Today we’d like to introduce you to Ryan McStockard.
Hi Ryan, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I purchased Fit2Live Gym in late 2014 with one big goal.
My hope was to create a space for people to work on their health and fitness in a fun, supportive and inclusive environment with a coach, I wanted to build a professional gym with coaches who care and a supportive and fun community to keep them going. I think we’ve hit that goal.
Fit2Live is now the longest operating functional fitness gym in Ann Arbor, with a 7,000 square foot facility and a team of functional fitness coaches, personal trainers and wellness coaches that serve a diverse clientele in the community.
There weren’t enough positive and professional gyms in the area and certainly not enough working on real, sustainable health and fitness change with function and longevity being the goal. Too many quick fixes and 30 day challenges. I knew we could flip that script.
Our mission now is to impact the lives of 12,000 residents in the Ann Arbor community area. We chose 12,000 because Ann Arbor is a great big-small town. With one or two degrees of separation, we can impact a large number through our members. We are doing this with 200 members at a time, knowing that those 200 will pay it forward and spread health and fitness knowledge to their friends, family, co-workers or passersby to at least 10 percent (or 12,000 people) of the community.
By providing a fun and positive environment, coaches and members can connect in ways that go beyond the typical workout.
Our members often say that we are their ‘third place’ outside of home and work, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
We offer group fitness programs, personal training, and nutrition and wellness coaching for busy parents, professionals, and any individual who is ready to prioritize their health
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It certainly has not been a linear path towards hitting our goal. There is a lot of positivity at Fit2Live but it wasn’t always rainbows and butterflies. In the early days of me starting the gym there were many long days and late nights. I had to learn the hard way that I can’t do it all and trying to do so just isn’t sustainable, especially as a dad with 4 young kids and being the owner of another business in town. Over the years I’ve learned to delegate and empower my team around me to have a greater impact than I can and to continue the mission we’ve set out to achieve.
The pandemic proved to be the most challenging time in my entrepreneurship journey. We had to stop our in person services in March of 2020, nearly 95% of our offering at the time was virtual. We quickly pivoted to online classes and sessions and tried to help our members out however we could, realizing that they were still in need of fitness, maybe even more than before and they too were struggling. We loaned out equipment to members, ran virtual classes and sessions, did weekly challenges and figured it out. But it was hard, I had to get lean with my staff and not take a paycheck some months with so much uncertainty. By summer of 2020 we started offering group classes in parks, by fall we help all classes and sessions outside in our parking lot. It wasn’t until 2021 that we really got back to our core offering of in person, relationship building coaching.
The pandemic was hard, but it taught me how to lead with a help first mindset, how to be resourceful when times were tough and gave me time to step back and really focus on who we are as a business and what our plan was coming out of the pandemic.
6 years later and we’ve never been better. I attribute a lot of that to the persevering times of the pandemic.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a dad first and foremost to 4 amazing kids, 3 girls and 1 boy. It’s important that my businesses allow me to be there for my kids as they grow up.
I own another business -Reach Bodywork where our team specializes in alleviating aches and pains and getting our members back to a healthy baseline of function through specialized bodywork techniques from sport specific massage, trigger point and PNF stretching.
I am also a business mentor for the world’s largest fitness business company Two Brain Business where we help fitness business owners work towards making a profit and getting closer to their perfect day as a business owner.
I’m originally from Iowa, went to the University of Iowa for my undergrad and LOVE movies.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Having just the right amount of a growth mindset, being purpose driven, a solid work ethic and a little bit of stubbornness.
I am also a visionary and am quite effective at getting those around me bought in to the mission and vision.
Pricing:
- Group Memberships range from $150-180
- Personal Training Ranges from $55-85 per session.
- Nutrition and Wellness Services range from $190-$290 a month.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.fit2livegym.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fit2livegym/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fit2LiveGym
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@fit2livegym
