Episode 16: A Whole Lot of Life and Advice with Andy Petranek

With each passing year, the CrossFit industry gets older – which is typically how that sort of thing goes.

But, as the industry ages, there are more and more experts who come out of the woodwork. Businesses are reaching the double digits, and Affiliates have a lot of experiences that they are willing to share. One of those wealths of knowledge is Andy Petranek, the founder of CrossFit LA and the co-founder of the Whole Life Challenge.

In this episode, he shares his journey with editor Heather Hartmann on how he came into the industry, as well as his evolution of life and business. And he never would have guessed as a college geology major that one day he’d be running an online wellness challenge with 20,000 participants per challenge. Listen to the show below, laugh with Petranek and Hartmann, and learn from the 10-plus years Petranek has had in the industry.

Show Notes

• What is Petranek up to now?
• The path he took from being a classically trained trumpet player to owning a CrossFit.
• Why Petranek got fired by his hairstylist.
• How he used a 5K to prove CrossFit works.
• Behind the conception of CrossFit LA and Petranek’s business choices.
• His definition of a business (hint: It doesn’t involve you).
• How CrossFit LA finally captured — and kept — clients.
• How one becomes the “highest paid slave” and how to get out of it.
• The power of the contract.
• Why CrossFit LA was a black sheep of OG CrossFit Boxes.
• The days of the Box that resembled the TV show, “Cheers.”
• Hartmann and Petranek go on a tangent involving the Peanuts teacher.
• It was about a three-year process of Andy selling the gym.
• How to use $1,000 to keep people accountable.
• What the Whole Life Challenge is and focuses on.
• Where Petranek got his “wellness” mentality.
• Why the Whole Life Challenge is more than just a “nutrition” challenge.
• The idea behind everyone starting the challenge at the same time.
• Another tangent, this time about unicycling.
• Powerful final advice to you, the business owner.
• Links that Hartmann promised: wholelifechallenge.com, Andy’s Instagram