My Story of Opening a Gym and Failing
As I started writing this I was trying to decide where to even begin. Well I am going to share the story about how and why Tyler and I started the gym and what life lessons it taught us. We both had always had an interest in fitness and nutrition. Tyler’s background being hockey,snowboarding and team sports. My passion just being lifting weights in the gym and doing bikini shows which turned into power lifting and Crossfit competitions.
Tyler and I met through work as an EMT and Paramedic back in 2008. I quickly got to know Tyler’s parents Dave and Doreen. I learned early on into our relationship Dave was sick with Lymphoma in his neck. He had kept this from most people and of course being the new girlfriend it’s a hard thing to come into a new relationship to explain. However Tyler’s family allowed me into their family very fast and trusted me. They told me what was going on and could be a support to them and Tyler’s sister Tanya. Well the cancer spread very fast in Dave and he passed away in July 2008. I later learned that Dave had told Tyler he had asked for someone to send an angel to take care of Tyler and that was me (insert crying now). Hence a written version of this story instead of a video!
Time went on and we built our relationship, getting engaged a year into our relationship and getting married another year later. And continuing to have 2 kids, which I thought I was never going to get married or have kids and look at us now! Tyler’s parents owned a medical supply company for years and became very successful with it. Once Dave passed away Doreen sold the company and pursued her passion in health.
Doreen was the sweetest, most caring lady, she would go out of her way to help out however she could and was the biggest support to Tyler and I in any of our dreams. She was a health nut to eating only organic foods, going to many different stores just to find the best quality of ingredients, she loved to bake and cook and share food with others. She had even signed up to do her holistic nutrition course at the age of 62 because she wanted to share her passion to teach people how to eat properly. She even started to write a cookbook and started her own company. Sadly in 2014 Doreen also was diagnosed with cancer and she fought back hard, however after a lot of ups and downs she died in October 2014. Tyler was given an inheritance from his parents after they had both died..
The next question is what do we do with it…
We sat on it for a bit and couldn’t decide what to do with it, we either saved it, paid down our mortgage, put it into funds for kids, go on yearly vacations etc. But we decided we wanted to do something bigger and affect lives with it as that’s what Dave and Doreen would have done! Risk takers! So we made the plans and decided to open a CrossFit gym. We had never run a business, never been a boss to someone, no schooling in business or marketing but said let’s wing it and that’s what we did! I obtained my personal training diploma along with other various training and nutrition certifications.
With the help from Tanya, a family friend and I we finally finished Doreen’s cookbook for her which got published and is sold in the store here if you want to grab a copy.
Starting and owning a business has been a huge rollercoaster ride to say the least! We have had so many ups and downs and changes through the years but seeing our members changes, the growth and who we helped has made it worth it! We have seen people lose many pounds, people who had never been in a gym hit new records on lifts, we had many community events, babies have been born, people have beat chronic disease, get off meds, and many more examples!
In the summer of 2018 the costs to stay open became too much and we had to declare bankruptcy. We had to move, get rid of vehicles and start over. It was a tough reality to face but at the the end of the day like they say failure is the biggest teacher! I learned to take risks, I met so many incredible people, money comes and goes but having your family and support is number 1. It taught my kids to not give up and give it your all. You can do hard things, it has taught me that my passion is still coaching and being an entrepreneur is what I love and it is the hardest you will work. But be proud of doing things most won’t even try to start. Now onto new chapters in this journey of life.
