Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and fitness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Josh Melendez, founder and owner of CrossFit Be Someone, located in Houston, TX, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I own CrossFit Be Someone. We are a CrossFit gym, and we offer group classes, personal training, nutrition coaching, and an employee wellness program.

Our purpose is to help people value their life. Every goal, decision, action, conversation, and program has to support our overall purpose. We want to help people turn their life around. Our customers are people who are looking to move their life expectancy to the right. Meaning that they want to increase their years in this world to spend more time with the people they love the most. We want to help people reverse or stay away from chronic diseases.

Our business is here to be a lifeboat against chronic diseases. We educate, inspire and entertain our customers daily on how to create a greater and healthier life for themselves and their loved ones.

Tell us about yourself

When I was younger, I would envision myself as a coach. I always thought that would be such a cool and impactful job. I thought that could happen in a specific coach.

Fast forward to years later, I was introduced to CrossFit. Once I started doing CrossFit, I drank the Kool-Aid and absolutely enjoyed it. I was presented with the opportunity of becoming a coach, and I leaped towards that opportunity. Later down the road, The chance to purchase the CrossFit gym I was coaching at came, and I took another leap of faith.

My motivation when I first started coaching has remained the same since I became an owner. I want to make an impact on people's lives. I want to be able to help people turn their life around and see themselves accomplish things inside and outside the gym that they never thought was possible. The fulfillment I feel being able to help people is still there.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Honestly, being in business for five years so far. But not just five years, the last four years have all been profitable. The first year was a HUGE learning curve, but the previous four years have resulted from all the learning in the first year. I am very proud of being able to create Full-Time positions for my coaches. They can make respectable wages while at the same time having time for themselves. I am able to list my coaches as W2 employees and offer health benefits to my full-time coaches.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

It's very difficult just to say one. Until you become a business owner, you don't realize how hard everything is.

One thing I would say can become very difficult is remaining patient. Patient with your vision. Patient with your profits. Patient with your customers. Patient with your employees.

And most importantly, be patient with yourself. There is such a huge learning curve that you will go through, and it is very hard to remain patient. You want results, and you want results fast. You start to compare yourself to other companies in your industry and overlook that they once had a starting point. Being patient is difficult.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

My top 3 tips to any business owner I speak to are the following:

1.) Hire a mentor. You don't know what you don't know. While a mentor might cost initially, the money, stress, and time they will save you are invaluable.

2.) Set your culture from the beginning. Know what are your core values. Live them each day. Know your purpose and overall vision. No matter how many times you may be challenged or want to cut corners for quick results, stay true to them. Establish a great culture from the beginning and don't tolerate anything less.

3.a) Hire based on soft skills, not hard skills. You can always teach someone the hard skills, but the soft skills are not always teachable. I'm not saying to completely ignore them if they don't have hard skills, especially if you are looking for a specific type of engineer or something, but make sure you hire them based on their soft skills. The soft skills should tie 100% to your culture. Hire slow, fire fast.

3.b) Don't try to do it all. Hire an accountant. Hire a lawyer. Hire the help you need to ensure your business is being built and run the right way. I opened up my business to be a coach. That is what I am good at, so I had to stay in my lane to remain good at that and get better at my craft. Let the experts help you, and you remain an expert in your field.

It was hard to decide between the last two tips.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

I would say that being a business owner is truly rewarding. But just because it is rewarding, it does not mean it does not come with some challenging obstacles. One of them is that you may feel alone at times. You may feel as if you are the only one going through your current struggles. I would advise you to surround yourself with other business owners and make sure your close circle really supports you.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://crossfitbesomeone.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/crossfitbesomeone
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coach_josh_melendez87/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-melendez-a4b04765/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.