Starting a Business from Scratch with Jen & Lisa at Recreate Climbing + Fitness

Business Chitchat

Jen DeLong and Lisa Howell, owners of Recreate Climbing + Fitness in Butte, Montana talk to us about what it takes to bring to life a dream. Their story is one of grit, determination, aligned timing, and lots of trust. In this episode, you'll hear about their do's and don'ts, and their wins and failures. They share their best tips for entrepreneurship and scaling the walls of what is possible for your business.

Visit Their Website:

https://recreateclimb.com/

About Jen & Lisa:

Lisa Howell CO-FOUNDER

For fifteen years, I worked as a dental hygienist and loved the relationship aspect of working in direct patient care. Prior to dental hygiene, I worked as a human resource specialist for Montana State after graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from MSU-Bozeman. Go Cats! I have a wonderful husband, Ryan, and two beautiful children, Sawyer and Sadie. We live in Butte and also run an electrical contracting business, Wired Electric.
I have always made fitness a priority in my life, and have found group fitness training to be the most effective way to stay committed to a workout routine. Prior to group training, I trained for long distance running events and ran outdoors. Throughout my life, I struggled with various injuries brought on by my career and also years of running. I spent many years in physical therapy to correct these injuries. Through these trials, I have gained a passion for mobility training and injury prevention. I am certified in Functional Range Conditioning and am also certified as a Healthy Steps Nutrition (HSN) Coach. The foundation for fitness is nutrition, and I truly believe in a holistic lifestyle. Coaching with HSN makes this endeavor simple, but, not easy. We’re so stoked to be partnered with such an amazing company.
Recreate is truly my dream gym – which is why you’ll see Jen and I, and our families, working out and climbing right along side you. We created the gym we wanted to belong to – we hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Jen DeLong CO-FOUNDER

Hello, my name is Jen DeLong. I graduated from the University of Montana in 2003 with a degree in History and Communications. While I was at the U of M, I competed on the University Track Team for four years. On the side, I got a minor in Contemporary Dance and went on the study dance for the next decade.

After completing my studies I was a college pastor and spent several of my summers as a tour director in Europe and Central America working with high school students. Both of these jobs fueled my love for faith, personal growth and leadership development.

In 2012 with a curiosity for business, I launched a wedding and portrait photography business that I’ve done over the last decade. In 2014, my husband and I relocated to Butte, where we began investing in real estate, revitalizing old buildings into vibrant living spaces.

Presently, I am the co-founder of Recreate Climbing and Fitness Gym with Lisa Howell, embracing the opportunity to inspire others to reach new heights in their health and wellness. As I grow in experience, I believe strength training and functional fitness are foundational to living a vibrant and active life. In 2020, I completed a certification as a Health and Life Coach from the Health Coach Institute. I love running Spartan races and exploring my potential.
I’m a mom of three beautiful kids, Ava, Jude, and Adele and I have an amazing husband, Matt DeLong.