Today we’d like to introduce you to Ethan Wolf.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” This famous Laozi quote is the most applicable to my journey and the story of StrengthRx CrossFit. My passion for fitness began in Staten Island, NY where I was born and raised. I wrestled in high school, the only sport I ever played, and that spurred my love of calisthenics and bodyweight training.
The summer before college, I also became somewhat obsessed with old-time strongmen of the early century and their incredible feats. The idea of ripping whole decks of cards, phone books and bending quarter inch thick nails seemed impossible, so I had to train and learn to do them. If you notice, SRx’s logo is actually modeled after a famous photo of Arthur Saxon, a strongman who had his heyday in the late 19th century. Here, he is performing a “two-hand anyhow” – a lift long forgotten. I did, in time, acquire the ability to perform all feats of strength mentioned!
In my first two years at Guilford College in NC, I had no idea what major I should commit to, nor any idea what I wanted my career path to be. If you were to tell my college self I would one day own a business, I’m not sure I would have believed it. However, in the final moments of my sophomore year, the way opened for me and I committed to a degree in Exercise and Sports Sciences.
I graduated in 2006, and a year later moved to Los Angeles. It was while working as a physical therapy aide in Beverly Hills that I first met Justin Schollard, a fellow aide and fitness enthusiast. In those first few years of our friendship, the common dream of one day owning a gym would regularly come up in conversation. These were the original seeds that would one day grow into StrengthRx CrossFit.
After a while, we decided to stop talking about it and do it! That decision was the oh so vital first, small step. Being that we were not in a position to get a loan, nor had any real substantial funds saved to open a gym, we drafted several ideas for various types of boutique gyms and fitness centers. Using connections via our personal training clients, we pitched our ideas to everyone and anyone willing to listen to us looking for an investor. And we were well received by every single one of them! However, we never acquired a single penny. Go figure.
Determined, we did the next best, and well, the only thing we could. We rented a small, 600 sq foot storefront on Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. For 8 months we leased that space before doors first opened. When we had some extra cash, we would match each other and buy equipment. A set of dumbells off Craigslist first. Then, a single squat rack and some pull up bars.
Slowly but surely, we outfitted the tiny space with just enough that we could officially open. And StrengthRx CrossFit was born. To this day, we have never borrowed money, received a business loan or had an investor. We built StrengthRx from the ground up, with no previous experience as business owners. It’s incredible to reflect on and something I am extremely proud of. And lemme just say, if we can do it, so can you. It took us a long time to decide which direction to go with the business. In the end, we chose to honor old time strongmen and the culture they bred. Hard work, grit, and sweat.
Creativeness, the willingness to pioneer, as well as an eagerness to learn and share with your peers. These all were common threads of those times. Along with acknowledging the OG’s and the culture they started, we also saw how far exercise physiology and the understanding of the body through movement had come. The trend of bodybuilding as king of the mountain had passed, and the return of functional training was on the rise and headed for the spotlight.
Our goal was to reconcile the attitude of the old with the knowledge of the new. And we made it happen! We felt that CrossFit was a good match for us because it embodied many of the things mentioned above. It was fresh, it was movement based, and incorporated many modalities which had value. Also, being that we both had successful careers as fitness professionals before opening the gym, we could incorporate what we’d learned over the years into the product. Since CrossFit isn’t a franchise, we were free to create an experience for our clients that reflected who we were and what we wanted to bring to the table.
It was by the cosmic winds that about a month before we opened doors, we interviewed and hired Michael Anderson. We took him on as our head coach, and he even worked without pay for the first month because he believed in us and the brand as much as we did. It was a beautiful synchronicity to have him join us, and one that affirmed me that we were on the right path. Michael was our head coach for 5 years and was integral to helping shape SRx into what it is today. He currently lives in Texas, continuing his career in fitness and is crushing it as a phenomenal coach.
After about two-thirds of a year, we had acquired just over 30 members. The market across the street became available for lease. We had just enough income to move, and while it was terrifying due to how tight the money was, we made it work and BAM! Five years later we are still helping people be the best version of themselves they can be.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Without a doubt, finding our footing and overcoming the many obstacles over the years wasn’t easy. For one, having no previous experience as business owners meant we had to learn, primarily, through trial and error. Research helps, but push comes to shove, you never know how something is going to go until you do it.
The product was fairly effortless. That is our previous experience as fitness professionals made for amazing classes and results for our members. Marketing, member retention, finances, getting the towel washing rhythm down and all that other stuff? Well, it took some time to learn. But eventually, we got it dialed in. Tons of trial and error. But you can’t give up. Even if you want to….
That being said, there were plenty of times I wanted to give up. Throw my hands in the air and walk away. It can be hard to put your face against the wind when you put in tons of hard work and based on the numbers, you might have to close doors. When you KNOW you have an amazing product but yet, something, still, something isn’t catching and you’re not seeing the reflection of that awesome product in your success. It wears on you emotionally, and in turn physically.
Many nights with little sleep, especially when you consider that you have employees that make their living in “your house” so to speak. On the other hand, those emotions also feed you. When you walk up to that line, asking yourself if you are really ready and willing to quit, and you don’t cross it, you turn around and face those difficulties with fire. Once you decide you’re not ready to quit, you have no choice but to decide to overcome. And we did.
Something that has been interesting to watch over the years in my relationship with Justin. So many folks warned that doing business together would ruin our friendship. It hasn’t. Justin is one of my absolute best friends and we have only grown closer over the years. It really quite beautiful. And, honestly, pretty effortless, something I am so very appreciative of. That being said, clear and open communication is essential and the backbone to things staying positive. No doubt, negotiating how we would delegate responsibilities and what roles we each would take took time.
And those roles also changed over time. There were some awkward and challenging conversations over the years. But the difference is that we actually had them. If the conflict arose, we would face it head on and work it out. In these more emotionally challenging moments, I felt our friendship helped to create a bedrock we could stand on as we worked things out. It helped keep in things in perspective and see the bigger picture both for the business, and the even bigger picture of life.
I want to take this moment to acknowledge Justin for all of his hard work and dedication to our gym and brand. He is one of the hardest working people I know and his fire for success often lights the way. I am, and always will be grateful for him and to be on this journey together.
Please tell us about StrengthRx CrossFit.
StrengthRx is a boutique gym that offers small group fitness classes along with sound nutritional guidance. A heavy focus on mobility and bodywork is also woven into the gym’s culture. I have been a massage therapist for 7 years and put my focus on pain management and performance. It is very important to me to remind people that they can participate with their pain, injuries and imbalances. Showing that there is always something that can be done to help. Our classes are performance based. We train movements, not muscles. That is, we look to utilize and strengthen the inherent natural movements of the body.
We program our classes to get the most out of the 60 minutes we get with a member. This includes movement education as well as self-massage and mobility work. We stay on top of the latest science and modalities that have value. We get people into the best shape of their life. And folks have fun while doing it! StrengthRx is, well, special. I say that because I feel it is so, and so do others. A word I wanted to describe the atmosphere of the gym before we opened was “family”, and I am proud to say that’s exactly what it feels like. Our gym isn’t the prettiest around. It has some wear and tear. But that’s part of the charm. Part of the olden days. Arthur Saxon would be proud!
I believe in striving for unfiltered authenticity in myself and for others. The freedom to be who you are, regardless of age, race, sexual orientation, fitness level or personality is prevalent at SRx and it makes me smile ear to ear. In the end, I think the most authentic versions of ourselves are the best versions of ourselves. Health comes in many forms and the social and emotional implications of being able to let your guard down and just simply be who you really are so valuable. I am happy to say that StrengthRx is a place that gives that permission. Our community is a family.
Members end up being roommates and “besties”, people share recipes and hold each other accountable. It’s amazing to witness. The choice to join a gym and step into a better version of yourself can be a very vulnerable experience. Creating a safe environment for people to focus who they want to be instead of the fear is something I am proud of. Plus, we know how to have fun! Community outings happen about once a month. Circue school classes, bowling, paintballing, indoor climbing, wine tasting, beach days and park potlucks are some of the goodness we get into outside of the gym.
Something else that I think sets SRx apart is our coaching and programming. A gym is only as good as the programming and coaching, and both of those things I would put up to the test at the drop of a hat. We wouldn’t be open today if We didn’t deliver. Our members get results. It’s a product of their hard work, and I’m honored I can help show them the way.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
A hard call to make. In the end, I would say joining a mastermind program that is tailored to our business within our first year would be the advice I would give my past self.
Contact Info:
- Address: 5035 Melrose Ave Los Angeles, CA 90038
- Website: www.srxcrossfit.com
- Phone: (323) 208-9894
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/srxcrossfit/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StrengthrxLosAngeles/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/strengthrx-crossfit-los-angeles
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