River City Six – Chris Rush

Meet Chris Rush, gym manager at 9Round Fitness (www.9round.com) in Papillion.

Tell us a little about your business.

9Round is much more than a 30-minute kickboxing fitness gym. As trainers, we understand that every member has their own fitness journey and in order to assist them on this journey we need to take a genuine interest in their specific fitness goals. That’s what I love most about 9Round—the opportunity I receive each day to make a difference in someone’s life. Convenience also plays a huge role in the return on investment of the gym. Finding time in the day to workout can be stressful. In order to reduce this stress, we have no set class times. Every three minutes throughout the day, a new circuit starts so members can drop in anytime to crush their 30-minute workout. All members receive unlimited sessions of a full-body workout that changes every day, which helps avoid settling into a routine. Kickboxing fitness may sound intimidating, but I promise that nervous feeling will immediately be erased when you are greeted with a smile by one of our Champion Trainers.

How did you get started in the business?

In all honesty, a main reason I began working part-time at 9Round was to receive the free membership. I had completed a few workouts at one of the clubs in Lincoln and immediately became addicted. When I heard the Vettel brothers were opening a new gym in Papillion, I reached out and applied for a trainer position working a few hours each week. Those short shifts soon became the highlight of my week as I found myself wanting to pick up a few more hours each week. My full-time job alongside 9Round was in sales. I enjoyed the sales job, but I realized I was more passionate about discussing 9Round with my coworkers than I was at selling our products. This is why it was an easy decision when Trevor Vettel, one of our owners, offered me the lead trainer position in Papillion.

What has been your most important achievement professionally?

As trainers, we consistently discuss how important it is to keep specific fitness goals in mind as they progress through our program. For this reason, it’s tough for me to pinpoint my greatest achievement because our members provide me with so many. Every time a member reveals they’ve achieved one of their fitness goals, it solidifies to me that I chose the correct profession.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced professionally?

I’ve always been a very competitive individual. Tim, Todd, and Trevor Vettel provide an amazing work environment that allows me to professionally develop this competitiveness in a positive way. In total, the Vettel brothers own five gyms within the 9Round Franchise. One of these gyms, located in Manhattan, KS, is consistently a top-10 gym within the franchise worldwide. Our Papillion gym recently finished top-20 in the world, so my biggest challenge is to not only crack the top-10, but also to surpass our fellow gym in Manhattan.

Who inspires you?

My mother is my biggest inspiration in life. Similar to myself, she’s always worked in a profession that’s heavily reliant on strong customer service. Not only does she inspire me with her relentless work ethic, but also in her ability to always display kindness in any situation. I was raised to always treat others how I want to be treated and that’s helped me more than any professional tactic I’ve learned in my career.

If you had a theme song, what would it be?

“C’mon N’ Ride It” by Quad City DJ’s. This also happens to be my favorite song to workout to.

If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so?

Phone: (402) 415-2970; Email: olsondrpapillionne@9round.com; Website: www.9round.com.