Many in the CrossFit community believe CrossFit is the most effective training methodology, thanks to its unique approach. Yet, for a long time, affiliate owners and coaches relied on traditional gym management and coaching methods—that is, until Best Hour of Their Day launched its CrossFit mentorship program in 2019.
Best Hour of Their Day helps CrossFit affiliate owners and coaches maximize their potential without deviating from CrossFit’s core values. But is this mentorship better for CrossFit gyms than the traditional business coaches out there?
This review will give you all the details you need to decide if Best Hour of Their Day can help you take your box to the next level while staying true to CrossFit principles. Here’s what you’ll find:
- A profile for Best Hour of Their Day
- The services they offer
- Their pricing structure
- Their recipe for success
- Pros and cons
- Two client success stories
Read on to learn more about Best Hour of Their Day. 👇
Best Hour of Their Day Profile
This section covers the key details about Best Hour of Their Day, including its background and its status in the fitness industry.
What is Best Hour of Their Day?
Best Hour of Their Day (BHOTD) is a business mentorship program that offers one-on-one coaching, learning resources, and development programs for CrossFit affiliate owners and coaches. To help clients succeed in the fitness industry, the program provides insights and strategies for:
- Optimizing business management
- Marketing
- Coaching techniques
- Gym operations
- Other gym management challenges
BHOTD’s mission is to equip owners and coaches with the tools to enhance the quality of their coaching and member experience in CrossFit gyms.
The Founders and Owners
Owning a successful CrossFit box is exceptionally challenging. Despite these challenges, affiliate owners and coaches relied on traditional gym business coaching for nearly two decades. In 2019, Jason Ackerman and Jason Fernandez responded to this void in CrossFit by starting BHOTD. With a combined four decades of experience, they now help box owners grow their membership base, develop their coaching staff, and meet their business goals.
Here’s a glimpse of the founders’ stories:
Jason Ackerman (CrossFit-L4): With 25 years of experience in the fitness industry, Jason A. has owned four CrossFit boxes: Albany CrossFit, CrossFit Soulshine, CrossFit Clifton Park, and Best Hour CrossFit. While working on the CrossFit seminar circuit, he became a Level 4 Trainer on the CrossFit seminar staff—a top-tier group of coaches who mentor affiliate owners, aspiring trainers, and CrossFitters.
Jason Fernandez (CrossFit-L4): Jason F. is a Level 4 Trainer and the owner of CrossFit Rife in Virginia Beach, VA. He also serves as a senior-level instructor on the CFHQ Seminar Staff. As co-founder of BHOTD, Jason F. is passionate about advancing professional development in the CrossFit community and promoting widespread awareness of CrossFit.
BHOTD Fitness Industry Status
Best Hour of Their Day has helped thousands of box owners and coaches unlock their potential for success. In doing so, it has established a strong reputation for raising the management standards among CrossFit affiliate owners while preserving the integrity of CrossFit methodology.
Best Hour of Their Day Programs
BHOTD offers two mentorship programs:
- Affiliate University
- The Knowledge
Affiliate University is a 12-month course aimed at helping affiliate owners and coaches turn their box into a world-class operation within one year.
The Knowledge program focuses on upgrading and sharpening coaching skills.
Here’s a closer look at both programs:
Affiliate University Track 1: Business Development
This course section focuses on getting affiliate owners proficient in managing business systems, including the following:
- Streamlining operations: Covers billing, scheduling, financial processing, inventory, payroll, and maintenance.
- Member engagement: Includes communication, member recognition, community building, progress tracking, and more.
- Increasing revenue: Teaches how to create new revenue streams, effective marketing and sales strategies, upselling, and more.
- Boosting profitability: Covers retention, pricing, box performance metrics, and automation of manual tasks with gym management software like The Kilo Stack.
💡 BHOTD avoids one-size-fits-all coaching and practices honest critiques of affiliate owners. By not sparing hurt feelings, BHOTD coaches provide actionable ideas and tools tailored to your box.
Affiliate University Track 2: Coaches Development
While dynamic business practices are crucial to affiliate success, compelling and engaging classes are just as important in CrossFit. This is why Affiliate University dedicates the second section of the course to CrossFit classes.
As part of this training, BHOTD encourages you to invite your entire coaching team to participate in rewarding instruction on advanced coaching techniques and member experience. This program builds on the lessons from CrossFit certification to elevate your team’s coaching skills to an elite level, resulting in an engaging, safe, and impactful coaching experience.
BHOTD is not a self-paced, course-based mentorship program that you navigate alone. Instead, it offers you and your team live instruction from world-class affiliate owners, coaches, and seminar trainers. This approach allows you to grow together, applying new knowledge immediately in your box.
The program’s learning structure includes one-on-one development sessions and focused small groups with other affiliate owners. In these groups, you have access to a community of like-minded CrossFitters for networking, sharing knowledge, and collaborating. Plus, as part of BHOTD’s rewards program, you can earn up to 50 Continuing Education Units (CEUs)—five times the amount offered by most other continuing education classes. Your team can also earn 25 CEUs at no additional cost.
The Knowledge
This program provides access to a comprehensive video library covering advanced coaching topics like:
- L4 coaching progressions and cues
- Scaling
- Floor feedback
- Theories
The library is updated with new content weekly. The program also offers downloadable resources and access to expert coaches for Q&A sessions.
The Knowledge Pro
In addition to everything offered in The Knowledge, this upgraded program includes:
- Live weekly calls
- Self-evaluation tools
- Access to a private community of coaches
It’s an ideal option if you want to deepen your expertise or work towards your next credential.
Best Hour of Their Day Pricing
The annual cost of the Best Hour of Their Day Affiliate University program is $17,500. They provide two payment options:
- Pay in full and save $3,000
- 12 monthly installments of $1,458
💡 Disclaimer: Prices are listed in USD. We contacted BHOTD to confirm these rates.
Both versions of The Knowledge have subscription-based plans:
- The Knowledge is $37 per month
- The Knowledge Pro is $97 per month or $970 per year
How the Best Hour of Their Day System Works
Whether you’re interested in the Affiliate University or The Knowledge program, BHOTD uses the same concepts and assets to help you achieve success with your box.
Let’s go over the key elements of their approach:
Created and Operated by CF-L4 CrossFit Coaches & Industry Leaders
BHOTD claims that their coaches and trainers have nearly “1 million” hours of coaching experience and knowledge. Their approach focuses on providing access to the best coaches in CrossFit to help you achieve optimal results for your business. Additionally, having top-tier mentors for Affiliate University’s one-on-one development sessions adds significant value to the learning experience.
CrossFit-Specific Affiliate Ownership and Coaching Training
BHOTD is the first mentorship company to provide CrossFit-specific knowledge and resources for successfully running a CrossFit gym. They offer a wealth of tools and resources to help you gain the practical skills and knowledge needed to grow your business.
Learn Through the Eyes of a World-Class Coach
One of BHOTD’s most insightful features is their “Coach’s Eye Class Review.” This activity allows you to observe coaches honing their skills in real time while benefiting from critiques and reviews provided by BHOTD’s CF-L4 coaching team. It’s actionable knowledge that you can immediately apply in your box or share with your coaches.
Best Hour of Their Day Pros and Cons
We wrap up this review by gathering insights from different sources to provide you with a summary of BHOTD’s pros and cons.
Pros of Best Hour of Their Day
- Beyond the technical aspects of running a CrossFit box, Affiliate University emphasizes improving soft skills like communication, class management, and member engagement.
- The program helps you build strong leadership skills alongside your coaching techniques, highlighting the importance of leadership in managing your team and fostering a community-based environment.
- As the first gym mentorship program specializing in CrossFit, BHOTD is a well-known source of mentorship and insider knowledge in the CrossFit space.
Cons of Best Hour of Their Day
- According to online sources, Affiliate University can be expensive for small gyms and start-ups. There are also ongoing expenses for certifications, gym equipment, and insurance.
- If you do not have the time to commit to learning and implementing the strategies fully, it can be exceptionally challenging to benefit from the program.
- Affiliate University primarily focuses on coaching and member experience, meaning you may need to seek additional guidance on workout programming from other sources.
Best Hour of Their Day Client Feedback
If you want to learn more about a business that serves CrossFit affiliates, it’s best to hear from those in the CrossFit community.
Here’s some feedback from BHOTD clients:
Shaina Hayutin, CF-L2, Coach at Reverence
“Quick anecdote: I watched the OHS progression video before I coached some OLY and OHS…Moments like this make me want to coach for the rest of my life. Thank you for creating “The Knowledge”! I have been implementing it in my coaching all week!!!”
Lona Jackson, CF-L2, Owner of CrossFit Madison Heights
“Just wanted to hop on here real quick and let you guys know that the context you have created is exactly what I have been looking for! I own CrossFit Madison Heights and always look for all cues to help my athletes! Also, this tool is exactly what I need for my Coaches! What I like most about the clips/videos is that they are short and to the point! I know some are longer than others, but seeing them in 2 to 5 minutes is excellent! Thanks again!”
Final Viewpoint
Most new CrossFit box members join because they want a workout experience that’s different from traditional gyms. So, it makes sense that affiliate owners and coaches strive to maintain that unique appeal while growing their boxes.
With their extensive experience in the CrossFit and fitness industry, the top-tier coach-mentors at Best Hour of Their Day provide affiliate owners and coaches with the CrossFit-specific tools and knowledge needed for long-term success.
Along with mentorship, the right gym management software can play a crucial role in your box’s growth. If you’re looking to streamline operations and elevate your business, consider incorporating The Kilo Stack as part of your strategy. Book a call today to get started.
