  You get to meet with Eric Cressey or Chris Howard. 

If you employ multiple coaches at your fitness facility, I’d encourage you to identify their interests and unique skill-sets in an effort to differentiate their areas of expertise.  Your coaches will instantaneously receive a bump in perceived credibility beginning the moment you begin to label them “your shoulder guy”, or something along these lines.

4. Consider publishing the answers to your most commonly asked questions

I am regularly asked what kind of agility work or foot-speed drills we integrate into our programming to ensure that a young athlete gets faster by working with us.  Rather than respond with a diatribe on our programming philosophy and declare that “ladder drills are stupid”, I let Eric do so for me.

“My business partner Eric has actually published some great information relating to this subject.  Could I possibly have your email address so that I can send you a link to a relevant blog post?  He does a great job of articulating our training philosophy on this front.”

There are a couple of reasons why I find this approach to be effective.  For starters, Eric has taken the time to thoughtfully outline the answer to a question that is actually fairly complex, and is considerably better prepared to provide a concise answer.  Secondly, by capturing an email address and forwarding a link to an article, I am in complete control of the message.  I can easily incorporate links to other relevant blog posts, draw attention to Eric’s baseball-specific content archive, and more.

Whether it is justified or not, material that has been published on the internet is extremely effective in positioning yourself as an industry leader.  Parents of clients are often put at ease when they can see your comprehensive knowledge base laid out in front of them in an electronic format.

5. Don’t be afraid to tell someone you are not a good fit

 Anyone who has had the opportunity to pitch their fitness instruction services for an extended period of time has likely encountered the type of potential client who would rather dictate their programming needs than listen to your informed opinion.  It is surprising to see how many people seek your services only to tell you exactly how they’d like you to train them.  I know better than to compromise our training philosophy and allow an athlete or client to decide on their exact programming needs simply so that I can collect their money.  Instead, I’ve unintentionally stumbled upon my most effective selling technique yet: politely declining business.

As it turns out, the people who are convinced they already know how to do our job do not take too kindly to me telling them we are probably not a right fit for what they’re seeking.  Maybe they’re testing me to see if I have the wherewithal to stand by our training model and philosophies.  Maybe they’re not used to being told “no”.  Either way, they all seem to change their tune and suddenly open their minds to embracing our system by booking an initial assessment.

My dad always told me that I shouldn’t lend money that I can’t afford to lose permanently.  I’d apply this logic to applying the “we’re probably not a good fit” response.  Never tell someone you’re not what he or she is looking for if you can’t come to terms with the idea that they’ll agree and walk away.  This being said, based on my experience, they rarely will.

Teach me

As I mentioned earlier, I am constantly revising my approach to the selling process to improve effectiveness.  I’d be eager to learn more about my reader’s “can’t fail” selling strategies.  Feel free to post a comment below or send me an email at dupuisp@gmail.com in the future!

5 Reasons Why Experiencing Your Business Can Improve Your Business

Eric and I have never formally scheduled a meeting to discuss business strategy.  Instead, we lean heavily on spontaneous discussion around the office and the occasional shared car ride to “talk business”.  It just isn’t in our nature to sit down to formally outline our short or long-term goals on a sheet of paper. 

A couple of weeks back Eric popped into my office unannounced and closed the door behind him.  “I think we should try to get back to our roots a little bit as it relates to training environment.”  He asked how I think the client experience is different here at CSP today in relation to our early years of operation when we were finding our identity as a business and a brand.  I had some ideas, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that my opinions were not founded on experience accrued by time spent on the training floor.

For our first five years of operation, I spent most of my time working in the business, as opposed to on it.  I knew the name of every athlete who walked through the door and exactly when they were due to make another payment.  I knew their injury history and sport of choice.  I knew when they were going to train next, and even if they had a family vacation scheduled in the coming weeks.  I was locked-in on the meet and greet component of our client experience. 

We hit a tipping point in 2012 upon realizing that my day-to-day administrative tasks related to keeping this place moving were hindering my ability to guide the direction of our brand and the growth potential of the business.  We decided to hire an office manager and I instantly began to fall a little bit out of touch with the overall client experience.

As much as it stung to lose the daily face-to-face client experience here at CSP, this was the right decision for our company.  Since that time, we’ve managed to achieve growth that far exceeds our initial vision.  I now spend my days tucked away in a corner office giving the sales pitch on the phone and via email.  I also craft the CSP content the internet sees populating a variety of different social networking platforms on a day-to-day basis.  In short, I manage the way that the public engages with our brand. 

During our previously mentioned conversation, Eric and I touched on a number of strategic initiatives geared toward training environment modifications moving forward.  One of these initiatives was a shift in my own strength training and client interaction habits.  We decided it would be a good idea for me to opt out of our traditional staff training schedule (typically weekdays during the 90-120 minutes prior to clients arriving) and begin executing my own programming during the busiest part of our work day here at CSP.  The idea was that I get back to my own roots of customer service by interacting with our clients right in the midst of our training floor. 

I wish I’d done this sooner, as the benefits that have come with the new training environment have led me to be better at my job.  Here are 5 ways that I am improving at running my business after having made a commitment to experiencing it from the eyes of our clients:

1. I’ve gained a better understanding of my coach’s unique skill-sets

I have a great feel for each of my employee’s unique skill-sets as it relates to assessment and program design, but I now have a more complete understanding of how to leverage their coaching abilities.  My time in the gym has given me an appreciation for the fact that they also have their own unique style while on the training floor.  Some coaches thrive while working with female athletes, while others feel right at home instructing young baseball players. 

Every CSP staff member has a specific type of client that they excel at instructing, so it is my job to appropriately pair them with these scenarios moving forward.  While our training format does not allow for full-time one-on-one instruction for each athlete, it is important that they feel as if they’ve got a primary point of contact within the gym, and I now have an opportunity to improve my ability to pair personalities appropriately in this context.

2. Improved Rapport with Clientele

One of our most effective means of creating brand awareness is through social networking platforms.  Many of our clients were first exposed to CSP when they came across our Facebook page, Instagram, or Twitter account.  The key to converting these brand exposures from a “view” to a “client” is creating content that entices the athlete to engage with us.  This can be as simple as hitting the “like” button, or actually exchanging some friendly banter.

The best way to do this is by creating a rapport that can transition from training floor, to electronic forum, and then back again.  CSP athletes are more likely to align themselves with our brand if we are effective in expanding the “CSP Experience” beyond the confines of our gym.  They don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care, and nothing says “I care” more than a little friendly ribbing on Twitter, right?

3. Identification of Opinion Leaders leads to Referrals

One of the perks to improving my rapport with clients is that it also improves my ability to ask for referrals.  Assuming we are delivering a quality training experience, our clients are typically excited to spread the word about their time with us. 

“Did you know we offer training discounts to those who refer new clients? You must have a couple of buddies who would be a good fit around here.”

The only client I’ve ever seen say no to this question was a professional pitcher who was concerned about sharing his “secret weapon” with other guys in his organization.  He didn’t want to give up his competitive advantage going in to spring training, which I can understand.  Other than this specific professional athlete scenario, I can’t think of a single moment where this type of discussion was not positively received. 

It has been my experience that the Pareto Principle applies directly to our referral sources.  The Pareto Principle states that, in many scenarios, roughly 80% of the effects are the result of 20% of the causes.  Historically, roughly 80% of our new client referrals came from the same handful of truly loyal (and vocal) clients.  My next big referral source just may be training on that gym floor right along side me at any given moment, and I am now on a mission to identify that individual.

4. Comprehensive understanding of the current state of our business

There are certain aspects of our business that I’m rarely exposed to when sheltered in my office.  It is important that I experience the training environment to answer questions such as:

·      Have we staffed the gym with an appropriate number of coaches to meet athlete needs?

·      Is our equipment selection extensive enough to accommodate our daily foot traffic?

·      Could we better layout the training space to allow for more efficient flow in the gym?

·      Do we have a current intern that is too good not to hire at the conclusion of their program?

You may think you know exactly how things are functioning within your space during peak hours, but until you immerse yourself in the environment, you likely have no idea.

5. I improved my own efficiency

Have you ever heard the saying that every hour of sleep you can get before midnight is the equivalent to two after?  Well I am of the belief that every hour of work that I complete prior to noon is as productive as two completed after. 

Our “work day” begins at 12:00pm when clients begin walking through the door.  Once parents are in the office, the phone is consistently ringing, and questions are being directed toward me, the to-do list can be quickly put on the back burner.  The 90+ minutes prior to the start of client training sessions, once specifically set aside for my training, are now the most productive work-related minutes of my day.  The way I see it, if I am going to allocate a specific chunk of my day toward my own training, why not overlap it with an opportunity to engage with our loyal clients?

Have you experienced your own service model?

Though I am not a completely anonymous face within our gym, I am still able to connect with athletes on the training floor who have no idea who I am.  I have this opportunity because the bulk of my selling efforts involve corresponding with parents of young athletes.  As a result, the clients often begin their training with us without any appreciation for the process leading up to their arrival. 

The beauty of this situation is that I have the opportunity to ask questions and receive unfiltered feedback from clients on a daily basis.  I can ask an athlete who their favorite coach is and learn why.  I can find out what kind of music they would play if given the opportunity to be guest DJ for the day.  I can get inside the heads of our athletes in a way I was previously unable to accomplish.

By subtly immersing myself in the client experience, I am working smarter, and not harder.

Peer Leadership: 8 Thoughts On How To Make The Most Of An Opportunity, Others, and Yourself

This week’s post comes to you in the form of a guest submission from CSP Strength Coach, Greg Robins.  Greg is the creator of The Strength House and also a guy who practices what he preaches in everything from strength training to leadership style.  

I asked Greg to pull together his thoughts on a concept I came across while reading a book titled Speaking as a Leader, by Judith Humphrey.  In the text, Humphrey mentions the idea of “leading from the side”, which I thought perfectly encapsulated the way Greg went about grasping an even greater leadership role here in our Massachusetts facility upon Eric’s departure to sunny Florida.

This is his take on leading from the side.  As you’ll see, he prefers to call it Peer Leadership. 

Recently, Pete was kind enough to not only pay me a compliment, but also ask me to elaborate on one of my strengths as an employee of Cressey Sports Performance.

Oddly enough, what he asked me to write about isn’t something I do via calculated moves, or even 100% consciously, I suppose. 

My understanding is that Pete was reading a book about leadership that prompted him to consider my unique style of leading.  In said book, the author talked about leadership coming from different levels of an organization.  In short, there are three scenarios:

1.     Top Down

2.     Bottom Up

3.     Side

Leadership from the top would be an example of managerial leadership.  Bottom-up leadership requires that employees think critically to influence the decisions of their superiors through suggestion and example.  Leadership from the side is a tricky one, and happens to be the focus of this article.

Leadership from the side means gaining the respect of both the top and bottom, while being a voice that represents everyone.  I personally define this as “Peer Leadership.”

Pete was kind enough to acknowledge my efforts at CSP as those of quality peer leadership.  Allow me to explain how I cultivated my leadership style, and continue to adjust my approach today.

The first question to ask yourself is “Am I a leader?” I believe we all have the potential to be great leaders. For some of us it could require more work than for others, as we may need to make great changes in who we are and how we operate.

Assuming a leadership role is something I truly enjoy, and is also something I can’t help but do. I have always been drawn to wanting to help, and wanting to step up. There are, in fact, a few resume-worthy items in my past that qualify me to lead others.

For starters, I completed Officer Candidate School (OCS) in the ARMY National Guard.  This was essentially a yearlong course in learning to be a leader.  My military experience is where I learned the greatest lessons in becoming a leader. However, OCS is not where THE greatest lesson was learned.

My greatest challenge in life, to this point, was ARMY basic training.  The physical aspect was tough at times, but the greatest challenge was entering Basic Training as an enlisted Officer Candidate.  This meant that in the second week of an eighteen-week program my drill sergeants placed me in a leadership position, which I would hold for the remainder of training.

As I was told: “If you want to be an officer, you may as well start learning how to lead now.”

Serving, as a new Second Lieutenant is a significant challenge, as you have to earn the respect of your peers.  However, you do have rank, and it must be acknowledged.  In basic training, I had no rank at all.  It was my job to influence 40 men, ages 18 to 42, to listen to me.  I learned quickly that a leader is effective only when the people he leads want to follow him.  In that eighteen-week period I learned what it takes to make that happen.

I went on to be the distinguished honor graduate of my OCS class, and I owe that to the lessons learned in basic training.  During the two-year period between Basic Training and OCS I formed my own definition of leadership that I stick to today:

Leadership is being willing and able to do what you ask of others.

Below are 8 thoughts on how I did it then, and how I have strived to be a leader since that time.

1. Discipline

“I cannot trust a man to control others who cannot control himself.”

— Robert E. Lee

If you want to lead others, you need to have the discipline to carry yourself as you want your peers to.  This starts with learning to follow.  When you follow well, you understand a few very important things:

• You know your role - You honor the fact you are not in charge, and you understand where you fit into an organization as a whole.
• Listen and accept - A great follower listens to direction, accepts criticism without rebuttal, and acts on these items to be the person his team needs him to be.
• Serve the overall goal - An effective follower acts in a way to always serve what the team’s goal is. Each move they make is done so selflessly.
• Stay humble - Following is the first step in learning humility.  You don’t look for accolades, or the spotlight.  Instead, you learn to do what is right and you find happiness in knowing that you’ve played a pivotal role, regardless of whether or not you are acknowledged for it.
• Loyalty - Following well is a lesson in loyalty.  Stay committed to the people who give you an opportunity to be a part of something greater. 

2. Character

“What you are speaks so loudly I can’t hear what you’re saying.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

Leaders are people of tremendous character.  While each leader may be comprised of different characteristics, who they are and what they stand for makes them someone people want to listen to and respect.  There are a few characteristics I can identify in both myself, and the people I have looked up to:

• Humility -  In order to lead, one must accept responsibility for the outcomes in which they have been of great influence.  A leader is willing to take the blame, and willing to admit their faults.
• Compassion -  "The day the soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help them or concluded that you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership." This is a Colin Powell quote that I was introduced to by my cadre in OCS.  It is the framework for peer leadership.  You want to be someone that cares.  Your peers should see you as a safe place to bring their troubles, ideas, and even successes.
• Courage -  Courage comes in many forms, and is a common quality found in effective leaders.  Have the courage to volunteer for the tough jobs.  Have the courage to be candid, and say what needs to be said.  Have the courage to accept failure as a possible outcome, and the responsibility that accompanies it.

3. Communicate Effectively

“Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate, and doubt to offer a solution everybody can understand.”

— Colin Powell

If you want to lead, you need to be able to communicate effectively.  Communication is crucial in getting a group of people to achieve a singular task.  In order to communicate effectively, one must understand a few principles:

• Be clear and concise -  Practice what I call calculated communication.  Weigh the options, understand the issue, and then offer direction in an easily understood format.  Words can leave a lot of room for interpretation if you let them.
• Words matter - Abraham Lincoln once said that "tact is the ability to describe others as they see themselves."  I believe this to mean that, in order to lead, one must have a high level of emotional intelligence.  Who am I talking to?  Where are they coming from?  How will they interpret what I say?  Having “tact” becomes the difference-maker.  What you say, if often less important than how you say it. 

 

4. Lead from the front

“Setting an example is not the main means of influencing others, it is the only means.”

— Albert Einstein

I have always been a lead-by-example type of person.  I believe that actions will always speak louder than words.  You need to BE THE EXAMPLE.  

This process starts by having a commanding presence.  You must carry yourself with confidence, always.  When it’s time to speak, be heard.  Acknowledge that, as a leader, you set the precedence for your peers.  Body language, composure, and appearance have the ability to keep order amongst a group of people without a single word being said.  

In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, "The ultimate measure of man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

5. Inspire

“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.”

— Antoine de Saint-Exupery

As a leader, you are in the unique position to make others better.  I think that is AWESOME.  When we inspire people, leading isn’t all that difficult.  Everyone shares a common goal and wants to help accomplish it.  So, how’s that done?

• Empower -  General George Patton once said "Never tell people how to do things.  Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity."  Empowering others, in short, means trusting them.  As a leader, your peers believe in you.  By giving them responsibility, and the trust to carry out a task without micro-management, you are showing the same belief in them.  A sign of quality leadership is when other leaders are born from their systems and encouraged to emerge. 
• Champion individuality -  One of the key ingredients to empowerment is embracing individuality.  Many people think the military strives to brainwash its members with the intention of creating a clone of the ideal follower.  This is a false assumption.  In fact, freethinking is what gets people ahead in the military and in life.  As a leader, you should show that you are human, and encourage others to embrace who they are by leveraging their strengths.
• Find the bright spots and cut critics loose, fast - Critics are like a cancer to an organization.  You know the people I’m talking about.  These are the individuals who first find fault in every situation.  A leader is not a critic, and it is the job of a leader to elevate the opinions of those who are not critical.  Leaders find solutions.  If you want to lead, you must find the people around you who do the same and make it readily apparent that their outlook is valuable.

6. "We" not "Me"

“A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.”

— Lao Tzu

Personally, I do not seek the spot light. I do not ask for it, or feel my actions are calculated in such a way to be appointed a title or accolades.  In fact, I struggle to accept praise, which is something to work on.

This mindset has helped me become a better peer leader.  I’d much rather be able to say: “we did something”, as opposed to “I did something”.  In fact, I didn’t know how I felt about writing this article.  Because it made me uncomfortable in some ways, I felt it was worth trying.

Narcissism is not a quality of a great leader.  Empower the team, and make as little as possible about YOU.

I am often impressed in the way that true leaders make ME feel great after being around them.  However, I have walked away from many experiences with people in “leadership roles” feeling like I could have said just about anything and they still would have found a way to make it about THEM.

I like the phrase “lead from the front”.  Remember that selflessness is one of the examples that should be set.

7. Make the choice

“Leadership cannot really be taught. It can only be learned.”

— Harold S. Geneen

As we come to the last two thoughts, I would encourage you to make the choice to lead.  You could positively impact many lives by simply making this choice.  This starts by raising your hand.  I have shared many thoughts and experiences with you, but I can’t teach you to lead.  Nor can any book, or speaker.

The first step is in stepping up.

Once you have tried and failed, try again.  Success takes time.  Sure, read the books.  Listen to the motivators.  In their experiences, you can find affirmation, much like I have demonstrated by inserting quotes throughout this article. This is only possible when having your own experiences to draw from, first.

There are no pre-requisites to being a leader.  Leading amongst your peers is where great leadership is born.

8. Peer leadership is leadership

“A good leader leads the people from above them. A great leader leads the people from within them.”

— M.D. Arnold

I am lucky enough to work for a guy like Pete who considers all of us his peers.  He treats us like peers, and that’s because he is a quality leader.

Leadership means having the respect of everyone from the top to the bottom, and from side to side.

Let me leave you with a few last points to get you started in earning that kind of respect:

• Listen -  Listen to your peers.  Listen completely, and actively.  If you do, your role as a leader will shape itself.
• Do you, stay you -  Be yourself.  When people look up to you and empower you, remember why that began and don’t lose sight of it, ever.
• Own your role - Always keep the “I’ll do it” mentality.  You must empower others, but you must also be willing and able to do it yourself.  Have the confidence to be the guy or girl who praises others, teaches others, and constructively challenges others, all while understanding that nobody may do that for you moving forward. You must possess the wherewithal to do it to yourself.
• Respect - You have to give it, to get it.

Now that you have a feel for how Greg leads from within the CSP-Mass team, I'd encourage you to continue following his work at The Strength House.  You should also consider joining us at our 4th Annual CSP Fall Seminar, scheduled for Sunday, September 13th here in Hudson, MA.  Greg will be a featured presenter and intends to be available throughout the day to chat with attendees.  Additional seminar information can be found here.

Tips for Avoiding the Intern Applicant "Declined" Pile

800. 

That’s the number of internship applications I have reviewed since starting our business in 2007.  Of these 800 applicants, over 100 have been accepted for a position with Cressey Sports Performance.  As you might imagine, some of these applications were fantastic, while others were less than impressive.  I will spend a solid chunk of my next two weeks interviewing candidates for our Semester 2 Internship Program, so I am fresh off of yet another application review process.  My wife thinks I am overly expressive about my frustration with the intern application habits on social media, so in an effort to get it all on paper and call it a day, here's the key to my application review process.

This past spring I had the pleasure of reading 150+ applications for just 10 spots in our summer internship program (spread over our two facilities).  With an applicant pool this large, I often find myself looking for easy ways to slide a candidate into the “no” pile as quickly as possible.  The best way to avoid this fate is to pay attention to detail and apply some common sense.

In 2010 Eric outlined 10 examples of mistakes intern applicants make in a two-part series on his website (Part 1 & Part 2).  Each point is of great importance to this day, so I’d encourage you to give it a read.  Here’s a look at five more of the most common reasons I choose to dismiss candidates:

Tony Bonvecchio's attitude and approach made him too good not to hire.

 

You Don’t Read Instructions

The ability to follow basic instructions is becoming a lost art. I have built a couple of simple hurdles in to the application process to ensure that people can demonstrate a baseline level of attention to detail and also convey a certain level of professionalism.

You’d be surprised how many applicants fail to submit their application in a single file despite having seen the instruction highlighted in red font to emphasize its importance.  The actual number of candidates who committed this error from the summer applicant pool was 38.  While it is disappointing to see more than 25% of the intern candidates make the same mistake, it is extremely helpful in streamlining my review process!

Your Application Implies that You’re Only Interested in Learning from Eric

I love the fact that you’ve read 100% of the material Eric has ever published.  I think it is great that you follow him on Twitter and Instagram.  I completely agree that Eric’s post covering 21 Reasons You’re Not Tim Collins was hilarious.  This being said, there is more to the internship experience here at CSP than following Eric around the gym.  As a matter of fact, Eric can only be in one place at a time, so some interns are going to find themselves coaching 1,500 miles away from him.

It is important to remember that you are applying to be part of a team, as opposed to being Eric’s protégé.  Here in Massachusetts alone, we’ve got 6 fantastic full-time strength coaches to learn from.  The last time that Eric thoroughly reviewed an application or handled an interview was right around 2011, so addressing your cover letters (and every email you send us) specifically to him isn’t sending the right message.  

You Use Acronyms and Fail To Concern Yourself With Formal Greetings and/or Punctuation

We no longer allow for people to download our internship application directly from our website.  I made this change because like to see how the candidates handle themselves in an email format when requesting an application.  You’d be surprised how many applicants fail to simply say “Hello” at the start of their application request.

“please send me an internship application for semester 2. TTYS”

While use of acronyms and a failure to embrace proper grammar or punctuation don’t necessarily reflect your ability to coach athletes, they absolutely represent your attention to detail and your motivation to professionally represent yourself from initial impression.  The margin of difference between the top half of our typical applicant pool is so thin that this demonstration of laziness will cost you my eyes.

“If you can’t pay attention to detail while sitting down to write a basic email, good luck with supervising full-speed athletic movements while on our training floor…”

— Tony Bonvecchio

Your Resume is Far Too Long

We host a number of continuing education events here at CSP each year.  In order to offer Continuing Education Units (commonly known as CEU’s) issued by the National Strength & Conditioning Association at these seminars and mentorships, I need to submit an application that includes an event description and resumes for each of the featured presenters.  I rarely come across a resume from our presenters that are more than a single page long.

Eric Cressey has managed to assemble a one-page resume.  Mike Reinold figured out how to keep it under a page of relevant professional material.  Why is it that your professional background heading in to an unpaid internship is so jam-packed that it needs to span 5-pages?  As a potential employer, I’m not meticulously scanning a resume to be sure that you’ve been gainfully employed for each and every day dating back to a part-time job you had back in high school.  What matters to me is relevant employment experience, so you can leave the Dairy Queen job description off the list.

Andrew Zomberg's unparalleled professionalism earned him a job following his internship.

 

Your Intent is Only to Obtain Credits

One of my biggest pet peeves is a candidate who requests an application by saying “my school requires that I complete a 300 hour internship to graduate so I’m emailing you for an application.”  How am I supposed to conclude that you’ll have a great work ethic and bring a positive attitude to the gym every day when you articulate your reasoning for applying as “because my school said so”?

Remember the Importance of Customer Service Above All Else

The most common question I am asked regarding our internship program is what I look for in the ideal candidate.  While most assume that my answer is going to cover a combination of academic credentials and training-specific certifications, the reality is that my best interns are simply extroverts with a good work ethic.  I’d much rather accept a candidate with an eternally positive attitude and desire to learn than I would one with a graduate degree in kinesiology and no personality.  If you can reflect a great attitude and good intentions beginning as early as the moment you request an application, you’re already off to a good start.

Hopefully this will reduce the number of future urges I have to publicly shame a candidate's misstep moving forward!

Celebrating 8 Years of CSP with some Recommended Reading

This week marks 8 years of business operations here at Cressey Sports Performance – MA.  As I reflect on what feels like a lifetime of amazing learning experiences accrued thus far, I feel truly fortunate to have the opportunity to assist in guiding the growth and development of this business. 

Much like coaches preach “tape don’t lie” as they review game footage with their athletes, CSP’s performance numbers don’t lie:

• 10,000+ sessions coached

• 3,500+ athletes through the door

• 100+ fantastic interns

• Dozens of MLB debuts

• 8 consecutive years of double-digit growth

I’m happy to say that the system is working.  The numbers don’t lie.

Beyond the numbers, we’ve learned a whole bunch of lessons along the way.  It’s become a bit of a tradition for us to publish an annual “lessons learned” post in recognition of our anniversary.  Here are my three favorite examples thus far:

Three Years of Cressey Performance: The Right Reasons and the Right Way - Eric wrapped up our third year of business by explaining how important it is that our work at CSP be fulfilling on a day to day basis.  He also discussed his thought process as he made the decision to make this business a reality.

6 Years and 6 Proud Moments for Cressey Performance - I was tasked with the responsibility of preparing a guest post for Eric's site back in 2013.  In it, I covered where we were at that moment in time, and where I believed we were headed.  We appear to be on the right track two years later!

Reflecting on Eight Years of Cressey Sports Performance - Tony took the reigns this year and touched on the energy that goes into getting a business off the ground and building a great team.  He also went into a little detail on the importance of creating manageable goals and expectations as you map out your long-term objectives for your business.

Here's to another good year of CSP!

10 Conversations to Have Before Signing your Gym Lease

In my most recent blog, I discussed some important factors to take into consideration during your search for a new gym location.  Once you’ve identified the dream location, the hard work is just beginning.  It’s now time to talk lease terms. 

Since many of us are not fond of confrontation, it can be difficult to ask probing questions and know when to push back if it is in the best interest of your business.  As in any buying or selling process, you need to identify your ceiling coming in, and be prepared to walk away from the table.

The best way to prepare for this type of interaction is to outline your questions in advance of the discussion.  I’ve accumulated extensive experience on this front after having negotiated new leases, signed lease extensions, and even created handshake agreements as a subletting tenant.  Here is a list of ten considerations to keep in mind as you discuss the terms of your lease.

1.  Protocol for requesting maintenance

Things are going to break.  The roof will spring an occasional leak.  The lock on your door may suddenly malfunction.

Wear and tear happens, and your landlord will likely be happy to take care of the repairs.  You need to ask how you will go about requesting assistance with maintenance and/or upkeep, and what you can expect for a typical response time. 

Can I send a quick text message to the building super?  Do I need to directly email the landlord?  Is there an on-line project request form?

If you don’t ask the landlord to set expectations from the start, you are likely to receive inconsistent service throughout the duration of your lease.

2. Expectations regarding day-to-day noise

Daily operation of a strength & conditioning facility is noisy.  We play loud music.  We drop heavy weights.  We cater to a population of boisterous athletes.  As long as you are up-front about this during the lease negotiation process, you should be good to go.  Make sure that your potential landlord is 100% aware of this reality because he or she will likely receive the occasional call or email from another tenant regarding your noise.  It’s best that they not feel that they’ve been misled when that time comes.

If your business currently operates in a space which you’re looking to move out of, consider inviting the landlord or property manager to visit during your hours of operation.  This will give him/her an opportunity to understand the nature of the training environment you intend to create in their space.

3. Restriction of competing businesses

Request the right to refuse the introduction of a business which will negatively impact your earning potential.  Your landlord’s primary objective is going to be achieving 100% occupancy, and not all of them are going to be terribly concerned with your ability to thrive.  What is keeping them from allowing a big-box gym to sign a 10-year lease occupying 5-times as much space as your business?

Take this step before signing a lease and you can ensure that a competing gym will never open their doors on the premises.

4. HVAC (air conditioning unit) maintenance responsibilities

Our first gym didn’t have air conditioning, and we suffered.  With this in mind, my first recommendation is to find a space with central air.  My second, is that you have a clear understanding of your responsibilities relating to its maintenance.

There are important questions to ask the landlord:  If it breaks, am I responsible for the cost of fixing it?  Do you mandate that we hire a specific HVAC contractor who is already approved to work on your property?  Do you require documentation of annual maintenance?  Who pays for air filter replacements?

Without a clear understanding of this aspect of your lease, you could find yourself blindsided by large expenses.

5. Understanding of CAM (common area maintenance) charges

Common Area Maintenance charges consist of landscaping, snowplowing, common area electric and gas, and management of the property (including salaries and health insurance). You can think of this as the cost of operating the property as a whole, including building insurance, cleaning, toilet paper, repairs and maintenance.

CAM charges are a much easier pill to swallow when you fully understand the spectrum of expenses they cover.  Our CAM charges are just a shade under $4.00 per square foot in both Massachusetts and Florida.

6. Understand the difference between Rentable and Usable space

Is the proposed square footage Rentable or Usable that you are paying for?  Usable is the actual square footage that you occupy; while rentable is the square footage you are in, plus the shared space such as common hallways, conference rooms, and bathrooms.  

The landlord will tell you what percentage of the property is made up of common area space and increase your usable number accordingly to determine your rentable figure.  Let’s say you’d like to rent a 5,000 square foot (usable) unit and common area space accounts for 10% of the square footage of the property.  You can expect your lease to state that your rentable space is 5,500 square feet.  

7. Dumpster policy

Are dumpsters shared, or individually assigned to units?  Are you free to work with the trash removal vendor of your choice?  Are dumpsters situated conveniently in relation to your proposed unit?  Are you responsible for clearing any snow which may accumulate around your dumpster?  Is there an opportunity to recycle on-site?  Does your town require that a permit be issued to keep a dumpster on the property?

These questions may seem trivial, but hauling your trash from one end of a large property to another in snow or rain could be a deterrent during your space selection process.

8. Insurance requirements

Most landlords will ask you to provide a certificate of insurance coverage.  Each property owner has their own minimum level of required coverage.  This will impact the amount you need to spend on a policy.   The minimum required coverage figure is typically negotiable.

 You can accelerate the process of securing a policy (or modifying an existing one) by having answers to important questions regarding total number of fire extinguishers on the premises, number of exits, and accessibility to an AED defibrillator.  You can also expect your policy provider to request access to your space soon after signing a contract, as they typically protect their investment by auditing your preparedness for potential dangerous situations.

9. Policy on subletting

Inquire about the policy on subletting if you intend to add complimentary services in the future.  It would be a hassle to fine-tune the details of a partnership with a physical therapist or yoga practitioner only to later find out that your landlord has a policy stating that subletting to new tenants is not permitted.

10. Introduction to other tenants?

Depending on the size of the property/building you are considering, there may be an abundance of potential clients already working under the same roof.  Don’t hesitate to ask for an introduction to your fellow tenants.  We operate within a building which hosts more than 100 working professionals.  All of them are potential morning strength camp participants or semi-private training candidates during the afternoons and evenings.  Consider offering a “building discount” to entice the neighbors and drive revenues.

One nice thing about being a fitness service provider is that your existence within the building can be positioned as a selling point for the landlord when giving tours to potential tenants.  You have the opportunity to earn goodwill by extending the offer for your space to be viewed under these circumstances.  Remember, if you can maintain an amicable relationship with the landlord, you’ll find day-to-day and month-to-month operations will run smoothly.

Honorable mention

Real estate taxes should be expected, and qualify as the bonus point on this list.  These figures are not negotiable.  They are dictated by the town you are operating in and are also available via public record.  With this in mind, it is a good idea to ask to see the last five years of real estate tax numbers to understand the potential increases or fluctuations which could be expected moving forward.

My last and best piece of advice

If I could give one great piece of advice going into this process, it would be to treat your potential landlord as a business partner.  Your rent dollars make it possible for the building employees to earn a living and keep the property presentable, while their space is the key to your being able to provide an exceptional service.  Establish a relationship which is mutually beneficial and you are likely to enjoy your time as a tenant for the duration of your lease.

10 Considerations as you Search for the Perfect Gym Location

We’re about two weeks away from officially hitting eight years of operation here at Cressey Sports Performance.  With close to a decade of gym design and maintenance under my belt, I've assembled a comprehensive list of “must-have” attributes that Eric and I recommend you look for while in the process of designing a fitness facility.  Whether you are looking to open your first facility, relocating an existing space, or introducing new locations to your expanding empire, this list should guide you as you hunt for real estate.

Please note: this list is in no particular order, as each point is of equal importance to us.

1. High Ceilings & Natural Light

I regularly preach the importance of starting small as you search for and select the space for your first gym.  The idea of having an expansive space with state-of-the-art equipment is obviously enticing, but will expose you to considerable risk before generating sufficient revenues to counter the costs.

Finding a space with high ceilings and plenty of natural light can make all the difference in making a small unit feel larger than it is.  Should your training or business model change in a way that might require some unique usage (like deciding to install a pitching cage), high ceilings will give you flexibility. 

Our second facility had a fantastic footprint and adequate dimensions, but limited natural light. Limited to a pair of small skylights, 3-4 inches of snow would completely eliminate any available daylight.  While we rarely complained about the lack of natural light while paying rent on this space, it would be difficult to go back to that setting now that we’ve discovered the positive influence natural light has on the overall mood of our staff during long days on a training floor.

2. “Relatively New” Construction

One portion of the building in which CSP-Mass sits was built roughly 50 years ago.  The other was an addition constructed in the 90’s.  Other than a slight increase in ceiling height from old to new, there is minimal indication that one part of the building is roughly 30 years newer than the other.  However, upon relocating in 2012, we learned that newer construction could be considerably more efficient than the old when it comes to utility expenses.  

When we doubled our square footage in 2012 (7,600 square-feet to 15,100 square-feet), I anticipated a proportionate increase in utility expenditures; what I saw was about a 20% increase.  I'm chalking this up to better-insulated exterior framework and more efficient heating units and overhead lights in the newer part of the building. 

3. Clean Sight-lines

In facility design and layout, Eric has two firm rules: The first is quite simple: no mirrors.  The second? Enable a clear line of sight from CSP Coach to CSP Athlete from any location on the training floor. In theory, any coach should be able to provide coaching instruction on the fly from across the room thanks to clean sightlines from one end of the space to the other.   

In order to comply with this mandate, the location you choose will need to be laid out in a square or rectangular format. Stray, and dimensional limitations will make this rule nearly impossible to follow. 

4. Ample Waiting Space for Parents

We once operated a gym without a waiting area for parents…and it didn’t go so well.  We were happy with our training space, but the lack of a place for parents to kill time ultimately led to their habit of wandering the gym floor.  The presence of a parent within the gym alters the experience for both the athlete and the coach.  This being said, we are also cognizant of the fact that parents pay the bills.  We owe it to them to provide some room to read a book, check email, or even fall asleep on our couch (which happens more often than you’d think).

The convenient thing about waiting space is that it doesn’t necessarily need to be located within your gym.  If you secure a location that has access to ample common area space, you may be able to direct parents there.  All that matters is that you give them an option that isn't waiting in their own car.

5. Sufficient Parking

The appropriate amount of parking at your location will depend on foot traffic, and the demographic of your clients.  Are your clients driving themselves, or getting dropped off? Do these parents linger, or leave only to return for pick up?  Your setting will impact who drives (urban versus suburban), among a variety of other factors. 

I have seen as little as a single parking spot per 1,000 square feet of gym, to the opposite scenario of unlimited parking.  There is no standard number of parking spots I’d recommend.  Instead, I’d suggest that you think long and hard about the best-case scenario as it relates to cars visiting your business and use this figure to determine your needs.

With tons of fitness alternatives available to your current and prospective clients, the last thing you need is to lose them due to avoidable parking limitations.  Make it easy to train with you.

6. Community Restrooms

You know what isn’t fun at the end of a long day?  Cleaning toilets.  One of the best decisions we have made as a business has been selecting a location that has access to community restroom space.  Rather than hire a cleaning crew of my own, or putting my staff to work on restroom maintenance, I happily pay my CAM (Common Area Maintenance) charges each month and let the landlord worry about keeping toilet paper stocked.

I should note that the property layout we access here in Massachusetts is not universally available.  After months of searching, Eric was unable to identify similar options during the location search in Southern Florida.  He ended up converting an office environment into a training space, which required the installation of showers.  His most useful advice:

“Don’t sign off on securing a space that will require you to pull building permits.  Extend your search as far as you have to in order to avoid the hassle.”

7. Building Super/Property Manager?

Our greatest ally here in Massachusetts is the Property Manager, Bill.  He constantly has his finger on the pulse of the building and is the guy who gets things done.  Need an additional key for a new employee?  Bill’s your guy.  Looking for someone to help you get up on a ladder to change a light in the middle of the gym?  Bill’s got you covered. 

The best part? This is Bill's only property. He isn’t bouncing from one location to the next.  My concern with outsourcing your property maintenance is that you will never find someone with the same loyalty and dedication to craftsmanship.  Find yourself a location that comes with a Property Manager like Bill and make sure to throw him a gift during the holidays and a new tee shirt whenever your gym gets a fresh shipment.

8. Availability of Signage

Not every gym can be a destination training facility, so it is important that you have some level of street-front visibility.  We are very fortunate at CSP in that we generate nearly all of our leads through word of mouth and inquiries resulting from our web presence.  However, if our livelihood were dependent on generating a large volume of walk-in inquiries, you can be sure that we’d identify a spot that is easily seen from the street and our signage would be memorable.

As you look at your options, make note of how and where the tenant’s business names and logos are displayed.  Are they all simply listed in alphabetical order on a huge sign?  Do they all have their unique logo and branding competing with one another resulting in a chaotic mess of colors, fonts and images?  Is every tenant allotted equal real estate on the sign out front?  Are there opportunities to expand your visibility?

The general public’s initial impression of your business usually results from your signage. Whenever possible, make sure that your company name or logo is presented in a professional manner.  You never get a second chance to make a first impression.

9. Minimal Local Competition

Just because you think your coaches and programming are better than those available at the local CrossFit, doesn’t mean that it is a good idea to set up shop in the same plaza.  The closer you are to alternative training options, the more likely they are to find their way on to your clients' radars.  It’s a good idea to do a thorough market analysis. Understand the age of competing businesses and their foothold within the community.  “We’re just better than they are” is no excuse for negligence, and it will cost you.

10. Appropriate Adjacent Tenants

Much like it is best to avoid options that are geographically close to competing businesses, it is important to avoid setting up shop adjacent to businesses that will conflict with your message.  More specifically, your gym doesn’t need to operate alongside a liquor store or cigar shop.  You don’t need fast-food options staring your clients in the eye each and every time they leave the gym.

Your “perfect gym” is more than just a great layout or any single one of the points listed above.  It is a combination of factors that will result in one particular location being the right fit for you and your business.  It will be difficult to check off each of these points during the search process, but I'd encourage you to strive for as many as possible to ensure a positive outcome.

Next time…

In my next post, you've theoretically found your ideal gym location, and you need to begin the rent negotiation. I’ve worked with my landlord to outline the critical (and often overlooked) questions to ask as a prospective tenant.

Why Third Place is the New First

Most days begin with my 15-month-old son taking down a 6oz bottle on my lap as I watch the morning news.  One morning, back in late February, I recognized a home being featured on the local news broadcast as firefighters battled a serious blaze.  The fire began in a second floor bedroom which was once the childhood room of a long-time CSP client.  The athlete I speak of happens to be the same Sahil I mentioned in my Key-Man Risk blog a few weeks back. 

Sahil is no longer a regular here in Massachusetts, as he has long-since transitioned from high school to college, and eventually from college to the “real world”.  He now lives and works in California, which is exactly where he was when he woke up to a text from me asking if his parents were safe and healthy.  He soon connected with his family and was informed that their home was no longer viable.  Thankfully, while material items were lost, everyone involved was safe and sound.

Upon learning this sad news, Sahil’s employer booked him for a first-class seat on a red eye from San Francisco to Boston with the instructions not to return to California until he was done comforting his parents.  That, my friends, is how you properly demonstrate empathy as an employer.  However, it is not the point of my story…

When Sahil finally made it across the country and arrived in MA the following morning, his first stop was for breakfast with his heartbroken parents.  I’d imagine they hugged, they cried, they reminisced, and they ate some therapeutic pancakes.  After the meal, he sent his parents back to an unfamiliar hotel room where he hoped they’d get some sleep after a difficult couple of days. 

Where did he go next?  He showed up at Cressey Sports Performance and sat in my office for hours.  Other than getting some details on the fire, I honestly don’t remember a whole lot of our conversation.  What I do remember, was Sahil’s response when I asked him what the hell he was doing at CSP during a time like this:

“This place is now about as close as I can come to feeling at home while here on the east coast. Where else would I go?”

Those of you who are familiar with the Cressey Sports Performance brand have likely been exposed to the concept of the “CSP-Family”.  Whether it be in an electronic format on a social networking platform, or in-person here at our facility, we are very serious about projecting a family atmosphere as a primary component of our service model.  As we work to cultivate this environment, it is our intention to deliver an experience that will ultimately result in CSP becoming your “Third Place”.

Embrace the concept of a “Third Place”

My initial introduction to the concept of a “Third Place” was in Ray Oldenburg’s book, The Great Good Place.  In it, he explains that third places are an extremely important part of society because they not only serve as a meeting ground for the community, but they also allow for truly creative interaction.   The first and second “places” in this concept would be your home and work.  There is simply no avoiding these two facets of your life, so the Third Place is of unique importance in maintaining one’s sanity!  If you’re struggling to envision what I’m speaking of, imagine Central Perk in the show Friends, or maybe the diner in Seinfeld.  Third places are all around you, and you likely already have one.

It is my contention that all fitness facilities should aspire to be their clients’ Third Place, as the end result is a unique culture and increased profitability. 

According to Oldenburg, here is what you need to know about crafting a true Third Place:

• You need regulars.  Nobody creates the personality of a business quite like its regulars.
• The environment needs to be comfortable and welcoming to all.  While Planet Fitness commercials implying that all gyms are packed with meat heads picking things up and putting them down are annoying, it is worth noting that they’ve mastered the art of playing to people’s need for a “safe and comfortable” environment.
• You need a certain level of commonality among the people in attendance.  In our case, this is typically a background in baseball, but a simple appreciation for exercise and/or healthy living can be all it takes to make this happen in a fitness business setting.
• The space needs to be accommodating to ensure that your regulars aren’t inconvenienced if they do choose to spend their free time lingering.  Here at CSP, we have an on-site cafeteria and an athlete’s lounge with a couch, TV and ping-pong table.

Why is client loitering a good thing?

There are a number of reasons why we not only facilitate loitering, but also encourage it.  The first, and possibly most important reason, is that we have come to realize how influential our clients have been in creating the personality of our brand.  As much as we’d like to pretend that our culture is the product of strategic planning, the reality is that we’ve become familiar with the ins and outs of baseball clubhouse culture simply by exposing ourselves to it.  For close to eight years now, our facility has served as an off-season clubhouse for baseball players from all 30 MLB organizations.  Without these gentlemen spending endless hours on-site here at CSP, I’m not sure we would have ever been as effective as we have in communicating with potential baseball clients and engaging them on multiple different social networking platforms. 

The first time anyone ever “hash-tagged” the term #CSPfamily was actually when a pro baseball player posted a tweet from our athlete’s lounge explaining who he’d be spending his day with.  That athlete, Oliver Drake, is now making CSP-family references on the internet from MLB clubhouses as he travels the country playing for the Baltimore Orioles.  If I hadn’t tolerated these guys overstaying their welcome a little bit, would I still have big leaguers creating CSP brand awareness for their thousands of followers?   I think not.

While I can generate leads and create plenty of business as the product of MLB athletes discussing our facility as their Third Place, I am also able to monetize the concept among our general fitness clientele.  One of the factors Oldenburg highlighted in his book was the importance that there be little or no social status associated with participation as a regular.  By this, I mean that big leaguers often sit alongside college athletes and every day Joe’s here in the CSP athlete’s lounge.  There is no barrier to entry in our group of regulars other than the need to have a good sense of humor.

Regardless of a client’s athletic or professional background, they’re still putting in multiple hours each day in our space.  The more hours they hang around, the more dollars they seem to spend.  Supplements are purchased, manual therapy treatments are paid for, tee shirt designs are conceived and later purchased, nutrition consultations are scheduled, and more.  Just because a client isn’t on the training floor hitting the weights, it doesn’t mean that they are tying up resources in an unprofitable manner.

Once there, don’t rest on your laurels

The needs, attitudes and interests of our clientele are changing every day.  With this in mind, we are not able to simply “set and forget” the unique clubhouse culture which is the foundation of our Third Place status in many athlete’s minds.  It is a true compliment to your business when people voluntarily spend their limited “in-between time” with you.  Don’t mess it up by failing to adapt.  Eric, Tony and I would be reckless to assume that we could forever be current in the minds of our ballplayers, so we continue to add staff members like Greg and Tony B. because of their youth and baseball backgrounds.

I’m very proud of the fact that we’ve managed to blend the second and third places in the minds of our professional athlete population.  It is rare to create a setting which doubles as a workplace and play environment, but our baseball players seem to have embraced our facility as just that.  These guys are on the job each and every time they step on to the training floor, as their ability to extend what is typically a brief career depends on our unique services.  We are thrilled to have the opportunity to blur the lines between their off-season work and pleasure endeavors. 

If you own a fitness facility, I’d encourage you to expand your mindset beyond the idea of simply monetizing training.  Your operation can be more than just a business in the eyes of your best clients.  It can be a home away from home.  It can be their Third Place.

5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Hiring an Office Manager

I routinely document all of the questions asked of me during business consultations with fitness facility owners.  My intention is to use these notes to become more adept at anticipating questions in future consults, while also generating ideas for quality blog content.  The list is growing at a steady pace, and one specific question has found its way into more than 75% on the conversations I’ve had.  It sounds a whole lot like this:

“How do I know when it’s the right time to hire an employee assigned specifically to handle administrative tasks so that I can focus my efforts on this business making a jump to the next level?”

While we were able to open the doors on Cressey Sports Performance (CSP) back in 2007 with me serving as our full-time “business guy”, I understand that this isn’t the reality for every new fitness facility.  In fact, I’d strongly advise against it.  I was fortunate to have Eric hand me a client roster with 47 names on it, along with the keys to his own personal brand.  I wasn’t exactly starting from scratch.  Unless one of your co-founders has a name which carries some brand recognition within this industry, bringing on a full-time business guy or Office Manager is not going to be a practical decision on day one.

For most facility owners, the goal is to achieve growth which will all but mandate an expansion of your team to include an Office Manager.  The introduction of such a team member will allow an owner to focus a little more on business development and a little less on business maintenance. 

If you are able to answer yes to ALL of the following five questions, then you are likely ready to “make the jump”.

1. Have you outlined a job description for this position?

I understand that you could be more productive if you had someone else to worry about managing the schedule and chasing clients for payments, but is that actually enough of a burden to justify adding a body to your payroll?  If you want to attract a quality employee with an impressive work-ethic, it is going to take more than a list of the stuff you hate doing during the interview process.  You’d better be prepared to articulate the day-to-day responsibilities and nitty-gritty tasks associated with the position during the search for a new staff member.  Otherwise,  you’re likely to end up with a disgruntled employee as you begin dumping unannounced busy work in their lap

There is nothing wrong with asking your Office Manager to inherit some of the tasks that keep you from finding the time to do what you do best (get clients results), but you need to make sure that your employee doesn’t feel that they’ve been misled when that time comes.  As Benjamin Franklin said, “By failing to prepare, you’re preparing to fail.”

2. Are all of your coaches operating at or close to their capacity?

If your coaches have down time in their day, then you already have a hybrid Office Manager on-staff.  There is absolutely no reason why a strength coach can’t be asked to “sit out front” and gain an understanding of the customer service demands associated with operating your business.  It is actually fairly common for us to assign a coach to front desk duties at CSP.  By giving each staff member an opportunity to function within this role from time to time, we can ensure that they are familiar with our price-points and comfortable giving the pitch or closing a sale on little or no notice.

Can you comfortably say that each of your team members have a stacked to-do list during all of the hours you are paying them to be on the clock?

3. Is your office environment hindering your ability to sell effectively?

We took on an Office Manager at CSP back in 2012 when our business was just a shade under 5 years old.  We had officially hit the point where I was spending more time managing administrative tasks than I was engaging in business development efforts.  A change needed to be made to allow for us to continue pursuing the growth pattern we’d become accustomed to.

Foot traffic at our facility was at an all-time high, and I was finding it increasingly difficult to give the sales pitch effectively while in the center of a congested office.  With a wide variety of athletes training at CSP, we offer a broad spectrum of price points.  When a considerable chunk of your clients live below the poverty line (i.e. minor league baseball players), you need to be flexible with your cost structure.  When asked what it costs to train with us, my answer is always going to be “it depends”.  The last thing I need is for clients to start comparing costs because they overheard me explaining discounted pricing to an undrafted free agent who earns roughly $12,000 for the entire calendar year.

If your gym is packed and parents are overwhelming your space as you attempt to run the business, it is probably a good time to take a step away from the front end and into a corner office.

4. Have you identified someone who truly understands your culture?

If there is one huge mistake you can make in hiring an Office Manager, it would be selecting an individual who is unfamiliar with your business’ unique culture.  We hired Stacie after she spent close to a year training with us.  When she finally came on board, she had already fallen in love with the team, training model, and our “CSP-Family” concept.  As a result, all we had to worry about was introducing her to our systems during the training process.

Since you can’t necessarily force an appreciation for a very specific culture, it’s risky to hire an Office Manager from outside of your existing fitness community.

5. Are you prepared to relinquish your “face of the business” status?

Until now, you’ve had complete ownership of your client’s first impression of your business.  From the way calls are answered, to the way clients are greeted and future training sessions are scheduled, you’ve been running the show.  When the time finally comes for you to hand this responsibility off to another, it requires an immense amount of trust.  Your new Office Manager instantaneously becomes the face of your business from a customer service perspective, so there’s no room for error during the selection process.

If you are comfortable stepping away from the front-end and allowing someone else to be the eyes and ears of your business, then you can finally begin putting your time and energy toward business development instead of customer service.

Conclusion

So, can you say that you answered YES to all five of these questions?  Don’t feel bad if you couldn’t, as handing over the reins to an Office Manager can be about as nerve wracking as dropping your child at daycare for the first time (believe me, I know).

If you were able to slap a check mark next to all five, it seems to be about time you get back to working on your business, as opposed to in it.  Don't waste time, because there's an opportunity cost associated with dragging your heels.

Minimizing Key Man Risk while Scaling Your Business

There are very few options for industry-specific continuing education when you are a fitness facility owner with a business school background.  In 2009 I attended an Alwyn Cosgrove fitness business event organized by Perform Better and it was quickly apparent that the material was not geared toward attendees with MBA's.  While the content was universally useful and applicable to a facility owner, I had already processed concepts such as profit & loss statements and other basic accounting principles.  The networking opportunities were fantastic, but the take-aways were already well within my skill-set.

Fast forward several years, and I've yet to stumble across a single business-specific fitness event which would qualify as anything other than Business School 101.  That, however, is completely understandable.  It would be unreasonable for me to expect such a service to exist, as facility owners with my academic and professional background aren't exactly in abundance. 

When applying the basic rules of supply and demand, it is pretty clear that:

SUPPLY = 0   when   DEMAND = me

The good news is that my pursuit of continuing education and inspiration requires that I step outside of our tight-knit fitness community, and into everything else.  I recently wrapped my presentation at the Fitness Summit in Kansas City by challenging the audience to contact someone from outside of the fitness industry to pick their brain and allow the conversation to travel wherever it may.  It was truly gratifying to receive multiple messages from attendees in the weeks to follow mentioning the valuable insight they'd taken away from the conversations. 

Practicing What I Preach

I have a long-time friend and client named Sahil who has recently emerged as one of the more thought provoking conversationalists within my network.  When you combine his understanding of our business model (longest tenured CSP client) and a background in private equity, you've got a guy who knows how to ask the right questions and challenge my assertions about the future of our company.

Sahil and I recently dove into a discussion of the challenges that come with scaling a model such as CSP from a single location to two or more, and the implications of having put Eric Cressey's name on our business.  He was quick to mention that no matter how effectively we scale our model, it would likely be difficult to sell the business due to what he called high "Key Man Risk".  In essence, unless it is our intention to package up Eric Cressey and sell him along with CSP some day, we are unlikely to command top dollar. 

* I should probably stop to mention that Eric and I have no intention of selling this business.  These are simply the kinds of things that guys like Sahil enjoy discussing, so it isn't surprising that we eventually had the conversation. 

The more I processed the concept of Key Man Risk, the more I realized its impact on the assumption that CSP-Mass would somehow falter in the wake of Eric's departure for Florida this past fall.  The same mentality which might have scared off a private equity professional from acquiring my business had actually fueled speculation of our impending demise as we opened CSP-Florida.   Thankfully, we were successful in proving this assumption wrong by stringing together the most profitable six month span of operation in the history of CSP-Mass. 

In reflecting upon the factors contributing to our performance this past winter, it has become clear that a combination of culture, market positioning, and existing systems were the keys to our success in all but eliminating Key Man Risk.  Here is a closer look at how each of these three factors allowed for us to thrive.

1. Culture

One of the biggest lessons I've learned in building our business is that great coaches are everywhere, but truly unique gym cultures are not.  I spent the early years of our operations focusing on promoting the accolades which Eric and Tony were piling up by publishing content in well-known magazines and traveling the globe on their speaking circuits.  In recent years, my game-plan has shifted dramatically, as I now allocate my energy toward introducing the fitness and baseball worlds to the concept of the "CSP-Family".

While Eric's departure would obviously have some impact on the look and feel of our business, we came to learn that our unique baseball clubhouse culture is actually the sum of many parts.  Including Eric, there are ten of us "regulars" who have a hand in creating the day-to-day experience our clients have at CSP.  When you count on multiple personalities to make up the identity of your culture, you effectively reduce Key Man Risk.  

In hindsight, it shouldn't come as a surprise that we maintained the same great training environment and culture when just 10% of the staff was transitioning away for a few months.  As it turns out, the real lesson learned was just how difficult it is to recreate such a unique experience in another state with another staff.  Eric was tasked with doing so in Jupiter and he quickly learned that it wasn't as simple as throwing a CSP logo on the wall, installing some pretty equipment, and turning the lights on. 

2. Market Positioning

To this day, there is no greater decision we've made than to fiercely pursue and claim ownership of the baseball-specific strength & conditioning niche.  By identifying an under-served population and solving their unique set of problems, we have captured our own specific piece of the fitness industry.  Though our services are not entirely limited to just baseball players, it is fair to say that roughly 85% of the clients through our door would fall within that category.

In selecting and pursuing your niche, the end goal should always be to be so good that a substitute does not exist.  I like to think that we've done just that, as the perception of the general public is that training at CSP-Mass, with or without Eric Cressey, is going to be as good an option as any baseball player in New England is going to find.

Had I continued to focus on publicizing individual staff members' accolades at the expense of our brand as a whole, CSP-Mass would have been a whole lot more vulnerable with Eric leaving.  Instead, we'd positioned our brand as "the baseball-specific strength & conditioning facility", as opposed to "a gym with a baseball guy on staff".

3. Existing Systems

The importance of having efficient systems in place cannot be overstated.  In this case, employing efficient systems means having standardized just about every component of the training experience here at CSP in a way that guarantees consistency from one client session to the next. All too often, I see new fitness facility owners putting the cart before the horse by worrying about brand development before they've even created a consistent and predictable training experience.  How can your clients explain to a friend what is great about your facility if every member on your team has a dramatically different coaching style and training philosophy?  You need to fine-tune your customer's training experiences before you can spend time worrying about designing a cool t-shirt or posting the wittiest Instagram post of all time.

Here at CSP, the staff has regular programming meetings and works off of assessment and program templates used by the entire team.  By standardizing these systems, we can guarantee that any coach on staff can pull up an assessment findings sheet prepared by another coach and do a great job of designing training materials based upon the notes.  When a client requests a program on short notice and the coach who initially assessed them is off for the day, we barely miss a beat. 

System standardization isn't just limited to assessment and program design.  Of equal importance is the front and back end of our business.  The training experience is actually the filler of a customer service sandwich which starts with checking in at the front desk and ends with even more interaction with our Office Manager Stacie at the conclusion of a training session.  Stacie is the gatekeeper here at CSP.  She makes sure that sessions get scheduled, programs are prepared and printed on time, and ample coaching is available based on anticipated foot traffic.  She has streamlined and systemized every component of the complex front desk operation so effectively that even I can step in and handle the job on Saturday mornings as she enjoys a day off.

The thing to take away from each of these systems is the fact that Eric's presence has zero effect on our ability to implement them.  With the appropriate structure in place, we've been able to make our clients feel like he never left.

Why Should You Worry About Key Man Risk?

Well, mostly because you work in an industry with an insane amount of employee turnover.  Not every fitness facility has an Eric Cressey to lose, but they all have a "best coach" on staff.  Is your business or team equipped to survive such a departure at this time?  Or, do you stand to lose clients immediately? 

It might come as a surprise to hear, but we've never had an employee sign a non-compete agreement here at CSP.  The way we see it, if we're creating a culture which is the sum of many parts, a brand which has captured a specific niche, and a training experience which is consistent from one visit to the next, how is a single employee going to walk away and entice more than a client or two?

I welcome your thoughts, questions and recommendations in the comment section!

Aspiring Fitness Professionals: You’re Already Coaching Inspirational Athletes

“Now that your “busy season” is coming to an end, and all of your pro athletes have reported to spring training, do you guys basically throw it on autopilot and count the seconds until next September when the minor league season wraps up?”

An intern applicant asked me this question earlier this week.  His mentality actually wasn’t all that far off from that of many other previous applicants. In fact, I ask every single candidate what his or her long-term career goal within the fitness industry is, and the response is almost universally inspired by this attitude. I’m not exaggerating when I tell you that at least 90% of the responses I receive when asking the career goal question specifically mention working with either “elite” or “professional” athletes. 

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5 Ways to Integrate a Charity Component to your Business

Since founding Cressey Sports Performance (CSP) during the summer of 2007, we have had the opportunity to raise tens of thousands of dollars for a variety of charitable endeavors.  From large-scale entities like the Wounded Warrior Project, to charities entrenched firmly in our local community, we've had the pleasure of assisting in fund-raising for many causes we believe in.  After all, helping others feels good, so why not?

“Successful people find value in unexpected places, and do this by thinking about business from first principles instead of formulas.”

— Peter Theil - Zero to One

I understand that creating a profitable fitness facility can be a challenging endeavor, and finding dollars in an already tight budget can be an overwhelming concept.  This doesn't need to keep you from doing so, as I've come across a handful of different ways to help your community while helping yourself.  Here are five quick ways CSP focuses on principles to "make the pie bigger" and allow for charitable contributions to flow from the business.

1. Charity Bootcamps (CSP Strength Camps)

Here at CSP, we host a charity Strength Camp once every 4-6 weeks.  We allow for members of our Strength Camp community to suggest the charities of their choice as we identify the cause we intend to support.  Part of our reasoning for crowd-sourcing the charity ideas is to engage our clients and increase the likelihood that they assist in the efforts to increase event foot traffic.  On the day of the event we suggest a $5 minimum donation, often resulting in considerably larger contributions from generous participants.  

When all is said and done, 100% of the money collected goes toward a great cause.  Outside of being able to "do some good", you also have the opportunity to showcase your unique training environment to potential clients.  Since these events are open to the public, and your existing clients often bring friends, you can expose people to your socially aware business that just so happens to provide an exceptional service.  Who doesn't like the idea of generating leads while helping others in need?

2.  Sampson the Pig

Clients of CSP are routinely taken through an initial assessment process so that we can gather the information necessary to prepare entirely individualized training materials tailored to fit their unique needs.  Once designed, programs are printed, stapled, and handed to the athlete for execution.  We've wall-mounted a nice little rack on the wall next to our front desk and ask that clients file their programs alphabetically by last name so that their material is easily located and ready to go upon their arrival.  Sadly enough, our often-forgetful athletes seem to lose their programs ALL THE DAMN TIME.

We decided that there needed to be some sort of a perceived cost associated with asking our Office Manager Stacie to re-print training materials every time you arrive at the gym.  Enter Sampson the Pig...

Sampson (named by one of our professional baseball players) spends his days propped on the front desk here at CSP where he gladly collects $1 every time an athlete requires a program reprint.  Every dollar collected goes into the pool of Charity Bootcamp dollars sent off for donation each time we host an event.  Since young athletes are notoriously forgetful, business is good as it relates to Sampson.

While I realize not every fitness facility employs the same individualized programming model we utilize at CSP, I am fairly certain each and every gym owner out there has their own set of pet-peeves which could easily translate into "fines" paid to Sampson.  Put some thought into how you can fill your piggy bank, buy one you can handle looking at every day, and start collecting!

3. Gift Certificates

When we first got started up it was difficult for CSP to find money to donate.  What we had plenty of, however, was was space in our gym and energy to work with new people.  Whenever I am asked to contribute to a charity auction, I donate a gift certificate for an evaluation and four supervised training sessions here at CSP.  More often than not, the certificate fetches "actual value" during the event and it is a great way to introduce a new athlete to our "CSP Family".  Assuming we deliver a good experience, we end up with a paying client on our hands from their second month onward.  

4. Time for a Swear Jar

What's more frustrating than hearing a college athlete drop an F-bomb in your office as parents are reading their magazines and checking FB on their phones in the waiting area?  You can finally turn those frequent offenses into a positive.  Invest in a swear jar and set the ground rules.  $1 for the minor offenses and maybe even a $3 max for the particularly "off-limits" phrases America's youth seem so fond of today and you've got yourself a nice little stream of charity dollars flowing in!

5. Observational Guest Donations

Assuming you employ a collection of truly talented individuals, operate an efficient and profitable business, and deliver a unique training environment, it is inevitable that other fitness professionals will request the opportunity to visit your facility for observational purposes.  We have a firm "open-door" policy as it relates to welcoming observational guests, as it allows us to pay it forward following years of other individuals positively influencing the direction of our business.

While we have no intention of profiting on our observational guests (with the exception of the occasional tee shirt purchase), we do ask that visitors make a donation to a charity we like in exchange for the opportunity to spend a day being a fly-on-the-wall in our gym.  In our case, observational inquiries receive a canned response email outlining what can be expected during this type of visit and providing a hyperlink to make a donation to Tree Street Youth, a great organization owned and operated by Anna Cressey's sister.  Observational guests are welcome to email us a copy of their donation receipt in order to secure their visit time-slot in our calendar.

Get Started

There you have it...five quick and easy ways to start generating some charitable money beginning as early as today.  Most importantly, I've highlighted options which will essentially cost you the price of a couple of pieces of ceramic decor (piggy-bank/jar).  Time to get started!

Streamlining your Staff's Continuing-Ed Efforts

Are you a facility owner who's made a habit of sending your entire team of strength coaches to a weekend seminar?  If your intent is anything other than building camaraderie, I would contend that you are burning through money.  Now, hear me out, as I am in no way saying that continuing education is a wasteful way to allocate your company's resources.  Instead, I am asking that you reconsider your approach to consuming all of this available information.

One of the greatest things about our staff here at CSP is their constant pursuit of knowledge.  I can't remember the last time I saw consecutive weekends pass without a team member taking a day off to attend an event.  In a constantly evolving field, such as the fitness industry, there will ALWAYS be a seminar to attend.  While some of these events are better than others, I can absolutely see the value in going.  In fact, part of our compensation package for all CSP staff members is a $500 annual continuing-ed stipend which can be allocated toward books and/or seminar fees.

Though I have never once regretted sending a coach to a seminar, I have recently come to the conclusion that paying for more than one or two team members to attend a given event is far from the most efficient way to spend continuing-ed dollars here at CSP.  We currently have a rule stating that no more than two team members are to attend a given event unless absolutely necessary.  One obvious reason for this decision is that having multiple coaches away from our facility on a Saturday compromises our ability to deliver an exceptional training experience to paying clients.  Calling in a former intern or two to pick up the slack can work occasionally, but it  can't become the norm.  This being said, my primary reasoning for this policy relates to consumption of new content.

CSP is a unique model, as our clientele happens to be nearly 85% baseball players.  With such a specific population making their way on to our training floor, our team needs think strategically when it comes to implementing the concepts learned at seminars.  Instead of shutting the gym down on a Friday or Saturday so that I can send 8 coaches to "learn from the best", I'd rather send one or two team members.  In exchange for their opportunity to learn, and us picking up the tab on event registration fees, I request that the coach collect and repurpose the information in a practical manner to be delivered to our team during the following week's staff in-service.  This way, we're boiling down an 8+ hour seminar to a single 60-90 minute content-packed presentation which speaks to our unique needs.  Everybody wins.

Every time we open up the registration process for a CSP Fall Seminar, or an event like the one we're hosting featuring Alex Viada, I am surprised to see entire teams of coaches signing up from a single facility. Are they closing their gym for the day to allow their entire team to attend?  Is it likely that 100% of the material we cover will be relevant to their success? Or, even 75%?  Maybe it is time for gym owners to consider strategically dispersing their coaches toward continuing education opportunities to ensure the best interest of their business is taken into consideration.

Blogging About the Business of Fitness

Since it’s introduction in November of 2008, it seems that the book Outliers is best remembered for a theory Malcolm Gladwell has deemed “The 10,000-Hour Rule”.  In essence, he claims that the key to success in just about any field is, to a great extent, the practicing of a specific task for a minimum of 10,000 hours.  With this number in mind, I can say with confidence that I have accomplished expert status in the art of running a fitness facility.  In fact, if we were to assume that I’d simply committed 40-hours per week to the job for the duration of our 7+ years of operation, I’d be able to lay claim to more than 15,000 hours “behind the desk” at Cressey Sports Performance.

The reality is that no new business in the fitness industry gets off the ground and running with a meager commitment of 40-hours per week.  If my memory serves me right, Eric, Tony and I were regularly logging 12+ hour days 6-days per week for at least the first 18 months we were in business.  Believe it or not, those were among the most memorable and enjoyable days of my life.  With this workload in mind, it may be safe to say that each of us is currently hovering in the vicinity of 20,000 hours contributed to the growth and development of CSP.

So, here we are on the cusp of our 8th anniversary of starting a strength & conditioning facility, and I’m just now finding the time, energy and confidence to begin putting my thoughts on running a successful fitness business on paper.  I officially hit my tipping point while sitting roughly 10,000 feet above sea level, coincidentally enough.  At the time, I was seated on a Southwest Airlines flight from Kansas City to Boston as I wrapped up an exhausting and fulfilling weekend at the 2015 Fitness Summit. 

Nick and David Bromberg, the hard-working Fitness Summit organizers and hosts, had been kind enough to take a risk on me and extend an offer to be a featured presenter at the event.  Why not “get my feet wet” in the world of public speaking in front of a room of 150+ recognizable and accomplished fitness professionals?  I had the opportunity to walk the audience through a presentation discussing the origins of our business’ success following Eric Cressey’s departure to open our second facility in Jupiter, FL.  From what I could tell, feedback was extremely positive.

In the hours and days following my presentation, I was bombarded with business-related inquiries.  More often than not, the conversation would end with me being asked what the web address was for my blog or website.  Seeing as how I’d failed to pull the trigger on any sort of site to this point, the best I could say was, “I’ve written a handful of guest blogs for Eric’s site.” 

How many times did I need to be asked before coming to the conclusion that I had some decent knowledge “upstairs” which I could really tap into and share with others in our field?

The answer to this question is: however many times I was asked in the previous 48-hours, plus the 15 additional times Jordan Syatt asked me why I wasn’t blogging as we sat side-by-side on Southwest Flight 475.  You see, Jordan is a former CSP intern, and a strength coach I’ve known for the past 4-5 years, so it was completely acceptable for him to harass me until I finally caved in.  By the time we wrapped our 2:55 minute flight, I had my first five posts loosely outlined in my mind.  The wheels were in motion.

So, I’d like to welcome you to PeteDupuis.com.  My intention is to dive into a variety of business-related concepts and lessons gleaned from my experience in running CSP since it’s inception on July 13th of 2007.  One would think that I’ve picked up something of value as CSP strung together close to 8 consecutive years of double-digit growth and steady expansion. 

I hope you enjoy my insights!