05/13/2020
So sad to hear of another great gym, having to close down too!!!
Dear Hippo Family,
I’d like to start by thanking all of you for sticking with us during this difficult time. We have cut very deep during this time to turn some of our capital investment into cash to pay bills and feed my family. We have sold nearly all of the equipment to the point that classes as of May 18th will be very different. We will be open and we will have great classes! We won’t have a lot of equipment but just as it was when we started we will still have great workouts.
To add some context and bring to light what a lot of gyms are going thru at this time, here are the bare facts and numbers. We are currently down to about 30 members from over 100 just before this quarantine. We have lost many of the members due to them losing their jobs or cuts in pay. That being said when we open on the 18th those members more than likely won’t rush back in because they still don’t have jobs or enough income. That is not their fault and I don’t fault them for having to make tough decisions and cuts financially. With such a low number of members and not having the revenue to pay rent and bills, we will not have sufficient time to get back to break even status before the funds run out. We did apply for every possible SBA loan or PPP program. We were told that we do not qualify for the PPP because our staff are independent contractors. The payroll protection program was for W2 employees only. The other loans have not come back to us to finalize. There is also a personal risk of going farther in debt on a long shot for survival. The landlord slow played us from 3/17/20 until 5/8/20 not offering any kind of help. Stating that they will execute the lease “as written”. They came back Friday and offered to delay rent for three months only to pile it back on as a 1/3 increase in rent to repay it back to them. I don’t have to explain how difficult that would be on cash flow. Its almost like they don’t really understand how small businesses work.
Long story short…
Unfortunately, we will be closing. This pains me to no end to officially announce this to my herd, my family and friends. The impact of the Corona virus quarantine was the final straw for our little gym.
Let me be clear. The Corona virus is not at fault for the closing of CrossFit Hippo. It is however the driving factor for us closing in this way and at this time. I fully take responsibility for everything that has and will happen with this business. They say hind sight is 20/20. I can clearly see looking back that if I had made different business decisions with respect to how I ran CrossFit Hippo we may have had the money in the bank to rebuild after this devastating financial disaster. I could have taken a less aggressive approach to growing the business. I could have played it safer and made better marketing decisions. I ran this business like it would always be here. I ran this business with a forward approach to making the best damn gym I could as fast as possible. I ran this gym with the idea that if we did the right things for the right reason that people would come and stay. I was wrong. I spent every dollar I had in support of this business and it put me in a very vulnerable position financially. I spent money that the gym made on bettering the facility, training the coaches and building programs like the Commitment Club to help people stay committed to their goals. We changed countless lives for the better. I know that this should be enough for me. It does make me feel better knowing that people love this gym and that we helped so many build a healthier lifestyle. Unfortunately that isn’t enough to fuel the business financially.
I could use the Corona virus as an excuse for failing. I could blame it all on lack of funding and the government should have helped blah blah blah. I am not going to do that. I take responsibility for all of it. I do this with a heart full of love for my community. For my people. For my family. Why? Because that is what we are about here. Its how I was raised. You make decisions. You take chances. You stand by what happens. Good or bad.
I wrote goals for the beginning of this year. Let’s just say they are being revised. My goal now is to close CrossFit Hippo with integrity, pride, humility and love. I ask myself often was it worth it? Is this the legacy I want to leave? Can I tell my boys dad gave it his all? The answer is yes. I am determined to teach my boys how to fail forward. I am determined to teach them how to turn to the next chapter and take on the next challenge without a jaded heart. Win or Learn.
So with tears in my eyes am officially announcing that CrossFit Hippo will close its doors on June 1st.
I can’t put into words what this adventure has meant to me. I wish I had the words to express the gratitude I have for each of you who shared your hard earned money and time with me.
Most of all thank you to my coaches and staff for making this whole thing possible. Special thank you to Coach Chelly for being my Ride or Die Right Hand Woman through all of this. You are a remarkable young woman and you will do amazing things!
Thank you Joanne for putting up with me while I try to change the world.
Thank you everyone for everything!
Humble-Hungry-Happy Forever.
