- Words by tessVan Straaten Photography by Don Denton

As an athlete who played college football and some professional football and who has coached lots of kidsB次元官网网址� sports, president and CEO Chris Smith is used to taking hits and overcoming setbacks. But the COVID-19 pandemic definitely put him to the test.

B次元官网网址淭his has been the most challenging business environment I think any of us have ever seen,B次元官网网址� says the 47-year-old father of five.

Chris had a pretty good sense of what he was getting into when he decided to buy the company, after Steve Nash Fitness WorldB次元官网网址攐f which he was also president and CEOB次元官网网址攆iled for creditor protection in the early days of the pandemic.

B次元官网网址淚 had the unfortunate task of terminating thousands of employees in a matter of seven days, which is terrible and one of the worst things IB次元官网网址檝e ever had to do,B次元官网网址� Chris says. B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 know if I needed redemption, but I really felt I needed to get this business back up on its feet, and I just had a strong feeling that if I didnB次元官网网址檛 find a way to open the business with a new partner, nobody else would take on that risk. That would have just left me with unfinished business and a sick feeling in my stomach.B次元官网网址�

But as the public head of the company, Chris faced a lot of backlash from people who didnB次元官网网址檛 understand what had happened.

B次元官网网址淲e were one of the first businesses in the pandemic to publicly face challenges and people were looking for someone to blame,B次元官网网址� Chris says. B次元官网网址淚 didnB次元官网网址檛 own the business, I wasnB次元官网网址檛 an owner, but what do you do during the pandemic if someone gives you lemons? You make lemonade and in this case, I got dump trucks full of lemons.B次元官网网址�

Chris was convinced the company could re-emerge stronger, bigger and better than before. After talking to thousands of Fitness World members, he and others worked to change everything about the business, from the pricing model to the membership agreement.

B次元官网网址淚t was a consumer-driven strategy,B次元官网网址� Chris explains. B次元官网网址淲e went and changed everythingB次元官网网址攍iterally everythingB次元官网网址攁nd IB次元官网网址檓 really proud of that. WeB次元官网网址檝e gotten better and weB次元官网网址檝e grown the business every single month.B次元官网网址�

ChrisB次元官网网址檚 passion for exercise and its benefits began in his youth. His divorced parents didnB次元官网网址檛 have much money, and playing sports was his salvation.

B次元官网网址淟ifting weights, exercise and wellness changed my life,B次元官网网址� Chris says. B次元官网网址淭hey provided for me like nothing else could.B次元官网网址�

HeB次元官网网址檚 now spent his entire careerB次元官网网址攃lose to 27 yearsB次元官网网址攊n the fitness industry, after getting into the business as a personal trainer.

B次元官网网址淚 stayed in it because I found something that I love that can truly make people better and something that makes a difference,B次元官网网址� says Chris. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 what I loveB次元官网网址攎aking a difference for others. ThereB次元官网网址檚 nothing else IB次元官网网址檇 want to do with my life.B次元官网网址�

In mid-December, the BC government once again announced that all gyms would have to close down the next day, for at least a month, due to rising COVID case counts fuelled by the highly-transmissible Omicron variant.

B次元官网网址淲e were shocked, along with the rest of the health and wellness industry,B次元官网网址� Chris says. B次元官网网址淭he information thatB次元官网网址檚 available is overwhelmingly supportive of the fact that gyms, fitness centres, and health and wellness facilities should be open. Frankly, youB次元官网网址檙e in a lot more danger going to a grocery store than a gym.B次元官网网址�

Chris was once again faced with laying off staffB次元官网网址攖his time, more than 500 of Fitness WorldB次元官网网址檚 650 employees. And he struggled with how to explain the government mandate to their 75,000 members across 15 locations when he says thereB次元官网网址檚 been no data to support gym closures.

B次元官网网址淚 think thereB次元官网网址檚 definitely a lack of understanding around health and wellness, and the role exercise plays in not just physical health, but mental health,B次元官网网址� Chris says. B次元官网网址淥f all the things that are essential, health and wellness are as essential as it gets. The number one thing you can do to keep yourself healthy overall is to exercise three times a week.B次元官网网址�

But despite the setback of a second COVID-19 closure, Chris says heB次元官网网址檚 still feeling pretty bullish.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e been operating as a frugal chef for a long time now, and making sound decisions for the business from day one, expecting the unexpected, and always kind of preparing for those worst-case scenarios,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淎fter the first shutdown, we made strategic decisions to operate the business in a different way and while itB次元官网网址檚 been very challenging, there have been lots of curve balls thrown at different periods of time, so IB次元官网网址檓 fortunate to be surrounded by great people. My team is able to react to these situations and find ways to turn negatives into positives.B次元官网网址�

Chris says the biggest lesson heB次元官网网址檚 learned over the years is around attitude and the kind of mindset you choose to have.

B次元官网网址淥ne of the phrases I live by is, B次元官网网址榶our attitude determines your altitude,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淭here have been a lot of times I could have personally given up, and a lot of times where people on my team could have given up, and the consequences of that giving up would have been bad for a lot of people. What IB次元官网网址檝e learned through all of this is you have to keep yourself centred, and centred in a place of positivity, because if you donB次元官网网址檛B次元官网网址攅specially as a leader of a businessB次元官网网址攊tB次元官网网址檚 a slippery slope you donB次元官网网址檛 want to find yourself on.B次元官网网址�

As for whether heB次元官网网址檚 regretted buying a business during a pandemic, it should come as no surprise Chris has another sports saying for that.

B次元官网网址淣o risk it, no biscuit.B次元官网网址�

Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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