We had the good fortune of connecting with Brandon Couden and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Brandon, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Starting the business actually wasn’t a long-term plan; it was more of a pipe dream for me while working at an athletic/group training facility as a trainer and occasionally substituting as a teacher. I was broke, living paycheck to paycheck, so gathering funds to start a gym wasn’t at the forefront of my mind. However, everything changed when another trainer and I were purchasing equipment from what was then a Gym/Equipment company known as Rogue Fitness.
The gym seemed quiet, prompting us to email about potential management or coaching opportunities on the gym side. We were invited to meet in person and discovered that the business had shifted its focus primarily to equipment sales and manufacturing. Nevertheless, we were offered the opportunity to take over the gym lease and potentially secure a loan to purchase the equipment.
Both of us decided to quit our jobs and take over the small gym, while the equipment side relocated to another part of town and expanded its operations.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My career began as a sort of hybrid between trainer and athlete. I coached clients for a living and pursued various sports and personal fitness goals as a passionate hobby. Initially, I delved into boxing, then transitioned to competing in CrossFit. I managed to make ends meet until around the age of 30, when the gym business started gaining momentum.
My establishment was among the pioneering CrossFit gyms in the area, quickly becoming a prominent name in the niche community. As the brand gained mainstream recognition, the gym flourished. Despite my ongoing involvement in recreational sports and occasional competitions, my primary focus swiftly shifted to efficiently running the business, which became my top priority around the age of 31.
In 2013, I took full ownership by buying out my business partner. I also integrated my wife’s business, established a gym retail store, and launched a smaller satellite gym called Grandview Barbell. This satellite gym, featuring 24/7 access and functional equipment, was a pioneering concept in its own right.
The entire journey was far from easy, but it remained my passion since the inception of my career. I dedicated long hours, typically working from early morning until late evening. Recently, at the age of 39 in 2021, I made the decision to transition from working within the gym from 8 am to 7 pm daily to a more manageable schedule of 8 am to 2:30 pm on weekdays, while still handling some tasks remotely and visiting the gym on weekends.
Over the span of 15 years as a business owner, I encountered numerous challenges, including buying out a partner, experiencing turnover among long-time employees, navigating through the COVID shutdown, swiftly transitioning to an online video business to sustain the gym during a crisis, adhering to COVID restrictions, and ultimately, relocating to a new building amid the pandemic.
What I am most proud of is our team’s resilience in turning every setback into an opportunity for learning and growth. Through each trial, we emerged stronger and more resilient than before.
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Great question. Members at my gym run some of the best businesses in the city. I like to support those who support me and always make it a priority to be a regular at their bars and restaurants. A hidden gem in Columbus that serves the best tacos I’ve ever had in my life is my friend Alberto’s restaurant, Las Tapias Birra. Additionally, I would recommend my friend Joe’s distillery, Echo, for an amazing cocktail, and my friend Josh’s brewery, Pretentious, for some of the most unique beers you’ll ever taste. If a game is on or the weather is nice, my friend Jimmy owns the biggest and best indoor/outdoor volleyball and sports bar in town called Woodlands Backyard, which is always a good time!
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Almost nobody becomes successful without a tremendous amount of help from others. First and foremost, I want to thank my wife Kate, who has helped me push this business way beyond anywhere I could have pushed it on my own. Her own business, “The Body Biz,” is an amazing partner and collaboratively helps us in so many ways. My parents, Alex and Dyan, and my two uncles, Bill and Keith, who have now passed, were very instrumental in guiding me in the early stages. My original partner Graham who started the business with me and was my partner until 2013. We really grew up together starting and running the gym, he became a superstar and world champion in the sport of CrossFit. Then, my team and staff, past and present, who implement the vision and collaborate on ideas to improve the organization. Our crews here have been special and have set the industry standard for excellence. If I’ve been good at anything, it’s probably just picking great people to implement the plan.
Website: www.crossfitgrandview.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crossfitgrandview/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-couden-
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cfgrandview?lang=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CrossfitGrandview/
Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/crossfit-grandview-columbus
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CrossFitGrandview
Image Credits
Michael Murphy.