The OPEX Regina Story

Business is good for Steve Volke and Hayley Flegel, the owners of OPEX Regina. The gym is as profitable as ever and is still growing. When looking at the current facility it is tough to imagine it’s humble beginnings in Volke’s garage but, that is where Volke first cut his teeth in the coaching world.

Volke, a life-long athlete, competed in both rugby and track and field at a university level. However, his introduction to training others was not through sports performance, it was out of a need for rehabilitation. Volke’s wife had suffered an injury during a rugby match and was not seeing the results they wanted from physiotherapy. Looking for a more practical approach and taking matters into his own hands, Volke started to study coaching and uncovered his passion for helping others live a healthier life.

Loved Coaching But, Was Not Happy With the Current Model

Volke’s fitness coaching studies brought him into the world of CrossFit where he began coaching classes at his local gym while maintaining his full-time career in finance. Volke loved coaching and making an impact on his clients but, he quickly realized that coaching 15-20 people per class was not feasible. “I was just making sure people were not dropping stuff on their head and not hurting themselves” remarked Volke. He longed for a better method, an opportunity to coach clients professionally, from the beginning and thus ventured out on his own.

“You don’t truly fail unless you quit” – Volke

This marked the beginning of Fitness by Design, Volke’s coaching business run out of his garage, that would eventually become OPEX Regina. Volke worked hard to grow his business around the hours of his nine to five. As he furthered his studies seeking a more comprehensive model for developing a coaching business, Volke took notice of James FitzGerald, founder of OPEX Fitness. Volke admired FitzGerald’s deep industry knowledge, Personalized Fitness philosophy, and expertise in individual program design. Volke enrolled in the OPEX Coaching Certificate Program (CCP) passionate about mastering the OPEX coaching principles. Leveraging the knowledge gained in CCP, Volke quickly grew his business to 75 individual design clients. Before he knew it he was waking up at five in the morning to coach clients in his garage, going to work, and then coaching clients after work until eight at night. To keep up with the growth Volke hired a business partner, Hayley Flegel, who coached clients during the day while he was at work. Hayley brought more than great coaching to the partnership, she was skilled in marketing and sales. Hayley up-leveled the client experience, increasing the pair’s client roster substantially. This is when Volke realized the feasibility of coaching full time, “If we were smart about it, [going commercial] would be a very sustainable way of earning a living for me and my family”.

The Education Needed to Grow

Looking to create a successful and sustainable business Volke & Flegel joined the OPEX Gyms License Program. During their time within the program, they learned how to scale their business, deliver a best in class fitness experience, and strategically market their unique service. This knowledge paired with the ongoing business support and coaching education set Volke & Flegel up to seamlessly transition from Fitness by Design to OPEX Regina.

From Fitness By Design to OPEX Regina

Volke & Flegel implemented the OPEX Gyms Accelerator learnings quickly and found great success. OPEX Regina increased revenue by 600% (when compared to Fitness by Design) and grew to 125 clients. The team attributes client growth to having to clear picture of their target market and the messages needed to connect. “We would have never grown as we did if we did not know our target”. Thanks to the business and marketing strategy, OPEX Regina is now poised to pass 125 clients this year. “That is where profitability will really take off,” says Volke, as their business is set up to scale without increasing his workload.

Paying It Forward As An OPEX Gyms Mentor

Volke is now a mentor within the OPEX Gyms License Program, where he works one-on-one with budding OPEX Gym owners. When asked about the advice he gives to potential OPEX Gyms owners, Volke says, “Do it . . . having the OPEX support structure in place the first 18 months is hugely beneficial for business owners. If you are wavering get in touch with an OPEX Gym owner near you. Actually seeing an OPEX Gym in action will seal the deal for most people”.

“Having the OPEX support structure in place the first 18 months is hugely beneficial for business owners.” – Volke

The OPEX Gyms License Program is a rare opportunity to open your own Personalized Fitness gym. This program provides owners with the education, support, and territory protection needed to create a profitable and sustainable business. As the leaders in Personalized Fitness, OPEX Fitness is here to support you on every step of the journey. Apply now and speak to a License Advisor about opening your own Personalized Fitness gym.  

CrossFit® is a registered trademark of CrossFit, Inc. OPEX Fitness’s uses of the CrossFit® mark are not endorsed by nor approved by CrossFit, Inc., and OPEX Fitness is in no way affiliated with nor endorsed by CrossFit, Inc.