The VoicE Q4 it ’ s all worth it . They were planning to get married in August at a beautiful seaside location on the coast of Maine , however , this had to be postponed to July 2021 due to the Coronavirus Pandemic and regulations regarding gatherings in the State . Watch for pictures in an upcoming issue of The VoicE !
We ’ d like to share some of our conversation with them . In reading , you will see that Melissa and Michael are not only creating a wonderful life together and for their children , they are also generously contributing to the beauty and betterment of their community in Bangor . We should all visit them if we are up that way in the future !
Do the two of you focus on different aspects of your gym business in running it ? Are one of you more present and hands on in everyday operations ?
M E L I S S A : I am at the gym daily and have organized my time to include overseeing the business , and teaching multiple Les Mills classes throughout the week . I live and die by my planner . I spend time in the martini bar and our restaurant too . I am the chef on Saturday at Happy and I bake all the desserts for both businesses .
M E L I S S A : The martini bar is fun and fast-paced . The restaurant is more mellow . I enjoy spending time in both , but the gym is my favorite . Teaching has always been my passion and I really enjoy running our group fitness classes and interacting with the members . gym ! Their son has already exhibited that he has other interests with engineering being at the top of his list .
While the family has a rigorous schedule throughout the week and on Saturday , they try to make Sunday a family day , and avoid working . Most nights they carve out time as a family too .
What experience and strengths do you bring from your other businesses that you apply to your Gym ?
M E L I S S A : I think one of the things that help us to run the Gold ’ s is the ability to manage staff . We ’ ve learned from our other businesses how to do the best we can in the hiring process and taking care of the staff . We appreciate our staff and value the importance of showing recognition for doing a good job and appreciation for their loyalty and daily contributions . By managing that way , we do not typically have a lot of turnover . We operate this way in all three of our businesses .
M I C H A E L : In working with the public , you ’ ve also got to know how to handle the complaints . We are in a small community , with many other restaurants that compete with us . For the gym , we have the largest and only fullservice facility , but there are smaller , boutique studios all around us .
M E L I S S A : One thing we always remember is that for all the businesses , our members and guests are using expendable income to patronize us . We do our best to make sure they are happy and want to return .
What changes are you making in the club since buying it ?
M I C H A E L : The club has been undergoing some renovations since day one .
The gym had been pretty neglected before we bought it . We ’ ve tried to focus on things that provide immediate positive results to improve our members ’ experience . Our first project was to improve the exterior by repaving the parking lot . Next , we renovated the front of the club entryway , including gutting the stairway . These changes made a significant improvement in the look of the front of the club , which is much more welcoming for everyone coming into workout .
Next , we created a new functional training area and purchased a new set of Matrix Fitness equipment which was a great addition . Our members love it .
M E L I S S A : We are currently undergoing a complete renovation of the men ’ s and women ’ s locker rooms . Both are desperately overdue and have not met proper code in several years . We are starting in the Men ’ s , as it needs it the most , and gutting them down to the pipes . It ’ s an extremely large cost at this time but the members are really ready for it to happen .
M I C H A E L : I focus on the other businesses , but we work together to make sure everything runs efficiently in all three . With the martini bar open 4 years now , it is running well . We purchased the restaurant last November , so I am spending a lot of time there these days . I am a sticky note , but organized kind of guy , and there is a cadence that sets in . It ’ s a matter of managing the ever-changing ins and outs of each day , while remaining flexible .
When asked about the possibility of the kids working in the business someday , Melissa shared that their daughter could run the front desk today if they let her ! She loves greeting and interacting with the members . Her parents want her to follow her own dream when she grows up , and they are not counting on that being running the