We had the good fortune of connecting with Clayton Stahnke and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Clayton, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Oh man, that was years ago but I still remember the dread of working for a corporate fitness center and feeling limited in my growth. The gym I was personal training and managing at the time had a different set of ideals that I did/do, and I felt that in order to maximize my potential and feel as fulfilled as possible I had to start my own business. I wanted to make an impact on people’s health and wellness, and having the freedom to service them as best I could without feeling like I was working for a company that simply thought of my clients as dollar signs was paramount to me. Starting a business can be a daunting task. As I committed to following through, I made it clear to myself that there were many steps involved not just in starting the business, but also running the day to day. Taking it one step at a time, working off of a to-do list, and ensuring each individual task was handled correctly helped keep things mentally manageable. 

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
CrossFit Endemic is one of several CrossFit affiliates in the Colorado Springs area, and we are the farthest south located just outside of Fort Carson. Although we operate out of a 5,000sq ft. location now, we originally started in mine and Kristy’s 2-car garage! Starting out small with no loan or outside investment, we grew organically within our means and have never deviated from that principle. When we had enough members working out in the garage to justify buying more equipment and expanding into another space, then we did. When we were busting at the seams at our first commercial location, then we expanded again. When our growth justified yet another expansion, then we made the final push to our current facility we are at now. None of this growth and expansion was without long hours, sacrifice, stress, and difficulties of course, and I’m breezing over quite a few details (there’s a lot of fun stories from over the years). But the core to our success was in small, modest steps taken over and over again, and staying within our means as much as possible. This is a lesson that applies to any daunting task, whether that is starting a business or even getting into shape. Along the back wall of our gym we have painted “Greatness From Small Beginnings” in large font. This is a not so subtle reminder to our members that no one reaches their lofty fitness goals over night, but it’s also a reminder to Kristy and I of how far we’ve come. Our brand is one of consistency, and proof that the 1% extra put in every day really does pay off. We’ve experienced great success with our brand and training methodology over the years, and subsequently have just recently created an online training community, Para Bellum Athlete, for Athletes around the world to be a part of. The team and I behind Para Bellum Athlete are taking lessons learned from the last 8 years and applying them to this project. We’re committed to the slow and healthy growth of this additional venture and are excited to see where it will be in the next few years.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
First things first, you have to start your day off with a good breakfast and/or coffee. Some great spots for breakfast include a breakfast burrito from King’s Chef Diner, a benedict and Bloody Mary from Urban Egg, or an omelette from Bon Ton’s Cafe. For coffee check out Kairos Coffee, Loyal, and Wayfinder Coffee Co.
This town has a ton to offer! We have a plethora of outdoor places to check out and a couple favorite spots of mine that are must sees include the Manitou incline, Pikes Peak, Red Rock Canyon space, Garden of the Gods, and the variety of trails in Cheyenne Canyon. After a good hike or mountain bike ride you’ve got to check out some awesome restaurants and breweries! Our favorite spots include Odyssey Gastropub, Axe and Oak Whiskey House, Bristol Brewing Company, Colorado Mountain Brewery, Phantom Canyon Brewery, Red Leg Brewing, T Byrds, and Pig Latin Cocina! If you take a walk downtown, you’re sure to find more great spots as well! For dessert, hit up the Caffeinated Cow or Josh & John’s for ice cream, or Boonzaaijer Bakery for a pastry.  If you’ve got kiddos, the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and Cave of the Winds are super cool, too. Actually, these are a lot of fun even without the kids!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
To my wife and co-owner, Kristy, for trusting in me to start the business in the first place and supporting me every step of the way. She’s sacrificed a tremendous amount to ensure the success of the gym, and I can’t thank her enough. She has another full time career, and with her help raising our daughter, I can say without a doubt that her hard work every day helps motivate me to be a better person. And to all of the amazing coaches and members of CrossFit Endemic over the years. Your commitment to the gym and our wonderful community has allowed us to impact 1,000’s of people since 2012. Each and every one of you have left your mark on the gym and on me as a person, and I feel blessed that I’ve had the opportunity to be surrounded by such positive and goal driven individuals for the past (almost) decade.

Website: www.crossfitendemic.com and www.parabellumathlete.com
Instagram: @cfendemic and @para.bellum.athlete
Facebook: CrossFit Endemic

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