The CrossFit gym owner who’s still going strong after 15 years

What’s up Gym World?

Running a gym isn’t easy. Burnout is real, and staying motivated in a tough industry year after year can feel impossible.

Danny Soul is one CrossFit gym owner who’s been in the industry for 15 years and still enjoys every minute of it.

He’s a familiar name in the CrossFit community, having been on the seminar staff and he’s coached some of the best athletes in the world. For the last 15 years, he’s also run Team Soul Training with two locations in Florida.

My co-host Mateo sat down with Danny to talk about the secret to his longevity and what keeps him motivated. Watch their convo below to get tactical insights.

If you want the highlights, here are four things Danny credits:

1. He still loves coaching

Danny’s passion for coaching comes from a relentless drive to learn and improve and it has never waned. When he discovered CrossFit in 2006, he loved the culture and wanted to open his own gym. He didn’t have formal training or experience, so he took matters into his own hands.

• He read blogs and forums about coaching and programming.

• He connected with respected figures like Louie Simmons, Coach Mike Burgener, and Jeff Tucker.

• He surrounded himself with mentors and peers who’ve done this before.

And he’s kept this approach going ever since.

When you invest in your growth, your coaching and service offerings improve, and your members stay longer. That’s why even after 15 years, Danny still wakes up excited to coach every day.

2. He built a reliable team

Running a sustainable gym business is a lot easier with a reliable team behind you. It keeps operations running smoothly, improves the member experience, and gives you more time to focus on coaching and growing your business.

At Team Soul Training, that team includes:

• Danny’s brother (admin and general manager)

• Sean Velas (co-owner)

• Luis Lopez (manager of the Ft. Lauderdale location)

• Danny himself, and several additional coaches

Like many seasoned gym owners, Danny hires people who have trained at the gym because they already understand the culture. This helps the team deliver a better member experience by:

• Remembering members’ names and personal goals

• Understanding what motivates and challenges each member

• Being aware of injuries and knowing how to adjust workouts

If you’re looking to hire the best team for your gym, check out this article with tips from a fitness recruiter.

3. He created a quality experience

A great experience not only sells better, it keeps members around longer. That’s why Danny puts so much emphasis on quality coaching and building a strong community at Team Soul.

Each program is led by a coach who specializes in that area. Members can choose from:

• Group classes (capped at 10 people)

• Olympic weightlifting

• Powerlifting

• Strength and conditioning

• Running community

• Kids program

• Personal training (sold in packages)

There’s only one membership: $205 every four weeks for unlimited access to all classes, which makes signup and onboarding simple.

Across both locations, Team Soul has about 350 members—and nearly 50 of them have been around for over 10 years.

That’s not the biggest number we’ve seen on Gym World, but that’s intentional because Danny doesn’t want a massive member base. He’s focused on keeping the environment motivating and sustainable long term.

Like MADabolic, he’s set some rules and expectations that won’t appeal to everyone. And while we don’t know exactly what those are, they help attract the right people and create a stronger, more connected community.

4. He stays organized with systems and processes

Some gym owners track everything manually in Google Sheets. Others, like Scott Drapeau, use Kilo gym management software to keep things streamlined. (BTW: Scott grew from 50 to 300 members after switching!)

What matters most is having systems that support your day-to-day.

Danny has kept Team Soul organized since day one, and he uses Google Sheets. Every program, process, and operational detail is carefully documented and archived.

It’s not fancy, but it’s simple, and it’s a big reason why the gym still runs smoothly more than a decade later.

Danny’s advice for gym owners

After 15 years in the game, Danny is still coaching, still running a successful gym, and still enjoying the process. That’s pretty rare in the coaching gym space.

He credits that longevity to a few key things: staying passionate about coaching, building a reliable team, creating an experience he believes in, and keeping his systems tight.

His advice for gym owners who want the same:

• Start small and stay small. Prioritize quality and consistency over fast growth.

• Focus on one service at a time. Get it right before adding more.

• Work in gyms before opening your own. Spend time coaching and managing to learn what works, what doesn’t, and what kind of gym you want to build.

• Keep developing your craft. Study, ask questions, and surround yourself with people who push you to be better.

• Stay humble. Have the confidence to lead, but the awareness to ask for help when needed.

For more insight into how he built Team Soul, watch or listen to Danny’s full interview.

ciao,

j

P.S. Have a second? Send this article to a gym owner who could use these insights.