- 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香蕉视频直播� 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.

香蕉视频直播淭his has been the most challenging business environment I think any of us have ever seen,香蕉视频直播� 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香蕉视频直播攐f which he was also president and CEO香蕉视频直播攆iled for creditor protection in the early days of the pandemic.

香蕉视频直播淚 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香蕉视频直播檝e ever had to do,香蕉视频直播� Chris says. 香蕉视频直播淚 don香蕉视频直播檛 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香蕉视频直播檛 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.香蕉视频直播�

But as the public head of the company, Chris faced a lot of backlash from people who didn香蕉视频直播檛 understand what had happened.

香蕉视频直播淲e were one of the first businesses in the pandemic to publicly face challenges and people were looking for someone to blame,香蕉视频直播� Chris says. 香蕉视频直播淚 didn香蕉视频直播檛 own the business, I wasn香蕉视频直播檛 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.香蕉视频直播�

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.

香蕉视频直播淚t was a consumer-driven strategy,香蕉视频直播� Chris explains. 香蕉视频直播淲e went and changed everything香蕉视频直播攍iterally everything香蕉视频直播攁nd I香蕉视频直播檓 really proud of that. We香蕉视频直播檝e gotten better and we香蕉视频直播檝e grown the business every single month.香蕉视频直播�

Chris香蕉视频直播檚 passion for exercise and its benefits began in his youth. His divorced parents didn香蕉视频直播檛 have much money, and playing sports was his salvation.

香蕉视频直播淟ifting weights, exercise and wellness changed my life,香蕉视频直播� Chris says. 香蕉视频直播淭hey provided for me like nothing else could.香蕉视频直播�

He香蕉视频直播檚 now spent his entire career香蕉视频直播攃lose to 27 years香蕉视频直播攊n the fitness industry, after getting into the business as a personal trainer.

香蕉视频直播淚 stayed in it because I found something that I love that can truly make people better and something that makes a difference,香蕉视频直播� says Chris. 香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 what I love香蕉视频直播攎aking a difference for others. There香蕉视频直播檚 nothing else I香蕉视频直播檇 want to do with my life.香蕉视频直播�

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.

香蕉视频直播淲e were shocked, along with the rest of the health and wellness industry,香蕉视频直播� Chris says. 香蕉视频直播淭he information that香蕉视频直播檚 available is overwhelmingly supportive of the fact that gyms, fitness centres, and health and wellness facilities should be open. Frankly, you香蕉视频直播檙e in a lot more danger going to a grocery store than a gym.香蕉视频直播�

Chris was once again faced with laying off staff香蕉视频直播攖his time, more than 500 of Fitness World香蕉视频直播檚 650 employees. And he struggled with how to explain the government mandate to their 75,000 members across 15 locations when he says there香蕉视频直播檚 been no data to support gym closures.

香蕉视频直播淚 think there香蕉视频直播檚 definitely a lack of understanding around health and wellness, and the role exercise plays in not just physical health, but mental health,香蕉视频直播� Chris says. 香蕉视频直播淥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.香蕉视频直播�

But despite the setback of a second COVID-19 closure, Chris says he香蕉视频直播檚 still feeling pretty bullish.

香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檝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,香蕉视频直播� he says. 香蕉视频直播淎fter the first shutdown, we made strategic decisions to operate the business in a different way and while it香蕉视频直播檚 been very challenging, there have been lots of curve balls thrown at different periods of time, so I香蕉视频直播檓 fortunate to be surrounded by great people. My team is able to react to these situations and find ways to turn negatives into positives.香蕉视频直播�

Chris says the biggest lesson he香蕉视频直播檚 learned over the years is around attitude and the kind of mindset you choose to have.

香蕉视频直播淥ne of the phrases I live by is, 香蕉视频直播榶our attitude determines your altitude,香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈�� he says. 香蕉视频直播淭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香蕉视频直播檝e learned through all of this is you have to keep yourself centred, and centred in a place of positivity, because if you don香蕉视频直播檛香蕉视频直播攅specially as a leader of a business香蕉视频直播攊t香蕉视频直播檚 a slippery slope you don香蕉视频直播檛 want to find yourself on.香蕉视频直播�

As for whether he香蕉视频直播檚 regretted buying a business during a pandemic, it should come as no surprise Chris has another sports saying for that.

香蕉视频直播淣o risk it, no biscuit.香蕉视频直播�

Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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