Mike McCoy is from a small town named Brandon, Mississippi. Growing up, he didn't have a clue who Paul Bear Bryant was, and he wasn't much of college football fan. However, that didn't stop him from becoming one the best football players among his peers, and eventually coming into national attention. In his sophomore year of high school, he received his first division-one scholarship and then in the following year the University of Alabama offered him one as well. At the time, Nick Saban wasn't the head coach, Mike Shula was.
"I guess you can call me a small town hero," McCoy said. "Southern Miss had offered pretty early during my sophomore year."
Despite offers from in-state schools such as Ole Miss and Southern Miss, Mike McCoy never considered either one.
"My top schools were Auburn, LSU, and Alabama," he said. "Eventually, my heart led me to Tuscaloosa. Believe it or not, I didn't even know who Paul Bryant was. Mike Shula was a great coach though. He's doing great now at Carolina. I went to Alabama solely because of Mike Shula and Charlie Harbison."
After his freshman year, Shula's staff was replaced with Nick Saban. However, McCoy would go on to start three out of four years in Tuscaloosa. In his senior year, the team won the BCS National Championship against the University of Texas. After the championship game, it was time for the NFL. However, it didn't work out like McCoy had envisioned it.
"My one plan was to get into the NFL. It didn't work out how I wanted, though," he said. "I wasn't drafted when I should have been. I went on to play arena football instead. I had offers from the CFL, but that was too far from home, and from my fiance who was my girlfriend at the time."
McCoy didn't know what to do after not being chosen for the NFL, but he soon realized he had another purpose.
"After two years of arena football, I put my cleats up for the last time. I didn't know what to do," he said. "My mom told me to tell God my plan and to let him tell me what to do next, it's amazing how God works. I then realized that I had a natural talent to train people."
Soon after retiring from football, he got in contact with his former strength and conditioning coach, Scott Cochran, who became one of McCoy's closest friends. Coach Cochran told him to drive to IMG Sports Academy where there would be an internship waiting for him.
IMG Sports Academy has trained athletes such as Cam Newton and Peyton Manning. While at IMG, he met future business partner, Ryan Romano. Romano was in a similar place as he was, at the end of his personal athletic career. He had been a top wrestler at Hoover High School and went on to wrestle for West Virginia. It was at IMG that they decided start their own strength and conditioning business. With little-to-no money between the both of them, Romano offered that they train out of his parents' garage in Hoover, Alabama.
"Everyone thought we were crazy when we were starting out," McCoy said. "They didn't believe that starting this business was the right idea, but we were determined."
At first, due to their lack of reputation and clients, the men had to mow grass on the side.
"We would wake up at five in the morning to train clients for a few hours, and then we would go out to cut grass," McCoy said. "To remind you, I had just played in the national championship. It was insane, but we were going to accomplish what we had set out to do. We were going to succeed."
Succeed they did. Months later, they signed a lease for what is now the Warehouse Performance Institute. Three years later, they have over 100 clients, seven who are currently professional athletes.
"I'm in a place now where I wake up every day loving what I do," McCoy said. "Our clients are more than just clients to us, they're family. We're in the business of transforming lives. Its more than just about physical fitness. Ryan and I want to build confidence in these people and help grow them as individuals."
The men have created a thriving business essentially all on their own. However, McCoy insists that their story is far from over.
"This is just the beginning," he said. "Ryan and I are just getting started. We're going to be the best in the business."
I talked to Mike two years ago. The Warehouse Performance Institute was just starting to get into rhythm. We went into depth about his college career and how started a business. When the conversation was coming to an end, he left me with something to ponder.
"We may not all have the same advantages and connections in life, but we all have 24 hours in our day," he said. "What are you going to do with your 24?"
