Climbing Gym Growth Podcast

In this episode of the Climbing Gym Growth Podcast, Chris Lopez chats with Ivan Vargas and Steve Bittner, co-owners of Mustangs Bouldering, for a conversation about market selection, risk, and how to break even. Mustangs opened without SBA loans, without heavy marketing, and in a smaller market by making disciplined decisions around location, rent, and other expenses. _ Show Notes: 00:00 – Intro 0...

In this episode of the Climbing Gym Growth Podcast, I sit down with Aaron Parlier, owner of Center 45 in Boone, North Carolina. Aaron shares a grounded, long-term perspective on what actually makes a climbing gym successful. Not rapid expansion, flashy amenities, or forcing your gym into a predefined box, but focusing on community, routesetting, and creating a space people genuinely want to spend...

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: Expanding before systems were ready The realities of scaling past 150 employ...

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 focusi...

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. _ Show Notes: 00:00 – Parker’s story & Tulsa’s climbing scene 05:00 – Opening Gravity Be...

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 co...

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. _ Show Notes:00:00 – Nicole’...

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. _ 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...

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 interes...