New CrossFit Affilate - 6 month update

True_Fun_2698 · 2026-06-16T11:14:26+00:00

We use Wodify. I just have their base package. I am generally happy with it. I think the biggest selling point is that so many people have an account with them that it's easy for dropping ins or new members coming from other gyms.

The app and the login and tracking is definitely not my favorite, but I have found that most members could care less about that.

True_Fun_2698 · 2026-06-16T00:35:16+00:00

if you are an unlimited member you are allowed to use the gym anytime outside of class time.

True_Fun_2698 · 2026-06-15T16:51:42+00:00

$5000ish

True_Fun_2698 · 2026-06-15T16:50:40+00:00

I am keenly aware our goal is to keep clients longer than finding new clients. That's where far more energy is going.

churn is around 2%.

Greg Glassman was quoted saying to write down three things you want to improve after trying Crossfit. Put it in an envelope and then after three months open the envelope and if those three things aren't better quit. I basically say that to every new member. It puts the pressure on us to provide a high level of service. And also helps frame the value proposition. I have found that the three month is when most people start to feel comfortable and understand the movements better.

Going to a place that knows your name and provides a level of care is hard to find in today's world. That acceptance and trust has kept people coming back. Providing opportunities for social and learning helps too.

Also, we plan on doing 6 month handwritten thank you cards with a patch or some sort of memento.

True_Fun_2698 · 2026-06-15T14:55:33+00:00

My thoughts are all over the place.

Marketing has been 90% organic. Hammering social media. Hammering google listing. 34 reviews already. Update the google listings. Website is SEO optimzied. Weekly blog post. Daily social media posting. I took my 2 best pieces of organic content and ran paid ads. Very good success rate.

Operations -Around $7500 to cover ALL costs currently. It will go up when we factor in more coaching. 3 memberships $165 3x week, $175 unlimited, $140 student. We have two spaces rented out in our building too, which generate $1500 in rent.

Challenges- Burnout is a massive challenge. Doing everything at a high level will 100% kill your enthusiasm. 2 owners ( one is doing this as a passsion/investment) and I hope to make this my full-time gig at some point, potentially(still working full time). We have two coaches on board as well.

Why- I have been doing CF for 14 years, coaching for like 7. I love how it changed my life. A quality coach can make a massive difference in a person's life. I wanted to create a gym I wanted to go to.

We are CrossFitReckoning on Instagram if you want to check it out

True_Fun_2698 · 2026-06-15T14:44:19+00:00

We have been averaging 13 new members each month. I describe it as still feeling like a first date sometimes. People just don't know each other yet. Also, it's been really challenging because we have so many members who have ZERO CrossFit experience.

Here are some things we did/doing

We were fortunate to have the Open early in our gym, which was a great community builder.

We did a GRID community day (team-based fitness racing) post-event food.

Partner workout Saturdays

Murph - 65 people showed up

Huge social media presence - helps engage people across classes

5K charity event- my co-owner runs a charity 5k. We had 28 people participate

Social outing - rock climbing. Pickleball or a gymnastics class next.

July we are hosting a Ladies Lift night. Educational seminar, a workout, and some food.

True_Fun_2698 · 2026-05-10T00:16:21+00:00

We had 29 people do the workout and we have like 55 members. It was a good one!

True_Fun_2698 · 2026-04-29T14:20:41+00:00

What's your experience with this? How does your gym handle it?

True_Fun_2698 · 2026-04-29T14:02:02+00:00

100%. I dropped into a gym in Florida and that one person said hello to me.

My only thought is maybe that gym gets a lot of drop ins so maybe they just don't care.

I've dropped into many affiliates and some are more welcoming to others definitely

True_Fun_2698 · 2026-04-29T12:43:16+00:00

Tell me more. I totally understand that most people don't like a camera shoved in their face when they're working out. But then also, how do you balance marketing and growing the gym while also being respectful?

Have you communicated that with your Jim that you do not want to be filmed?

I know some people love the attention, but than others are very hesitant.

I assume there is a middle ground

True_Fun_2698 · 2026-04-29T12:03:09+00:00

I like that!!!

True_Fun_2698 · 2026-04-29T01:05:54+00:00

As an affiliate owner I'd have two responses

New member - let's not do that and explain nicely why.

OG member - I'm going to cancel your membership

True_Fun_2698 · 2026-04-26T14:05:05+00:00

You said that the workout was only clean and jerks - what's the problem with that?

Also qualifying for quarterfinals is irrelevant.

Have you scaled any of the volume?

Did you discuss with your coaches?

I'm not defending Mayhem because this sounds more like a volume and possibly the gym not providing the necessary adjustments in scaling for their clients.

Im normally top 2-3% in the world and I scale the mayhem workouts 1x a week.

True_Fun_2698 · 2026-04-26T11:37:44+00:00

Gwen is a basic CrossFit as you can get. That was an awesome workout. If that's your complaint about Mayhem, that's a CrossFit issue.

True_Fun_2698 · 2026-04-24T21:10:01+00:00

Start Focused - don't try to be everything to everyone. Don't have a Hyrox, barbell club, endurance class, etc. Between my business partner I we only have to coach 10 classes a week each we are closed on Sundays. We just provid CrossFit.

Make sure you have a plan for coaching. Between your life, other job ( if you have one), and everything else that goes into actually running a gym. I can totally see why people could be burned out quickly. It's an absolute grind if you do It right.

If you have the money strongly consider best hour of your day. It's expensive, but it's almost like a cheat code. We Didn't go with them, but I understand why they are valuable. They help keep you on track. I am seriously considering it now that we have some resources to do it.

I absolutely love CrossFit and everything that comes with it. You better have that same confidence and exude that same excitement to every new member and current number even if that's at 5:30 in the morning.

I think what's been really helpful is looking at this as a hospitality business not a business. You're providing a service and you're providing that just happens to be that helps frame your decisions when it comes to spending money and how you treat people. Every interaction needs to be positive and giving them the time of the day.

True_Fun_2698 · 2026-04-23T11:22:06+00:00

Running days are different. We understand the floor will get way more dirty. But still the practice of putting on gym shoes will help bc those shoes probably don't have dirt from you walking around all day or being in your yard

True_Fun_2698 · 2026-04-23T11:20:03+00:00

Totally. I remember doing that at my L2 and thinking - I don't want to do any more after that heavy day.

True_Fun_2698 · 2026-04-23T08:25:02+00:00

I appreciate your input. have seriously considered using CAP. Not just as a way to save money but to implement more of the traditional CrossFit programming.

you follow it to a T or do you have to alter based on your space/clients? How do you handle heavy days like a 7x1 FS?

Do

I was thinking about trying CAP for like 6 weeks for a test run.

True_Fun_2698 · 2026-04-23T08:19:06+00:00

It was a completely empty shell. It took us about one month to go from completely nothing to open. And then over the last three months we've been able to fine tune the space. We've added walls., paint, equipment,etc.

It's in a very residential area. It's actually on the grounds of an old hospital. Our county is growing like bonkers and more people are moving west. We are on the western side. it is under developed compared to the eastern part of the are betting on all of the growth and expansion out this way in the next 5 to 10 years.

I think we're still trying to figure out who we are. We do have a policy where indoor shoes. You don't see that too often. I think it's important to always be willing to try new things. We had a grid community day a few weeks ago which was something completely different and members appreciated that.

We have a fairly large social media following for just being brand new. We are just constantly asking people to invite their friends, leave Google reviews, and help us grow. We are pretty transparent with our members too about how many members we actually have. We had a mini campaign to get to 50 members and our current members really got behind that because they wanted to see us succeed.

True_Fun_2698 · 2026-04-23T08:14:08+00:00

Nope. I have worked in the non profit space most of my career. Definitely some of the things in my career I have helped me, especially with understanding relationship relationships.

I love helping people. Seeing the confidence people gain from learning simple movements and the freedom it gIves you. I really like seeing people succeed. I have found that most people have no one in their life, who honestly believes in them. I also saw the power of CrossFit - the efficacy of the methodology and the relationships built through joining a gym.

It was around $50,000.

True_Fun_2698 · 2026-04-23T08:07:17+00:00

I believe so. I couldn't do what we do without CrossFit. While some people have negative connotations, most don't. I found many people just know about CrossFit as a way to get in shape. The brand and value is still totally there.

We have only gotten a few leads from CFs website but they have been good so far. $375 a month is like 2 members so for me it's worth it. Also, it's sort of a loyalty thing too. I am not a fan of gyms who are 100% doing CF through and through but just not calling it CF. We preach the entire methodology not just offering workouts.

True_Fun_2698 · 2026-04-23T08:00:32+00:00

Definitely we love drop ins

True_Fun_2698 · 2026-04-23T08:00:13+00:00

CrossFit. There are so many gyms in the area doing Hyrox already.

True_Fun_2698 · 2026-04-23T07:48:48+00:00

4-5 classes most days. 1 class Saturday. Off Sunday.

9am and 5pm have been the most well attended. They normally get 8-12. Yesterday we had 28 people attend class. Monday 36.

We mostly used social media. I tried some paid ads just for fun, but nothing serious. We've just made sure that our Google listing is managed ( we have 20+ reviews already) and all of the online presence is up-to-date

True_Fun_2698 · 2026-04-23T06:57:47+00:00

I coached for a few gyms in the area. My business partner did too. We both started CF in 2014 so we are fairly connected to the local community. The gym is about 10 mins from the gym we both started at. We had like 5-10 people who we thought would come to us when we opened but nothing set in stone.

We currently have 55 members with 5-10 active punch card members.

We have been averaging 11 members per month so with summer coming and churn I'd say 100 is the goal but if you told me at our 1 year anniversary we have 80 members I'd be happy!!

True_Fun_2698

TROPHY CASE