How Owen Built a Strength Business That Runs Itself

Lawrence Neal

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Oct 9 (edited) • 💬 General

Every now and then, a story comes along that perfectly captures what this whole game is really about.

Not hacks.

Not funnels.

Not overnight success — but patience, clarity, and showing up again and again when most people would’ve quit.

This is one of those stories.

Here’s how Owen Dockham quietly built one of the strongest, most systemized HIT studios in the world — and the life he always wanted along the way.

In 2018, Owen Dockham joined HIB Pro. 💪

At the time, his studio — Live Oak Strength in Emeryville, California — was bringing in about $20K per month, and he was personally training more than 50 clients each week.

Now? 👇

Owen leads a team of 5 trainers (2 full-time, 3 part-time), doing 160+ sessions per week at $100 per session — averaging $16K–$20K per week in auto-recurring passes.

And here’s the kicker: 🎯

He doesn’t run ads.

He doesn’t run funnels.

He barely does any proactive marketing.

As he told me:

“The only real marketing I did was BNI in the beginning — and after that, it was just word of mouth. And to me, it was more about building a community with strong, meaningful relationships with other people doing really cool things in the world.”

Let that sink in. 💭

Owen didn’t rely on flashy marketing or paid ads to grow.

He built one of the most respected HIT studios in the world by focusing on relationships — with his clients, his team, and his community.

And this year, Live Oak Strength celebrates its 10th anniversary — ten full years in business as of September 2025. 🎉

A decade of lessons, evolution, and staying the course through every challenge.

No hype. No shortcuts.

Just genuine connection, exceptional service, and consistency over time.

Instead, he focused on 3 things:

1. Product First 🏆

From the start, Owen doubled down on building an exceptional service — not just the workout, but the entire client experience.

Clients often mention how welcoming the team is and how the studio’s calm, inspiring aesthetic makes them feel at ease.

Live Oak Strength has become a place people genuinely look forward to walking into — where they’re greeted by name with a big smile from every team member.It’s a brief escape from the noise and chaos of the outside world.

In an industry full of overcomplicated programs, this kind of consistent, clear, human experience stands out — and gets remembered.Clients talk about Live Oak Strength constantly with their friends, family, and co-workers because it represents more than fitness — it’s a sense of belonging, purpose, and genuine care.

2. Stay in Your Lane🚦

Owen never got distracted.

No online fitness courses.

No ten different service offerings.

No trying to serve everyone.

No complicated protocols.

No group classes.

He built a studio for 1-on-1 strength training. Period.

He knew his market — and kept his entire business focused on serving them deeply.

That clarity made every decision simpler — from hiring to marketing to pricing — allowing the whole team to move in the same direction with confidence and purpose.

And the same grassroots approach that started it all continues today —

one of his trainers is about to join his old BNI chapter to represent Live Oak Strength, and Owen’s excited to mentor him through the exact steps he took during his five years in BNI.

3. Build the Machine ⚙️

In his words:

“I don’t need to be there as much anymore.”

That’s because Owen built a systemized studio that runs on clarity, structure, and trust.

The team knows their roles — and follows clear checklists every shift.

Trainers are fully onboarded and empowered.

Culture is strong.

Three of his five trainers now successfully run introductory workouts, set up new client programs, and manage memberships with confidence.

Slack communication is clean and organized.

Owen doesn’t run weekly team meetings — he finds them expensive and unnecessary. Instead, he sends a short Monday morning Slack update highlighting the past week’s performance, the projected week ahead, and a few key focus points for the team. If something crucial comes up, he’ll schedule a quick one-on-one instead. It’s another small system that keeps things lean, efficient, and human.

And operations hum along without constant oversight.

These days, Owen trains maybe 15–20 sessions a week — sometimes just 3 or 4, or none at all when he’s working remotely from his cabin, traveling with family, or accompanying his daughter to one of her many medical appointments. 🏕️

That extra time in the facility allows him to be more present — to greet clients warmly, have authentic conversations, and make sure everyone knows they can reach out anytime. It’s given him space to check in, not just on their workouts, but on how life is going. After years of doing 15 back-to-back sessions, it feels good to slow down enough to connect deeply again.

He’s building a business that supports his life, not the other way around. 🌿

Lately, he’s been busy in the best way possible:

🎹 Practicing piano daily and performing again

🎸 Jamming with his old band and making music with friends

🏡 Working on his off-grid cabin — painting, remodelling, clearing brush

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Spending time with his wife and kids, taking long weekends and mini getaways

📈 Refining the business — bookkeeping, payroll, mentoring his team, improving systems, and personally reaching out to clients to make sure they feel cared for

This is what happens when you stick with it.

When you stay focused.

When you build systems that free you.

When you keep showing up, year after year.

Back in 2018, he said this about HIB Pro:

“It’s the most valuable investment I’ve made in my business to date. I never feel alone in my business anymore — and it’s a phenomenal feeling to have the support of the industry’s top experts, especially when I have to make tough business decisions.”

Six years later, that investment continues to pay off.

He’s scaled to multiple six figures — and is now on track to hit $1M in annual revenue. 🚀

He’s created the freedom he dreamed of.

And he’s stayed grounded and grateful through it all. 🙏

As he puts it:

“When I look back at the last 10 years, there are so many wonderful people who helped along the way. I’m the visionary, sure, but I’m under no illusion that I’m self-made — so many people made it actually happen.”

Owen’s the real deal. 💯

No hype. No ego.

Just a guy who believes in the power of proper strength training, cares deeply about his team and clients, and has spent a decade building something that matters.

But it hasn’t all been wins.

Owen has faced tremendous challenges along the way — personally and professionally.

Raising a special needs daughter who’s undergone multiple surgeries.

Watching his wife, Lucy, shift from helping at Live Oak to becoming a full-time mother.

The pandemic.

Hiring the wrong people — and learning hard lessons about leadership and culture.

Hurting clients’ feelings and burning a few bridges.

Legal battles. Threats of eviction. Leaky roofs. Unexpected five-figure tax bills.

And through it all, he just kept going. 💪

Quitting was never an option.

Because strength isn’t just built in the gym — it’s built through every challenge you overcome. 🧱

If you’re growing your own HIT business — or ready to scale to the next level — Owen’s story is proof of what’s possible when you focus, simplify, and lead with purpose.

Let’s go. 🚀

Let us help you grow like Owen in HIB Pro here: https://www.skool.com/hib/about

Photos attached of Owen's gorgeous family, studio, and band! 📸

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