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THE
JANUARY 2019
WORKING OUT THE YEAR
For a long time, I was not one for New Year’s resolutions. Like so many of us, I found myself starting strong, only to lose sight of my goals by February. But nothing teaches you the value of well-thought-out long- term planning like starting a business. As I started O2 and began to feel the need to better myself as both a leader and a person, I decided to push myself to make these resolutions work. The first step was making it more than a once-a-year deal. When I resolved to make my goal setting more purposeful, I took a page out of basically every business book on the market and started writing my goals down. Getting these resolutions on paper did a lot to instill a sense that they were tangible mileposts I was accountable for. Best of all, it made them easy to review week in and week out. These days, I review my list of goals every Sunday. And it is a list. For me, rather than having a single large goal to strive for, I prefer to break things down into categories: mind, body, and soul. Mind goals concern my professional life and bettering myself as a leader. Body, obviously, is my slot for all those gym- and dietary- related resolutions. Last but not least, soul is my term for personal improvement, be it meditating, journaling, or spending time with my girlfriend. Taken together, having multiple goals in each of these columns ensures I grow more well-rounded and that I have a variety of things to work on from week to week. Then, at the end of every year, I can review the progress I’ve made. Starting this routine was difficult. That’s why I put a CrossFit spin on it, looking at every goal as an exercise. Early on, I resolved to do 25 burpees in the morning — not for my fitness but for my self-discipline. This was something I did not want to do. Being able to conquer that little voice in my head telling me I couldn’t do it was a huge win and a big part of why I’ve been able to stick to resolutions long term. I won’t say that I ace this list every year, but if I can nail 80 percent of my goals, it’s an amazing feeling. And the progress shows. See, I have one more yearly routine that really brings the whole experience home in a big way. Every night, my girlfriend, Victoria, and I tear off another sheet from our New Yorker daily cartoon calendar and write down
something we were grateful for that day. We keep these sheets of paper in a jar, and at the close of the year, we flip through them.
At the time of writing, we’ve just opened up our 2018 jar, and let me tell you, it was a trip. Here are a few favorites I picked out to share:
Feb. 17: “500 squats with Vic, headed for Columbus for a hot date” — Dave
“Bubby’s dog sitting lined up with Grandma and Grandpa” — Vic
March 15: “What could be a brilliant or terrible idea: Debut a caffeine- free version of O2 at the CrossFit Games” — Dave
“Eli’s barbecue after our hot yoga class tonight.” — Vic
July 26: “Filled in for volleyball on Vic’s team tonight, and I still got it” — Dave
“We’re 2 and 1 at this point. We’re so happy you played with us” — Vic
Before Vic and I started doing this, the end of the year was always about which goals I met and which I didn’t. Taking the time to remind ourselves of the unexpected triumphs, bright ideas, and small moments of joy was a perfect pairing with my normal end-of-year plans. It just goes to show that no matter what you plan for, life can surprise you in the most wonderful ways. Headed into 2019, I’m excited to put O2’s resolutions in motion. We’re going to be doing bigger and better events this year — you can count on us showing up to the Games once again! We’ll be taking strides to deepen our partnerships and may potentially unveil another big surprise. I’m fired up to see these projects take off and for all the good days that come between.
Happy New Year’s,
–Dave Colina Founder, O2
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STRATEGIES YOU NEED TO
Creating a successful marketing campaign requires foresight and adaptability — especially these days. Technology and consumer habits are rapidly changing, and using what worked in 2018 won’t necessarily be the right move in 2019. To help you determine your strategy for the coming year, here are a few rising marketing trends worth your consideration. MARKET WITH A TRUSTED SOURCE eMarketer found that 30 percent of internet users have ad-blocking software installed on their devices, meaning that a big chunk of your audience will never see your online ads. But even users who do see online ads often don’t trust them. A 2015 Nielsen study found that consumers are far more likely to choose a company to do business with based on word of mouth, branded or editorial sites, and reviews. When planning your digital marketing strategy, learn how to incorporate these trusted sources in order to get your brand out there. OPTIMIZE FOR VOICE SEARCH How are you ranking on voice search? Asking Siri or Alexa to find something online brings up fewer results than searching through a web browser. ComScore estimated that half of all online research will be done through voice search by 2020, which means that if
THE TOP 5 AFFILIATED RETAIL INSIGHTS MOVING FORWARD IN 2019 As we step into a brand-new year, we want to take a moment and go over five of our best retail tips we shared with you in 2018.
too strong, pressing customers to buy their stuff, most people are going to walk away. What’s that perfect balance? Tailor your promotions around events like the Open to make them more personalized and exciting. 5. INCREASE RETAIL MARGINS: The easiest and best way to do this is with subscriptions. When you put your items on auto-ship, you make the process easy for everyone! Save yourself time and energy filling out order forms and focus instead on displaying your O2 drinks and bringing in those extra bucks.
1. SELF-CHECKOUT KIOSK: This simple POS system helped us double sales, and it’s on track to return $18,000 in incremental revenue for Friendship CrossFit. With the use of a Kindle, members can make quick and easy retail purchases. This is a big plus for our busy members, and it’s a big plus for us because it increases our drink sales. 2. $2 TUESDAY: When limited to one can per person, this is a fantastic retail tip to put into action. It’s also a great way to introduce people to new flavors in a cheap but smart way! Not only can you get people hooked on a specific drink they’ve never tried, but $2 Tuesdays encourage folks who’ve never had O2 to give it a chance. And, let’s face it, once they try one, they’ll be coming back for more! 3. BUILD FANTASTIC CASE DISPLAYS: Why put all your effort into creating a billboard when you can make your inventory do all the work for you? Setting up a display will draw the eyes of your gym members and say, “Hey! We’ve got some great drinks for you!” Anyone with 5–50 cases can build an impressive, creative display. 4. RUN PROMOTIONS ON RETAIL ITEMS: Everyone worries about being too “salesy” — a valid worry. If someone comes on — Jeff Binek, owner, Friendship CrossFit
Everyone at O2 looks forward to implementing and optimizing these tips and looking for new methods to assist any Affiliate’s business throughout 2019 and onward!
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TRY IN 2019
your website isn’t voice-search friendly, half of your audience may never hear about you. Hubspot has some advice on optimizing your website SEO for voice search at Blog.hubspot.com/marketing/how- to-optimize-for-voice-search. SAY HELLO TO CHATBOTS We didn’t listen when science-fiction movies warned us, and now AI is taking over the world. But maybe that’s not such a bad thing. Programs like chatbots have become more sophisticated and are being hailed as the future of lead generation. Deployed on websites, through Facebook messenger, or even via text message, chatbots can answer common questions and shepherd visitors through your digital funnel. Start learning the basics about chatbots at Bit.ly/ ChatBotMagazine. Technology continues to evolve and is constantly affecting the business world in new ways. As a result, it’s shaping up to be an interesting year in marketing. Keep an eye out for opportunities to incorporate these trends into your marketing strategy.
AFFILIATE SPOTLIGHT Getting to know affiliate owners and their stories is a constant source of inspiration for us here at O2, and this could not be more true of our conversation with Kevin Jewell of CrossFit Kokomo. While Kevin is relatively new to the world of gym ownership, he’s had no problem jumping in and making an impact in his community. Kevin was introduced to CrossFit in 2010 during his service in the Marine Corps. “My buddy in the same unit and I would go to the gym at the same time most days, through we did separate workouts,” Kevin recalls. “During one of my rest days, he asked if I wanted to try what he was doing — turns out it was CrossFit.” Discovering how much the strength and endurance training at CrossFit’s core helped him with the day-to-day tasks of military life, this future affiliate owner never went back to his old workout routine. Returning to civilian life in 2015, Kevin enrolled at a university, seeking a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. While studying, he found a way to stay involved with CrossFit. “I was looking for a gig while going to school, so I thought I’d ask our local box if they were looking for a coach,” Kevin explains. “Just so happens they were.” Over the years, Kevin would work his way up to becoming the lead coach at CF Kokomo, all while earning his degree. “I graduated in July of 2018,” Kevin tells us proudly. “The original plan was to go get a federal job using my military experience.” But then a new opportunity arose. On Kevin’s birthday, he was offered ownership of the box he’d been coaching at for three years. After a lot of thought, the new graduate decided to take on leadership of CF Kokomo and has taken to his new responsibilities quickly. “I have the advantage of seeing this gym from multiple angles,” says Kevin. “From member, to coach, to affiliate owner, a lot of the data is already familiar to me … Honestly, the hardest part of the job is keeping O2 on the shelves!” he adds with a laugh. One thing has already become clear about this new affiliate owner: Kevin cares about people. Whether it was gushing to us about the success of his 58-year-old father-in-law, who has become quite the CrossFitter himself, or the fact that he just concluded a very successful donation drive for local veterans, it’s clear Kevin believes in the power CrossFit has to change lives for the better. KEVIN JEWELL WENT FROM MEMBER TO COACH TO OWNER
BRUSSELS SPROUT HASH
Standard hash may be a no-go on paleo diets, but there’s nothing off-program about this Brussels sprout version. It’s perfect for a Sunday brunch.
INGREDIENTS
• 4 cups Brussels sprouts, finely shredded • 4 eggs • 1/4 cup onions, chopped • 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil • Salt and freshly ground pepper
DIRECTIONS
1. In a cast-iron skillet or large sauté pan, heat oil to medium. 2. Once shimmering, add rosemary for 1 minute, then remove sprig. 3. Reduce heat to medium-low, add onion and garlic, and cook until onion softens, about 5 minutes. 4. Increase heat to medium-high, add Brussels sprouts, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 5 minutes. 5. Using a large spoon, create 4 wells for eggs. Pour 1 egg into each well and cook until set. 6. Carefully remove eggs and Brussels sprouts from pan and serve.
Thanks for sharing your story, Kevin!
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My Approach to Resolutions Page 1
3 Marketing Trends to Watch in 2019 Learning From 2018 Page 2
Brussels Sprout Hash
CrossFit Kokomo’s Kevin Jewell Page 3 Book Review: ‘Do the Work’ Page 4
‘DO THE WORK’
Few modern authors have a resume as colorful or textured as Steven Pressfield. A graduate of Duke University, the best- selling author served in the Marine Corps, drove tractor trailers, taught school children, and worked as an oil field roustabout — all before penning his first published work. Having struggled as a writer for 17 years before seeing his first paycheck, it’s no surprise that Pressfield has plenty of wisdom to share when it comes to making long-term dreams a reality.
greatest enemy. It’s in this work that he first coined his idea of “resistance,” Pressfield’s word for the self-defeatist attitude that causes so many great ideas to be left on the drawing board. “Do the Work” is a follow up to it, prescribing Pressfield’s antidote to resistance — you guessed it: doing the work . Compared to its predecessor, “Do the Work” is a quick read. Though it’s less than 100 pages, what this guide lacks in length it makes up for in specificity and approachability. The book is laser- focused on helping anyone who is undertaking creative endeavors to identify their own resistances and overcome them. Combined with Pressfield’s no-nonsense delivery, every page is filled with the distilled, biting wisdom of a man wholly dedicated to his craft. Pressfield manages to strike a tone that is stern, humorous, cynical, and at times even whimsical without missing a beat. You can feel the author smiling at you through the page when he tells you, “Stay stupid. Follow your unconventional, crazy heart.” He dares you to pick your pen back up and return to your drawing board. “Do the Work” crackles with the tempered passion and biting wit of a learned master. If you’re looking to reignite your creative spark, “Do the Work” needs to be a permanent fixture on your nightstand.
Pressfield first addressed the challenges aspiring artists, entrepreneurs, and athletes face in “The War of Art.” This guidebook lays out Pressfield’s core philosophy that a creator is their own
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