Ellen Goldberg

ELLEN GOLDBERG

Owner, Business Manager

Ellen@SyracuseSweatClub.com

Education, Experience & Qualifications

  • B.S. Managerial Economics, Union College 2006
  • Property Manager, Campus Hill Apartments, 2006-2010
  • Operations Manager, Clear Path for Veterans, 2011-2012

CrossFit Certifications

  • CrossFit Judges Course

When asked as a young girl what I wanted to be when I grew up, my confident reply was always, “The Boss.” It didn’t occur to me that I needed to have a field, I just knew that I wanted to be in charge. I was lucky to be raised in the small community of Fabius-Pompey, where I had every opportunity to hone my leadership skills – I was Team Captain, Class President, First Chair, Salutatorian, even President of Future Business Leaders of America! At 18, I eagerly arrived at Union College as a managerial economics major, ready to take on the world.

Just a few months into my freshman year, I met sophomore Dan Goldberg – stud! He was an athlete, he was confident, and he was a leader. It was love at first sight, so, naturally, I arranged my spring class schedule to match his and made him mine. We spent the next few years studying together, working out together, having lots of fun together, and growing the love of a lifetime.

Dan graduated in 2005 and began pursuing a law degree at Hofstra University near his hometown on Long Island. When I finished school a year later, I enthusiastically accepted a job offer from two of my biggest role models, my aunts Melissa Spicer and Melinda Sorrentino. They owned a booming student housing business on the SU hill and they gave me an invaluable hands on education in all things small business, including meticulous book keeping, top notch customer service, staff and project management, and most importantly, creating a culture of excellence and positivity. They believed in me and gave me responsibilities and experience that I never would have had elsewhere.

Melinda and Melissa eventually sold their business and moved on to their next project, which was to form a non-profit serving veterans on an amazing piece of property that was also home to a golf course and tavern. It was a huge undertaking, and I joined them in the start up phase to help them completely renovate two facilities and build an NPO and a golf/restaurant business from the ground up. It was another incredible and intense learning experience.

Meanwhile, Dan had made the tough decision to leave law school in order to follow his dream of becoming a fitness professional.  After working as a personal trainer at an Equinox in Manhattan for some time, we decided he would move upstate so we could be together. He got a job as a trainer at a local health club and over time he built a solid book of clients and a reputation as an elite CrossFit athlete. We began to think about combining our dreams and talents and opening a gym of our own.

In 2012, we put all of our time and energy and money into opening the doors of CrossFit Syracuse. We had a clear vision and we brought it to fruition with a huge amount of support from our families, friends, and our original business partners, Rob Burke and Colin Hillman. I was always confident that we would succeed, but I never could have imagined what CFS would be. This box is a sacred place filled with kindness, positivity, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. I am inspired and humbled every day by our community, and I am incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to serve these people who I have come to love like family. The nerd in me loves to do all of the business-y stuff, but I absolutely live for our awesome members and it is my mission to give everyone who steps through our doors a piece of the joy and love that CFS is made of.

In 2014 Dan and I welcomed our daughter Grace, and in 2017 our son Jack was born. I am blessed to be able to work mostly from home to spend time with my children, but I do miss being at the gym all day. Though it may seem like I’m in the background, I am very much involved in the daily operation of the business and I am always just a phone call or email away.

Thank you for believing in us and supporting us. The future is big and bright, and we can’t wait to share it with you.