1. The disconnect that is the service that we provide to our members and the general opinion of the broader community.
   
2. The inability to appeal to said broader community through more conventional and mainstream advertising campaigns.
   
3. The guilt by association caused by low quality (illegal) affiliates.
   
4. My hatred of content creation and social media as a means of lead generation.

But that's just me...

-Jason

If you're at 3x per week for 2 months you have almost hit the tipping point. Consistency for 3 months is usually the crossover that leads to long term adherence. It's usually about that time that things start to click. That you start to get to know people a bit better and make a friend or 2. And also there will come a time when the new guy shows up and makes your squat clean look comparatively down right olympic!
Stick with it another month...

You're almost there.

-Jason

My startup was built around solving my own problem in a specific industry as a business owner. So I just called other owners knowing they have the same problems. I personally knew my first 2.

I'll offer this. One of the questions founders are often asked about their startup is 'What problem does it solve?' It surprises me a bit when founders don't look at the actual building of their startup as a part of the broader problem to be solved.

It may not sound helpful now but it will make sense when you look back. It also helps if you pretend you're playing a video game in 'god mode'.

Good luck!
-Jason

When I started out, I set out with a detailed plan - since I'm not technical, my first priority was to build an MVP. Also, when put my plan together I also knew that it would be difficult and I'd have to figure out a lot of things that I didn't expect. But that I would need to keep moving foward.

My original plan...
Raise $1mm to hire software engineer
Build MVP
Start Testing Using Lean Startup
Within 4 years raise 10mm for my now $100m company.

But I only raised 10k lol
Plan b.
Find Cofounder on YC (or anywhere really)
Or, raise $1m from a VC
Build MVP
Revert back to plan A.

So I started my cofounder search
and I learned everything there was to know about what VC's want so I could raise the money I needed.
But that didn't work either.

And then I randomly met a software engineer that built MVP's. Not at a startup event or anything. But at my gym.

So he jumped on board...
And then we built our MVP and honed out business model. But not in the way I thought it should be done. We did it the way the VC's wanted it.
We're a sticky mega platform with a full long term vision built as if we had Bill Gurley telling us how to do it .
So what I thought would take 4 years and a million dollars, we did in 2.
And if anything would've gone as planned, it wouldn't have worked.

And we did it with 10k.

Nothing went as planned. But I wouldn't change a thing.

Yes. But I didn’t realize what it was at the time. I recommend starting with April Dunfords books on positioning and then going from there.

Not a lot of people walking around proud that they quit because they might get hurt. Now compare that to every purple and above that most certainly got hurt many times over the years if they regret sticking it out.

Quite the opposite.

This probably isn't what you 'want' to hear...Plan for the worst. Figure it out. There is no 'playbook' that can be applied universally.

The origin of the word entrepreneur after all is 'to undertake'

Get to it!

P.S. Plan for the worst to be worse than you planned.

Just play around a bit. I specifically remembered feeling like a lazy bum when I didn't work out 6 days a week. After a while, I started to just work out 2-3 days per week, sometime more, sometimes less. Definitely not 'goal driven' fitness advice but I'll say that I found it much less stressful in the end.
One main thing that I found surprising was that, after like a year of sporadic training and less than Ideal diet, I PR'd DT. Most of my 'workout every day mentality' was because I was always mortified of NOT getting a PR. That didn't happen and I was pleasantly surprised.

P.S. I don't know about 'Fran'. Fuck that. I'll never do that again. Ever. But also, my whole claim to fame of CF is my 'Fran' from the mainsite blog from November of 2009 if you want to check it out.

-Jason

I highly recommend any tactic that involves 'Getting Out of the Building'. Which is repeated ad nauseam in the book the Startup Owners Manual.

You may feel like the poor guy selling windows at Costco, but who cares. If you're going to bother people you might as well do something that can make you rich and/or famous.

6 of the top 7 most valuable companies in the world are ‘tech’ and that doesn’t even include Elon which is essentially a separate industry altogether.

I’d argue that tech is the least successful based on based on batting average but most successful based on outward success that most people see.

So no. But yes.

Sounds like you have them right where you want ‘em! Once you have customers and revenue you’ll have your pick of VC’s as soon as you hit 20 MRR! 😂

Knowing the names their members kids.

CrossFit essentially already ‘won’. But that doesn’t mean much in the big picture. The best coaches/trainers in the world essentially implement that methodology on some level regardless of flag that they fly. Olympic weightlifting, gymnastics, powerlifting you name it - on some level, they will utilize methods popularized by CrossFit and their educational/certification system. There are countless world class trainers out there that have never set foot in a CrossFit gym nor have they ever attended any CF certifications. They might even have a negative opinion of CrossFit on some level.

It’s a bit complicated but the best coaches in the world have a lot in common. It’s just not in the name on their gyms garage door.

As a founder that is also working through this process, I've realized there is a method to their madness. They need to have a strong deal flow but they also invest in relatively few companies. I think it's important to play the long game here but also to consider that your situation will not be exactly the same as anyone else's.

I'm in Detroit. The VC market here is much different than in Silicon Valley which is where most of my education comes from.

I believe undeniability to be the easiest path to obtaining outside investment. If you can show solid numbers, you'll be in a better position to get in front of quality investors...

On a personal note, I had my first actual meeting with a SV firm for my startup. I told myself that they're going to tell me to come back when I have x revenue or some other numbers regardless of what was said in the meeting.

And that's what happened. So I was already working on my 'comeback' strategy and I responded accordingly.

I'd love to raise money because it would help us to grow faster. But I've also built in a business model that won't require funding.

I know I'm not doing everything right but I'm learning along they way

Treat it like a game and remember the mission.

Or get a warm intro. :-)

Good luck!

-Jason

P.S. I tried to raise a million bucks from friends and family and people that I knew had a lot of money to get this started. I failed. Only raised 10k. But if I HAD raised the million dollars, I do not believe we would be as far along as we are right now. I also wouldn't have found my co-founder.

I like to tell people early on to try to put everything out of their head and to simply follow directions and learn for 3 - 6 months. Having a wrestling background is a huge bonus once you get past the 'panicking every time you're on your back' thing but it will come in handy for sure. For those that have zero grappling/martial arts, the early months are even tougher because the 'good days' are so rare.

I'm a purple belt and I'll tell you this, when a 6 foot + white belt with a wrestling backgroud joins our dojo I do NOT look forward to rolling...but I also don't try to do anything that will keep them from coming back.

Keep going...5-6 years down the road you'll remember the early days and be proud of what you've accomplished.

-Jason

Because I strongly believe the class to be 'sacred' I make it a point to try to keep it fresh. Other than the solid coaching offered up in the thread I'll pick certain 'themes' of the day that I'll use to create a fantasy around some part of the workout and build it into the overall class structure.

One time I pretended to be a college professor and engaged each member of the class in some sort of a 'Q & A' game?

Can somebody tell me the importance of the hook grip, Claire?

Anne, can you tell me why we wear lifting shoes for squats and NOT deadlifts?

Vinny, I see you are going to the floor for your hang power cleans...For the love of everything that is holy, can you please tell me how it is that I have failed so miserably in my job for the last 5 years that you don't know what 'hang' means? haha! Kidding...I don't say that. I mean...I actually do.

Other day's I'll purposely 'over coach' something (usually gymnastics related) on purpose to drive a point home.

And some day's I'll back off and just have a fun time asking people about thier lives and other non fitness related stuff.

Keep it fresh and have fun. And remember.

Mechanics
Consistency
Intensity.

-Jason

1. Pistols are more related to low back and ankle mobility than anything else. This could be a result of genetics, athletic background OR dedicated training. (Usually NOT absolute strength)

2. Most people that can walk on their hands could probably do it before they ever set foot in a CF gym. Or at least have some basic foundational ability to try. This is a result of an advanced vestibula. Or maybe hard work and dedicated training.

So here's the answer.
Both are hard to master.

Here's how I found mine...

First I started with my personal network. Calling people, DM's, emails etc.
At the same time I created a profile using YC cofounder match. I attempted to connect with dozens of possible co-founders with no luck.
Additionally, I reached out to local colleges and even high school computer science departments to find an aspiring entrepreneur that was a natural born engineer.
At the same time I was trying to teach myself how to create an MVP using Figma.

Also. I own a CrossFit gym. And every new member that joins I have an onboarding process that begins with a personal one on one meeting. Well, one day, while making small talk with a new member, he told me he was a software engineer and developed MVPs for early stage startups!

And there you have it.

To find a co-founder. Start a CrossFit gym. Work your ass off for 15 years. Come up with a startup idea while walking your dogs during the pandemic and wait for some guy to join your gym that happens to fit the bill.

You can't connect the dots before
-Steve Jobs

Good Luck!

I would highly recommend NOT shopping on price. I know that your finances aren't my business. I also know any gym you join is your own personal choice. I just think it's a bad search criteria. You're better off trying a few places and picking the one that is right for you. If it's outside of your budget, find a way to make it work.

Without reading all the comments I'd make 2 recommendations.

1. You should never 'feel' as though you have plateued. You should 'know' that you have. This is why tracking your performance is important as a way to 'validate' your feelings. If you feel like crap on the last round of 'Helen', welcome to the club. If you got a 10 second PR. That's not a plateau. If you're not tracking your workouts, start immediately.

2. If you do actually plateau, the first place to start would be your diet.

I can only offer my personal experience that you may or may not find helpful. My startup came about as a result of something so deep that it completely took over my life. I didn't set out to start a startup, I was compelled to do it. So what I mean is this. There will be no shortage of answers and helpful advice based on your post. No shortage of smart people willing to share with you various resources and strategies. But if you find something bigger...something you feel the world needs and that you MUST give it to them, figuring out how will be the exciting part.
Good luck!

Look at it like this. Why would anyone expect to be good at an olympic sport on their first try? But yes. What everyone else said. Just keep going. I don't know too many people that are terrible at something they've been doing consistently for 10 years.

Whatever you do, keep your muscles 'on'. If you need to tap because you literally can't breathe, tap. But whatever you don't turn your muscles off.

P.S. Muscles on and muscles off is a way to teach kids not to 'relax' in kids classes.

The questions you pose depend on the quality of the school. For the most part, the owner sets the tone. If you are uncomfortable either socially or physically, you should check out a few different places. But also, if you are new to jiu jitsu, you will likely be uncomfortable in every way early on. But there are a few 'red flags' you can look for.

1. Dirty bathrooms
   
2. Pricing confusion
   
3. Uncontrolled Unsupervised Rolling on Day 1

These aren't hard rules but just a few things to think about. Also - if the owner runs classes, I'd definitely go to his/her classes before making any decisions.

But also, do it!