Holly Bond

And then I hung up the phone. I felt like people were keeping this secret from me. It was a very odd feeling. And then I looked I had a picture on the wall and it was Matthew standing there, the sweetest face. And he had, he was wearing a short sleeved cotton shirt and the stripes were vertical.

And then I hung up the phone. I felt like people were keeping this secret from me. It was a very odd feeling. And then I looked I had a picture on the wall and it was Matthew standing there, the sweetest face. And he had, he was wearing a short sleeved cotton shirt and the stripes were vertical.

And, but they were, you know, when you draw a pumpkin and you draw the line, so they curve, they're not vertical. And I, it was like a brick. Someone hitting me in the head with a brick. I just saw him as being overweight then. I saw it too. And so I went to him and I said, hey, bud. That's what we say over here in Canada. Everybody's bud or buddy.

And, but they were, you know, when you draw a pumpkin and you draw the line, so they curve, they're not vertical. And I, it was like a brick. Someone hitting me in the head with a brick. I just saw him as being overweight then. I saw it too. And so I went to him and I said, hey, bud. That's what we say over here in Canada. Everybody's bud or buddy.

I said, hey, bud, I think we've got like a little bit of an issue. That's all I said. I didn't tell him what it was. And he goes, yeah, I know. And I said, what do you know? And he goes, I'm overweight. And I said, we had moved into a new house and we had a really nice lower level of the house. And I said, you know what? I wanted to put in a gym. So I said, do you want to help me?

I said, hey, bud, I think we've got like a little bit of an issue. That's all I said. I didn't tell him what it was. And he goes, yeah, I know. And I said, what do you know? And he goes, I'm overweight. And I said, we had moved into a new house and we had a really nice lower level of the house. And I said, you know what? I wanted to put in a gym. So I said, do you want to help me?

And he said, yeah. And of course, little fat kids, they have little fat friends. All our friends were overweight too. They were all over and now I wasn't going to open it. I had no idea that I was opening Bulldog at this time, but they were over eating pizza and playing video games. There you go. And I said, I'm putting gym equipment in the basement.

And he said, yeah. And of course, little fat kids, they have little fat friends. All our friends were overweight too. They were all over and now I wasn't going to open it. I had no idea that I was opening Bulldog at this time, but they were over eating pizza and playing video games. There you go. And I said, I'm putting gym equipment in the basement.

And of course they watched the Bowflex commercials too. So even 13 year old boys want to look like the people on TV. I said, what should I put there? And they were talking and I said, would make exercise more fun. And then Matthew said, if we could play video games.

And of course they watched the Bowflex commercials too. So even 13 year old boys want to look like the people on TV. I said, what should I put there? And they were talking and I said, would make exercise more fun. And then Matthew said, if we could play video games.

When he said that, I nearly fell off my chair and I said, of course, we will have a gym and we will integrate video games into the exercise equipment. And that will be the draw. So I, husband James, always encouraging. And that is a key. When you want to change, when you want any kind of change, it doesn't matter what it is.

When he said that, I nearly fell off my chair and I said, of course, we will have a gym and we will integrate video games into the exercise equipment. And that will be the draw. So I, husband James, always encouraging. And that is a key. When you want to change, when you want any kind of change, it doesn't matter what it is.

To have somebody in your corner that is rooting for you and a sounding board is very key. And I've always had people in my life like that. And my husband James, he was amazing. Amazing. He said, if you want to do this, we'll do this. So we had focus groups in our basement with all these kids and we were taping Sony PlayStation remote controls onto the bikes because the equipment didn't even exist.

To have somebody in your corner that is rooting for you and a sounding board is very key. And I've always had people in my life like that. And my husband James, he was amazing. Amazing. He said, if you want to do this, we'll do this. So we had focus groups in our basement with all these kids and we were taping Sony PlayStation remote controls onto the bikes because the equipment didn't even exist.

And so we had this prototype and then we thought, OK, let's do it. Here's lesson number one. Make sure you have enough money to open your business. And then my husband said, I'll give you $10,000. And we met a gentleman who helped us source and create the equipment that would exercise bikes that were fed through Sony PlayStation and so much other equipment.

And so we had this prototype and then we thought, OK, let's do it. Here's lesson number one. Make sure you have enough money to open your business. And then my husband said, I'll give you $10,000. And we met a gentleman who helped us source and create the equipment that would exercise bikes that were fed through Sony PlayStation and so much other equipment.

And this is going back to 2004, so it has come a long way. The three of us started this company. We opened it in Halifax. It had never been done before. There was no other gym in North America. Or I had calls from Dubai, Singapore, all over the world. People wanted these franchises. So this was just one gym. That's all I was going to do. And I didn't have enough money. I was running it.

And this is going back to 2004, so it has come a long way. The three of us started this company. We opened it in Halifax. It had never been done before. There was no other gym in North America. Or I had calls from Dubai, Singapore, all over the world. People wanted these franchises. So this was just one gym. That's all I was going to do. And I didn't have enough money. I was running it.

I was there night and day. There I was at the club in the day. And in the evenings, I was working on programming. And then I also didn't have a marketing or PR position. person. So I started calling all the radio and the local TV stations. They came to the club and I said, you have to come here. It's really amazing. They'll come if you have something interesting for them.

I was there night and day. There I was at the club in the day. And in the evenings, I was working on programming. And then I also didn't have a marketing or PR position. person. So I started calling all the radio and the local TV stations. They came to the club and I said, you have to come here. It's really amazing. They'll come if you have something interesting for them.