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Episode 35: The Corporate Market

June 27, 2016 Gym Marketing Podcast
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Why I Teach DIY

June 23, 2016 Gym Operations
Access our FREE “Do-It-Yourself” archives HERE. CrossFit has championed the “just get work DONE” attitude from Day One. The second article ever published in CrossFit Journal was called “The Garage Gym.” That was September, 2002, and Coach told us all how to build boxes, find tires and string up ropes. He didn’t say, “Click here to buy my tutorial videos.” CrossFit.com has featured a free workout of the day EVERY SINGLE DAY since 2001. There’s no sales pitch attached, no “click to sign up”, no “buy our advanced program.” Just: try this. Like most of you, I just tried CrossFit on my own before I ever sought a coach. On the date of my first CrossFit main site workout, I’d already been a fitness coach for over a decade. I did pretty well–I thought–and then did very poorly the next day. For a little while, that was enough; but then I started seeking tips to get better. I found those tips on CrossFit.com, too. Free videos, pictures and articles–thousands of them. 40-page downloads for $20 per year. I built my first boxes using the free templates in the Journal. I bought a set of rings from EliteRings.com because their founder chimed in on the CrossFit message boards. Following that example, I’ve shared almost 100 free templates with other gym owners over the years. As my skill in creating SOPs has grown, I’ve shared them on several different sites, including this one (other sites still offer outdated versions of my old staff contracts, coaching handbook and other worksheets.) I do it because I believe in the DIY mentality: try it yourself. Get your hands dirty. THEN ask for help. I believe in the value of coaching, to be sure. I get coached in weightlifting and CrossFit, and I coach others in business. But I also believe–strongly–in trial and error. Mistakes are critical to success. You should know how to change the ...
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Culture By Design Image

Culture By Design

June 21, 2016 Member Retention
By Brian Alexander, Two-Brain Business Mentor Building and maintaining a culture is challenging.  The more people in the fold, the more difficult the task becomes.  Here is what I have learned from 3 years of building my own culture and how I almost let a few people nearly destroy it. Don’t settle for good enough When building a culture, make sure you focus on quality.  Be relentless in your search for people who represent the culture you are trying to build.  Be very selective in who you hire.  Hire people who represent your culture’s values.  If you made a bad hire, fix it immediately. Don’t be afraid of the tough conversation today, because I promise you the conversation and problems only get bigger as time goes on.   A few bad apples can spoil the bunch.   Negativity spreads like wildfire.  It can turn rational/intelligent people into irrational very quickly if you don’t catch it before it is too late.  If someone doesn’t fit the culture and is negatively impacting people around them, do yourself the favor and amicably part ways immediately.  Again, be relentless in your vision for the culture you wish to build. “If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything” –  Irene Dunne Reward good behavior, ignore behavior you don’t want. Spend the most time with the people who add value to your life, add value to your culture.  These are the people that will help spread the vibes of your culture far beyond the walls of the organization.  Don’t make the mistake of trying to make concessions for the 1-2 people who aren’t a good fit for your culture.  People who are meant to be there  will mold to your culture; don’t mold your culture to people because it may look like something far different than what you wanted in the first place. In the end it all comes down to good communication and timely action. ...
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Episode 34: Acquisitions

June 20, 2016 Gym Operations Podcast
 
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Episode 33: War Stories With Uncle Vaughn

June 13, 2016 Personal Development Podcast
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Episode 33: War Stories with Vaughn Vernon

June 13, 2016 Personal Development Podcast
  The TwoBrain Summit is July 15-17. Register here. Vaughn Vernon is the guy behind Affiliate Guard.Vaughn insures over 2200 affiliate gyms, and we get together whenever possible to share “War Stories.” Some of these are funny, it’s true. But the point is to identify the potential tripping stones for gyms.This is NOT a boring episode about insurance. It’s a glimpse into the future. It’s a chance to analyze your defense. Vaughn is definitely not a boring guy, and we can leverage the hard lessons learned in the trenches to avoid gym-killing mistakes in our own businesses.The gyms in these stories aren’t owned by dummies. Most of these coaches have the same expertise, same fantastic community and same passion YOU DO. In most cases, they’ve simply run into one tiny instance of bad luck. Sadly, some didn’t survive.Imagine this: you spend ten years learning how to change lives. You care so greatly it keeps you up at night. You’re profitable; your coaches own houses and cars; your clients are off Lipitor. Then one day, a client collapses mid-WOD. Will you lose it all?Some have. But others were prepared and survived. We can learn from both.In a few cases, this is a hilarious conversation. In others, it’s as serious as a heart attack (literally.)0:00 – Vaughn’s background and (funny) intro to CrossFit4:30 – Running events at your gym: are you covered?9:12 – What are the easiest mistakes to avoid in YOUR gym?11:44 – Homemade equipment14:00 – A recent case in CA where a client died of a heart attack, and how it affects YOU16:58 – Blood-borne diseases – does anyone in your gym rip their hands?19:15 – Do waivers REALLY protect you?20:57 – How an OnRamp or Foundations program might save your gym22:20 – Using pictures on your website23:21 – Background checks (download the free form here.)24:06 – Kids getting rides to and from the gym – Download a Child Pickup ...
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