Why the Midwest Is a Great Place for a Climbing Gym – Jonathan Landis

On this episode of the CBJ podcast, host John Burgman and Jonathan Landis, the CEO of Greater Heights, talk about the winding path from an idea to the construction and, finally, the grand opening of a new climbing gym. Greater Heights opened in early December 2024 in Fitchburg, Wisconsin—which is right around Madison—and has ropes, boulders and auto belays. The climbing walls at the gym are from Rockwerx, the flooring is from Asana, and Rock Gym Pro is the management software.

John and Jonathan chat all about the origin of Greater Heights and the origin of Jonathan's involvement with the gym. They discuss Jonathan's outlook on how climbing gyms are like a subscription service, in a way. They also focus on the Midwest as a good region for a climbing gym, and Jonathan, as a lifelong Midwesterner, offers some keen insights on getting one started.

General Topics Covered

• Greater Heights' Origin and Background
• Jonathan's Climbing Journey and Business Development
• Finding the Right Space and Facility Considerations
• Convincing Investors and Securing Financing
• Risk Assessment and Business Threats
• Midwest Market Analysis and Gym Appeal

Show Notes

• Greater Heights
• Find Greater Heights on Instagram: @gh.climbing
• More background on the opening of Greater Heights:
  • New Full-Service Gym Is Coming to Wisconsin’s Capital This Winter

Thank you Approach and EP Climbing for your support! And thank you Devin Dabney for your music!