It’s still September, and we’re still celebrating The Well turning 5! 💙
Last week, I wrote about our first year in business—the parking lot, the storage unit, and the porta potty garage. This week, let’s talk about year two, the year that taught me grit, leadership, and what it really takes to run a business.
The Daily Grind
A typical day in year two looked like this: wake up at 5 AM, at the gym by 5:40, and coaching my first class at 6. I’d coach straight through until 11, head home for a quick meal and some admin work on the computer, then head back to the gym for the evening block—3 to 7 PM.
There was no personal life. Relationships outside of the gym were strained, and for a while, I was okay with that. I loved pouring everything I had into building The Well…until the fun started to wear off. Around the six-month mark, I realized: if this was going to be my life forever, I couldn’t keep up at that pace. Doubt crept in.
Moving Into the Mall
Our move into the Woodland Mall felt like a huge step forward. The space was massive compared to the garage, and it gave us room to dream bigger. Rent was affordable, the lease was month-to-month, and it came to us thanks to a family member of one of our clients (you know who you are <3).
But it wasn’t perfect. The gym was hard to find, the roof leaked every time it rained, and eventually we started to outgrow it. Still, that building matched our story of grit. People started to look at The Well differently—like, “oh, this is actually becoming something.”
Finances and Sacrifice
Bootstrapping a business is no joke. Every single dollar went back into the gym, mostly on used equipment I scoured from Facebook Marketplace. I wasn’t paying myself at all. Looking back, sure, I wish it had been different—but the truth is, I couldn’t pay myself and grow the gym at the same time.
There were moments—honestly, every day—when money was so tight I wondered how it would all work out. But I kept my focus on the good things, the people, and the momentum we were building.
The Member Experience
From a member’s side, things were simple—maybe too simple. We didn’t have systems in place to track progress. No body composition scans. No check-ins. No structured journey.
If someone wanted to join, it was basically me saying: “This is what we do, this is the rate—what do you want to do?” That was it. No consultation process, no onboarding flow. Just raw energy and a belief that we’d figure it out together.
Looking back now, it’s wild to see how far we’ve come. Today, our members have a clear path, data-driven progress tracking, and a coaching team that supports them through every step. Year two was the exact opposite—but it was the foundation we had to build on.
My First Hire
One of the turning points of year two was making my first hire. It happened after a moment I’ll never forget: I was coaching, and someone asked me a question. Instead of being excited to help, I felt annoyed. That wasn’t me—but the sheer volume of work was changing me. That night, I realized something had to give.
So, I brought on my first coach. She only worked a few days a week, but it gave me breathing room to step away and focus on the mountain of admin tasks. More importantly, she taught me my first big leadership lesson: hire based on personality, not skill. Skills can be taught. Being a good person can’t.
Having someone else on the team made me a better person too. It was the start of a new skillset for me—leadership. And I messed up a lot. But that’s how I learned.
Reflection and Growth
Year two wasn’t neat or easy. It was exhausting, messy, and full of mistakes. But it was also the year I learned some of the skills I still carry today: grit, self-belief, and the realization that it’s okay to lean on others.
If year one was all about starting, year two was about sink or swim. And while I wouldn’t go back and give my younger self advice—because I needed to experience those challenges to grow—I know that season shaped the coach, leader, and business owner I am today.
Next week, I’ll share how year three became a true turning point.