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Former Griz coach Mike Gerber fundraising for a gym

BWahlberg

Well-known member
DONOR
Got a text on this earlier today, the former Griz strength coach Mike Gerber is looking to stay in Missoula and open a training facility/gym here in town. A campaign to help him has been started on gofundme.com.

Griz nation, if you feel like lending Gerbs a hand, here's the link; http://www.gofundme.com/gerbsgym" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 
Why can this man not go to a bank and talk to the loan officer to acquire funds, and start his venture? Why should other people pay for his business this way? That website looks like a scam site, I will have to look into this, it looks iffy.
 
No character, just want to know when work ethic and loans passed away for entitlements and expecting other working people to pay for a business like this? Is this a real website or a scam one?
 
I struggle with this. If Mike wants to open a gym that is fine, but his success will ultimately be derived from his ability to thrive above others in a very competitive field. Pfahler Sports Specific has had incredible success because of his work ethic and desire to train athletes who are looking to better themselves both competitively and as individuals. The market should dictate the success of a business, which in Steven's case he has his niche and he is doing tremendous.
 
Kind of a strange request IMO. Competition is hot and heavy in Missoula, as mentioned above. I also know Michael at M.U.S.T works with athletes also, and helped me personally a great deal.
 
bigtyme said:
I struggle with this. If Mike wants to open a gym that is fine, but his success will ultimately be derived from his ability to thrive above others in a very competitive field. Pfahler Sports Specific has had incredible success because of his work ethic and desire to train athletes who are looking to better themselves both competitively and as individuals. The market should dictate the success of a business, which in Steven's case he has his niche and he is doing tremendous.

I have to agree with you. It doesn't sit great with me when someone uses crowdfunding for a for profit business. PSS has been able to grow that business by work ethic and building relationships with customers.

Saying that, crowdfunding is a legal option to raise capital and if he is able to use it to get something started and provide for his family, more power to him. I just would have more respect for the competition that was able to do it the traditional way in using profits from satisfied customers and credit to grow rather than asking for free money.
 
420 looks like the odd man out on this. The process of getting other people to pay for your business is odd. Do the people doing the funding get paid back from the site?
 
Big G said:
420 looks like the odd man out on this. The process of getting other people to pay for your business is odd. Do the people doing the funding get paid back from the site?



I agree with you too but the way you go about it cracks me up. I can't stand when the Missoulian publishes an article about people who want to go on some crazy adventure but they don't have a job and they need your donation to do so, fvck that!
 
grizcountry420 said:
Big G said:
420 looks like the odd man out on this. The process of getting other people to pay for your business is odd. Do the people doing the funding get paid back from the site?



I agree with you too but the way you go about it cracks me up. I can't stand when the Missoulian publishes an article about people who want to go on some crazy adventure but they don't have a job and they need your donation to do so, fvck that!

Lol... Yeah, no shit. F...that.
 
Big G said:
Why can this man not go to a bank and talk to the loan officer to acquire funds, and start his venture? Why should other people pay for his business this way? That website looks like a scam site, I will have to look into this, it looks iffy.

Go fund me is a site that has been huge the last five years. It has helped a lot of families and jjunp started a lot of now famous businesses and products. Do you live under a rock?
 
mtgrizfankb said:
Big G said:
Why can this man not go to a bank and talk to the loan officer to acquire funds, and start his venture? Why should other people pay for his business this way? That website looks like a scam site, I will have to look into this, it looks iffy.

Go fund me is a site that has been huge the last five years. It has helped a lot of families and jjunp started a lot of now famous businesses and products. Do you live under a rock?

Well....I've never heard of it until today. So what are some of these famous businesses and products? Just want to know who needed a freebie to get going. And I do live under a rock I'm thinking since I'm a geological engineer. :)
 
Big G said:
Why can this man not go to a bank and talk to the loan officer to acquire funds, and start his venture? Why should other people pay for his business this way? That website looks like a scam site, I will have to look into this, it looks iffy.

Maybe he doesn't have the assets to get a bank loan, or a larger bank loan. Usually banks like to see that the borrower and guarantors have an income stream, i.e. are working. Looks like funds are just for the shipping cost piece of budget for the business.
 
ordigger said:
Kind of a strange request IMO. Competition is hot and heavy in Missoula, as mentioned above. I also know Michael at M.U.S.T works with athletes also, and helped me personally a great deal.

He lives in Kalispell. Assume the business will be there. Don't think the Missoula market will have anything to do with Gerber's business.
 
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bunchoballoons/bunch-o-balloons-100-water-balloons-in-less-than-1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 
bigtyme said:
I struggle with this. If Mike wants to open a gym that is fine, but his success will ultimately be derived from his ability to thrive above others in a very competitive field. Pfahler Sports Specific has had incredible success because of his work ethic and desire to train athletes who are looking to better themselves both competitively and as individuals. The market should dictate the success of a business, which in Steven's case he has his niche and he is doing tremendous.

It looks like someone other than Gerber started this site and the fund-raising effort. Gerber probably has little or nothing to do with it. Market may impact the success of a business, but it takes money to start a business, especially one with upfront cost for expensive equipment.
 
I don't know anything about this site or about Coach Gerber's plans, but I do know that requesting funds in the form of donations for a for profit business from the public is pretty much becoming the new norm. There hasn't been a major pro stadium proposed, renovated or built in this country in the last 30 years without some request for private donations in some form or another.

What's the difference between getting a $7M contribution from a private donor to build a Champions Center and getting say, $10K off a website that might help a new startup, (other than $6,990,000)?

You can argue that UM is a non-profit entity but the Athletic Department certainly turns a profit 9 out of every 10 years.

I'm not defending the practice, just commenting on the reality.
 
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