Today we’d like to introduce you to Bryan Fuller.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Bryan. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
In 2011, I was invited to join a veteran’s outreach rowing program through Community Rowing, Inc. I had honorably discharged from the Army in 1999 and largely hadn’t given any thought about my service since. My transition to civilian life like many veterans was not an easy one, but I wasn’t going to miss an opportunity to row crew for free. To say that the program was transformative, is a huge understatement. For the first time in a dozen years I was able to reflect upon my service while learning to row with other veterans. The program was called Mil/Vet Outreach and was started in the prior year. Being a new program, there was only a few members. It was so impactful to me that I wanted to do something exceptional to help develop it, so in February 2012 I rowed across the Atlantic Ocean. I used the row to fund raise and get press about the program. I finished the row in 34 days, 15 hours, and 39 minutes (along with the other members of Team Titan) becoming the fastest American to ever row across an ocean. I was then elected to the Board of Directors and later to the Executive Board as Treasurer. In 2016, I had my mid-life crisis. I was sitting in my cube reviewing my latest banking regulation audit and decided I didn’t want this to be my life anymore. I was a CPA/MBA and quit a six-figure salary and decided to pursue my dream of bringing rowing to the world through studio fitness. Rowing has largely been ignored in the world of group fitness only appearing in classes like Cross Fit to get your heart rate up; however, rowing is so much more. It is the top exercise towards heart fitness (stamina), the number two exercise in support of bone density, and works nearly all the muscles in the body with each stroke. It is also a terrific exercise for posture muscles to keep us from slouching and one of the lowest impact exercises in the world. I knew all this, but it took walking by a Spin Class in Fenway to put it all together in my head. After much planning and lots and lots of studio classes, I formulated a business plan, sold my condo and opened Power Rowing in Brookline Village on August 5, 2017. Since opening, I have raised money for Mil/Vet Rowing and Respond Inc., (a crisis center) and have vowed to donate 1% of my income through the studio to both programs.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s been a relatively smooth road since opening. I have been fortunate to hire wonderful people. I have also been fortunate to be in a community that is so open to new ideas and so dedicated to their health. After six months in business, Power Rowing is starting to turn a profit, which is unusually fast with growth being a nearly steady line upwards.
Please tell us about Power Rowing.
We have a very different workout than any other studio in Boston. Most studios still labor under the calorie or weight loss model developed by Jane Fonda back in the 70’s. Our workouts are structured in a way that you will likely never hear any of our instructors talk about fat. First off, our workouts are designed to minimize the chance you will get hurt. All of Power Rowing’s workouts are low impact and begin with a long warmup. Additionally, all our workouts are predictably structured with intense pieces coupled with intervals or cool downs to prevent overworking the clients. Predictable workouts help the clients plan for the hard pieces and allows them to push harder. Lastly, most importantly, our clients are treated like friends. Our classes are small, and instructors are encouraged to learn everyone’s name. When an instructor asks a client in a personal way to work harder, they do. Injury prevention, predictable workouts, and a personal touch result in clients coming back more frequently and getting better results. In general, a client’s experience at Power Rowing is more positive. The return rate for new clients is roughly 80% and the number one reason people try out Power Rowing is they were recommended by a friend. That is what I am most proud of.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I had a large close group of friends growing up and we would get together on a regular basis. We would play softball and hockey and just get into all sorts of mischief. I am still close with a few of them.
Pricing:
- A walk in class is $25, but you can buy packages of 5 for $100 or 10 for $180
- You can get a membership for $150 a month, though I do have specials from time to time.
- Veterans receive a 40% discount
Contact Info:
- Address: 62 Harvard Street
Brookline, MA 02445 - Website: www.powerrowing.com
- Phone: 6175053168
- Email: bfuller@powerrowing.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/powerrowing/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/139781576815678/
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