Fitness + Technology

This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes Amy Boone Thompson to the show. Amy is the Owner & CEO of IDEA Health & Fitness Association, the world's leading organization of fitness and wellness professionals and has been for more than 40 years. She is also Chairman for World Active, a global initiative meant to set up an open and transparent platform for the fitness and physical activity sector to get “more people, more active, more often”. Today, Amy joins Bryan to talk about her organizations, the future role of fitness professionals, and other interesting insights.

One Powerful Quote:

15:54: “Be authentically you always."

4-10 Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed:

3:02: Bryan opens the show by asking why Amy acquired IDEA and her envisioned future for the organization.

6:44: Amy highlights what’s happening at World Active and the challenges with her role.

10:45: Amy shares her views on technology and its influence on fitness professionals.

15:47: Bryan wraps up the show with Amy imparting her final pearls of wisdom to the listeners.

Bullet List of Resources:

https://www.ideafit.com/

https://www.world-active.com/

Guest Contact Information:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/amybthompson/

https://www.bryankorourke.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryankorourke/

http://www.fittechcouncil.org/

https://www.youtube.com/user/bko61163

This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes Herman Rutgers to the show. As an expert in setting up and expanding international brands in durable consumer goods with a specialization in sports, health & fitness, Herman is the International Ambassador for EuropeActive, the leading non-profit organization representing the European fitness and physical activity sector, and Board Member to Basic-Fit, the largest fitness chain in Europe. Today, Herman joins Bryan to talk about an array of topics including industry acquisitions, different operational styles, globalism, and EuropeActive’s European Health & Fitness Forum. 

One Powerful Quote:

32:04: “The 4 P’s of marketing are place, product, promotion, and price. I would add two other P’s, people and profit.”

4-10 Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed:

2:29: Bryan opens the show by highlighting Herman’s background and EuropeActive’s Deloitte Research Report.

11:11: Bryan asks Herman how he juxtaposes US to European operators. 

16:32: Bryan inquires with Herman about geopolitical events impacting the industry.

26:13: Herman shares his thoughts on technology and its impact on the industry.

31:58: Bryan wraps up the show with Herman imparting his pearls of wisdom to the listeners.

Bullet List of Resources:

https://www.europeactive.eu/

Guest Contact Information:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/herman-rutgers-9a984ab/

https://www.bryankorourke.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryankorourke/

http://www.fittechcouncil.org/

https://www.youtube.com/user/bko61163

This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes Dr. Cedric Bryant to the show. As Chief Executive Officer & President, Dr. Cedric Bryant leads ACE with a focus on science-backed education to support health and exercise professionals, utilizing emerging fitness technology, championing inclusivity and diversity, and sharing quality information to help all people develop long-term healthy habits and keep people moving. Today, Dr. Cedrick joins Bryan to talk about his background, his views on the changes in professional education and training, and what he envisions happening in the future.

One Powerful Quote:

14:43: “What gets measured is what gets the attention.”

4-10 Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed:

2:15: Bryan opens the interview by highlighting Cedrick’s background and his upbringing into the industry. 

8:27: Cedrick shares his views on the change in professional education and training. 

13:06: Cedrick extrapolates on the friction in these systematic changes.

15:33: Bryan asks Cedrick what ACE is doing organizationally to address these changes.

17:26: Bryan and Cedrick talk about health and wealth preservation.  

21:14: Bryan inquires with Cedrick about what he envisions happening in the industry.

23:45: Dr. Cedrick imparts his pearls of wisdom to the listeners.

Bullet List of Resources:

https://www.acefitness.org/

Guest Contact Information:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cedricbryant/

https://www.bryankorourke.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryankorourke/

http://www.fittechcouncil.org/

https://www.youtube.com/user/bko61163

This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes Dave Wright to the show. Dave is the Founder of MYZONE, a cloud based and wearable technology fitness tracker that consists of a heart rate monitor chest strap and monitoring system that displays real time heart rate, calories, MEPs, and EFFORT to a watch, tv, or monitor whilst simultaneously creating an online logbook of all physical activity that can be viewed from anywhere in the world. He is also the owner of Creative Fitness Marketing (CFM), a global company with offices in the UK, Australia, and North America that has served the international fitness community for over 30 years and a member of the board for ukactive. Today, Bryan visits with Dave to discuss some interesting observations about ukactive, trends in the industry/direct to consumer fitness, and his advice as a serial entrepreneur. 

One Powerful Quote:

29:39: “Whose providing these new trends?”

4-10 Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed:

3:18: Bryan opens the show highlighting Dave’s background and asks about his observations and learnings as a founder.

8:59: Bryan asks Dave about ukactive.

11:14: Dave shares his thoughts on what’s happening in the commercial fitness market.

14:43: Dave shares his thoughts on the hospitality vertical of the industry. 

16:35: Dave talks about the direct to consumer segment.

22:23: Bryan inquires with Dave on overlooked trends happening in the space. 

31:36: Dave gives his sentiments about cross global competition.

34:22: Dave imparts his pearls of wisdom to the listeners on being a fitness entrepreneur.

Bullet List of Resources:

https://www.myzone.org/

https://www.ukactive.com/

https://uk.cfm.net/

https://www.foundervsinvestor.com/#:~:text=Founder Elizabeth Zalman and Investor,In stores now!&text=Also available in E-book and Audiobook formats.&text=Every iconic tech company was once a startup.

Guest Contact Information:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-wright-bbaa6110/

[email protected]

https://www.bryankorourke.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryankorourke/

http://www.fittechcouncil.org/

https://www.youtube.com/user/bko61163

This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, Bryan O’Rourke shares his presentation live from Beyond Activ in New York. Beyond Activ is a leadership, investment, and business development event for owners, managers, and investors of health, wellness, fitness, and hospitality brands. Bryan was invited to present and host a panel on franchise innovation and growth with Emily Seaman, Head of Marketing from Momence, Bradford Smith, Chief Development Officer from PureGym, Eric Keller, VP of Support at Self Esteem Brands, and Justin Vartanian, Senior VP of International Division at Planet Fitness.

You can access Bryan's presentation deck here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vSI72UFIcTKyT8G7yZ8jskOJaEknXvc6/view

Recap of presentation is as follows: Key Drivers of Future Growth and Innovation (GII): Globalism, Demographics, Values, Technologies, and Economics are identified as the five mega-trend drivers of GII.

Customer Spending and Attitudes: Younger generations (Gen Z and Millennials) are spending more on health and wellness than older generations. U.S. consumers consider going to the gym a core part of their fitness routine.

Five Trends Impacting Businesses:

Declining customer satisfaction due to cuts in customer service.

Generative AI is shifting the internet experience from transactional to personal.

Lack of differentiation and creativity in app and brand design.

People feel overwhelmed by technology and desire more control and human connection.

Traditional life paths and values are shifting, leading to uncertainty and a search for trust.

2024 Edelman Trust Barometer: Innovation and technology offer promise but also risk exacerbating trust issues and societal instability. CEOs are expected to address societal changes and lead on issues like job skills, technology ethics, and automation.

Franchising and Competition: The International Franchise Association (IFA) tracks 9,000 brands in the U.S. alone, indicating high competition. There's also increasing cross-border competition for brands globally.

Key Opportunities for Businesses:

Prioritize the customer experience and personalization at scale.

Differentiate through authentic branding and humanized technology.

Embrace long-term thinking, adaptability, and a focus on human values and trust.

CEOs should address societal impacts of innovation and lead on key issues.

Overall, the presentation emphasizes the need for businesses to adapt to evolving consumer trends, technological advancements, and societal changes to drive future growth and innovation. please send podcast link asap ty

One Powerful Quote:

9:45: “What this leads to inevitably for all firms and franchising is the balancing of humanizing their brands while futurizing their organizations.”

4-10 Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed:

2:42: Bryan kicks off his presentation with the five leading trends influencing the industry.

12:04: Bryan asks the panel regarding growth strategy for franchising.

16:14: Bryan asks the panel about growth focus by geography, demographics, franchisees, or mergers/acquisitions.

19:35: Bryan asks the panel about leveraging technology to enhance franchise operations. 

27:00: Bryan asks the panel about the challenge in executing innovation.

28:33: Bryan asks the panel about brand consistency and localization challenges for international brands.

32:59: Bryan asks the panel about low performing franchisees. 

38:15: Bryan asks the panel about franchise saturation in the marketplace. 

42:36: Bryan asks the panel about their personal slogans to business and life.

44:31: Bryan and the panel answer questions from the audience. 

Bullet List of Resources:

https://beyondactiv.com

https://momence.com/

https://www.puregym.com/

https://www.sebrands.com/

https://www.planetfitness.com/

Guest Contact Information:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-seaman/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradfordsmithfranchise/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-keller-cfe-6638a28/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinvartanian/

https://www.bryankorourke.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryankorourke/

http://www.fittechcouncil.org/

https://www.youtube.com/user/bko61163

This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes Adam Alfia to the show. Adam is the Founder of Real Time Feedback, which is a customer engagement platform that allows customers to directly interact with businesses in real time. Customers submit discreet feedbacks that are sent in real time to a businesses owners and managers. The business can respond using the in-app 2 way chat feature to work with the customer to resolve any complaints. Once the issue has been resolved, the business can send the customer a link to give a positive review of the business. Today, Adam joins Bryan to talk about his business and his insights in managing the customer experience.

One Powerful Quote:

17:04: “Build it as if you are talking to a 3 year old.”

4-10 Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed:

3:08: Bryan opens the show by asking Adam how customers have changed in a more digital world.

10:54: Adam speaks on the barriers in adopting customer engagement platforms.

16:18: Bryan & Adam talk about simplicity as a key differentiator.

17:48: Adam shares his advice for operators to resimplify their processes to be more customer friendly.

21:55: Adam imparts his savvy business advice to the listeners. 

Bullet List of Resources:

https://www.realtimefeedback.com/

Guest Contact Information:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamalfia/

https://x.com/adam_alfia

https://www.bryankorourke.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryankorourke/

http://www.fittechcouncil.org/

https://www.youtube.com/user/bko61163

This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, Bryan O’Rourke welcomes back the infamous Sal Pellegrino to the show. Sal has worked in the fitness and wellness industry in a variety of roles, from club owner to equipment sales professional, to industry trend spotter and advisor in leading organizations. He is currently the Executive Director for FISA, which provides valuable research and unique events for the commercial and not-for-profit fitness industry. Today, Sal joins Bryan to recap his experience at CanFitPro, FISA, and latest trends in the industry. 

One Powerful Quote:

14:13: “We have to continue to share our collective wisdom.”

4-10 Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed:

2:11: Bryan opens the show with Sal sharing his experience at CanFitPro.

4:53: Sal talks about FISA.

8:20: Sal shares his insights on the top trends happening in the industry.

12:49: Bryan asks Sal how operators can benefit from these trends. 

14:44: Bryan inquires with Sal about the resistance in operators adopting technology solutions.

16:25: Bryan wraps up the show with Sal sharing the next FISA event and his contact information.

Bullet List of Resources:

https://beyondactiv.com/events/americas/

https://www.nunify.com/events/alloy

https://fisana.org/

Guest Contact Information:

https://x.com/Sal_Pellegrino

https://www.linkedin.com/in/salpellegrino/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryankorourke/

http://www.fittechcouncil.org/

https://www.youtube.com/user/bko61163

This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, Bryan O’Rourke shares his panel discussion, The Download On Digital, from 2024 IDEA World live from Los Angeles. He is joined by fitness technology gurus Garrett Marshall, Eric Posner, Jeffrey Scott, Mike G. Hansen, and Deb/Debbie/Deborah Praver (Eble) as they take a deep dive into the latest trends, innovations, and how technology is revolutionizing the fitness industry. The panel also answers questions from the audience highlighting key topics in digitization, retention, hybrid experiences, strategies, content creation, and AI. 

One Powerful Quote:

37:18: “You’re not gonna get what you don’t ask for."

4-10 Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed:

3:12: Bryan opens the panel discussion with Garrett Marshall and Jeffrey Scott discussing wearable technologies and fitness apps reshaping the role of group fitness/trainers and the opportunities/challenges presented for these experiences. 

11:03: Garrett Marshall speaks on the impact of virtual reality on the industry, how he sees it evolving, and how group fitness/trainers can incorporate it.

13:41: Bryan asks Deborah to speak on the proliferation of online fitness content and its impact for digital participants. Jeffrey and Mike add their insights.

19:25: Bryan asks Jeffrey whether digitization has improved or hindered accountability/adherence and how professionals can strike a balance to maintain client relationships. 

21:54: Bryan asks Mike how AI is reshaping the role of fitness professionals and what skills they should have to stay relevant and competitive. 

25:22: Bryan answers a question on monitoring clients and the depth of personalization.

29:36: Jeffrey asks Mike how to speak to AI and ask the right questions/prompts. Garrett and Bryan add their thoughts. 

32:55: The panel answers a question on creating valuable fitness content.  

36:14: The panel answers a question on building your online community base.  

38:38: The panel answers a question on noncompete concerns.

41:57: The panel answers a question on synchronizing group fitness teams and trainers with digital platforms.

47:13: The panel answers a question on conducting digital transformation. 

51:23: The panel answers a question on niche vertical integration.

52:18: The panel answers a question on preferred style of training. 

56:10: The panel answers a question on scaling an online business.

1:00:50: The panel answers a question on balancing in-training and online training rates. 

Bullet List of Resources:

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7218632384433250304/?commentUrn=urn:li:comment:(ugcPost:7218632383250489344,7218701436937760769)&actorCompanyId=757050

Guest Contact Information:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/garrettmarshall/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericmposner/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrey-scott-8b171447/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeghansen/

https://x.com/Mike_G_Hansen

https://www.linkedin.com/in/deb-debbie-deborah-praver-eble-b777486/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryankorourke/

http://www.fittechcouncil.org/

https://www.youtube.com/user/bko61163

This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes Brandon Bean to the show. Brandon is the Co-Founder of Lumin Fitness, a smart movement platform with a cutting-edge operating system design to leverage the latest advances in computer vision, digital displays, and machine learning to deliver personalized, interactive fitness experiences. Today, Brandon joins Bryan to talk about his business and key trends happening in the space.

One Powerful Quote:

15:55: “Data is dopamine.”

4-10 Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed:

3:33: Bryan asks Brandon’s opinion on the latest trends in machine learning, personalization, and technology.

5:52: Brandon talks about his business, Lumin Fitness.

9:40: Brandon articulates how he conceptualized Lumin’s business model.

17:01: Bryan inquires with Brandon on pricing strategy.

18:26: Bryan and Brandon discuss globalization of the major fitness brands and the implications on their business strategy.

23:01: Bryan wraps up the show by asking Brandon to impart his final advice to the listeners.

Bullet List of Resources:

https://lumin.fitness/

Guest Contact Information:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-bean-5523a8/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryankorourke/

http://www.fittechcouncil.org/

https://www.youtube.com/user/bko61163

This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes Chris Edwards to the show. Chris is the Founder & CEO of TriCore Wellness which focuses on the integration of technology, health data, and professional coaching. TriCore Wellness seeks to develop and provide comprehensive wellness solutions for individuals, employees, and businesses. Today, Chris joins Bryan to talk about his business and truly define what wellness means. 

One Powerful Quote:

2:53: “Wellness is essentially living optimally without limitations.”

4-10 Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed:

2:46: Bryan opens the show by asking Chris how he defines the term wellness. 

4:12: Chris highlights the key trends in the wellness industry space.

5:49: Bryan inquires with Chris about how to deploy these solutions.

6:54: Chris talks about the repercussions in some of the recent medical interventions happening today in wellness. 

8:07: Bryan and Chris talk about the implications in integrative care and health preservation for the aging population in the United States. 

9:50: Chris shares his story about TriCore Wellness.

13:04: Chris elaborates on the strategic and growth perspective for TriCore Wellness.

14:54: Bryan wraps up the show with Chris imparting his final pearls of wisdom to the listeners.

Bullet List of Resources:

https://tricorewellness.com/

Guest Contact Information:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-edwards-367094196/

https://www.bryankorourke.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryankorourke/

http://www.fittechcouncil.org/

https://www.youtube.com/user/bko61163