Become Indisposable [#InTheTrenches ft. CCT Joey Powell]

#InTheTrenches catches up with CCT Joey, owner of CrossFit Prescott 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_1:   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, guys. This is Eric LeClair representing Push Press. And this is our next in the trenches. Siri's with one of the baddest dudes from the Ogi days across. Fit. This is Joey Powell. Originally known a CCT. Joey is a great for fantastic coach Operates Crossett Press Kit and Praxis athletics. Joey Men, for those that don't know you for those that weren't on the early days in the block Share with me. Talk to me about talk to me about your family and your gym.

spk_0:   0:55
Okay, well, back in the day, um, you know, the CrossFit website was a lot different, and there was way more engagement on the, uh, the blog's site because that cross that page was really a block back. And it wasn't. It wasn't like it is now with a website where you where you could make comments. It was literally a block page. It was blogger, something I don't remember block spot or something. is what was the behind the scenes of it, and, you know, there's plenty of stuff out there about that. But what happened was was every fourth day there would be a discussion, um, about whatever topic that coach would post coach Greg Glassman with post on when he posts that a lot of us were just mainstage. That was a big deal that's held. The discussion would sometimes last three or four days, even though it was only every fourth day they posted it, you know. So we we talked for days and opinions were getting thrown around, and that was really just how I more or less got involved in the community. I had been doing CrossFit mostly because I was doing combat control stuff, and I've really hated running. I'm just But it's not my big man. It's just, you know, I don't know that I have a gig, to be honest. Physically, I'm really good in the water. But you know, that's that's about as boring as it gets. And, um, I just hated running, so I was like, I'll do anything to be able to keep running as fast as I run now and not have to run. And that's how I came about. CrossFit was sort of left the kettle bell movement, sort of even that really wasn't a kettle bell. Douchebag did it, and it helped me stay in shape. And that's how I sort of fell into cross. But

spk_1:   2:34
what years in 3 4000 for

spk_0:   2:37
that was their earliest part. Um, and then I became an affiliate in those seven. So, you know, in the Army, I was in the Army. First, I was actually an Army infantry officer than an armor officer. And then I got out in a three and a entered a C C T pipeline in I want to say January or four. And then came an affiliate in 07 I'm and I met you, probably about a month before I became a force in 07 and would been October 07 and met. You remember it? And it was at a CrossFit San Diego certain under Eddie and Lisa. Luego

spk_1:   3:15
man, talk about 100 years ago,

spk_0:   3:18
man. And and, you know, all of us were at the time this is my opinion and and I got to be honest, I've never really been part of the CrossFit community, like most of you guys were. I've I'm sort of a fringe character, I guess. But, um, even though I was close to coach for a little while, uh, to me, I just really it was just a different deal. I'm not a fitness guy. I just came to beat you. Does that make sense like I didn't have never enjoyed fitness? I've never ran and gotten endorphin rush or anything like that. That's never I'm like What? So I only exercise toe win? Yeah, I know I don't so it's a competitive thing to me, but I'm also What's funny is we'll get to that later. My affiliate is not built on that completely. I mean, we're not even remotely interested in competing, so but that was kind of the deal. And then, you know, from there, that was the big thing that drew me in the computing. That's and that's actually a CrossFit. And that's what Greg saw in me was posts and that's how actually ended up. But the search was just some coincidences and him reaching out to me and

spk_1:   4:35
extended the invite right

spk_0:   4:36
exactly, and next thing I know I'm like, and I'm like, a non erred guest. And I'm like, I'm just a guy that writes on the internet on your site, man, I didn't realize, like anyone gave a shit who I was, but it was It was really cool.

spk_1:   4:51
Yeah. No, I mean, I think back to those days, and that's unique to that time. To those people. And to that experience that's never gonna be replicated again, ever. I was. Ah, really? I'm to be involved. And I, you know, trust me. Say same as you. I cut my teeth on the learnings, the certifications, the seminars, the weekends sometimes that an impromptu ascent cruise like wild, wild days.

spk_0:   5:22
Yeah, it was It was a wild West and And what was funny about it was was that we were we were a counterculture. But most of us that where I would say the people I liked anyway, we weren't looking for a counterculture. We were just looking for anything that was more effective than what we were doing. We were just like, fuck and Amen. How many push ups? So I got to do How many damn miles do I have to run? You know anything else besides the same shit you know. So

spk_1:   5:51
talking about, obviously you've got a rich history, Steve. Kid leadership, organizational structure developing, junior enlisted. Now you obviously have a pipeline. I can't believe it's a pipeline for a soft community. For isn't Embry Riddle.

spk_0:   6:07
Yeah, and I'm trying to show the banner and I'm fucking this up, but stops me, man. I'm totally the backward camera thing is freaking out. Um, stop CP Special Operations PRI candidate program. And yeah, we help we up, particularly these guys. Most of them want to do the Air Force gig CCT PJ now special reconnaissance or the officer counterparts. Some guys have gone seal or something like that. Ah, of course. I always try to disturb clearance and not to do that, but on And then we've had guys go Ranger, green Beret and stuff like that too. So

spk_1:   6:42
it's well, so gimme gimmes like, not just necessarily me. But you know, those that are watching those that are listening and you're gonna get a chance to kind of tune into this. Talk to things that you can pull from your time and in your military leadership learnings that you've applied to your business that stood the test of time because you've been around 14 15 years. Clearly, you're doing something correct. And you're now battling this epidemic pandemic. And you're charging through it.

spk_0:   7:10
Yeah. Adapted, adapt, adapt, um, and be and go with your instincts. Like, um, when I'm old shit over too long. I've wasted opportunity in time and so I look, I'm all about I'm gonna say it my way about me. I know I am a clutch player. I know. Point blank. There is no one more than me in a tight spot that I want than me point blank. I want me in that tight spot if I'm if I'm you. So if you need something done, I want you to know that I'm the guy in the tight spot. I love being the guy in the tight spot, right? So I trust me there any time. I've not taken my own advice. It's kicked me right in the job. So for me, my instincts are good. Um, you know, and that goes all the way back into early CrossFit it goes back Teoh implementing methods that would that were originally poo pooed that now are mainstay, even in CrossFit. Um, and and and definitely when I was in, you know, in the service in the Army and the Air Force, it was like, OK, who can make this happen? I don't know, but I'll do it and I will find a way. So to me, that's that's the biggest thing is. So if you're like me, trust your instincts and be ready to fucking turn on a dime

spk_1:   8:35
appearing grit, agreeing. Now talk me through the development of your brand like relative to look, too. So obviously in Prescott, there's got to be other affiliates, and some are struggling. Maybe some are doing well. But have you developed to stay this long out? Like, what's that art?

spk_0:   8:54
Okay, so we were the first ones. Um, And when we came to town, we had, you know, I moved to town with a U haul truck, a squat rack, a bench, a reverse hyper, um, it's and some bumper plates. The old school Craig Berg ones and three bars, right? Maybe two or three kettlebells. Um, and then we were inside a gym. There were. So there were there was a gym like a You know, the global. Jim, we were in there. Ah, and we just were just fighting to stay alive. Now, I started this here. Um, not I'm not talking about the Kentucky affiliate that I was in the service and Iran for a year before I moved here. That's irrelevant. But so when we got here, it was in the middle of the downturn. The financial downturn. 2008. Like we had we had at all times, four or five people that were with us that could not pay like they couldn't. They didn't have jobs or whatever. We just always were under, like, Amen. You lost your job. Just keep training, and you can start paying again whenever you have a job. That was just the norm. I'm sure it was for you to, Right, Andrew? Yeah, you like, dude, I'm not gonna tell you not to train. I mean, should just do what you can are clean the fucking bathrooms or whatever, Right? And and but But But here's the problem, right? So I come, we, me and you both come from a world where you just do it right. It's it's written. You do it. Yes, You Back then you might scale it right on. And that's there's lots of terms for that. And it's not just a use less weight or whatever, but, you know, we were in that wild, Wild West back then. And here's a problem. I live in a community that's based off retirees. I didn't understand that when I moved here. So my average age client is probably 47. Yeah, that's my average, right? I mean, most classes, particularly the mid mornings. Dude, if I was in the class, I'd be the youngest person in the class. And I'm 46. So So, um, that's riel. That changes everything. And and so we're really struggling. And so the gym we were in, ah, hired us to be personal trainers. It's a work for the silver and Fit program to help raise revenue. And they didn't They didn't have the right trainers to work with him anyway, So I started working with all these people that, like, 70 80 years old, Well, they got five free personal trainings a year through the silver and fit program, right? And the gym got paid, and then they gave me a big cut of that, and that's where we really cut our teeth and this and that's what we really understood. Okay, The crossfit way that we understood it as just people doing it or working with other people that were I don't know, that I'm elite ever, but I've been involved with a leak and and in the in the speedskating world, in the military. And and so this doesn't work. This is not only doesn't work, it's damn right. Dangerous, right? I mean, it's like, OK, this isn't it what we do with this, right? And so we chased the whole efficacy thing, you know, through virtuosity, always. But at the same time, it's like in your mind, you're like a dog salivating. You're like, Okay, I want I want to show you what you can be and is like, hold the fuck up before you hurt somebody, right? And, you know, because I remember the first time I had a lady, we're just doing squats. And it wasn't even his deep squad. We literally had a box under. I don't know. It must have been 20 inches and just trying to teach her to sit back on the box. We must have done 25 total squads, right? Like sets of five or six. Just teach it. She was so sore she couldn't get off the toilet. The next day. I was and she wasn't really old. Maybe in her sixties. And I was like, I'm not I'm not sure where to go with this. Yeah, it wasn't even lowers their couch, right? And I'm like, I'm not sure where to go with this, except even slower. I was like, Can we do that? I mean, is that Is that something we can even do? You know how to do this? Is that even CrossFit at this point? And that's a That's a valid argument.

spk_1:   13:14
And I was

spk_0:   13:14
like, I don't know, It doesn't matter. I've got my flag up. I've got my shingle on the wall. That's what we're going to do. And and so we we learned things different than most CrossFit locations from that, you know, it's just that's who we are. And you know, So the special operations work we do with prep work is totally separate from that. That's just a whole different deal

spk_1:   13:35
with almost two businesses,

spk_0:   13:37
that is, it really is. And and and so it's just and which is good because it separates my mind from doing the same thing all the time. But at the same time, it really is two different training protocols, even if largely reusing the same gear. It's a different. It's a different deal. Um, and I I and that's the biggest thing I think the community has had to learn to deal with. Is that training for and not to be cliche, but training for life versus training, for mission in a police officer in the military firefighter, like all the stuff that we were used to back in 04 through eight or nine or whenever the game started and all that Reebok thing happened, So it's just different, you know? And now,

spk_1:   14:26
and I mean, I'm glad I'm not the same Glad, But I know that you would see that need in both ends of your spectrum and be able to satisfy it was

spk_0:   14:35
an imperative. I mean, we had no other income. I mean, that was we had to learn. I mean, I moved across the country, move my family across the country and had no money. I mean, it was just like that. There was no choice. There was no cushion. And I didn't think the military with a pension. I just write the military. Um, it was frightening times, man. I mean, it was desperate. Times call for desperate measures. And so we started looking at, Yeah, other practitioners and methods to integrate into our facility, right? Get better complimented. Ah, then what? We were kind of taught from the main site. It's not that that's bad. It's just that it wasn't going toe work in this case, right? So it was just different. Yeah, I'll tell you what. This is side note, because but I think it's huge. I I want to give huge props out to cross for dot com. A little over a year ago, I believe it was January 1st. Last year they changed the site

spk_1:   15:40
right? Totally different. Total tension right to it's

spk_0:   15:43
like it what? It was for us. Yeah, it's really more like what it was for us except more content. And I'm like Finally, the Reebok shit is out of there, and this thing is like

spk_1:   15:54
and she for murder. I think they would ever like push the sideshow of the games away and come back towards the health

spk_0:   16:02
I own, I hope for years. OK, so and this is my opinion. I know that I know that people are watching this. They're gonna A lot of people are gonna put but what I'm about to say, OK, but I think the games personally can fuck and suck it. I mean, I just do I think it's I think it's a fucking sideshow Bob. Bullshit.

spk_1:   16:18
Look, there is a ton of affiliate owners that feel that exact same way. I mean, I I

spk_0:   16:22
will not I have never supported uh, the open. If somebody want to do it, I would go get refugee, whatever. That is where you could judge, I wouldn't judge two different games, and I was just like, Dude, I can't be involved in this.

spk_1:   16:39
I'm your I.

spk_0:   16:40
It's just crazy. I was just like, this is this is now This was early on. It was like 10 and 11 or 11 and 12 or something like that. But I was just like,

spk_1:   16:48
big difference, huh?

spk_0:   16:49
Was like, bro, this doesn't even remotely reflect my gym. And and And where it was taking crossfit as a movement was was it was like it was sailing away from me. And I was just. But then, a little over a year ago, when they redid the website of Mike Holy crap, CrossFit just turned hell around. I was just like, on a dime, and I was like, It's back to health and wellness again and performance of the individual in life, not about the performance of the sport of fitness. I was. I distance a breath of fresh air, man. And then the level method, which is, you know, we can talk about later, but the level method is huge. We don't use it, probably the way they'd like us to. But man talk about a great product on Brandon Brand X, and that's I know that's for boating in the CrossFit world. But but those guys a man, I hope those two companies can get together someday. Level method and brand X. That would be a shit,

spk_1:   17:43
do their solid. I mean, we recognize that Jim and Maggie are just really, really salt. Yeah, it's crazy, you know, mentors and role models for their own kids. And obviously excellent coaches own right. You know, Jeff was one of the first ones to call and say congratulations after he knew we offloaded the gym. You know, those of us who have known each other since Earl those early days were still very close and care about each other's well being. And it's been great to watch as they develop their kids, who are now young leaders as strengthen condition, which has been great

spk_0:   18:17
and and they're bold, They're the family is bold on and, man, that's refreshing. I mean, they're not afraid to just take it and turn it. Ah, hold them different direction in that man. That's cool to see. So all we just making the kids,

spk_1:   18:35
we got a tiny bit of time left. But I, you know, in a few seconds to share with me about what are you doing with your community now that most gyms or shut down? What did you have after? Give it to?

spk_0:   18:46
Okay, so So the Arizona came down and said, OK, you guys got a shut down cause you're a gym, right? Well, im I'm like, am I that's that's up for debate. And so my mind goes like this. So, technically, this building is shut down, right? Right. But I'm like I'm not a gym and I was like, I would argue that even though this facility isn't a gym, technically, it's a It's a training center. But because because I'm in control of the gear, I'm in control the people I'm in control of, What all of that does, Um, a gym like what most people think. There's a bunch of stuff and then people randomly milling around, touching everything and doing stuff that no one's really watching, but whatever. So we have. We just happened to a put a gate in the fence that separates us from a beautiful part in the backyard of this building. I. So we trained with proper social distancing and sanitizing measures in the park

spk_1:   19:49
outside, right Still side.

spk_0:   19:51
Yeah, it's not necessarily warm all the time. Not necessarily great weather. We go from there, but, um, you know, it's what we're doing. I haven't had anyone yet. That is a personal client, meaning they're not a business Quit. I'm sure it will happen. Um, but I haven't had anyone quit yet, and that's been huge because we're still able to function right, even if even if they can't afford to pay it, just that's fine. But it's like we've got to keep going. I'm coming in like we're gonna work, you know, Like, we're gonna get this stuff done. So that's what we've been doing. We just were like, I'm not flouting the law per se. Not that I necessarily even care about it. But I'm like the governor said he wants people to exercise. Come on with Google's, right. I mean, it's not just about walking and hiking and riding your bike.

spk_1:   20:45
Dig. It

spk_0:   20:46
s o k. Let's take that. So I got a big card. I roll the card out there. People's everything off before and after, right with the with the sanitizer. Call it good, man. Spread it out. Let's go.

spk_1:   20:59
I dig it, man. So you you are delivering zero product digitally. It's 100% in person. Still, for you and your staff. Correct?

spk_0:   21:07
Yes. Well, what we do post on our Facebook page workouts for people that for whatever reason, maybe that day or something like that they need to do at home. We wouldn't normally do that. I haven't done that since probably 2000 nine or something like that, I because people were cherry picking, and I'm just not interested in watching all that, but yeah, we Right now, some people would prefer to train from home. So we did loan out dumbbells and stuff like that for people if they needed a Congo shit tonne of him. So yeah. Remember? Yeah,

spk_1:   21:38
Remember? Okay, So if you and your in your mind, right, And I know I will never ask for four sensitivity ever give it a nugget for gym owners right now that are struggling. Share with them. Your your most professional opinion for those wondering

spk_0:   22:01
most professional opinion is, is you've got to just remain flexible, man. I mean, that's that's the key. This is going to change. This is gonna change again. Um, I've got my own opinions about the nature of the the government and things like that. It would have to do with the covert run around and all that and the covert itself. That's aside from that, right? What's really happening here, though, is that life in general is going to change, and people are going to look at their health a lot different after this. When we find out that what the real problem here is is all the underlying issues and all the underlying issues are based off of information and what you're doing to yourself, to blame yourself for not taking care of yourself. And so there's going to be huge opportunity. And so you have to be willing toe throw stuff out of your mind. So let other stuff get in right that you might not have wanted to do six weeks ago. You are going to have to see things just differently. And that means other clients are gonna be coming to your doorstep that might not have ever walked in a place like this,

spk_1:   23:15
right? They could market segment for you.

spk_0:   23:18
Yes, and then they'll probably be older. Ah, they're gonna be people. There's gonna be probably a ton of people for a while on a year, year and 1/2 that are gonna be unemployed or or or very touchy with their incomes.

spk_1:   23:32
Or it's very defensive. So you

spk_0:   23:34
better provide a value like we had to back in a weight that looked way bigger and presented way bigger and and reflected Hell, man, we for the what we were charging back then versus Mom. I wouldn't even say we charged much more. But the value for people that were struggling in the economy back in 0809 and 10 was off the chart that go back to that like, figure out a way, Toby, somebody that these people talk about at their dinner table.

spk_1:   24:08
You can read all the time men be constant presence in their head because you've helped change their life.

spk_0:   24:15
And that's the key. That's how you're gonna get out of this. Is that you're gonna have this cadre of of clients who who know that no matter how times how hard times get that them staying attached

spk_1:   24:28
is absolutely This is

spk_0:   24:29
rate. Stuff you do is is one of the most important things they do outside of their family and their God. And I know that sounds incredibly cocky and bold, but that has to be the case because we are disposable. Become a new disposable

spk_1:   24:48
that I don't have today become un disposable. I love it. I love it. Men. Well, I sincerely appreciate not only your time, your wisdom, this story. Um, it's gonna be impressive for folks. Toe connect and watch this episode.

spk_0:   25:05
We'd love to get some feedback. Hell, I don't even mind Negative feedback. You know, don't don't be surprised if I got something to say if I disagree. But if I'm off base man, I'd love to hear about it. You know, reach out to us on our Facebook and and and let's hear these things. Let's get these ideas out there again. Like we had the forums on crossfit dot com Back in the day, those were using.