Industry Education Episodes

In this episode, Cale Owen of Gym Launch dives deep into strategies to help engage gym members, maximize profit, and help take business owners to the next level. Cale opens up about the challenge many gym-goers face - the reluctance to put in hard work and effort. He shares his recommendations on how to combat this and engage members by regularly reaching out to them, checking on their progress and well-being. (The simple handwritten card can be a game-changer in client retention!) Pete and C...

Live from the floor of the March 2023 IHRSA Trade Show in San Diego, host Pete Moore welcomes Laura Munkholm, President and Co-Founder at Walla. Laura, seven months pregnant with her second child, was running her Yoga 6 location and facing a frustrating lack of insight into her teacher's performance. Determined to find a solution, she partnered with Doug Hecht to create a game-changing product in the face of fierce competition. Laura chats about her journey of identifying frustrations and build...

Live from the floor of the March 2023 IHRSA Trade Show in San Diego, host Pete Moore welcomes Carol Ann Chambers, Director of Workforce Innovation & Community Partnerships, Adjunct Professor at Lionel University. Carol Ann has dedicated the past 15 years of her life to the HALO (Health, Active Lifestyle, Outdoor) space. Although she started as a volunteer coach without any certifications, her passion for fitness and health led her to establish her own nonprofit organization focused on kids' fit...

Live from the floor of the March 2023 IHRSA Trade Show in San Diego, host Pete Moore welcomes Kimberley Clayton, CEO and Founder of SKOP Reformer, the world's first patented data analytic Pilates reformer. SKOP is positioned to disrupt the physical therapy and telemedicine sectors, allowing people to prevent and predict injuries as well as train, enhance, recover and rehabilitate physical movement. Not one to enjoy conventional workouts, Kimberley reveals that Pilates is the exception for her, ...

Kristin Peterson is one of the three Founders of Volee that specializes in high-end, pickleball accessories. Their site states, "Volée is a Newport Beach based brand founded by three best friends inspired by their passion for court sports, style, fun and community. The retro vibe of California adds a sporty sophistication to the brand, making Volée's elevated, multifunctional and fashionable bags and accessories stand out." Alongside Co-Founders Ashley Rose and Kasey Martin, the idea was sparke...

Live from the floor of the March 2023 IHRSA Trade Show in San Diego, host Pete Moore welcomes Ahmed AbouElezz, the founder of FITT Finder. Ahmed shares his entrepreneurial journey, beginning with arriving in the United States with only $3,000 in his bank account and working as a nightclub bouncer. He recounts sleeping in his car in San Francisco and strategically parking near a popular cafe frequented by startup investors. He reveals how he would act like he was ordering coffee and do some netwo...

Live from the floor of the March 2023 IHRSA Trade Show in San Diego, host Pete Moore welcomes Taylor Watkins, founder of Digital Revenue Systems. They discuss topics such as ancillary revenue via in-club ads, using local businesses to create an ad network, concerns around in-club advertising, and more. Digital Revenue Systems tailor their programs accordingly based on a club's goals and preferences, whether it be advertising, communication improvement, or employee engagement. They emphasize prom...

Live from the floor of the March 2023 IHRSA Trade Show in San Diego, host Pete Moore welcomes special guest Paul Amoruso, Founder & CEO of bodQR. Paul discusses how his team solved an initial frustration for themselves, and then quickly realized they could sell the solution to other businesses in the space. The development of their software took years of iteration and testing different positionings and features. They rolled the app out in waves to different target markets and believe there is a ...

Live from the floor of the March 2023 IHRSA Trade Show in San Diego, Pete Moore sat with Yvette and Neal McGaffin, Co-Founders of Reform RX to discuss the challenges and opportunities in the connected Pilates space, what it's like to get involved with manufacturing, and more! They delve into strategies for the HALO sector during COVID, highlighting that partnerships with gyms and studios may be a more effective approach versus trying to go direct-to-consumer initially. They also emphasize the...

Live from the floor of the March 2023 IHRSA Trade Show in San Diego, Pete Moore sat with long-time fitness industry veteran Jarrod Saracco, Founder of the Health Club Doctor, to discuss the challenges and opportunities in the industry. This wide-ranging conversation touched on a ton including the importance of finding qualified and committed employees, and what are some of the key metrics to be aware of around unit economics. Jarrod also offered some great advice on understanding the marketplace...

Garret Marshall has been in the fitness industry for 20 years, starting way back (kind of "falling into it") in 2003. His first job was teaching swimming lessons to kids at Lifetime Fitness where he stayed for five and a half years. Prior to that, he was heavily involved in athletics growing up and playing hockey after school. Over the years he had "every job you can think of" in the health club world. Garrett's currently President of Fitness Streaming for Xponential Fitness. He and Pete discus...

Jason Crowe has had a varied career in healthcare, spending the first 15 years in what he calls "reactive healthcare" in various roles. Feeling a desire to make a difference in the healthcare system, he transitioned to the HALO sector (Health, Active Lifestyle, Outdoor), joining Precision Nutrition as part of the business development and partnership program for four successful years. Crowe's experience in both reactive and preventive healthcare has made him a seasoned professional with unique in...

Aaron De Jong has always been passionate about fitness. He pursued a degree in Physical Education and Exercise Physiology and worked at his school's athletic training center and therapy clinic. It was during this time that he noticed athletes struggling with basic core exercises and experiencing injuries as a result of improper training. Aaron has since made it his mission to educate athletes (and the general public!) on proper exercise techniques and the importance of incorporating foundational...

Felipe Azenha is a former Peace Corps volunteer who discovered the benefits of using cinder blocks as fitness equipment during the pandemic lockdown. He and his friend started doing these (very unique!) workouts around their area and, with more people joining, they formed a crew and called their workouts "CinderFit." Word quickly got around and news spread. Today, Felipe continues to lead the CinderFit movement, helping people stay fit using unconventional means. What initially started as a hob...

Just as Kenny Rosenzweig thought he had found the perfect formula for success with CLMBR's very aggressive launch and subsequent expansion, an unexpected twist forced him to shift gears in a way he never could have predicted. What happened next will leave you wondering what's next for this innovative entrepreneur . . . and for CLMBR, the fantastic company he's now overseeing as COO. Kenny brings a wealth of experience from both the boutique fitness and equipment industries to the table. As a Co...

From struggling to justify the expense of two gym memberships, to attempting to revolutionize the fitness industry, Borislava Baeva's unexpected twist on a traditional model is changing the game. But what surprises lie ahead for this innovator and her growing platform? Changing the way "things have always been done" is--putting it mildly--a challenge for any entrepreneur. Baeva is a finance expert turned fitness entrepreneur and the creator of MyStrongCircle. As a former Director of Financial P...

If you own a boutique or big box fitness club in a mall, you're good to go, right? Everything will be perfect moving forward, right? Maybe not so much, according to Francine Miley, Founder of WELLthmanager, head of Partnerships & Business Developments for Honeycomb, and real estate veteran specific to the HALO sector. In our latest episode, we'll explore the direction of retail, the advantages of incorporating wellness, the hurdles faced by landlords and tenants, the incredibly important power ...

Our guest for this episode is Brendan Sullivan, co-founder of ZAMA Health, a sports psychology SaaS platform for the athletic community which provides access to digital tools and clinical support to help improve physical and mental health outcomes. Sullivan shares his passion for mental wellness and how ZAMA can help improve exercise adherence and member engagement outcomes. He also discusses the importance of addressing emotional and mental health issues to improve engagement and retention in t...

What if everything you thought you knew about happiness was wrong? Follow the journey of a former private equity professional who discovered the shocking truth behind proactive health and how to truly find meaning in life. But, as he navigates this new path, he's faced with difficult questions and challenges that leave him with no easy answers. In this episode, Pete and Ted discuss: Recognizing the significance of proactive health measures and the benefits of acting preventatively. The diffic...

Perhaps you've heard that The Little Gym is "only about sports and games," and that it does not foster social development, or that it does not promote cognitive development? Nancy Bigley will be here to bust these myths and share the truth about the franchisors comprehensive, holistic approach to development! Nancy is a highly experienced, dedicated franchising expert who brings her passion for health and wellness to her current role as the CEO of The Little Gym. She has over 30 years of "in th...

At the height of her career in Manhattan advertising, Francesca Sipma began to feel burnt out and unfulfilled. She had no idea this restlessness would eventually end up being the catalyst for an unexpected journey: Her discovery of an immensely powerful practice, one that would lead her to leave her career and start her own business, Mastry. Through this groundbreaking modality, she now works with top companies like Deloitte and Google to help empower employees to reach their highest potential. ...

Rachel Begun, a respected nutritionist and dietitian, has a wealth of experience in the food and nutrition industry. With her Master's in Nutrition Education and background in PR, Rachel has developed a unique skill set that blends science-based nutrition knowledge with powerful communication strategies. Her expertise has led her to work with global food service manufacturers, food and wine retailers, and natural food brand startups. In recent years, she has transitioned into executive coaching,...

After being diagnosed with Crohn's disease, Celina Semente, a stubborn yet determined (former!) fashion major, decided to take matters into her own hands, changed her field of study, and embarked on a journey of self-discovery to heal her gut and help others as a holistic health coach. With a hat tip to Mike Pesca, host of the Gist podcast for the initial intros--and a happy client himself--Celina is now a highly skilled health coach whose experience with Crohn's continues to fuel her passion f...

After her husband and son became ill, Michelle Zipper (practicing out of the Well Center in Westchester, NY) fiercely pursued a career in Functional Diagnostic Nutrition, determined to find answers and help others, unlocking a powerful inner strength and courage as she faced the challenges of balancing her business ambitions with her family's needs. Michelle has spent over a decade exploring the world of holistic health and functional medicine. With a background in graphic design, her passion f...