Meet Phil Gentry Jim Sheppard: Owners and Coaches of Straight Blast Gym Buford

We had the good fortune of connecting with Phil Gentry Jim Sheppard and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Phil Gentry, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
What was your thought process behind starting your own business? PG: As a third generation entrepreneur I always saw myself running my own business so between high school and the age of 30 I started 7 companies. Not to mention I was also fired from 2 out of the 3 jobs I had making it pretty clear that working for myself was the best option. I always had big dreams of being a Real Estate magnate or selling my software startup to Google for millions. After chasing that for several years, in 2010, I decided to match my drive for business success with my life passion, Martial Arts instruction. It seems like an obvious choice now but my dreams of grandeur stunted my ability to see what I was put on earth for. I mean let’s be honest, a Martial Arts gym owner has never been on the cover of Fortune magazine. Now that I’m a decade into this business I can’t see myself doing anything else. I still wake up excited to go to work. That feeling of purpose can’t be replaced with G7 jets and mansions.

What’s one thing about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of? Jim: It’s full of every-day, ordinary people. People see titles like “Mixed Martial Arts” or “Muay Thai” and assume that it’s a bunch of knuckle-dragging meatheads dropping each other on their heads. The vast majority of our athletes are moms and dads, people who work 9 to 5 jobs, and spend their weekends at the park with their kids. Don’t get me wrong, we get plenty of kids in their early 20’s who come in and think they want to make their living fighting in a cage, but most of them don’t make it very far. Sports like Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu are very humbling, and even more important than being physically strong you have to be mentally strong. You’re going to lose a lot, especially in the beginning. The egotistical guys and girls usually don’t last long. It’s the hard-working, goal-driven types that tend to flourish.

How do you think about risk? What role has taking risk played in your life/career? PG: For a business owner, I’m pretty risk-averse. I don’t believe in leveraging debt or stepping too far out on a limb. Our gym has been bootstrapped pretty much the whole way. There were several years that I was running 2 businesses while bartending on the weekend to support my family. During that period, everything the business made went back into the business. It’s definitely the harder path but as Ryan Holiday would say, the obstacle is the way.

Other than deciding to work for yourself, what was the single-most-important decision that you made that’s contributed to your success? Jim: Learning to delegate and outsource work to others, especially work that we hate or aren’t good at. Early on, the old “I don’t trust anyone to do it as well as I would” rang true, but at a certain point, that attitude will cripple you. You end up spending time on things that aren’t imperative to your business because you just can’t let it go. Over the years we’ve gotten really good at hiring the right people to handle certain aspects fo our business that we either don’t want to spend our time on or just aren’t overly good at. For example, several years ago we hired an incredible accountant who has made our lives so much easier. Not only is he incredible at his job, but Phil and I both hate doing that kind of work, lol. It allows us to spend time focusing on other issues that we’re better suited for.

What is the most important factor in your success/the success of your brand? Phil: Authenticity. We’ve stayed true to our goal of helping people become the best version of who they are. Sometimes that means we have to work a little harder or make a little less money but in the end, it kept us around while other businesses were failing. What’s the most difficult decision you’ve ever had to make? Jim: Well the hardest one was in the very beginning; deciding to put up all of my money to be an entrepreneur. As far as during my tenure as a business owner…..man, having to let people go really never gets easier; at least not for me. It’s especially tough when you like the person but know that they aren’t the right fit for what you’re trying to do.

Alas, you know it has to be done, so you do it. How has your work/life balance changed over time? How do you think about the balance? Phil: Family is very important to me. My team knows my priorities and they’re supportive. Family first, then business is how I operate now. That hasn’t always been the case though. Getting things started is hard and time-consuming. Now that we’ve been around awhile and have a solid group of Managers and Coaches built, I get to spend lots of time with my family and enjoy more of what life has to offer. Jim: I’ve got to interject here…I’m really glad Phil feels this way now. Back when we first partnered today he’d get pissed at me for not wanting to have 2-hour long conference calls on a Sunday morning. I like this Phil way better, lol.

Do you have a favorite quote or affirmation? Jim: One that I heard recently and has really stuck with me is “Authenticity requires vulnerability, transparency, and integrity.” Authenticity is a quality I really admire in others and, speaking to what Phil mentioned earlier, it’s one of the best things about our gym. When you’re constantly learning new things and being pushed, both physically and mentally, it shows who you really are. When you get humbled and bested by your teammates in practice, it exposes what kind of person you really are.

How well can you lose? It will either make you a better person, or you’ll quit. Why did you pursue an artistic or creative career? Phil: Ultimately, because I’m an artistic and creative guy. The hustle and bustle of fortune 500 type companies were always attractive to me but that type of work always exhausted me. It just wasn’t natural. Being able to have some of that on the business side while still being able to express myself in an artistic way gives me the best of both worlds. The type of work I do energizes me.

What do you want your legacy to be? What do you want people to remember about you? JS: On a macro-level, the goal has always been to have the reputation of being THE premier martial arts & fitness gym in Atlanta. That’s how I want to be remembered in the wider community, but on a more personal level, I want people that attend our gym to be telling stories about things they did at our gym, and with their teammates, for the rest of their lives. 20 years from now I want them to reflect back fondly about their time at SBG, and, honestly, I want for it to be the favorite part of their entire life.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Phil: As a third generation entrepreneur I always saw myself running my own business so between high school and the age of 30 I started 7 companies. Not to mention I was also fired from 2 out of the 3 jobs I had making it pretty clear that working for myself was the best option. I always had big dreams of being a Real Estate magnate or selling my software startup to Google for millions. After chasing that for several years, in 2010, I decided to match my drive for business success with my life passion, Martial Arts instruction. It seems like an obvious choice now but my dreams of grandeur stunted my ability to see what I was put on earth for. I mean let’s be honest, a Martial Arts gym owner has never been on the cover of Fortune magazine. Now that I’m a decade into this business I can’t see myself doing anything else. I still wake up excited to go to work. That feeling of purpose can’t be replaced with G7 jets and mansions.

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?
Jim: One of the best things Atlanta has going it’s its amazing diversity. Just about every type of culture, race, and religion is represented in this city, so I’d want to give them a sample of that incredible variety. If there’s an Atlanta United game I’d want for them to experience what a wild and fun environment that is. We’d definitely spend some time on the Belt Line so they could check out all of the good eateries that are available. At least one day would be spent on foot, exploring the neighborhoods of Candler Park, the Virginia Highlands, and into Midtown. If they’re feeling squirrelly we’d cap off the day at the Clairmont Lounge. Hopefully, they’d still be my friend after that.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The organization Straight Blast Gym is filled with some of the hardest workers and brightest minds in the martial arts industry.