Hidden Gems: Meet Rick Jones of Customized Nutrition & Exercise

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rick Jones.

Hi Rick, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
From Childhood Dream to Fitness Empire: The Journey of Customized Nutrition & Exercise Gym
The best businesses are built on deep personal passion. The concept for Customized Nutrition & Exercise (CNE), Boulder’s premier training hub, sparked early—at just eight years old.
The Seed of a Vision
Riding to work with my father, the idea for a unique fitness center hit me: a gym that was more than just weights. It would feature an adjacent bar for parents and a dedicated play area for children, creating a community hub where fitness and fun coexisted. My father, ever the realist, encouraged me to first “see if you want to work at a gym”—a challenge that set my career in motion.
Following his advice, I began a self-guided journey into fitness. By junior high, I was using a Christmas weight set and a natural bodybuilding book to teach myself the fundamentals. By my senior year, frustrated with being picked on, I hired a trainer. In that initial consultation, I laid out my lifelong vision: to own my own gym and become a competitive bodybuilder.
Immersion and Mastery
My dedication quickly led to professional growth. After high school, my trainer hired me as a weight room attendant. My ascent in management was swift: from Assistant Athletic Director to Athletic Fitness Director and ultimately Building Manager.
I was determined to master every aspect of the business. My childhood experience working on motorcycles made equipment maintenance easy, and I became proficient in all areas, from front-desk operations to maintenance and management. By learning the ins and outs of a complete facility, I was building the blueprint for CNE.
The Pivot to a Non-Intimidating Hub
I eventually left that first gym to transition into supplement sales. Traveling across the state, I partnered with diverse fitness businesses, which sparked an evolution of my original idea. I saw an opportunity to create a more comprehensive, trainer-friendly, and non-intimidating facility—a direct response to the intimidation I felt when I first started training.
This new vision culminated in the founding of CNE in 2004. Initially, it combined a nutrition store, personal training space, and fitness equipment sales. However, as the market shifted, I pivoted the business model: downsizing retail and evolving CNE into a focused personal training studio with limited memberships.
Resilience and Growth
My journey wasn’t without setbacks. After a successful 11-year competitive bodybuilding career that began in 1989, a legal challenge in 1995 related to anabolic steroids forced a profound change. After avoiding a potential prison sentence, I committed myself fully to the natural bodybuilding movement, successfully competing and qualifying for nationals multiple times. This resilience defined the future of CNE.
The business success demanded a move in 2016 from the original 3,560 sq. ft. location to a facility more than double the size. Today, CNE is an impressive 8,100 sq. ft. thriving hub with over 200 members and a team of 40+ independent personal trainers who utilize the space to build their own successful businesses.
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🌟 The CNE Difference: More Than a Gym, It’s a Fitness Community
The core values forged in that personal journey define CNE today. We are a community committed to helping individuals achieve their health goals by prioritizing convenience, quality, and results.
What Sets CNE Gym Apart?
Our commitment is built upon core pillars designed to fit your life and accelerate your progress:
• 24/7 Accessibility: Your routine should fit your life, not the other way around. Our round-the-clock access gives you the freedom to train whenever it is most convenient for you.
• Expert Personal Training Hub: We house over 40 independent personal trainers, offering a powerhouse of specialized expertise. This ensures you receive customized support for every level and goal, from strength training to mobility work.
• State-of-the-Art Facility: Our 8,100 sq. ft. space features top-tier equipment, ample free weights, and a unique outdoor workout area. We meticulously manage membership to ensure a non-crowded, optimal training experience every time.
A Holistic Commitment to Wellness
We understand that true fitness extends beyond physical strength. Our approach focuses on enhancing your overall quality of life:
• Mind-Body Connection: We encourage mindful movement to help members reduce stress, improve sleep, and support mental well-being.
• Comprehensive Support: We go beyond the workout floor, offering expert nutrition guidance and personalized wellness plans to help you make informed decisions for optimal health.
• Community-Driven Atmosphere: CNE fosters a welcoming, professional, and non-intimidating environment where members and trainers thrive together.
At CNE Gym, your goals are our mission. Whether you aim to lose weight, build muscle, or simply live healthier, we are here to support your transformation every step of the way.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The Gauntlet of Entrepreneurship: Obstacles and Resilience
The journey of building Customized Nutrition & Exercise (CNE) has been defined by extreme challenges, proving that survival in business often requires extraordinary resilience.
Living the Dream, Reimagined
Just a year and a half after CNE opened in 2004, a significant personal crisis—a divorce—forced radical action. To save the business, I moved into a small, 300 sq. ft. storage closet inside the gym, where I lived for eight years.
My daily routine involved waking up, working out, and using the gym’s showers, often with the sobering thought: “This was my dream, but I don’t remember my dream being like this.” This period of sacrifice ensured the gym’s survival and deeply cemented my commitment to CNE.
Economic and Partner Headwinds
The years following the launch brought severe market and internal pressures:
• The Economy: We endured one of the worst economic climates since the Great Depression. I remember writing rent checks for over $8,000, praying they would clear. In one year alone, I paid over $1,500 in NSF fees, holding on with everything I had until the market stabilized.
• The Partnership Battle: CNE later became embroiled in a draining three-year lawsuit involving a former business partner and the landlord. The partner attempted to force the business to close to avoid his financial obligations (despite a signed personal guarantee). Although I was in good standing with the landlord, he was legally required to sue both parties. Ultimately, we went our separate ways, and I became the sole owner, allowing the business to finally move forward.
Expansion, Crisis, and Unwavering Commitment
The year 2016 brought another volatile mix of personal and professional stress. Following a marriage, I moved CNE to a significantly larger location and immediately began a massive renovation. However, the marriage ended in divorce by the end of the same year, compounding the financial and logistical stress of the major relocation.
Despite these personal challenges, the business thrived. By 2019, we seized the opportunity to expand the gym into the adjacent space, dramatically increasing our footprint. This expansion included adding a spin room, a large classroom, a dedicated cardio area, a turf area for sleds, new equipment, and an 800 sq. ft. outdoor workout area, ultimately creating more space for trainers and members.
Then came 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite statewide shutdowns, we strategically navigated the restrictions and never closed our doors. This critical decision, while resulting in the police being called twice (thankfully, no fines were issued), ensured the continuity of our community. Now, in 2025, CNE is consistently outperforming pre-COVID levels.
Having successfully navigated two of the worst economic crises since the Great Depression, these obstacles—from living in a storage closet to surviving lawsuits and global pandemics—have forged CNE into the resilient and enduring institution it is today.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Culture-Driven Success: The Non-Intimidating Atmosphere
At CNE Gym, our most valued asset is our community. We intentionally cultivate a non-intimidating, calm atmosphere that members often describe as having “no egos.”

This unique culture is not an accident; it is the result of a clear philosophy: everyone is here for the same purpose—to prioritize their long-term health and enjoy the activities they love.

A Community United by Purpose
The CNE environment seamlessly blends diverse fitness journeys. You will find a competitive powerlifter training beside someone preparing for a weekend hike, and both coexist in harmony. This atmosphere is fostered by:

Zero Ego Policy: We pride ourselves on attracting individuals who are focused on self-improvement rather than display.

Shared Goals: The common thread among our members is a commitment to longevity and function, ensuring a professional and supportive training environment.

Embracing Our Niche
We believe that being the right fit for a select community is better than trying to be all things to all people. We are not for everyone, and we appreciate the existence of other gyms because they provide excellent alternatives for those who are seeking a different environment.

Our goal is not maximum enrollment but maximum retention. Members stay at CNE because they feel they genuinely fit in here. We are deeply committed to protecting this atmosphere, understanding that even one poor cultural “fit” could compromise the experience for many dedicated members. We continue to grow and build upon this foundation of compatibility and respect.

🏋️‍♀️ Enhanced Amenities and Unique Training Spaces
Beyond our culture, the CNE facility is intentionally designed to enhance the training experience and contribute to our open, fresh atmosphere:

Indoor-Outdoor Flow: We utilize two large commercial garage doors that are opened when weather permits, allowing fresh air to circulate and creating a bright, invigorating space.

The Outdoor Zone: A member-favorite feature is our 800 sq. ft. outdoor workout area. This dynamic space is equipped with Astroturf for sled pushes, pull-up and fly bars, landmines, and offers the flexibility to take dumbbells and benches outside. This feature capitalizes on the fresh air and provides dynamic training options rarely found elsewhere.

🤝 Comprehensive Wellness and Flexible Access
CNE Gym is committed to providing a full spectrum of high-quality wellness resources within a flexible and member-focused model:

24-Hour Access: Our memberships include 24-hour access to accommodate any schedule.

The Power of Choice in Training: We host over 40 independent contractor personal trainers, offering members and clients a diverse and wide selection of expertise to meet any fitness goal.

Dedicated Class and Wellness Spaces: Our facility includes specialized areas for a variety of classes:

A small classroom available for yoga and other smaller-format sessions.

A larger classroom that hosts TRX, dance, boxing, kickboxing, and sculpting classes.

A dedicated spin room.

On-Site Independent Wellness Professionals: To support holistic health, we have independent massage therapists (rented by the hour) and an aesthetician available to both members and non-members.

Nutrition and Equipment: We feature a dedicated nutrition room with sports products and supplements. As the regional representative for the Colorado area, we also sell PowerTec equipment.

How do you define success?
volving Success: A Commitment to CANI
At CNE Gym, our definition of success is not static; it is a continuously evolving target driven by the principle of CANI (Constant and Never-ending Improvement).

This philosophy means our goals shift from year to year, always focusing on quality over quantity in every aspect of our operation:

Growth in Membership: We prioritize attracting quality members who align with our non-intimidating culture over simply maximizing enrollment numbers.

Talent Acquisition: We seek to partner with high-quality personal trainers who can contribute to our professional and supportive environment.

Physical Expansion and Legacy: Our long-term vision is centered on growth and stability. We are actively working toward purchasing our current facility, which will secure our future and allow us to eventually expand our footprint. This expansion will enable us to take on more space and continually upgrade the gym, ensuring CNE remains the premier destination for functional fitness in the area.

Ultimately, success for CNE is the continual attainment of challenging, yet sustainable goals that enhance our community, secure our physical space, and uphold the standard of excellence defined by CANI.

Pricing:

• 90.00 month to month

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.cneboulder.com
• Instagram: @cnegymboulder
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cneboulderco
• Youtube: Customized Nutrition & Exercise Gym