Hidden Gems: Meet Spencer Smith of CrossFit Donelson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Spencer Smith.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I found CrossFit in 2014, and fell in love with both the workouts and the atmosphere. I attended my Level 1 CrossFit trainer seminar a year later purely for fun and self-improvement, but soon after that, the coaches at CrossFit Mt. Juliet were asking me if I was interested in learning to coach. After 4 years of coaching there, gradually increasing in my class load and responsibilities, I decided it was time to start my own gym closer to the home my wife and I had recently bought (in Donelson).

So we opened CrossFit Donelson at 219 Shady Grove Road, and have been focused on bringing fitness and health to our local community for the past 6 years.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Definitely not! I think starting and/or owning a business is one of the hardest things anyone can do, but I know from personal experience that owning a CrossFit gym is a particularly difficult endeavor. Our biggest struggle has mostly been achieving the growth that we need. We’ve almost closed our doors on at least one occasion, but have managed to survive and grow, thanks in large part to our amazing mentors at Best Hour of Their Day, a CrossFit-specific business coaching company (even coaches need coaches, right?). We’re still facing struggles on a regular basis, but each day is an opportunity to learn, adapt, and improve.

As you know, we’re big fans of CrossFit Donelson. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Our business is CrossFit Donelson. For those who don’t know about the CrossFit brand, it’s structured in an affiliate model, which is different than a franchise and allows for much more individual freedom in each business owner’s choices. Essentially, each CrossFit gym you go to will be different, tailored to the needs of its staff and clients. We operate our business in the way we think is best, with minimal requirements from CrossFit HQ.

We specialize in fitness, and our core values are community, integrity, and virtuosity (excellence in all things). Our mission is to help our gym members become healthier and happier, and we do that through the methodology of CrossFit and the expertise of our coaches. Although CrossFit often has a representation for being exclusive and only for young, competitive athletes, we continually focus on health, longevity, and consistency. We want the fitness that people develop from their training sessions to make every other aspect of their life better.

We’ve worked hard to cultivate an encouraging and supportive atmosphere, and we share our victories and struggles with each other, both inside and outside the walls of the gym. I’m proud of this culture, and the family that has developed that among our members. For many of them, CrossFit Donelson is their second home, a refuge from the storms of life.

In terms of services, we are most known for our hour-long group classes, but we also offer 1-on-1 nutrition coaching and personal training. Our coaches specialize in functional movement, and they participate in continuing education both through our own coaching development and from experts outside our organization.

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I was very energetic and curious – I was one of the few kids who actually enjoyed school and studying! But I also liked both sports and video games. As far as I can remember, I’ve always been an extrovert, which is still true, because one of the best parts of coaching and operating the gym is getting to interact with many of my favorite people on a daily basis. Some of my clients think it’s funny how lively I am during early morning classes, even though I don’t drink coffee.

I grew up in Athens, Georgia, with my parents, one older brother, and three older sisters. We’re still very close with each other, especially since our dad passed away 3 years ago. Thankfully, our mom is still here, and she’s always been the best mom I could ask for.

I studied percussion in college, and aside from a brief stint as a ballroom dance instructor after graduation, I was a musician for several years, which is initially what brought me to Nashville. I found CrossFit around the same time that my music career slowed down (and my wife and I were expecting our first child), so opening CFD seemed like the right opportunity at the right time.

Pricing:

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Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.crossfitdonelson.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crossfitdonelson/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CrossFitDonelson
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/crossfit-donelson-nashville