Club Solutions Magazine

2024 was another year of advancement and success for the fitness industry. While there were still some growing pains in the continued rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic, many clubs saw a surge in sales and member interest in new programs.

Scott Gillespie, the founder and owner of Saco Sport & Fitness, sat down with Club Solutions Magazine Podcast host Rachel Chonko to recap the biggest business challenges of 2024 and what opportunities to keep an eye on for 2025. The two cover a host of topics including nutrition and GLP-1s, end-of-the-year planning, and strength training trends.

Listen to the conversation here.

Jon Brady, the president of Midtown Athletic Clubs, has been working tirelessly to further enhance the culture of his team at his club. As a result, he’s seen very positive results in his efforts.

In this edition of the Club Solutions Magazine Podcast, Brady sat down with Ralph Rajs, the practitioner of The Table Group, to discuss how Midtown Athletic Clubs has thrived post-pandemic and how they’ve harnessed the power of technology through AI and machine learning. Brady also shares his personal leadership journey along with new key strategies he’s implemented.

Listen to the conversation here.

From assisting personal training to easy membership check ins, having reliable software is essential for thriving in the fitness industry. One such provider of dependable club management software is ClubReady.

Taylor Gabhart, the editor of Club Solutions Magazine, recently sat down with Charlie Lindsey and Jeremy Blowers, the CEO and COO of Max Fitness. As ClubReady customers, Lindsey and Blowers detail how the software is powering their clubs, share aspects of their journey in the industry, partnerships they’ve formed and more.

Listen to the conversation here.

For a long time now, hiring and staffing has been a large issue facing the fitness industry. However, this ongoing problem isn’t due to a lack of qualified available candidates.

Taylor Gabhart, the editor of Club Solutions Magazine, recently sat down with fibr’s William Coker, the co-founder and president of the company. Coker details for listeners why hiring is currently difficult for the industry, shares why fibr is an ideal solution to the issue and more.

Listen to the conversation here.

Will Bartholomew, the CEO of D1 Training, first founded the company in 2001 in his hometown of Nashville, Tennessee. While starting a business in the fitness industry is never easy, D1 Training now boasts over 100 locations across the U.S., with even more growth on the horizon.

Bartholomew sat down with Club Solutions Magazine Podcast host Rachel Chonko to discuss leadership learning lessons, the keys to D1’s growth, what makes the brand unique in terms of its mission and why, and more.

Listen to the conversation here.

Group training of all sizes has seen several advancements over time. TRIBE Team Training is one organization that’s embraced these evolutions and is providing modern, holistic Group X offerings for club owners and operators.

Taylor Gabhart, the editor of Club Solutions Magazine, recently sat down with TRIBE Team Training’s Sue Richard, the co-founder and international coaching director, and Jeffrey Kline, the social media and marketing manager. They discuss the “why” behind TRIBE, how the company started, the organization’s impact and more.

Listen to the conversation here.

Crunch Fitness first began as one small gym in a basement studio in New York City’s Greenwich Village in 1989. Now, there are over 500 Crunch locations, and the company is now heading into its newest iteration: Crunch 3.0. which will feature a completely modernized version of the gym.

Tony Scrimale, the CEO of Crunch Fitness CR Fitness Holdings, sat down with Club Solutions Magazine Podcast host Rachel Zabonick-Chonko top discuss Crunch 3.0, leadership tactics, entrepreneurial advice and more.

Listen to the conversation here.

Fitness instructors are an essential aspect of the club industry. As such, it’s imperative for trainers to be fully certified so they have the trust of current and potential members.

Taylor Brown, the editor of Club Solutions Magazine, recently sat down with Carter Collins, the owner and operator of International Fitness Trainers Association (IFTA). They discuss how Collins went from nursing school to IFTA, challenges facing the fitness industry concerning certifications, how the company stands out and more.

Listen to the conversation here.

Club leaders are figureheads for all staff and members. This means values such as inclusive leadership are important to have and put into practice to ensure everyone who steps into your club feels comfortable and appreciated.

Michaela Brown, a general manager at VIDA Fitness and Aura Spa and chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Board for Urban Adventures Companies, sat down with Club Solutions Magazine Podcast host Rachel Zabonick-Chonko to discuss the subject of inclusive leadership.

Their conversation covers a lot of ground including group fitness trends, DEI initiatives and what it means to be an inclusive leader, emotional intelligence, how to take care of yourself and your team, and much more. It’s a great episode for anyone looking for insights into what it takes to lead in the fitness industry.

Listen to the full discussion here.

There possibly isn’t a hotter topic in the world of health and fitness right now than GLP-1s, or weight loss drugs such as Ozempic. These drugs are one of the more fascinating opportunities the industry has right now, and there are many different opinions on the subject.

Eric Durak, the president and founder of Medhealthfit, recently sat down with Club Solutions Magazine Podcast host Rachel Zabonick-Chonko to discuss the subject of GLP-1s. Their conversation looks at some of the muscle-wasting side effects that can occur from taking these drugs, how clubs can play a role in overcoming that and more.

Listen to the full conversation here.