Today we’d like to introduce you to Danesh Ajioka.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My story really begins in my high school weight room at Highland High. Coaches Brody Benson and Ed Lloyd used that room to teach us young athletes that no matter who you are or where you came from, if you work hard you will be successful. That philosophy grew my love for the weight room and what guided me to want to open my own gym. When the opportunity to purchase a closing gym came up I knew I had to take it. I have spent the last decade coaching and trying to pass on the philosophy I learned from my coaches. I also knew that I couldn’t do it alone and there was one person that I knew who shared the same values and training philosophies and that is my now business partner Caleb. We both are passionate about people who care and caring for people. We are proud of the gym community and culture we are building. All of our members are driven, have goals and also look out for each other. Caleb and I have so much respect and admiration for all of our members who show up for themselves and support us as well as their fellow members. We often have to pinch ourselves when we look around and see what we have been able to build in such a short amount of time.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The biggest struggle we have had is time. It took us about 30 days from initial contact until we took over the business from the former owner. That month was full of 18 hour days making sure we could successfully take over the gym and create a space that the old members appreciated and new members would be attracted to. We regret none of it and I know I speak for both of us when I say that we would do it all over again in an instant.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Salt Lake City Lifting Club?
We are a gym that is passionate about powerlifting. We noticed a need for a powerlifting gym in the Salt Lake area and we wanted to fill that gap. Our gym is a fantastic place for our elite powerlifting athletes to train and is also an amazing place for our members that come in to better their day-to-day lives. Caleb and I like to think of ourselves as “two chill guys that like to lift heavy” and I think that attitude has transferred very well into our space.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I think that the gym industry is going to continue to grow. Physical fitness continues to be a growing trend and it is so fun to see how many new people are getting into gyms and starting to workout!
Pricing:
- Yearly contracts $135/Month Couples $235/Month
- Students/Military/First Responders $100/Month
- Month-to-Month $150/Month Couples $275/Month
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Slcliftingclub.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/slc_lifting_club/
