The athlete mindset in business is more than a metaphor — it’s a powerful framework for leadership, performance, and resilience. On this episode of What It Takes, Jamie Seeker talks with Cody Romness, co-founder of Allegiate, a strength training gym in Los Angeles that applies collegiate-level structure to everyday fitness.
Cody’s story is a masterclass in how to bring the focus, discipline, and team-first thinking of sports into the world of entrepreneurship.
🏈 How the Athlete Mindset Translates to Business
Cody’s background as a football player at USC taught him how to push through challenges, work as part of a high-performance team, and focus on results.
“At USC, everyone’s elite. It’s not about being good — it’s about being great, and backing it up with work ethic and consistency.”
Those lessons helped shape Cody’s career in music, tech, and now fitness — where he’s built Allegiate into a multi-location brand with nearly $2 million in annual revenue.
🏋️ Allegiate: A Business Built on the Athlete Mindset
Allegiate was designed to feel like a performance-based training space, not just another gym. With a name that evokes “allegiance,” “collegiate,” and “elite”, the brand reflects the intentionality behind its training model and culture.
“We wanted a name that could sit next to Equinox or SoulCycle — something that felt powerful and packed meaning.”
From workout programming to branding and team structure, Cody and his co-founders built Allegiate around athlete-level standards.
🔄 Scaling a Business with Team Mentality
Cody highlights that success in business — just like sports — isn’t about a single hero. It’s about building a team that knows their roles and performs at a high level.
“It’s about getting the right people on the bus. Not everyone’s a Marine. Some people are better in operations, some in sales — the key is knowing who fits where.”
This people-first, role-specific approach to hiring and leadership is at the heart of how Cody has scaled Allegiate without compromising its identity.
💡 Lessons from the Athlete Mindset in Business
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Get Off the Sidelines: Wantrepreneurs read about building businesses. Entrepreneurs get in the game.
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Reframe Failure: Like losing a play in football, setbacks in business are just part of the process.
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Lead Like a Coach: Success comes from placing people in positions where they can win — and protecting their strengths.
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Build Culture Through Performance: Culture isn’t ping-pong tables. It’s how teams work, win, and grow together.
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Let the Business Shape You: Entrepreneurship isn’t just about the result. It’s a journey that forges who you are.
“I’m building this business — but the business is also building me.”
🔗 Related Episodes You Might Like:
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What It Takes to Build a People-First Company with Jill Gustavson
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Bringing Vision to Life: Leadership Lessons from the Ground Up
🎧 Listen to the Full Episode
Cody’s blend of athletic grit, branding savvy, and startup experience makes this episode one of our most energizing yet.
👉 Listen now:
🎙️ Athlete Mindset in Business: How Cody Romness Built Allegiate with Grit and Purpose
📲 Connect with Cody & Allegiate
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Allegiate Gym: allegiategym.com
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Instagram: @allegiategym
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Cody’s site: codyromness.com
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Twitter: @codyromness
