This past Saturday, ELEVATE turned 11 years old.
Every year, I find myself reflecting on where we started and what this gym and business has taught me. Over the past 11 years, there have been sleepless nights, friendships formed, a pandemic, failures, and plenty of blood, sweat, and tears along the way.
The lessons evolve year to year. Some lessons pass, some continue to test and deepen, and some make sense after enough time has gone by.
This past year, here’s what’s on my mind:
1. Culture and community aren’t accidental. Culture is built intentionally from day one through clear core values and consistent actions. Community is built by the people who live those values. If you create the right environment with expectations and respect, both will grow.
2. Nothing meaningful is achieved overnight. The things that matter most are built slowly over years of work. Members who have lost 60+ pounds, or deadlifted 400+ pounds, will tell you the same thing: it took years of consistent effort.
“The overnight success took years to build.”
3. Boundaries set expectations. Early on, I was told to never become friends with your members, but in this industry and environment, that’s unrealistic advice. You get to know people, care about them, and meaningful friendships naturally form. Problems arise when expectations aren’t clear and when access, time and roles get blurred. Clear boundaries protect both the relationship and the standard.
“Daring to set boundaries is about having the courage to love ourselves when we risk disappointing others.” – Brene Brown
4. Attitudes are contagious. You can’t guarantee performance every day, but you can guarantee the energy you bring into the space. Everyone is carrying something, but being a part of a community means taking responsibility for what you bring into the room.
“You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you.” -Bob Mowad
5. Build a gym and relationships will form, but build a community and people will celebrate weddings, baby showers, support each other through loss, and share life’s most meaningful moments together.
6. You can help people of all levels achieve incredible results when you have clear principles, high standards, and simple, repeatable systems.
7. ELEVATE isn’t for everyone, and that’s exactly why it works so well for the people it is for.
8. The goal isn’t just to get strong in the gym, it’s to use that strength to do cooler things outside of it, with people who matter most. That’s what we mean by “building useful strength.”
9. People don’t just like structure and accountability, they need it, and they thrive because of it. It’s also the most common reason people have reached out to us this past year.
10. Whether it’s 2 days a week or 4, results come from long-term consistency. Not randomness or short bursts of motivation. Some of the best results we’ve seen came from people who simply remained consistent.
11. You can only control what you can control. Focus on your effort and attitude.
“You have power over your mind, not outside events. Realize this and you will find strength.” Marcus Aurelius
If you’ve been a part of ELEVATE in any way, past or present, thank you. You have helped shaped what this gym is today, and what it continues to become.
11 years in and we’re still learning, growing, and improving. Looking forward to what’s ahead.