How CrossFit Ace grew to 300+ members, slowly and on purpose
CrossFit Ace is one of Vienna's biggest CF boxes, with more than 300 members. But behind the success, owner Johannes Neusser (Jo) felt his old system wasn't keeping up. This is the story of how he built his community, why he decided to switch, and what changed once Boxbase became part of his gym.
Photo: Johannes Neusser
- Grew to 300+ members over more than a decade, without ever growing too fast.
- Outgrew the old system once class bookings became daily infrastructure.
- Migrated with zero member complaints and no downtime for the team.
- Gained class and waitlist insight that was never visible in the old system.
How the box grew
Jo founded CrossFit Ace in 2011. From day one he put in the hours himself, coaching every day of the week and building strong personal connections. What started small grew steadily into a thriving community of over 300 members.
That consistency and personal touch created a family-like atmosphere. Members didn’t just come for workouts, they stayed because they felt at home.
Where the old system stopped working
Before switching, CrossFit Ace used its previous system mainly for personal workout tracking. A few members logged benchmarks and workout scores, but the team did not run class bookings through it.
When COVID restrictions arrived, regulations required controlled class sizes and sign ups. That is when Jo turned on class bookings. Once bookings were in daily use, recurring issues became visible to Jo, his staff and the members. Nothing catastrophic, but noticeable friction.
“Members complained about sign-ups, admin work was clunky, and we didn’t have real insights into class usage.”
With 300 members, the system had to be reliable. Instead, it slowed them down. That’s when Jo started to look for alternatives.
Finding a replacement
In mid-2023, Jo had his first conversation with Boxbase. He was open about how he was operating his gym business and what challenges he was facing: an outdated interface, missing insights, and a poor experience for his members. He did not switch until March 2025.
Switching a system for 300 members might sound intimidating. But for Jo and his team, the process turned out to be simple. Here is how a Boxbase migration works.
“The migration was very fast and very smooth. The Boxbase team took care of everything. Boxbase feels so intuitive that we had zero issues with our members. Everyone was happy from day one.”
What changed day to day
The difference was felt immediately. Members loved the new look and how easy it was to book classes.
Coaches noticed an upgrade too. They no longer just saw numbers. They saw exactly who was coming to class, which meant they could adapt sessions for new members, trials and injuries.
For Jo, Boxbase also brought something new: data insights. Waitlists, class utilization, real numbers he could finally analyse.
“I could actually show members why it’s worth joining a waitlist: 90% of the time they get a spot. That was never visible before.”
Advice for other owners
By the end of the conversation, Jo had a clear answer for other box owners sitting where he was before the switch.
“Sometimes you just need a little push to make the change. And it's worth it. Don't get stuck in a system which doesn't fit you. Better tools don't just make your life easier, they improve the coaching and the member experience too.”
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