Covid
Re-opening is a reality for some and still an uncertainty for others
It ain’t over but there are enough people pretending that it is that it doesn’t matter how you argue the point either way
The long-term impact remains uncertain
Amateur epidemiology and outrage will increase
CrossFit
From Rhabdo the Clown to Glassman the Fool, CrossFit has pretty much screwed the pooch on what little goodwill it had left, and that wasn’t much
The majority of the CrossFit affiliate community doesn’t seem to be giving up on CrossFit hoping someone other than Glassman will get their money or it will turn out like that time Dorothy woke up back in Kansas
For many others, it’s been a good excuse to step away and that goes for sponsors, athletes, and the general public
Culture
It’s gym owners versus gym goers - the divisions of society are mirrored in the behavior of coaches and their members
Everyone is digging in and everyone is right
Most people, given the opportunity, will act decently and care about their fellow human beings
Silver Linings
The Great Pandemic isn’t going away any time soon. CrossFit is a steaming pile of brown stuff that should not be prodded any further, and we live in polarized times. None of these things are within your control and all fractional in their impact on your business, the general proportion of each fraction differing in size depending on highly individualized factors.
So, where’s the silver lining in all that?
Once you let go of any notion that you may have about your views of the Great Pandemic shaping what it does or will do to you, the economy, and everything else, you can focus on figuring out how to keep moving forward.
Forward motion means acknowledging that you cannot rely solely on group classes and must diversify aggressively into private training and online training, and not just as an afterthought, but as a strategic component of your business model. Figuring that out and making it work is going to keep you plenty busy so, hopefully you won’t jump on social media to promote amateur epidemiology. Instead, focus on what you can control and see the opportunity before you as one of creativity.
The CrossFit Poop Show
CrossFit’s poop show is bad for CrossFit affiliates, and an amusing sideshow for everyone else who kind of had to put up with the while CrossFit is better than you thing for years. Yes, it means very little to the overall box gym segment of the market because the CrossFit community represents a very small fraction of total gym goers. The average CrossFit affiliate probably manages around 100 core members. That’s 100 human beings. It is no better or worse than any other box gym in any location as a business. The chief benefit of a CrossFit affiliation is that anyone can get certified, pay the affiliation fee and hang up their gym shingle and be in the fitness industry.
Sure, the name carries as many negative connotations for the general population as it does positive. But, let’s be honest about the whole thing, the eff you attitude of CrossFit’s founder was what created the us against the rest of the world culture of CrossFit enthusiasts. Without that, what does CrossFit stand for? Undoubtedly, the good CrossFit affiliates will eventually figure that out, and it will, we hope, be more like a perennial CrossFit Open kind of approach than the Ubermensch thing that seemed to go over everyone’s heads.
As for the athletes, they are already bigger than CrossFit in terms of popularity and fan devotion and someone will harness their appeal in some other competition now that powers that be are less likely to be able to act the effective bully. We don’t need thousands of CrossFit affiliates. We never did.
Culture is a Thing
Caption: Think about what you want people should know you for and approach it from a holistic perspective, taking into consideration that your creating meaningful relationships with the people who will come to respect you and rely on your advice
All of the above nicely segues into the concept of culture. You, as a professional, set the culture in your business. It doesn’t matter if it is a gym, online, or private sessions in people’s homes. Culture isn’t imposed on you - which may not be how CrossFit affiliates may feel right now, but hey, you bought the whole cow even though you only got the manure). If you feel that your culture is not your own, you are probably being dishonest with yourself about what you want out of our business.
So, you can choose to be inclusive, and be open to making commitments to equality and justice. And, by the same token, you can be against those things. Just be honest about your values. One thing is certain, you cannot be inauthentic. You cannot be paying lip service to one set of values in your work and another as a person.
Why can’t you do both? Isn’t that just smart business? First, this is something that we have observed so many times: people seem to have a problem not saying the quiet stuff out loud on social media. Gruff, manly-man coaches tend to say it in memes at least three or four times a day. Saying one thing to your clients and members and then going online to behave completely the opposite way is going to bite you on your ass. Anecdotally, one CrossFit affiliate told us that they had an increase in memberships because the other affiliates in the same city had not reacted in the way the members had hoped to Greg Glassman’s comments and behavior. This one affiliate had been quick to respond, upfront about values and social justice.
At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if there is a Great Pandemic or if people are burning clown effigies to protest CrossFit. It doesn’t matter if the economy is up or it’s down. It doesn’t matter if you live in a red state, a blue state, or are online only. You own the culture. The thing is that we live at a time when transparency is the default and not an option. So, you can’t get away from having to take a position and living with the consequences.
That, frankly, is the shiniest of silver linings. You get to become who you want to be and your business can represent you to the fullest extent. In a time of such uncertainty and so much pressure on small businesses, you control what you stand for, how you react, and how you choose to move forward.
People will do business with those that lead through example and through creating a positive environment. People are facing the same challenges as you and they are looking for safe havens, places that they can feel safe in, and that can provide them with value.
All this bad stuff that has scorched the earth a little is just creating new opportunities for new growth. Those who see opportunity and not threat will reap the rewards. It’s the way it has been through all kinds of downturns and catastrophes throughout history.