Andrew Coffey returns to the podcast to talk about where The Hive is today, nearly 15 years after opening his first gym.

We dive into The Hive's current renovation, how competition has changed over the past decade, why market research has become essential, and what Andrew believes the next five years look like for climbing gyms.

Whether you're opening your first gym or operating multiple locations, this episode is packed with practical lessons on design, marketing, retention, and long-term sustainability.

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Chapters:

01:26 - Renovating The Hive's North Shore location

12:57 - Gathering community feedback before a renovation

16:35 - Training areas, boards & fitness space decisions

18:31 - The cost of closing a gym for renovations

22:16 - Lessons from designing climbing gyms for 15 years

29:55 - How competition has changed over the past decade

34:32 - Building new climbers instead of competing for existing ones

35:18 - Simplifying vs. expanding as a business

38:05 - Market research that changed The Hive's marketing strategy

41:53 - Measuring marketing ROI

44:32 - What happens after someone's first visit?

49:07 - Inflation, rising costs & pricing challenges

53:44 - Predictions for the next five years of climbing gyms

59:22 - Why profitability matters more than ever

01:02:17 - Hiring, leadership & building a great team

01:06:18 - Finding the "one thing" that moves the business forward

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Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@climbinggymgrowth

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