Affiliate Ownership, Risk-Taking, and Resilience With Myles Lewis (EP. 006)

Myles Lewis is a father, husband, longtime CrossFit affiliate owner, coach, and member of CrossFit’s Seminar Staff. Since opening CrossFit Avalanche in 2008, he’s navigated the challenges of running a business in a competitive, high-cost environment while staying true to the fundamentals of CrossFit.

In this episode, Myles joins Denise Thomas to discuss his journey — from professional snowboarding to discovering CrossFit and becoming a coach. He shares lessons learned over 16 years of affiliate ownership, including how he adapted his business during the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of taking risks, and why simplicity and consistency are key to building a strong community.

Topics Included:

• Myles’ passion for snowboarding and how it shaped his mindset
• The story behind opening CrossFit Avalanche in 2008
• Navigating affiliate ownership during the COVID-19 pandemic
• How Myles brought some perspective to CrossFit’s executive team

Resources Mentioned:

• CrossFit Avalanche → https://www.instagram.com/crossfitavalanche
• The Tahoe Throwdown: A look back at classic CrossFit events → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kB0QEKJ9od4 
• Influx Mini-Series: Showcasing how fitness translates beyond the gym → https://journal.crossfit.com/article/influx-bonus-content-heli-safety 

Community Highlight:

This week, we’re highlighting Ashley Cullen, the owner of Big Gratitude CrossFit in Richmond, Virginia. A mother of six and wife to a military veteran, Ashley founded her affiliate in July 2024 with a mission rooted in service. Not only does she run a thriving CrossFit gym, but 100% of its profits go directly to support a nonprofit she created for disadvantaged youth and military veterans.

Want to follow Ashley’s journey? Check out @biggratitudecrossfit to see how she’s using CrossFit to make a meaningful impact in her community → https://www.instagram.com/biggratitudecrossfit

Know someone you think deserves to be highlighted? Nominate them here → https://crossfit.surveysparrow.com/s/CrossFit-Community-Stories/tt-PrkSJ

Share Your Thoughts:

Let us know what you think about the podcast and how we can improve here → https://crossfit.surveysparrow.com/s/The-CrossFit-Podcast—Feedback-Survey/tt-lf9Gf?ep=006