In this episode of the Climbing Gym Growth Podcast, I talk with Nicole Jolyn, General Manager of Alaska Rock Gym, about her first year leading one of the most established climbing gyms in the U.S.
Nicole shares what she’s learned - from refining staff roles and marketing systems to strengthening programming and community connection in Anchorage’s unique climbing scene.
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Show Notes:00:00 – Nicole’s path from Colorado to Alaska Rock Gym
02:00 – Overview of Alaska Rock Gym’s size, growth, and unique market
05:00 – Building a management team and defining clear roles
10:00 – Creating new positions to support staff growth and culture
15:00 – Marketing strategy: old school mailers and tracking ROI
22:00 – How to measuring social media impact
32:00 – Programming changes and rebuilding weekend engagement
39:00 – Reducing churn through connection, accountability, and culture
53:00 – Final advice: build real relationships with your members
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Listen to the full podcast:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0T41CYU1Eo1zJewskFklsB
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/climbing-gym-growth-podcast/id1835576139
Follow on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/climbinggymgrowth
In this episode of the Climbing Gym Growth Podcast, I talk with Jonathan Brandt of Shift Climbing about how they’ve built a growth-oriented gym culture and how their competitive advantage is based on the concept of Enlightened Hospitality.
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Show Notes:
00:00 – Jonathan’s path from climber to gym founder
02:00 – Launching Shift Climbing & early challenges
05:00 – Using content to build brand & buzz
10:00 – Lessons from opening week
17:00 – Hiring through culture-first systems
23:00 – Enlightened hospitality in action
28:00 – Building a growth-oriented team
33:00 – Authentic sales & member connection
39:00 – Circuits, education, and community
47:00 – Redefining success at Shift Climbing
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Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@climbinggymgrowth
Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/climbinggymgrowth
Check us out at: https://climbinggymgrowth.com/
In this episode of the Climbing Gym Growth Podcast, I sit down with Jesse Cheers and Brad Mathisen from Appalachian Bouldering Center in Bristol, TN.
We talk about how they went from just 30 local climbers in their community to building a climbing gym with over 300 members in just 2 years. From overcoming construction hurdles to building a welcoming culture, this is a must-watch for anyone interested in learning how climbing gyms grow and succeed.
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Show Notes:00:00 – ABC’s origin story
04:20 – Why bouldering + connecting to outdoor climbing
07:30 – Build-out challenges & contractor lessons
15:00 – Opening day: 200+ visitors & early growth
23:20 – Community, culture & no gatekeeping
31:20 – Key advice for new gym owners
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Watch on Youtube: https://youtu.be/3IZPwBFV6-8
Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/climbinggymgrowth
Or check us out at: https://climbinggymgrowth.com/