THIS IS ALL A TRUE STORY…
“I’ll call it CrossFit but with a ‘K’”…
I actually heard that. It was a traditional gym owner who wanted to start CrossFit classes as an add-on service. He was asking how he could actualize the idea and of course, to make money off it as well. Since he asked my opinion, I flatly stated that he just get his L1 and then affiliate. I mean it is the RIGHT thing to do …right?
Which brings me to this…since we are on the topic of brand protection and such.
I am having a conversation with a friend who is a “drug rep”. He sells drugs, prescription of course, to local physicians from a well know pharmaceutical firm. Off the cuff and jokingly I asked him if he could tell me where I can get a cheaper version of his “woody wood-pecker magic pill”…if you know what I mean…and he goes on a tirade because he says that “knock-offs are killing his business”. He goes on to say that so many people are buying this stuff from unreputable and counterfeit sources that not only is it harming him but his physicians as well. His clients. The industry.
WOW.
So I say…”you mean that knockoffs are actually taking food off your table and the table of your clients by purchasing cheaper, un-approved facades of your legitimate product?”
“Yup”…
Ohhhhhh the irony…but I digress…
OK folks, in true Paul Harvey fashion…here is the Rest of The Story…
This fella left our AFFILIATE (since 2007) to find a cheaper…wayyyyy cheaper…KrossFit Boxx knockoff about 18 mos ago. The KrossFit knockoff is not an affiliate as of this posting, does not have any L1 certified trainers as of this posting and has pricing so far into the armpit of gym memberships and fact is it has the potential to harm the legitimate affiliates in our city. Hmmmmmmm…what a wicked twist of irony no?
I looked at him, with a “Really?” look on my face, nodded and said “bro, you’re always a friend because you bring me such clarity”…hugged him and he left…never grasping the low road that he had chosen to take, while asking ME to take the high one.
Part two coming right at ya!…just chew on this for a few days. Then take the high road. Over and over again…
Rick,
I am not a CrossFit affiliate or L1 coach…I don’t even prescribe CrossFit style workouts in my fitness business. I tell you this, and am posting a comment to your post, because there are several knock off “K”rossFit gyms popping up in my area charging the “armpit” fees that you describe and hurting the reputation of the fitness industry itself (of which I am a proud upstanding member) by hurting clients physically and by offering sub-par coaching about health and fitness. It sickens me, but the fact is, these knock off trainers (whatever style they are choosing to try to sell to the public) won’t be around long, because the clients are savvy and can sniff out garbage pretty quickly. These knock off’s don’t have a foundation to stand on and will therefore crumble under the weight of their own ignorance.
Keep rockin’ Rick! Love this post!
Clint