- 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 kids害羞草研究所� 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.

害羞草研究所淭his has been the most challenging business environment I think any of us have ever seen,害羞草研究所� 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 World害羞草研究所攐f which he was also president and CEO害羞草研究所攆iled for creditor protection in the early days of the pandemic.

害羞草研究所淚 had the unfortunate task of terminating thousands of employees in a matter of seven days, which is terrible and one of the worst things I害羞草研究所檝e ever had to do,害羞草研究所� Chris says. 害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 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 didn害羞草研究所檛 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.害羞草研究所�

But as the public head of the company, Chris faced a lot of backlash from people who didn害羞草研究所檛 understand what had happened.

害羞草研究所淲e were one of the first businesses in the pandemic to publicly face challenges and people were looking for someone to blame,害羞草研究所� Chris says. 害羞草研究所淚 didn害羞草研究所檛 own the business, I wasn害羞草研究所檛 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.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淚t was a consumer-driven strategy,害羞草研究所� Chris explains. 害羞草研究所淲e went and changed everything害羞草研究所攍iterally everything害羞草研究所攁nd I害羞草研究所檓 really proud of that. We害羞草研究所檝e gotten better and we害羞草研究所檝e grown the business every single month.害羞草研究所�

Chris害羞草研究所檚 passion for exercise and its benefits began in his youth. His divorced parents didn害羞草研究所檛 have much money, and playing sports was his salvation.

害羞草研究所淟ifting weights, exercise and wellness changed my life,害羞草研究所� Chris says. 害羞草研究所淭hey provided for me like nothing else could.害羞草研究所�

He害羞草研究所檚 now spent his entire career害羞草研究所攃lose to 27 years害羞草研究所攊n the fitness industry, after getting into the business as a personal trainer.

害羞草研究所淚 stayed in it because I found something that I love that can truly make people better and something that makes a difference,害羞草研究所� says Chris. 害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 what I love害羞草研究所攎aking a difference for others. There害羞草研究所檚 nothing else I害羞草研究所檇 want to do with my life.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淲e were shocked, along with the rest of the health and wellness industry,害羞草研究所� Chris says. 害羞草研究所淭he information that害羞草研究所檚 available is overwhelmingly supportive of the fact that gyms, fitness centres, and health and wellness facilities should be open. Frankly, you害羞草研究所檙e in a lot more danger going to a grocery store than a gym.害羞草研究所�

Chris was once again faced with laying off staff害羞草研究所攖his time, more than 500 of Fitness World害羞草研究所檚 650 employees. And he struggled with how to explain the government mandate to their 75,000 members across 15 locations when he says there害羞草研究所檚 been no data to support gym closures.

害羞草研究所淚 think there害羞草研究所檚 definitely a lack of understanding around health and wellness, and the role exercise plays in not just physical health, but mental health,害羞草研究所� Chris says. 害羞草研究所淥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.害羞草研究所�

But despite the setback of a second COVID-19 closure, Chris says he害羞草研究所檚 still feeling pretty bullish.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝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,害羞草研究所� he says. 害羞草研究所淎fter the first shutdown, we made strategic decisions to operate the business in a different way and while it害羞草研究所檚 been very challenging, there have been lots of curve balls thrown at different periods of time, so I害羞草研究所檓 fortunate to be surrounded by great people. My team is able to react to these situations and find ways to turn negatives into positives.害羞草研究所�

Chris says the biggest lesson he害羞草研究所檚 learned over the years is around attitude and the kind of mindset you choose to have.

害羞草研究所淥ne of the phrases I live by is, 害羞草研究所榶our attitude determines your altitude,害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 he says. 害羞草研究所淭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 I害羞草研究所檝e learned through all of this is you have to keep yourself centred, and centred in a place of positivity, because if you don害羞草研究所檛害羞草研究所攅specially as a leader of a business害羞草研究所攊t害羞草研究所檚 a slippery slope you don害羞草研究所檛 want to find yourself on.害羞草研究所�

As for whether he害羞草研究所檚 regretted buying a business during a pandemic, it should come as no surprise Chris has another sports saying for that.

害羞草研究所淣o risk it, no biscuit.害羞草研究所�

Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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