Opportunity is Knocking Again

I read this quote the other day and really needed the encouragement: "Don't be surprised when God calls you to do something you don't feel qualified to do. He does it so you will lean on Him and less on yourself. "

We are being called to take over a 2nd My Gym Children's Fitness Center beginning January 2nd. The location is an hour and half away in Colorado Springs, and we are not certain how long we will be managing it (our main focus will remain on the Arvada My Gym). Our goal is to increase enrollment, turn it around, and then sell it before this summer. Staff scheduling is going to be the biggest challenge, but we are excited to take on another adventure.

We are ending the year 2011 smarter than when we became business owners just over 3 years ago. We have a handle on the enrollment trends in Arvada and are going into Colorado Springs during a peek time of year. We are expecting the unexpected (both positives and negatives).

Please pray for us this new year - for our health, safety, and blessings on this new business opportunity. We have a busy week ahead of us with setting goals, planning schedules and getting to work. My New Years Resolution is to blog more often, so follow us if you would like and we'll keep in touch.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! ~The Hobbys

Quick, Little Update

Contact info: Juli's hotmail email account was mostly all junk mail, so she now ONLY uses thomasandjuli@gmail.com and Thomas uses tmh6586@yahoo.com

Traveling: August 1st-8th, we will be in Washington D.C. for an early anniversary trip (5 years on September 3rd). Our friend/Director at work, Dustin, is house-sitting for us to take care of our puppy, Pepper, while we are away. August 18th-23rd, we will be driving to California (16 hours straight one-way, not including stops) with our Director for our annual My Gym training seminar. We will close the gym that week and Dustin's fiance will house-sit/dog-sit.

Juice Plus: We would love to tell you more about our 2nd business: Juice Plus (the next best thing to fruits and vegetables). Check out our website: www.MyGymTakesJuicePlus.com and email/call Juli if you would like a testimony on our improved health and wellness since taking Juice Plus.

My Gym: Summer has still been hard for us, even with relocating to our brand-new facility. We are looking forward to our Ribbon Cutting Ceremony (through the Arvada Chamber) & Enrollment Night on Monday, August 29th. Please help us spread the word about our business and vote for us (by August 19th) as the 'BEST Gym' on the Denver's A-list: http://kmgh.cityvoter.com/my-gym-children-s-fitness-center/biz/102811

Meet Pepper - Our 1st Puppy

Today we had a My Gym marketing event all day, outside at a street fair. We had to arrive and set up at 7:30am so that the cars could get off the street, but the event didn't start until 10am. Because we set up really fast, and we had a lot of time to kill, we decided to walk the street and see what other vendors were there. Our first stop was at the adopt-a-pet bus because the cute little puppies outside caught our attention. We just were looking for a second and the next thing I know, a puppy was in my hands. The lady said, "here" and I said "umm, you shouldn't have done that." I was falling in love so I quickly that I passed him to Thomas, but when I looked at my husband, he had the same look in his eyes that I did... love. I don't love all dogs. Actually, I don't like ones that jump, lick or bark a lot. That's pretty much all dogs. This little puppy, though, was the calmest, sweetest, quietest thing I had ever seen! We learned a lot about the dog and why it needed to be adopted. The mom was dropped off to them and had puppies 2 days later - a boy (Pepper) and a girl (Piper). They are a Chihuahua and Doxin mix (a Chiweenie). Today the puppies turned 8 weeks old and the family of 3 were up for adoption. We were not planning on getting a dog anytime soon, and definitely not today with the responsibility of running the My Gym booth. We put the puppy back, gathered all the information, and went on a walk to talk about it. Our biggest hold up on getting a pet was our landlord. We never explored the option since we are renting our town home and didn't want to pay a pet deposit/fee. I told Thomas that if we were even just 90% sure we wanted him that it wouldn't hurt to fill out the adoption application, call our landlord, and see what happens. By 9:30am this morning, we had turned in our application for Pepper (the boy puppy). Next, we called our landlord, and he amazed us. He told Thomas that because we have been responsible and a tenant for awhile (3 years in October), that he would not charge us anything to have a pet if we still kept the house nice - clean up accidents, keep his nails short not to scratch the hardwood floors, etc. That means no money down for a pet deposit and no extra money a month in our rent. I walked back over to the adopt-a-pet bus to tell them that everything was ok with our landlord, but before I could say anything I heard "he's yours!" I called Thomas over to leave our My Gym booth and come hold his new puppy. They had already called one of our references from our application (one of our My Gym moms - been there since before we took over the gym - who is a Veterinarian and owns an Animal Clinic with her husband right by our house) and everything was approved. Pepper was placed in the bus and had to have his crate covered by a blanket to keep all the people from wanting him. We would visit Pepper throughout the day and they would always let us take him out to hold and bond with him, but no one else could. He is ours, but we don't get to take him home until Monday after he is "fixed" tomorrow, de-wormed, and all that fun stuff that was included with the adoption.

Meet Pepper

He smiles! :)

Holding him like a baby...

Pepper's sister was adopted, too, by another family so they got to stay together today until they are both sent home with their new family Monday. Pepper (our puppy) is the one sleeping on the right and his sister Piper is on the left.

Pepper outside with his mom before we adopted him

Our 1st picture with our 1st puppy

We love him!

Then we had to put him back with his sister and say goodbye until Monday. I already miss our little guy (he is only 3lbs right now) and can't wait to see how he runs around and masters the stairs at our house. I'm sure we'll have more pictures and videos coming soon.

Juice PLUS+

We are now official Wellness Coordinators for Juice Plus+. Juli first heard about Juice Plus+ from a close family friend who she babysat her young kids for 7 years. Their whole family took Juice Plus+, and she could see the difference between their health and her health through the years. We also thought Juice Plus+ was a great nutritional "product" to market through My Gym, however, now we want to share our knowledge with the ones we love - our friends and family. Learning about Juice Plus+ changed our mindset toward more healthy eating, but we still don’t come close to getting the daily recommended 7 to 13 servings of fruits and vegetables. We honestly don’t know anyone who does. Since we have added Juice Plus+ to our diet this year, we feel good knowing that we're complementing our diet with added nutrition from 17 different fruits, vegetables and grains, every single day, and we are already noting the benefits. We believe in Juice Plus+, and we'd love to share more of our experiences or answer any of your questions about the most thoroughly researched whole food concentrate in the world. This is not just a business for us because once we understood the value of nutrition, we felt a responsibility to share this knowledge with other families.

MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (AND ANSWERS) ABOUT JUICE PLUS+

1. WHAT IS JUICE PLUS+?

· Juice Plus+ delivers key phytonutrients that are absorbed by the body.

§ (bioavailability – n. The degree or rate to which a substance is absorbed or becomes available at the site of physiological activity.)

§ (antioxidant – n. A substance such as vitamin E, vitamin C, or beta carotene that protects body cells from the damaging effects of oxidation.)

· Juice Plus+ reduces oxidative stress caused by free radicals.

§ (oxidative stress – n. Physiological stress on the body that is caused by the cumulative damage done by free radicals –oxidants- inadequately neutralized by antioxidants.)

· Juice Plus+ positively impacts markers of systemic inflammation.

§ (systemic inflammation – n. Protective response by tissues throughout the body to injury or destruction.)

· Juice Plus+ helps support a healthy immune system.

§ (immune system – n. The integrated body system of organs, tissues, cells, and cell products that protects the body from potentially harmful organisms, cells, or substances.)

· Juice Plus+ helps protect the structural integrity of DNA.

§ (DNA – n. Deoxyribonucleic acid, a nucleic acid molecule that carries the cell’s genetic information and hereditary characteristics.)

· Juice Plus+ promotes cardiovascular wellness.

§ (cardiovascular – adj. The body system of, relating to, or involving the heart and blood vessels.)

2. WHAT SEPARATES JUICE PLUS+ FROM THE THOUSANDS OF OTHER NUTRITIONAL PRODUCTS ON THE MARKET TODAY? Unlike traditional vitamin supplements, Juice Plus+ provides whole food based nutrition from 17 different fruits, vegetables, and grains in convenient and inexpensive capsule form (or chewable for kids). Unlike most diet and nutrition products, Juice Plus+ is backed by numerous scientific studies conducted specifically on our product.

3. WHAT DOES IT COST? I’ve found if people can’t afford to stay healthy, they really can’t afford to be sick. It’s amazing how doctors’ visits and medications can add up. At less than $1.50 per day, Juice Plus+ is less than a cup of coffee or a bottle of water. Each carton contains a 4-month supply of Juice Plus+ capsules - 4 bottles of Garden Blend and 4 bottles of Orchard Blend - shipped to you in full and payable in 4 monthly installments for $41.75 a month. Juice Plus+ Soft Chews and Juice Plus+ Complete shakes are available with pricing in the store portion of our website: http://www.mygymtakesjuiceplus.com/

4. WHY DO I NEED JUICE PLUS+? I ALREADY TAKE VITAMINS. Juice Plus+ is very, very different from vitamins. It’s whole food based, so you are getting the benefit of thousands of plant nutrients that are not present in multivitamins.

5. WHY DO I NEED JUICE PLUS+? I EAT LOTS OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. That’s great! I strive to eat 7 to 13 servings a day, too, but like most people I find that impossible to do. And I definitely don’t eat the variety I should, like kale and beets… Do you like beets? I see Juice Plus+ as an insurance policy that complements my diet every day.

6. IS JUICE PLUS+ A SUBSTITUTE FOR FRUITS AND VEGETABLES? No! Everyone should try to eat as many servings of fruits and vegetables as they can, every day, as recommended by nutrition professionals. Juice Plus+ complements your diet and helps you “bridge the gap” between what you should eat and what you actually eat every day.

7. HOW IS JUICE PLUS+ MADE? Juice Plus+ is made from fresh, high quality fruits and vegetables, and is carefully tested to ensure that no pesticides or other contaminants affect the natural purity of the product. These fruits and vegetables are juiced, and the juices are then concentrated into powders using a proprietary, low-temperature process. We carefully monitor to ensure that our all-natural ingredients are not exposed to the high temperatures that can destroy much of the nutritional value of fruits and vegetables, as when they are over cooked. Juice Plus+ Orchard Blend is made from 7 different fruits (apple, orange, pineapple, cranberry, papaya, peach, and acerola cherry), and Juice Plus+ Garden Blend is made from 10 different vegetables and grains (carrot, parsley, beet, kale, broccoli, cabbage, spinach, tomato, oat bran, and brown rice bran).

8. IS THERE A WAY I CAN GET JUICE PLUS+ FREE FOR MY CHILDREN? I want to introduce the Children’s Health Study: a large-scale, multi-year survey designed to formally document the effects Juice Plus+ has on the health and well-being of families who take it. The way it works is simple. For every parent, grandparent, or other adult who signs up as a Juice Plus+ customer, the study provides Juice Plus+ Orchard Blend and Juice Plus+ Garden Blend free to a child, teenager, or college student for up to three years. At various intervals – after 4-8 months and then at the end of each year - adult participants are asked to fill out a voluntary survey to determine whether (and how) their family’s health habits have changed as a result of taking Juice Plus+. Learn more at: http://www.childrenshealthstudy.com/

We are having our first Wellness Presentation at My Gym to explain Juice Plus+ on Friday, June 24th from 6:00-7:00pm and Monday, June 27th from 5:30-6:30pm. Children up to age 10 will be able to play at My Gym (www.mygym.com/arvada) for free during the Wellness Presentation. Anyone who may not be able to attend but is interested in learning more about Juice Plus+ may email us at thomasandjuli@gmail.com, check out our website http://www.mygymtakesjuiceplus.com/, or call Juli at 407-620-2128.

Positive Feedback

Our My Gym members LOVE the new facility! We wanted to use their excitement to tell their friends, so we took the opportunity this week to hand them a survey card that read: "Our BEST form of advertising is Word Of Mouth! We need your help to tell you friends about our new facility and the wonderful programs we offer here at My Gym. What would entice you to bring your friends more often? Please circle an option below or use the back of this card for your own thoughts on how to share the gift of My Gym with your friends (and you benefit by doing so). Their choices were:

• Friend-referral My Gym Bucks towards classes, parties and/or products.


• Being able to bring your friends to Free Play with you for a small charge.


• More Open Houses or events to bring friends to.

We are still collecting the cards for a few more days and then will think of what specials we will run leading up to our Relocation Celebration (Open House) in July.

On a side note, have I mentioned before how much I love my product display (I posted a picture on my last post). We sold $69 in product (Melissa & Doug toys, My Gym T-shirts, frisbees and sippy cups) our first 3 days of being open. That is equivalent to a one-month payment of an enrolled child.

I'm also so proud of my staff! I have seen the new My Gym bring out a sense of excitement and confidence in them while they are teaching classes. In fact, we just received a really nice e-mail today from a member who hasn't even attended her class yet this week (she comes Saturdays). This is a wonderful, "random" testimonial that means so much to me in regards to my business and my staff.

"We are excited to see the new space. We want to thank you for the quality
classes you have provide us for the past year. We are willing to drive
from Firestone just for her to have that experience. My background is in
Early Childhood Education (prior to giving it up for the corporate world)
and I know what to look for in a good early childhood program. Sara has
learned so much from the classes and we have enjoyed watching her grow.
Keep up the good work and please tell the staff we are very pleased."

Ready to re-open!

The re-location process of our My Gym started last Monday afternoon and we worked all day everyday until late Sunday night to be able to have Memorial Day off and then re-open for business on Tuesday, May 31st. On Friday, we signed the construction completion form for the new facility and handed over the keys of our old space for them to start demo/construction over there tomorrow. I never thought I would be so sad to walk out of the place that made me the youngest My Gym owner (so far), but I was overjoyed to walk 11 doors down and open the door to our brand-new, dream come true My Gym. It's OURS... it's FREE! Talk about flipping a business. :) We are so blessed and excited for all of our customers to see our hard work and start telling their friends about My Gym!

Ta Da!!!

artwork

artwork

My dad happened to be working out here the week we moved, and he helped hang my product wall (a.k.a. The Money Wall). I really like how it turned out! We are selling Melissa & Doug puzzles and toys along with some My Gym T-shirts, frisbees and sippy cups.

Our storage room is the one place we did put some of our own money into this project. I wanted to take the opportunity to really organize everything and make the most out of all the space we had. All the cars and worms hanging above the swings used to be a mess on a shelf, taking up so much room and making it very difficult to easily use and put away during classes. Since we bought everything in time, the construction workers still installed it for us. I love me some organization!

And then there were 5...

We just hired another staff member who will start with us in our new facility. She is currently going to college out of state and is just home for the summer, but that is only the time-frame that we need help. She will just be an assistant teacher and work a lot of Summer Camp shifts (we won't train her to work birthday parties). Her interview was last Thursday and she came in for a staff meeting today. Dustin has been with us for a year and Jill has been with us for 6 months, so hopefully Liz will still click with all of us these next 3 months. After tomorrow morning's shift, our staff will be off for a week while we move the gym. Below are the most updated pictures of the new space.

Lobby carpet (instead of tile).

The blue rug is only there while workers are in and out.

Hallway and bathroom tile


We now have a water fountain
instead of a water dispenser
(no more buying cups!)



The bathroom
(the white is a "splash guard")

Last Friday, all the floors were done, poles were painted white, and the 2nd coat of paint went on the walls.

Change of Plans

Plans have to be expected to change when dealing with construction. We were planning on closing Wednesday, May 24th and be open on Wednesday, June 1st. However, we are not on schedule - we are AHEAD of schedule. We will now be closed Tuesday, May 23rd - Monday, May 30th and be open in our new facility on Tuesday, May 31st! All the equipment will be moved, and then the inspections should be done by Friday, May 26th. We will have plenty of time over the Memorial Day weekend to organize the office and storage room, hang signs and photos, "decorate" the bathroom, etc. It's getting close!

Day 1 of Painting (5/17/11)

Back hallway

Bathroom door

Ceiling completed

Day 1 of Carpet (5/18/11)

...waiting for the putty to dry, be sanded and painted again

Update Part 2

We were up at 5:30 this morning to head to work WAY early to meet with the construction company before they started work. We met with the "head guy" who is there everyday, and we purposely delayed the other two workers who were there just as early to start putting up the walls around the swing support system poles. All the drywall materials were there, too. After about a 15min conversation, the two workers were told to start on another project. The new walls were nixed! We just needed to figure out the logistics of this huge change... and that was more complicated than we thought. The construction company are not going to be able to credit anything to our account to go towards the square padding we now need. Their argument is that they still had to pay the two workers for an all day shift, it'll cost for someone to come pick up the unused supplies, and the restocking fee of the supplies is no where near the price you pay for them. They said it'll pretty much be a wash. We went ahead and purchased the padding today, with a special My Gym discount. They were just under $700. We would like to see if the construction company/our landlord will negotiate with us on the actual moving costs. We are willing to move most of our equipment and put in some more hard labor for them to cover the padding cost. If they are not willing to adjust the budget or negotiate something, $700 is a lot out of our bank account, but it's not a lot for a free $75,000 brand-new location. I'm at peace about the decision either way because this new design is going to open up the gym so much more and be a lot easier to work around everyday (rather than cut-out walls indenting into the gym floor). The only thing I'm worried about is the arrival time of the 4 custom-made pads for the poles. Best case scenario, they will arrive the day of or day before we re-open. Worst case scenario, we will be open for a few days without the padding, and we'll have to come up with a creative set-up with our current equipment to protect the kids from the 4 inch metal poles that will be around the play area. Needless to say, we won't let this construction change push back our moving date. We will be closed May 25th - 31st to move and then open in our new space on Wednesday, June 1st. We really cannot wait!

New Location Update

Week of May 2nd:

The steal beams were delivered Wednesday.

This picture also shows how close we are moving from where we are now down in the corner (only 11 doors down).

Space Flight pole
(we brought in the padding to make sure it fit)

Swing support system is finished

Closer look at the swing support system

(it'll be covered by ceiling tiles soon)

On either side of the swing support system, there are two steal poles holding it up. They are bolted to the ground and bolted and welded in the ceiling. We have this same structure in our current space, but they are hidden behind a 6 inch cut out wall. The blueprints of the new space say that the walls to cover these poles will be 8 inches. We went in the new space Friday night once everything was complete, and we were frustrated that the measurements were off. The poles are too far away from the wall to be covered by only an 8 inch wall - it's going to take a 2 foot wall. When the construction company told us that the walls were going to be a little bit bigger than the ones we currently have, we never imaged it would go from 6 inches to 24 inches! We emailed our construction contact over the weekend and have set up a 7am appointment with them tomorrow (Monday) morning before any work starts. The drywall and everything to build the walls is already in the space ready to be started tomorrow. With seeing how much a 2 foot wall will 1. eat into the gym floor space, 2. be really hard to set-up our equipment around and 3. not be safe (kids could run into a 2 foot cut out wall, we have decided we rather have a padding around the 4 poles (like the space flight pole) rather than the walls. We hope that the construction company will pay for the padding since their measurement mistake it really wrong. We also hope that this doesn't effect the estimated move date (set to start on May 25th to be re-opened on June 1st). This isn't the first hic-up (they didn't order enough lobby carpet), so we hope that they are completely fine with our change of plans (and that they ordered enough gym floor carpet for us eliminate that walls). We'll keep you posted...