Today we’d like to introduce you to Greg McCoy.
Greg, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I fell in love with fitness and training as a young kid. My mom used to take me to the gym with her and put me in the daycare. I remember seeing the strong guys and thinking they looked like my superhero idols and wanting to be big and strong when I grew up.
I played sports growing up, but found over time that I enjoyed training for sports more than I enjoyed sports. I thought it was awesome that between games you could isolate different parts of your performance and with focus, improve your game. Eventually, my love for training led me to hire a professional bodybuilder as a trainer and I trained with him for two years which eventually led to my first competition in 2006 at the age of 19. Throughout my years of learning that training was a passion of mine, I had also always been very interested in business. My Dad was my role model and I watched his discipline and success carefully growing up and wanted to be like him. He always encouraged me to think of ideas of how I could be successful.
Starting as early as probably 15 years old I began to dream about owning a gym. I would have long talks with my Dad about what my gym would be like. We would visit gym’s around town and see what other people were doing. He even connected me with one of his clients that had owned gyms in the past and he gave me great motivation before I left for college. I used college as a testing ground for my gym plans. Every group project I did revolved around my gym’s business plan. I had it all planned out that when I exited college I would train independently until I could open my own studio and eventually grow that into a full-scale gym. God had quicker plans for me. While in college I competed in bodybuilding once per year. I would move back home to Arlington in the summer and would often train at the original Metroflex Gym. I got to talking to the owner, Brian Dobson, who at the time was interested in growing Metroflex to multiple locations.
We began to make plans and with some hard work, and a significant amount of luck I was able to open my first gym, Metroflex Plano, at 22 years old on January 1, 2009. I was the gym’s only employee for ten months. I worked seven days per week, all day, and loved it. My Dad would consistently drive almost an hour in the mornings to come help me. After about 1 year the gym was growing and I was able to start bringing on staff. The most important thing developing though was a vibrant community of people. At the time there were only big-box gym’s in North Dallas, or if they were boutiques they were definitely not focused on hardcore hard training. We found our place and were a magnet for people that loved to train hard, didn’t mind that the gym wasn’t air-conditioned, and enjoyed the camaraderie of a small gym. It was at that time that I really developed my skills and popularity as a trainer.
In 2011 when the economy was still recovering my Dad and I was investigating if we could get out of the lease I was in. We started researching metal buildings and eventually came to the conclusion that with the right plan we could build something that would have equity and cost the same or less than I was paying to rent in my first location. We eventually made those plans a reality, purchased a plot of land and began the planning of a new building. To make the cost make sense and take pressure off the gym I began shopping for tenants that would be great compliments to the gym business. I eventually landed on Ultimate Sports Nutrition and Fit Gear Republic. With the gym as the centerpiece to the building, these two businesses would make for a fitness enthusiast one-stop-shop! As we had meetings we were having a tough time referring to the building as “Metroflex, Ultimate Sports, Fit Gear” – as that doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. We brainstormed as a team and eventually landed on the name Destination. The building of destination was the most fun, but also toughest project I’ve ever taken on.
There were architectural decisions, tons of planning, lots of work with the city, and lots of delays and unforeseen costs. From the date of buying the land to opening destination, it took more than 2.5 years. The community at Metroflex was overflowing from the gym, it couldn’t have been timelier to open a bigger facility. Throughout the years at Metroflex we had also built a big name for ourselves, attracting consistent photoshoot from every major media publication, and many of the industry’s biggest supplement brands. For a 5k square foot gym in the industrial part of Plano, we had literally had just about anyone that was anyone step foot into that place. When we made the move to the new building the momentum ramped up fast! In less that one year though it became apparent for a few reasons that it was time to leave the Metroflex brand and begin a brand of my own.
By that point, I had taken on business partners who were also owner’s of two apparel brands. Together we shifted from referring to the building as a destination, and named the gym destination, dropping many of the subtitles that built the concept from the beginning. The next five years flew by and destination grew into a super facility. We had an excellent team of trainers, a strong knit community, and were known for our fun and exciting event schedule. From 2016 – 2018 though I began to work less and less on the gym business that I had loved from a young age and worked with my business partners in their apparel business. I eventually made a decision to trade my equity in the gym for equity in their larger global business, which is a decision I regret to this day. It didn’t take me long to realize I had made a mistake.
Not only was it a financially poor move, but I didn’t find anything inspiring about selling expensive clothing, and as my first time being a minority owner I felt much more like an employee with stock options than a free and creative entrepreneur. I didn’t believe in the leadership of the company I had joined on and was unhappy so I eventually made the toughest decision of my career to sell my equity and move on. The ultimate cost of that being losing destination. The gym I had literally grown from scratch since I was 22, into a world known gym, now belonged to someone else. To add insult to injury there was a very little financial reward for my exit. I needed a break from business ownership so I worked as an independent trainer for about 1 year. It was nice to be light on my feet but I was sick knowing that I had next to nothing to show for it, and destination was continuing on without me. There was a saving grace to this story though.
By 2018 real estate prices in the area and really increased. The land and building that Dad and I had planned as far back as 2011 had now appreciated greatly and we decided it was time to sell. My partners were unable to buy it, so we sold it to the owner of a local Judo school. Dad and I were on a motorcycle trip in Colorado when the deal was funded. It was a very cool moment. Suddenly the tides had turned and all those years of dreaming and working had turned into something very rewarding for both of us. I continued training clients and planning my next move. I had promised my self a one-year break and I almost made it. 11 months into “my break” I was contacted about a facility that was for sale. The facility was called “The Den” and a good friend of mine was one of the owners there. I had always liked the gym and had hosted photoshoots and several events there in the past. I like the layout and the fact that there was room for multiple disciplines under one roof. I prayed hard about this opportunity and was consumed by the idea of getting back into the gym business.
We worked hard to put a deal together and eventually my wife, Tawna and I purchased the gym. We had come up with the name Hidden Gym at a conversation at dinner as we described it to each other as a hidden gem. The more we played with the name and the branding possibilities the more we loved it. On March 1, 2019 [Hidden Gym] was born! Some may notice that our logo says established in 2009. Which pays homage to both Metroflex and destination. In our eyes, this is the same gym under its third name. My partners may move on with our former gym, but it’s a different vision and a different crowd. This community that we have been serving since 2009 belongs here. [Hidden Gym] is truly off the beaten path. You would never know approaching two double glass doors in a shopping center in Allen that 17k sq. ft. of training heaven rested on the other side. We have a fully equipped weight room with the majority of pieces being provided by Prime Fitness and Arsenal Strength. We have a fully equipped competitive powerlifting section.
Our boxing program, T Mack Elite Training, lead by famous Dallas boxer, Tony Mack is our most popular program. It’s a great cardio workout for those looking to stay in shape, but unlike other popular boxing chains, we actually train people to box. You can go from no experience to fighting in tournaments here. The marriage between real boxing and those using boxing for fitness is dynamic and creates a very great atmosphere. We host group classes, have a stable of excellent independent personal trainers all with different skill sets, and have a full selection of cardio machines. The centerpiece of the facility is 4k sq ft. of turf. We use it for classes, for athletic training, HIIT Training, sled pushes, battle ropes, and any other creative use you can think of! We also have a host of recovery and results enhancing services including Physical Therapy, Chiropractics, Hormone Therapy, IV Therapy, Submersion Body Fat Testing, Ozone Therapy and Stretch Therapy. We founded this gym under 3 core values: Community, Philanthropy and Education. Everything we do serves at least one of those core values and those will continue to be our themes into the future of [Hidden Gym]!
Has it been a smooth road?
While from the outside success may look smooth, being in the driver’s seat everyday it has certainly felt like a bumpy and wild ride. Different stages have brought about different struggles. In the early day of starting a gym from scratch, the hardships were what you could expect. I worked long hours for very little income. It wasn’t until about year four that I would’ve considered my monthly income worth the effort. One of the hardest things too about being in business for yourself is there’s no one to tell you what to do. Which is a double-edged sword. It can be awesome to be your own boss, but at the same time, it can be difficult to know what actions to take and where to spend your time.
Growing a business takes on challenges of its own. Once my team got above three people then a lot of my struggles were management and leadership related. It can be difficult to keep people on the same page, and managing people isn’t easy. With time this became one of my favorite parts of business ownership, but it certainly didn’t start that way.
By far the hardest thing I’ve dealt with is business partnerships. I was extremely unprepared for what was in store when I entered into a partnership. I regret not seeking more counsel and coaching when it was time to make that decision. My path would’ve been much straighter had I done so. But I do believe that we are forged by failures and struggles. I try to remember to be thankful for all the hardships I’ve endured because through those challenges I have become strong. It’s a perfect analogy to the weight room. To become stronger you must challenge your body to do something it’s never done. This is painful and hard. But your body recovers and adapts by becoming stronger. It’s the same in business. You push yourself and overcome hard challenges. With each passing challenge, your mind and actions adapt and become stronger.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
I’m most proud of [Hidden Gym]’s core values: Community, Education and Philanthropy. As long as we honor those three pillars we will have a gym that is unique and valuable to our members, friends, guests and local community.
We saw with the explosion of CrossFit how much people appreciated the communal aspect of those workouts. The training was, of course, important, but I think the community cultivation is really what drove that growth. We try hard to foster that same kind of connection amongst our members. There’s a ton of focus in the gym industry about driving connection between the club and the member, which is definitely important, but I think driving the connection between members is equally important.
I am a nerd by heart so seeking education has always been something I’ve been in to. I began hosting seminars back in 2009, and to be honest they were as much for me as they were for my members. I was really inspired by Dave Tate and his company Elite FTS whose motto is to Live. Learn. And Pass On. I’ve tried to imitate that in my daily life and in the building of our gym’s. We work hard to bring educational opportunities of all types: Member education to better their results, Business Coaching for our trainers and staff, Continuing education for our trainers, recovery seminars and workshops and more.
Lastly, I think giving back is a vital piece to our business. We believe fitness has the power to change the world, and we like to use it as a vehicle to help drive that change. My favorite quote is by Frederick Buchner which says “Our vocation in life is where our greatest passion meets the world’s greatest need.” That hit the nail on the head for me. Fitness is my greatest passion and I believe health and fitness is one of the world’s greatest needs. When you look at the continuing rise of the obesity epidemic, obesity in our youth, the increasing rate of mental health issues, the devastating effects of cardiovascular disease, and the list goes on. Exercise and diet could make a MAJOR dent in all of these. One personal passion I have, and we are working together on as a facility is using fitness as an accelerator to learning.
Neuroscientist have published statements saying that exercises impact on the brain is so powerful, that even if exercise didn’t benefit the body, it would still be worth doing for the cognitive benefits. Our school systems have continued to deprioritize physical education in hopes of raising student performance, but the opposite has occurred. One way we have tried to help is by connecting with after school facilities, our most notable being Readers 2 Leaders. Monthly we take trainers and fitness professionals to “Book Town” to provide and workout and talk to kids about the importance of physical activity. It’s our dream that we can insert daily workouts into the afterschool routine that are designed to enhance their tutoring results.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Yes, I think Dallas is an ideal market to be in the business of fitness. Because of the low cost of living, and healthy economy Dallas residence have more disposable income than many major cities. That’s more money they can dedicate to improving their health in the form of trainers, gym memberships, nutritionist, etc. It’s also worth noting that Dallas and Fort Worth usually rank pretty high in the fattest cities polls. That means that the DFW Metroplex needs our help!
Contact Info:
- Address: 109 N Greenville Ave Allen, Tx 75002
- Website: hiddengym.net and gregmccoy.net
- Phone: (469) 854-6414
- Email: greg@gregmccoy.net
- Instagram: instagram.com/hidden_gym
- Facebook: facebook.com/hiddengymtx
- Twitter: twitter.com/hiddengym09
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/hidden-gym-allen?uid=IUAAJLGpbjPHRHp8WD1p-g&utm_campaign=www_business_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct)
Image Credit:
Mike Lam
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