Our small business blog series, Connected by GFiber, continues! This time we’re featuring Peter Ghali, owner of CrossFit Coordinate in Cary, North Carolina, who shares how GFiber’s high-speed reliable internet solved his connectivity challenges, keeping his community connected and allowing him to truly provide a seamless experience for his members.

When I purchased CrossFit Coordinate in 2021, I faced a problem: GFiber wasn't available at our location. I had acquired more than a gym. I'd bought a 24/7 fitness community in Cary, North Carolina, where every door lock, workout display, body composition scan, and playlist depended on reliable connectivity. As a tech-savvy entrepreneur, I knew exactly what I needed: fast and reliable fiber built for the future. But I couldn't get it initially. This is the story of how CrossFit Coordinate evolved, and how GFiber high-speed internet powers everything we do today.

At CrossFit Coordinate, our motto is "where community and fitness intersect." We serve primarily adults in their 30s and 40s, but members range from 12 to 77! These are people who care about their fitness and value being part of something bigger than themselves. We’re not talking about 23-year-old college athletes in peak condition; it’s 45-year-old soccer moms with two kids, professionals hitting 50, and everyone in between.

The social aspect is crucial because when your friends are coming to class, it encourages you to show up too. We've built a community of members creating an environment where nobody feels different or out of place.

The Internet Infrastructure Challenge
Here's what you may not have considered about modern fitness facilities: internet connectivity underlies almost everything we do. We offer 24/7 access, which means members can come in whenever they want, but those doors only unlock when our internet-connected system is working. We stream music during every class. Our large computer screen displays workouts that members engage with throughout their sessions. Our body composition testing machine requires a stable internet connection for results to be immediately shared. 

When I acquired CrossFit Coordinate, it was running on DSL service. The reliability was poor, and the cost was high. 

Determined to improve our service, I went through considerable effort to get coaxial service installed. The building permissions, the coordination, the setup — it was all a significant undertaking. Initially, I was optimistic. The service cost less than DSL and seemed faster.

But then came the rain.

Every time we had heavy rainfall, our internet connection went down. For a 24/7 gym, this was catastrophic. Picture this: someone wakes up at 4:30 a.m. to work out at 5 a.m., drives to the gym, and discovers they can't get in because the internet is down and the doors won't unlock. They're going to text me, and often I'd have to drive over and manually let them in.

The reliability issues affected our classes too. If coaches couldn't display the workout on screen because the internet was down, how would class participants know what to do? Without music streaming, people were working out without their motivating music.

When I learned that GFiber was available in our area, I didn't hesitate. The difference has been remarkable! Since installing GFiber, we've had virtually zero connectivity issues. The Wi-Fi reaches every part of our 5,000-square-foot facility, without any extenders or additional equipment. Members can connect their devices to stream their own music on our speakers, kids can use iPads while parents work out, and our business operations run seamlessly.

The reliability supports everything from virtual nutrition coaching sessions (we work with clients as far away as California) to our marketing and sales processes. When prospective members visit, they need internet access to view our programs and complete their purchase process. Our social media presence, member management software, and all our digital tools depend on consistent connectivity.

What we don't need is excessive bandwidth; we typically use 400-500 megabits per second, which is more than sufficient for streaming music, basic browsing, and supporting 3-5 concurrent users during peak times. What we absolutely require is reliability.

GFiber has delivered that reliability at a price point lower than what we were paying our previous provider. In fact, when that competitor calls trying to win us back, I tell them point-blank: if their service were free, I would never switch back.

The Bottom Line for Fitness Businesses
For any small business owner, understand that internet connectivity isn't optional anymore. It's foundational infrastructure. Whether you're running 24/7 access, streaming content, managing customer data, or building community through digital engagement, your internet service must be reliable.

If you're in the Cary and Apex, NC  area and looking for a fitness community that will hold you accountable and deliver results, we'd love to have you visit. And if you're a fellow gym owner struggling with internet reliability, consider making the switch to GFiber. Your members and your business will thank you.

Posted by Peter Ghali, Owner/Coach, Crossfit Coordinate

Ready to discover where community and fitness intersect? Learn more about CrossFit Coordinate and our programs, including remote nutrition coaching available nationwide.