Let’s Talk About 24-Hour Access – CBJ Podcast with Lindsay Runne

John Burgman
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Let’s Talk About 24-Hour Access – CBJ Podcast with Lindsay Runne
CBJ Podcast with Lindsay Runne
Graphic by Climbing Business Journal; all photos courtesy of Lindsay Runne

On this episode of the Climbing Business Journal podcast, host John Burgman meets with Climbing Roots owner Lindsay Runne. Climbing Roots’ grand opening date is still a little up in the air, but the gym is getting ready to open its doors. During their conversation, John and Lindsay discuss some of the logistics of opening a new gym, what the whole process has been like for Lindsay, and what has gone into getting a gym ready to open. They also dive into Lindsay’s decision to offer 24-hour access at Climbing Roots, an amenity that a number of other gyms have considered offering or are offering. Lindsay’s insights can help other gym owners and managers get some clarity on the idea, or maybe just expand the conversation about 24-hour gym access.

Thank you OnSite for your support! And thank you Devin Dabney for your music!

Timestamps

00:00 – Intro 02:32 – From Wanting to Opening a Gym 07:45 – Gym Management to Ownership 08:46 – Questions to Ask When Opening a Gym 10:58 – What Does it Mean for an Owner to Care About a Gym? 12:50 – Inspiration from Other Businesses 14:34 – Evolution of Gym Aesthetics 16:56 – Logistics of Serving Food and Beverages 19:13 – Looking at and Writing Business Plans 21:10 – Overwhelming Aspects of the Process 24:40 – The 24-Hour Access Feature 25:58 – Pros and Cons of 24-Hour Access 29:25 – Buddy System for 24-Hour Access 31:06 – Handling 24-Hour-Access Rule Breakers 34:14 – Gaining Use of the 24-Hour Access 36:00 – Age Restrictions 36:10 – 24-Hour-Access Emergencies 37:17 – Retail for 24-Hour Access 39:21 – Staffing for 24-Hour Access 43:35 – The Gym’s Location 47:16 – Youth Programming 49:52 – Mountain Bikers and Climbers 52:54 – Learning More about Climbing Roots 54:23 – Closing
OnSite Climbing Walls

Abridged Transcript

BURGMAN: …I always think that there’s an interesting bridge that occurs in the mindset of gym developers when they go from wanting to open a gym or dreaming of opening a gym to actually making some inroads into the business logistics of it. So, tell me about what it was like for you; how and when you crossed that bridge from dreaming to pursuing it as a reality.

RUNNE: Sure, yeah. I’ll go back to the beginning 10 plus years ago, out in California. I was working in this gym, it was a Riverside area, and it was called Threshold at the time, and now it’s been bought by Hangar 18. But it was an awesome gym. And I loved the owner, loved the people, loved working there, and they just had this super inclusive vibe. I could tell that the owner really cared about the gym, and it just gave me this kind of warm, fuzzy feeling being there. And it started then. It was like, “Yeah, if I ever opened a gym, I would want to have these things; I would want to make it feel like it was home to people.” And then I visited VITAL in Carlsbad, and I was just like, “Wow, this is how I would want my gym to be.” It was 24-hour access, and it just had this chill vibe, almost like a coffee shop and where you just feel like you want to go and hang out and climb. And that really sparked something in me…

What happened there between you being approached to manage the gym and then later being approached to own the gym?…

…So, there was a plan for somebody to come into that space, and they got started. Just the basics, just the beginning of it. And then COVID came and threw everybody for a loop. Things got stopped, and then kind of put to the side because the people who were planning on coming in, they had to refocus and change their plans. So that’s what happened. Then they backed out, and then there was nobody else coming in.

A rendering of the planned Climbing Roots gym
When she first heard of plans to start the new gym, Lindsay was offered a management position. As time went on, the role eventually evolved into gym ownership, after a lot of questions, research and conversations.

…What does that mean for an owner to care about the gym? How does that exhibit itself in day-to-day operations?

Yeah, [the owner] was present a lot, and I could see that he was putting his time and effort into the gym. It wasn’t that he was—which, there’s nothing wrong with this, people do things differently and they have their reasons for doing it. But, it wasn’t like he opened this gym and got it set up and then was out of the day-to-day operations. And again, some people do that and they can’t really be a part of the day-to-day because they’re out opening more gyms or doing different things with that. So, no judgment, there’s nothing wrong with that. But my ideal for me is I want to be a part of the gym. I want to be a part of that community. I want to be a part of the day-to-day…

…You said you visited several gyms and also shops to kind of learn what you liked and maybe what you didn’t like and what you wanted in your own facility. What were some of the things that you noticed at gyms and other shops, if there is anything that comes to mind that you wanted to include in your facility?

I think a big thing for me is the aesthetics of it. And I really like the sort of natural-looking shops and gyms, and I love plants. So, if you see my house, it’s just full of plants. That’s something that really drew me to gyms and coffee shops, that put attention to the aesthetics and made it feel kind of like you were outside. Just that feeling of hanging out at the crag…I also like art—these gyms with maybe murals or a lot of artwork and then that sort of cozy feeling. So not super bright lights, not super loud music, maybe just some more chill music, and just a space that people go to, like coffee shops, to work or to hang out, and it just has this really nice feel. That’s kind of the inspiration for the gym.

Elevate Climbing Walls

…You mentioned writing business plans and looking at business plans. Can you tell me a little bit about that whole procedure? What kind of business plans did you look at and how did you incorporate it all into your own business plan?

Sure, yeah.. I mean, honestly, I’ll be very open and honest: I have no business background. I have never owned a business other than, you know, I have an Airbnb and I manage that. But I feel like that’s not really much. But, yeah, I started by the simple Google search and looking at other business plans, reading a bunch of business plans, maybe trying to apply that to a climbing gym. And then I ended up hiring a consultant. That was huge for me because I was becoming very quickly overwhelmed. Even, like I said, I feel like I’ve been working basically every day towards this climbing gym for a year and a half and still feel like I’m in the beginning stages. There’s so much that goes into it, even if it’s just these simple little tasks, daily tasks. So, that was a huge help. I got help from CWA. His name is Bob Richards, and he was extremely helpful. So, I worked together with him to come up with a business plan and then the market analysis.

And to anybody that’s listening that has been in this situation or maybe is in this situation, where they are wanting to open a gym, maybe they have a business background, maybe they don’t. It might be beneficial to hear, what was the most overwhelming part of the process that you encountered, maybe before you met with the consultant?…

I mean, honestly, from the beginning, there were times that I would start to feel myself getting overwhelmed, but then I would take a breath and take a step back and just look at one task ahead of me. Because what would make me overwhelmed was looking at the whole and making these big, long lists of all these things that I needed to accomplish, when the reality was I just needed to look at the one task that I could do in that moment…I was excited about every single part of it. With everything, I could breathe and take a step back when I started to feel overwhelmed—until it came to financing. That was a huge stress; it still is this stress in my mind and something that I do not enjoy. This step of the process is something that I’m not excited about. Of course, it’s a huge part of it. And we’ve gone through different ideas and avenues of how to solve the issue of how this is going to be financed. And there were just parts of it that were very stressful and very overwhelming…

Would members have to pass any sort of proficiency test to be able to have 24-hour access?…

We definitely want to have those videos or explanations on how to fall and how to climb properly for everyone. But I do think that if someone is wanting to sign up for that 24-hour-access membership, there will be more explanation, there will be more caution taken with those members—maybe an extra video or extra explanation. We actually plan to have in the lobby, in the front entrance area, a boulder that will be for demonstration purposes as well as other things. But I think that will be crucial to that 24-hour-access membership, that extra explanation, especially because you’re going to be explaining extra to them what it all entails, what they can and can’t do, giving them their key card and explaining all that to them. So, that will definitely be a part of it.

Lindsay Runne helping a young climber on a climbing wall
With Climbing Roots’ proximity to elementary and middle schools, Lindsay hopes to provide access to students through potential scholarship options.

Another question that I think often comes up with 24-hour access is how do you handle merchandise, retail? Maybe not even merchandise, although I suppose maybe somebody would want to buy some chalk or something. But what if they would want to just buy a drink, some water, or if you sell coffee, if there’s a refrigeration or vending area or something like that? Do you have any plans for how to approach that?

Our setup of the gym is nice, in that we will be able to kind of block off or lock the merchandise that we don’t want people to be able to access. But we do plan on having just some vending machines for that purpose, so people can get drinks or little snacks. That was one thing about VITAL in Carlsbad that I loved, that they had a serve-yourself coffee bar. [We’re] maybe thinking about doing something like that. And, again, it was this honor system of you put a dollar in or you pay a little bit and get some coffee. So, that’s the thought. That’s the plan…

Let’s say it goes for six months or a year and you’re getting just a couple of people every night and you have to say, okay, where’s the balance point here? Is it worth continuing? Obviously, somebody’s going to have to look at the security cameras from time to time and whatnot…There’s more to do if it is open 24 hours. So how do you plan to assess, I guess, whether or not it’s worth continuing after a certain number of months?

The thing about opening any business is that it’s not static, hopefully. My idea is to open this gym and then continue to evaluate and assess what is working and what’s not working and then make it better as we continue…So, looking at the data of how many people are using that 24-hour access, what it’s costing us—the extra that it’s costing to maintain that 24-hour access—obviously comparing those and deciding whether or not it’s worth it. And then reaching out to maybe those members who are using it and just having a conversation with them…

OnSite

With such a close proximity to the schools, do you plan to have youth programming?

Yeah, definitely. So, one big thing for us is community. We want to create a new community just within this, in our gym, but we want to be involved in the existing community of Knoxville. And then, of course, this community that we live in. Our kids go to the elementary school and then they’re going to go to the middle school. And I would love to provide access for these kids. A lot of them are maybe underserved, and I would love to be able to—maybe not at first, we need to get our bearings and get our feet on the ground first—but I’ve heard of other gyms offering a pay-what-you-want or scholarships to be able to give access to these families, to these kids that maybe wouldn’t be able to afford climbing. Climbing in a gym kind of has to be the price that it is or else it wouldn’t survive. The memberships are what they are so that the gym can function. And there’s a lot of overhead. So, I know that it’s expensive, but I would love to be able to offer it for a more accessible price for those who can’t afford it.

…Broadly looking at it, how are mountain bikers kind of similar or different from climbers, and vice versa? Or are they really just kind of mirrors of one another in a lot of ways?

Yeah, it’s interesting. I’ve seen so much overlap of mountain biking and climbing. And honestly, our community—which, again, I’m biased because this is what I like—but I feel I have discovered that the South Knoxville and the Knoxville community seems to be very interested in the outdoors, outdoor activities. I think that is telling that we have the urban wilderness. And I think it’s just this kind of desire to be outdoors, but get a little bit of that adventure and participate in this “extreme sport”—these extreme sports that motivate us to continue to exercise or get better. And I think that this is just something that is human nature. We want to have adventure. We want to get outside of the mundane and the normal. And mountain biking and climbing can do that for us.

New Book From Atari Climbing Equips Setters With “Basics, Helpful Tips and Inspiration From Pro Setters”

Atari Climbing
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New Book From Atari Climbing Equips Setters With “Basics, Helpful Tips and Inspiration From Pro Setters”
I Routesetter cover page
Atari Climbing founders Jan De Smit and Nataleigh Bell—an IFSC Official Routesetter—crafted “I Routesetter” for novice and experienced routesetters alike. The hard-cover book is packed with wisdom from their setting workshops and fueled by years of setting and consulting in climbing gyms. (All photos courtesy of Atari Climbing)
Authored by Jan De Smit and Nataleigh Bell Fifteen years ago, the climbing industry worldwide was a different landscape. Gyms were starting to pop up like mushrooms across cities around the globe, and climbing was slowly transitioning from a fringe sport into a mainstream activity. Before 2010 or so, climbing gyms in many places were often still run by gym owners who managed ALL aspects of their facilities, including routesetting. During this time, we decided to start Atari Climbing out of Belgium, where our setting careers began. Having done years of commercial setting for gyms across Europe and competition setting for multiple IFSC World, Continental and European Cups, we wanted to share our knowledge and passion for setting with more climbing communities. Our goal was simple: to elevate the quality and diversity of routes and boulders by offering professional routesetting services to European gyms that could benefit from the expertise. The initial years were filled with challenges. The concept of hiring an external routesetter was foreign to many gym owners at the time, who were skeptical about the need to outsource something that had traditionally been handled internally. Moreover, the idea of paying a freelancer for a service that had been done in-house for free or at a minimal cost seemed unnecessary to many owners. We often had to educate clients on the value of professional routesetting, explaining how a well-designed route could enhance climber satisfaction, reduce injury risks and boost customer retention.
I Routesetter table of contents
The “I Routesetter” book covers a wide range of important topics for commercial setting, from gear and holds to setting styles and grading.
Persistence and passion were key for us to overcome these hurdles. We began by offering consultations to demonstrate the impact of professional routesetting. Slowly but surely, word began to spread. Climbers started to notice differences between the routes set by us and those set by the gyms’ staff. We often heard the routes were more engaging, diverse and thoughtfully set, catering to a wider range of skill levels and climbing styles. As more climbers voiced their appreciation, gym owners began to see the benefits of investing in high-quality routesetting. After a few years, we had the opportunity to diversify the business and we launched workshops and training programs for new and aspiring routesetters, sharing our knowledge and expertise. We have now given workshops in Norway, South Africa (for the national team), Portugal and Germany, to name a few places. In addition to the workshops, we also provide novice and advanced routesetting courses internationally (climbing gyms and national federations can contact us at Info@atariclimbing.com for more information or to schedule a course). To provide new setters with all the information they were provided with in the workshops, we decided to write a comprehensive book, called “I Routesetter.” The highly anticipated book—now available for ordering in the U.S.—provides a good overview of information that’s important for setters everywhere to know, including basics, helpful tips and inspiration from pro setters, making it an invaluable resource for both novice and experienced setters anywhere. We hope we can help a new generation of routesetters have a sustainable, legitimate and rewarding career. For Europe you can order through: Atari Climbing I Routesetter For U.S. customers: Kilter Grips (for wholesale purchases, select the “retail bulk order inquiry” option)  
This story was paid for by the sponsor and does not necessarily represent the views of the Climbing Business Journal editorial team.

New Competition Series Launches in California

John Burgman
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New Competition Series Launches in California
A youth climbing competition at Sender One
Over half a dozen California climbing gyms have come together to host the new Pacific Climbing Series, a bouldering competition circuit for youth climbers that gets underway on Saturday. (All photos courtesy of Jason Chang @theshortbeta at Sender One Training Center)
The Pacific Climbing Series, a new circuit of youth bouldering competitions at various California and Nevada gyms, kicks off this weekend (September 21), with events at The Oaks Touchstone in Berkeley and Mesa Rim Academy in San Diego. The series will continue through October and November, with a total of four qualifying comps in Southern California and four qualifying comps in the northern Pacific region. The events will funnel into a championship final, which is slated for December 7th at Touchstone Pacific Pipe in Oakland. The cost of (early) registration is $75 per event. Although the timing of the Pacific Climbing Series’ creation aligns with pushback that many of the participating gyms gave to USA Climbing’s proposed National Training Center project, the roots of the new series trace back to the early days of the COVID pandemic, in 2020. “One of the only silver linings of COVID was that it brought together all of the gyms that really had never talked to each other before,” Wes Shih, co-founder of Sender One, told CBJ. (Sender One is one of the gyms participating in the new Pacific Climbing Series, and Shih is one of the series’ creators.) “Even the gyms coming together about the [USA Climbing] National Training Center, that came from communication channels that opened because of COVID.”
Eldorado Climbing
 The Pacific Climbing Series aims to differentiate itself from USA Climbing’s competitions, particularly by attracting a more recreational cohort than the USA Climbing competitions, while still being a “real” competition, according to Shih and other participating gyms owners. “I think some of us [gym owners] realized not that we wanted to ‘stick it’ to USA Climbing, but more that we all run competitions, we all see where competitions have gone and where they continue to go, and we all think that there is a need—or something underserved—that’s not being paid attention to,” Shih said. “This was gyms around California with pretty close ties after COVID saying, ‘Hey, we all run competitions anyway, and we all feel this pull…It’s an experiment in ways, other than USA Climbing comps, that we can balance the competitive aspects with other interests, like inclusivity of more skill and interest levels of competitors, community-building, etc.” Shih cited other youth sports, such as soccer, that have abundant options of leagues for varying levels. He considers the Pacific Climbing Series, particularly in this inaugural “pilot season,” to be a venture to find out if the climbing industry will embrace this form of recreational—albeit, still competitive—league that spans multiple gyms. And although gyms’ limited resources will mean that some facilities will have to choose whether to host a Pacific Climbing Series competition or a USA Climbing series, there is no provision or expectation of hosting exclusivity. For example, Shih’s Sender One in Lakewood, California, is hosting a Pacific Climbing Series event on November 2 and a USA Climbing Speed qualifying event in the spring.
More competition bouldering at Sender One
Shih points to the “close ties” that formed between many climbing gyms after COVID’s onset as one of the catalysts behind the Pacific Climbing Series’ creation.
Ian McIntosh, CEO of Mesa Rim gyms, sees the Pacific Climbing Series as a rising tide that can raise all boats—and provide more competition options for more people. “The [Pacific Climbing Series] was born from a genuine interest in collaborating with our neighboring gyms to collectively explore alternative ways to serve the youth climbing community,” McIntosh told CBJ. “Most of the participating gyms have hosted some form of youth series over the years, so this year we decided to try something bigger together. This is a pilot program, and we will learn a lot in the process that can be applied to future iterations. I believe it is in the best interest of the competitive climbing community to explore alternative competition structures and to continue developing opportunities for both experienced and aspiring athletes to grow and thrive as competitors.” Both McIntosh and Shih think that the Pacific Climbing Series, by operating outside of the USA Climbing framework, will have more freedom for operational creativity and format diversity. “[USA Climbing] comps all have a way that’s grown over time of how they’re run, and the quality you can expect from them because of their constraints,” explained Shih. “By decoupling recreational competition from the only provider in town, that lets us have more flexibility in what we can do or what we’re able to invest in.”
Elevate Climbing Walls
 The Pacific Climbing Series is working on a real-time (electronic) scoring system, and is also basing youth competitors’ age categories on single calendar years—a difference from the current USA Climbing (and IFSC) format. Scores for each Pacific Climbing Series event will follow a two-zone-per-boulder point system, in a structure that the series is labeling a hybrid modified redpoint format. In fact, the Pacific Climbing Series’ structure and format largely resulted from feedback to surveys, which were given to members of participating gyms earlier in the year. Still, it is all subject to change as Shih, McIntosh and other gym owners try to fine-tune the concept. “The Pacific Climbing Series really is an experiment,” Shih reiterated, “trying to address this need that we all feel.” Stay tuned to CBJ for additional information about the new Pacific Climbing Series.

ICP Launches New Global Volumes Store: Straight from ICP’s factory to you

CBJ Press Release Service
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ICP Launches New Global Volumes Store: Straight from ICP’s factory to you
image of icp volumes ICP, a leader in climbing wall design and manufacturing, is thrilled to introduce its new made-to-order online store, offering over 90 new shapes of premium climbing volumes with a sizeable collection of high and low-profile options. ICP Volumes combine the highest grade materials, customizable options, and fast delivery to meet the demands of route setters and climbers around the world. climbicp.com/shop/ image of icp volumes Strength and Endurance: Built to Last Every ICP Volume is made from the strongest 18mm Birch Plywood available on the market, ensuring unmatched strength and durability.. Built to withstand years of intense climbing and route setting, ICP’s hybrid resin coating has been refined over many years to make sure it can withstand the test of time. image of icp volumes Grip and Style: A Perfect Combination ICP Volumes are not only tough but also provide the best grip possible. The texture has been fine-tuned over years to reduce the greasy feeling your hands can get and to increase the durability of volume wear under high foot traffic. Every single range is designed to stack and can even be interconnected with other ranges, helping boost route setters’ creativity. With ten RAL colors and a sleek wood finish to choose from, you can easily customize your volumes to match your gym’s environment. ICP Volumes are available with or without T-nuts (imperial and metric options available), making them even more versatile for your specific needs. image of icp volumes Made to Order: Fast and Efficient Frustrated by long production and shipping times in the industry, ICP has developed one of the fastest made-to-order approaches available. All ICP Volumes are designed to be palletized and easily stacked, minimizing the space they take in your storage areas. And no matter where you’re located, ICP Volumes are shipped from our factory in Europe around the globe ensuring that you can access our ICP products wherever you are. image of icp volumes Custom Options and Mega Volumes Looking for something unique? ICP offers custom options by request, including dual texture, custom paintwork, and custom colors. If you need a truly one-of-a-kind volume, reach out to ICP’s design team to bring your vision to life, our team is up for the challenge of designing you a completely new range of unique volumes. Additionally, ICP offers a range of large MEGA volumes, exclusively available with new ICP wall builds, for those looking to make a bold statement. image of icp volumes Seamless Integration with ICP Walls ICP Volumes are designed to work seamlessly with ICP Walls, a system known as the ICP Raps. With this innovative design, wall and volume face angles are instantly identifiable, allowing you to easily create extended planes of flat setting surfaces. This integration gives route setters unique new creative possibilities instantly. Explore the New Online Store Today Visit ICP’s new online store to explore the full range of options and bring some fresh creativity into your route setting. Discover the next generation of climbing with ICP Volumes at: climbicp.com/shop/ For more information about ICP: www.climbicp.com To get in contact with ICP: info@climbicp.com
CBJ press releases are written by the sponsor and do not represent the views of the Climbing Business Journal editorial team.

Back-to-School Limited Time Special: Free Magna® Wall Upgrade for Cross-Curricular Learning!

CBJ Marketplace
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Back-to-School Limited Time Special: Free Magna® Wall Upgrade for Cross-Curricular Learning!
everlast climbing back to school graphic Did you know that you can bring cross-curricular learning and games to our climbing walls? With Everlast Climbing’s Magna® Wall, you can integrate rock climbing with classroom learning. This patented climbing wall accepts magnets, so as climbers make their way across the Traverse Wall® they can place, remove or move magnets as part of a math, spelling or reading activity. Practicing math facts, identifying letters and spelling words just got a lot more exciting. The possibilities are endless with this climbing wall that comes with sentence building, word building and math magnets. Start the new school year off right with a free Magna® Wall upgrade! The Magna Wall® upgrade is available for any Standard Wall order placed by October 18th! “I love our new Magna Wall! The students love using it and they are being challenged in news ways every time we use the wall.” – Michael McHugh, Bates Elementary School, Dexter, MI Ready to Rock This School Year? Please connect with us to learn more! Call 800.476.7366 or email us info@everlastclimbing.com with any questions. Visit Us Online
CBJ marketplace listings are written by the sponsor and do not represent the views of the Climbing Business Journal editorial team.

Youth Training Center by EP Climbing

CBJ Marketplace
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Youth Training Center by EP Climbing

Setting the Standard for Youth Athlete Development

ep training model

September 2024 — Bend, Oregon — EP Climbing, a leading manufacturer of climbing walls and official supplier to the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) and USA Climbing, is proud to announce the launch of its innovative Youth Training Center. Designed in collaboration with elite youth coaches and route setters, the center is tailored to meet the highest standards for youth athlete development, providing the ideal environment for young climbers to train and prepare for competitive success.

The comprehensive Youth Training Center includes quality features to support technical instruction and progression:

  • Bouldering Wall: Over 1,200 sq ft of climbing space with wall angles from -3 to 40 degrees, offering a range of difficulties for versatile training.
  • 14 ft Spray Wall: Angled at 40 degrees, this advanced area helps climbers focus on strength, movement, and technique development.
  • Holds and Volumes: The center includes a $10,000 allowance for macros and volumes, enabling facilities to set routes similar to those found in elite competitions.

EP Climbing’s Youth Training Center is equipped with durable 12” UCS Spirit nylon bouldering pads, which can be customized with logos for branding and identity. The training center is designed with future expansion in mind, offering options such as additional wall space, adjustable boards, campus boards, and specialized fitness equipment to support ongoing growth.

ep training model

Starting at $160,000, EP Climbing’s Youth Training Center offers a flexible and customizable solution for youth climbing programs, ensuring coaches and athletes have the tools they need to excel.

For more information about EP Climbing’s Youth Training Center, please contact JoAnne Carilli- Stevenson at j.carilli@epclimbing.com

CBJ marketplace listings are written by the sponsor and do not represent the views of the Climbing Business Journal editorial team.

Climb Insider: Olympic setters and Sharma returns

Climbing Business Journal
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Climb Insider: Olympic setters and Sharma returns
image of routesetter

Just a few thoughts

So that just happened – Chris Sharma took 2nd at the NACS in Hackensack! Is he back to comps? Many years ago I had the pleasure of a surprise visit from Chris at a random comp in Vermont – sure made it a party. Another throwback too – classic 1993 footage including comps and indoor with some of the top athletes of the day. In other news… Olympic routesetters, fresh athlete interviews, conservation grants, more. And a shout out to our friends across the pond gathering at the ABC Conference right now. Make sure you vote in the Grip Showcase SLC by Sept 29! See The Freshest Job Posts Here

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Head Mesa Rim’s Comp Team – Climbing Jobs Weekly 2024 September 19

Climbing Business Journal
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Head Mesa Rim’s Comp Team – Climbing Jobs Weekly 2024 September 19
mesa rim reno CBJ hosts the most active job board for climbing businesses and organizations. Below are the latest posts from this past week…
Competitive Head Coach Mesa Rim Reno, NV “As Competitive Head Coach, you are an experienced climbing coach and leader. You effectively harness your skills and experience to execute Mesa Rim’s industry-leading Climbing Programs vision and you guide, inspire, and develop your team members to be their best in support of that vision. You are assertive, communicative, and lead in alignment with our Core Values. You utilize sound judgment and critical-thinking skills, and are able to independently problem-solve. As Competitive Head Coach, you consistently demonstrate safety, professionalism, and communication standards and expectations and hold these high standards for your team.”
Atomik Climbing Holds

JOB SEEKER TIPS:

Promotion Interview Questions and Tips for Answering By CareerBuilder “It’s a good idea to anticipate criticism and prepare a thoughtful response. For example, if a manager said you should be more friendly to coworkers in your last performance review, you could prepare for this to come up in the interview and reply by saying you enjoy focusing on your work and that others like working with you because you’re skilled and productive.” Read the full article here

LATEST JOB OPENINGS

See all current jobs // Post your job FT = full time PT = part time
RECENT/TOP JOB POSTS AT CBJ LOCATION TYPE
Coach with Routesetting Duties at Bolder Calgary, AB FT – coach
Marketing Manager at Alaska Rock Gym Anchorage, AK FT – manager, mktg/sales
Assistant General Manager at The Climb Bentonville, AR FT – manager
Facilities Manager at The Boulder Field Sacramento, CA FT – other
Routesetter at High Altitude Fitness Truckee/Incline Village, CA/NV FT – routesetter
Front Desk Supervisor at Movement Centennial, CO FT – front desk, manager
Website Admin at Climbing Business Journal Remote/Boulder, CO PT – other
Routesetter at Rock Climb Fairfield Fairfield, CT FT – routesetter
Routesetter at HiClimb Honolulu, HI FT – routesetter
Routesetter at North Mass Boulder Indianapolis, IN FT – routesetter
Gym Director at Shift Holland, MI FT – manager
Comp Head Coach at Mesa Rim Reno, NV FT – coach
Marketing Director at Portland Rock Gym Portland, OR FT – manager, mktg/sales
Routesetter at Portland Rock Gym Portland, OR FT – routesetter
Regional Facilities Manager at Movement Dallas, TX FT – manufacturing
Head Routesetter at Latitude Hampton Roads, VA FT – routesetter
Programs Manager at Half Moon Seattle, WA FT – manager

Career Centers of Climbing Industry

NAMETYPELOCATION
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/access-fund.pngAccess Fundhttps://www.accessfund.org/about/careersorganizationUSA - CO
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/wi-adventure-rock.pngAdventure Rockhttps://adventurerock.com/jobs/facilityUSA - WI
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Living the Brand: Q&A With Anne-Worley Moelter, Movement’s New CEO

John Burgman
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Living the Brand: Q&A With Anne-Worley Moelter, Movement’s New CEO
Anne-Worley Moelter outdoors
Anne-Worley Moelter (pictured), the new CEO of Movement, has been guiding organizations in the climbing world for decades—serving as a founder of the original Movement gyms, an owner of the American Bouldering Series, the first Executive Director of USA Climbing, and a board member of the IFSC and Access Fund—and has seen first-hand some of the “mountain top” moments for the industry. In looking toward the industry’s future, Moelter says “the only way we’re going to grow better as we grow bigger is if we all try and work together.”
It was recently announced that Anne-Worley Moelter has replaced Jeremy Levitt as the CEO of Movement. Considering that Movement currently has 30 different facilities around the country, overseeing them all is a monumental task; it’s also a job that Moelter, who founded Movement with her husband, Mike Moelter, and served as Movement’s first CEO back in 2009, does not take lightly.

CBJ: What changes will come with you in the new position of CEO/leadership?

Anne-Worley Moelter: That is a great question, and I’m going to say the answer is “to be determined.” I say that because one of the biggest things is me getting into all of the gyms; over the next several months, I’ll actually be visiting all 30 Movement gyms. The gym here in Boulder is different from the gym in Golden, which is different from the gym on the East Coast, etc. So, I need to get in and see what the main theme is that ties us all together, and see what the differences are in the communities—which should be there, because we’re all different communities. And I need to make sure that we’re all rowing in the same direction, in terms of trying to be a truly great, enduring company that helps to lead the climbing and fitness industry.

Where is that balance point between wanting all the Movement facilities to be very similar—almost in the way that every McDonald’s kind of looks and feels the same—and wanting all the Movement facilities to be different from each other?

The balance is somewhere in the middle—and that is not a non-answer [laughs]. We’ve been doing some construction work on our Mission and Core Values and really taking a look at the company again and making sure those are aligned. Ideally, all the gyms are operating from that, from our Mission and Core Values, in pursuit of being a phenomenal organization. And they are also operating within the various communities—and so it’s important to honor who those communities are. The goal is that you would walk into a Movement and at its essence you would know that it’s a Movement facility, yet each one would have its own personal characteristics.
OnSite

How much do you, as the new CEO, want to oversee things, as opposed to giving the autonomy to the individual gyms? I mean, are you a hands-on CEO?

I’m glad you asked that second part. ‘Hands-on?’ 110 percent! When Mike and I were with the legacy Movement gyms, we opened in 2009 and merged in 2019 and opened Boulder, Baker and RiNo, and up until the very last day before the merger, Mike and I were in the gyms every single day. We also set up what we thought was a great leadership team, and our leadership team is still involved at Movement now, which is amazing. We worked really hard to provide that leadership team with autonomy, and I believe it will be very similar. I want to know what it’s like to be in all of our gyms—that’s part of who I am. I want to have connections with as many people as possible, despite the sheer quantity of team members, members and gyms. Also, I want to help set the strategic direction of the company, but my goal is that all of the gyms will be provided with such a strong foundation and such solid systems that they can move forward and make autonomous decisions as they arise.

Aside from visiting all 30 gyms—which I don’t mean to imply as a small task—what else will being the new CEO entail?

To be perfectly honest, in the first couple of months, there’s going to be a lot of downloading of information and making sure I’m apprised of all the goings-on, and that I’m up to speed with what’s going on—not just in the gyms, but we have all of our various departments as well…routesetting and programs and marketing and retail. It really will be a lot of learning for me. And from there, I will start to work with the leadership team and various groups within the organization to set a clearer strategic direction for us over the coming years. That’s the goal.
Moelter in the gym
Moelter’s role at Movement has come full circle, in a sense, with her recent appointment as the company’s CEO—a title she held when the first Movement gym opened in Boulder, back in 2009—although she is leading a business that is much larger today. “I think everything that I’ve learned and done, and the relationships that have been formed, will help,” says Moelter. “Those are the building blocks that will help launch us into the next phase.”

It sounds like you’re approaching the CEO role as if it’s your first time, even though you’ve done it before. Of course, the industry is different now than it was when you were first the CEO of Movement.

Well, the great thing about never having left the industry and maintaining such strong relationships with people like Scott Rennak [Publisher of CBJ], or Marc Norman [CEO of USA Climbing], or pick your person…I feel like I have been involved and been part of all the changing trends. I’ve been observing what’s going on. So, that’s part of it. But you’re right, this is different than when Mike and I were doing it—Movement is literally 10 times the size than it was then. So, it feels a little bit like I graduated from college and now I’m going to get my master’s. So, there’s just a different mode of preparation for it. I think everything that I’ve learned and done, and the relationships that have been formed, will help. Those are the building blocks that will help launch us into the next phase.

How do you approach the concepts of quantity and expansion? The fact that there are 30 Movement gyms makes it unique to any other gym brand or gym network in the world. Another way of saying that is: Will there be a point where you say, ‘OK, there are now enough Movement gyms?’

The question about ‘enough gyms,’ that’s hard to answer. But the way I look at it is that, and the reason we opened the very first gym, the climbing industry has been so generous, in terms of the opportunity to meet incredible people and to bring people into what I believe is a phenomenal community. We now have a chance, as Movement, with 30 gyms, to do that in 30 different places in this country. And as long as we can continue to offer an outstanding experience to anyone who walks through our doors, I think we’re doing our job.
An early Movement Boulder staff photo
“Things can fall apart when [businesses] get bigger, but in our case, I think there’s still such a sense of solidarity; my hope is that by continuing to build on that foundation, we will continue to maintain the feeling of familiarity when people walk into our gyms,” says Moelter (pictured in the front row, second from the left, years ago with early staff members of Movement Boulder).

How much do you deliberate on being able to do that, being able to create a community, with a network of gyms that is ever-increasing?

It goes back to what I was saying about having a strong foundation and strong systems and a high-caliber Mission and Core Values. If a business can be built on those things, it really can grow—I mean, of course, there’s a tipping point for any business. But I believe if it’s founded on those things, you can continue to grow and offer best-in-class experiences. When you have those things in place, it just emanates throughout the organization, through all of the people who are involved. If you’re all on the same page, the hope is that 10/10 times you’ll get it right. Things can fall apart when they get bigger, but in our case, I think there’s still such a sense of solidarity; my hope is that by continuing to build on that foundation, we will continue to maintain the feeling of familiarity when people walk into our gyms. Often we talk about Movement being their ‘third place,’ or Cheers—for those of us that are old enough to remember it [laughs]. You walk in and ‘everybody knows your name.’ Our industry is so lucky to have facilities that offer that, and I’m sure if we went out and polled all the members in all the gyms, so many would say, “I met my best friend here,” or, “I met my life partner here,” or, “When I was going through a hard time, this was the community that supported me.” I think that’s such a unique and amazing attribute to what we do. My hope is that we can continue to instill that in folks who join Movement, regardless of how many gyms we have.

Yes, good points—I think there can be a strength to quantity, if there’s quality control. If the values are the same across all facilities, customers know they can go into one of the facilities anywhere in the country and get a positive experience.

Yes, and honestly, that’s something I hope to do, to dispel the rumor that Movement is this giant—I don’t know the right adjective, I’ll say “giant corporate entity” because a lot of people see that in a negative light. But actually, in our company, the majority of our leadership team comes from this industry. We care deeply about this industry and about who Movement is. So, I want people to see that in the things that we’re trying to do and in the partnerships that we’re trying to form. I wouldn’t have said ‘Yes’ to this [CEO] role if I didn’t wholeheartedly believe that Movement is an incredible organization.
Rockwerx

How do you dispel those negative thoughts of Movement being a ‘giant corporate entity?’ That’s a big challenge, right, because climbing has long had a spirit of ‘anti-corporate’ counterculture?

Just being real, there are always going to be people that prefer the one-off “mom and pop” [climbing gyms], and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. And I would say that as a larger company, we do have to have systems in place that are highly organized and can be used by 30 different facilities in the country. My hope is that people, team members, members and guests come and experience what it is like to be in a Movement facility—to really see who we are before they pass judgment. I strongly believe if anyone comes into our gyms, they will see we are committed to the communities. I’m here in Colorado, and I’ll be working in the Colorado gyms every single week because I want to, because that’s where the action is and that’s where community is. I’m hopeful that people will see that we really are climbing, yoga and fitness at our core.

There are a lot of hot-button issues at the forefront of the industry, from routesetter pay and compensation to gym access and affordability…among others. Which issues do you feel are most pressing for the industry, on the whole, right now?

It would be really hard for me to pick just one or a couple, but I think the most important thing is conversation and communication within our industry, and people being open to having conversations about any of the hot-button topics. Truly, when you look at it, our industry is still quite small. We have grown leaps and bounds over the past couple of decades, but when you look at other sports and health and wellness industries, we’re small, and a lot of us know each other. The only way we’re going to grow better as we grow bigger is if we all try and work together. I’m not saying that everyone will agree on the same things. But I do believe that we all have to be open to discussions that may not always be comfortable, and we might have a lot of varying opinions on things; it’s important that we talk about them so we can collectively try to reach solutions.

Has the industry done a good job of facilitating conversations and communication?

I’ll say that it has gotten a lot better. What the CWA has been able to do, in terms of growing their Summit, and I know USA Climbing has been using a lot of different conversation forums and formats…and within the gym industry itself, a lot of owners are reaching out more and more, which is fantastic. I think we have come a long way. Like in any industry, there’s room for improvement. But what I see as really promising is that I look around our industry and I see some really amazing people. If we have that combination of people who keep coming to the table, then we can only go up from here. I have so much admiration for what our industry has already been able to do, and it’s kind of like we know no bounds.
Moelter climbing outside
Moelter refers to herself as a “die-hard ‘lifer’ when it comes to climbing,” having been climbing outdoors and indoors as well as working in leadership positions in the industry for decades. She also practices the other two components of the climbing, yoga and fitness trifecta that have been core to Movement’s offerings since the beginning. “I believe our team can continue to bring that [focus] back to the forefront,” Moelter says.

As a final question, what’s your go-to gym routine?

I’ll give you a week at a glance; I have to look at it from that perspective because every day is a little different. But I actually have a climbing partner with whom I have been climbing for 22 years, and we have a power-hour every week because we’re both working moms. So, for 22 years, we’ve done that almost every week of every year. So, I do that, and I like to get in at least one yoga class a week, and on top of that, if I’m able to get in and do a solo bouldering session, that would be a really great week for me. Anything beyond that is fantastic, but time constraints sometimes don’t allow for it. And then there’s a fitness class that I do two times a week as well. So, it’s a little sprinkling of everything.

You really live all the diverse offerings and amenities of Movement!

Well, working with our team, I’m hoping we can all be open when we think about vision and strategy. We want to maintain the soul of who we are, but we also want to be able to grow and evolve. So, it’s a combination—the climbing, yoga and fitness. On a very personal level, I think doing all three of those things is important.

Complementary Skill Sets Lead to New Bouldering Gym in Michigan

Naomi Stevens
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Complementary Skill Sets Lead to New Bouldering Gym in Michigan
Jonathan Brandt and Jack Ogilvie enjoying the outdoors
After years of friendship, Jonathan Brandt and Jack Ogilvie (pictured) decided to take the jump and launch Shift, a new bouldering gym coming to West Michigan in 2025. (All photos courtesy of Brandt and Ogilvie)

Shift Holland, Michigan

Specs: Shift, founded by Jonathan Brandt and Jack Ogilvie, is expected to open in early 2025 in Holland, Michigan. Brandt is a USAC L5 routesetter and will bring nearly 20 years of climbing industry experience to Shift. Ogilvie has been a part of the climbing community for over 15 years, founded and ran a digital marketing agency—Techwood—for 12 years, and aims to empower employees and create healthy business cultures through his consulting and advisory work. The pair met while climbing in Atlanta and kept in touch, exchanging ideas for a climbing gym after both left the city. In 2024, after years of friendship, conversation and climbing, the team “decided the time was right and committed to bringing the gym to life,” they said.

Trango Holds Pardners
 Brandt and Ogilvie found an existing 12,377-square-foot building on the north side of town—adjacent to the future Holland Township Community Center at the Westshore Mall—that had the requisite square footage, floor plan and ceiling height for their vision. The location is also in “a higher traffic area,” the owners said, which they hope “creates convenience of access and good exposure.” Holland has an active community and a rich outdoor scene, the team noted, with “one great climbing gym here, [Scrapyard Climbing Collective], that is already serving the community well.” The Shift owners hope to add more variety to the indoor climbing experience in the city and “share climbing with even more of the Holland/Ottawa County region.”
Jack Ogilvie outside
In the years immediately preceding the planning of Shift, Ogilvie worked with a “small private equity group that invests in businesses with a goal of creating value for all,” from employees to owners and investors, he said.
The bouldering-focused climbing gym will feature 5,100 square feet of climbing wall surface, including a Tension Board 2 and a hydraulically tiltable boulder by Dreamwall—a European wall manufacturer that’s building the bouldering walls in the gym, the brand’s first gym project in the U.S. “Picture a long, freestanding boulder with climbing wrapping around all sides,” said Ogilvie and Brandt. “The whole structure will be on hydraulics hidden inside of it that allows the entire boulder to tilt over 12 degrees in two different directions.” They hope the Dreamwall boulder will help “keep things fresh set to set” at Shift and lend itself to creative competition boulders.
Sketch of the tiltable boulder at Shift
Shift will have a variety of bouldering terrain once completed, including a standalone, tiltable boulder.
Brandt’s industry experience helped the gym owners decide on the wall layout, padding design and hold orders, Ogilvie said, and will guide the gym’s in-house and guest routesetting. “Leveraging [Brandt’s] network of peers will allow us to bring in high-level guest setters from all over the world to educate our staff, inspire our community, create content and create great experiences,” Ogilvie added. The boulders will follow a circuit-style grading system, with seven color circuits and colors changing semi-frequently. “We feel this [system] is important for two reasons: one, because it will grant our community greater access to different hold types; and two, because we value innovation, change and a growth mindset,” they said. Shift will also feature an eighth circuit, which will be set at any level of difficulty—whether that be boulders of a specific style, a unique challenge or the set from a guest setter—“so the community can experience different approaches to the craft and the sport,” they explained.
Jonathan Brandt outside
“I’ll be heavily involved in routesetting at Shift,” USAC L5 routesetter Brandt said. “I plan on leading the team until we see what other local routesetting talent exists in West Michigan, but I will always be involved in some capacity…educating, training, brainstorming and creating with our team.”
According to Ogilvie and Brandt, the duo has been planning ways to make Shift a business that puts employees first. “We will be putting our money where our mouths are by paying our initial staff highly competitive wages and offering salaried positions with benefits for roles not normally compensated in that way,” they said. Brandt pointed out that Ogilvie has a track record of cultivating employee-centered workplaces, having won the “Best Places to Work” award by Inc.com in 2018 for his agency, Techwood. The gym owners also plan to share the success of Shift with the employee team by using an Employee Stock Ownership Plan. “We are building this to have a significant impact, first on the lives of those who choose to trust us with their employment,” Ogilvie said, noting the impact the plan has had on employees of Techwood.
Sketch of the bouldering walls at Shift
The new bouldering gym is expected to open early next year and will be the second commercial climbing gym in town.
Walls: Dreamwall Flooring: Flashed CRM Software: Beta Website: www.shiftclimbing.com Instagram: @ShiftClimbing In Their Words: “With [Ogilvie’s] business acumen and desire to be an incredible employer and my desire to take 15 years of industry experience, look at all the things I feel like could be improved upon and make something that truly stands out in the biz, an incredible partnership has been formed. Every day feels more and more magical and more and more like we’re creating something truly special.” – Jonathan Brandt, Shift Climbing Co-Founder and Co-Owner
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