Today we’d like to introduce you to Kathleen Marinaccio.
Kathleen, Sarah, & Birgitta – please share the Crossfit Aviator story with us.
Crossfit Aviator is owned by 3 members Sarah Steigleder, Birgitta Mattson-Goldberg and Kathleen Marinaccio. We all met while working out at the 5am WOD. In May 2016, the original founder and owner casually announced during a WOD (workout of the day) that he was selling the box (CrossFit gym). Kathleen decided that she wanted to buy the box. She asked Bob how much and he told her. She walked over to Brig and said “hey, do you wanna buy the box with me?” And Brig was like “fuck yeah.” Then Kathleen texted Sarah and said “hey ya wanna buy the box with me?” And she said “fuck yeah!” So that night we called Bob and told him we wanted to buy the box. About 2 weeks later we took over ownership of the box.
Sometimes you just know what you have to do and you do it. We didn’t want our box to be owned by someone who wasn’t already part of our family. We bought CrossFit Aviator to keep it in the family and because we love CrossFit and we want to share the amazing power of it with everyone.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
In order to buy the box we had to outbid someone who already had an offer in. We ended up paying a good amount over and then had to pay the rent with zero dollars in the box bank account. We’ve all front the additional cash to cover expense and buy shirts and fix up the inside to bring it up to our standards. We currently struggle with the following:
Money — we don’t make any income. We make enough to pay the rent and staff. And some months we can buy a few new things. But to date we’ve made zero on our investment. We raised our monthly pricing for new members but not for our founding members.
Members — finding members, finding people who will even want to try CrossFit is hard because has a negative reputation for people getting hurt or people think they can’t do it.
Fulltime jobs — all 3 of us have full times job. High demand ones not close to the box location with long hours so we can’t be there all the time.
Not having a full-time staff to be at the box all the time.
So, let’s switch gears a bit and go into the CrossFit Aviator story. Tell us more about the business.
Crossfit is a fitness program designed by Greg Glassman.
Crossfit is constantly varied functional movements performed at high intensity.
WOD’s (workout of the day) are performed at a box not a gym. Everyone starts the WOD together. This creates a community where everyone both competes and encourages each other to finish. The biggest cheers are to those who finish last.
The goal of CrossFit is to forge a broad, general and inclusive fitness program that is supported by measurable and repeatable results. All WOD’s can be scaled to any fitness level.
We offer many WODs a day.
M-W-F (5a, 6a, 7a, 9:30a, 11a, 4p, 5p, 6p, 7p)
T-TH (8p Intro)
Sat (7a, 8a, 9)
Yoga (10a)
Kids (11:30a)
Sun (9:30a)
Open gym (5-6p)
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I think our good luck was that the 3 of us met. Brig and Kathleen knew each other for 7 years and had an open and honest relationship. Sarah, they knew the British girl who showed up late and was always blowing her nose who invited herself to a Birthday Box tour — a birthday box tour is when you visit 4 boxes in one day and do at WOD at each box. Exhausting but 100% rewarding. We feel lucky that Kathleen thought to pair us and make our perfect team. Also feel lucky that we were at the workout when Bob announced he was selling.
Pricing:
- $150 a month unlimited Crossfit
- $15 drop-in rate
- $10 kids class
- $15 Saturday yoga
Contact Info:
- Address: 6216 w Manchester
Los Angeles ca 90045 - Website: CrossfitAviator.com
- Phone: 310-614-6009
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: CrossfitAviator
- Facebook: CrossfitAviator
- Yelp: Crossfit Aviator
Denise Cooper
May 1, 2017 at 16:34
I have attended the Crossfit aviator box on occasion. Due to living in the UK most if the year I can’t commit. However, when I have been the members of the daily workout,are welcoming and friendly by actively including me in the activities. I find some of the activities too much for my delicate joints, so the coaches are brilliant at adapting exercises, so I still feel included
In the group. The three owners are friendly and encouraging, and ask for honest feedback on member priorities for imorovement… and act on it. Im glad I found Aviator.
Debra Howard
May 2, 2017 at 05:42
I tried Cossfit in the UK, 3 sessions per week for 6 weeks and felt that I was becoming much fitter already. Sadly the box then closed down because of financial problems. Since then I’ve bought a kettle bell, a med ball and a latex band to keep up some exercises at home. I’m coming over to visit in USA later this month, so I’ll be calling in to Crossfit Aviator. After I get back home, I’ll start going to another box even if I can manage only once a week. I too have delicate joints (arthritis) and a dodgy heart, but the exercises are tailored or ‘scaled’ to an individual’s ability. Looking forward to that feeling of strength and fitness again.