9 Years Later

July 12, 2012, my wife Diana and I decided to start something we knew would be a challenge, but would be a way we could use the gifts has God blessed us with to help those around us. We both enjoyed fitness, and we wanted to use our experience to help teach others how to better care for their bodies, souls, and spirits.

Little did we know, there would be far more to helping people via our gym than just workouts. We also had to figure out how to run a business, balance our time, and navigate the intricacies of hiring and leading a team toward the same goals, among many other things. None of this was easy. We have countless stories of our experiences, mistakes, accomplishments and many, many humbling situations where we learned a great deal.

We started in our garage, moved to a small space next to the gas station in between a small Mexican restaurant and a real estate company (who graciously tolerated our noisy barbells without running us out of the shopping center!), and enjoyed running through the back alley and up the hill in the neighborhood as we took in the memorable aromas wafting out of the seafood restaurant’s dumpsters.

After a little more than three years in our first location, our rent was raised unexpectedly upon our lease renewal, so we decided to move that month to a location down behind the BBQ place on Gathering Oak and sublet a location with a personal trainer whom we became friends with over the years. That location was around three-fourths the size of our first location, and we made it work for 17 months until we finally moved into our own building at the end of Gathering Oak, where we are today.

Through the years, we have had many wonderful coaches, clients, and met people we never would have had the opportunity to cross paths with without 925. We made plenty of mistakes, but with those mistakes came lessons learned and wisdom to apply to the future. We’ve watched people come and go, an amazing number of goals achieved and lives changed for the better. We’ve also observed Diana, myself, and now our son Isaiah grow and learn to balance family and work, and watch how positively 925 has affected our own lives.

With all the challenges of 2020, it would have been tempting to “walk away” and simplify our lives, but as we’ve prayed for the gym, we’ve seen God continue to sustain it, grow and mature our team, encourage us by allowing us to see how much our team impacts others for the better, and overall allow us to take a deep breath and look back at how much has happened in nine years with a growing sense of wonder, gratitude, and eagerness for what’s ahead.

Thanks to all those who have trusted us with their health over the years, we are able today to reflect on their progress and the way our community has worked together to bless each other and so many around them. We love seeing 925 athletes and coaches share what they’ve learned with their friends and family and hear the stories of those they’ve been able to motivate to make positive changes as well.

There are many things in life that are difficult, like starting a business, a new career, moving, or a attending a new school. But, succeed or fail, we will grow through those experiences and it is well worth taking the leap. We don’t grow by sitting idly and avoiding risk and hardship. We grow by stepping forward, trying things and trusting in God’s plan for our lives. It may be uncomfortable at times, but we get through it and then get to look back in amazement at what we’ve accomplished, learned, and how we’ve changed for the better.

There is a reason opportunities and people cross your path; sometimes to let them pass you by and other times to take a step forward into something new. One thing is absolutely true: You won’t know unless you try. We couldn’t be more glad we decided to try nine years ago when we started 925.

Proverbs 27:17

“Iron sharpens iron,

So one man sharpens another.”

Romans 5:3

“Not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, endurance

produces character, and character produces hope.”