Meet Kevin Schuetz | CrossFit Gym Owner

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

Hi Kevin, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I had always had little side businesses throughout high school and college that gave me the entrepreneurial itch but after graduating college I worked desk jobs for a few years. I worked up to making over 6 figures at 24 years old at my desk job but hated working every day. I had played with the idea of quitting my job to open a CrossFit gym and saved up money for almost a year. After a particularly miserable day at my desk job I made the decision to quit and just go for it in April of 2013. I’ve never looked back and loved every minute, every hour and especially every Monday every since! Working for myself has been the most rewarding, fulfilling and motivating thing. I love helping people with their health and fitness and making a career out of it!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Koda CrossFit Iron View is one of 6 Koda CrossFit gyms. We named our gym Koda because it is the Sioux Indian word for “friend” or “community” and it embodies the welcoming environment that we strive to create every day. We want all walks of life to walk in our doors and feel welcome while they work on their fitness and health and have fun doing it.

Our Core Values are Integrity, Progression, and Community which we make all decisions through this lense. Does this decision come from a place of integrity? Does this decision progress our business and our members in some way? Is this decision good for our gym community and the local community?

I believe we’ve seen success by focusing on impact and providing value first. We’ve always believed that if we can do an amazing job for our customers with their experience at the gym and provide huge value to them in multiple ways that the financial success will follow.

We aren’t trying to be the biggest gym ever and get the most amount of customers- but are constantly striving to affect as many lives as possible in a meaningful way through Koda.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Koda CrossFit Iron View for a great workout! Tenderfoot for an easy hike
Bear Peak for a hard hike
Dry Creek for the best dog walk with a view
Snooze for a Breakfast
The Dugout in Erie for Lunch
Stem Cider at Acreage in Lafayette for drinks/views

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First off, my wife (Liz)- she has always believed in me 100% and fully trusted my vision and mission without any complaints along the way. I have taken many career and financial risks to pursue my passions and she has always stood by me 100% and trusted me.

Second, my main business partner (Casey McCallister) who quit his stable career and moved across the country to open a Koda CrossFit Iron View with me in 2018. He is the model of integrity, character and hard work that we all should strive to embody.

Third, my business partners in Oklahoma (Brice Collier and Jared Muse). They welcomed me into their first Koda CrossFit location and partnered with me to Open Koda CrossFit Norman in 2013. We now have 6 Koda CrossFit locations thanks to small community that they started in 2011 which has grown exponentially.

Website: https://kodacrossfitironview.com/

Instagram: @kodaironview

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kodaironview

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@kodacrossfitironview269