Paul Short was first introduced to indoor rock climbing in the early '90s following a chance meeting with a famous entrepreneur while he was in college. Short said he met the founder of Chick-Fil-A, Truett Cathy, while studying psychology and business at Samford University in Alabama. Cathy invited him to work at Camp Winshape in Rome, Georgia, in spring 1990 where he said he learned many lifelong lessons from the sport. "It was love at first sight," said Short, a native of the Dallas/Fort Worth area. "What I loved was what [rock climbing] revealed about myself." Short's passion for rock climbing led him to open InSPIRE Rock Indoor Rock Climbing Gym in December 2013. The indoor rock-climbing facility features 17,000 square feet of rock climbing with walls reaching up to 43 feet in height. The gym offers a double-decker boulder section—which allows for climbing up to 18 feet—as well as a speed wall, two challenge courses for team building and a separate children's climbing area. Working at Camp Winshape taught Short team-building principles that he imparted to his sons and just about everyone who walks into his indoor rock-climbing gym, he said. His sons, Andrew and Luke, are now both members of a youth climbing team that competes against youth climbers around the world. He said he teaches customers about overcoming their fears and limitations by allowing them to learn life lessons while they are having fun at the same time. "These exercises and activities like rope challenge courses kind of tell us who we really are," he said. "In rock climbing, perseverance is really important." The entrepreneur said opening the specialty gym required patience. Following the economic recession in 2008, banks were not lending to businesses. Short said when he finally got the opportunity, he took full advantage of it and soon area businesses rallied around the gym. In addition to the rock climbing gymnasium, InSPIRE Rock houses a restaurant, 5 Ate Caf. The cafe is open to the public, featuring pizza, sandwiches and desserts. 5 Ate Caf is run by Chef Charlie Williams, a rock climber himself and brother of Short's wife. A distinct offering, InSPIRE Rock's team-building courses are tailored for corporate or community groups. "It's a great way for them to build morale," Short said. "It's also a great way to break the ice." He said businesses in various industries, such as local oil and gas companies ExxonMobil and Arco, have taken advantage of the program. With all the nearby growth throughout the Spring area, the gym has seen a boom in business since Short bought the land, he said. "We love the area and the people," Short said. "It is very family-oriented and friendly. We have families, kids [and] married couples who climb together. Our customers run the gamut from single men and women to wounded vets." InSPIRE Rock also offers yoga classes, fitness equipment and a portable rock wall. Short said he takes the rock wall into schools for various events. The portable rock wall has served more than 350,000 students since 2001. "It teaches [students] character lessons," Short said. "That life [is] like rock climbing. We need to get a good grip, and if you make bad choices, you can slip. It's a great metaphor."