By Alicia Walker, SBA Relationship Manager, Core Bank
How many times have you heard the saying, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again?” Well, what if you DO succeed? Then, what do you do? If you follow the example of Andrew and Frank Potter, owners of RoKC, you do it again! That’s exactly what these two are working on… with plans to open their third climbing gym in Olathe, Kansas.
Dreams of a state-of-the-art climbing gym.
In 2013, while on his second tour in Afghanistan, Andrew (a real-life hero… as all military persons and veterans are to me) first dreamed of a premier, state-of-the-art climbing gym. Andrew wanted to find a way to serve his community by doing something he was passionate about, even after he completed his service in the military. Andrew discussed his dream of bringing a world-class rock-climbing gym to Kansas City with his brother, Frank. And the two began the process of turning that dream into a reality.
In 2016, they opened their first rock climbing gym in North Kansas City. In April 2018, they opened their second gym in Kansas City midtown. Fast forward to the present, Andrew and Frank are breaking ground on their third climbing gym soon to open in Olathe! The October 7th groundbreaking ceremony was well attended by a host of members, friends and business partners, all showing up to support the next RoKC project. (I even got to shovel some dirt. Yay!) Talk about trying, trying and succeeding in a brief amount of time!
RoKC is incredibly popular because it’s a fun and unique way to challenge and develop your climbing skills, as well as work out on gym equipment, take a yoga class, and meet and form bonds with other members in the RoKC community. (Here’s a link to RoKC so you can learn more about the gym.) My first climbing experience was a couple of years ago at RoKC. Besides being fun and a great workout, it has been my therapeutic way of conquering my fear of heights.
If you’re looking for an adventurous way to get/stay fit, be challenged and have fun, I suggest you give RoKC a try. And, don’t be anxious about starting. You must start somewhere to have a “first.” As you do, remember that succeeding comes when you “try, try again.”
At Core Bank, we love to give shout outs to our clients and support their business ventures. Veteran’s day is November 12th, and we also wanted to celebrate our veteran business owners. We love working with veterans… it’s a privilege. There always seems to be a common desire of continued service after their military service. Andrew and Frank, congratulations on the ground breaking! We are excited to partner with you again on another project. And, Andrew, one veteran to another, thank you for your service.
