by Kerry Taylor
Every year around this time, I sit back and can’t believe how far something can go that was just a thought in my mind at one point. Even more so this time around because there was a small window of time over the past year and half where I wasn’t sure if I would be writing this letter of celebration and reflection again. This reflection period was filled with so many emotions because I never knew what was going to happen. Covid-19, jumping onto the scene the way it did, threw curve balls in everyone’s life, including mine and the rest of the 212 team. What we thought was going to be a quick two week shutdown ended up being forever and a day.
I didn’t see it coming. I mean, who sits there and prepares themselves and those around them and their business to go through a pandemic and try to survive it? There were no books written on what to do in this situation of doom and gloom. I mean, you did have all of these so-called professionals in business and the fitness industry popping up with all the answers to get you to survive and flourish during the pandemic, seriously?!?! “Ummmmm…excuse me, have you been through a pandemic before sir or ma’am?” I didn’t think so, so how are you going to tell me what I need to do to help my gym business survive?
Arghhhh…the hits seemed to mount every single day. A phone call, an email, a message, requesting cancellation of membership or suspension of membership or not renewing their membership. It was like fighting a young Mike Tyson, having you in the corner in round 6 and all you could do is cover up and take the blows as they came. I knew everyone was struggling to get through all of this and none of us knew what was truly going to happen in the future. But, as always, we tried to stay positive in everything we did. We lived a life of constant pivoting and adapting to every change that was thrown at us. Starting the day with one plan and then listening to a press conference and having to scrap the plan midday and come up with a new one. The main priority being, how do we best serve our community in this constant state of daily change?? How long will we be able to serve our community given the constant struggles?? That was the question I constantly asked myself.
Would we be closed in a month? It got a little close to that point of truly not knowing which way the scales were going to tip. Am I going to have to start making the tougher decisions of layoffs and pay cuts to the team? Oh….and not to mention I had a son who was born 8 weeks early in the middle of all of this. Just everything seemed to be hanging in the balance by a thread and I felt there was nothing I could do about it because everywhere you looked was uncertainty and tougher times ahead. How would we manage and work our way through it?
You do what you always do, put up a fight and not give up. So the crew and I pulled up our pants and buckled up our belts, put our heads down, and just got to work at serving those who believed in us and trusted us enough to allow us to do so. So to work we went, meeting as a team, having some heated discussions of frustrations at times. We just kept throwing out all types of ideas, having no idea if any of them would work or not, to help keep us going, but we went for it anyways.
Live virtual classes, live virtual small group and 1 on 1 training sessions, virtual trivia Friday nights, equipment lending and sales, workshops, curbside pickup for shakes and bars, etc…. Even though it was hard to replicate anything we did in person, we tried to do our best in a space that we were forced into and not professionals at. I mean, the internet goes down and then what? Lol.
But I am now happy to say that we were able to push through. I said to part of the 212 team the other day, “Make sure you walk around with your heads held high and chests out because we were able to achieve something that I’m sure some didn’t think we would. We didn’t end up a casualty of the pandemic and have to close permanently. Though close, we didn’t succumb to it. Amazing job guys!!”
With the amazing support from my team, my family, my 212 family and this amazing community, here we are, still standing and able to be celebrating our 12th year in business. HELL YEAH!!!!
To my 212 family, there are 40+ of you that have been with us double digit years, and hopefully we will continue to add more to that club in the future. Thank you to all of you believe in me and the 212 team!! We get to do what we love every day because of you!
To my team, wow guys, we are making it to the other side of this thing. It has been a bumpy road with a lot of emotional twists and turns. Thank you all for your dedication and positivity through these crazy and uncertain times. Heather, Sean, Colin, Kim, Alicia, Evee, Rachel, Aura and Steve. You guys are amazing, thank you!!!
To the surrounding community and fellow business owners, thank you for lending an ear or offering advice and encouraging words to help us keep things going! Truly an amazing place to be when you are surrounded by great people.
To my family, thank you for never letting me get down or doubt myself. Your support made all the difference.
It has been an amazing 12 years serving all of you. Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your lives during your health and fitness journey. It’s a constant journey we are all on that never ends. So, continue to turn it up that extra degree to be better in any way possible than you were the day before! Continue to live life 1 degree above the rest. Love you guys!! 212 on 3….1….2…..3…….212!!!!!