Honoring the Community
In part 1, I told the story of the 5 locations, the moves, the near-misses, and the year I started a business, had a baby, moved my family, and moved my gym — all in the span of 365 days.
But a gym isn't buildings and lease agreements. It's people. And 15 years in, there are far too many people to thank properly in one blog post. I'm going to try anyway.
Grand Re-Opening in 2021 at Perry Hall Festival
The Coaches
I couldn't have built BKC without the trainers who showed up, put in the work, and made this place what it is. Some of these folks have been with me for years. Some for a season. All of them left their mark.
Alex, Tom, Rob, Nick, Tricia, Karen, Katie, Craig, David, Ben, Dan Q, Jessica, Scott, Joey, Greg, Chris, Mike, Andrea — thank you. You coached, you covered classes, you showed up early and stayed late, and you made members feel like they belonged somewhere. That's not a small thing. That's the whole thing.
A special word for a few of these:
Jessica - my wife, you have always supported me inside and outside of the gym, and you have been with me since the beginning. Co-founder in every way that matters.
Andrea - my daughter — you grew up in this gym, are now a certified SFG Kettlebell Instructor and stepping into a bigger role in the business. Watching this happen has been one of the greatest privileges of gym ownership.
David - my brother — our relationship is, and always has been, complicated, but you left your mark on BKC.
Tom Bruns - you started out as my competition in strongman, became my first intern, and did the initial legwork on the Strength After Sixty program. Then you went off to PT school and came back to coach here at BKC. Now you've started a new life and furthering your career in North Carolina. Proud of where you're headed and forever grateful to the contributions you’ve made over the years.
Rob Sullivan - you were the first pro fighter I trained, and you became one of my coaches and closest friends. I was able to entrust my business with you which allowed me to take my first family vacation. I’ll never forget returning to a freshly painted gym and Philippines flag on the wall! I’m proud of you and what you’re doing with Baltimore Brazilian Jiujitsu
Katie Armero - we were friends in high school and better friends now. I always appreciate having people from my past being with me on my journey into the future! You’ve achieved so much since that conversation at Waverly; state powerlifting records, big stage weightlifting comps, multiple certifications and other strength sport accolades. It’s been awesome to witness and I appreciate everything you’ve brought (and continue to bring) to BKC!
Ben Curtis - you were the first trainer that was not promoted from within. You brought something new and different to the gym that I really appreciated. I didn’t have the best on-boarding system for outside trainers which probably didn’t make your stay with us as smooth as it could have been, but I’ve since learned and improved that area. Either way, I have the utmost respect for you as a person and I hope you and your family are well!
Chris Steele - you’ve contributed to the gym in ways that only I know about and you continue to be someone I can trust and lean on now. I appreciate your commitment, professionalism and how you’ve remained a “student of strength” over the years. Your attitude of “whatever is best for the gym” is something that I cannot express enough gratitude for. I’m proud of you and the trainer you’ve become!
Greg Haas - you joined BKC at a transitional period in-between moves and you’ve rolled with the punches. I appreciate your flexibility and that you’ve continued to seek to grow as a trainer by gathering more certifications. Having another StrongFirst instructor on staff is something I don’t take lightly!
Mike Turpin - what started as just someone to train BJJ with has grown into an incredible relationship and you being someone I rely heavily on at BKC. I enjoy our training philosophy discussions as much as I enjoy our training sessions. You’ve got an honesty and awareness about you that I admire and I’m appreciative of the contributions you’ve made to BKC and me personally.
BKC Trainers at the 15 year anniversary party
The Interns
Before someone becomes a coach, they usually come through as an intern — learning the ropes, cutting their teeth, figuring out if this is really the work they want to do. A lot of good coaches came through that door first.
Nick, Shannon, Ethan, Joey, Evan, Brittany — and I know there are more of you I'm forgetting, sorry! If you interned at BKC and you're reading this, know that you mattered. You put in hours for no pay and this gym is better because of it. I’m also a better manager because of you.
Special shout out to these rock stars:
Nick Mavronis - I’ll never forget hazing you as the new guy and having you do conditioning with Sullivan while he was in fight camp! LOL! Watching you get sick trying to keep up with a pro-MMA athlete your first week with us still brings a smile to my face. Nothing was as funny as the Franks skits though. Good times! Happy to see you still training and your family growing!
Joey Ordakowski - there’s nothing I appreciate more about a past intern who still trains and is willing and able to still be involved at BKC. It’s been great watching you evolve from the wannabe bodybuilder kid to a competitive powerlifter with respectable numbers and a wealth of knowledge! It’s great having you still in the area and seeing you grow in life and career.
The Members
This is the part I genuinely can't do right. There have been over a thousand of you over 15 years, and I could never list every name. But a few groups deserve specific mention:
Members in attendance at the 15 year anniversary party
Everyone who kept their membership during COVID - I've said it before and I'll say it again — I would have shut this place down for good if it weren't for the people who told me they wanted BKC to still be here when the pandemic was over. You kept the lights on when there was nothing to show for it. I’m forever grateful for that; especially to those of you who asked to be charged more, bought memberships after the shutdown mandate or just sent money when you weren’t even an active member!
Everyone who let me share their story - Fitness journeys are personal. Health struggles are personal. When you let me use your success in our marketing, you were doing me a favor I never took lightly — especially the Strength After Sixty crew, whose transformations have done more to sell this gym than any ad campaign I ever wrote. Same goes for everyone who has ever given me a testimonial.
Everyone who showed up on moving day - Five locations means four moves, and every single one of them involved members hauling equipment, painting walls, and setting up a new space with me. That's not what you signed up for when you bought a membership, and you did it anyway.
Everyone who's been with me through all 5 locations - and the people who trained with me even before there was a "location," back when this was just a home studio and an idea. You saw this before it was anything. Thank you for believing it could be something!
Everyone who gave more than they had to - People who donated equipment or paid for things for the gym out of their own pocket. People who asked to be charged more so it could go toward our kids' fitness scholarship fund. I think about that last one a lot — asking to pay more - that tells you something about the kind of community this is.
The Sisters in Strength (SIS) - our original Strongwoman group. Stacy Benhayon, Karen Anderson, Colleen Reprogel, Kelly Gantt, Ada Herbert, Tricia Luebben, Erin Deimel; there was probably a few more SIS but you guys were the OGs. You ladies were an integral part of building our community and gave us StrongWoman Saturday in addition to many other events. No one has ever surprised me with a party before and that is a cherished memory.
The Kettlebell Buddies (KBBs) - Paula Espinosa, Wanda Sweitzer, Michelle Brolo, Laurie Bender, Lavonne Dixon and the rest of the OCV crew. You guys were all part of my very first classes held in the shuffle board room at Oak Crest and you made up the bulk of our membership on opening day. Much gratitude for sticking with me so long!
Surprise partaay!
The Mentors
None of this happens without people who were willing to pour into me — as a trainer, a business owner, and a person.
Neil Young - one of my first clients, you became much more — my financial advisor, a business mentor, and a spiritual mentor. A lot of the best advice I've ever gotten has come from you.
Victor Brick - you guest lectured at my sports management class at TU and that remains the single most memorable lesson from my time at university. This was in 2004(?) long before I opened a gym, and 20 years later I can still get advice from you.
Danny Sawaya - you’re a role model for what I’d like to do as a gym owner; you’ve built something incredible with Tuscon Strength. Watching what you’ve done with your gym has been inspiring.
Gashaw Abeza - you’re a literal genius when it comes to sports management and marketing, and I've leaned on your expertise more than once.
Sam Reprogel - you walked me through more SBA guidance than I can speak of and you did so at points when I really needed someone who knew what they were talking about.
StrongFirst - my brothers and sisters in strength; starting with Pavel Tsatsouline, Brett Jones, Jon Engum, Shaun Cairns, Prentiss Rhodes, Karen Smith, and every other instructor I've learned from/with since. StrongFirst didn't just teach me how to coach the kettlebell. It taught me different ways to think about strength, teaching, and about what it means to actually earn a certification instead of just buying one.
Strength Has a Greater Purpose!
My Family
To my immediate family: my wife Jessica, and my children Andrea, Jonathan, Breanna, Cristyn and Caitlyn. I am forever balancing my time at work with my time with you. Sometimes I know the best thing I could do for you is to go to work, other times it’s to just be present with the family. I don’t always get it right but I never want to sacrifice my relationships at home for whatever is going on at the gym.
NYE 2023 gym party
To my parents and in-laws: I know it’s hard for you guys to see what I see and to be honest I don’t expect you to. I still thank you for your support as well as the times you’ve challenged me. Keep praying for me, my family and my business as I trust in God and keep the Faith!
Anyone Else
Fifteen years is a long time, and memory is an imperfect thing, so I know I've missed people. If you're reading this and you don't see your name — coach, member or mentor — no disrespect. I'm just one guy trying to thank hundreds of people in a blog post and I'm bound to fall short. Leave a reply in the comments so I can recognize you!
Fifteen years, five locations, and I'm still standing because of every person named here — and every person I couldn't fit in.
Thank you.
— Dan Cenidoza