Wetting the whistle...

It has been a very long time since we posted anything here. Some of that is insufficient time but it is mostly due to insufficient bandwidth. Similarly, there have been no monthly emails in quite some time. So…as we allocate resources to the digital presence of the gym, clinic, and hauling business, it seems a good time to throw some words onto the screen and maybe get back into the swing of things.

When we mention insufficient bandwidth, that is a nice way of saying that we have not had anything good or productive to say. Everyone is busy these days, and it is probably fair to say most of us are feeling the squeeze and running a little heavier into cynicism and frustration - these are wild times in the world, generally speaking. With regard to these little businesses, the story is the same and it is easy to let the frustrations hold better traction than the “wins.” So, let’s let that be the topic today: acknowledge the bad but prioritize the good.

The “bad,” which to be fair is not the best term, refers to the issues any small gym/business faces. Resource management, overhead concerns, and maintaining some form of customer service (yes, somewhere in our processes exist some form of customer service) can be surprisingly tricky hurdles. Herein lies the beauty and the pain of any small business… when things are good, members/customers feel like family and maintain a certain expectation of accommodation and care. When they are bad, though, most will jump ship. This is to say that our types of businesses are very important to people when skies are clear but they’re also the first to be discarded when the sky gets cloudy. On one hand, this is a reality and shouldn’t even be a concern. On the other, it is a reality that causes a great deal of stress and frustration behind the scenes. We text back and forth at least weekly with other pals who run similar joints and it is the same anywhere and everywhere you go. So, long story short, sometimes owning a business is a no fun, very bad time.

But wait! It isn’t all bad. The flip side to the BS is the oft taken for granted “little things.” The little things are the fleeting moments you catch between members or the seemingly unremarkable happenings that make the process worth it. Some are pretty darn superficial and others more meaningful… While it is not ideal being in a shared commercial space, it does afford us some beautiful contrast. We have another, very different gym a couple of doors down, a somewhat specialized grocery store, and multiple other businesses in the same complex.. and while their patrons are rudely, slowly, or obliviously shambling through the parking lot and in front of traffic, our members are generally standing tall, walking swiftly, and dare we say, exercising courtesy regularly. And while that may sound like an insane observation, take a moment to think about it… we are privileged to be surrounded by like-minded people of a higher caliber. That’s pretty cool. It also sounds elitist if you’re one of the shamblers.

Similarly, we get to see the progression of confidence across all sorts of people, which is truly and amazing thing. We get see people sheepishly come through the door, uncertain, and in no time at all progress to hootin’, hollerin’, and running sandbags across the room. We get to see people with injuries or limitations they’ve resigned themselves to turn the tide, bust their butts, and regain abilities they thought were long gone. We could go on…but for brevity sake, lets call it. You get the picture. Ain’t so bad.