Fighter Spirit [#InTheTrenches ft. Dani Hoddinott]

#InTheTrenches catches up with Dani Hoddinott, General Manager of Harbor City Community Fitness to discuss leadership, principles, values, planning, staff development, and a "before, during, and after" look at "readiness and resiliency" through this crisis.

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Transcript

spk_0:   0:04
Welcome to in the trenches a weekly podcast series dedicated to entrepreneurial leadership the principles and values that define and develop it as well as actionable steps that you can take to immediately lead your team to victory. Good afternoon. This is Eric LeClair over a push press. And we are continuing our in the trenches leadership discussion. And I am absolutely thrilled and privileged tohave Danny on with me today. Danny and I had a chance to connect through our event X pipeline on. She is a trooper and I thoroughly enjoy our relationship. And I bought for her introduce herself for those you guys that don't know her. Uh, Danny, feel free. Go

spk_1:   0:51
ahead. Thank you, Eric. I'm really excited to be here. My name's Stephanie Audrina, and I am the general manager and head coach at Harbor City Community Fitness. And that's in Melbourne, Florida. Um, we are a pretty large facility. Our space we've got, you know, about type, believe, 10,000 square feet, about 100 members. And, um, we've been around for since 2007. So going over 13 years now, which is awesome

spk_0:   1:21
house that there aren't many affiliates around that have been through the 2007 window. Here we are, 13 years later. So your apartment with Mike is that correct? Like Mike Manning. Talk to me a little bit about the staff. You guys have employees. Do you have personal trainers? What's the staff look like?

spk_1:   1:42
So we are a mad lab gym, which basically means that, um, everybody sort of works together and gets there sort of own tribe of clients, if you will. So right now it's Mike and myself. We have, I believe, two or three just part time coaches that fill in for classes here and there. And then there's four of us who have kind of our own tribe of clients. And then, you know, so I look after my certain people. Coach Jen looks after her is Caitlyn looks after her is Mike looks after Hiss. That way, everybody kind of gets a touch point with a coach like nonstop or their go to, um for really whatever they would need. And then we make sure that we're always on top of them. In terms of have you been to the gym? How's things going in life? Hey, do you want Oh, let's get a personal training session and make sure that we kind of fix up that thing we saw the other day. Um, but yeah, So I'd say for the most part, it's four of us that are mostly hands on, um, in terms of our clients and, you know, it's it's a good system and my coaches air awesome. Especially right now. Like there. They're coming in hot toe like help, whatever. We need them. So I'm really I'm excited for them and for us to be together no matter what. No,

spk_0:   2:51
dig it. I think I love hearing the organizational structure that mad that presents for affiliate owners, by the way, feel free. This is no shame. Me feel free. Shameless plugs all you want. You know, we we've asked a bunch of affiliate owners Do they belong to mental ship groups? And you know, a lot of people that have, um, really solid foundations on that, obviously, here we are. 13 years later, the gym has been around, so there are principles that play that allow the gym to thrive. There's organizational structure there that's set up to allow the coaches to thrive from a leadership standpoint. Then let me ask either you personally or maybe you collectively as the gym. Uh, do you want to speak towards any personal values that you hold dear to you or any Maybe the company values that the company holds dear to them, And he talked to discussion there that you want to share.

spk_1:   3:48
I mean, I just think from start to finish, like during regular times and during now, the biggest thing for us has always been focusing on the relationship relationship with our clients because people, you know people will quit. Jim's people will quit a lot of things in life. But the hardest thing to quit is a relationship, right? And if there's that trust built from coach to coach, to owner, to coach clients, a coach tryingto owner, if all that trust is kind of built through a relationship than you can see more of a long term path for everything. Teoh and I think that that's been the best thing for us like overall, is knowing that the relationship should be the starting point.

spk_0:   4:28
No, I think that's it's a tremendous value there that you place such a high purchase or ah, high touch point on the relationship. The human human piece is the value rights were not commoditize ing and just simply selling exercise. We're developing relationships, right?

spk_1:   4:43
That's exactly what people want to be a commodity. We try to stay away from that. We want to be, you know, more of an all around, like your life, coach. You know, Coach for life is actually what we call it. So each of our where their coach for life, you know, they each get their own coach for life because we want to look at it. I mean, it sounds a little aggressive if you will approach forever. But like in the grand scheme, it's meant to be more like, No, I want to work hand in hand with your you know, your doctors and your whoever you need us to to make sure that all around you're getting everything that you need in life, you know? So we try and build a relationship with them. The relationships with also all the other practices kind of around us so that we know what's going on or how to help if we need to, you know,

spk_0:   5:23
did get a totally digger. That's I really wish there were more affiliates that we're open to that model. It seems to be very successful for the math up gyms that have stood the test of time. I mean, there's a ton that have lived over a decade. It's it's spectacular. The next segment that we moved, too, in the interview is more about We recognize where we are today, both as individuals, as gym owners, general managers, coaches caring for our clients. So we kind of look at it before, during and after the before phase. Where or I guess I should say, Who is responsible for the development of your coaching staff? Is you? Or is it Mike? It's me, it's you. Okay, so what kind of, um, either principles or guiding lights? Have you challenged your coaches with to prepare them for something like this? Are you guys have continuing educations? You guys have certifications per month and, like counseling sessions, talk me through like your coach developments at your facility.

spk_1:   6:28
Absolutely. So a lot of this is driven through Mad lab in how we do this, and they So they are part of what we call the junior apprentice program. Um, and that is given and delivered through Mad Lab, but also through their sort of mentor in house, which would be me. So basically, they have weekly meetings and they have tasks and targets that they're supposed to hit and write. A lot of it are, um, not necessarily hurdles, but things that are out of their comfort zone that they have not done yet. But in order to graduate to the next step, they have to do them right. So then they meet back home with me. Um, and then we go over. You know how I did it, How you know, suggestions on how they conduce. Oh, it, um and I kind of worked with them hand in hand to make sure that they are successful in their endeavors. So basically goes from junior apprentice Want to junior apprentice to then senior apprentice one senior apprentice to um And it has. There's lots of different workings around each of the levels, but it is like a full education program. It's very hands on

spk_0:   7:31
big sales, like sales portion to that. Also, they learn and understand that absolutely. And in order to graduate through those levels, they've got hit. Maintain sales, Correct?

spk_1:   7:41
Yes, there's definitely sales components to it and kind of like bringing in their own clients. We also give them clients. We kind of do like a round robin sort of thing if we have House leads. But, um, you know, they need to bring in a certain amount of their own meaning, like reaching out to their friends and family or businesses around or going and just introducing yourself to people. Um, you know, there's there's kind of different levels for each of those aspects, if you will. It's been good because, like they've learned a lot and you can see through the whole process, like how they got from a to B and looking back on A you're like, Wow, look where you've come like since that point, you know? So it's really cool to watch, like a human that was once a client or just a person outside of the gym developed within it and kind of find their own space.

spk_0:   8:29
I love it. I love hearing that you've poured this amount of dedication and education into developing these competent junior leaders, right, cause that one day maybe you're gonna I mean, would it be fair to say maybe you will step out of some of the senior roles over time, and they will start to take more ownership piece. Is that the idea?

spk_1:   8:49
Yeah, that's definitely the idea. It's. And I think that's where I'm at. In my path to is like, you know, what do I spur see myself doing in three years with the business, right? Or five years? It's kind of thinking about a long term goal in deciding which pieces I think would fit really well for each of them. Um, as I sort of step out of them and they step in so that I can step into the bigger, larger aspect things, if you will. But I do. I love coaching. I love our clients like we have such a great client base. And I don't ever really see myself fully stepping away from the coaching part. Um, you know, I like to have my my toes dipped in like a little bit of everything.

spk_0:   9:28
Sure, but now, in Florida, you had, like, a week or two to observe the rest of the country, and so you were obviously communicating with your clients and communicating with your staff. Hey, there might be a potential for us to have to shut down or pivot to a different type of offering different type of service. So what were what were you in the staff doing to kind of prepare for? I guess what was inevitable.

spk_1:   9:55
A lot that we did a lot. I mean, so first it kind of started as a discussion. And then, you know, I think all of us in the back of our heads were like, No, that won't really happen right? Or at least hoping that maybe it wasn't true. But as we watched it happen elsewhere, then it it kind of turned one from, like, I don't know, we'll see and changed over into, like, go mode, right? Like let's figure out what we would do, how we would do it and make sure that we're able to deliver it as soon as possible so that we don't skip a beat. And I think we did a really, really awesome job that, like, I have to say, I'm proud of like our coaches. I'm proud of myself, like we seem to have worked really well under the stress of it all. But basically it was like looking at the main components of everything that we do day today and then deciding how we could if we could, you know, or in what way to deliver those things to our clients so that nothing else changes other than having a physical location. But one of the main things that we've told everybody is right. Like we we don't sell classes. We don't you know, like we don't even offer like, oh, a three time a week or a two time a week membership because we sell coaching and you don't need a physical location for that Jordanian. So, like that

spk_0:   11:09
huge thing to have communicated to the clients before this so that they don't think your life all of a sudden switching on them.

spk_1:   11:15
Yeah, So we, you know, there came, like, the initial email to all of our clients like, Hey, if this happens, here's what we're planning. Here's what it will look like for you, and and nothing other than a physical location will change like we still have our backs were still your coach for, like, we're still doing all the things that, um, you know, we possibly can to make sure that you guys were going to stay healthy. Stay fit. Stay whatever this is for you, while we cannot meet in a spot. So that was kind of like the first part of it. And then it was like, OK, figure out what we're gonna do with programming. Who's going to do what? How we're gonna sort of divided up. But since we already have, like, our tribes, it's it's been, like, sort of a seamless roll over. Like, I'm still in charge of my client's right, and they're still in charge of their So, um, that we have those clients and it just kind of switched from, like, you know? Okay, I know. I see them each week. If I don't make sure that I get in touch with them or, you know, maybe sometimes we have personal training sessions, Um, but and then it just kind of changed to an online platform. But I have to say it went a lot smoother than not that I thought what? I didn't think it wouldn't go smooth, but I think that we just did a really, really good job at that transition point. You know that.

spk_0:   12:32
You say that the communication to the clients early on was helpful.

spk_1:   12:37
Oh, yeah, for sure. I think a lot of people were like, You gotta be kidding me like that's not gonna happen. You're not gonna close down, but way wound up closing the gym before we were even told Teoh Because honestly, like the rial factor for me in that decision. Waas like we love these people like they, you know, 2007 there are family like and if anything were happened to any one of them because we waited too long to make a decision, I don't know that I could ever forgive myself for that. Um, I had a hard

spk_0:   13:09
you personally agreed across the coaching staff, like you and my and the coaches were like, We all agree this the right thing to do. Yeah. Awesome. That's a tremendous show of care, uh, understanding, of course. And also before mandate. It is a huge step because you didn't wait to be told you took action at a time.

spk_1:   13:29
It happened like a day or two after that. They close down gyms in Florida, but we were like, All right, we're ahead of it, you know? And even our clients, When we posted and called and text and did all that stuff there. Like you're making the right decision. Like they backed up. And we're like, Okay, good. All right, Now, I don't have to worry about that, you know, Um, so I think a lot of them sort of appreciated the fact that we have that foresight, you know, and have their health inner inner mind. Cynical?

spk_0:   13:55
Yeah, of course. I mean, it's huge for them just to number one, understand and recognize that importance and also support the gym, you know, and the decision of the gym to say, Look what it's gonna be done. I can't tell you how many coaches we've spoken to that they're not getting traction with their clientele. They're not delivering the message or the why. And they're using, right? I mean, there they are, losing clients. Um, have you sat down with the coaching staff and had a discussion about because we before the during that after the after none of us know if this is gonna go April, May, June, July, August, and someone How are you communicating? Maybe just unite. Or maybe you might come staff. Have you guys talked about what this looks like in 30 more days as faras, maybe offerings to the clients. Any adjustments to the calendar and schedule Any additional social services, obviously digital but social above and beyond. Fitness. If you guys have any discussions yet about that,

spk_1:   14:55
um, yes, loosely like there's nothing set in place right now that we're like just is exactly what's gonna happen in 90 days. Um, you know, we have ideas and, like our coaches, a really smart and they have a lot of great ideas to so sort of the meeting of the minds. I talked with our coaches every day and I talked with Mike every day and then when need be, we all talk together. Um, I would say at least once a week, we all talk together, But, um, basically, I guess first and foremost word, we're sort of playing the waiting game right now because that's really all that you can dio. Um, you have a lot of really great ideas. I don't know so much outside of fitness, but things that we can do with our clients if this really does keep up because at some point like and disclose for all gyms at some point, people are gonna be second zoom classes. People are gonna be sick of the you know, whatever it is that any gym is offering, it's gonna get to a point where it's like, all right, cause we dio right. We charge a higher price point and we deliver our higher level of service. But when it turns into this town, yeah, like, you know, five months of beach body type workouts on, you know, through a camera, it's, you know, people are going to start to weigh their options and especially as they start to lose their jobs or see what their financial going forward, it's gonna be very hard. So I think, um, like, long term, we just have to keep that in mind and, like, over deliver nonstop new ways to keep them engaged, find new things to offer them, even if at a distance. Um, but I honestly be lean a lot on, um, like the all of the different companies that we utilize so well, like push press like they have been, like leaving the charge in awesome figuring things out. I have to say, I was absolutely blown away. I've said this to my coaches. I've said it to my boyfriend. People outside, like your company, has done so much in terms of delivering information to us before we even know that we needed it. And that was like, it's been really, really valuable. And then, like, um, for, like, up launch are what we use want sites like, um, they all have a plan, right? For how to sell, how to deliver how Teoh, You know what kind of communication to give to new people. If you want to take on new people for remote coaching, right and then level method your on your level method, right? Okay, like the resilience challenge, all of the social media assets, like just the things like

spk_0:   17:20
just the social media assets age alone is brilliant.

spk_1:   17:23
It's unbelievable because, like when you know, you, you see this all kind of unfolding, and you're like, OK, what am I gonna do here? And you're trying to come together with things and then

spk_0:   17:33
move

spk_1:   17:33
all these like crazy ideas? Just pop right in front of your face down before you, and you're like, Oh, my gosh. So we've taken all of those ideas and to make them our own which I think has them really, really valuable.

spk_0:   17:46
Excellent, man. Thought. But you do have your toe in all of the right buckets, if you will. Um, we do recognize that there are some affiliate owners out there and not necessarily even just in the affiliate landscape. Opposed to, say, the microchip landscape that are struggling. They're operating from a place of fear, their operating from a scarcity mindset or, ah, like a doomsday scenario mindset. And they're stuck if you had a chance. And this is your soapbox opportunity. Is there a message or a statement? Um, that you would feel comfortable sharing with them to maybe help move them forward.

spk_1:   18:23
Yeah. And I think at the end of the day that this is in every single gym owners lap to decide what to dio how to handle it. Um, and how toe move forward no matter what is coming. And I could tell you right now, Mike and I are not quitters and word. It's hard, like, I think we all know that this is hard, but there's no way that we're gonna give up without, like, a solid fight, like we're just fighters. You know what I mean like it's been 13 years of this. If if other things have been taking us down, this has nothing on us, you know what I mean? We're very innovative. So I think that whatever is in your head is definitely going to drive your actions and your thoughts. And I think that that's a huge part of sort of tackling. This is like the second that you panic or you tell yourself like Oh, my God, we're losing or oh my God, we're going under right Like that's when it's actually going to wind up fulfilling itself because you have given up on it. And I think, um, like, have a plan. And if you don't have a plan, talk to a friend who might have a plan or right get in touch with people like you who like all these brilliant things going on around you to help Jim's, Um, I don't think that we would be in as great of a place as we are right now without the help of our mentors and all of the, um, sort of different organizations that we've associated ourselves was with. And I think that that's been, um, Ricky right now more than ever. We're like, Oh, like we're so smart, like, brought them on board because, like, Oh, my goodness, look how much easier this is getting, you know? But I think that is everything we're not giving up. Like Outstanding.

spk_0:   20:00
It's so refreshing to hear that fighter spirit that not Twitter spirit,

spk_1:   20:06
not working under pressure.

spk_0:   20:08
Dig it. Awesome. Well, Danny, thank you so much.