ONE YEAR.

We got the keys to what is now Wildwoods Strength & Conditioning on March 14, 2024.

This is how we got there.

In November of 2023 our lease was up in Bothell, WA. Months prior, knowing we wouldn't be able to sign a new lease in that building, we began our search for what was next.

The first priority was a new building close enough to keep our current gym going.

We weren't successful in finding that spot.

The next priority was to search for a gym our community could merge to, so that our community could stay alive with a new gym community.

That came to fruition, which was our first god nod.

At that point, I knew I still wanted to have a gym. I wasn't sure where, or how I could pull that off. To note, I also had to end a gym that was around for 10 years. A name, a brand, a community... you can imagine the weight of that. The history coming to an end. It was the last thing from easy to lose that. Those people... some of which were around when the gym opened.

Yet... we didn't have a choice. Which is never a fun position to be in.

Moving forward... our equipment goes into storage, we merge our community with another gym down the road, and we begin 2 things.

Ensure our current community merges successfully with their new gym home and...

Begin a search for a new gym and community to build.

You can imagine what may go into both of those things. But... to make this short...

This search took us on a trip searching in a 2-hour radius north, south, east, and west... and several locations we checked out.

During this time, my partner Zoe mentioned how much she liked Bellingham, WA. We took several weekend trips prior to that and always loved our time in what felt like a small town feel with big city vibes.

Our commercial real estate agent comes to me one day with a Bellingham location.

Another god nod.

I go up to see the location, and finally... this one feels like the one.

And... I was terrified.

With this move would mean a few things...

• My partner Zoe and I move in together for the first time with her 5-year-old. This means we have to find a place to live, a school for him to start at, and everything that comes with moving three lives together under one roof 90 minutes from their family, where they have spent their life.

• Starting from zero. No members. No one knows us. All we are doing is building it and hoping people come. (Of course, there are moves to make to make them come!)

• Figuring out how to come up with finances to support moving, first/last month's rent and security deposits at a place to live AND the gym location. With all of this comes negotiations, go fund me, and plenty of help from family to bring this all to life. Moving a whole gym in and out of storage, much less our personal lives, to another town 90 minutes away... isn't easy to make happen.

Pulling this off seemed daunting. Yet... we felt called.

Let's rewind some more... Here's the quickest rundown I can give.

• I am from Texas. I began an internship during my pursuit of a sport & exercise science degree in college. During my time in the internship, I got exposed to what a CrossFit gym community was. I was hooked. It was like one of those familiar feelings we all get when we are around people who we just click with. That gym led me to a part time coaching position at another CrossFit gym in town where I began coaching CrossFit for the first time in my life, a few days a week. A passion was ignited.

• Part time led to more roles and classes and eventually... a desire to move from Texas.

• I emailed more than 30 gyms across Oregon and Washington State, none actually in a hiring process... in hopes to move to nature, mountains, and water... while taking on a bigger role as a coach in an area I could love, doing what I love.

• I moved, alone, across the country... to take a coaching job in Washington State. With no family or friends in town, except for those I knew I would make in the gym... because that's what gyms like this do.

• This job led to the gym I eventually became owner of. Through that process was a move back to Texas, not knowing what the future would bring... and eventually a move back to Washington State to take over as owner of CrossFit Bothell. A community I felt deeply connected to, have built lifelong friendships through, and it reminded me of home. It reminded me of what I had in Texas.

• 3 months in we got hit with covid. First time business owner, trying to survive something I had no idea what I was doing in the first place. Sure, I had prior managing roles and head coaching roles at my gym in Texas, but nothing can prepare you for owning a business till you... own a business. The community kept us alive. We pivoted over and over again that year and made it out alive. This was one of the most challenges times in my personal life as well. But... we all kept it all going.

• That gym and our lease coming to an end was a big end to many people's chapters and will be something I always hold dearly... and that chapter ending led us to where we are now.

This brings us to getting the keys, finally, to our new home in Bellingham, WA.

We started off with 3 members and had only 3 members for 3 months. Another 3 months goes by, and we have 6 members.

Today we have ages 9-68 and are still building. Roughly 20 members.

It's been a slow, yet fast... year.

It has been incredibly challenging in every way imaginable for all the reasons stated above. Taking over a business as a new business owner is one thing, starting a new business from the ground up... is a whole other animal.

YET... this has been one of the best years of my life.

We have a small and strong community, and we are building.

We have a place for people to come and laugh.

A place where they can develop and pursue their goals and find new ones, they didn't know possible.

We are creating roots in the community, and we have a long way to go to be successful, BUT...

We are going!

To our current community and everyone who got us to this point... a big humble, thank you. We quite literally could not have done it without you.

Thank you for trusting us.

Thank you for your belief in what we do.

We aim to create a gym that has a meaning far beyond what people perceive a gym to be.

We aim to create a place people can come and... feel...breathe... and move.

A place for people from all walks of life.

We are for anyone, but probably not everyone.

We are for those willing. Willing to commit to themselves and to us.

Through this relationship of trust and willingness we build coach/student relationships and give people a place to go to explore what they are capable of. A place to go for community and for doing hard things. A place where you can go and create new possibility and simply BE YOU.

Here is to one year, and many more.

If you helped get us here, THANK YOU.

See you in the gym.

Coach D.