The Dr Mario Show
The Dr Mario Show
Inside Ubox Gym: Mastering Gym Management, Empowering Women's Fitness, and Thriving in a Post-COVID World
Uncover the secrets of Ubox Gym's success as we go behind-the-scenes with the Gray Lynn management team. You'll walk away with the insider knowledge on what it takes to run a vibrant gym environment, from the daily administrative ballet to mastering the digital landscapes of social media. Join me, Mario Carollis, in an insightful discussion with manager Ryan, who shares the intricacies of gym operations, Calvin, who breaks down the financial and legal frameworks, and our digital marketing guru, who divulges how to connect with the next generation of fitness enthusiasts.
Step into a space where women's fitness is redefined and community is celebrated. Our latest episode takes you into the heart of a boutique fitness concept that's changing the game with a unique 12-section workout and an ethos that champions empowerment. Feel the pulse of a gym that not only caters to individual fitness journeys but also thrives on the sense of belonging it instills. We'll explore how specialized amenities and exclusive merchandise contribute to the creation of a safe and supportive environment that resonates with women from all walks of life.
Finally, let's not forget the resilience it takes to stay afloat in an ever-changing world. Reflecting on the post-COVID-19 era, we dive into the adaptability and innovation that allowed Ubox Gym to navigate through financial storms and operational challenges. As we look ahead, discover the vision for a gym that never sleeps—offering 24-hour access and ensuring safety with cutting-edge surveillance. This isn't just a fitness tale; it's a story of business agility and shaping a future where well-being and accessibility go hand in hand.
https://youtu.be/mhqGKZUW0cs
https://semitonis.duetpartner.com/home
https://youtu.be/MyZ5U9N7e8I
Welcome to the Dr Mario Show. I am Mario Carollis, editorial Director and Founder of the Dr Mario Show. The show deals with online matters about music, education, business or just for everyday living. Welcome to our new Dr Mario Show. At the moment, I'm in Gray Lynn and we are with a company called Ubox short for UBX Guys. Thank you very much for having me here today and thank you that I could interview you. It's a great pleasure company and I. Last week I learned how to box, which is my first opportunity, which I would like to encourage other people also to do. It's great to box in learning skills. Yeah, so just around the table, I've got a couple of people which are the management of the team and can you introduce yourself, starting with uh, ryan, maybe?
Speaker 2:yeah, hey guys, my name is ryan. I'm the manager, I'd say, for unbox grayling. I lead the admin team as well as the roster for our lovely, lovely gym, uh, gym members yep, hey guys, I'm calvin, originally from mauritius, been in new zealand for over a decade now.
Speaker 4:Um, I manage all the legal finances and accounting behind the scene here at tv box greatly I'm the director of the digital marketing in the ubox rating and currently I yeah, I'm part of the digital marketing in the ubox reading and currently, I yeah, I'm part of the co-ownership over here, fantastic.
Speaker 1:So, uh, just just quickly your roles. And then, ryan, what? What is your role in ubx?
Speaker 2:I'm essentially admin as well as the manager. Okay for the, yeah for the staff here fantastic and uh, yeah, so I do all.
Speaker 3:I deal with all the legal teams behind the scenes, so all the lawyers, counselors and then also all the finances and accountings, and also help with the marketing and strategy with the business yeah right, so I'm the main, um main task of me.
Speaker 4:Video is actually I'm the digital marketing here and I'm mainly doing all the social media platforms, such as Instagram, so that the younger audience can see us and know what our gym is going around. And yeah, that's what I usually do so.
Speaker 1:you talk about digital advertising and marketing, so which platforms are you using?
Speaker 4:So I'm mainly using the Instagram one and sometimes I shoot some reels and create some post content so that they know how our community inside our member works. So because how you box working is technically it's more like it's not really fully on boxing, but at the same time I want to create a community that everyone, including the beginners, can start to try out the boxing Like me, like me, I'm a beginner too, so it's still on me. Fantastic, so it's.
Speaker 1:Instagram mostly. What about Facebook?
Speaker 4:Yeah, I sometimes do some Facebook too. I usually link like a facebook and instagram together and at the same time I also sometimes I do a bit of uh, pinterest. But I'm just starting on queues, yeah, because uh and some people are willing to look more on tick tock and I'm just trying to pivot uh to their platform and uh, try to uh, how do I say, like, um, let everyone know what Ubox is actually trying to do?
Speaker 1:Fantastic, fantastic. So, just to start with, you, tell our listeners about UBX and why your business is unique in comparison with other traditional gems. We know that a lot of people are going to gyms, and I go to gym. I came here to ubx by somebody else and yeah, I sort of like the feel of it, yeah.
Speaker 3:So the aim here is to create a safe space for anyone that want to come and work on their fitness depending on whichever goal they want.
Speaker 4:They want to lose weight that's okay.
Speaker 3:They want to get more fit? That's okay. They want to lose, learn more boxing techniques? That's also okay. So we're more of a 12 round circuit where we focus on multiple workouts tailored for the different sides of the bodies, and then you come here. If you want to lose weight, we'll create a plan for you. If you want to learn boxing techniques, we'll have on. We have boxing coaches on here that teaches you how to jab, how to throw a cross, how to throw multiple combinations and work on your technique and forms. So at the end of the day, you come in, you do the 12 round, which consists of you know maybe about 24, if not more, workouts on the screens. The coaches are there to make sure your form is on track, you you're maintaining your form, having the correct techniques and, at the end of the day, just accomplish your goals that you set.
Speaker 1:Fantastic. So the program that people will be following, you know going from 1 to 12 that you were talking about. So how do you determine which program they should be? Say, for example, it's a novice like me. You know somebody that just came in for the first time. Sure, I've got no background of boxing, yeah, and suddenly I'm in your studio now and now I have number one to 12. So what would number one be? What would number 12 be for a beginner?
Speaker 3:So usually we change the workout every single day. Okay, that's because, to keep it moving, some people that comes every day or three times a week. They will always have a different workout and our workout are scientifically made by headquarters and passed down to us. Once they put it here, we rotate it. We have new ones every single week and you will do that and, depending on what you want to target in your body, you will get it done. If you're doing something wrong, or if it's too hard or too easy for you, the coaches on the floor will change some of the things. We have a lot of members that have that problem, so we change some of the workout to accommodate for them. Like, let's say, you can't do back workouts, we'll probably get you to do some setups or some push-ups or planks or anything that's targeting your abs or your side, um, and then just go from there.
Speaker 1:So now, those people that sort of on the rehab, you know that injury of some sort and they can do this number effectively. You sort of adapted to these particular circumstances. Do you work with, uh, occupational therapists, do you work with the hospitals, or how do you determine?
Speaker 3:we don't work with hospitals, but our workout, uh, you know, were made by scientists and the you know health industry passed down to us once they give up to us, our coaches. So we've got jeff and john. They're both boxers. They've been boxing for a long time. Jeff went to nationals. He knows how the body works in the boxing sector. He knows the right combination, the right muscle to target. So when he's on the floor he will tell the people, depending on if it's too easy or hard for them or if they've got an injury or coming from rehab what to do, because he's qualified at the next time?
Speaker 1:oh, fantastic. So. So when do I get to the, to the boxing, to these gloves? You know, these lovely gloves we'll give it. We'll give one to you today, but I mean mean in your first lesson, because we're talking about not people coming in. You know, like having a background. So when, at what stage, do they start using this?
Speaker 3:So the first day, once you come, we've got plenty of free ones for people that come to the trial.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 3:We'll give them one. They will wear it on. We've got four backs four of our workouts. Four out of 12 workouts, usually on. We've got four backs, four of our workouts, four out of 12 workouts. Usually you will learn how to box. You will use boxing as techniques and fundamentals of reaching your goals at the end.
Speaker 2:And the rest are all fitness, uh, whether it's working on your upper body, lower body, legs, back, etc yeah, so right now you don't actually need the gear when you come in here or you provide all the games that if you have your own gear, of course we'd allow you to bring your own gear, but if you don't, and if you're new, we'll lend you out because we we've got a spare lying around specifically for, like, people who come in new.
Speaker 1:Yeah now can we just? Go back a little bit to the. You know the original of the origin. Sorry, not the original, but the origin of uh you, you box, uh. It started off with, I think, Dan Danny Green. He used to be a world boxer American.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so Tim West and Danny are both in the boxing sector. That's why they started in Australia and New Zealand and now they're growing into a global sector, which is amazing because we're the fastest growing boutique fitness out there.
Speaker 1:So just tell us a little bit the connection between Tim. What's his name? Again Tim West, tim West, yeah, tim West, the connection, he's sort of the IT person specialist. And then Danny Green is the boxer. So how did they get to the idea of joining technology with boxing?
Speaker 3:So they had a connection previously in the past and then they came in, they collabed and they created what Ubox is now based on their connection, based on their strength.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so you say this is unique. So is this unique to the world of boxing gyms? Boxing, you know the fact that you're using technology the way that you're using, because you've got these amazing screens at every point there. It's like 12 points and it's like pretty big screens and you can follow it easily. So that idea is it unique to your gym, or could one find this somewhere else or something?
Speaker 3:100%. So for the screen technology, it's available in any boutique fitness you go. I'm not going available in any boutique fitness you go. I'm not going to name all the boutique fitness, but boutique fitness is an industry. We all make use of screens and that's because of the model and the boutique fitness model that we have. Yeah, so just coming back to this, whole concept of boutique.
Speaker 1:Jim back to Danny. You know the boutique. You know boutique is. To me, it's very fashionable and they, you know so it's quite unique, uh, using that uh term, so, uh, so at the moment you said it's about uh, 90 branches, yeah, which I call it franchises uh, 90 across new zealand, australia, 90 across New Zealand, australia, singapore. So why the name boutique? Is it because it's looking so flash? Is that it? Or is there something more behind that?
Speaker 4:I think the reason of because Newbox is like a quite unique boutique is like, let's say, compared to a normal gym, we go inside the gym. Okay, let's say, I want to train my upper chest, let's do my I don't know what they call it again so let's say you go for, like, let's say, one hour you bench press by yourself.
Speaker 4:Okay, maybe you you are listening to music or something. You actually doesn't know what's the limit you can go for. Like let's say, oh, after half an hour I'll say get exhausted, maybe I'll just rest for another 10 minutes and then I'll just do it again. But actually that's not really the optimal way to train yourself unless you know in the system or there's like a private coach besides you but our Ubox Votity. The reason that it's quite special is because Each of the sections, like 12 sections. They have their own unique objective.
Speaker 4:Let's say number one to number three is more like a warm-up and then like number four to number six or seven, is like you're pumping up your muscle and pumping up your heart rate and there's always one coach who's always beside you. He or she might not bother you all the time, but at least they observe what are you trying to do. If you are doing something wrong, then of course they will step in and say that hey, I think you should, let's say, run faster or try to keep up your pace, and we also have our small device that keep out your heart rate also. So that's all of the scientific and our equipment that will try to progressively maintain the activity that you are trying to do because, yes, our body is resisting when you like, trying to gain muscle, because you are stretching out your capability and you box this like, let's say, after you've done your 12 set, you're actually good to go home and you can come there next time that's it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so that's quite one part of the particular concept. What about the fact that it is this appealing mostly to mean to women what we would you face, because I've seen the last time that the opinion is quite a from the ladies in the government. If you maybe want to start with, that.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so the market research that we did, most of our target audience here are female, like you've noticed, and that's because most of the guys we've got some guys, we've got multiple guys coming in here too, but most of the guys go to the gym. They like to pump it up. Myself I used to go to the gym, you know I'll go work on my muscle, do some lifting. But here we provide a safe space for mostly females to come, because you know, you know you've got different variety of people in the industry that goes to gym. Females here feel safer, nobody's bothering them. It's a safe space. We've got our beautiful showers with air dryers, with sanitary products, actually for females they can use when we need to. We've got different coaches, you know all knowing both the body of the men and women, and they'll have to accommodate them. And I think females come here because they feel safe. They have whatever they need. They've got lockers, privacy and everything provided to them. So I think that's why we attract a lot more females.
Speaker 1:Yes, because they feel safe. Yes, and what I noticed from observation you know I was watching the program last week is that they actually enjoy it. You know, the ladies that were here because you attracted the ladies from Auckland Passion and the New Zealand Passion finalists and from what I could gather, you know, with the training that Jeff gave and you guys sort of also talked about, is that they actually they loved it and you probably had quite a good response afterwards, jeff Be, yeah, it was great. So in terms of the boutique concept you also have, like the products, say, if you look at the t-shirt at the back T-shirt, yeah, you know. So where do you get those things? Are they for sale? These articles?
Speaker 2:Yeah, they are for sale. We get them straight from headquarters. Okay, so headquarters is where? Well, I'd say it's from a supplier, because we order them through our website, yeah, yeah, and they directly ship it to us, and they regularly update their new products as well. Yeah yeah, they include bottles as well.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so can we just talk about your, your pixel design? I'm sort of after your, your strategy. You know the strategy of you, your box, which is unique. You already mentioned the fact that it's like boutique. It does appeal, um, to both males and females, but mostly females. They, they like the security, security and safety of your service, which is great. But you also advertise on your website as it being flexible, fun, addictive and inclusive. Do you want to talk about those? Maybe, and you know we don't have to particularly look at one value, but sure, whatever. So if you can just talk about it, really, you know, of course it's nothing right okay.
Speaker 2:It's flexible in a sense where you know how. Usually, if you want to train with a coach, they will say okay, you will have to come in a specific time, whereas ours is a much wider time, so in the morning, for example, we are open from five to ten. So at any time you come from five to ten, you're gonna get a coach here. So that gives you a lot more flexibility.
Speaker 1:Okay, so you don't actually have to make this sort of point. Yeah, exactly, that's the best part.
Speaker 2:So how our membership works is it's on subscription basis. You pay either every week or fortnightly and during that time you can come as often as you want. As long as we're open, you can come during those middle times and there'll be a coach here to serve you.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's fantastic. Okay, so that sort of takes care of the flexibility of your system. What about the fun part?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I think the fun part is because we create such a tight-knitted community and members here. If you look behind you, we've got a fighter journey board. You know, every 100 visits we'll put a sticky note, we'll take a picture of you, we'll give you merch. We've got different boxing gloves, different merch, a different design on it. Say, hey, you're a fighter, hey you're a warrior, elite champion, et cetera. You go through 1,000 visits. You'll go be immortal. You know we make it fun for everyone. We've got groups, we've got community. We've got digital boards at the back saying who can lift the most, who runs the fastest, who did fastest, who threw the most punch on the bags. We registered them. So we tried to create a competitive but safe and fun space at the same time and members tried to beat their own record and other record.
Speaker 1:So nobody's going to basically hit you on the chin, no.
Speaker 3:No, you're just trying to find there's also the fun part that some people would like that so, in terms of you know, do you actually sell these things?
Speaker 1:we do, okay, cool, yeah, so that's good.
Speaker 3:So you, you sell the gloves and you sell the t-shirt and uh yeah, actually these are old now and, if you can see from the commercial we're wearing, we're partnered with adidas, so now we're exclusively with adidas. All of our new gloves at the back are all adidas branded from adidas, all of our merch. So these are old ones that we're using for free trials, but anyone any members that's purchasing new ones.
Speaker 1:They'll get all adidas branded I'm a little bit out here because I think I've got a nike shirt. I'm a little bit out here because I think I've got a Nike shirt on. Okay, so let's go to the addictive. I can see it can become quite addictive, especially if you give that energy rush to your model.
Speaker 4:I think why it's so addictive is because every day, like every visit that you come to the gym, it's actually you're doing a different workout. Yes, you might get like a few same set, but the majority of the set is like, let's say, today you do like a workbench and then like maybe the next visit you come it's like you're pulling the rope, and then the next visit you come it's like you're punching a random stuff.
Speaker 2:So we do have like a different activity that rotates every single month.
Speaker 4:So that means that we can actually 90% guarantee that each VC that you come is you doing a complete different routine. That's why like normal gym is like yes, they have already have different equipment. That sets in that, let's say, you have like a 15 equipment but you actually only going for like the same specific set. So after a long ride you say that, oh, actually, it's like oh the the main reason I go to the normal gym is that, uh, if I want to gain weight, I'm not getting weight. I mean gaining the muscle. It's like you are adding more weight on it. So, yes, it's more consistent on the normal gym, but sometimes you get boys oh, why am I doing the uh, uh batch press again? And then, why, why am I doing the same stuff again? It's like getting more and more boring. But here it's like you can have like a different workout and you can try out of like different activities oh, that's good.
Speaker 1:No, no, kevin, I think we spoke about that. Uh, people do belong to gems at the moment. You know the normal gym and there is a boxing uh bag there which I always see there, but I never knew actually what to do. I just look at it and I think, okay, how do you do that? Nobody's actually teaching you in a normal gym how to do that. So it is, in a way, it's good that the boxing sort of specializes and actually teaches people how to use those those things. So, in terms of flexibility and sort of addictiveness of it, will people join the U-Box although they're part of a gym, or would people decide no? I did not like what he's saying. Gym is becoming boring and go something else, not not not putting gyms down society, but what I'm saying is do you see people actually extending their, their, their fitness by doing multiple type of exercises, or will it lead to a sort of uh moving from the market and maybe from gym to boxing?
Speaker 3:yeah, 100 and, on contrary, I don't find you boring. Um, I use gym myself and you know working on different muscle. If I'm losing weight or if I'm gaining weight or if I'm targeting some muscle, then I'll definitely go to a gym, because here you target your whole body, based on a workout that's provided by scientists. At the gym, you have your flexibility of doing whatever you want. It just depends whether you know what you're doing or you don't. That's the difference between us and a normal gym. Some people do both. Some people transition here because the space feels safe and they like it here. But it all depends on your goal.
Speaker 3:At the end of the day, if your simple goal was just to lose weight, I think Ubox is more than enough. We've got multiple results online. It shows you that in six weeks or six weeks' program that we do, you follow the diet plan we provide you the exercise we provide you People. You know it goes from drops like multiple kg of weight and I've done it myself too yeah, um, so I can, you know, back you box workout out. In terms of going to a gym like you know, city fitness out there, which I used to go to um, I would, you know, do my muscle group, focus on my bicep or focus on my back, then then U-Box wouldn't provide you as much as flexibility at that gym does. So we're definitely not competitors. We're definitely collaborative or different from each other. Our competitors are everybody else in the boutique fitness. We don't compete with normal gym just because people go to us and normal gym for different reasons.
Speaker 1:Let's go back to U-Box. Is this a New Zealand design? You know this is a franchise, isn't it? This is a franchise. It's an Australian New Zealand, it's an Australian New Zealand concept. So it started there, Correct? So that's good to know.
Speaker 1:Hi just a question which is just sort of came to my mind. You know the whole question of AI involvement in boxing, and he was mentioning the fact. You know that you can actually box with somebody. Do you think we'll get to the stage where we're actually boxing with an AI thing, a holocaust or robot or something? Do you think we'll get there? This is a random question. I'm asking what do you think? I don't see why not?
Speaker 2:I could definitely see it as like you're wearing something and you're augmented, you're punching a shadow it's like shadow boxing, you know but in this case you're punching a virtual character, that's in front of you, which you could actually potentially see. Him also, I can definitely see it, because there's this thing called haptic feedback. You can definitely create gloves that have haptic feedback. Once you hit the guy in virtual space, you feel a bit of a rumble like an impact, so I can definitely see it happening.
Speaker 1:It's just I know a lot of people get a kick out of actually breaking stuff and hitting stuff. I mean no that's the fact.
Speaker 4:You know they like that they like to.
Speaker 1:You know, although the exercise part is good, maybe for for people, others people feel no, but we need to go and feel it for real. We want to do the real thing, you know. So maybe I would, potentially, yeah, definitely. So how do you differ from somebody who's in a ring? You know that type of boxing Boxing ring, yeah, a boxing ring, how do you? Because that is actually training people to become boxers, right, yeah, but you're not doing that, no, no, you're doing the just, uh, preparation to the process.
Speaker 2:Yeah, okay I would say it's more uh with fitness boxing. You're using boxing to be more fit rather than preparing full combat, like if you notice there's no full contact or anything on our side, it's just pad work.
Speaker 1:You notice there's no full contact or anything on our side, it's just pad work at once.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, so there's no connection between you and the other fighter well, no, the most, the most you'll get, as, like ryan mentioned, pad work. So our coach will bring you, bring you out sometimes, depending on which station you are, and be like, hey, let's work on some combos. You know one, one, two. So you know, jab jab, cross um, work on your upper cuts, work on your cross, work on different fundamentals of boxing, and you know, let you punch him. Or of course he's going to have defensive gears, he's going to have pique pads for the armor and stuff, but that's the most contact you will have so, in terms of levels of preparedness?
Speaker 1:okay, so we talk about beginners, you know, like starting wanting to do it for fitness, and so do you only cater for people who just want to be fit, or do you also cater for people who's like athletes, you know, and a little bit more advanced? How high is your level going in terms of training for people?
Speaker 3:Sure, that's a good thing about UBOX there's no matter how easy or hard it is, it's always changing. So the set workout are there and again, like I said, that's why the coaches are there. Um, I've seen many people struggle, couldn't make it past six rounds. I've changed the workouts for them. Um, tell them to certain different workouts. Same with weights, because there's a lot of weight training also here, depending on the weights, how hard you want it to be. Same with the intensity, how many you want to do, how many rips you want to do. Uh, some of the workout might be too easy, like pull-ups. Then we add some weight on it. We have different techniques. Same with push-ups if you're doing a normal push-up or a military push-up, a kite push-ups, it depends how intense you want it to be and the coach has the knowledge there to tell you on which technique and which form you want to do. That's fantastic.
Speaker 1:So this is a little bit for everyone. So beginner, advanced and so forth. Let's just go to the next one, which is we spoke about flexibility. We spoke about the fun aspect of it. Let's just talk about the inclusivity of what do you mean by that value? How inclusive when you talk about it? Are you only talking about male and female here? Or what do you mean by the inclusive part of the value?
Speaker 2:I'd say it's in a sense where, as Kelvin just said just now, it doesn't matter how experienced or inexperienced you are. We're still catered to you. If you're more experienced, I think the coaches have a tendency to give you more of a challenge during that work. They'll give you more complex pad work and all that, and they're also, probably when you're doing all the other workouts, they'll be a bit more strict, saying that, okay, you need to be more straight with your posture, you need to go lower, you need to hold that tight then oh, that's fantastic.
Speaker 1:Anything else you want to add to that?
Speaker 3:Well, I guess when we come here we don't judge anyone based on whether your gender, your weight class or anything at all. We cater to everyone. Like we say, our bathroom are for any gender. We've got sanitary products, we've got any gadget you may need, we've got room changing rooms for everyone, we've got. Actually, sometimes we give coffees and food to members that need it we look after members.
Speaker 1:That's a good inclusive inclusivity.
Speaker 3:So yeah, we cater and we look after everyone. No, no matter who you are, yeah that's fantastic.
Speaker 1:Okay, so let's just go to the other part of it. You know, in terms of COVID, you know, during COVID we had quite a lot of businesses struggling, especially because we were not supposed to have been in contact with people and the business was struggling and a lot of businesses businesses actually closed after this. How did this whole? I know that you sort of started after COVID, so how long have you been?
Speaker 4:in the game for about six months or so, at least a year. Yeah, it's definitely less than a year.
Speaker 1:So did you start sort of after COVID period and did you feel the effects of this COVID thing, or did it affect your business?
Speaker 2:What was the spin-off of all that? I'd say there was still a bit of a COVID going around, but it wasn't anything too serious as before. And I think, well, funnily enough, a culture that we developed is that when people come in, we fist bump them. At first it started off because you want minimal contact you can't give a handshake during COVID season but I think it became some sort of like a signature for us. You know, when you see someone, you push, bump them as a greeting.
Speaker 1:But I mean in terms of your business, did it actually affect you? Did you feel this sort of a movement?
Speaker 3:We definitely affected and, like for other people, because we started at the more on the end side of COVID. You know, one of our coaches had COVID, which impacted us greatly.
Speaker 4:A lot of our members had COVID, so it definitely affects us.
Speaker 3:And we're nice enough, for example, we'll put their membership on hold. We don't want to penalize and make someone pay just because they've got COVID. So it definitely affected us financially and also logistically, with coaches being away and stuff like that, and with us tailoring and making sure there's no physical contact. Making sure there's no physical contact, making sure everybody's safe.
Speaker 2:Making sure they're all informed as well, Because during the time, one of our coaches did get COVID and I needed to inform everyone. We really needed to make sure that. Okay, who was in here during that time? I just needed to tell everyone. Hey, you guys, our coach had COVID during that time. You guys should get yourself tested.
Speaker 1:So is there other contact you made?
Speaker 2:We have a newsletter. We have all our members' emails. We just email them. Like usually, we send mass emails up just to make important announcements, like that.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's great. So in line with that, you know so we had a COVID, so that was bad and a lot of businesses suffered through that, still suffering. Then the next pandemic came. We can call it pandemic, you know, it's the cost of living.
Speaker 2:Oh, the pandemic is completing.
Speaker 1:everyone, keep the pandemic, so it's across the world. There's a cost of living. Everyone is struggling with it. New Zealand is struggling with it, especially Auckland, where the cost of living is pretty high. So people haven't had to pay the mortgages, the rent and all that, and people are starting up and so forth. And then how do you deal with that part of the economy as a business? Well, do you have a discussion? Do you have some strategies? No, we have a lot of discussions about that.
Speaker 2:Don't you worry, it keeps people up at night. It's all about just being more strict with your budget thing. I'd say Okay.
Speaker 1:Yeah, definitely. So who's doing the budgeting here?
Speaker 2:So it's about crunching the numbers and making allowances on top of that, because oftentimes you know you put a budget like that but it ends up being like that, so you've got to always account that it's going to be like that. You always got to prepare for that extra lump. It's about getting a buffer. Yes, you always got to prepare with a buffer. And aside from that, that pandemic is also affecting some of our members as well, because, uh, you know cost of living being high and well, some of them can't really afford to continue sometimes. But we're often nice enough to tell them hey, let's work something out. We would even go as far as to say, hey, how about if we change the frequency of your payment, would it be?
Speaker 4:would it you and most of the time it?
Speaker 2:will, and you know, because of that some of them stayed for long term, long term.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so that's also in line with your flexibility.
Speaker 2:Yeah, flexibility, because of the strategy that you yeah like it's a business, but we've got to be reasonable with our expectations, and a lot of people you know they have their own problems. That's right, yeah.
Speaker 1:But on that, you know, you do, even this crisis in your life, you know, with being fit, everybody's fit, it might be a decision, so let's also go with that.
Speaker 1:So, let's go into the future. So we've been to the back. You know, we went to COVID, we went to the cost of living that we're all dealing with at the moment, and hopefully that will also sort itself out in time. Uh, how do you? Where do you see this? You've been in the business for about six months and or more. And uh, where do you see you?
Speaker 4:you box cyber 20 years or 10 years from maybe first 10 years, I will see you. Box will become like the 24 hours access so you can walk in any time that you want. So let's say that, like, if you don't want to get disturbed by a lot of people, you can actually choose going home midnight, let's say 2 to 3 o'clock. Some people do that, some people do that, or some people they can go for their activity, like, let's say, after the work, let's say five, six o'clock at the afternoon. So technically we are trying to make it as flexible as they could so that you have the 24 access the card, so that only the members can go inside our gym. So that's what I will see in the future 10 years of ubox instead of just only for, like, a specific time.
Speaker 1:So at the moment are you sort of more specific time.
Speaker 4:So what's your timing? At the moment, yes, we have a specific time, but we are planning to expand into 24 hour service and we have all the CCTV surveillance, all cameras, so they make sure that you are safe while you are alone inside our team. So, yeah, can you guys elaborate more, like after 10 years? After 10 years? Well, after 15 years?
Speaker 1:After 15 years? Yeah, just to be clear. This is a very long shot, yeah.
Speaker 2:We have had talks about having one branch in Hamilton. Yeah, Because, there's no branch there yet.
Speaker 1:What about in Northland? Yeah, like, what about that? Do you not need that? Yeah, those areas, all of that, you're not doing that.
Speaker 3:Well, I think it depends on the market, the market research and marketing we can provide and target audience that Ubox attract. Our fee is on the higher of the spectrum. It depends on which area and which sort of people get attracted to the model. But going back to your question, where you know I see Ubox itself in maybe one decade from now. It's looking forward.
Speaker 3:Ubox has already been open in Singapore, uk, japan and elaborate. I see them as one of the leading global boutique vendors out there and I think they're going to continue growing. So with bringing more influences, in bringing more awareness in and make every other franchise perform really well and become the number one out there. They're already getting from your exclusive partners like Adidas. They've had others in the past. I think they went to market with Nike. I think they're doing really well as a business. Like Ryan mentioned, we wanted to be very profitable. We were having plans plans between you know having open a second one, whether it's in hamilton um, we're all from hamilton originally, so we got ourselves is that we sort of wait to start this whole business.
Speaker 1:How do you, how do you? That was one of the questions I was going to ask right in the beginning. How did you actually get together? How do we know each other and how do you know each other?
Speaker 2:That's another one.
Speaker 3:So we all went to the University of Waikato and we met at different circumstances. Well, first of all, I met Daniel through Isaac, through a university club. Well, at that point it was an organisation and he introduced me to Ryan, I was his flatmate for the time.
Speaker 3:And then our fourth partner, zagum. He was one of my friends in high school. I'm with the boys. So, yeah, we all came together because we all moved to Auckland separately in different timelines. But, funny enough, I found a business. I'm quite business-centric and mindful about it, so I presented the option to ryan and make it down the line to daniel, and then here we are.
Speaker 1:Wow that's fantastic. Hi guys, uh, I just love talking to you. Uh, brian and kelvin and danny, it was a beautiful to to you know that young people could start a business like this and hopefully you're going to be a role model for other people who are at your age, because you're probably all in their 20s, eh yeah, yeah. So you know it's amazing that in this difficult, challenging time that we're living, you know that young people can take up the challenge and say, hey, we can make things work. And so it was lovely learning about you, few box and, hopefully, our listeners out there uh, have a great, quite a deeper insight into your boxing and maybe start calling you, you know if they, they need to know more or want to join?
Speaker 4:yeah, they can click on the website, either clear or if you have our website, so so you can just type ubx relay and then it will pop up on our website and you can just uh select any date that you want or any timing that you want. Click the slot, you just fill your your name and your email and you are feel free to come inside and our coach will introduce you to our workaround in our ubox, our gym. Or you also can actually uh a private dm us or by calling us from our website too. There's also one of the way that you can come inside and have a free trial yeah, so they can have a free trial.
Speaker 4:That was the question I was gonna ask yes, yes, so the first time they free for everyone.
Speaker 1:Fantastic, there's a great opportunity for people to join. So just coming back to schools, have you sort of connected with the schools, because I think there would be probably quite a bit of people interested there, because I don't think they were doing much of boxing in school, but I know We've had plans to.
Speaker 2:Definitely, jeff has shown an interest as well, because he is very passionate about boxing and he does want to pass on his wisdom to the younger generation as well, so that they can channel the energy it feels scary.
Speaker 3:Boxing actually is like you can release a lot of stress.
Speaker 1:It's good for your mental health.
Speaker 4:Yes, good for my mental health, Because last time I had a very down time and then I came at 12am and I'm alone here.
Speaker 1:I keep boxing for the past two hours jamming with the music you know.
Speaker 2:Getting that frustration going out. Yeah, it's way better than expected.
Speaker 4:What was the downtime then?
Speaker 2:Hey don't talk like that man.
Speaker 1:You should have recorded that. You could put it in the list.
Speaker 2:Can you imagine, like 12 in the morning, suddenly I get called down and I was like hey, ryan, can you lend me the key? Maybe I want to put it somewhere.
Speaker 1:You know, speaking of that, that would actually be a good answer right. Yeah, yeah, people get frustrated before they do something stupid, you know, doing something that both of you, both at the same time, just get it out of the system, you know boxing me down.
Speaker 1:Yes, hey guys, let's go talking to you and thank you for the informative discussion. We had it and I wish you everything. The best is. I can see that you will just go and meet those goals that you have for 10 years, 20 years from here, and we invite our listeners and the views to come out here and try something here yeah, yeah, it was a pleasure talking to you, mario.
Speaker 3:We have more visitors coming in soon and just give us a buzz and we're happy to help.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and you can come as well. Oh, thank you, it's my pleasure.
Speaker 1:Thank you, yeah, and next time I'll do even boxing.
Speaker 2:So let's do that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that would be good, and if you have any comments or suggestions for this program, please contact us at podcast at thedrmorrishowcom. Until the next time, kia kite a terawiki. Thank you.