In this episode of the Climbing Gym Growth Podcast, I sit down with Andrew Coffey, founder of The Hive Climbing in British Columbia.
From opening one of Canada’s first bouldering only gyms in 2012 to now running six locations, Andrew breaks down the lessons, systems, and philosophy behind The Hive’s growth.
We talk about:
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Show Notes:
00:00 – Andrew’s backstory & discovering climbing
07:00 – Opening The Hive’s first gym & early lessons
15:00 – Expanding to multiple locations & unexpected challenges
23:00 – COVID, booking systems & changing member habits
30:00 – Profitability, pricing, and rising operational costs
38:00 – Managing 150+ employees & scaling culture
48:00 – Systems, structure & Wildly Important Goals
56:00 – Advice for new gym owners & sustainable growth
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Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@climbinggymgrowth
Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/climbinggymgrowth
Check us out at: https://climbinggymgrowth.com/
In this episode of the Climbing Gym Growth Podcast, I chat with Andrew Hou from Uplift Climbing in Shoreline, Washington.
We dive into what it really takes to build a community first climbing gym in a competitive market. Andrew shares how he spent years preparing for ownership, why Uplift doubled down on overhanging terrain, how they differentiate themselves from other Seattle gyms, and why focusing on health over growth is core to their mission.
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Show Notes:
00:00 – Introduction
00:10 – Intro class & free week membership experiment
00:20 – Referral strategy that drives long-term growth
00:30 – Working on vs. working in the business
00:37 – Newsletters & building relational marketing
00:43 – Differentiation in a saturated market
00:54 – Andrew’s advice for new gym owners
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Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@climbinggymgrowth
Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/climbinggymgrowth
Check us out at: https://climbinggymgrowth.com/
What does it really take to open a climbing gym from scratch?
In this episode, I talk with Parker Sims, founder of Gravity Bear Climbing in Tulsa, Oklahoma. We dive into how Parker identified a market gap, managed construction while holding a full-time job, and why he thinks climbing gyms are undervalued.
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Show Notes:
00:00 – Parker’s story & Tulsa’s climbing scene
05:00 – Opening Gravity Bear & early surprises
09:00 – The meaning behind “Gravity Bear”
12:00 – Learning flexibility through setbacks
30:00 – Membership goals & community building
45:00 – Why climbing gyms are undervalued
53:00 – “A plan is a place to deviate from.”
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Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@climbinggymgrowth
Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/climbinggymgrowth
Check us out at: https://climbinggymgrowth.com/
In this episode of the Climbing Gym Growth Podcast, I sit down with Chris Marsaglia, co-founder of Tomo Bouldering Club in Portland, Oregon.
We dive into what it takes to open a new gym in a saturated market, how Tomo’s founders built a brand that balances playfulness and professionalism, and the philosophy behind their unique “T” circuit grading system. Chris also shares how they built a loyal community through thoughtful design, creative events, and an authentic approach to marketing.
Show Notes:
00:00 – Welcome to Tomo Bouldering Club
02:15 – From kitchen table planning to opening day
05:00 – Permitting delays and opening surprises
07:30 – Marketing in a crowded Portland market
09:30 – Authentic branding
12:25 – Hitting 300 members
15:00 – Competing with nearby gyms
23:00 – Tomo’s “T” circuit system
31:00 – Retention and member engagement
33:00 – Future goals
Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@climbinggymgrowth
Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/climbinggymgrowth
Check us out at: https://climbinggymgrowth.com/
In this episode of the Climbing Gym Growth Podcast, I talk with Nicole Jolyn, General Manager of Alaska Rock Gym, about her first year leading one of the most established climbing gyms in the U.S.
Nicole shares what she’s learned - from refining staff roles and marketing systems to strengthening programming and community connection in Anchorage’s unique climbing scene.
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Show Notes:00:00 – Nicole’s path from Colorado to Alaska Rock Gym
02:00 – Overview of Alaska Rock Gym’s size, growth, and unique market
05:00 – Building a management team and defining clear roles
10:00 – Creating new positions to support staff growth and culture
15:00 – Marketing strategy: old school mailers and tracking ROI
22:00 – How to measuring social media impact
32:00 – Programming changes and rebuilding weekend engagement
39:00 – Reducing churn through connection, accountability, and culture
53:00 – Final advice: build real relationships with your members
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Listen to the full podcast:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0T41CYU1Eo1zJewskFklsB
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/climbing-gym-growth-podcast/id1835576139
Follow on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/climbinggymgrowth
In this episode of the Climbing Gym Growth Podcast, I talk with Jonathan Brandt of Shift Climbing about how they’ve built a growth-oriented gym culture and how their competitive advantage is based on the concept of Enlightened Hospitality.
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Show Notes:
00:00 – Jonathan’s path from climber to gym founder
02:00 – Launching Shift Climbing & early challenges
05:00 – Using content to build brand & buzz
10:00 – Lessons from opening week
17:00 – Hiring through culture-first systems
23:00 – Enlightened hospitality in action
28:00 – Building a growth-oriented team
33:00 – Authentic sales & member connection
39:00 – Circuits, education, and community
47:00 – Redefining success at Shift Climbing
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Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@climbinggymgrowth
Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/climbinggymgrowth
Check us out at: https://climbinggymgrowth.com/
In this episode of the Climbing Gym Growth Podcast, I sit down with Jesse Cheers and Brad Mathisen from Appalachian Bouldering Center in Bristol, TN.
We talk about how they went from just 30 local climbers in their community to building a climbing gym with over 300 members in just 2 years. From overcoming construction hurdles to building a welcoming culture, this is a must-watch for anyone interested in learning how climbing gyms grow and succeed.
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Show Notes:00:00 – ABC’s origin story
04:20 – Why bouldering + connecting to outdoor climbing
07:30 – Build-out challenges & contractor lessons
15:00 – Opening day: 200+ visitors & early growth
23:20 – Community, culture & no gatekeeping
31:20 – Key advice for new gym owners
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Watch on Youtube: https://youtu.be/3IZPwBFV6-8
Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/climbinggymgrowth
Or check us out at: https://climbinggymgrowth.com/