Shawn Stewart on Being Better Than Yesterday – Episode 28

What did Shawn Stewart do in the middle of a pandemic?

He acquired a health club, Fuel Fitness.

In this episode of the Club Solutions Magazine podcast, host Rachel Zabonick-Chonko chats with Stewart, the owner of CSS Fitness Holdings and Fuel Fitness, on leadership, culture, ownership and more. They wind through Stewart’s journey from Gainesville Health and Fitness to O2 Fitness and beyond. They discuss other topics including burnout and fun facts about Stewart’s first job at Disney.

Show Notes from the Discussion with Shawn Stewart

• Stewart on his experience being at Gainesville Health and Fitness for 20 years.
• His biggest takeaway involves the investment in people he saw while there.
• He believes all great companies are built on a three-tiered pyramid. Stewart breaks down those tiers.
• What every operator says at one time or another. Hint: it involves ownership.
• It was a veterinarian who took Stewart to Raleigh, North Carolina, where he got involved with O2 Fitness.
• The thing that sealed the deal for opening his own gym involved taking some time off.
• Playing a consulting role in the pandemic and reflecting on “what’s next” led to Stewart acquiring Fuel Fitness.
• What it took to sell and connect with the community on a health club’s benefits during a pandemic.
• Last year, Stewart rented a cabin for two months. It was a getaway to do one specific thing.
• While you know something may work, it’s good to look at it again and ask, “Is there a better way?”
• The thing that Stewart took away the most from his time at O2 Fitness deals with time management.
• Stewart is asking what technologies they can bring on to Fuel Fitness when it comes to systematizing.
• Why you need someone to be challenging you to constantly be learning.
• What every leader in Fuel Fitness is responsible for.
• Why Stewart has only hired cleaners for 27 years.
• Surround yourself with these certain kind of people.
• Why it’s OK to say no to something that only checks 99% of the boxes.
• Stewart couldn’t feel better about the state of the industry than he does moving forward, and here’s why.
• A fun fact about Stewart’s time working for Disney.
• Why you may have missed a superstar hire — hint: it has to do with developing versus hiring the perfect person.

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