Chris Zeng started his Touchstone career at Dogpatch Boulders in October of 2016. We’re stoked to have him as the leader at one of the raddest Touchstone gyms. Keep reading to find out more about him and what he can talk about forever.
Please tell us a little bit about your background!
My parents immigrated here with my brother and I when we were really young. I grew up in San Francisco, went to Galileo High School, and graduated from SJSU with a degree in Psychology.
If you ask all my friends outside of the gym, they’ll tell you that Bouldering is my thing. I was first introduced to it by my good friend Johnny; in fact, he started working the desk here before I did!
Other than bouldering, I also enjoy camping and backpacking!
How did you get started at Touchstone?
I started working at Dogpatch Boulders in October of 2016. I landed myself an interview with Justin AKA BossDad by recommendation from my good friend Johnny, who was already working the desk at that time. I remember being the newbie; not knowing the beta to being a gym staff, eager to learn, always psyched. I thought the job was the perfect balance between work and play!
What are you excited to bring to your gym now that you’re the manager?
I can’t wait for the renovations to be done and over with – new yoga rooms, bathrooms, locker rooms, showers, and SAUNAS. I think this is exactly what we needed to complete the gym!
I’m super psyched to host our Battle of the Bay competition, it was always a great time being a part of and I can’t wait to bring that back to our community in the near future!
Lastly, I’m very excited to bring back our Feats of Strength challenges. It makes me happy when I see someone’s smile after completing their challenge sheet.
What’s your favorite thing about the neighborhood?
Some of my favorite things around the Dogpatch neighborhood include the breweries, coffee/boba spots, and also Spark Social SF which is an outdoor food truck “food court”.
What’s something you can talk about forever?
Bouldering, Movies/TV shows, and Call of Duty Warzone
How would you describe your managerial style?
I draw a lot of inspiration from my predecessors – Diane and Justin. They both lead by example, put trust in their staff to do what’s right, and acknowledge the values each staff brings to the team. That is the type of managerial style I aspire to develop myself.
Anything else you’d like to share?
I love meeting people at the gym. Next time you see me, come say hi!
