Welcome to the The VICI Code, where we unlock real stories of small business owners who've battled chaos, crushed doubt, and conquered their challenges. Faith, family, and finances. No fluff, just raw, honest conversations that decode the path to victory, one story at a time. Hello, hello, and thank you for joining us as we explore yet another inspiring journey of purpose-driven leadership on the Vici Code. Today's guest is the founder of CrossFit Lou, a CrossFit gym located in East Syracuse, New York. From Watertown, New York, this coach believes CrossFit Lou can provide everyone with an experience that will motivate and inspire each person to become the healthiest version of themselves. I'm talking about L3 CrossFit coach and NSCA certified personal trainer, Pat Comerit. Pat and I met through a couple of mutual friends who happened to also be CrossFit Lou clients. I mentioned I was looking to take my fitness journey to the next step and they both, without knowing it, recommended I check out CrossFit Lou. When I first met Pat, I was about a year and a half into being sober from drugs and alcohol. Prior to that, I'd been partying quite hard for about a decade. I'd clean things up, and even though I was running about five times a week and weightlifting most days, I still sensed that there was a severe lack in conditioning in my life. I wanted to be able to really kind of save my family if I had to. I wanted to have to really build up that conditioning. Pat knew I was a Marine veteran, college athlete, and a lifelong competitor, but he took the time to understand my journey. He knew I was eager to perform at the prescribed workout weights, but he made sure I didn't risk injury by pushing too hard. He adjusted my weights down and encouraged me to scale my workouts before going full send. Ego checked. which really is critical to having success in CrossFit. You gotta drop the ego. We'll get into that later. Since then, I've made great progress, hitting several PRs. I sit here today injury-free and close to the best shape of my life. Padna's team helped me drop my Murph time by eight minutes this past year, finishing in just over 40 minutes. For those unfamiliar with the Murph Challenge, that's a one-mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 air squats, and if that wasn't enough, you're finishing off with one mile run to finish. This benchmark workout honors Lieutenant Mike Murphy, who was KIA in Afghanistan back in 2005. I now share the honor of this challenge with my son, Jackson, who completed his first MRF this past Absolutely. So we're going to jump right in. I always like to kind of really, you know, start with the story, you know, the humbling start and, you know, finding your purpose. You've been active your whole life from playing lacrosse and soccer and even boxing. Take us back to 2008 when you first stumbled upon CrossFit. What was that humbling experience you mentioned and how did that set Yeah, so I was actually really fortunate enough in my high school gym, uh, the guy that supervised the gym as a original L one coach. And so there was free CrossFit workouts right after school every day. And they were kind of like that crazy bunch. And I was still kind of stuck in my, you know, bodybuilding and we were kind of off on our side, but, Then I slowly would do Tuesday, Thursday CrossFit, and then I do my bodybuilding stuff on the other days. I just slowly got into it. When I attended school, there still wasn't really CrossFit as a full affiliate yet, so I would still sprinkle that stuff in at my college gyms. Then when I graduated college, it was turning into a full-blown business. That's how I originally found it, and it was surprisingly difficult compared to just about everything else, so it was Yeah, I find, you know, the strength portion kind of like my strength in it. It's where the conditioning piece really came in. That's why I came to see you and, and you've really helped there. That was, that was my biggest challenge. Uh, many people have preconceived notions about CrossFit though, that it's intimidating. You know, what was a specific challenge you faced early in days of building CrossFit Lou and how did you overcome it to create inclusive Yeah, I think, you know, one thing about CrossFit is it's not new anymore. Um, and I think, you know, a decade ago, I think there was a lower barrier of entry to open a CrossFit gym. People could do it in the garages. And a lot of that stuff is begun to change. And the people that are still doing CrossFit, you know, let's call it like eight, nine, 10 years, understand that, like, it needs to be done the right way in order to do it long term. And for myself, you know, I've done it since 2008. I've coached it full time since 2013. So for me, you know, I've, I've made a lot of those mistakes and I've now had the, the fortune of coaching other coaches and, you know, kind of laying out a timeline for an average athlete. So it's a lot easier now to kind of know what all those things look like for each client, depending on their training age, their chronological age, Yeah. And like, even then, you know, you've got the preconceived notions, you know, even then there still are some misconceptions people have about CrossFit. You know, what do you tell them to help them see the program's true it really takes them coming in and talking with me. That's what it takes because I can't show value and I can't make a convincing argument unless I pull you in the back and actually show you like the type of care that we give you. And until they can like step in the door and just make that first step, that's usually when the buy-in first begins. We tend not to throw people into free trials for that reason. And we like to take the extra time and get to know them And it's a lot of extra work on us, but we know that long term, this is going to be what prevents injuries, changes the idea of the methodology, and really shows that this Yeah, and obviously I can attest to that. I feel like between you and the team and the culture that you're building there on your staff, Um, it's very welcoming. It's very educational. My, my, my misconception, you know, I, I was probably doing CrossFit before most people thought it was even a thing, you know, cause in the military, that was like what we did to work out. Um, and as I got older and less healthy, you know, I was concerned. I think I was just more. afraid, honestly, of throwing up. But also, I think there was also misconception that you can get hurt. And I think you really can, but it depends on the box you're in. And I believe that your team has done a superior job at making sure that people are not in above their head, you're making sure that they're scaling correctly, and that ultimately leads to having success, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. There's definitely that group aspect, the pack, as you would call it at CrossFit Lou. So yeah, I can attest that it's a different experience with CrossFit Lou, for sure. So Let's talk about redefining fitness for everyone, right? You know, you've coached everyone from division one athletes to people with physical and mental limitations. Can you share a powerful story of a client who had a major breakthrough, not just physically, but mentally or emotionally You know, I think I'd love to pick a couple people, but I feel like it's something I hear weekly and monthly pretty often. And I think when I get people to understand that the training is there to allow you to do the things you want to do outside the gym. And once we can kind of make that connection, whether it's playing with your grandkids, if you fall, you can get up, whether it's going on that hike, whether you can do certain things, CrossFit's there to provide you a better life. And once we can make that connection, because for a lot of people for a lot of years it was, I need to get in shape to do CrossFit. It's the other way around. We have what's called our higher hierarchy of fitness, and at the top of it is sport. A lot of people think it's competition and sport in my eyes is the things we all want to do outside the gym. And if you can commit and be consistent to CrossFit three to five times a week, just like I tell everyone within a few months, you're going to notice like lifestyle changes. It's going to be easier in the morning to get up. everything's gonna feel more mobile and you just gotta trust it and be consistent and being able to go out and do the things you wanna do. And that's really powerful. So I would love to put one story on it, but honestly, I hear it all All the time. I'm one of them. I definitely just feel far more focused. My thoughts are so much more clear. There's days that I'm just like, man, do I really wanna die and fall on the floor? And those are usually the days when I need it the most, honestly. So, um, even on those days that I just, I'm not up to it. I go anyways, I'm consistent and you can just see the results of that consistency. You know, my body fats down, my energy's up, you know, I'm juggling more, but I still have more energy to put forth. So, um, Yeah, I could be telling these stories for you all day just from myself. But you've been in CrossFit for so long. You've seen CrossFit change hundreds of lives. What do you believe is the biggest factor behind that transformation? Is it the workout itself, I believe that CrossFit has a unique program in the sense that there is no ceiling to what we do. So everyone that enters into the gym comes in with a certain training age. And for some people it's zero, they may never have worked out before. Some people are very experienced, but you will always be challenged based on whatever level of commitment you're ready to put into it. There's a lot of exercise programs that you can get into that The ceiling will come very quickly in six months and you will have done the circuits or you will have done the special challenge or you will have earned whatever amount of gold stars it is that that program offers. But what you'll notice for CrossFit is there really is no ceiling. And with that, it makes it very interesting, even for someone that's competitive, to always have something to chase. I may not see another weightlifting PR. I've been doing CrossFit since I was 18. I'm now 36. And that is okay. But I'm exploring this whole world of like aerobic training now. And I'm really focusing on my engine being a lot better. And there's just so many things you can work on that there's virtually never a point where I feel like you ever get bored. So being someone that's been a professional in the fitness realm, CrossFit was an easy one to choose to open an affiliate because I'm like, I think long-term when you get the real enthusiasts that really Yeah. And you and I know, uh, Ted, uh, at 10, I can, we, we talked about his experience with like some of the biggest loser challenges and like people show up, they do the program, they do great, but then they fall off there. There's that, that ceiling you were talking about. Um, it's just not sustainable either. You know, I find myself constantly. you know, moving the needle a little more, whether it's in my diet, whether it's in my conditioning or my strength, or honestly, just continuing to connect with people in your community. You've really cultivated a great community at CrossFit Lou. And walking in, I feel like I've found a home away from home, getting to catch up with people. It's, it's, I really enjoy, you know, being able to be there. So, um, From your perspective as a coach, what does being fit truly mean? And how does that go beyond a number on a scale or, Being fit to me kind of goes back to what I was mentioning earlier with being able to do the things that you want to do. When I sit down with people for the first time, it gets really personal sometimes. And I'm really passionate about helping people get to those things. And for some people it is, you know, playing with their grandkids or it is, you know, not having, you know, themselves move into the next phase of their life, feeling like everything's a drag. And they tell me some deep things, which is fantastic. but I do truly believe that, you know, being able to help those people with those things is kind of that key and that's going to come from consistency. So, um, you know, I, I press that hard. And as you know, we have our, our leader of the pack club and, uh, you, you were fortunate enough to hold the golden barbell for the month. Yes. And, uh, you know, we try to do things that, you know, are really going to encourage that. So, um, hopefully Yeah. Yeah. I mean, fit for me, like I said, you know, can I save my family? Honestly, you know, I look around and, you know, what, what kind of father am I, what kind of husband am I, what kind of friend am I? And, um, I, I look at myself, am I, am I, fit enough to be the best version of myself. And so that's just kind of my take on it. And I feel that I am a better person and I'm definitely a more fit person since I've joined. Because the strength training and the running, it just It could only take me so far, honestly, from an interest standpoint, whereas every time I come in, I don't even look at the workouts. I tell everybody this, and I've told you this before. I don't want to know what the workouts are. I don't even want to deal with what that feels like. I just want to know that I got there and it wasn't easy. And by the time I'm done, I just feel great about what I've accomplished. So, yeah. being fit is a little different to everyone. And that's kind of just my take on it. So let's get into the business end of things. As you know, many of our listeners are business owners. They're looking for inspiration. I'm about a year into my business. You're a couple of years into yours. There's always challenges. And there's always that that idea that, you know, you're in it alone. And when you're starting a business, you're kind of alone. And like, it's always good to be able to have a story that's relatable. And people can say that they feel familiar with those feelings. So I want to get into the business side of things. What has been the most significant business challenge you faced as a gym owner? And how did overcoming it lead Um, this might sound familiar. And I think it's something that a lot of entrepreneurs can kind of resonate with. And I think coming from my previous job as being just a coach, and then going into the role of like business owner. you move into the lonely chapter phase. And it is that phase where, you know, you are kind of like alone at the top and there's a lot of decisions that need to be made and there's repercussions to just about everything. And in that lonely chapter, it's not an easy thing for a lot of people to conceptualize because you can vent, but then you have to realize there is times where like, you have to be in your own head, it's be comfortable in your own head. And then you have to just stay in your own head and then be patient. And, um, I know that like year one for me was personally like very difficult and it wasn't difficult where most people would think it was difficult. We were doing very well in revenue. We were doing very well in retention and the coaching staff was developing and the culture was being built. Um, but the lonely tractor, it is, is a large responsibility and, um, you have to learn a lot of days early in the day, like what it is that you're doing, your purpose. And, um, Learn to kind of work through that. It's getting better, but there's still a lot of things that you kind of weigh on. And I'm someone who's very, very adamant on knowing all my numbers for the business. LTV to CAC ratio, churn, average length of engagement, profit margin, all the costs, writing, making sure everything's done correctly for taxes. That was a disaster year one for me. I wouldn't say legal disaster, just not everything. not having everything ready, year two is much better, but that's getting better. But that lonely phase, it is a real thing. So if you're someone who's aspiring to be an entrepreneur, that's very normal. And the other thing that kind of I reflect on now a little bit is when things aren't going well, I think, you know, you have to tell yourself like, this is hard, and this is what hard feels like. And the harder that gets, the more you have to think, well, this is what everyone else has to deal with too. And if I can deal with this and I can handle this hard, it just makes me that much better in a year. And that's very But well said, you know, I was going to ask what advice you have. And I think that is good advice is, you know, just realize that like, this is what it is. And whether you realize it or not, you did sign up for this, and it's okay, it's okay for it to be hard. It's okay to feel the way you feel. Just know that There's others out there that have gone through that and tomorrow's a new day, right? Tomorrow's a new day. Get rest, eat well, hydrate, work out and just manage the stress, right? And manage those emotions and they ebb and flow. You'll have your good days. You'll have your bad days. You'll have your lonely days. You'll want to vent sometimes and sometimes, you know, you got to keep it to yourself or, you know, keep it out of the gym or, or out of the, out of the office. So, uh, yeah, well said. Um, you know, looking ahead, what's, what's a big goal you have for CrossFit Lou? I, you know, short term, you know, what are we, what are we toasting to a year from now? And then, you know, longterm, what, what impact This is probably an interesting answer, but I'm working really hard on not trying to add too much and getting better about saying no. because the business this year has grown 41%, which is fantastic. The coaching staff is doing what we need to do. We have systems in place and I need to wake up every day and just do what we're doing and do it better and not trying to add anything. I had kind of come to the conclusion about a month ago, I was like, I have so many ideas that I quite literally will ruin this good thing we got going if I don't just calm it down a little bit. So I'm the type of person, I'm very extreme. I will, if I need to work, and I did for periods of time, it didn't work well for me, but I will work seven days a week. I will sacrifice a lot of my personal life. I don't need credit for it, I'll just do it. But realizing that like, you know, for me personally, in the next couple of years, I would like to have more of a life on my personal life because I know that that'll make me a better person when I do go back into the business and I won't be so consumed in that being my whole life. Anyone I've ever worked for, they coined me the work horse, typically. And that's usually when I'm happy, is when I'm working. So I'm actually working at trying to pull myself out and not being only happy when I'm consumed and in chaos. And that's gonna be my next challenge this next year. And continue doing what we're doing at the gym and have fun. Because I tend to be a very black and white person. So I'm working Yeah, I think you mentioned some really interesting things there is, you know, just because you can doesn't mean you should. And I think that's the entrepreneurial spirit. that you have to manage, right? When you become an entrepreneur, it's a way of life. You're solving problems. You see something, you're like, oh, I can fix that. Not everything needs to be fixed now though. And like you said, really, I hear this from a lot of business owners, the art of learning how to say no will set you free. And learning how to say no is not easy, especially when you're all about crafting a community and wanting to say yes and saying yes is a big part of your identity and helping people. But learning how to say no, are able to, first of all, it comes in time and you become more comfortable with it, but you become a better version of yourself for other people. And I think that's important, but yeah, I think those are good goals to have is, you know, you know, congratulations on the 41%. I mean, that's massive growth in one year. I can see how, you know, staying the course and just making sure things don't get too big and out of control because that's not good for anybody. So yeah, heard on that. So, you know, just to, you know, summarize a little bit on, you know, the key takeaways, you know, find your identity and you'll find your purpose, right? Know what your identity and you'll be able to find your purpose. Um, and CrossFit is for everyone. Um, you take it from us, take it from someone who has not always been fit. I take it from other friends of mine that I've met who are not always fit. CrossFit is for everyone and it can be scaled to, to, to be fun. Um, and for you to find success and then, you know, facing, facing challenges brings growth and breakthroughs. Um, I just want to also mention that if you want to get a glimpse of CrossFit Lou, you can find them on Instagram and Facebook at CrossFit underscore Lou. Now I'm going to spell this out just because it may sound like it's pronounced loop, but but it's CrossFit Lou, so it's CrossFit underscore L-O-U-P. Or you can check out the website, which is crossfitlou.com. Again, that's crossfitloup.com. And also, if you'd like to follow Pat's journey, it's mostly CrossFit Lou stuff. which is good, but you get to see a little bit more on the inside of like Pat's journey. He's on Instagram at PCommeret, P-C-O-M-M-E-R-E-T. And also a reminder that the Vici Code is streaming on all major platforms. Please subscribe and leave a review. If you know someone with a story of triumph and purpose, please send them our way. We'd love to have them on. Thank you for listening to the Vici Code. Thank you, Pat, for coming on. We really appreciate your time and what you're giving to our community and sharing your story to our listeners, your listeners, and other business individuals. Join us next time as we continue to explore the journey of purpose-driven leaders. Thanks for tuning in to the Vici Code, where the underdogs rise and the numbers finally make sense. If today's story hit home, share it. And remember, faith fuels a fight, and