Raleigh CrossFit

Raleigh CrossFit opened in 2010. Owner Chennelle Miller shares about her Box located in Raleigh, North Carolina, below.

Business Breakdown:

• Approximately 200 members
• 10,000 square feet
• Average cost of membership is $165
• 15 staff, including one owner, an intern and 15 part-time coaches

Box Pro: Describe your business. What makes your Box unique/stand out from the rest? 

Raleigh CrossFit is equal opportunity driven. We are a community Affiliate and the only Affiliate in downtown Raleigh. We are also the only Affiliate in Raleigh to be approaching nine years under the same ownership and Affiliate name.

BP: How did you get involved in CrossFit? What were your greatest challenges in opening your Box? 

I started doing CrossFit in 2007 at CrossFit Milford to prepare for the Raleigh Police Academy. I continued when I moved to Raleigh in 2008 and throughout the academy. After two years with the police department, I decided I wanted to open my own Affiliate.

The greatest challenge has been confidence. Of course you believe in yourself that you can open and run a facility, but having confidence and trusting in your decisions is a hard thing, in my opinion. I’d also say learning to coach. I had no CrossFit coaching experience when I started, so I tried to stay within my means of what I knew and then did as many certifications as I could, and I applied each one as I learned more.

BP: How would you describe yourself as an Affiliate? What makes you as a person unique? 

My wife and I are the co-owners of Raleigh CrossFit, which is also very unique I believe. It seems more heard of to have a husband-wife dynamic. So the fact that we are a duo wife-wife is unique, not just a female owned and operated Affiliate. I don’t know the numbers on that, but it would be interesting to know, just for fun. We have three kids, including a two-year-old little girl and five-year-old twin boys.

BP: Who or what do you contribute your success to? 

The Coaches and community that have been with us since we started. We have several Coaches and several athletes who continue to support us. I believe that is rare and to me, very special. I also believe our coaching team, myself included, has a commitment to always staying humble and pushing themselves to learn as much as they can and to be open to ideas and feedback. 

BP: What is one lesson you have learned that other Affiliates would find beneficial?

You can’t take people leaving personally. Of course I want to understand why, but also understand people should be happy doing fitness, and if that means changing up what they do or where they do it, then trust it is better in the long run. Also, everything matters from the small pieces of toilet paper on the floor and hair balls to unevenly stacked weights; it all matters. The details matter and impact reputation. Hold a high standard in all areas.

BP: What is one program you do exceptionally well? Why?

Our main focus is CrossFit. Our community wants to be the best it can be. We prioritize safety and fun. We all want to be healthy and train to train another day with the goals of being functionally fit for life. 

If able, please list the companies you work closest with in the following areas:

• Equipment: Rogue, C2, Assault, Schwinn, Again Faster, Pendlay, my dad
• Software: MINDBODY (membership database) and SugarWOD (sharing of programming; I write the programming and input it)
• Website resources: FatCow, GoDaddy, Bright Coconut
• Functional accessories: CrossOver Symmetry, Foam rollers, lacrosse balls, bands of various types and resistances, jump ropes