Todd Nief's Show: Danny Lopez-Calleja (CrossFit Soul//Wodapalooza)

Danny Lopez-Calleja (CrossFit Soul//Wodapalooza)

Dec 14, 2018

You know when you're walking through the airport wearing a CrossFit shirt and you see someone else in a CrossFit shirt?
Or when you're going about your business at the grocery store wearing a Morbid Angel shirt, and someone down the aisle has an Incantation shirt on?
Well, maybe you don't know that feeling of t-shirt related camaraderie and acknowledgement, but rest assured that I do.
As we discuss in this interview, Danny and I are often the two guys at CrossFit related events wearing punk or metal apparel.
When Danny told me that he liked my podcast, I was thrilled because if one of the only other people who owns a CrossFit gym in a major urban environment who grew up playing in bands in a DIY punk and hardcore scene didn't like my podcast...well then I don't know what the hell I'm even doing.
In this conversation with Danny, we discuss:<ul><li>Growing up in a real melting pot of a DIY punk scene in South Florida - and how that has both helped and hindered Danny in entrepreneurship</li><li>How staying true to his own taste (and trying to make Team Soul like a 90s skateboarding company) has resulted in raving fans...and some harsh detractors</li><li>How CrossFit Soul has seen the CrossFit bubble in South Florida pop - and why they're still standing while many others are not</li><li>Becoming involved in the programming for Wodapalooza - only to learn a few weeks later that Wodapalooza would be a sanctioned event sending qualifiers to the CrossFit Games</li></ul>
Check out more from Danny here:<ul><li>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/dannyxsoul/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@dannyxsoul</a>//<a href="https://www.instagram.com/teamsoul/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@teamsoul</a>//<a href="https://www.instagram.com/crossfitsoul/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@crossfitsoul</a>//<a href="https://www.instagram.com/thewodapalooza/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@thewodapalooza</a></li><li>Website: <a href="https://www.crossfitsoulmiami.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.crossfitsoulmiami.com</a>//<a href="https://www.teamsoultraining.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.teamsoultraining.com</a>//<a href="https://wodapalooza.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.wodapalooza.com</a></li><li>Bandcamp: <a href="https://aversionfl.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Aversion</a>//<a href="https://allhellbreaksloose.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">All Hell Breaks Loose</a></li></ul>
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Show Notes<ul><li>[01:28] Growing up in the South Florida punk scene - and the melting pot of genres including punk, hardcore, death metal, and pop punk</li><li>[14:27] Being in bands growing up - including a rap metal band (Danny did not rap)</li><li>[18:11] What influence has growing up in the DIY culture of punk and hardcore had on small business ownership? And growing up hating jocks.</li><li>[26:29] Starting a CrossFit gym and making a ton of mistakes - including bad relationships with business partners and purposefully not having a plan. Plus, surviving the consolidation of the market as more and more gyms are closing.</li><li>[34:50] What did Danny do to learn how to run a business and how to coach - without a formal background in either? How did he reach out to people and apply their insight to his own business?</li><li>[44:42] The genesis of the Wodapalooza Programming Collective - and Danny’s role with Wodapalooza (including the changes to the CrossFit competition season)</li><li>[1:03:24] The art of the rip-off shirt</li></ul>
Links and Resources Mentioned<ul> <li><a href="https://www.fatwreck.com/">Fat Wreck Chords</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discharge_(band)">Discharge</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/chris_carrabba/?hl=en">Chris Carrabba</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.dashboardconfessional.com/">Dashboard Confessional</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibernus_Mortis">Hibernus Mortis</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poison_the_Well_(band)">Poison the Well</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-agency-mn0000614959">The Agency</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Further_Seems_Forever">Further Seems Forever</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strongarm_(band)">Strongarm</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shai_Hulud">Shai Hulud</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://falloutboy.com/">Fall Out Boy</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unearth">Unearth</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://everytimeidie.net/">Every Time I Die</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/25_ta_Life">25 ta Life</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arma_Angelus">Arma Angelus</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eulogy_Recordings">Eulogy Recordings</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/363940-Remembering-Never">Remembering Never</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7_Angels_7_Plagues">7 Angels 7 Plagues</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.newfoundglory.com/">New Found Glory</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorilla_Biscuits">Gorilla Biscuits</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://fearfactory.com/">Fear Factory</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantera">Pantera</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sepultura">Sepultura</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_Crisis">Earth Crisis</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.slayer.net/">Slayer</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.powerman5000.com/">Powerman 5000</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.nofxofficialwebsite.com/">NOFX</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endo_(band)">Endo</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nonpoint">Nonpoint</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Schuldiner">Chuck Schuldiner</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_(metal_band)">Death</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morbid_Angel">Morbid Angel</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://cannibalcorpse.net/">Cannibal Corpse</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morning_Again">Morning Again</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/1733011-A-Jealousy-Issue">A Jealousy Issue</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://harmswayband.bandcamp.com/">Harm's Way</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.slipknot1.com/">Slipknot</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.kornofficial.com/?ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F">Korn</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l38dKY9X4UI">Twice the Sun</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/heavyholidays?ref=https://www.google.com/">Roadrunner Records</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glasseater">Glasseater</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://thesearmsaresnakes.bandcamp.com/">These Arms Are Snakes</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Against_All_Authority">Against All Authority</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groovie_Ghoulies">Groovie Ghoulies</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mr._T_Experience">The Mr. T Experience</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chokehold_(band)">Chokehold</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.deadkennedys.com/">Dead Kennedys</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://journal.crossfit.com/2009/07/the-quest-for-100-pull-ups.tpl">The Quest for 100 Pull-ups with Chris Spealler</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://journal.crossfit.com/">CrossFit Journal</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/mikeburgener/?hl=en">Coach Burgener</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.slsknet.org/news/">Soulseek</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://madballhc.com/">Madball</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.jasonkhalipa.com/">Jason Khalipa</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://crossfitsouthbrooklyn.com/">CrossFit South Brooklyn</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.westside-barbell.com/">Westside Barbell</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.crossfitgymnastics.com/jeff-tucker/">Jeff Tucker</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.streetparking.com/">Street Parking</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://comptrain.co/">CompTrain</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://wheelwod.com/">Wheel WOD</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://misfitathletics.com/">Misfit Athletics</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/dylanmalitsky/">Dylan Malitsky</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/brenditacastro/?hl=en">Brenda Castro</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/mich_letendre/?hl=en">Michele Letendre</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/laurahorvaht/?hl=en">Laura Horvath</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/okeefmr/">Matt O'Keefe</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://morningchalkup.com/2018/08/23/how-greg-glassman-is-reshaping-the-crossfit-games/">How Greg Glassman is Reshaping the CrossFit Games from the Morning Chalk Up</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/fikowski/?hl=en">Brent Fikowski</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/mathewfras/?hl=en">Mathew Fraser</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://dubaicrossfitchampionship.com/">Dubai Crossfit Championship</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://wodleader.com/competition/southloopgames2018">South Loop Games</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.tiesto.com/">Tiësto</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/djlethalreal/?hl=en">DJ Lethal</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.limpbizkit.com/">Limp Bizki</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.deftones.com/">Deftones</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_6_Mafia">Three 6 Mafia</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fat_Music_for_Fat_People">Fat Music for Fat People</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Descendents">Descendents</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.misfits.com/">Misfits</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://rancidrancid.com/">Rancid</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.hatebreed.com/">Hatebreed</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://badbrains.com/">Bad Brains</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CM_Punk">CM Punk</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.equalvision.com/artists/another-victim/">Another Victim</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.alienworkshop.com/">Alien Workshop</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://toymachine.com/">Toy Machine</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.victoryrecords.com/pathofresistance">Path Of Resistance</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobb_Deep">Mobb Deep</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu-Tang_Clan">Wu-Tang Clan</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.cashmoney-records.com/">Cash Money Records</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Limit_Records">No Limit Records</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_Row_Records">Death Row Records</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EPMD">EPMD</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Tribe_Called_Quest">A Tribe Called Quest</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.blackeyedpeas.com/">Black Eyed Peas</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://vanswarpedtour.com/splash/">Vans Warped Tour</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/GroundZeroCrew/">Ground Zero Crew</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/fergie/">Fergie</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Prez">Dead Prez</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_(rapper)">Common</a> </li></ul>