Founders in Fitness | with Chris and Annie Mello
On the latest episode of Behind the Business, Founders in the 605, Marcus and Alexis Mahlen sit down with Chris and Annie Mello, the founders of SISU Fit.
Both from California, Chris and Annie’s story started at the gym. Chris was working the front desk at the gym near Annie’s home, and Annie decided to apply to also work at the gym. They quickly bonded over their mutual passion for health and fitness.
Shortly after getting married, Chris was facing a “quarter life crisis” and wanted to quit his finance job, so the couple made the decision to move to Sioux Falls to open a gym in 2008.
Their first studio, CrossFit Sioux Falls, was on the corner of 50th and Western in Sioux Falls. Chris used unconventional marketing tactics to build clientele in his new city, and it ended up working so well, they were able to sell the gym for a profit a couple of years later. They moved back to California and tried to open a similar gym there, but when it wasn’t lining up the way they had hoped, they moved back to Sioux Falls and quickly became very busy running three gyms for five years.
Now, they solely operate SISU Fit, a modern 24/7 fitness studio located in the Cherapa area of downtown Sioux Falls. This new concept of mixed usage fitness facility has taken off in the market.
In this episode, the Mellos explain throughout all of the changes in their fitness careers, one mission has remained constant: they want to help others by becoming the best versions of themselves through fitness.
Click below to listen to this episode on Spotify.
Annie and Chris Mello recording this episode of 605 Founders Podcast in the Loft Advisors Studio at First Dakota National Bank.
From left to right: Alexis Mahlen, Annie Mello, Chris Mello and Marcus Mahlen.
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