Cissy Chen

Transcript

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TRANSCRIPTION WITH SPEAKERS
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[00:00] SPEAKER_00: It's Calgary's Podcast on the Canada's Podcast Network.
[00:08] SPEAKER_01: Hello, this is Mario Tonigaze coming to you today with Calgary's Podcast, the member
[00:13] SPEAKER_01: of Canada's Podcast Network, where we talk to the entrepreneurs who are making it happen
[00:19] SPEAKER_01: in Calgary, Alberta, so you can listen, discover and engage.
[00:23] SPEAKER_01: Today's guest is Cici Chen, who is founder of Rumble Boxing Studios.
[00:29] SPEAKER_01: Thanks for joining us today.
[00:31] SPEAKER_00: Thank you for having me, Mario.
[00:33] SPEAKER_01: Okay, let's start off about, you know, what is Rumble Boxing Studios?
[00:39] SPEAKER_00: Rumble Boxing Studio is a Fight Club, it's a nightclub concept.
[00:45] SPEAKER_00: We boxed to the music to the beat, group fitness, and we have a great time in every class
[00:55] SPEAKER_00: while burning calories and building your own mental health.
[00:59] SPEAKER_00: When did you start it?
[01:01] SPEAKER_00: I started Rumble Boxing in 2016 when Owen Gas was getting the slow, slow down back in 2016,
[01:10] SPEAKER_00: and I felt entrepreneurial, that's when I decided to start this new concept for Calgary.
[01:16] SPEAKER_00: Were you in the Owen Gas bins?
[01:19] SPEAKER_00: I was.
[01:20] SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I started my career in Owen Gas.
[01:22] SPEAKER_01: What were you doing?
[01:24] SPEAKER_00: I started from entry-level job, work my way to a business analyst, then procurement manager
[01:32] SPEAKER_00: and American Owen Gas Company called Apache.
[01:36] SPEAKER_01: Okay, super.
[01:37] SPEAKER_01: So, I'm just trying to get a sense of what happens in those studios.
[01:45] SPEAKER_01: So, are you actually doing any punching of anything, hitting anything?
[01:51] SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you're hitting the heavy bag, it's dark in there, it's you and the heavy bag.
[01:57] SPEAKER_00: So, we call the concept Fight Club, the nightclub, you're boxing to loud music.
[02:02] SPEAKER_00: It's for people who want some party but not necessarily want to drink.
[02:07] SPEAKER_00: And you're releasing your stress, frustration all on the bag.
[02:12] SPEAKER_00: It's find your own 50 minutes that time for yourself.
[02:16] SPEAKER_01: Now, trying to remember, I used to watch boxing all the time, I'm a Dalaii, obviously,
[02:21] SPEAKER_01: it was my all-time favorite.
[02:23] SPEAKER_01: But what was that thing that you know, you hit fast and the speed bag?
[02:27] SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you have that there too?
[02:28] SPEAKER_00: Yeah, we do.
[02:30] SPEAKER_00: We offer personal training, we teach people the technique, and we have speed bag for private training.
[02:37] SPEAKER_00: So, how many locations do you currently have?
[02:40] SPEAKER_00: We currently have two locations in Coagry, we're opening Vancouver location, March 28th.
[02:47] SPEAKER_00: And we are just on our way to further expand the brand, to the national level.
[02:54] SPEAKER_01: Okay, tell me a little bit about that.
[02:57] SPEAKER_01: What are your plans for growth for the company?
[03:00] SPEAKER_00: So, we have a five-year plan that we will mark out our footprint in the Canadian major cities.
[03:07] SPEAKER_00: So, having two locations in Coagry, two in Vancouver, and having two in Toronto.
[03:13] SPEAKER_01: Where did this come from, this idea?
[03:16] SPEAKER_01: Do you have some interest in boxing in any way?
[03:20] SPEAKER_00: You know, when I started this business, I didn't have any experience in boxing.
[03:24] SPEAKER_00: That being said, I always follow Victoria's Secret Fashion.
[03:31] SPEAKER_00: So, I think this was back in 2015, 2016.
[03:34] SPEAKER_00: They had a runway show for the Christmas, their typical, their laundry show.
[03:39] SPEAKER_00: And I just saw all these sexy women models who come, they're showing not just their beautiful body,
[03:48] SPEAKER_00: but also more that the inner strength and of really strong physique.
[03:53] SPEAKER_00: So, the way that they presented those through boxing, they were all geared up,
[04:00] SPEAKER_00: and the Victoria's Secret Models were using boxing as part of their training.
[04:04] SPEAKER_00: So, I fell in love with that concept of beautiful but strong.
[04:11] SPEAKER_01: Okay, super that. You obviously do it yourself?
[04:14] SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I do.
[04:15] SPEAKER_01: What do you like about it?
[04:17] SPEAKER_00: It's so good to hit the bag.
[04:19] SPEAKER_00: It's sometimes you just want to hit, but people won't let you hit them.
[04:24] SPEAKER_00: So, it's really nice to hit the bag.
[04:25] SPEAKER_00: And also, it's, you feel really strong once you start hitting the heavy bag and also just lose myself in the music.
[04:34] SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I just as an aside, I used to work at the Calgary-Herald and downstairs.
[04:38] SPEAKER_01: We had a little fitness center and there was a big punching bag down there.
[04:43] SPEAKER_01: And I remember one of the top executives, he was a big guy, I don't know, he must have been 6'5 or so.
[04:50] SPEAKER_01: He used to come down there every so often and just pound on that bag.
[04:54] SPEAKER_01: And I just thought, oh my gosh, what really, what stress is he going?
[04:59] SPEAKER_01: No, I'll be right back.
[05:01] SPEAKER_01: So, that's great.
[05:03] SPEAKER_01: Are you solely females for the club or her?
[05:07] SPEAKER_00: No, we actually started with the majority of art demographics,
[05:12] SPEAKER_00: it was focused on female.
[05:13] SPEAKER_00: And then because our concept is for everyone, everyone can be a boxer at Rumble.
[05:19] SPEAKER_00: So, we really started seeing more of the guys started coming because they, nobody wants to get,
[05:26] SPEAKER_00: everybody wants to punch, but nobody wants to get punched in the face.
[05:29] SPEAKER_00: So, we provide this type of environment.
[05:31] SPEAKER_00: We actually have, now, juniors, 13, 14-year-old, we have a junior tribe at Rumble.
[05:39] SPEAKER_00: So, we actually cover all age group as well as men, women, and kids.
[05:45] SPEAKER_01: Okay, super, then.
[05:47] SPEAKER_01: What was the biggest challenge you faced as an entrepreneur in setting up this business?
[05:54] SPEAKER_00: Too many challenges.
[05:55] SPEAKER_00: One major one I would say specifically in city like Calgary right now is the overall economy is not at this best time.
[06:05] SPEAKER_00: Like every entrepreneur, it's already enough hustles every day.
[06:10] SPEAKER_00: But not having that great overall economy is definitely a challenge.
[06:14] SPEAKER_00: Consumers spending, the confidence you can see is not as strong as used to be.
[06:19] SPEAKER_00: But that being said, we come up with innovative ways and trying to overcome this type of challenge.
[06:27] SPEAKER_01: Okay, then.
[06:28] SPEAKER_01: When you look for locations, is there anything in specific that you're looking at as there is as a common theme there of the kind of real estate that you're looking for?
[06:40] SPEAKER_00: Yeah, we always look for a place with obviously high traffic, but trendy.
[06:48] SPEAKER_00: And our brand is we call it badass and edgy.
[06:53] SPEAKER_00: So we're targeting very specific type of demographics.
[06:58] SPEAKER_00: And for example, in Calgary, our 17th location is on the entertainment app.
[07:05] SPEAKER_00: And our northwest location is in the country house village where a lot of the students, families, and badass moms are around there.
[07:15] SPEAKER_00: So we're definitely going to the places that's with our demographic around.
[07:20] SPEAKER_01: Okay, I got to know how old are some of them that are coming in.
[07:24] SPEAKER_00: You know what?
[07:25] SPEAKER_00: We have as young as 10 year old, as old as 70 year old.
[07:29] SPEAKER_00: So yeah, if you're too bad at us, then it doesn't matter how old you are.
[07:36] SPEAKER_01: As an entrepreneur, you know, you obviously probably got a lot of advice from a lot of people.
[07:42] SPEAKER_01: When you're standing up in the shop, so to speak, do you recall any sort of key piece of advice, the best piece of advice you've ever received about being an entrepreneur?
[07:54] SPEAKER_00: Yeah, for me, I grew up in the very traditional Chinese family and only child.
[08:02] SPEAKER_00: So my first piece of advice since I had memory when it comes to business was from my father.
[08:08] SPEAKER_00: He had always raised me to be independent and never give up when there's challenge.
[08:15] SPEAKER_00: So I got that sense of grit since I was young from my father just never give up and be independent.
[08:24] SPEAKER_00: There's always a way.
[08:25] SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that's true.
[08:26] SPEAKER_01: If you weren't doing what you're doing now, what do you think you would be doing, I guess?
[08:31] SPEAKER_00: I'll probably explore my home country and from China.
[08:37] SPEAKER_00: I've never done business there or really get to know how is it like to be an entrepreneur in the country with that much growth like China.
[08:47] SPEAKER_00: So I'll probably explore that.
[08:49] SPEAKER_01: Okay.
[08:49] SPEAKER_01: I'm going to switch gears a little bit and ask you some more personal type questions.
[08:55] SPEAKER_01: Everybody has a bucket list these days.
[08:57] SPEAKER_01: Do you have one on the personal level?
[09:00] SPEAKER_01: Do you have one and what would be on top of it?
[09:04] SPEAKER_00: So not business related.
[09:05] SPEAKER_00: Yeah, not business related.
[09:07] SPEAKER_00: I would love to find a hobby that I'm really beside business because I'm super passionate about business.
[09:14] SPEAKER_00: And I need to find a hobby that gets getting something new.
[09:20] SPEAKER_00: Yeah, something interesting that I love doing.
[09:24] SPEAKER_00: Okay, do you read much?
[09:26] SPEAKER_00: Yeah, a lot.
[09:27] SPEAKER_00: What kind of books do you read?
[09:30] SPEAKER_00: Nonfiction.
[09:31] SPEAKER_00: Currently.
[09:33] SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I love reading books that sash in my downtime and that's one of my hobbies right now.
[09:38] SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so I feel like I learned the most a lot of the things that hands on experience that I need.
[09:45] SPEAKER_00: Even when it comes to business or overall the work life balance, I got it from the books.
[09:51] SPEAKER_01: Okay, so you mentioned the work life balance.
[09:54] SPEAKER_01: Is that a difficulty for you or a challenge for you?
[09:59] SPEAKER_00: No, because I see it as everybody's definition of balance is different for me when I'm so passionate about my work.
[10:08] SPEAKER_00: All my businesses and that's if I get to do that for the most part, I feel like I'm very balanced.
[10:16] SPEAKER_01: Okay, super that.
[10:17] SPEAKER_01: How would you describe yourself in one word?
[10:20] SPEAKER_01: What would it be and why?
[10:22] SPEAKER_00: Passionate.
[10:23] SPEAKER_00: I'm a very passionate person.
[10:25] SPEAKER_00: Anybody who interact with me, whether sometimes I could be feisty, but that all come from a place of passionate about what I do.
[10:35] SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
[10:36] SPEAKER_01: I'm just wondering, do you have like a daily routine that you follow every day or?
[10:42] SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I'm pretty disciplined with my schedule.
[10:45] SPEAKER_00: So every morning I would wake up the minute I open my eyes, I think about my business so right away my team would start getting messages of the direction of the day or from behind from me.
[10:56] SPEAKER_00: So yeah, every morning you can expect a message from from me.
[11:00] SPEAKER_00: I probably 637 in the morning.
[11:03] SPEAKER_01: Okay, super that.
[11:03] SPEAKER_01: Do you travel much?
[11:05] SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I do.
[11:06] SPEAKER_00: That's a great way for me to get more, get inspirational ideas and see how other cities entrepreneurs are coming up with super creative concepts and how the business are like in other cities.
[11:24] SPEAKER_00: That's a lot of traveling.
[11:26] SPEAKER_01: Okay, any specific place that you enjoyed most?
[11:30] SPEAKER_00: I love New York.
[11:32] SPEAKER_00: It is a city that never sleeps.
[11:35] SPEAKER_00: Exactly.
[11:36] SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and I never get bored in that city even after going there for the 10th time.
[11:43] SPEAKER_00: I still find there are tons of places I haven't visited and I mostly get really inspired by the hustle in that city and the great concepts every day that something new is happening.
[11:55] SPEAKER_01: Okay, speaking of travel, I'm going to present a scenario to you.
[12:01] SPEAKER_01: Okay, so we're going to we're going to take you off away from here, away from Calgary and Vancouver.
[12:07] SPEAKER_01: We're going to bring you to a tropical island in the middle of the ocean, beautiful island, right where there is no technology at all in that island except for one phone booth.
[12:18] SPEAKER_01: Now you can use that phone booth to give us a call and we'll come pick you up and take you back home.
[12:25] SPEAKER_01: So a couple of questions from that.
[12:26] SPEAKER_01: How long do you think it would take you to make that phone call to say, hey, bring me back.
[12:33] SPEAKER_00: What do you think you'll be doing while you were there?
[12:36] SPEAKER_00: Oh, I probably won't last more than 15, 30 seconds before just making that call. Get me out of here.
[12:42] SPEAKER_00: I'm a very I'm a big city person because how I grew up I grew up in a city with 10, 10 millions of populations.
[12:52] SPEAKER_00: So leaving me on the island is probably not I don't feel very comfortable about that.
[12:57] SPEAKER_01: Oh, I forgot to ask you what question. What's your best punch?
[13:03] SPEAKER_01: What's my best punch?
[13:05] SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
[13:05] SPEAKER_00: The hooks.
[13:08] SPEAKER_00: The left hooks you just you pivot you punch really hard as the best way to release that stress.
[13:15] SPEAKER_01: Okay, great. So I take it then that you're not a person that you want to meet up in the back alley with and say something stupid.
[13:24] SPEAKER_00: I can fight my own fight.
[13:28] SPEAKER_01: Okay, I appreciate you taking the time as CC to be with us anything you would like to say before we go.
[13:36] SPEAKER_00: As really grateful to have this opportunity to be on your show and we do have our pink shirt.
[13:43] SPEAKER_00: They coming up at Rumble Boxing on February 26, we're big champion when it comes to mental health youth mental health cause.
[13:52] SPEAKER_00: So I will that's a then event I'm really excited to be part of hopefully we'll see you down at Rumble.
[14:00] SPEAKER_00: We're in pink and raise some money with us.
[14:03] SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I'll have I definitely like everybody else has some stress to release.
[14:09] SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you can imagine whether it is and the punch it really hard.
[14:13] SPEAKER_01: But we put photos of people on the punching bag.
[14:16] SPEAKER_00: You bet.
[14:18] SPEAKER_00: Did anybody do that?
[14:20] SPEAKER_00: You know, we we definitely have you know sometimes everybody has their bad days and we do have to see people really releasing their emotions on the bag for sure in every class.
[14:32] SPEAKER_01: Okay, super thanks for joining us today on Calgary's podcast season.
[14:37] SPEAKER_00: Thank you very much for having me.
[14:40] SPEAKER_01: Thanks for taking the time today to listen to Calgary's podcast on Canada's podcast network.
[14:46] SPEAKER_01: We hope you enjoyed the show today.
[14:49] SPEAKER_01: Make sure you sign up for our newsletters and write a review for us on iTunes and then connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn at Canada's podcast.
[15:01] SPEAKER_01: You can also check out what other entrepreneurs are doing across the country.
[15:06] SPEAKER_01: See you next time.