Diaries of a Box Owner #1 | My Story & The Gym Owner Playbook

Welcome to Diaries of a Box Owner. I’m Steven Rayner, owner of CrossFit Tweedbank in the Scottish Borders. In this series, I’m opening up the doors to my world of gym ownership to share the lessons, strategies, mistakes and experiences that have shaped the way I run my gym. The goal? To help other CrossFit gym owners build better gyms, stronger communities and more sustainable businesses. In this first episode, I’m introducing myself, sharing how I ended up owning a CrossFit gym, and explaining what I want this series to become. We’ll get into the realities of running a gym, from coaching and programming to memberships, marketing, sales, retention, community building, staff, systems and the business decisions that happen behind the scenes. This isn’t about pretending to have everything figured out or telling you there’s only one way to run a successful gym. It’s about sharing what’s worked, what hasn’t, what I’ve learned along the way, and what I’d do differently if I were starting again. Think of this series as an ongoing playbook for gym owners. Practical ideas, honest conversations and lessons you can take away and apply to your own business. Whether you’re thinking about opening your first box, trying to grow an existing gym or looking to make your business run better without sacrificing the things that made you love coaching in the first place, you’re in the right place. This is episode one. Let’s get into it. ABOUT ME I’m Steven Rayner, owner of CrossFit Tweedbank, coach and someone who’s passionate about building a better fitness industry. Through this series, I’ll be sharing the experiences and systems behind running our gym, with the aim of helping other owners learn, improve and build something they’re proud of. SUBSCRIBE for future episodes of Diaries of a Box Owner. If you’re a gym owner, drop a comment below and tell me about your gym, where you’re based and the biggest challenge you’re currently facing. I’d love to hear what you’re working on. #CrossFit #GymOwner #GymBusiness #CrossFitAffiliate #DiariesOfABoxOwner