Inspiring Conversations with Zack Bartell of SoCal Powerlifting

Today we’d like to introduce you to Zack Bartell.

Hi Zack, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
It all started really when I picked up powerlifting in high school. I had started lifting to lose weight initially. I grew up as a “fat” kid and was constantly dealing with bullying throughout my childhood. It was not until high school though that I decided a change had to be made. Over the next year through powerlifting training and dieting, I lost 60lbs. More than that though, I fell in love with gym and what it could do for me. I was 17 at the time and was a football player and wrestler. I loved to compete, but I knew I did not possess the athletic qualities to take it to the collegiate level. So I began researching powerlifting competitions and competed in my first one in 2014.

As high school wrapped up, I began my studies at California State University, Fullerton where I majored in kinesiology. As I was going to school, I was also working at a gym called Juggernaut Training Systems. The owner, Chad Wesley Smith, had taken me under his wing and given me some great opportunities to learn and grow myself. I worked the front desk, packed orders, did customer service, and a whole lot more. I continued to progress in powerlifting while I was there and finally gathered the confidence to start coaching people as well.

Slowly I started to build a team of lifters looking to get stronger. I would do my college classes in the morning, head over to Juggernaut to get my own training in. Then I would work the desk and do my tasks for the day and coach my lifters in the evening. I assumed this was the grind that every “successful” entrepreneur talks about. That period of time when you’re deep in it, with no way out but up.

In 2017, Juggernaut was set to close and go completely online. This was a very smart business decision for them, and to this day they continue to do great work. I knew that I did not want my team to disperse. I had built something I was proud of, and my lifters were doing really well. I started to research the possibility of opening my own gym. The naivety of my 20 years old self helped. When you’re 20, you are invincible, know everything, and can do absolutely anything, despite your mentors and parents pleas to do something else. I pitched my boss, Chad, my idea to buy his gym equipment and find a space. He did try to convince me otherwise, and rightfully so. If I was in his position, I would have done the same. I ended up convincing him, and he actually offered me an interest free payment plan for his equipment. This was a testament to who he is and how he did really believe in me.

In August of 2017, SoCal Powerlifting was born. I had scraped together what little savings I had. I asked my clients for two months upfront of gym membership dues to buy more equipment, and I planned accordingly. We moved into a small space subletting from another larger gym at the time. I went to work and did my absolute best to grow my bootstrap operation of a business. Slowly but surely things started grow. My days started to get a bit hectic to say the least. Mixing full-time academics with not only full-time work but business ownership was extremely difficult. In class, I would be working on marketing materials, writing client programs, or doing anything but listening to the lecturer that day. Eventually, my grades started to suffer and in my second semester of my Junior year of college, I began failing classes and dropped out. It’s hard to describe this feeling, but it’s similar to an immense weight being lifted off your shoulders. I could finally focus full-time on my business and double down.

In the first full year of business, we did six figures. I did not realize how impressive this was until later. Every dime went back into the facility purchasing new equipment, investing in software for systems, and finding any way I could improve the gym. I eventually hired my first two coaches in the fall of 2018. I no longer could continue to build my own client roster and was being spread too thin coaching 68 of my own clients and running the facility. I also picked back up on my undergrad finding a school online where I could complete my kinesiology degree.

In Spring of 2019 things started to heat up between my gym and our landlord. We were making too much noise with music and weights dropping and after too many infractions, we were given a date to leave by. This was a month earlier than planned and put me under an amount of stress that I would wish upon no one. Finding commercial space for gyms is very hard. Very few landlords are accepting of gyms because we are noisy, and we take up a lot of parking. Luckily I found a space only a couple of miles from the current facility, and in one very, very long day we moved in.

This is where things began to take off. The community was being built and continued to be outstanding. The equipment got better as I investing larger amounts of cash into improving the new space. Our location being a little more central to freeways in Irvine even helped out. Lead intake forms started pouring in, and we got to executing. I made some crucial hires so that we could continue to coach more and more lifters. When we moved, we had 92 clients, and by December of 2019 we had 180, nearly tripling the amount of business we had done a year prior.

We continued to press on. I started to pull myself out of the day to day coaching operations. This allowed me to focus on sales and leading my team. In 2020 we were set to really take off. Like most people and businesses, we were absolutely shocked by what would ensue last year.

I decided to keep us open under the radar, a decision that I will never regret. We allowed five lifters to train at a time. We increased our sanitation standards tenfold and monitored things closely. The cops came once due to a complaint from a disgruntled business neighbor, but other than that we did not get into any issues. People would get wind we are open and reach out. We signed up friends and family of members and coaches and gave people a place that they could continue to work out. What most don’t realize is training for people like us is truly therapy and without it, the other portions of our lives start to fall apart.

On May 15, 2020, we “re-opened” to the public and never closed down again. During the shutdowns, we grew so much that I had to start looking at other units for expansion. I had begun to inquire in early March but put things on pause so I could properly assess what was going to happen and how we would survive. In June, I signed the lease on a space twice the size that we were currently operating out of. We moved again, and I nearly emptied our accounts building out what would become somewhat of a dream facility. In 2020, we did the unthinkable and doubled in size yet again both in revenue and membership ending December with 385 loyal clients.

That brings us to now, where we continue to do what we do best. Our community, team, and everything we do is stronger than ever. In 2021 we have continued to see an upward trajectory and have even looked at possibly expanding again.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road was anything but smooth. No matter your experience, I don’t think anyone is really ever ready to start and run their own business. With one door closing, another always opens.

One of the most trying times we went through was before we moved to our second location. I touched on it briefly in the last question, but there was a lot more to it.

We were given a date to be out of the space and it only left me a month to find a new one. To my luck, I actually heard of a gym closing just across the street and ended up checking it out. The timelines added up, and I started to speak to their leasing office about taking over the unit. Our first space was 1500 sq. ft, and this one was a little over 3,000 sq. ft. so it offered us some growth opportunities. We had agreed to terms and signed proposals. However, for some reason we had yet to receive a full lease document for signature. Both my commercial agent and myself were emailing the company nearly daily as we awaited the lease document. Then, out of nowhere and with two weeks left before we needed to move they moved on. They had found a tenant that wanted to take over more units, including ours, and decided to go with them instead.

The world felt like it was ending. I had searched far and wide to find a perfect space like this one. The only downside was its rent, which was nearly 3.5x higher than what I was currently paying. I went into overtime, scouring every commercial real estate site and inquiring into any space that could potentially work. It was no, after no, after no, as these landlords did not want to have a gym in their complex. For a second, I really did think my business was going to fail. Not because of lack of hard work or success, but rather from being successful too fast with no place to go. I pulled myself out of the small hole of depression I was in and knew I had to stay sharp if I was going to pull my business through.

I found a space about 2 miles away, and the leasing agents understood our sense of urgency. It was an even better unit that we were set to move in. With a superior location, gym neighbors, and rent that was only about double of what I was currently paying. The doors to the other unit closed, but new doors opened.

This is your reminder to not have a pity party, ever. To continue to believe in what you do and what you are capable of and find a solution always.

As you know, we’re big fans of SoCal Powerlifting. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
SoCal Powerlifting specializes in coaching and training of lifters looking to get stronger, get healthier, and join a community full of outstanding individuals looking to do the same. Our team of professional coaches use a science-based approach to technique training and programming to help our clients reach their goals. All of our training is completely customized and offers a cutting-edge hybrid approach to powerlifting training utilizing both in person and online coaching modalities.

I believe what sets us apart is our devotion to our clients. We truly care, and powerlifting is the passion of every single person on my team. We live it, we don’t just talk about it. I also believe our community sets us apart. I get compliments all the time from visitors and new members saying how great not only the gym is, but the people within it. I am most proud of this, as I always wanted to create a very inclusive environment.

At the end of the day, I want readers to know that anyone can train for strength. It does not have to be the guy on the bench with a hoodie on grunting and acting angry for no reason. It could be your sister, brother, mom, fellow co-worker, anyone can get stronger and partake in powerlifting. In fact, my mother, sister, and girlfriend all work with coaches on my team to train. Anyone can do it.

Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
If you want to create a business, you need to provide a solution to a problem that individuals are experiencing. The best and biggest businesses in the world are ones that solve people intricate problems. So many small business owners fail because they create a business out of passion. I did but found a way to create solutions. The focus always needs to be on others. You need to figure out how you can positively change lives first and foremost. Then you need to make sure that your team is solid and happy. Finally, you can think about yourself and what you would like. You have to think about yourself last, or you won’t make it far.

Pricing:

• Our gym memberships with coaching start at $217 per month and go up from there based on the amount of training sessions a client receives and commitment length.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.socalpowerlifting.net
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/socal_powerlifting/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/socalpowerlifting/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNQsyoL6EjbInGHonjBkAEA
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/socal-powerlifting-irvine

Image Credits:
Photos by Harrison Truong