E39 - Jeff Nelson on Opening Body Shop Fitness: Not Your Average Gym
Jeff Nelson is the founder and owner of Body Shop Fitness LLC https://bodyshopfitnessllc.com/ in Bothell, WA. We discuss the challenges and rewards of opening a specialty bodybuilding gym.
Show notes:
02:11 Creating a unique gym experience in contrast with big-box gyms; appealing to high-level competitors.
03:48 American pride and patriotic vibe of Body Shop.
04:38 Why Jeff chose to use all Arsenal Strength equipment, made in Tennessee, and his positive experience with the supplier.
06:08 The thrill of using old-school pieces of equipment like vertical leg presses and pendulum "trebuchet" squat presses
09:45 Opening right when the pandemic hit in November 2019.
11:24 How word-of-mouth referrals spread like an epidemic and led to a prosporous re-opening; why Body Shop remained open through the pandemic to serve the community and not "make a statement."
13:00 Rewards of being an asset into a community when providing something valuable.
14:00 Dogs are welcome in a gym???
15:09 Importance of looking into business regulations specific to the city you want to open a business.
17:36 The payoff of considering every single detail when writing a business plan.
19:28 Exchanging goods in a startup businesses and respectfully working business relationships.
20:48 The satisfaction of watching a crazy network of people develop as a result of opening Body Shop.
21:27 How Jeff SUPERSETS his life.
23:45 Jeff's near future plans to continue competing as a Classic Physique Bodybuilder.
26:33 Final words and advice to aspiring gym owners and fitness entrepreneurs.
Links mentioned:
Flicking Jane Graphic design: https://www.flickingjane.com/
Body Shop Instagram: @bodyshopllc