Meet Chris Kendrick | Co-Founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Chris Kendrick and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Chris, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
The Gym Buying Group is on a mission to change the way the supply chains of businesses in the health and fitness operate. Currently these supply chains are extremely uncoordinated, inefficient, and costly for business owners. Our goal is to change that and to coordinate the uncoordinated. Group purchasing organizations are commonplace in many industries but not in health and fitness. We feel like we have found a gap and as a result an opportunity.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

Sport and fitness have always been a huge part of my life. Growing up in Ireland I was heavily involved in the local sports scene and the training that was required to compete. When I came to the USA to a play collegiate sports those requirements only intensified. Sport and fitness were really all I knew so choosing Exercise Science as my undergraduate degree was an easy one. While a career in golf was the primary goal when I came to the USA initially, I have always believed it is important to have an exit strategy in the event things don’t go as planned.

Upon graduating from Columbus State University an honest assessment had to be made about what direction I was going choose. Golf has always been and will continue to be a big part of my life, but it was time to leave that dream behind. Fortunately, I had a great mentor in J.P. Crawford at DiVerge Fitness in my corner who gave me the opportunity to join his team and turn my passion for sport and fitness into a career. Equally fortunate was when I began my career in 2008, the golf performance side of the business was really starting to take hold. This allowed me to continue to have a connection to the game while also venturing down other paths the industry had to offer.

During my now 14-year career I have continued to refine my skills by earning several certifications from multiple industry leading organizations and continue to stay up to date on what is a continuously evolving profession. An area of particular evolution is the business side of the industry. Soon after beginning my career in the fitness industry, I became very interested in the business of fitness. So much so that I returned to complete a master’s in business administration in 2014.

In addition to helping Catalyst Fitness here in Atlanta continue to grow, innovate, and lead, I have recently co-founded the Gym Buying Group in order to help health and fitness facilities and professionals gain access to industry leading products and services at discounted rates. After working in the industry for 14 years I have seen the pain points that facilities and professionals face on a day to day basis and believe that the Gym Buying Group will provide a solution to those pain points.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Atlanta has so many fun things to do and experience so this is a tough question answer! Let’s start with the eating. I am a big tapas guy so Wine Barcelona, Iberian Pig, and Cooks and Soldiers would be high on the list of destinations to visit. On the drinks side, all of the aforementioned restaurants would be solid choices. I’ve got to give my Irish background some love with this one so Fado is a must for a pint (or two) of Guinness! Once the pints have been drank, then The Beltline is a must. You pretty much can’t go wrong wherever you go on The Beltline, but Ladybird, New Realm, and Bantam Pub would need to be checked off the list. Once The Beltline has been fully experienced, some of Atlanta’s classic joints would be next on the list – Johnny’s Hideaway and The Clairmont Lounge. Maybe not on the same night, but both would need to be checked off the list at some stage!

After a fun day and night of eating and drinking, there is nothing quite like a round of golf to keep the good vibes flowing. Atlanta is full of amazing places to play and as long as you have some good connections, you are spoiled for choice. Whether it’s Atlanta Athletic Club, Golf Club of Georgia, Druid Hills, or a quick 9 holes at Bobby Jones in Buckhead, you can’t go too far wrong and I’d be giving my best effort to play them all plus more during that week. Continuing with the sports theme, Atlanta has all the big pro sports on offer for the visitor. While they may not be playing well at this very moment, we would definitely be checking out an Atlanta United game at The Benz at some stage if they were in season. If soccer is not in season then we could always check out a Falcons game. Last but definitely not least is a Braves game. The reigning world champs always offer up a good time at The Battery.

Downtown Atlanta has plenty on offer too with the Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, and Centennial Olympic Park. With fitness being my background, outdoor activities would not be passed up during the week long stay. Atlanta is a very unique city in that there is a lot of green space nestled in between the hustle and bustle areas. There are plenty of trail running options around along with the ultimate one in Stone Mountain – a great spot to catch a sunrise or sunset.

That’s a lot to cover in one week – we may end up needing another one!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I am fortunate enough to have worked in the health and fitness industry for over 14 years. During that time I have worked for and with some amazing people that I consider friends and mentors. From my time as a collegiate golfer at Columbus State University to working at DiVerge Fitness in Columbus, and more recently at Catalyst Fitness in Atlanta, every step has contributed in some way to where I am today. As the saying goes, “it takes a village”, and for me to get to this point in my career it certainly has.

Website: www.gymbuyinggroup.com

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