Business View Magazine - October 2018

254 255 people’s lives through health and wellness is a very rewarding experience. I developed a passion for using my science background in a preven- tative manner, implementing exercise and diet versus a prescriptive manner,” he recounts. “My family was shocked when I walked away from the medical route, but I realized that personal train- ing was the path for me.” An entrepreneur since childhood, Cerf started Core Progression in 2008, at the “ripe, old age” of 23. The mantra in the beginning was a different approach on personal training. Giving people a great experience at an affordable price. It was about building a business by mitigating overhead and expenses, so they could pay their trainers better and charge clients less - filling a niche in a market where there was no dominant personal training company or player in the industry. Cerf admits to having lofty aspirations. “From the get-go, my goal was to open 500 locations, nationally. I didn’t have a clue how, but I figured if you don’t have a big scary goal, why start?” Core Progression rented space from other facilities for the first two years then, in 2010, opened its own tiny, 1,500-sq.-ft. studio. It was a live/work space with retail on the main floor and apartments on the second and third. Cerf lived above the studio and was there 24/7, in the beginning. After three CORE PROGRESSION At Core Progression, you’re not walking into a crowded gym where you feel self-conscious. People like to come to our facility because everything is tailored to you. JONATHAN CERF, FOUNDER AND CEO months, the business was doing well enough to expand into the building next door, followed by relocation to a 5,000-sq.-ft. space a year later. In 2012, the West Arvada location was opened and con- tinued to expand, as the business models and systems were honed and refined. In 2016, Cerf purchased his first commercial building– an old bank building in Northglenn. After a massive renovation, it’s now the state-of-the-art Core Progression headquarters. Another commercial spot was recently purchased in Olde Town Arvada. This third corporate store was a substantial financial undertaking and is poised to excel as a truly amazing facility. The model for the franchise business is based on train- er-centric wellness, primarily focused on personal training, semi-private training, and group classes. Core Progres- sion also partners with physical therapy, chiropractic, and massage services. Cerf reports, “The franchise model was