Today we’d like to introduce you to Ryan Meeks.
Hi Ryan, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
We built Rise to create a community where the entire family could come together to enjoy athletics and the arts. We all lead busy lives, so we wanted to eliminate some of the commuting and provide an extra-curricular opportunity for each member of the family. We have many families where each member is engaged in multiple activities at Rise.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has been surprisingly smooth! We opened in June of 2020, at the beginning of COVID. While that presented some challenges, we believe the environment we have created has allowed us to bridge over hurdles along the way. Our entire staff LOVE to work at Rise and that makes all the difference.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
One of the unique things about Rise is that it was founded by four people.
My wife, Stephanie Meeks, and I run the Gymnastics/Ninja/Parkour/Pole Vaulting side of Rise.
My sister, Brittany Biddle, and her husband, Jason Biddle run the Dance/Music/Theater side of Rise.
We each have a unique skill set that makes this such a thriving community.
I am an architect and understand how important it is for buildings to communicate with the people and with one another. This helped quite a bit in the overall design of the buildings and the centralized courtyard that ties all of Rise together.
Stephanie has a background in Teaching and Coaching which allows her the ability to work well with students and parents.
Brittany is an interior designer and this helped to create an environment where people want to hang out and feel comfortable. We truly want Rise to be a second home for our families.
Jason has worked in Music Business and Marketing which allows him to both run the arts side of Rise while continuing to build our brand in the community.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I believe that taking risks helps us grow. We took a risk on opening Rise and it has been such a joy for both my family and the families that come every day. Outside of our business, I also enjoy my fair share of risks as I am deeply involved in American Ninja Warrior and every course I run has inherent risk. I have competed in 3 seasons, finishing in the top 15 in Season 13, and am excited for the opportunity to compete again next year for Season 15!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.risewarehouse.com
- Instagram: riseatthewarehouse | ryanmeeks_architect
Image Credits
jenny.frazier.photos
