This Guy Is A Knockout: Akash Chand owner of Champions Boxing

Summary

Locally Owned Podcast Episode Summary

Episode Title: This Guy Is A Knockout: Akash Chand, Owner of Champions Boxing
Release Date: December 27, 2024
Host: John Doe, The Street Smart Entrepreneur

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Introduction and Akash Chand’s Background

John Doe opens the episode by introducing Akash Chand, the owner of Champions Boxing in Pelham, Alabama. Akash's journey is rooted in his family's immigrant story; his parents moved to the United States from India in 1974 with just $8, a suitcase, and a one-year-old baby.

Akash Chand [00:52]: "Hey, yeah. Appreciate the opportunity coming out. You know, love what you're doing with this show."

Akash shares that his mother secured a nursing position at Lloyd Nolan Hospital in Birmingham, setting the foundation for his upbringing in a hardworking family.

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Early Work Ethic and Education

Growing up, Akash developed a strong work ethic inspired by his parents' sacrifices. His first job was shining tuxedo shoes at Western Hills Mall during high school, a role that taught him responsibility, discipline, and money management.

John Doe [04:05]: "This is really where you see Akash's work ethic shine brightly."

Akash pursued higher education at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), initially aspiring to be a basketball coach. However, a job offer from Media Services Incorporated, which later merged with Time Warner AOL, led him to change his focus to management of information systems.

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Corporate Career and Transition to Entrepreneurship

Akash spent 17 years in the corporate sector, primarily in computer programming and supply chain management. His role involved streamlining processes and improving operational efficiencies. Despite his success, Akash felt unfulfilled by the lack of human interaction in his desk job, leading to significant stress and health issues.

Akash Chand [10:25]: "I realized that I'm just not built to sit behind a desk and not have any human contact."

Faced with burnout and personal challenges, including a divorce and single parenthood, Akash decided to pivot his career towards his passion for boxing. This decision was influenced by his long-time friend and pro boxer, Michael Smith.

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Founding Champions Boxing

Akash teamed up with his friend Kurt, the former owner of Champions Boxing, and Michael Smith to revive the gym. Leveraging his corporate skills in supply chain and business management, Akash took the lead in handling the business side, allowing the trainers to focus on coaching.

Akash Chand [24:16]: "I started out shining shoes and ended up owning a boxing gym."

Champions Boxing was designed to cater not only to competitive boxers but also to fitness enthusiasts. Akash recognized that the majority of their members were interested in boxing for health and self-defense rather than competition.

Akash Chand [17:40]: "A lot more people like that, as opposed to people that say, hey, I do want to go the pro route."

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Business Strategy and Community Building

Akash emphasizes the importance of balancing competition and fitness within the gym. By hosting local competitions and promoting events like the Alabama Silver Gloves, Champions Boxing creates opportunities for boxers without requiring them to travel extensively.

Akash Chand [30:32]: "We have competitions here in Alabama to give our fighters the opportunity to showcase their skills locally."

He also focuses on creating a supportive community where both competitive and non-competitive members can thrive together, fostering a sense of teamwork rather than rivalry.

Akash Chand [29:43]: "Whether you're fitness or competition, it's like we're all a team at that point."

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Overcoming Challenges and Scaling the Business

Despite initial challenges, including financial pressures and the physical toll of his corporate job, Akash successfully transitioned to running Champions Boxing. Currently, the gym is seeking a larger space (5,000 to 7,000 square feet) to accommodate growth and host more significant events.

Akash Chand [37:32]: "We're currently looking for a bigger building. I don't think we want to actually open up a second location yet."

Akash plans to expand by enhancing their facilities and increasing their service offerings, such as high-intensity interval training (HIIT) classes, to attract a broader clientele.

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Philosophy and Inspirational Insights

Akash’s journey exemplifies the importance of taking calculated risks and following one’s passion despite fear and uncertainty. He encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to develop a clear plan, embrace failure as part of the growth process, and surround themselves with supportive individuals.

Akash Chand [40:33]: "The people that are really going to be successful are the ones that actually take that risk."

He draws parallels between boxing and business, highlighting that both require resilience, strategic thinking, and continuous improvement.

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Mentorship and Legacy

Akash values mentorship and community involvement, inspired by figures like Oscar De La Hoya and Roy Jones Jr. He aims to elevate Alabama’s presence in the boxing world by fostering talent and creating a robust amateur circuit.

Akash Chand [48:16]: "We want people to say, hey, you got to go through Alabama if you want to be successful."

By promoting collaboration over competition among local gyms, Akash seeks to enhance the overall quality and professionalism of boxing in the region.

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Closing Thoughts and Call to Action

In the closing segments, Akash shares his admiration for boxing legends and reiterates the importance of overcoming fears to achieve personal and professional goals. He invites listeners to visit Champions Boxing and experience the supportive environment firsthand.

Akash Chand [49:50]: "We're in Pelham, Alabama, 102 Commerce Parkway, right behind Purple Onion. You can come by and check us out."

John Doe wraps up the episode by encouraging listeners to reflect on their own fears and aspirations, inspired by Akash's transformative journey from corporate stress to entrepreneurial success.

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Key Takeaways

• Resilience and Adaptability: Akash’s ability to shift from a stable corporate career to entrepreneurship highlights the importance of adaptability.
• Community Focus: Building a supportive community where diverse goals are respected fosters long-term success.
• Balance Between Passion and Business: Successfully merging passion (boxing) with business acumen leads to sustainable growth.
• Overcoming Fear: Taking calculated risks and embracing failure as a learning tool are crucial for personal and professional development.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Akash Chand [00:52]: "Appreciate what you're doing with this show."
• John Doe [04:05]: "This is really where you see Akash's work ethic shine brightly."
• Akash Chand [10:25]: "I'm just not built to sit behind a desk and not have any human contact."
• Akash Chand [24:16]: "I started out shining shoes and ended up owning a boxing gym."
• Akash Chand [17:40]: "A lot more people like that, as opposed to people that say, hey, I do want to go the pro route."
• John Doe [46:10]: "What do you think has been the key to your success?"
• Akash Chand [40:33]: "The people that are really going to be successful are the ones that actually take that risk."
• Akash Chand [48:16]: "We want people to say, hey, you got to go through Alabama if you want to be successful."

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This episode of Locally Owned provides a compelling narrative of Akash Chand’s entrepreneurial journey, emphasizing the fusion of personal passion with strategic business practices. It serves as an inspirational blueprint for small and medium-sized business owners aiming to turn their visions into reality.

Transcript

[John Doe]

What makes someone leave a secure career with great pay, great benefits and dive headfirst into the world of boxing? Well, we're going to find out today as we talk to Akash Chan, owner of Champion Boxing, whose story starts back with his parents moving here from India in 1974 with just $8, a suitcase and a one year old baby. All right, welcome back to another episode of Locally Owned. And today my guest is Akash Chand.

[Akash Chand]

Chand.

[John Doe]

Chand. Akash Chand. And he's got a great story. He owns Champions Boxing in Pelham. And we're gonna hear his journey, how he started out shining shoes and ended up owning a boxing gym.

[Akash Chand]

Hey, yeah. Appreciate the opportunity coming out. You know, love what you're doing with this show. Love the fact about you getting out, getting some of these small businesses out there. So appreciate what you're doing.

[John Doe]

Oh, yeah, Glad to do it.

[Akash Chand]

Yeah, absolutely. When I was growing up, my parents came here from India probably in 19. Well, about 1974.

[John Doe]

Wow.

[Akash Chand]

Yeah.

[John Doe]

To the Birmingham area.

[Akash Chand]

Birmingham area. Yeah. They came over with $8 in a suitcase, which is, man, you always hear that all the time, about $8 in a suitcase. But that's the exchange rate. That's the most you can bring over here. So they came over here. Yeah. My mother actually had a. She graduated nursing school over in India and she actually applied at jobs here in the United States. And of all places, she landed, she landed at Lloyd Nolan Hospital.

[John Doe]

Oh, no kidding. Oh, wow.

[Akash Chand]

Here in Birmingham, Alabama. So that's how we ended up here.

[John Doe]

Yeah. Cause Birmingham's not like a place that, you know, people from other countries move to, you know.

[Akash Chand]

No, no, no, no, no. We had a close family friend that kind of sponsored. And so she came over here and six months later, my dad came with my brother who was one.

[John Doe]

Akash's story is a testament to the power of heart, hard work and determination. His parents journey from India with minimal resources sets the stage for a strong work ethic that Akash would later embody. And we're going to see how that strong work ethic is one of the key factors behind his success.

[Akash Chand]

At the time. So it's tough with almost a newborn baby to leave six months and then have to, you know, wait on your husband and son to come.

[Michael Smith]

Wow. Yeah, yeah.

[Akash Chand]

Whole new country. You don't really know anybody but really one person.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

So that's tough, you know, so.

[John Doe]

And she had to get started working.

[Akash Chand]

When she got here, she started working. She started working as a nurse at Lloyd Nolan, working in labor and Delivery. And then after that she had my other brother and then me in 1979. And we grew up in midfield. Alabama. Had a pretty normal childhood. When I was in high school, my first job was at Mr. Burch at Western Hills Mall.

[John Doe]

Oh yeah, Western Hills Mall.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

I would clean the tuxedo shoes when the rentals came back. So, you know, no matter what was on them, gum stuck to them, had to scrape it off. So I never actually shined shoes when people were wearing them. It was more or less when they dropped them off. It would come back and I would have to make sure they were set.

[John Doe]

Those super comfortable tuxedo shoes.

[Akash Chand]

Oh yeah, yeah, right, yeah. So I had to do that and I did that.

[John Doe]

They made sure you gave them back. Nobody wanted those things.

[Akash Chand]

Nobody wanted them. No, no, no. You'll develop so many calluses on your toes.

[John Doe]

You know, this is really where you see Akash's work ethic shine brightly. It does throughout his whole journey. But you can see he's inspired by his parents sacrifice and determination and he wants to stand on his own two feet early. Starting at just 15 years old, he takes a job cleaning tuxedo shoes to earn his own money. And it's this self reliance and attitude that sets the future for later success. And it's so inspiring. It's a great reminder for all of us because whether we're starting small, taking the first, first step, self reliance builds character and really is the groundwork for bigger opportunities that come along. So great reminder of it doesn't matter where you start, it just, it really matters how determined you are to grow and to get to where you want to go.

[Akash Chand]

Yeah. There's a reason why you rent them and don't buy them.

[John Doe]

For sure.

[Akash Chand]

Yeah. Yeah. So I started out doing that, did that for about a summer. Well, actually for a whole year actually. But I started in the summer, you know, because, you know, when you're a kid and you get your license, you know, I was, I was about getting ready to get my license. I was like, well, I need some money, I need some gas money. And you know, it teaches you a lot of things, you know, how to like manage money, you know, discipline, waking up, showing up, how to be punctual, things like that.

[John Doe]

Right?

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

And even doing the most little job as cleaning shoes, you still had to be on time. You know, I taught you a lot of responsibility.

[Michael Smith]

Right.

[Akash Chand]

You know, after that, you know, graduated high school, went on to college. You know, my father being from India, you know, they concentrate on school. You know, the two Things they concentrate on is marriage and school. I went to uab. I was actually the first of my brothers to graduate with a four year degree. @ first I was going to be a school teacher. I was going to be a coach. I was going to coach basketball. You know, that was my goal. I was going to drive a bus. You know, I really admired a lot of the teachers that taught me in high school. And I said, you know, so you're.

[John Doe]

Going to be a basketball coach?

[Akash Chand]

I wanted to be a basketball coach. How tall are you exactly? Yeah, yeah, I'm five, eight. But I was, I was pretty good at the free throw line and I could shoot at 3 and my GPA was high. So it was probably why they kept me on the team. Yeah, so that's what I wanted to be. And then I actually, when I graduated high school, I started a job at Media Services Incorporated. It's a magazine subscription company. And you've probably heard of these magazines, Southern Living, Southern Accent.

[Michael Smith]

Oh yeah, yeah.

[Akash Chand]

Cooking Light.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

This old house. I used to work the phones for them. Stereotypically I worked in customer service. Right. Being there, I got a position there that was called Permanent park, which means I could work part time hours but still get some benefits. So when I was in school, they said, hey, you know, we'll pay for your school if you change for a business degree. You just got to keep a B average. And I said, I think literally within a couple hours I changed to a business degree. I was like, you don't have to tell me twice, you know. And so at that point I changed to management of information systems.

[John Doe]

Foreign commitment to excellence didn't go unnoticed when his company offered to pay for his schooling. It's a testament to what they saw in him. And it's a great reminder that hard work often opens doors in unexpected ways. Right. I mean opportunities often come disguised as hard work, but when you show up with consistency and integrity, people can't help but notice. So you know, it's a great reminder to work hard, work with integrity because you never know where it's going to lead, but you always know it's going to lead to something good.

[Akash Chand]

So I then. Which is basically like a computer programming job but with a stress in management. So you know, I decided to go a computer programming route because had a lot of math in it, which I was. I know it's kind of strange to say, but I was kind of fond of math.

[John Doe]

But no, actually that's not strange. I mean to me, because I am too like math. There's an answer, you can get to it. Like, you can figure it out. Get to it. Like history, you got to memorize it. And it's like you either know it or you don't, you know? Whereas with math, it's like, I could figure that out.

[Akash Chand]

Yeah, right. Well, or it's like English, where it's like if you read a poem, you could interpret one way, somebody else could interpret it another way. But math, it's either it's right or it's wrong. It's one answer. You might be able to get to it a different way, but there's one answer.

[John Doe]

Right, Right.

[Akash Chand]

And that's what I kind of liked. Hey, this is the only answer.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

You know?

[John Doe]

Yeah, yeah. I'm the same way.

[Akash Chand]

Oh, yeah. So as soon as I changed there, ended up graduating uab and of course, you know, my dad in schooling, you know, he was like, well, did you want to go and get a master's degree and things like that? I said, nah, I think I'm done. You know what I mean? Actually, well, when I was at Media Services, they actually got bought out by Time Warner aol. It was the merger from back.

[John Doe]

Right, I do remember that. Yeah, that was a big one.

[Akash Chand]

Yeah, it was like 2000 or so.

[John Doe]

Well, yeah, everybody was talking about it.

[Akash Chand]

Oh, yeah.

[John Doe]

I didn't even know what I was talking about, but I was talking about it.

[Akash Chand]

Right, right. Yeah. So when they merged, we actually all got laid off. So they gave us about six months, you know, and I had a friend of mine who worked at a cipgo. I said, hey, you know, I just got laid off, man. I know you've been trying to get me over there. Is there a spot open still? He said, yeah, man, come on. And so that was my first job actually, like computer programming. So I actually co opt when I was in school and then when I graduated, they actually just hired me on as a programmer.

[John Doe]

Okay.

[Akash Chand]

And I stayed there for, gosh, 17 years.

[John Doe]

Oh, wow. So, you know, management of information systems. What does somebody look for from somebody who does management of information? Like when you show up, you're supposed to get what done at the end of the day.

[Akash Chand]

So they give you certain projects. So you have different departments around the company that, hey, systematically we need something like this done or something, this type of program to handle what we need. The old age, old term, work smarter, not harder. So that's where the programmers come in and say, hey, you give us your ideas, we spec it out, we put it on paper, you okay it, and then we go ahead and Put it into a computer format.

[John Doe]

So were you a programmer?

[Akash Chand]

I was a programmer, and I did that for probably five to six years until I realized that I'm just not built to sit behind a desk and not have any human contact. You know what I mean?

[John Doe]

Right.

[Akash Chand]

Some people are built for it. Some people want to do that. But I just couldn't be behind a desk and not talk to anybody because we had project managers that would spec it out. And then here you go. Program this. That just wasn't me. Luckily, there was a position open up in our purchasing department in supply chain, where I got hired on and I worked as a buyer, and they kind of utilized me as a way to kind of program and also learn some supply chain skills. So actually, how to improve some of the processes within supply chain using modern technology, you know, because a lot of people that get into that side of the business don't really have an IT background, which I did. So they said, hey, you can see this process. How do we streamline this? You know, and that's where I kind of excelled when it came to supply chain. Was almost developing better processes and things like that for cipgo. And I did.

[John Doe]

I don't know what supply chain is. I've heard the word.

[Akash Chand]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[John Doe]

And so I'm on the outside and I'm hearing you go supply chain. What did you get done? When you're. When somebody who's in charge of supply chain and making. Streamlining that process and making it better, what are you actually coming in and doing every day?

[Akash Chand]

So basically, you start the process of, okay, your. Your end product that you sell. Okay. What does it take to get that end product out? Okay, it starts by purchasing raw material. Well, okay, we start the process of purchasing the raw material, and we follow that flow all the way through to the factory. You know, how it's. How it's worked, how it's melted, all the departments it touches to the point of where it's put in the inventory or it's shipped out the door. So it's basically your end product, start to finish from the raw material standpoint to when you actually ship out a finished product. Okay, so that whole chain.

[John Doe]

Right, right.

[Akash Chand]

Passing through all the way to the ends and even to the point where we actually get with the county to make sure that we're paid on that as well.

[John Doe]

So you're figuring out, like, where the bottlenecks are in that. Okay, yeah.

[Akash Chand]

How do we fix these processes? Hey, if this happened, how do we fix the initial problem and then how do we fix it long term to where it doesn't happen again? It's things like that, finding holes and make sure those holes are filled. Yeah, you know, I did that for about 10 years and got another job opportunity with another great company. I love the company that I switched to. I mean, a CIPCO was great to me. You know, I went to McLean Power Systems doing kind of the same thing. Had a little bit more responsibility in that supply chain. There were certain issues with the company, which. I love the company. It's just certain people were there who were no longer there. Were. It was tough to work for for like a lot of people, you know what I mean? Got to the point where I was actually getting sick to my stomach, actually having to pull over and throw up and.

[John Doe]

Oh, wow. Akash's willingness to pivot from his initial career plan shows the importance of being open to opportunities. You know, he goes from wanting to be a teacher to wanting to be a coach, to getting involved in computer programming and information systems, to supply chain management. All along the way, all these different decisions shape the, the future for him. And it's just a good reminder that the path to success is rarely ever linear.

[Akash Chand]

Yeah, it was. That's what I was going through at the time. And me, of course, I was a single dad, I was divorced in 2012 and I was trying to take care of my two boys and it was hard. I felt like, you know, I was losing some time with them and there was really, you know, it was 24 hours in a day and I needed 28.

[Michael Smith]

Right.

[John Doe]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

You know, I mean, you know, a lot of things were being sacrificed and one of those things was my health. And so I made it a point after about two and a half years with that company, me and a friend of mine who actually who I went to high school with, he ended up being a pro boxer and always loved the sport of boxing, you know, always, always enjoyed it. Grew up following it and actually ended up training a little bit with my friend. I had no desire about.

[John Doe]

How old are you at this?

[Akash Chand]

So the first time I was, I actually looked into it or like did a little bit. I was close to about 17, 18. And it was only just the basics, like the foundations of it. And then I went to college and didn't have time to do it. I never took it as serious to the point where I felt like I was going to be a world champion at it. I just loved the sport. It was a hobby for me. But I love, I love to do it. Yeah, you know, I would love to get in the ring and spar and things like that, you know what I mean? Now, I didn't spar then, but after college I got married, had kids, things like that. And then I started back with my friend boxing at Champions Boxing. It was an old gym started by our old trainer, Kurt, and he was great. Michael, who was my friend, actually ended up, you know, coaching me a lot in it. And once I got divorced, I actually said, hey, I want to get a little more serious about it, you know what I mean? Started boxing more and more and more. And I did it, you know, 13 years now. And Kurt, who actually owned Champions at the time, fantastic trainer, fantastic trainer. But having the business side of, of a boxing gym, you got to kind of find ways to actually bring people in. I tell people all the time, I said, hey, you can have a competition team, but the competition team won't keep the lights on.

[John Doe]

Right. You've got what, 80 something members, correct?

[Akash Chand]

Yeah.

[John Doe]

And about 15% of them are actually competing.

[Akash Chand]

Correct.

[John Doe]

And the rest are just interested in the sport and learning it and probably hoping that they never have to use it, but if they do, they're ready.

[Akash Chand]

And really what we see is a lot of people were just like me, wanted to come learn to box, didn't really want to sit here and take it to the Olympics or turn pro or anything like that. There's a lot of people that were like me, but they didn't have any coaches or trainers that would say, hey, I'm going to spend the time and work on you just to develop your skills in boxing. Not everybody's going to have the same skill set. Not everybody's going to be able to have that skill level to compete or that drive to compete. So we said, hey, there was a lot more of people like that, as opposed to people that say, hey, I do want to go the pro route, you know, so you have to gear towards what the majority.

[John Doe]

Right, right, people are.

[Akash Chand]

So if we have almost 85% of the people that walk through our door don't want to compete. Well, that's, I mean, we really need to find an avenue for them. But I think giving people the opportunity to actually say, hey, we'll train you like you have a fight, even though you don't have a fight coming up.

[John Doe]

Well, but that's a, that's, that's a smart thing because there's a need. Like, obviously people are saying, I would love to be able to come here, get trained, but please don't expect me to fight. Like, yeah, like, so there's a market there for it. If 85% of your clients are people that are. That are in that boat, you know, it's like, yeah, there's obviously a need for that. That's. Yeah. I mean, you know, and I think most people think, I don't want to get my ass kicked.

[Akash Chand]

Oh, yeah, yeah.

[John Doe]

You know, I mean, when you're a kid, you don't want it. When you're an adult, you don't want, like, I don't. I don't want that, you know, but I'd like to learn how to protect myself, you know, And I think that's probably. Well, you know, better than me, you know, But.

[Akash Chand]

Well, I mean, a lot of people, it's intimidating walking into a boxing gym because, you know, everybody. You feel like everybody in there knows what they're doing. And you walk in, it's like, I'm going to look like an idiot coming in.

[John Doe]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

But once you come in and watch, you realize, well, these people are just like me.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

I mean, they're learning from the start. I learned from the start. You'll get it. It'll click. And not everybody has the same style, but the foundations are all the same.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

You know, so as long as you get the foundations, we'll sprinkle a little bit of your own style into it. And then the one thing I've seen to, a lot of people that don't want to compete, once they get to a certain point, they get a certain itch to actually get in and spar.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

And the good thing about it is, is that it's always controlled where we're at. You know, we're not going to sit here and just let somebody say, hey, okay, now we'll go ahead and let you loose. Go do what you've learned.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

We'll give them goals in there and say, hey, this is a jab only round. Okay. Let's work on moving your feet and just throwing just the one punch. You know, just get used to moving and they learn to relax in there. It's not just going in there as a fight. It's a sport. It's not a fight.

[Michael Smith]

Right, right.

[Akash Chand]

We want to get rid of that misconception of, hey, you're fighting in there. You know, this is a sport, you know, just like anything else. Basketball, football, anything else, you practice.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

And then you go in there, and then when it's game time, you go perform.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

You know, so, you know, you having a scrimmage at football is the same thing. As sparring.

[Michael Smith]

Right, right.

[Akash Chand]

So you take what you've learned and then you put it into action so that when it comes time for the game, you're ready.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

You know what I mean? So, you know, like I said, even if you don't want to compete, you still have those skill sets that you're learning. And it's just like you said, something to put. To put away so that, hey, just in case, if you have to use it, you can. You know what I mean? But also, it's a. It's a completely different exercise.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

You know, because a lot of people just can't, you know, throw up a barbell anymore. It's too heavy or their shoulder hurts. This and the other where here it's a little bit lower impact, body weights, things like that. It's not as much stress on the muscles. It's a lot of cardiovascular work. You know what I mean? But it's something different, and it. And it keeps people excited because it's different every day. You're learning something new every day, whether it be pivots, head movement, defense, combos, everything.

[John Doe]

I would imagine, you know, for a lot of people, too, especially the category of, you know, I don't really want to compete, it's probably a huge boost to their confidence, you know, to know that you can handle yourself, or if something happens and you find yourself in a fight or flight situation, you know, you know, you can handle your way through that.

[Akash Chand]

Right.

[John Doe]

So that's got to be a huge part of what people are getting out of that.

[Akash Chand]

Oh, yeah. We get a lot of parents come in and bring their kids in, talking about how they've been bullied at school or they're having issues at school. The one thing that I've seen with a lot of people and kids, too, when you really learn all these skills, your confidence levels get so high that you actually avoid a lot of confrontations. Because once you get to the point and you've actually gotten in the ring and sparred or you've learned these skills, it's almost laughable when somebody tries to come up and start something with you and you actually walk away because you know what you can do. But you learn to avoid a lot of it because, hey, it's okay to walk away.

[John Doe]

Right.

[Akash Chand]

Because you know what you can do now. You know what I mean?

[Michael Smith]

Like, yeah.

[Akash Chand]

And then. And then it's good to. Seeing all eight of our trainers and seeing a lot of these kids and these young adults actually see people that were like them growing up saying, you know, teaching Them values and not just boxing.

[John Doe]

Right, Right.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

And that's what they need to see is, you know, hey, somebody that was just like me, that has my similar story, and they're here, you know, they're teaching us how to box. They're successful now, you know, so them seeing us and, you know, you know, growing up boxing and saying, hey, you know, we were in your shoes too, and, you know, you'll get past it and things will get better.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

You know.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[John Doe]

So you're. You're going to work every day, you're stressed out, you're pulling over so you can throw up out of your car. Hopefully it's out of your car.

[Akash Chand]

It is. It was out of my car. Yeah.

[John Doe]

That's the pulling over.

[Akash Chand]

Yeah.

[John Doe]

Yeah. And so I guess at that point, you thought, I got to figure out something else to do. Now was opening a boxing gym. Was that already something that was forming, or was it, I gotta find something else to do? Because you're this corporate guy, you know, essentially, you know, you're managing supply chains and you're on the computer, you know, and so how does. How does opening a boxing gym enter the picture?

[Akash Chand]

So we had Kurt, and there was another partner of ours, Jake, who was in the gym before, and my friend Michael. We would all meet every Thursday to go out for breakfast, and we would talk about, hey, we. Let's try to get champions open again. Because I was boxing at other places, and I was, like, doing more coaching than I was actually training. So once my friend actually reached out to me and said, hey, let's. Let's see if we can get this going. So I kind of took the lead on that.

[John Doe]

You had a stomachache?

[Akash Chand]

Yeah, yeah. Right, right, right. So then I thought to myself, you know, you know, one losing time with my kids and things like that. I said, hey, let's see, you know, if we can get this off the ground. I'll handle the business side of it. And then you guys stick to what you do best, you know, and that's training. You don't have to worry about keeping the lights on.

[John Doe]

You know, this is the all too classic story of having all the outward success but not feeling anything on the inside. Feeling miserable, empty. Achieving everything that we're told will make us happy, only to find that we're not. We're miserable. We're throwing up on the way to work. And then on top of that, life doesn't just stop because it's stressful. He's a single dad. He's got bills to pay. He's got his kids that he wants to spend time with. And so, you know, he makes this choice. But I think it's easy to just take a brief look at his story and make the mistake of thinking that Akash just jumped away and followed his passion and is now building his dream. But it's not. It was a calculated risk. And having put in the time to learn business acumen, develop the relationships with the right people and make sure that they were committed and everyone knew the role was crucial. And the first two years, sure, they were hard, but that hard work is now paying off.

[Akash Chand]

You let me handle that. Now. I train as well, obviously, but you.

[John Doe]

Already had guys that you knew.

[Akash Chand]

Correct.

[John Doe]

And they were committed to. If you can get this thing going, they're committed to doing it.

[Akash Chand]

Right. And I think that's. That's what a lot of stress comes when it comes to having a niche gym like this is like saying, hey, I'm good at this. But then I got to worry about this aspect of it, about, like I said, keeping the lights on.

[John Doe]

Right.

[Akash Chand]

So me having my knowledge of supply chain as well, knowing what I can do on the business side of it, helping streamlining processes, how to grow the business, things like that. I utilize that along with boxing, you know, to say, hey, I've got this niche type of exercise gym that we can open and also geared towards people that want to do it for fitness. If you want to do for competition, we've got that too. We've got competition coaches as well. But hey, let's open it up to a lot more than just competition people.

[John Doe]

Do you feel like people might not take you seriously as a competition gym? Or is it. Or is that most boxing gyms?

[Akash Chand]

Yeah, I think a lot of boxing gyms stress the competition side because they want to be known as a competition gym. Because there's a little bit of that, I don't want to say tough man type of, hey, yeah, we're a boxing gym.

[John Doe]

Yeah, a little more macho.

[Akash Chand]

Right. You know, now you have strictly fitness boxing gyms that don't want to even gear towards competition. And you have some that strictly do competition. We wanted to kind of find a hybrid of that.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

You know, and the way around that, that we eventually wanted to do and what our goal was was to have competitions and host competitions, which we have done now we've hosted three this year in 2024. And that way it opens up avenues for a lot of our boxers, but also other boxers around the state. You know, they didn't have a whole Lot in this state of Alabama, they don't have a whole lot of avenues to go box in, which is why you see a lot of people give up when it comes to boxing, when it comes to the state. The only one you've really heard about is Deontay Wilder, and he was backed by a good gym in Tuscaloosa that just kind of, you know, really built. They built their gym really behind him. You know, you have a lot of people that. That have that talent level, but they just don't have the backing to do it. And that's what we wanted to try to do, was to try to find that balance. Like we said, from the fitness standpoint, defining a competition side to where we can, hey, build up some of these fighters that are there before they give up, because there's a lot of kids out there.

[John Doe]

Was it from the beginning that you said, let's. Let's be aiming for competition, but let's, you know, open it up for people that just want the workout of boxing, just want to learn it?

[Akash Chand]

Yep. So we. We started that straight out of the gate, and you have to. You gotta open it up for competition, and whoever comes in who says they want to compete, you'll kind of sift out who's going to actually be developed that way. We always try to take a lot of people through the amateur circuit, and you kind of see where they're going to be at. We don't want to close the door on somebody that just wants to learn. So I believe what we have created is a good model, because really, you have a lot of people that come in that do it for fitness, but they're still in the same gym with our competition folks, right?

[John Doe]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

And. And they're like, hey, I'm working with them, or I'm. I feel like we're a part of the team. Whether you're fitness or competition, it's like we're all a team at that point.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah. Yeah.

[John Doe]

From the outset, Akash crafted his gym's identity as a welcoming place for. For everyone from kids to fitness enthusiasts to aspiring boxers. He recognizes that there's a market for people who want the benefits of boxing, want to learn how to box without the pressure of ever having to step into the ring. What a smart approach. You know, he's showing us the power of understanding your audience and seeing that there is a desire for something out there and then figuring out a way to create something that meets that desire. For anybody just getting started in business, this is a masterclass in how to start your Business with a clear vision.

[Akash Chand]

You know. But now we're trying to dive into the promotional side now where we have events which we just ran one last weekend, the Alabama Silver Gloves, which is for 17 and under. It's for them to compete at the national level. And I'm sure you've heard of Golden Gloves. I'm sure, sure.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

Well, the only difference in that is just age. Golden gloves for 18 and up, silver gloves for 17 and under.

[John Doe]

Okay, I didn't know that.

[Akash Chand]

Yeah, yeah. So we do send fighters for the Golden Gloves, but this one we're sending fighter for Silver Gloves, which I. We're actually going to Arkansas to compete the day after Christmas.

[John Doe]

Where does Golden Gloves rank? What's its role in boxers becoming professional boxers?

[Akash Chand]

So, you know, unlike mma, there's a better amateur circuit to develop fighters. Was it Sugar? Shane Mosley had like 300 something amateur fights before he turned pro, where MMA, you can kind of turn pro whenever you feel like it, and you can turn pro in boxing whenever you feel like it, but you. You're not really going to be ready in boxing as opposed to mma. I honestly think that in boxing your shelf life is a little bit longer, which is why you see people fighting from 18, 19 years old as a pro to when their late 30s, early.

[John Doe]

40S, like Floyd Mayweather, almost 60 if you're Tyson.

[Akash Chand]

That's true. That's true. Yeah. And that's amazing that he did that.

[John Doe]

So Golden Gloves, anybody can box, can be a Golden Glove boxer.

[Akash Chand]

You can be.

[John Doe]

It's just amateur boxing.

[Akash Chand]

It's just amateur boxing.

[John Doe]

I got you.

[Akash Chand]

Everybody always assumed that Golden Gloves was pro and Silver Gloves was amateur.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah, yeah.

[Akash Chand]

That was always a misconception, but it's actually age.

[John Doe]

Okay.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah, yeah.

[John Doe]

Okay. So. So there's no status associated with Golden Gloves above anything else in amateur boxing.

[Akash Chand]

I mean, you've got like the Olympic level. I mean, like, once you start making that. Yeah, that's different. But yeah, so there's different.

[John Doe]

Mark Breland. I think I remember Mark Breland.

[Akash Chand]

Yeah.

[John Doe]

He was Olympic and he was like a Golden Gloves champion.

[Akash Chand]

I actually got in the ring with Mark Breland one time.

[John Doe]

Did you really?

[Akash Chand]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I was at an old gym over in Hoover and. And he came with Deontay Wilder when he was fighting in Birmingham one time and we all. He actually got in the ring and just kind of, you know, light work. Light work, Light work. But, you know, he was in there coaching while you would be sparring, and it was actually pretty neat.

[John Doe]

Oh, that's awesome.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah, yeah.

[Akash Chand]

Really good guy. I want to say. He was 84 silver medalist, I think somewhere around there.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Akash Chand]

But he was Deontay's trainer for a while. Yeah. Really? Yeah.

[John Doe]

Okay.

[Akash Chand]

Wow. Yeah. Nice guy.

[John Doe]

So you guys get together, you say, well, let me handle the business side. You've got your trainers in place, but you know, from the beginning we're going to do competitions, but we're opening this to people that, you know, that just want to learn the sport of boxing and they just want the. Want it for the fitness of it. And so now you're doing. You've actually done some competitions last year.

[Akash Chand]

Yeah. So we don't have to go out of state anymore. Well, we still do, but like we don't have to go to Tennessee to fight or Georgia to fight or Florida now. It's like, hey, there's a whole bunch of local fighters that want to fight, but they don't have the means to go travel all the time. So we're giving people a lot of opportunity to showcase their skills and get better. And, you know, also not having to go out of state and spend all the money, a whole bunch of money that you don't have, traveling, staying somewhere. It's just right here, right in your own backyard, which is what Alabama's lacked for a long time. So it wasn't just a goal of opening up a boxing gym. It was more of a 5 year, 10 year goal, 15 year goal. Okay, where do we want to be in the sport of boxing too, in this state? Okay, so you had, I mean, if I'll ask you had. Have you heard of the Alabama Golden Gloves around here?

[John Doe]

No, I just heard of Golden Gloves in general.

[Akash Chand]

Right, right, right. Well, they actually have it, but it's not promoted very well, is it?

[John Doe]

No.

[Akash Chand]

Yeah, you don't hear about it. Right, right. Well, that's what we kind of want to change in boxing, you know what I mean? We want to be able to have boxing on the forefront, you know what I mean? Like I said, there's a lot of people out there that want to showcase their skills and, you know, you don't have to be a kid to do it. You could be an adult. There's a master's division of 40 and up. You know, you can showcase your skills and not have to worry about, well, gosh, I don't want to have to go to Ohio to have to box.

[Michael Smith]

Right.

[Akash Chand]

You know what I mean? Oh, wow. This gym over here is running a show right here down the street. Let's sign up for it. Yeah, this gets a lot more excitement and gets people wanting to box because there's a lot of people that we see too that are athletes in their high school, you know, that are kind of undersized for college or things like that. And then that's where their journey stops. But they're athletic and they want to continue doing that. Well, we give them another avenue where they can box.

[John Doe]

Right, right. And so the shows provide a way for people to box. Are they also a way that you attract new people to come to the gym?

[Akash Chand]

Absolutely. So one thing I've noticed too, we have a really large influx of people that come in after our shows. Yeah, we've got a great social media director too that posts a lot of this stuff, like post our fights online and things like that. And we do a lot of promoting for our shows. So it gets a lot of excitement around the community and a lot of parents bring their kids to it and we have a lot of law enforcement come in. So it does bring in a lot of different people from, you know, kids to, like I said, law enforcement adults. So when they come to our shows or find us on social media and they see all these, they're like, oh, wow, you know, that's something I can do or I want to try to do.

[Michael Smith]

Right.

[Akash Chand]

You know what I mean? Or there's somebody in the ring that's just like, me.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

You know, it's like, hey, you know, they see somebody like me and I'm training or something like that. It's like, wait a minute, if he can do it, I can do it.

[John Doe]

How do you scale something like this? I mean, can. Does the. Will the gym eventually hit capacity and you got to open a second one somewhere.

[Akash Chand]

Is that so we're already there.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[John Doe]

Oh, really?

[Akash Chand]

That's so. Yeah, we're currently looking for a bigger building. I don't think we want to actually open up a second location yet. Only reason why is because I don't want to have to split my trainers from one location to the next. Do you know what I mean? I think having it centralized in one location works. We just need to be a little bigger. When you run any business, you think about 5 year, 10 year goals and you know, I don't want to make a decision right now for an immediate need. I want to think about a 10 year goal, you know, and one of those goals is how can we host our own show in house.

[John Doe]

Okay.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[John Doe]

You know, so that's the next venue you're looking at. You're looking at something like that.

[Akash Chand]

Correct.

[John Doe]

That's big.

[Akash Chand]

Right, right. You know, and, yeah, the cost, of course, is going to be a little more than we probably want to, but making that sacrifice now for later as opposed for an immediate need is what we're kind of thinking about. Hey, this is going to pay off.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

You know what I mean? That's what we're trying to do is actually get a new building that's a place where we can put a competition ring.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

You know, big enough for that and some seating and things like that, but then still have the gym aspect of it, too, so. So that's in the works now for 20, 25. You know, we got a good team of people that are helping us out, you know, and I think eventually it'll. We'll definitely find something here soon. So keep your ears open for new news with Champions Boxing.

[John Doe]

What size of a place are you looking for?

[Akash Chand]

We're looking at, you know, 5 to 7,000 square feet, maybe.

[John Doe]

Okay.

[Akash Chand]

If you find anything a little bigger, that's great, too. But that's kind of what we're looking for. I think that would help us, you know, to get to where we want to be. Yeah. And also that'll kind of open up a little more avenues for us when it comes to having fitness classes where, you know, there's also a niche for people that want to come in and burn 1200 calories and go home, you know?

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

They don't want to learn how to turn their hips on this. They don't want to turn their hands over, you know, I want to sweat, you know, and I want to look good for the summer, you know, and that's okay.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

There's also a market out there for that. So that's what we want to get into, too, is to have that room to where we can actually say, hey.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah, yeah, like some hit classes.

[Akash Chand]

Yeah.

[John Doe]

Based around fighting, I guess.

[Akash Chand]

Right, right.

[John Doe]

By hosting three competitions, he's making sure that his gym is taken seriously as a boxing gym here in Alabama. And you could see his supply chain background come into play here, where he realizes that the different parts need to work together to achieve a shared goal. Emphasizing that collaboration, not competition, is what really pushes everyone forward. I love that Akash gets that. He gets that it takes a collective effort to put Alabama boxing on the map. And it's a great lesson for anybody in business because, sure, in business business, you have competitors. Just like boxing, there's a time to compete, but in order to raise the level of professionalism in any industry, it takes working Together.

[Akash Chand]

Right.

[John Doe]

Well, you know, I was reading that you were inspired by Oscar De La Hoya.

[Akash Chand]

Yeah, yeah.

[John Doe]

Which is one of the greats, you know, But. But if somebody looks at your journey, you know, entrepreneurial, to go from, you know, throwing up in your car because you can't face another day at work to having this successful boxing gym, how do you want them to be inspired by you?

[Akash Chand]

I will say this. There's a lot of people out there that I've met and that I talk to all the time that have some really great ideas, really great ideas. The only thing that's stopping them is kind of fear or the risk, you know, I just want to tell people, you know, the people that are really going to be successful are the ones that actually take that risk. You know, I know you hear the cliche, you know, it's okay to fail and things like that.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

And that's okay too, you know what I mean? That's what's going to build you or like, build success within you. You know, a lot of people's dreams are just a dream because they don't have a plan, you know? You know, they don't have a goal. They say, well, I've got this good idea about this. It's like. And then the next question I have is, well, how do you get there?

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

You know. Well, I don't know.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

I was like, we'll come up with a plan. I said, because if you don't have a plan, it's just a dream.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

I said, but if you really believe in that, you know, you have to kind of step out on that ledge, you know?

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

It's okay to fail. You know what I mean? Yeah. And that's what I want to tell people, too. It's like, it's. It's okay to take a risk and it's okay to be afraid, you know what I mean? Because I mean, being sick at my car, going to work was tough, you know what I mean? But starting your own business, you're almost just as sick. But the issue is, is that when you're sick, working for your own dream, as to working for somebody else's dream, it's a little bit different.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

And then once you realize, hey, if you're patient with it and things do become successful, like, you know, there's no better feeling.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

I mean, once you realize, hey, all the sacrifice you made early, you know what I mean? Knows, just like I said, there's a five year, 10 year goal, within that five years, hey, it's gonna Be some tough times, especially those first 24 months. You know what I mean? You know, but as long as you see, hey, look, everything's kind of falling into place, and it might not be to your timetable that you had originally thought, but if it's falling into place, that's a plus.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

You know what I mean?

[John Doe]

Kosh didn't just idolize his heroes, he emulated them. Oscar De La Hoya's path to Olympic gold was filled with personal tragedy. And none of us are immune to hard things in life. So after his divorce, Akash didn't just shut down and ignore his dreams. He wanted to create a way to spend more time with his sons and develop his own. What was important to him. So when he speaks about telling people with great ideas that they have to be willing to take a risk, he's speaking from his own experience. He did that. He lives it. So telling others success doesn't have to look one way. Sometimes you just have to carve your own path. Well, isn't that a lot? I mean, everything you're saying to me sounds like if I was wanting to learn how to box, but I was afraid of getting beat up, you'd give me the same advice. Hey, you gotta get in there. It's gonna be rough, but, you know, you got to get in there, you got to take the blows and, you know, but it'll be worth it, Right? The things you'll learn and how you'll overcome them, you know? Seems like, you know, it's almost solid advice to give somebody who's thinking about boxing.

[Akash Chand]

Exactly. Or just, like I said, getting past your fear.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

You know, getting past the intimidation of walking into a boxing gym. Getting past the intimidation of, hey, going to a bank or somewhere and starting your own business or starting that process. It's always that first step that's the hardest. Walking into a gym or walking into a bank or what? It's always that first step's always the hardest. But after that point, once you've started that process, it's a good journey.

[John Doe]

You're so right. You're so right. Yeah. And a lot of times you look back and you go, what was I so afraid of?

[Akash Chand]

Yeah. Yeah. Right. And the one thing, too, is that I see, and you probably know this, too, is like, once you do something like that, it becomes contagious. You want to do something else.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

You know what I mean?

[John Doe]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

And so it's like, oh, wow, I got this from the ground up. What else can I do? From the ground up. You have to have the right people behind you, you know, like I said, you know, my wife is a big supporter of me. She comes in and she'll work like some of our events, like our physicals and things like that, you know, so, like, you got to have the right people to support you, too. And that goes a long way, too, because if you're stressed out in it, having somebody to say, hey, you know, it's going to be okay, or you're doing the right thing is sometimes all you need to hear.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah, yeah.

[John Doe]

I mean, absolutely. But your wife. Your wife's name is what?

[Akash Chand]

My wife's name is Adrian.

[John Doe]

Adrian, yeah. I figured that. Boxer.

[Akash Chand]

Yeah, that's right. Yeah. I think.

[John Doe]

I think we ever do that at home.

[Akash Chand]

We did that one time at. At a boxing event. We had to take a picture in the ring, and I was looking for. And I had to shout out to her, and I said, yo, Adrian. And everybody started cracking up. I didn't even think about it. I was like, oh, that's so fitting.

[John Doe]

That's a hoot, man.

[Akash Chand]

Yeah.

[John Doe]

Well, so you guys are, what, three years into the gym there, and you're.

[Akash Chand]

Coming up on three years and you're.

[John Doe]

Looking for something bigger already?

[Akash Chand]

Yeah.

[John Doe]

So what do you think has been the key to your success? I mean, is it in the things you've carried from the corporate world or just right place, right time, what's kind of been the ingredients that you think is the secret sauce for your success?

[Akash Chand]

Well, I think finding a balance between knowing business, finding the right people to kind of, you know, help you to, like the trainers that we've got. You know, we've got eight trainers. Not all of them started with the original champions. You know, they've all come from elsewhere. And developing a reputation in the boxing community is what I wanted to do, because there's a lot of ego in the boxing gym business, you know, where a lot of people are like, hey, you know, our gym's better. My way is the way to go.

[John Doe]

Right, Right.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah, yeah.

[Akash Chand]

So you got to make sure, hey, we're not looking to step on toes or anything like that. There's a lot of great gyms in this city, but there's not enough exposure on it. And that's what we want to try to do is say, hey, instead of working against each other, let's try to work together and, hey, grow the sport of boxing.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

You know, to where, hey, you know, there's. There's plenty at this table for all of us to sit down. You know what I Mean, we don't have to be against each other. Hey, we might fight each other in a competition, but it's not personal.

[John Doe]

Right.

[Akash Chand]

Just like I said, this is a sport. Right. And with that, you know, not just knowing the business side, but also the networking side of it, you know? You know, I always tell people all the time, you attract more flies with honey. You know what I mean?

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

You know, so it's like, hey, you know, we can sit here and work together and grow the sport and say, hey, we might fight in this competition today and the next week we'll say, hey, we'll spar next week in our gyms tomorrow just to make each other better.

[John Doe]

Right.

[Akash Chand]

You know, we always say, iron sharpens iron. So it's like, hey, you know, instead of it being personal, hey, we're all going to be at a better place here in about three, four, or five years. You know what I mean?

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

You know, because what we really want people to know is, especially in communities, if you want to be successful in boxing, you're gonna have to run through Alabama. Much like people say, well, you got to go through Georgia to be successful, or you got to go through Tennessee or Ohio or Florida. You know, you don't hear anything about Alabama. But now we want people to say, hey, you got to go through Alabama if you want to be successful.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[John Doe]

Okay. So making things better for the sport is going to take working together.

[Akash Chand]

Right.

[John Doe]

And then that makes things better for everybody.

[Akash Chand]

Absolutely. Yeah, absolutely. So, you know, learning how to network and working with people, I learned that in the business side, where I had to work with suppliers, overseas suppliers, things like that, where, you know, if I don't have an item on time, I'm not gonna sit here and yell at somebody, you know what I mean? Well, I say be kind, but then stress the urgency of it, you know what I mean? And that way you get a lot more respect in that aspect of it to where, hey, I like working with him or I like working with them. And that's what we kind of want to show people. Like, hey, you know, we want to network and say, hey, we want this whole thing to grow, not just for us, but for everybody.

[John Doe]

It sounds like that's what, you know, you got your eye on, you know, is to raise the level of professionalism here. Work together and everybody wins, you know.

[Akash Chand]

And that's why I said, you know, the room at the table for everybody. All you got to do is just want to sit down.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah, yeah.

[Akash Chand]

You know?

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[John Doe]

So anybody hearing this and they want to Come check out your gym. How do they get ahold of you?

[Akash Chand]

Yeah, we're in Pelham, Alabama, 102 Commerce Parkway, right behind Purple Onion. You can come by and check us out. You can also give us a call. We're at 205-358-8176. And you don't have to work out the same day. I mean, if you just want to check it out, you know, get rid of that fear of.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

You know, meet all the trainers, you know, see how much of. See what kind of atmosphere it is, and I guarantee you'll really enjoy it.

[John Doe]

All right, cool. And before I let you go, greatest boxer of all time.

[Akash Chand]

Of all time, Roy Jones Jr. All right.

[John Doe]

All right. If you go back and fight anybody in history ever, who would you want to fight?

[Akash Chand]

Non boxers or boxers?

[John Doe]

It could be either one. Maybe some kid gave you a hard time on the playground.

[Akash Chand]

Well, if I could go back and fight Billy Jenkins. I don't want to fight a boxer. I want to fight a winnable fight. Oh, man. Fight anybody. I never really had any real ill will. I will say this. If I wanted to learn and fight somebody, and I think it would be a fun fight. Arturo Gotti.

[John Doe]

Okay.

[Akash Chand]

And he was always tough. I believe something like that would be fun. Like, I. Something about getting punched in the face, and this is gonna sound weird. Kind of wakes you up, kind of makes you feel alive. And he was just a brawler, and I. I loved watching him fight. And I feel like it would be fun to get in there and have a round with him.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

Just to say I did.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah. Yeah.

[John Doe]

Now, is he. Is he your favorite fighter? Mine is probably. Oh, gosh. It's hard to pick a favorite, but Triple G is. Is up there.

[Akash Chand]

Oh, yeah. I would not want to take a punch from him.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

My favorite fighter of all time was definitely Roy Jones Jr. My second was Oscar De La Hoya.

[John Doe]

Okay.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[John Doe]

And why was that?

[Akash Chand]

Well, I followed him in the 92 Olympics. I was probably about 12, 13 years old at the time. I believe his mother had just passed away before the Olympic trials.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

So you kind of got sucked into that story and you were rooting for him. You know what I mean? So immediately after the 92 Olympics is when he turned pro, and I just kind of followed his journey after that. And, you know, you were always kind of rooting for him. And every fight he lost on decision, I always felt he got robbed. Like, there's no way he lost that fight.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

You know what I mean? But then also now you look at him too now, and you know he's a successful promoter now, too.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[Akash Chand]

You know, Golden Boy Promotions, you know, so, like, seeing his story from where he was at the 92 Olympics.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah, yeah.

[Akash Chand]

Now is like such a growth story. Such an inspiration, too, you know?

[Michael Smith]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[John Doe]

One of those guys is. Well, like you said, he's. Once he overcomes that fear, it's like, well, what else can I do? That's. That scares me.

[Akash Chand]

Absolutely.

[John Doe]

And so, yeah, I always. I always like Manny Pacquiao, too.

[Akash Chand]

Oh, yeah, man.

[John Doe]

He seemed like such a good guy.

[Akash Chand]

Yeah, he's such a super nice guy. Yeah. Like, you wouldn't think that he would have, like, that much anger or power behind his punches because he's so nice. You know what I mean?

[John Doe]

He's apologizing as he's splitting your nose open.

[Akash Chand]

I think a lot of people probably say that about me, too. It's like, yeah, there's no way. That guy's way too nice to see him punch anybody.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah.

[John Doe]

Well, hey, man, it's been great. This has been fantastic, and I'm glad we're gonna get your story out there.

[Akash Chand]

Absolutely, man. I sure do appreciate your time and I appreciate what you're doing.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah, yeah.

[John Doe]

So as you get into a bigger place, maybe we'll come back and see how that's going and maybe we can.

[Akash Chand]

Do one of your shows from there.

[Michael Smith]

Yeah, yeah.

[John Doe]

Oh, that'd be great.

[Akash Chand]

Oh, yeah.

[John Doe]

I love it.

[Akash Chand]

Yeah. Awesome. Yeah. Appreciate it.

[John Doe]

All right, man.

[Akash Chand]

All right. Thanks.

[John Doe]

Look forward to having you again.

[Akash Chand]

Absolutely. Thanks.

[John Doe]

Sure. As we wrap up this episode, I want to ask you, the listener. What is your ring? What's the fight? What's the thing you're afraid to go for? What's it going to take to get you to overcome your fears and go for it? Akash's story leaves us all without excuses. He left the corporate world to set up a boxing gym, sort of a dream he had as a kid. And in doing so, he said, you know, I didn't have this all neatly planned out, but it's never too late to go for your dream. And look what happened. He builds a community, a successful gym, a successful business, and he's putting boxing on the map in Alabama. So who knows what incredible things are waiting for you on the other side of your fears. Thanks for listening to another episode of Locally Owned. I hope you found this episode to be helpful and offer quick, actionable strategies. Please don't forget to hit the subscribe button and leave a review. You can find more episodes on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or go to our website streetsmartontrepreneurship Biz to find show notes and links and more. It.