If You Pick the Wrong Market, It Won’t Work
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If You Pick the Wrong Market, It Won’t Work
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About this listen
In this episode of the Climbing Gym Growth Podcast, Chris Lopez chats with Ivan Vargas and Steve Bittner, co-owners of Mustangs Bouldering, for a conversation about market selection, risk, and how to break even.
Mustangs opened without SBA loans, without heavy marketing, and in a smaller market by making disciplined decisions around location, rent, and other expenses.
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Show Notes:
00:00 – Intro
04:00 – Backgrounds in climbing and the industry
07:30 – Searching for the right space
10:30 – Why Mustangs chose bouldering only
14:30 – Competition myths in smaller markets
18:30 – Organic growth vs paid marketing
23:30 – Route setting philosophy and surprise
27:30 – Churn, seasonality, and outdoorsy markets
35:30 – Designing for early break-even
41:30 – Building the gym themselves to survive
48:30 – The mental weight of ownership
56:30 – Hard advice: markets matter
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Check us out at: https://climbinggymgrowth.com/