In The Trenches
In The Trenches
I Am Here 100% To Serve You // ft. Jeremy Thiel, CrossFit Central
#InTheTrenches catches up with Jeremy Thiel, owner of CrossFit Central 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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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 morning, this is Eric LeClair representing PushPress. We are continuing our series of In The Trenches a look at leadership in times of crisis. And an early challenge that was thrown to me was to select a handful of affiliate owners that I looked up to or that I wanted to emulate in the early years. We know that cross has been around for quite some time as a brand and the affiliate community had some very early adaptors. And those individuals that were kind of thought leaders are trailblazers, and I couldn't think of a better one than Jeremy Thiel owner of CrossFit Central. Jeremy, an old friend from day one for those that may not know, cross Central, although I don't know any that wouldn't feel free man. Introduce yourself.
Jeremy Thiel :Yeah, for sure. First off, I appreciate you asking me to be on. And, you know, this is a great time to be alive and be taking on, you know, what's being thrown at us. So I'm excited. You know, but that's a phase of four steps to get to it wasn't that wasn't the beginning. So I don't want to create an illusion of like, oh, I've been excited since day one. But for us, myself and my sister, Carrie Kepler, we started CrossFit central 14 years ago now about 14 and a half years ago. And we were pioneers, you know, we're pioneering type of spirits. And so as entrepreneurs and pioneers from the early stages of CrossFit, you know, we're able to build a movement in the city of Austin in the state of Texas. We were able to jump on to the sport in the early days and get into the competition and build the space. For a CrossFit with CrossFit and and that was also another on, you know, entrepreneurial like pioneering era. And so really for me what happened over the last 14 years is I started getting Sorry, I'm bored. We're doing some things. I had a couple kids don't care. He's got a couple of kids. And then the last three years I've been thinking about getting out doing something different because I just am like, you know what, we've done this, we've done this, I want to know what's next. And you know, long behold, me and my wife have like, been like, thinking about what we want to do. We just we launched in September, our online platforms lift off go and lift off body, nutrition, remote nutrition, programming, remote programming for workouts. And so we were looking at the virtual worlds, you know, we were for a slower we were just getting a moving and then all this that has come up recently, but really, when I think about That pioneering spirit and looking for challenges and overcoming, you know, showing up and doing the nominees of the day was kind of like, that was the grind. And that was the test, you know, what is this and being, you know, consistent and building the systems and the structures to produce, you know, world class box, but I was really ready for something different. And so whenever we started to build our online platform in the fall, moving into the new year, this is the new direction we wanted to go and then boom, you know, all this stuff stir up with a pandemic. And, you know, we then you know, over the course of what I say it was probably been about four phases of the process of moving through pivoting from you know, we in Texas, you know, we move through, you know, everybody's different, like you said, First, we were kind of moving to a large group classes to control you know, from a group of 20 down to a group of 10. We were inside the gym, we were socially distancing then it went from inside the gym to outside the gym, six feet apart, and then it came to home and shelter. So we pivoted, you know, from large group classes, small classes outside, then the pivot was homeless shelter to virtual. And we had our remote program. And then we went to, um, you know, a zoom formatted program. But now I believe that, you know, that was a band aid to look at where we're going into the future. And whenever we really see where we're going, I think that the whole fitness industry and CrossFit affiliates will be transformed for history. You know, I think that there's a line drawn doby treat COVID-19 and post COVID-19 and how the fitness industry will change forever. And the whole concept of going back to what we were and what we you know, have thought of group fitness. This is going to be a change for the better. And instead of be kind of what I believe, you know, cross fit as a group class needed, and it actually does need to come back to a tighter knit nucleus of training and the smaller type of format, plus also individuality and the way that programming can be created. So there's different extremes of that. But I think that we're moving into a much more hybrid model of service and business, you got the general pop, you know, online, remote programming, like a lift off would be. That's kind of where I think like street parking is, then you have a more hyper individualized true coach format, that like maybe an OPEX model is and then you'll have, you know, small group formats of 10 people or smaller that will be training in groups. Everyone's going to have a different experience of comfort and what they're willing to do in groups, and then figuring out how they want to train a lot of people are investing in their own garages. They were already doing that before this But now it's gone hyper investment, so people aren't going to just invest 10s of thousands of dollars $5,000 in their home gym, and then they'd be like, Oh, I'm gonna go back to my, you know, gym, they might want to do some of that group experience, but they're still going to want. So now that adaptability and the three words I'd said like these are I have to form words to help manage my mind. And so, you know, creating frameworks and structures allows me to manage stress and manage the adaptability of myself. So I came with flexibility, agility and endurance, because the individual that gets locked into their mind and fixed in certain points, they will die, they will not make it. And I'm already seeing that because I went through what I was talking about these four phases, and I went to hyper like productivity and started executing, executing but stress was extremely high to pivot the business And then I went into fear, because I went, holy shit, this all could be gone, I could lose everything. Then I went into panic, you know, and that would oscillate from fear to panic to fear to panic. And then as I and I never stopped, you know, I never that's a part of me is like I move through these emotions, which I think is healthy. It's whenever you camp out on fear and panic, fear and panic, or you resign you, you basically say I'm a victim, and I quit. And there's a part of me that went into victim like what the government's doing this to me, this is happening and and then that resolves, I kept progressing forward. Again, having conversation with people was important that I could communicate with people to figure it out. So I have a little mastermind group that I work with some affiliates that have been in for 10 years. That said, No, we don't pay for it. We meet together. We talk twice a week on the phone and we leave bounce ideas and thoughts in an IDE calling other box owners other people that have true coach formats, people that have remote programming people. I've talked to people that are scared that are frozen, and I'm not trying to push any idea. I just like to hear where they're at. And it gives me perspective. And so now, where I've come and now where I said, I'm excited as I've moved through chaos of work, fear, you know, and all that and now too excited going, Okay, whatever happens, this is a new opportunity that I've been wanting and seeking for the last three to four years. How will we adapt? Yeah. So
Eric LeClair :I'm glad you got I'm glad you have the ability, the clarity to step back for a second and look at that and see it as the opportunity versus like you said, get stuck in that victim mentality, or that fear, panic, fear panic. Before we go forward on liftoff I definitely want to hear about it. And I want folks that are watching this to hear about it. Think back to the early days, you've got Jeremy as the athlete, Jeremy is the coach and the business owner. There had to been some transitioning of themes or principles in leadership and organizational structure that may be changed when you were focused on yourself as the athlete but now focused on others as the coach, have you pulled with you through this journey? 1415 years, any specific principles or values that you'd like to share with anybody?
Jeremy Thiel :Wow. I mean, really, the growth opportunity is the shedding of the old skin and essentially like dying to self because the ego, you know, has its way of getting wrapped up in identity. And as I've moved through this young, you're 20 you know, aggro alpha male competitor to a father to has been athlete in your mind, maybe not where you were where you want to be, and and kind of adjusting through that process. So it's been a lot of shedding. And like I said, like I'm always pursuing self growth and self development. And there's been some really hard times because I didn't want to put down the athlete. So from 2007 to 2015 I competed at a regional or games level for nine years. And and I held on for probably two years too long where it crippled my nervous system I cratered in about post 2015 where 15 through you know, 18 was rebuilding my nervous system rebuilding my whole physical physicality because my I was burnt and it had a toll mentally emotionally on me that I did. I went down into a pit and had to come back out now. I learned a lot because I'm a type of person that my physiology, the nervous system, the nervous system, fighter, fly, you know, rest and recover. I just dove head into the science to research and study and come out the other side so I can again be a teacher and a coach and a giver of what I've learned through that journey. And so, really is it I think it goes back to what I said previously, I think it's, you have to continue to move forward. If you choose to camp out for too long, you can get frozen in a time period, a mindset or an era that will not serve you into the future. And so I think that the consistency of moving forward and and also seeking counsel, if you don't seek outside counsel, you're limited to your own limitations, your own, you know, blind spots, and so it's it's really Moving forward in seeking counsel moving forward and seeking counsel and I think if you continue to do that in all areas of your life you are going to advance and that's for me you know in that set as I want to keep advancing and you know and also know when it's time to call it quits and all that stuff.
Eric LeClair :So you when you made the decision to move towards lift off Does that mean you still retain Central and work there coach there and then you kind of have a separate entity separate project?
Jeremy Thiel :Yeah, so what what happened for me my sister in 2015, we found across a central together but as I started to have a family, she had a family, we separated our business so she owns our North location Island or downtown location. And and and really, whenever we open a second box, it was probably not a great decision. We were better together. But I was wanting to grow and expand and and so We even had hardships in that process but we separated but we continue to operate as a unified front on all of our marketing everything we did as a community. And as we started to get you know, as I reflected back our best times we work we counter each other very well. She's and so with liftoff go with liftoff body our goals our program, but liftoff body what what I discuss with her is like, we need to rejoin, but let's do it in a virtual box. So let's share equity. And we also brought in our marketing director who had been with us for 14 years as a partner, and let's do this right with equity and partnership and All hands to the plow and build something that can be we've all always had a strong desire to help hundreds of thousands of people you know, we want to help a lot of people that That's our hearts. That's our desire. And we always felt restrained in our box, and we'd gotten up to five boxes. And it's like, it's not, that's not the way that we can reach all the people we want. And we saw the virtual box as a platform that we could reach people all around the world. And so we put on that and at the time, my wife was going like, why are you partnering again with Carrie, we've done that, you know, and it's just the thoughts. But hindsight where we are now working remote, Kerry's able to do her content creation, I'm doing my content creation remote, our marketing directors, taking our content, curating it, putting the packaging it and sending it out to the world. And it is, you know, you know, very it has been very, you know, I don't have to say like the vine in this sense that had the way that it all worked out into where we are today. Because we could have never known this.
Eric LeClair :That's awesome, man. I'm so glad you had a the idea but also the ability to execute. And trust that this was where you were going. I mean, talk about a perfect platform prior to this crisis. I mean, how many homeowners Do we know that had never ever dabbled in the digital space? They don't understand marketing, production content on you know, getting out in front of folks, they don't understand me not that they just don't I mean, that just wasn't what they did. And their hand was forced, what three weeks ago to be able to immediately transition their entire business through this now, for those that are struggling, I mean, we we get it I we consult with gym owners every week, and it's heartbreaking to see folks that they have the knowledge and they have the ability, they just are stuck like you said in that fear, kind of panic mode back and forth. In the last couple of minutes. If you were to visit people will they will Watch this they'll listen to you. What would be a message for them for the struggling affiliate on a right now? Who's stuck in that? How would you motivate them or guide them to either a way out or maybe a mindset change? What are your thoughts around that message?
Jeremy Thiel :Wow, that's a good one. I mean, not knowing who I'm speaking to directly every individual has their own, you know, battle that they're fighting inside themselves, whatever they're holding on to, and and they have to let go. Okay, and that is self awareness, they have to let go of the way that they perceive the way that they want it to be. And they have to move into an open mindedness to that to learn to be a fresh student and then to pursue but it's the it's the holding on I'm dealing with this myself is that I want to get back to the gym and run my classes because that's what I know how to do. But I have to be able to know that that will come back. But in the 21st century, what this has done is we have to move into a 21st century business model. And we have to understand that we cannot cling to the old way. And we have to let it go. It will be a again, I believe that it will be a hybrid of what we used to do and what future is becoming. And there is potentially a consolidation of gyms and an ownership maybe not all of us should have been owners. Maybe we would be really good partnering with some local boxes. It's calling up your local affiliate there your your competitors, or potential partners and saying, Hey, guys, Mike, this might be a season of consolidation
Eric LeClair :That's an interesting angle, you're you're like the second affiliate owner that has had that discussion. You know, that takes a huge amount of reduction. Yeah, yeah, fantastic idea. And now, I mean, I was gonna say if keep going, I'm sorry to cut you off. Go ahead.
Jeremy Thiel :No, I mean, I'm looking at all avenues because I would say this right now like where we are right now, if we've applied for the PPP the SBA loan, that will bridge us in April and May, we have revenue coming in. But if we they just extended our shelter in place until May 8. Each extension in the minds of our clients go I could do this for a month, I could do this from not coming into the gym. I could do this for a month and a half, but two months. I'm gonna put my membership on hold. And so we're in a very delicate window of how things will shake out if we get the loan we can we can buy two months and and What I'm doing is recreating my business because when we open on June 1, we will be a new enterprise. We will not this isn't going back to the old business. This is not whenever we come back out into official business, we will have new offerings, new packages, new services, whatever it is not Oh, designs backed up, we're open back to business as usual. If that is the mindset, it Dun, dun, dun we must adapt and change because the people's psychology and their willingness to step in your box is 1234 and five, some people will be let's go back to business. Two or three people will be no I want remote. If you can't service those people. They're out. Yeah.
Eric LeClair :So so they're going to be your competitor who is offering that service. Yeah, Outstanding. I'm super refreshing to hear where your mind is and your ability to adapt so quickly. I mean, you think about it, we're from some states, we're three weeks in other states about five weeks in. But man, what a what a forced change on so many affiliate owners, I think this will potentially clean the landscape up a little bit. But it like you said earlier, it provides opportunity, it allows for creativity and initiative, and those that have that idea in their head, they'll survive. Liftoff body liftoff go will be fantastic, what it looks like, will it be offered through CrossFit central or will it be separate then what are your thoughts about that?
Jeremy Thiel :So the way that we it overlays on top of our physical location so all of our current clients have access to the remote program. Awesome. And so it overlays on top of that, but we're getting ready to roll out our truco map for individualized programming will have, you know, a general program will have very specific programming, we'll have our nutrition, remote nutrition. So we're going to be very diversified in services, all of our virtual remote will be through lift off. All brick and mortar on site will be on site. So that's, that's the way that will work.
Eric LeClair :Man, I love it. I mean, you're a pioneer 14 years ago, and now you've got an opportunity to replicate that. That spirit to forge ahead now into the digital world. I mean, they're clearly were individuals, let's say one or two years ago, we saw some companies that said the remote coaching is where they want to go completely. They did that they either sold off their box or they sold off their, you know, their brick and mortar, and they just jettisoned off into the digital world to have both offerings. I think it's going to be fantastic off option for the folks who, yes in Austin, but then also Now you can reach more hundreds more thousands more.
Jeremy Thiel :Oh yeah, we already we're already servicing over 300 plus people on our lift off platform. And our goal is to reach 1000. And you know, in the next six to eight weeks, so we have some key partnerships, doing a lot of stuff like this just to get the word out and spread the message. We've also added kids proponent to it. But what I do want to tell you about Eric is this. My whole life, the more people that you help get what they want, in turn, you will get what you desire. Right? And I've always, I've always believed in that Maxim that statement, but I never could fully live it. There was something inside of me that was still fearful to hold on to what I wanted. And what this has done is it has freed that part of my ego To say, I am here 100% today to serve you. And I'm faithfully believing that that will return to me tenfold. And let's go at it. And so we're last thing I'll say is we're on right now masterminding putting together, the human resilience movement. I'm going to be draining together people from all over the country, hopefully the world that have a like mindedness, a heart, a passion, to serve the greater humanity to give them the tools to overcome and be resilient. Because in me, this is my, you know, World War Two, this is my 911 this is those happened not in my 911 in my lifetime, I were to my grandparents online, but for me, it's a coalescing of those experiences that are attacking my psychology. My business my life. And for me, this is a never again, for the people around me to be empowered to be mentally, spiritually emotionally equipped to go through these types of circumstances as we move into the future. So right now, I'm organizing that as well because what I want to do is I want to equip people to be strong, if you will.
Eric LeClair :Right. I dig it. I totally dig it. It's it's about time. I mean, there are folks that are desiring this and will absolutely follow you down that path. Outstanding, outstanding.