12th Times the Charm - WCU Grad Looks to Redefine “Gym Culture”

Know someone who’s taking an innovative approach to the mantra, “Follow your dream?” I’d love to share their story. Thank you to Benchmark Federal Credit Union for making this expanded content possible.

Tyler Haines graduated from West Chester University in 2017 with a degree in finance and economics. He went on to earn his MBA from Eastern University and then spent a year as a strength and conditioning coach, followed by another working in mergers and acquisitions. It’s not a usual career trajectory but one Tyler found useful in homing in on his true calling.

“Embrace exploration and experimentation,” he shared with the West Chester Alumni Association in an interview earlier this year.  “It's essential to not only identify what you're passionate about but also to understand what you don't want in your career.” 

I met Tyler earlier this summer as he was very much on that journey. He was busy getting ready to open the Fitness Factory, West Chester’s newest gym - and Tyler’s vision for what the perfect workout should be - and what it shouldn’t.

Mindset is Everything Choose Positivity

That vision is as much about the machines, and there are plenty, as it is about the people. Tyler envisions Fitness Factory as a place where all kinds of people - free weight people, elliptical people, yoga at sunrise people - can go to work out and hang out.   

“Downtown West Chester is what we’re trying to be,” he says as we chat business strategy in the Fitness Factory lobby which will eventually have couches and tables where you can catch up on work while you wait for a class. “We’re trying to build that comradery, that team feel,” he says. 

From the lobby, we enter the gym spaces, still a work in progress, they are a disconnect from the glossy feel of the marketing materials and newly built website. Instead, the painted cinderblock walls of the old hardware store and hanging fluorescent lights give the space an industrial feel. There is one room for free weights, one for machines, and another for your treadmills, exercise bikes, and ellipticals. In the back, once a storage area, there are cold plunge tubs and a couple of free-standing saunas. Effective, sure. Spa-like? No. It’s easy to understand the concept; it’s not as easy to see it in the half-finished industrial spaces. 

Small Steps In the Right Direction are Better Than Big Jumps the Wrong Way

But as we walk through the various rooms (“We have so much space,” Tyler says) something shifts. While the practical part of me continues to calculate the amount of work still to be done, the big idea side of me starts to get the vision. A one-stop shop for all your fitness needs, leave your physical therapist appointment on the upper level and immediately knock out your PT exercises on the lower? That would be convenient. A fitness plan that helps you build, perform, maintain, and recover? Maybe I should start thinking about my workouts differently. A secret door to an outdoor yoga studio? That could be fun.  

Tyler has an energy about him that, despite the mountain of work yet to be done, makes you feel like this won’t be the last gym he opens. To purchase the space and open the gym, Tyler applied for a Small Business Administration loan. Securing this type of financing can be daunting. It is a complex and time-consuming process that requires extensive documentation. According to Forbes.com, just 31 percent of small business owners receive the funding they request. So how many times would you face rejection for your dream? Two? Three? Five? 

“I got it on my twelfth attempt,” says Tyler. 

Yes, there is still a way to go before reality aligns with vision, but each day brings more progress. Just this week, Tyler and the team announced a partnership with Empower U, a nonprofit providing fitness opportunities to individuals with disabilities. 

I was recently at a business seminar and someone suggested the only thing that sets entrepreneurs apart from other visionaries is perseverance or to quote the Fitness Factory Instagram page, “Strength isn’t what you can do, it’s overcoming the things you couldn’t.”    

“What am I going to be connected to for the rest of my life?” asks Tyler who already has plans for a second location by the beach. 

Fitness Factory is now open on 810 E. Market St. Check it out for yourself with a three-day free trial. Just call or text 610-216-3336 to get your pass. 

The only federal credit union to exclusively serve Chester County, Benchmark Federal Credit Union provides commercial lending products for local businesses. Clients can count on personalized service, local decision-making, and quick loan turnaround time. Benchmark FCU not only understands your business, but can provide a wide range of financial solutions, including commercial real estate-secured loans. We’re ready to be your trusted business banking partner. To learn more about our business banking solutions, visit http://www.benchmarkfcu.org.