Growing a health club business takes more than adding locations, expanding amenities and attracting new members. Sustaining that growth over decades requires a culture that keeps employees invested, members engaged and the experience consistent from one club to the next.
For Craig Cote, CEO of Mountainside Fitness, that philosophy has guided the company since it opened its first club in 1991. Today, the Arizona-based operator has 24 locations and more than 200,000 members, with the same commitment to employee and member experience at the center of its business.The pillars of Mountainside Fitness were built on family values, outstanding childcare, state-of-the-art equipment and 70-plus group fitness classes offered weekly. Mountainside has been providing a luxurious health club experience at an affordable price to valued Arizona residents for 35 years.
“Our success starts with a consistent, positive culture that puts our employees and members at the center of everything we do,” said Cote. “Whether we’re making decisions about club remodels, equipment, group fitness programming, membership pricing, operating hours or childcare, we always ask ourselves how we can create a better experience for the people who walk through our doors. We’ve always wanted to be known as the ‘Friendliest Gym in Town,’ and we work hard to deliver on that promise every day.”
What does this look like in action?
For Cote, that means the details matter,
For Cote, that means the details matter, from nightly cleaning and proper front-desk staffing to free towel service, group fitness included with every membership, multi-club access, fully appointed locker rooms and a supportive management team that is genuinely invested in both members and employees.
Craig Cote, the CEO.
“These fundamentals have been at the heart of Mountainside Fitness for more than three decades,” explained Cote. “They’ve helped us stay relevant, continue to evolve and build lasting relationships with our members, even as the fitness industry has changed dramatically around us.”
While the fitness industry has gone through many changes, one thing has remained constant from Day One: friendly, welcoming people are at the heart of the Mountainside experience. Mountainside’s philosophy has always been to “pack as much value into the box” as possible for every member. What has changed over the past 35 years is how they deliver that value.
The clubs have grown from less than 5,000
The clubs have grown from less than 5,000 square feet to facilities approaching 45,000 square feet, with more equipment, amenities, programming and services than ever before. The way members use the clubs has evolved as well, with activity now spread throughout much of the day rather than being concentrated in traditional morning and afternoon peak times. That growth has also meant building larger, more comprehensive teams across every area of the club, from the front desk and childcare to group fitness, personal training, maintenance and beyond.
One of the team’s most pivotal decisions was taking a risk on suburban growth as the Phoenix area expanded over the past three decades. Cote explained that they entered several communities early, often when there were only promises of new highways, housing and schools.
“We partnered with developers who delivered on those promises, and those early investments helped shape the trajectory of the company,” said Cote. “Being early paid off. Many of those clubs are now 20-plus years old, with strong membership bases and deep roots in their communities. Those decisions helped establish the foundation for the company we are today.”
While the size and complexity of Mountainside’s business
While the size and complexity of Mountainside’s business have changed dramatically, their commitment to creating a welcoming, high-value fitness community has remained the same.
Company culture has been at the center of the growth and longevity from the beginning. The Mountainside team believes strongly in servant leadership, employees take care of members, and ownership and leadership teams take care of employees.
“That means listening to what our teams need, investing in better uniforms and childcare opportunities, supporting charitable and community fundraising, celebrating our employees, and creating opportunities for internal advancement,” said Cote. “The results speak for themselves: 100% of our club and district managers have been promoted from within, and many of the instructors and team members who helped open our clubs have stayed with us for 15 to 20 years. That continuity ultimately benefits our members. They value familiar faces, strong relationships and the consistency of the Mountainside experience, and our culture is what makes that possible.”
As Mountainside celebrates 35 years and takes
As Mountainside celebrates 35 years and takes a closer look at employee tenure, the leadership ream is humbled by how many people have chosen to build their careers with Mountainside.
They now have hundreds of second-generation employees, children of longtime team members are working across the clubs in childcare, front desk, maintenance, group fitness and other roles. To Cote, that says a lot about the organization they’ve built.
“We believe people stay when they feel safe, valued and appreciated, and the loyalty and longevity of our employees is one of the strongest measures of our culture,” explained Cote. “It’s something we’re incredibly proud of and never take for granted.”
As Mountainside looks toward the next 35 years,
As Mountainside looks toward the next 35 years, that strong culture and fundamental way they treat their employees is what they want to preserve the most.
Cote said they’ve always believed culture is not an initiative, but the enabler of everything they do. He explained they don’t try to manufacture or force culture, but instead focus on taking care of employees, setting high expectations and giving them the support they need to succeed.
At the same time, Cote said he knows the workplace, employees and the fitness industry will continue to evolve.
We don’t know exactly what the next 35
“We don’t know exactly what the next 35 years will look like, but we do know the principle that will guide us: treat people the way you want to be treated,” said Cote. “That Golden Rule has served us well for 35 years, and we believe it will continue to be our roadmap for the next 35.”
The Mountainside Experience from Veteran Employees
Having been part of the Mountainside Fitness journey for 22 years, I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built together. Our success has always been about more than fitness — it’s about people, relationships, and creating a culture where our employees feel valued and our members feel like family. As a leader, one of my greatest honors has been helping build and support the people who bring the Mountainside experience to life every day. — Robyn Klawitter, Senior Vice President
My 20 years with Mountainside has provided me with a challenging place to learn and grow into every role I have held. I am fortunate to have the best leaders in the industry coaching me, to whom I can credit my continued growth. Mountainside has become more a home than a place of work for me. — Taylor Rice, District Manager
I came for the job and stayed
I came for the job and stayed for the people. After 20 years at Mountainside, I am still happy to walk through its doors each day. I am grateful to have a team I love, leadership I can trust and continued belief in the Mountainside way. — George Pelton, Maintenance Technician/Project Manager
Being a part of Mountainside Fitness for 21 years has been a journey filled with amazing people that I’ve met and who have supported me, the lasting friendships that I’ve made and all the countless memories. It’s been so much more than fitness — it’s been about relationships, community and making a positive impact on others — making them smile and laugh while teaching class. I’ve been so lucky to be part of a company that has meant so much to me over the years. Mountainside Fitness has truly been family to me. — Jennie Yingling, Fitness Instructor
