Fitness Industry Innovation Podcast

Welcome to Part 3 of our series on defining the member experience for gyms. Joining our podcast is Chelsea Perkins, Executive Office Manager, and Director of Administration at Club Fitness. In this podcast you'll hear about back office processes and flexibility, all while keeping the human-to-human connection element at the forefront of member experience. Key Takeaways: [0:50] Kelly introduces her guest for this episode - Chelsea Perkins [2:40] Chelsea shares some of her personal journey in the fitness industry and how things have evolved to meet experience demands on the modern day fitness consumer [5:06] Chelsea shares what her and her team do in the back office to create a better member experience [11:34] Chelsea talks about the importance of flexibility and how that brings about a better member experience in Club Fitness [13:38] Chelsea provides an example of how passion and flexibility directly impacted a member’s experience in Club Fitness [15:54] How does member experience lay into the theme of Club Fitness: “celebrating the uniqueness of every body”? [17:56] What is the future of member experience at Club Fitness? Chelsea explains. [20:01] Kelly and Chelsea close out Mentioned in this Episode: ABC Financial Services Kelly Card Chelsea Perkins Club Fitness

Join Kelly Card, Chief Engagement Officer of ABC Financial with Mark de Gorter, Chief Operating Officer of Workout Anytime as they continue part two of our series on creating a better member experience. Listen in as Mark shares what is working for Workout Anytime and how their member mindset sets them up for success. Hint: you'll be surprised to find out Mark's perspective is not a one-size-fits all.

Key Takeaways: [:50] Kelly introduces her guest for this episode - Mark de Gorter [2:33] Mark shares Workout Anytime’s focus, to be the most admired, and what that means [4:02] Mark shares his background in the industry [7:33] Why are people exercising these days? [8:18] The basic fundamentals of enhancing member experience [9:23] Mark talks about how company culture and member experience are intertwined [13:11] Mark shares how they keep their focus on culture through MXM Medallia [16:38] Retaining members is key to your success [17:52] Retention starts with your staff [19:29] Member experience from an operational standpoint [21:17] Listen to your members and collect their feedback [22:25] Mark discusses the growth at Workout Anytime [24:45] Differentiating yourself on the human experience [28:28] Kelly closes out

Mentioned in this Episode: ABC Financial Services Kelly Card Mark de Gorter on Linkedin Workout Anytime

We’re kicking off a three-part series on defining member experience with Adam Zeitsiff, President and CEO of Gold’s Gym. Adam joins Kelly to discuss how to take a personalized approach to creating a unique member experience which resonates with your target members. You’ll hear how Gold’s Gym’s dedication to innovative approaches drove double-digit increases for lifetime value and length of stay, plus insights into how this iconic brand is planning for the future.

Key Takeaways: [:50] Kelly introduces her guest for this episode - Adam Zeitsiff [3:25] Adam shares how he got his start in the fitness industry [5:39] Technology has taught me that patience is a virtue in running a business like this too, and as technologists, we always wanna bring our products to market [6:15] The biggest thing coming from the technology space into this role as a CEO of this global brand is be smart, don't rush, be patient [6:51] Kelly asks Adam about fragmentation in the member experience across the fitness industry space [8:02] The member experience is they key factor in getting and retaining new members [8:43] Adam digs in and explains what members are looking for in their gym experience [9:34] Adam shares what Gold’s Gym is focusing on and how to build a better member experience [12:24] What is the role from a technologist's perspective in member experience, and where do you think it's heading? [13:01] Adam explains how they use technology to build trust with members [15:48] Adam and Kelly discuss seamlessly blending multiple technologies into the member experience [17:01] Adam and Kelly discuss Gold’s Gym AMP [20:17] Adam offers insight for fellow health club operators on what they should really be focusing on right now to deliver that awesome member experience [22:57] Closing thoughts

Mentioned in this Episode: ABC Financial Services Kelly Card Adam Zeitsiff on LinkedIn Gold’s Gym

Josh Unfried, CEO of Windfarm Marketing, joins the podcast and brings relatable, actionable marketing insights from a successful career in consumer engagement both inside and outside the fitness industry. Learn how to market based on the customer’s point of view rather than your own, how and why to segment your approaches, and the one common mistake Josh sees club owners make across the board.

Key Takeaways: [:50] Kelly introduces her guest for this episode - Josh Unfried [2:40] Josh shares how he got his start in marketing [3:45] Josh talks about previous marketing industry disruption [4:40] Josh explains what the brands that are winning are doing [7:14] Is this new approach a necessity? [7:46] Consumer driven expectations [8:50] What is the frictionless buying experience and how does it give you an advantage? Josh explains [9:30] Don’t force prospects to talk to a sales person [10:50] What impact are you seeing with conversion rates by removing friction? [14:08] Segment your leads [16:04] How are clubs adopting segmentation? [18:03] Achieving a new level of marketing [19:20] What are you seeing across the board that clubs are getting wrong? A siloed approach [20:55] Using an integrated approach [22:04] What is the first step out of the silo? [22:22] Kelly closing remarks [26:35] Get in touch with Josh for more information on how to end frictionless buying in your gym

Mentioned in this Episode: ABC Financial Services Kelly Card Josh Unfried on Linkedin WindFarm Marketing

Dan Collins is the Chief Operating Officer at Charter Fitness, a results-focused club brand with locations in and around Chicagoland.

Join Kelly and Dan as they dive into Dan’s experience in Charter Fitness and the service industry. Learn what has driven Dan’s success, what helps his brand stand out, and how you can apply the same techniques to your clubs. As Dan says: “Stop trying to be what others are.” Listen in to learn more and get your gym back to the basics that matter!

Key Takeaways: [:50] Kelly introduces her guest for this episode - Dan Collins [2:33] Dan shares his journey in the fitness industry and what has driven Charter’s success [4:57] Dan shares words of wisdom from a mentor [6:00] Dan discusses the importance aligning your goals with your skills [8:01] What do health clubs need to do, or what do they need to stop doing, in order to be successful? Dan explains how to get back to basics. [9:38] Dan explains what’s worked, what hasn’t, and why [12:19] Dan discusses taking risks and the importance of passionate people [16:41] Dan shares the philosophy of the Charter brand and what makes it work [18:09] Is your gym a widget? Dan explains what that means to him and how he keeps his gyms successful – even through the New Years rush [19:52] How focusing on service can differentiate you from the competition? Focus on service. [21:48] The future of Charter Fitness [23:05] Closing thoughts from Kelly and Dan

Mentioned in this Episode:ABC Financial Services Kelly Card Dan Collins on Linkedin Charter Fitness

Eddie Tock is the CEO of REX Roundtables for Executives, a global organization focused on bringing together top level executives and leaders to share ideas and experiences to help move their businesses forward. He runs 12 different REX Roundtable groups across the US with over 150 club owners & executives, 3 in Europe and 4 in Australia and New Zealand. Eddie has long been involved in the fitness industry, and has a wealth of information apart from his eagle eye in spotting trends. The Roundtable sessions are fertile ground for best practices and ideas to emerge from the collaboration and spirit of continuous learning that they foster among some of the leading club operators in the world.

Eddie highlights some of the trends that are emerging in the fitness industry, and the modern fitness consumer trends that clubs are observing. He also reveals the key agendas that the Roundtables focus on: operations, culture, strategy and leadership — as foundations for building better businesses. Tune in to find out more about what business owners should be focusing on to stay relevant and why Eddie believes there is an abundance of opportunity out there — you just have to find it and take action!

Key Takeaways:

[:47] Kelly introduces her guest for this episode — Eddie Tock.

[2:42] What is the story behind REX Roundtables, and how does it facilitate that willingness to learn?

[6:56] Eddie shares an anecdote about why the focus on learning is so crucial to be a successful business owner.

[9:05] What are some of the tools REX Roundtable participants get, and how does it translate to improvements in their business?

[12:01] What are some topics that come up in discussion across all of the groups?

[15:31] How else are club operators trying to ensure their relevance to the modern fitness consumer?

[19:52] One of the things Eddie focuses on is the intrinsic motivation of members and how to engage them in a natural way. He explains what he means by that.

[26:18] There is a lot of opportunity to get better in business, but as a business owner you need to decide for yourself what that means for you and your consumers.

[28:01] What are some other consumer trends that are relevant to club operators now?

[32:36] Kelly and Eddie discuss offering membership tiers and how to differentiate between offerings.

[35:29] An omni-channel experience is even more important, alongside providing consumers with the flexibility and convenience they are looking for.

[38:09] All the information business owners need is in the data — they just need to open their eyes to what the data is telling them.

[40:52] Get in touch with Eddie via email to find out more about REX Roundtables.

Mentioned in This Episode:

ABC Financial Services

Kelly Card

Eddie Tock on LinkedIn

Email Eddie Tock

REX Roundtables for Executives

Nick's Pizza, Forbes Top 25 Places to Work

Great at Work, by Morten Hansen

Jack Welch, Former CEO of GE

Epsilon

Great by Choice, by Jim Collins

HydroMassage

MyZone

Peloton

Net Promoter Score

MXM/ Medallia

Joel Tallman is the President and CEO of MUV Brands LLC, and Jeff Carlson is the Managing Partner of MUV Fitness, Washington and Oregon. From three letters on a sticky-note to a multi-directional franchise that is growing by leaps and bounds, MUV has seen some major successes within the fitness space. MUV is also unique in how it has adopted three different concepts within the same brand, and does a great job of considering the success of the operator in the franchise model. Joel and Jeff are both testaments to how hard work can pay off in a major way in the fitness industry, and have some incredible insights to share.

One thing that consistently sets MUV apart is a dedicated focus on member results and building community. Joel and Jeff explains how this philosophy has driven MUV’s growth and success in the fitness space and differentiated it from competitors. They also shed light on the MUV’s business model, the role of automation and technology in taking the business to new heights, and the 4Rs that underlie the core message of the brand. Tune in to find out more.

Key Takeaways:

[:49] Kelly introduces her guest for this episode - Joel Tallman and Jeff Carlson.

[2:54] Joel shares more about the multi-directional franchise concept that he has going on with MUV.

[06:10] What is the business model behind MUV? Joel explains the three unique concepts that drive the brand.

[9:16] Across all of the MUV concepts, there is an incredible focus on member results and building community. What has been Jeff's personal philosophy and approach to this as an owner-operator?

[12:28] Jeff has adopted a 'no member left behind' approach in his fitness challenges. How has that helped differentiate the brand?

[16:59] Results = Retention = Referrals = Revenue. Joel explains what this means and how it ties in with the MUV brand.

[20:04] What do Joel and Jeff see in the future of the fitness industry and the future of the fitness consumer?

[22:59] How does Joel build relationships in his high-volume, low-price model?

[24:54] How does Jeff utilize technology and automation in the customer life cycle?

[28:44] What's on the horizon for MUV in the next few years?

ABC Financial Services

Kelly Card

Joel Tallman on LinkedIn

Jeff Carlson on LinkedIn

MUV Brands

Sunil Saha is the Co-Founder and CEO of Perkville, the leading gamification and rewards platform for the health and wellness industry. After completing his undergraduate studies in Human Biology, Sunil went on to work with companies such as Yahoo and LinkedIn in the area of product management, and learned a lot about marketing to consumers and technology. He put that knowledge to use to create Perkville in 2009, and has since grown steadily to serve a multitude of companies in the health and wellness space.

A loyalty program is a simple, low-cost way to impact club client retention and to increase revenue. Sunil explains how Perkville generates incredible levels of ROI, drives referrals while keeping costs affordable for club owners. He also shares more about how he sees referral programs evolving, how they influence consumer behavior through gamification, and his predictions for the future of the fitness industry. Tune in to find out what you can do to start seeing an immediate change in your business too!

Key Takeaways:

[:51] Kelly introduces her guest for this episode - Sunil Saha.

[1:28] What was Sunil's journey that led him to Perkville?

[4:16] What is Perkville?

[6:52] How does Sunil generate incredible levels of ROI, drive referrals and keep reward costs down?

[10:49] What does the full loop of modernizing the referral process look like?

[13:15] Rewards are essentially a way of influencing consumer behavior. How does gamification tie into that?

[17:30] What is Sunil seeing from the world of rewards that will begin to start impacting the fitness space?

[20:12] How does Sunil see rewards programs like Starbucks evolving?

[21:36] Where does Sunil see the modern fitness consumer changing the landscape of the industry in the next 5 years? What is the future of the fitness industry?

[23:57] What is Sunil's advice to club operators looking to make a difference in their club with immediate change?

[26:41] Check out Perkville via the website and blog, and connect with Sunil on LinkedIn.

ABC Financial Services

Kelly Card

Sunil Saha on LinkedIn

Perkville

Yahoo

LinkedIn

Xing

Viadeo

Monster

Reid Hoffman 

Chuck Runyon is the CEO of Self Esteem Brands, LLC, and Anytime Fitness, the world’s fastest growing gym brand. Since its founding in 2002 in a small town in Minnesota, Anytime Fitness has grown to over 4,500 locations serving 4 million members, and is currently on 6 continents. Chuck and his partner Dave Mortenson worked in the 1990s turning distressed clubs into profitable businesses, and realized that they could be streamlining their offerings to cater to the actual needs of their clients and using technology to provide 24/7 access to clients. Thus, Anytime Fitness was born, and today, Chuck is known as one of the industry's most inspiring influencers and heartfelt leaders.

Building a great gym brand is not about the hardware like treadmills and top notch equipment, but about the software of emotion, listening and caring. How has Chuck managed to maintain this culture of empathy across all of his franchise locations? He dives into the role of purpose, and why it’s so important to harness the power of technology to provide the best customer experience possible. Tune in to find out more about how Chuck has scaled culture, and what lies ahead for this incredible brand and its founder.

Key Takeaways:

[:54] Kelly introduces her guest for this episode — Chuck Runyon.

[2:26] Chuck gives a verbal tour of the campus.

[4:58] Where did Chuck start and how did he get to where he is today?

[6:52] By the end of 2019, Anytime Fitness will have franchises on all 7 continents.

[7:32] Chuck has made it his mission to cultivate and encourage emotional expression, which he talks about in his book, Love Work. He explains more about what that means.

[9:09] How does empathy play into the club experience?

[11:55] Where is Anytime Fitness today, and how does it fit into the broader fitness industry?

[13:21] How does Chuck scale culture?

[14:51] How does culture impact communication?

[16:21] Technology should be the delivery system of the experience, not the experience itself.

[17:28] What does the future look like for Anytime Fitness?

[18:34] For up and coming club owners or those who want to take their club to the next level, what are the elements to focus on?

[23:36] There's great power in purpose.

[25:29] What lies ahead for Chuck?

ABC Financial Services

Kelly Card

Chuck Runyon

Anytime Fitness

Self Esteem Brands, LLC

Love Work, by Chuck Runyon and David Mortensen

Adam Stokar is the Founder and President of Club OS. Growing up, Adam enjoyed video games and sports, and as he got older, he realized that his interests had a common theme — the more practice you put in, the better you got. He pursued software engineering in college, but one day saw a lack in the fitness industry for fitness software and CRM, leading to the creation of Club OS. Since its launch, Adam has expanded his reach, and now serves over 3,000 facilities across North America in areas such as fitness tracking, marketing automation, CRM, and training management to help fitness businesses get time back and make their lives easier.

How can automation and AI help businesses in the fitness industry? Adam shares more about the integration of automation with human interaction to create better customer experiences, and how health clubs and fitness business can better leverage technology. He also dives into some key applications of AI that we can expect to see moving forward, and the impact this will have on the fitness industry at large. Tune in to find out more!

Key Takeaways:

[:52] Kelly introduces her guest for this episode — Adam Stokar.

[1:47] What has Adam's journey in the fitness industry been like?

[5:53] What has been the history of lead management in the fitness industry?

[9:00] How can automation help fitness businesses?

[11:50] What is the importance of human interaction, and how does it integrate with the automation component in a fitness business?

[15:00] What are the elements that are missing from a technology perspective in terms of sales and marketing in the fitness industry?

[19:18] Moving forward, what are some key applications of artificial intelligence to the fitness industry?

[23:34] Kelly and Adam discuss the utility of AI in home fitness.

[25:53] What are some future developments that we can expect to see at Club OS?

[30:57] Connect with Adam via LinkedIn to keep up with his work.

ABC Financial Services

Kelly Card

Adam Stokar on LinkedIn

Email Adam Stokar

Club OS

The Turing Test (Film)