From the Boxing Ring to Business Success: Chad Yarvitz’s Journey to Xplicit Fitness

mgraziano45
Mar 31
3 min read

Boxing, business, and a bit of humor – Chad Yarvitz has built a thriving fitness empire by blending all three. A former Golden Gloves boxing champion, Chad is now the president of Xplicit Fitness, a personal training gym that has redefined how people experience boxing workouts. In this episode of Adventures in Business, Amani and Mandi chat with Chad about his transition from the ring to running a business, the challenges he faced along the way, and how he’s made boxing accessible to everyone.

From Boxer to Business Owner

Chad’s journey into fitness entrepreneurship began in 2006 when he started a small boxing program at Kennedy Club Fitness in San Luis Obispo. By his early 20s, he was making close to six figures as a trainer but faced a pivotal moment: should he continue coaching or take a shot at boxing professionally?

He says he knew he’d regret not going for it, so he quit his job, moved to LA, and started competing while doing personal training on the side.

After a successful run in the sport, Chad transitioned back into fitness full-time. Moving to San Diego, he started training clients out of his garage – until the noise complaints started rolling in. That push led him to open Xplicit Fitness in 2010, bootstrapping his way to a full-fledged gym.

Making Boxing Fun and Accessible

While boxing is often seen as intimidating, Chad found a way to make it approachable for everyone. Initially, he hoped to train professional fighters, but the reality of running a business meant catering to clients who could afford his services – primarily stay-at-home moms and professionals looking for a fun, effective workout.

“I had two totally different demographics coming in – guys wanting to fight but who couldn’t pay, and women looking for fitness and self-defense,” Chad explains. Guess who kept the lights on?

To create a welcoming environment, Chad infused humor and creativity into his gym culture. From dressing up in costumes to engaging social media content, he’s made Xplicit Fitness a place where anyone can learn the fundamentals of boxing without feeling out of place.

Finding Clarity and Purpose

Transitioning from boxing into a more multifaceted life hasn’t been easy for Chad. He admitted that he misses the singular clarity that training provided him every single day. It was more than just a sport – it was therapy, a source of discipline, and even a form of spiritual practice. After experiencing personal hardships, including a failed marriage and the illness of his dad, Chad realized how deeply ingrained that structure had been in his life.

One book that helped him understand his own drive was The Molecule of More by Daniel Lieberman and Michael E. Long. The book explores how dopamine influences our behavior, often pushing us toward constant seeking and chasing the next goal. With this new awareness, Chad has been able to make more intentional decisions and find fulfillment in other ways, such as connecting with nature and spirituality.

Overcoming Hardships and Seeking Help

Despite his physical and mental toughness, Chad recognized the importance of seeking support when he needed it most. After his marriage ended and his father was diagnosed with cancer, he reached a breaking point. Feeling lost and scared, he turned to therapy – a decision that many men often avoid. But for Chad, acknowledging that he needed help was a turning point.

Reinventing a Business Model for Growth

COVID-19 forced Chad to take a hard look at his business model. At the time, his gym was a 6,000-square-foot space with multiple programs and tenants. The pandemic turned everything upside down, but instead of giving up, Chad used it as an opportunity to rethink his approach.

Two books helped shape his new strategy: Building a StoryBrand and The E-Myth. These books helped him understand how to simplify and scale his business. He downsized to a more focused 1,500-square-foot space, rebranded, optimized his class structure, and created a franchise model.

Investing in the Right Support

Even with all these changes, Chad found himself hitting a plateau in early 2024. Instead of struggling through trial and error, he joined Loud Rumor, a coaching company specializing in helping boutique fitness businesses scale.

The investment was significant, but it paid off. Since implementing their strategies, Chad’s gym has seen a 50% increase in monthly revenue compared to the previous year – and that growth is continuing upward.