Don't Buy Ads: Grow Your CrossFit Box

Why Write A Book?

In 2008, I combined my philosophy that I learn BEST when I paraphrase and teach with the new knowledge that I was gaining in business. When I started posting on DontBuyAds, I was telling myself stories. I was writing because I love writing, and because I didn't want to forget any of this stuff.

When we started studying psychology, behavioural anthropology, and neurology for Ignite, the applications to the business world were immediately apparent. Our brains are not those of our ancestors; our thoughts are not those of our parents. Our business is not the gym business of the 1970s, the 1980s, the 1990s...or even the modern-day "low-price lifetime membership" model of today.

Nearly 400 posts later, I started worrying about forgetting stuff. Affiliate owners and coaches were emailing questions about problems I'd encountered years before, and I wanted to send them the best answer I could provide. I also wanted to arrange the content from this blog, and many other things I've learned, into a more cohesive process. 

This book is the sum of 7 years of experience owning a gym, 9 years' experience coaching before owning a gym, hundreds of calls with other gym owners, big mistakes, and big victories. There's a lot of research, and many stories. 

I'm a member of the CrossFit Media Team, a position that's been incredibly rewarding. However, this book does NOT reflect the opinions of HQ, and though some on the Media Team will read it, they weren't asked to edit the book because the act would constitute a blessing they won't want to give, in the name of objectivity. 

Cover design by the magnificent Clay Weldon of 321GoProject.com, with whom I'm lucky to share the joy of helping new and existing Affiliates make their businesses better every day.

Enjoy. I sure do.

(click the book to buy it.)

What to DO?

You know what's going on. At least, you've read all three sides.

In a nutshell:

Greg Glassman's ex-wife, Lauren, is selling her share of CrossFit. She currently owns 50%. She's selling to Anthos Group, whose spokesperson in this case is Bryan Kelly. Bryan claims to be a CrossFitter with solid motives. Coach suspects otherwise.

Your stake:

Currently, you pay annually to license the use of the word, "CrossFit." 

Your risk:

Some pay more than others, depending on when they signed up, but even at the high end ($3000/year) the gross return should be 100x the fee. That's one hundred TIMES, not one hundred percent. We don't own shares. Though the outcome can affect us, we don't control the dogs in this fight. We don't get a vote, no matter how powerful our hashtags.

Your options:

Await further instructions. If there's something to know, we'll know. From Coach to a CrossFitter:

Anthos has gotten a commitment from Lauren to sell them her shares once the divorce is final. The divorce is held up over the disposition of CF Inc. 

We have every advantage in this battle I could hope to have. We are on the side of righteousness and the law; our resources are greater financial and legal. Our numbers are stronger. 

Nothing is going on here beyond our letting our brothers and sisters know that evil lurks and we're on it. You need to take no action.

It might feel like a drive-by to some, but this is the level of our entitlement. It's not a democracy. No one is 'selling out.' It's a custodial lesson: if you have partners, it could happen to you. 

Jeff Tucker's facebook post was a good one:

I'm going to sit back and wait until someone asks me for my two cents on this, meaning those that matter - which I bet will not happen and I am okay with that too. So rather than getting all alarmed by moves I cannot control or have input on at this moment - I will wait until the actual battle starts and then suit up the armor and ready the horses...

As for me, I'm going to do what I aim to do every day: open ten minutes earlier than posted. Smile at everyone at least once. Find a subject to post about that's relevant to my Catalyst Family (hint: this ain't it.) 

Nothing will change for my members in the short- or long-term. If CFHQ asks for help, they've got it. Until then, I won't pace or fantasize. If I'd known in 2008 that the brand was half-owned by an investor, I would have signed up anyway. It's still miles and miles better than owning a GloboGym, or being at the top of the soon-to-be-announced P90X "trainer" program (spoiler alert: the 'P' is for 'pyramid.')

I believe in Coach.

Seeing The Horizon

Think back to the moment you decided to open your CrossFit Box or Garage Gym. 

Now, think back to five minutes before that.

What was in your head? WHY did you want to move from Trainer, Coach, or someone outside the fitness industry and open your own business?

In my case, I had more than one reason. I needed to make more money, and couldn't see a way to do it where I was. I felt underappreciated: the business had grown immensely since I'd signed on, and I wasn't getting credit. Frankly, I thought I was smarter than the owner...or maybe I just cared more. Finally, and perhaps most of all, I didn't know where else to go from where I stood.

Ten years ago, there weren't any 40-year-old Personal Trainers. Ten years before that, there weren't ANY Personal Trainers. I simply couldn't imagine that my advice would still be relevant when my hair turned grey. 

The only logical step up, then, was to become an entrepreneur. Self-employment was the only promotion possible. I wanted to test out my mental wheels, sure, but would never have taken the risk if another option had presented itself. 

MANY new CrossFit Boxes are owned by passionate, inspired Coaches who saw only one possible way forward. When they asked themselves, "What's next? How do I move UP? How do I make it possible to keep doing this until I retire?" the answer came back: "Open your own gym." In many cases, it was the ONLY answer they heard.

If you can create a future - a next step, a way for your Coaches to 'move up,' or a way for them to be entrepreneurial - there's no reason for them to leave. Human nature mandates exploration and novelty. If they have itchy feet, and want to move, challenge them to look up instead of dead ahead.

Some ideas:

• A 'Head Coach' position, responsible for the oversight of other Coaches; programming for your Box; running monthly training sessions for your Coaches; making decisions on Cert attendance and new programs;
• A 'General Manager' position, to replace you - as owner - when you feel like taking that long-overdue vacation time (or just staying home occasionally);
• A 'Case Manager' position, who oversees individual training plans AND customer retention, client satisfaction, and social media;
• An 'Events Coordinator,' who sets up your events and works for part of the gross;
• The developer of a brand new part of your business. Here's how we handled that one.

Each of these positions should create the revenue - and more - to cover the increased wages that follow increased responsibility. 

Not everyone wants to change. Don't force anyone; let people be happy. If you can't create a path of development and personal growth, though, don't expect them to stick around.

Building The Region

Since Christmas, when I took over the Regional Media Director title for Canada East, I've had the good luck to speak with dozens of our Region's top athletes. They graciously spare a half hour for 'the Press,' and I ask them all kinds of intimate questions about training. Sometimes, I win the lottery, and their philosophies are so simple - or profound - that they stay with me for months.

Matthieu Dubreucq was the best of the best. A former competitive racing sailor, Dubreucq has seen high-level international competition, and worked as part of a team to train, compete, and win. He knows what it takes; he's been there. He finished third at Regionals last year, and had a fantastic 2012 Open. His team did exceptionally well this year; he personally won the terrifying Event Six, and celebrated with a ten-second L-sit on top of the rings after the last muscle-up.

Dubreucq's team sported Day-Glo Orange shirts...and mustaches. Take a few minutes to watch the video, "Stache Strategy" here. Clearly, Dubreucq knows something about building community at CrossFit Laval. He's also concerned himself with building the Regional community.

To paraphrase Dubreucq: "We want to win. But if we can't win, we want to make sure the Games winner comes from Canada East." To that end, Dubreucq is creating opportunities for top athletes from the Region to train together, share strategies, and compare notes. He helped promote the FireBreather Trail, and is the 'force' behind Force 5, a series to help prepare high-level athletes. Reebok came on board with the former, and many top athletes from the Region are interested in the latter.

As we witnessed at the Canada East Regional last weekend, the power of local fans can help lift an athlete into the top spot. I'll do my part to help keep that wave of Regional pride going through the Games site, and I'm hoping to extend that support into year-round content on athletes from our Region.

Four years ago, Dhani Oks from Academy of Lions pulled the Affiliate owners of that era together on a series of conference calls to talk about the future of CrossFit, growing our Regional brand, and the trials of the early Box owner. We still maintain a Google group, and our Region is the fastest-growing in the world (by new Affiliates.) 

As the Games grow, and the worldwide audience increases, it may be a good idea to consider our Region's reputation beyond our own gyms. Are we the smiling, excited, and friendly Region? Are we the hard-edge, black-flag, win-at-all-costs Region? Are we the 'smart' Region?

It may not seem important yet. But when you think about the cache carried by the Soviet Olympic weightlifting program, even fifty years after its peak......how will we be remembered at CrossFit Games 2062? What will be our legacy, our contribution? Where will we make our little niche in the expanding world, and how will it help each individual CrossFitter? How will it help the not-yet-CrossFitter?

Up, Up and Away

Promotions and Happiness

How do you become a firefighter?

Go to college, says your high school counselor. Study firefighting. Get a degree or a diploma, then hand in your resume.

Wait, says the recruiter from the Fire Department. Go learn a trade. You'll be more useful to us. 

Good, says the Chief. Now go get married or something. Get some life experience, and check back in a few years.....

This isn't a public process, but it's usually what happens for young adults trying to become firemen or police officers. As it turns out, a 98% on your final exam in Police Foundations doesn't really make you a great cop.

Let's consider some things that we know to be true:

• A great student doesn't necessarily make a great athlete.
• A great athlete doesn't necessarily make a great coach.
• A great coach doesn't necessarily make a great 1-on-1 Trainer.
• A great 1-on-1 Trainer doesn't necessarily make a great Head Trainer.
• A great Head Trainer doesn't necessarily make a great General Manager.
• A great General Manager doesn't necessarily make a great Partner.
• A great Partner doesn't necessarily make a great student.

Each of the above jobs - call them 'levels' - requires separate training, motivation, and desire. If a CrossFit Coach loves coaching classes, but doesn't educate himself beyond the Certification weekends he attends, he may not be a great 1-on-1 Coach. And that's fine. 

If your Head Trainer loves finding new information and sharing with your other Coaches, great. If they like organizing the Coaching schedule and helping to determine the programming at your Box, fantastic. If they don't care to think much about cash flow, they're not going to help you as a General Manager. And THAT's fine, too.

When people are happy - fulfilling the tasks that give them joy - it sometimes seems as if a promotion is a nice reward. It's not. Adding unfamiliar tasks for which staff aren't properly trained will be exciting at first, and then demotivational and frustrating. Money won't bridge that gap.

The other solution, of course, is to train the person doing the managing.

Singularity

This is Alexei Sidorovitch Medveyev.

He's one of the greatest weightlifting coaches of all time, pioneering huge advances in periodization, biomechanics, and force development. His USSR teams dominated weightlifting from 1970-1974.

A totalitarian approach to managing athletes has its obvious drawbacks. It can also teach us much, even 40 years later. Medveyev could control when his athletes slept, and for how long; when they ate, and what; what they lifted, and when. Under his guidance, the Soviet Weightlifting program experimented with colour; sound; and even smell, marching their athletes through different types of forest after their workouts and measuring relative recovery to the 10th power (spoiler alert: Siberian Fir is best.)

You can read more about these 'best practices' in Managing The Training of Weightlifters (bottom right.) Worth the cover price just for the short paragraph on steroid usage recommendations for women.

Medveyev also experimented with coaching methods. Concerned with far more than just load, bar speed, and reps, Medveyev measured the effects of voice quality; instruction quantity; and total practice time. Prilepin's Table was developed during this period.  Other ideas were tried, measured, and discarded.

One of Medveyev's guiding principles: never give an athlete more than 
one instruction or correction in a training session.  Yes, they may need to raise their chin; they may need to stand taller; they may need to lift their hips more. All of those may be true, but only one may be corrected at a time. One instruction was useful; two instructions handicapped the athlete, splitting their attention. 

When a cue was mastered, the next was given. Information would be prioritized based on relevance, or timing. Do the same with your new contacts: on their first visit, they need to hear that CrossFit is novel, or different, or challenging, or fun, or Sport. 

As teachers, Coaches, and experts trying to deliver their message, we should remember this: one point at a time.

• Chin up.
• CrossFit is fun.
• Gluten causes gut problems.
• Widen your grip.
• Novelty helps you stick with it.
• Hips up a bit.
• Bring your friends.
• Greg Glassman.
• Babies are great squatters.
• Poke your chin through.
• No mirrors.
• Pull your shoulders down and back.
• Protein supplements usually have a lot of sugar.
• CrossFit is like Personal Training.

One point, one message, per contact. That's it. 

Competing with 'Free'

As I wrote yesterday, there are many different ways to deliver your service that don't revolve around the "1-month unlimited" model. You may not be interested...but your competitors (Globos and McGyms) certainly are.

1) In Ontario, teenagers can attend GoodLife Fitness for 'free' in the summer. The service is attractive to parents, who can't spend the time monitoring their child's comings and goings. At least if they're at the gym, they can't be.....finish the sentence. Right?

This is a prime setup for service sales, however. For me, I wouldn't want my teen running amok in a new weight room; I'd get her some personal training sessions. It ain't free anymore!

2) As fitness becomes more commoditized - with tracking apps, 'personal training software,' GPS-enabled shoes, and calorie counters - we'll see a split between access (free) and attention (highly-priced.) Some gyms have very minimal monthly rates - $15 per month - but high signup fees that discourage changing gyms. "I don't want to cancel by Pump membership...I'm only paying $15 per month!"....yes, $15 per month. Every month. For life. These gyms are dependent on new clients signing up to maintain cash flow. When that stops....

"Information wants to be free..." is the rallying cry of pro-access groups like WikiLeaks. It's a quote, taken out of context, by Stewart Brand. This was the original:

"On the one hand information wants to be expensive, because it's so valuable. The right information in the right place just changes your life. On the other hand, information wants to be free, because the cost of getting it out is getting lower and lower all the time. So you have these two fighting against each other."

Your opportunity lies in the split. Charging for one-on-one attention, or attention within a small group, is your key. Don't like the one-on-one model for total time spent?Fine...do CrossFit, but make sure every member has personal time with a coach every month to review goals and make recommendations.

Offer specialty groups for people who want to work on specific elements. Offer premium Attention services, like Personal Training, even if you don't want to do it YOURSELF - through subcontracted coaches. Spend TIME with people - something that's hard to do in a simple class-based model. Build relationships with clients, not groups. Demonstrate the gap between 'free' and 'expert,' and offer both. Celebrate the gap; widen the gap.

You are in a unique position to help people: by publishing quality free content, and then offering personalized solutions.

Mimetic Desire

Desire is not a straight line. 

Rene Girard, an anthropological philosopher, puts forward the notion that all of your desires are borrowed from other people. You want this because they want this, or they have it already. 

Girard posits the model of desire as a triangle, not a straight line:

                                                       OBJECT

                    SUBJECT                                                    MODEL

We desire something - an object, a characteristic, an attribute - because we see that others have it, and their possession reinforces the idea that the object is desirable. In this triangle, the Model is the current possessor of the habit or object.

Consider a woman, 40 years old, who visits your Box for the first time today. Her name is Mary. When she's searching your location on Google, does Mary desire to do a pullup? No; it's not yet in her realm of known possibilities. She doesn't care about pullups because she's never seen one done by a woman, perhaps. Mary just wants to lose 20 pounds.

When she's standing at your front desk, Mary still doesn't want to do a pullup. She wants to survive without "sweating too much" or committing another social faux pas. Her goal in session #1 isn't to make friends or experience "the community": it's to survive with ego intact. She doesn't want to embarrass herself.

And then...she sees Julianne hitting five beautiful kipping pullups in a row. Julianne is 40. Julianne has abs. Julianne puts chalk on her hands, and swings her legs like so, and can actually pull her chin above the bar in midair. Wow.

CrossFit thrives at providing behavioural Models, and providing clear paths to mimickry. Not only can we show you Julianne, but we can map you out the ways to BE Julianne.

Successful businesses in all industries do this well: here's Julianne. She likes this purse. You want the same purse? Here's how to get it.

Interestingly, Girard takes the step further, suggesting that when the model and the subject become equals - when Mary can finally link 5 kipping pullups - they become rivals. They compete for acquisition of the object - they start to compare each other's max pullup numbers. As the rivalry grows, the value of the object increases. This, too, is where CrossFit shines: by offering the competitive element, clients can move up through the hierarchy of desire without changing their mode of pursuit (in this case, gyms.) 

How does this affect you? Simple: pack the gym with models of behaviour. If you have to do it for free, at first, do it for free. Take one from Skip Chase's book, and invite every waiter and hairdresser in town - models who are constantly in front of people, chatting - and have them do CrossFit for three months. The biggest risk is inviting a new person into an empty gym: devoid of models, they have nothing on which to base their desire for CrossFit.

(You don't have to say, "You can come free!" Instead, give them a coupon for 3 free months. That way your rate is unaffected, and you're giving away a coupon, not a freebie. Small difference in fact, big difference in the psychology of your other members.)

Learning About Business: A Kickstart

There's a lot more to owning a business than just doing the part you love. 

As I learned the hard way, coaching and training is NOT the business. The business is the business. 

Fortunately for me, I have a full hour every day when I'm driving and studying and making connections between what the business world - or brain researchers - already know, and how to connect it to OUR business. One hour per day, over many years, compounds and expands....but it's still ONE brain.

You can do this, too. Get out your iPod. Plug it into your car (I use something like this.) Download an ebook:

• This is what I'm currently listening to: "FREE: The Future of a Radical Price," by Chris Anderson. It's giving me more on the idea of becoming the expert in your market. And it's free if you sign up for a free trial membership. To sum up: it's all free, and you can start right away.
• The most important business book for CrossFit Affiliates to read FIRST: "E-Myth Mastery" by Michael Gerber. Very relevant for those of us who love to coach, and want to build a business around it, but aren't sure HOW.
• Best book to put you in a better mood: "The Power of Nice," by Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval. I love hearing these two (just finished, "The Power of Small" by same. Also good.)

You're empowered. Start learning.