Climbing Business Journal Podcasts
Episodes
Lessons From the Sharp End of Modern Setting – Mike Bockino
05 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The USA Climbing competition season is well underway and athletes are showing up to qualification events across the country. On this episode of The Im...
The Value of Collaboration in Gym Creation – Parker Simms
14 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today's episode features an interview with Parker Sims, founder of Gravity Bear, a new bouldering gym built inside a century-old, renovated building i...
The Art of Building Pump – Daniel Cornella
31 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As the routesetting field continues to become more professionalized, so do our standards and expectations. On this episode of The Impact Driver Podcas...
A Pioneer of the Climbing Gym Industry – Mike Pont
17 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode of the Climbing Business Journal podcast is a little historical. There is so much that is often recounted and celebrated related to the h...
So You Want to Host a Comp? Nickolas Gagliardi
03 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of The Impact Driver Podcast, host Holly Chen sits down with Nickolas Gagliardi to get us thinking about USAC events as routesetters g...
Building Gyms from the Ground Up – Eric Hires
18 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today's podcast episode features an interview with gym founder Eric Hires. Eric is the co-owner of Stone Climbing, the first location of which opened ...
Fundamentals of Paraclimbing and Parasetting – Mia DePaolis & Nat Vorel
04 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On this expansive episode of The Impact Driver Podcast, host Holly Chen brings on two setters—Nat Vorel and Mia DePaolis—to talk about paraclimbin...
Is This HIIT Climbing Gym Starting a Trend? – Michael Hauss
22 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of the Climbing Business Journal Podcast, host John Burgman checks out a new gym, ROQ, that is currently expected to open this fall in...
Setting the Tone: What Makes a Space Feel Good? – Jesse Safford
10 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jesse Safford (they/them) started climbing during college in Montana, but it wasn’t until they moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan, that they stumbled u...
Hiring Is Sacred – Jonathan Brandt
25 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today on the Climbing Business Journal Podcast, host John Burgman meets with Jonathan Brandt. Jonathan is one of the co-founders of a new climbing gym...
How the Scientific Method Informs Routesetting – Carly Snidow
10 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of the Climbing Business Journal podcast, host Holly Chen sits down with Carly Snidow. Carly is a routesetter at Vital’s Lower East ...
Group Climbing Gym Insurance Breakdown – Mark Grossman and Will Jorgensen
03 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of the Climbing Business Journal Podcast, host Scott Rennak meets with Mark Grossman and Will Jorgensen of the Monument Sports Group. ...
Once a Climber, Always a Climber – Obe Carrion
26 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Obe Carrion is the guest of this episode of the Climbing Business Journal podcast, hosted by John Burgman. Obe has long been one of the biggest names ...
Balancing Art and Functionality in Hold Shaping – Joey Jannsen
13 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Joey is the co-founder and owner of his own hold company, called Ocelot Grips, out of Oregon. But Ocelot Grips is the end product, or at least the cur...
No One Sets Alone: Collective Authorship – Ruth Jang
30 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode brings Ruth Jang to the show. Ruth is a routesetter at Central Rock Gym in Atlanta, Georgia. She first picked up setting as a bucket...
Getting the Most Out of a College Market – Brian Doscher
16 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Brian is the General Manager and Co-Owner of Bluestem Boulders in Ames, Iowa. It's a fairly new gym, having opened last November. The climbing walls a...
Skill and Strength: Are They Synonymous in Setting? Iza Nowak
02 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode brings routesetter Iza Nowak to the podcast. Nowak is a team climber turned routesetting powerhouse. She started climbing as a kid a...
Why the Midwest Is a Great Place for a Climbing Gym – Jonathan Landis
18 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of the CBJ podcast, host John Burgman and Jonathan Landis, the CEO of Greater Heights, talk about the winding path from an idea to the...
An Episode of Affirmations: Battling Imposter Syndrome – Ethan Paris
04 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode brings routesetter Ethan Paris to the recording studio. Paris comes from a film and creative background, giving him a unique perspec...
Supporting the New Climber's Journey – Megan Cheek
21 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of the Climbing Business Journal podcast, host John Burgman is joined by Megan Cheek. Megan is the Digital Marketing Manager and Conte...
Put A Drop In The Bucket When You Can – Taylor Fragomeni
07 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Impact Driver host Holly Chen speaks with Taylor Fragomeni. Like many other professional routesetters, Taylor's career started at her...
Preserving Our Climbing Gym Culture – Garnet Moore
21 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today host Scott Rennak sits down with Garnet Moore, Executive Director of the Climbing Wall Association. Garnet is one of the most connected and cent...
A Setter's Perspective on Sustainable Holds - Roy Quanstrom
08 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today's guest is Roy Quanstrom. Roy is a USA Climbing Level 4 Routesetter and he's a hold shaper, having created Trango's Fuegos Calientes and Khans s...
The Setter in the Flatlands – Armen Avanessian
24 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today host Holly Chen meets with Armen Avanessian. Armen is the Head Routesetter and Operations Manager at Threshold Climbing in Oklahoma. Armen is a ...
Trends, Mentorship, Communication, and Gym Management – Josh Haynes
14 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome back to the Climbing Business Journal podcast. Today, host John Burgman chats with Josh Haynes. Josh first made waves in the industry as an el...
Vans on the Wall – Ally Cruz
27 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today host Holly Chen chats with Ally Cruz. Ally is a Trango Grassroots Athlete and a USAC Level 3 Routesetter with a decade of climbing experience. H...
Making the Great Leap in Business – Francis Larose
15 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today's guest is the founder and CEO of OnSite, Francis Larose. OnSite is based in Montreal, Quebec, and made history this past summer when it became ...
What Is a “Chaos Bomb”? – Annabelle Spingler
01 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of The Impact Driver Podcast, host Holly Chen meets with Annabelle Spingler. Annabelle has been climbing and working in climbing gyms ...
How To Be an Entrepreneur – Andrew Potter
21 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On today's episode of the CBJ Podcast, host John Burgman and guest Andrew Potter chat about gym startups, software startups, market analysis and much ...
Necessity Breeds Invention – Andy Nelson
04 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of The Impact Driver Podcast, host Holly Chen interviews Andy Nelson. Andy has been climbing since 1998, and he became the first paid ...
Let’s Talk About 24-Hour Access – Lindsay Runne
20 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of the Climbing Business Journal podcast, host John Burgman meets with Climbing Roots owner Lindsay Runne. Climbing Roots' grand openi...
Understanding Constants Over Time – Claire Gordon
06 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today The Impact Driver host Holly Chen meets with Claire Gordon, a former competitive youth athlete turned coach and gym owner. Claire has a bachelor...
101 Climbing Games and Activities – Hailey Caissie
23 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of the Climbing Business Journal Podcast, host John Burgman speaks with Hailey Caissie. Hailey is the Programs Manager at The Crag in ...
You Can Strip My Boulder – Blake Green
12 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of the Impact Driver Podcast, host Holly Chen talks with Blake Green. Blake is the head setter at High Point Climbing and Fitness in B...
Growing Membership Through Programming – Evan Pearce
26 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Evan Pearce is the Senior Director of Movement Gyms Colorado. Pearce came from humble beginnings at what is now Movement Sunnyvale—his first industr...
On Eye-Pro, Ugly Boulders, and Influencers – Kegan Minock
14 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Kegan Minock is the Gym Director and Head Routesetter at Gripstone Climbing in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Having gotten his start in the industry thr...
Competition Keeps Us Honest – Gavin Heverly
28 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today's guest is Gavin Heverly, consultant and founder of Rise Above Consulting. Gavin has been working in and around climbing gyms since the late 90s...
Addressing the Entire Climbing Cycle – CBJ Podcast with Chris Klinke
14 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Chris Klinke is the President of Trango, a Colorado-based designer and manufacturer of climbing gear and holds, with history dating back to the compan...
Bless Its Brushless Heart – Buck Yedor
31 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode features Buck Yedor, also known as “Big Wall Buck'' at The Spot Gyms in Colorado, where he oversees routesetting at the five Spot ...
Gyms Have Changed; Culture Has Stayed the Same – Bryan Pletta
19 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Bryan Pletta founded Stone Age Climbing Gym in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the 1990s. On this episode of the CBJ Podcast, Pletta details what it was l...
Days of the “Big Boss Brain” – Kasia Pietras
03 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of The Impact Driver Podcast, Holly Chen—routesetter, journalist, and contributing writer at CBJ—hosts Kasia Pietras, a legendary,...
Mexico’s Gym Industry Is Booming – Javier Díaz
18 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Javier Díaz co-founded a gym, Sierra Elevation, in Mexico with business partner Adrian Hovelman in 2021. Two years later, Sierra Elevation merged wit...
Keep Them Sketched Out – Claire Kawainui Miller
04 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Joining Holly Chen on the Impact Driver podcast this week is Claire Kawainui Miller, a crew leader at Touchstone Climbing, USAC Level 2 Routesetter, c...
Limited Resources, High Demand: Making It Work as a Nonprofit Climbing Gym – Jen Piperno
16 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jen Piperno is the Executive Director at Teton Rock Gym in Driggs, Idaho. Teton Rock Gym is unique because it is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and that desig...
Anti-Tall Setters Club (Members: Short Setters Only) - Abby Tran
01 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Routesetting as a shorter setter doesn’t come with a shortage of challenges and frustrations. But that’s far from the full story for Abby Tran, As...
Old-School Foundation, New-School Shapes – Mathieu Ackermann
16 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today I talk to Mathieu Ackermann, who is one of the shapers at Flathold, the other creative mastermind there being Manuel Hassler, whose name you wil...
The “Indiana Jones of Climbing” – John McGowan
13 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s guest is John McGowan. I don't even know the single best way to describe John. Entrepreneur, business developer, old school climber but new ...
Routesetting Consultations, Education Bottlenecks, and Data – Foxman McCarthy-James and Justin Wright
16 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today's guests are Foxman McCarthy-James and Justin Wright. Foxman is the Head Setter at Alta Climbing & Fitness and Alta Boulders in Arizona, whi...
All About the Indoor Climbing Expo – Travis Williams
18 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We are talking industry trade shows today. Specifically, today's guest is Travis Williams, who founded sToKed Climbing with his wife, Kimberly, and mo...
What American gyms can learn from Europe’s gym industry – Dean Privett
04 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s guest is Dean Privett. He's the founder of Iron City Boulders in Pittsburgh and Blue Swan Boulders in Orlando; he's also the president of Mo...
Gym Development in Canada and “Making Friends Through Climbing” – Jean-Marc de la Plante
21 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the CBJ Podcast, we’re chatting with Jean-Marc de la Plante, who is a business leader in the Canadian climbing gym scene. He owns...
Routesetting in the Age of Social Media – Stefanie Myr
07 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today's guest is Stephanie Myr, a climber of almost a decade and a routesetter for just as long. Myr is currently the head setter at Climb Tacoma in T...
Making the Most of a Climbing Gym Retail Space – Brad Werntz
25 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Retail plays a key role in most gyms’ day-to-day operations, while also being a visual component of the facility, so today's conversation is all abo...
Gym Social Media Is More About “One-to-One” Than “One-to-Many” – Sam Van Boxtel
09 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today we sit down with Sam Van Boxtel, who runs the popular Climbers Crag channels on Instagram and YouTube and has teamed up with Tom Randall to mana...
Don’t Give Up on “Mom-and-Pop” Gyms – Jackson Scott
31 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jackson Scott told his parents that he wanted to open a climbing gym, and although there was a lot of hard work along the way, the end result was Crux...
Eating Disorders, RED-S, and a Look Behind the Resignations - Dr. Volker Schöffl
22 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A couple weeks ago, Dr. Eugen Burtscher and Dr. Volker Schöffl (@volkerschoeffl) made headlines when they resigned from their volunteer positions on...
Adding What Should Always Have Been There - Siege Climbing
14 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Siege Climbing is a competition series set for and by women, non-binary and gender minorities in the community. With us today is Hannah Barker (pronou...
Getting Slacklining Going at Your Gym - Wade Desai
29 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Wade Desai is the Director of Climbing at ASCEND in the Pittsburgh area. As you'll hear, he certainly loves climbing, but he's also passionate about s...
Mentoring Coaches, Developing Strong Youth Programs - Jackie Pettitt
15 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jackie Pettitt has been coaching for the past 12 years and specializes in climbing movement, technique, and mental toughness training. Over the years,...
Legal Challenges Come With Growth - Jason Pill
01 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode features a conversation with attorney Jason Pill. Jason is a longtime climber, and he currently works with the Phelps Dunbar law fir...
Revitalizing Routesetting for the Next Generation - Louie Anderson
19 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today's guest is Louie Anderson, a setter who needs no introduction, but we're going to introduce him anyway for the listeners who may be new to route...
Coaching Youth Through the Ages - Dave Hudson
25 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Dave Hudson has been involved in climbing business for a long time, specifically on the youth coaching and organizational and competition judging side...
Routesetting on Common and Uncommon Ground - Sierra McMurry
07 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we sit down with routesetter and wildlife biologist Sierra McMurry. They experience obstacles every routesetter experiences, such as n...
Coaching and Routesetting for Future Olympians - Garrett Gregor
04 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It's almost hard to label Garrett because he has done so much. He's been a coach at Team ABC. He's been a routesetter for gyms and for international c...