This long-time entrepreneur shared his story of strength and resilience, along with his ability to use his “gift of sobriety to give back” to his community. Rodriques spoke with Amplify’s Tara Vargas Wallace.

The moment I stepped into Rocky’s Gym, which opened in 2006, I was warmly greeted by Brian McCutcheon - a trainer who runs Rocky’s boxing program, Salty Dog Boxing. Alongside McCutcheon was his incredibly sweet daughter Tala, who took the opportunity to show me around the “Pink Ladies” locker room, the modern workout machines including nautilus equipment, weight training devices, elliptical and treadmills, and of course the second floor boxing studio where intergenerational fighters learn their way around the ring.

With motivating music thumping in the background, McCutcheon shared the importance of connection to community and said “we’re family here - and now that you’re here, you’re family too.”

As I looked around the wide open and welcoming spaces, I also noticed how impeccably clean everything was. “I have a bit of OCD,” laughed Rodriques. “I’m always cleaning something!”

With 25 years of sobriety under his belt, Rodriques said “health and sobriety go hand in hand.”

Rodriques, a professional boxer and personal trainer, said he opened the gym almost two decades ago as a way to bridge his passion for health and fitness with his dedication to sobriety. “I’m always here for my clients - I believe you should always be hands on,” he said. “I want to help others get clean and sober.”

Amplify: What does Rocky’s Gym offer?

Paul Rocky Rodriques: We offer cardio machines, free weights, strength machines, a juice bar, punching bag classes, yoga, aerobics, tanning, personal training, nutrition planning, apparel, flat screen TVs, and large clean locker rooms. We’re open 365 days a year. Half days on holidays. You’d be surprised how many people have nobody or are living in a sober house and don’t have family on the holidays. We make sure we’re here for them. Health and sobriety go hand in hand.

People get bored with only attending AA meetings. They need more stimulation. I started sponsoring people many years ago and helped get them into recovery. I would let them come to my gym and workout for an hour every day. I wouldn’t charge them as long as they stayed clean and sober. I believe in tough love though, so if you start messing up, the privilege is gone.

Gosnold would bring five to15 people who were in recovery to the gym, and we’d all work out every day for an hour or two. After a couple years I realized I needed to start charging people. Even if it’s just $5 a head. Because people are more committed to something they’re invested in and will take it more seriously if they’re paying.

Amplify: Have you partnered with other community leaders in the past?

Rodrigues: Yes. I partnered with others like Mike Clancy back in the day, with his Foundations program, and John Spivy with his program mentoring youth. John and I started the group “Lead by Example” to fight childhood obesity. “Lead by Example” was for parents to lead healthy lives by example so the kids would have that foundation to build and grow from. We’d get the whole family working out and the kids would be free. We’d meet every Sunday. And it would also be a great chance to bond and spend quality time. That program died down eventually, but I’d love to get it back up and running.

We also do summer camp programs every year. Last year we had the Green Bay Packers come and the kids loved it! I’m going to try to do that again this summer.

More recently I’ve collaborated with Stanley Dutra, from “Rumble on the Rez.” It’s a Boxing show and gyms from all over mass come to this event like former pro Mickey Ward and Vinnie Cazianzo. We’re hoping to get Worlds WBA World Champ, Boo Boo Andrade, down this year. The event is every summer at the tribal grounds (Mashpee Wampanoag Government Center) to benefit recovery programs.

This July we will have our first annual “Randy Peters Power Lifting” competition at my gym. Randy was a good friend of mine who passed away from cancer. His kids are like my own kids. In his memory, we’re going to have a big cookout. It will be a weekend-long event! Money raised will go towards any kid in the community that needs money for a certain thing -- plumbing school, tuition, or a lawn mower to start their own landscaping business, etc.

Amplify: What inspired you to get into this business?

Rodrigues: I’ve always managed other gyms while also running other businesses. I used to sell real-estate, I worked for the steamship authority, I used to do auto repair and landscaping. But I’m a boxer and a professional trainer so I have always loved fitness. I decided I needed to own my own gym instead of working for other people - and do it my way. No contracts. Just $25/month. Pay as you go. I also offer day passes for $10. The boxing program is $40/month. We’re a family gym. We’ve been open for 17 years now.

Amplify: What are 5 tips you would give to inspiring entrepreneurs who want to open a gym on Cape Cod?

Rodrigues:

Number 1: Location. Your location really does matter. We are right off the main strip here and I really think that contributes to our success because we’re visible!
Number 2: You are there for your clients. You’ve got to be there and be hands on. I retired from the Steamship Authority after 25 years and used to have someone manage the gym for me, but would always pop in during the day and on the weekends, I was always there. I worked 7 days a week for years. It’s that personal touch. Your members need that and so does your business.
Number 3: You’ve got to watch your business. Pay attention to the numbers.
Number 4: Don’t expect to get rich overnight. It’s a lot of work. And this is not that kind of party.
Number 5: Get involved with the community. Find a need to fill. If you own a business that means you’re in a better place than others and have an obligation to help your community. We’re all in this together. That’s why I like what you’re doing with Amplify. Same concept!

Amplify: Have recent events and the country’s current financial climate affected your business?

Rodrigues: I have to say, I’ve been blessed. I have not had one COVID case at the gym but I’m also a clean freak. I’m continuously wiping down the machines, doorknobs, and all other surfaces. I invested $3000 on an air purifier system. At one point everyone was required to wear masks while working out.

When Covid first hit and people were staying home, we did have to close because the state mandated it for 3 months. And I didn’t get any financial help. I own the building and I just made the numbers work. I made sure I froze everyone’s membership and didn’t continue to charge them.

But then this past summer made up for it because it was my MOST busiest season EVER. We had well over 300 members this summer alone! People were dying to work out and they felt safe coming to my gym because they know what a clean freak I am. The Cape Cod Baseball League Team, Falmouth Commodores, come and work out here every year and COVID didn’t stop them from coming last year!

Amplify: You mentioned you do other things as well. Tell us more about that.

Rodrigues: I sell real-estate on the side and I’ve also been a SAG Actor for the past seven years. I’ve been in several movies such as “Joy,” with Jennifer Lawrence, “Grey Lady” with Eric Dane, “Central Intelligence” with The Rock and Kevin Hart, “Equalizer 2” with Denzel Washington, and “Proud Mary” with Taraji P. Henson and Danny Glover. I was just recently in the movie Look Up and I’m getting ready to be in The Boston Strangler.

Amplify: Where do you see your business in five years?

Rodrigues: I see Rocky’s Gym taking over the Cape with our boxing program! Eventually we’ll be putting an addition on for the boxing area. Expanding to a point where it will be full size. Maybe another building attached to this main building. I’d like to have rock walls, calisthenics, core training. Some programming that caters more to the women. Lots of kick ass women come to my gym like Sue from Boston Boxing! It’s not just men! If you ain’t going to Rocky’s Gym you ain’t working out!

I see us progressing. In business you’ve got to progress and be better than you were before. My father use to say, “The past is like your ass, it’s behind you. Keep looking forward and growing. Always strive to be better than you were the year before.” He was the first Cape Verdean Police Chief in the state of Massachusetts. He served for 40 years!

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Phone: (508) 540-0018
Rocky’s Gym on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rockys-Gym-and-Fitness-1209695712…/
Rodriques’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/rockyrodriques