Fitt Insider

Today I'm joined by Andy Hoang, Founder and CEO of Aviron, makers of connected rowing machines.

Aviron is a connected rowing machine designed with you in mind. Short, high-intensity workouts save you time, high resistance settings allow you to include strength training along with your cardio workout, and hundreds of content options get you motivated and keep you engaged month after month.

In this episode we discuss the company's bootstrap start, pivoting from commercial sales to at-home during the pandemic, and everyone's approach to gamified fitness content.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How Aviron overcame early obstacles and achieved success
• Tips for adapting your sales funnel to current market trends
• Andy's candid insights about developing & launching a physical product
• What Aviron is doing to prepare for a potential recession

Links & Resources

• Subscribe to the Fitt Insider newsletter
• Visit the Fitt Insider jobs board
• View current Fitt Insider investment and get in touch

Andy Hoang's Links

• Aviron's website
• Follow Aviron on Twitter
• Join Aviron's Facebook community
• Join Aviron's Discord channel
• Aviron is on Instagram
• Check out Aviron on YouTube

Today I'm joined by Josh Hix, CEO of Season Health, a digital food pharmacy.

Season is rethinking nutrition-based health care. Season's platform allows doctors, registered dietitians and other health experts to prescribe food as medicine, and patients to conveniently choose, procure and enjoy the foods that are right for their clinical nutritional needs.

In this episode we discuss Josh's experience building meal kit service Plated, Season's approach to food as medicine, the company's recent $34 million funding round, and the growing need for solutions that target diet-related chronic illnesses.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How Season uses technology to prescribe nutrition
• Season's approach to creating the right business model
• How Season works with insurance companies to prioritize customers' health
• Season's innovative pairing of clinical care and personalized meal plans

Links & Resources

• Subscribe to the Fitt Insider newsletter
• Visit the Fitt Insider jobs board
• View current Fitt Insider investment and get in touch

Josh's Links

• Season Health's website
• Josh's LinkedIn page

Today I'm joined by Nathaniel Jewell, Founder and CEO of Recess.tv, a platform helping fitness professionals launch and scale digital businesses. Recess' technology lets you embed your live classes, on-demand library, and packages onto your website. You don't worry about integration, either—Recess can do it for you, as well as match your branding. With Recess your customers will never have to leave your site to book a class.

In this episode Nate and I discuss the rise of the fitness creator, the consolidation happening among fitness creator platforms, and the shifting fitness landscape from gyms to at-home and hybrid workouts. Nate also shares his vision to expand into wellness verticals beyond fitness.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How to spot opportunities in the $5 trillion health & wellness industry
• Nathan's tips for providing ongoing value to your customers
• How Recess built a platform that serves both creators and consumers
• Nathan's predictions for entrepreneurs in the health & wellness space

Links & Resources

• Subscribe to the Fitt Insider newsletter
• Visit the Fitt Insider jobs board
• View current Fitt Insider investment and get in touch

Nathaniel Jewell's Links

• Recess.tv's website
• Follow Recess.tv on Twitter
• Recess.tv is on Instagram
• Check out Recess.tv on TikTok
• Follow Recess.tv on Facebook
• Follow Nathan on Twitter and Instagram
• Nathan's LinkedIn page

Today I'm joined by Alexandra Zatarain, Co-Founder and VP of Brand and Marketing at Eight Sleep. Eight Sleep is the first sleep fitness company. Eight Sleep leverages innovation, technology, and personal biometrics to restore individuals to their peak energy levels. Fast Company named Eight Sleep one of the Most Innovative Companies in Consumer Electronics. In this episode we talk about the company's smart mattress that tracks sleep, regulates temperature, and much more. We discuss the concept of sleep fitness, and the company's plan to improve sleep performance. Alexandra also shares Eight Sleep's moonshots, like the possibility of compressing sleep to under six hours. In this episode, you'll learn:

• Tips for leveraging social proof to build trust with your customers
• How Eight Sleep grew from a crowdfunded startup to a nearly $500M company
• Important things to consider when partnering with other brands
• The challenges & benefits of building a mission-driven company

Links & Resources

• Subscribe to the Fitt Insider newsletter
• Visit the Fitt Insider jobs board
• View current Fitt Insider investment and get in touch

Alexandra's Links

• Eight Sleep's website
• Follow Eight Sleep on Facebook
• Eight Sleep is on Instagram
• Follow Eight Sleep on Twitter
• Follow Alexandra on Twitter
• Barry's Bootcamp

On today's episode I'm joined by Strava CEO & Co-Founder, Michael Horvath. Strava syncs with most devices—your phone, GPS watch or head unit, heart rate monitor or power meter—and records just about any performance metric you can imagine, plus a few exclusive to Strava. Activity goes to your Strava feed where your friends and followers can share their own races and workouts, give kudos to great performances, and leave comments on each other's activities. In this episode we discuss the evolution of the company's paid subscription, Strava's plan to push further into connected wellness, including sleep and recovery, as well as opportunities in storytelling and trail sports. Michael also discusses the potential for and motivation behind a public offering. In this episode, you'll learn:

• How to expand your customer base without alienating core users
• Tips for transitioning free users to paid subscriptions
• Strava's strategies for keeping users engaged
• Things to consider before taking your company public

Links & Resources

• Zwift
• The Tour de France website
• Subscribe to the Fitt Insider newsletter
• Visit the Fitt Insider jobs board
• View current Fitt Insider investment and get in touch

Michael Horvath's Links

• Strava's website
• Strava apps
• Follow Strava on Twitter
• Strava is on Instagram
• Follow Strava on Facebook
• Check out Strava on YouTube
• Strava's LinkedIn page
• Recover Athletics

Today I'm joined by FitOn Co-Founder and CEO, Lindsay Cook. FitOn helps users get lean, toned & fit, with personalized workout plans—absolutely free. No strings attached. FitOn offers free exercise videos, personalized workout plans, and unlimited access to the best workout classes—from cardio to strength training to HIIT, yoga, Pilates, and much more. FitOn features top celebrity trainers like Cassey Ho (of Blogilates), Jeanette Jenkins, Katie Dunlop, Christine Bullock, Kenta Seki, Danielle Pascente, and many more. In this episode we discuss the company's digital fitness platform, its recent $40 million funding round, and the acquisition of corporate wellness company Peerfit. Lindsey also shares FitOn's plan to build an omni-channel fitness bundle. In this episode, you'll learn:

• How to make a smooth transition from free memberships to paid
• Lindsay's tips & strategies for optimizing business growth
• FitOn's unique approach to keeping retention high & reducing churn

Links & Resources

• Orangetheory Fitness
• Xponential Fitness
• CrossFit
• Subscribe to the Fitt Insider newsletter
• Visit the Fitt Insider jobs board
• View current Fitt Insider investment and get in touch

Lindsay Cook's Links

• FitOn's website
• FitOn is on the App Store
• FitOn is on Google Play
• Follow FitOn on Instagram
• FitOn is on Pinterest
• Follow FitOn on Facebook
• Peerfit's website

Today I'm joined by Robbie Bent, Co-Founder and CEO of Othership, a digital and in-person platform focused on peak emotional experiences. Othership is a platform that includes a physical space and a mobile app to affect positive change, and address the problem of loneliness and the detrimental effects it has on individual and collective health. Othership encourages openness to the awe, belonging, and interconnectivity that animates the human experience for a more joy-filled life and living. In this episode we discuss Othership's app and studio offerings. We talk about why breathwork, ice baths, and saunas are moving into the mainstream. Robbie also explains how Othership creates social wellness experiences that foster connection and emotional health.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How to take your idea from concept to reality
• How Othership is scaling their business model
• How Robbie overcame prospective clients' initial skepticism
• How Othership creates transformative experiences for their customers

Links & Resources

• Unbounded
• Subscribe to the Fitt Insider newsletter
• Visit the Fitt Insider jobs board
• View current Fitt Insider investment and get in touch

Robbie Bent's Links

• Othership's website
• Follow Othership on Twitter
• Othership is on Instagram
• Check out the Othership app
• Follow Robbie on Twitter

On today's episode I'm joined by mindbodygreen Co-Founders Jason and Colleen Wachob. Mindbodygreen is a 360-degree approach to wellness that weaves the mental, physical, spiritual, emotional, and environmental aspects of well-being together. Mindbodygreen features the best research and medical expertise available to provide information, products, and connections that stand the test of time. In this episode we discuss the couple's experience building a wellness-focused media platform, and how the company has expanded beyond advertising revenue to include supplements, health coaching, and virtual classes. We also explore emerging health trends such as wearables, mental wellness, and longevity. In this episode, you'll learn:

• Mindbodygreen's philosophy on content diversification & distribution
• Tips for reaching customers at each stage of their wellness journey
• Mindbodygreen's approach to creating successful products
• Jason's predictions for upcoming opportunities in the wellness economy

Links & Resources

• Subscribe to the Fitt Insider newsletter
• Visit the Fitt Insider jobs board
• View current Fitt Insider investment and get in touch
• Oura
• WHOOP

Guest's Links

• Mindbodygreen's website
• Follow mindbodygreen on Twitter
• Mindbodygreen is on Instagram
• Follow mindbodygreen on Facebook
• Check out mindbodygreen on YouTube
• Follow mindbodygreen on Pinterest
• Listen to The mindbodygreen Podcast

Today I'm joined by Stephen Owusu, Co-Founder and CEO of JAXJOX, makers of connected strength training equipment. The JAXJOX InteractiveStudio™ is the all-in-one home fitness solution for a 360-degree connected fitness experience, replacing a rack of 22 weights with an innovative, space-saving design. It's strength, cardio, and recovery training all in one intelligent, sleek, home gym.

In this episode we discuss the rise of the smart strength category. We talk about the company's connected kettlebell, dumbbells and interactive studio, and Stephen explains why not chasing growth during the pandemic was the right decision.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How JAXJOX is transforming the in-home free weight experience
• Why delaying your product launch can pay off big later on
• Tips for partnering with outside distributors
• Stephen's philosophy on raising capital and company growth

Links & Resources

• Subscribe to the Fitt Insider newsletter
• Visit the Fitt Insider jobs board
• View current Fitt Insider investment and get in touch

Stephen Owusu's Links

• JAXJOX's website
• Follow JAXJOX on Twitter
• JAXJOX is on Instagram
• Follow JAXJOX on Facebook
• Follow Stephen on Twitter

Today I'm joined by Rishi Mandal, Co-founder and CEO of Future, a digital personal training service connecting users with human coaches. Future uses a combination of technology, content, and elite personal trainers to build custom-made training plans for their customers. Clients can reach their goals at home, in the gym, or at group fitness classes, when and where it's most convenient for them.

In this episode we talk about the company's recent 75 million dollar funding round, and how Future built its platform around accountability and personalization. We also discuss the power of the company's equipment agnostic approach.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How Future creates an intimate coaching experience in a remote environment
• The potential for one-to-one coaching across the healthcare industry
• How Future uses technology to improve coaches' quality of life
• Why Future is so successful at retaining customers

Links & Resources

• Subscribe to the Fitt Insider newsletter
• Visit the Fitt Insider jobs board
• View current Fitt Insider investment and get in touch

Rishi Mandal's Links

• Future's website
• Follow Future on Facebook
• Follow Future on Twitter
• Future is on Instagram
• Follow Rishi on Twitter
• Rishi's LinkedIn page