In Affiliation
January 01, 2010

Jeremy Thiel from CrossFit Central in Austin, Texas, says the key to thriving is to understand what an affiliate is and is not, then pursue excellence in every way.
Your affiliate is your business. It is not a cookie-cutter replica of someone else’s gym. No one is telling you how to operate, how to program and how to look. That’s both a huge opportunity and a huge burden. Your success is up to you.
This kind of challenge fires me up. I decide how well I do. I’m ambitious, and the freedom that CrossFit HQ gives all of us puts no limit on how well I can do. The relationship between HQ and the affiliates is not a hierarchical structure like you might see in other businesses. We are free to communicate across the lines to anyone who will freely and openly communicate with us.
CrossFit HQ doesn’t tell me how to run my business, and to that I say, “Hell, yes!” I have the opportunity to do what I love in a free and open market. If you’re an affiliate asking for regulation, get over it. Go sign up for a franchise where you will experience both the hierarchy and the heavy tax burden of monthly franchise fees. That’s not what the CrossFit affiliate program is about.
Our customers determine our success. Not other affiliates, and certainly not HQ. I have no fear about what any other current or future affiliate does because they can’t affect the two things that make our business strong: the relationships my trainers and I have with our clients and the results our athletes get from training with us.

15 Comments on “How to Succeed as a CrossFit Affiliate”
1
Aaron Shaffer wrote …
Nice work Jeremy!
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2
wrote …
Awesome stuff Jeremy. Love the pyramid and your description of everything in it. Thanks for sharing it with us.
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3
wrote …
Thanks Jeremy, you guys are a great model for excellence in this community, keep it up!
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4
Web Smith wrote …
Jeremy is right on...it seems like affiliates that buy into the idea of CrossFit Culture/Business "homeostasis" continue to succeed. Good article.
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5
wrote …
As a partner in a fairly new affiliate here in Lake Tahoe, I couldn't agree more with your analysis and perspective. I'm printing copies of this for my partners and our trainers. Balance is the key, as well as a commitment to excellence and integrity. Thanks for a great template!
Sincerely,
Tim Anderson
South Tahoe Crossfit
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6
Frank DiMeo wrote …
Jeremy--
Great article!
Those are excellents insights.
The part about the trash talking and ripping up other affiliates was right on the mark!
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7
wrote …
Great Article?
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8
wrote …
Great Article!!!!!
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9
Andrea Martinec wrote …
What a great article! I too am going to share this will fellow coaches and partners!
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10
wrote …
Awesome article Jeremy. Thanks for sharing.
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11
wrote …
Very well said... IMHO, this article and Craig Silverman's 'Asshole Barrier'go a long way in defining what is great about the CF community. Thanks Jeremy.
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12
wrote …
Outstanding article.
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13
wrote …
Your last paragraph it the nail right on the head. I wish you great success!
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14
wrote …
Bravo Jeremy, you set an inspiring example, congrats on your success. Paul
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15
wrote …
I agree with you Jeremy, Crossfit really excel with affiliates, i really love the affiliate maps they have too.
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