Hey, I’m Shawn McQueen,
and I’ve had the honor of being a Coach & the Owner of Railroad CrossFit for nearly 13 years now.
Today, I want to share my story with you—one that I hope resonates with anyone looking to improve their confidence, self-esteem, health, and ability to follow their intuition – even in uncertain times.
Finding My Path After the Air Force
In 2010, at 23 years old, I transitioned out of the Air Force after four years of honorable service.
Within my time in the military, I would build my values:
- Freedom
- Discipline
- Communication
- Teamwork
- Growth & Contribution
- Curiosity
- Resilience
I also paved and built the habit of of fitness as a part of a lifestyle.
Not only was being fit necessary for my job, I learned it could be a separator of saving my life.
Being fit, capable and prepared for the unknowns of life became extremely important to me.
When I got out of the military, I was leaving behind a close-knit unit filled with camaraderie and daily challenges which left me feeling lost. I was the only member of my unit who decided it was time for me to move on, which was extremely scary and difficult.
For the next two years, I would be on a quest, searching to fill that void.
Unsure where I wanted to direct my energies and how I could do good in this world, I knew deep inside it would include helping others.
Healthy lifestyle habits had transformed my mind, my body and health. It shifted my entire mental landscape.
Intuitively I knew it would be in this arena.
As a young kid, you’re told go to school, get a good education and get a job that can provide you an income to pay your bills.
My mother said this me at a young age,
“follow your passion, your inner voice of what makes you feel fulfilled, and then find a way to make a living doing that.
Don’t chase a safe job, just for security & money because you feel you need that.
What is life if you’re not doing what you love?”
I enrolled in college to become a Registered Dietitian while simultaneously continuing to train, trying to find my path.
During this time, a close friend from back home in New York joined me in exploring a new way of training called CrossFit.
This style resonated with me, especially coming out of the military. Training to be fit, well rounded and preparing you for the unknown and unknowable of life. All the while improving your overall health.
Together, we embarked on a unique journey, virtually performing the same workouts in our respective locations—me in Delaware and him in New York—recapping our experiences at the end of each day.
It bonded us and was a creative way to stay connected, accountable and motivated.
A New Beginning
Eventually, feeling unfilled in the Registered Dietitian path, I made the decision to drop out of College and return home to be closer to my family.
Along the way of making this decision, our CrossFit passion being at an all time high, my friend suggested we take the CrossFit Level 1 Trainer Course.
With no real plan of what would come out of it, we both felt called to follow in this direction.
In November 2011, we met in Brooklyn for our first real taste of the CrossFit community and the impact of Coaching.
It was love at first experience.
The coaching, the energy, the ability to help and all the endless possibilities within inspired us both.
At that certification, I happened to meet the then owner of Railroad CrossFit, who would be opening RR the next month.
After watching me do well in a workout, we struck up conversation. After learning I was moving back home to New York, he offered me a job based solely on my fitness level to Coach.
Little did we both know, what would come out of that interaction.
Stepping into Leadership
I took to Coaching like a fish in the water.
I was passionate to help others not only improve their fitness and strength, I was filled with deep care and passion for improving their day, experience and how they related to themselves.
The difference in coaching was night and day.
The current people coming at the time could feel from the former owner within his coaching that he really didn’t care. They were just a number, or a face in the crowd.
Yet this new kid, he loved what he did. His care was obvious, he even noticed things about us that the people in our everyday lives hadn’t noticed. And he was helping us get great results.
Just three months into my coaching role, the former owner moved to Atlanta to open another gym and asked me to become to the Manager of Railroad.
I was scared but excited. Apprehensive, as I had no experience in business, systems, payroll, staff development—only a deep love for coaching, people and a desire to help.
Could I succeed?
Fast forward a year, with the help of my friend Coaching by my side, we grew the gym from one handful of people to nearly 75 consistent happy people.
During that time, I received overwhelming support from our members, who encouraged me to consider buying the business.
Naive in my early twenties, I didn’t fully grasp what that would entail or even mean big picture wise; all I knew was that I loved coaching, and wanted to create a safe space that was inclusive where people could thrive and improve their mind, body and health.
I bet on myself.
I took the leap, with the support of a former member who served as my attorney through the process.
I now owned a business-I loved what I was doing and was helping people drastically improve their lives.
Railroad was originally someone else’s vision, opened by someone else.
Call it luck, a gateway or even serendipity but everything happens for a reason.
Just as I saw potential in my members, the former owner saw something in me long before I recognized it in myself.
An ability to take something from where it is into places it had never been.
A Legacy of Transformation
Now, nearly 13 years later, I look back with a lot of gratitude.
As I matured I did the very thing that people coming to me had done, I asked for help.
In 2017 I sought business mentorship to ensure I could learn and build the things I did not know to provide a sustainable business for myself, my team and a place people could count on.
I stopped treating it as a hobby and professionalized
I am proud to be self-taught in many ways how to successfully build a thriving community, team and business.
Railroad CrossFit has touched, impacted and transformed thousands of lives.
It’s helped build really great Coaches.
Three to four new gym branch offs from our own community/coaches, and many coaches who trained here have gone on to empower others in their next chapters, carrying a piece of Railroad’s spirit with them.
Former and current members have not only improved their health, lost weight, built strength, improved confidence, got off meds, had babies, overcome dark or hard times by finding belonging, support, community and a safe space…
and have also forged lasting friendships and built a supportive culture and community that extends far beyond the walls of the gym.
Fitness and health have become a lifestyle for many.
What’s the Magic Within Railroad?
What makes Railroad unique?
It’s not one thing, one person and it’s certainly not just because of me.
I have and had a lot of great people around me every step of the way.
What makes it special, as my dear friend and member of RR, Matthew Lynch says,
it’s the collective of things.
- The caring coaches,
- the structure and fun provided each session,
- the inviting-accepting and empowering culture that’s upheld,
- the diverse people that make up the community, of all ages, abilities and backgrounds,
- the overall quality within each day,
- the feel that’s created in the room,
- the beyond the surface level conversations,
- the constance through the peaks and valleys
- And yeah the caring, methodical and intentional workouts.
to name a few.
It’s a safe container to be who you are. To be met where you’re at on your journey, be accepted and simultaneously guided toward improving.
It’s an environment where we feel seen, heard, felt and supported.
A self improvement club of physical strength and mental resilience-daily.
A holistic way of approaching our health – mind, body and soul.
And in that process we improve our overall confidence and self-esteem, helping us all not only feel stronger physically but improving our mental health as well.
In here, you’re not just another face in the crowd;
you’re part of something special.
A community of people that genuinely cares about you, your health and well-being.
A thank you to those of the past, of the current and of the future.
Join Us on Your Journey
If you’re ready to take the next step in your fitness journey, I invite you to experience the difference at Railroad CrossFit.
Let’s work together to build your confidence, strength, and health in a community that feels like home.
Start here: book a Free consultation. www.railroadcrossfit.com
