Culture Is Free And it Changes Everything.

That small comment motivated more than I realised — and it was the perfect way to end the year.

One of the old boys (what we like to call our lifelong climbers) came up to me at the wall and asked, “Marc, are you one of the owners here?”

I said yes.

He shook my hand and said:
“I just want to say thank you for turning the centre into what it is. I don’t know what you’ve done, but it feels different. Same staff — but they seem keener, happier, and the vibe is amazing.”

That comment stayed with me all over Christmas.

Because at the exact same time, the numbers were telling the same story. The last quarter was the second-best in the wall’s history — financially, for visits, and for members. Since taking over, memberships have doubled.

And none of that happened because of a clever promotion, a shiny new idea, or a big announcement.

It happened because of culture.

When we first took over the wall, we were naive. We genuinely thought, "They’ll love us in no time — we’re passionate, we care, we’ll crack on".

That wasn’t the reality.

It was, without question, the hardest leadership challenge I’ve faced.
It took time.
It took patience.
It took grinding through some very uncomfortable moments.

There were no shortcuts.

But slowly — by showing up, being consistent, and leading by example — something shifted.

And here’s the thing that’s really stuck with me:

A strong culture is your secret weapon to increase joy, performance, revenue, and ultimately profit.

And it doesn’t cost a penny.

No big strategy deck.
No consultant.
No grand gestures.

Culture isn’t what you say. It’s what people feel when you walk out of the room.

And when you get that right — everything else follows.

Here’s to 2026.

I can’t wait 😊🙌