Fitt Insider

This week, we're excited to bring you another edition of Startup Spotlight – a series where we speak with early-stage founders working on fitness and wellness startups.

Today I'm joined by Wilfred Valenta, CEO of Silofit.

Silofit is a network of private, on-demand fitness spaces.

In this episode, we discuss innovative approaches to brick and mortar fitness. Wilfred shares his vision for a decentralized gym — spanning real estate, software, and services. And we talk about why the company is focused on helping fitness professionals grow their business.

More from Wilfred

Wilfred is the CEO & Co-founder of Silofit, a platform for fitness and wellness professionals to run their physical and digital business completely from end to end. The company offers private workout space at 40% less compared to standard gyms, an app to help sell content and find leads, and supporting education and certification. Silofit is venture-backed by Whitecap VP, Courtside VC, Alate Partners, and famed football player Ndamukong Suh. Currently operating 8 spaces across 2 cities, the company is set to demonstrate significant growth as it enters the U.S. market in 2021.

More from Fitt Insider

Fitt Insider is a newsletter and podcast dedicated to the business of fitness and wellness.

Join industry-leading operators and investors by subscribing: http://insider.fitt.co

Let's talk about the business of wellness…

My guest today is Paul Brown, Founder of BOL, the healthy plant-based meal range keeping busy people fuelled and satisfied. Following a 14 year career at smoothie brand leaders, Innocent, Paul launched BOL in 2015 and has since served over 35 million portions of fruit and veg.

In this episode, Paul talks us through some of the practicalities of launching a fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) brand, from learning on the job at Innocent to developing an eye-catching brand. We hear why he made the decision to abandon meat, fish and dairy from BOL’s ingredient list and become 100% plant-based and how this nearly lost BOL once of the UK’s biggest stockists.

Thank you to our sponsors:

- The go-to legal firm supporting the wellness industry Bird & Bird

- The software booking experts serving gyms, spas and salons worldwide, Mindbody

Find out what trends are driving the growth of the wellness industry in our 2021 Consumer Wellness Trends Report. 

To find out how Welltodo can help you grow your business and support your career objectives, head to welltodoglobal.com today.

Today I'm joined by Brian Kirkbride.

Brian is the co-founder and co-CEO of FitLab — an integrated holding company of Performance Lifestyle brands.

In this episode, we talk about FitLab's evolution from venture studio to holding company. How they've partnered with brands like XPT, McGregor Fast, and Freeletics. Then Brian and I discuss the future of the fitness space, including digital options, the in-person experience, and community.

More from Brian

Brian Kirkbride is the co-Founder and co-CEO of FitLab, the fitness and sport lifestyle company whose brands include Electric, Freeletics, McGregor FAST and XPT.

Brian has spent nearly two decades building and scaling companies in sport, fitness and wellness. At Nike, Brian oversaw business development and partnerships, and was founder & GM of the Nike+ Lab and the Nike+ Accelerator. Brian was previously COO of Kalologie, a retail wellness company, as well as a venture capitalist at Highland Capital Partners. Brian received an undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt and a MBA from Harvard Business School.

More from Fitt Insider

Fitt Insider is a newsletter and podcast dedicated to the business of fitness and wellness.

Join industry-leading operators and investors by subscribing: http://insider.fitt.co

Let's talk about the business of wellness…

My guest today is Rishi Mandal, a critical-thinking Astrophysicist, and Co-Founder of Future - a pioneering online personal training platform that pairs clients with their own world-class coach. With an impressive CV that includes NASA and Google, Rishi and his Co-Founder, Justin Santamaria set about to change people’s attitude towards fitness.

In this episode, we talk about the real problem faced by 80% of the population when it comes to their health goals - overwhelm, exhaustion, and a lack of consistency. We dive into the psychology behind why athletes and celebrities find it easier to stay true to their health goals, and how Future is bringing these strategies to the masses at an affordable price. We also talk about the fear behind scaling a tech company, and what makes Future a fitness hospitality company. 

Thank you to our sponsors:

- The go-to legal firm supporting the wellness industry Bird & Bird

- The software booking experts serving gyms, spas and salons worldwide, Mindbody

Find out what trends are driving the growth of the wellness industry in our 2021 Consumer Wellness Trends Report. 

To find out how Welltodo can help you grow your business and support your career objectives, head to welltodoglobal.com today.

Today I'm joined by Jimmy DeCicco, CEO of Super Coffee.

In this episode, we discuss the company's journey from college room to Shark Tank and landing an investment from Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez.

Jimmy also talks about the importance of being action-oriented, building a strong culture and team, and how he thinks about the evolution of the better-for-you food and beverage category.

Let's get into it.

More from Jimmy

Jimmy is the oldest of the three DeCicco brothers who founded Super Coffee in 2015 as tired collegiate student-athletes. Sick of unhealthy bottled coffees and energy drinks, the DeCicco brothers invented a sugar-free, enhanced coffee in their dorm room and challenged big sugar head-on. Today, Super Coffee is the fastest growing food and beverage company in the country (Inc. 5000, 2020). The DeCicco brothers appeared on ABC's Shark Tank in 2018 (Season 9, Episode 22), the Forbes 30 Under 30 List 2019, and were EY's Entrepreneurs of the Year in 2020 (NYC Region). Super Coffee is nationally distributed by Anheuser Busch and is available in over 50,000 stores in the US. The DeCicco brothers have raised over $50 million in venture capital, attracting big-name investors like Jennifer Lopez, Alex Rodriguez, Aaron Rodgers, Baron Davis, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Anheuser Busch and more.

More from Fitt Insider

Fitt Insider is a newsletter and podcast dedicated to the business of fitness and wellness.

Join industry-leading operators and investors by subscribing: http://insider.fitt.co

This week, we're excited to bring you another edition of Startup Spotlight – a recurring series where we speak with early-stage founders working on fitness and wellness startups.

We usually focus on established companies, operators, and inventors — and we'll continue bringing you those conversations most weeks. But, from time to time, we're highlight companies at the beginning of their journey.

Today I'm joined by Emily Hochman, the founder and CEO of Wellory.

In this episode, we talk about building the anti-diet app. How Emily was able to raise $4.2M to personalize nutrition. And the growing opportunity to create a high-touch experience for health seekers.

More from Emily

Emily Hochman is the Founder and CEO of Wellory, the anti-diet nutrition app on a mission to make personalized nutrition accessible for all. Hochman has been featured in Business Insider, Thrive Global, Well+Good, named Bucknell University's 13 Under 35 Innovators and Forbes 30 Under 30.

More from Fitt Insider

Fitt Insider is a newsletter and podcast dedicated to the business of fitness and wellness.

Join industry-leading operators and investors by subscribing: http://insider.fitt.co

Today I'm joined by Avrum Elmakis, founder and CEO of CLMBR — a connected vertical climbing machine.

I this episode, we talk about launching a company during a pandemic, introducing a new piece of equipment to the connected fitness category, why CLMBR plans to target the commercial sector in addition to at-home, and how the company landed investors like Jay-Z, Pitbull, and Novak Djokovic.

More from Avrum

Avrum Elmakis is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer at CLMBR. A serial entrepreneur, Avrum has founded and sold many successful businesses, and won EY Entrepreneur of the Year in 2013. At CLMBR, he is responsible for leading a team of design, fitness and tech visionaries in creating the world's most advanced climbing machine. He is also the owner of two Rise Nation climbing studios in Colorado and still serves as the chairman of the board of TDBBS, his business which scaled quickly into a behemoth in the pet industry. He is an avid skier and enjoys spending time with his wife and four daughters and loving the great state of Colorado.

More from Fitt Insider

Fitt Insider is a newsletter and podcast dedicated to the business of fitness and wellness.

Join industry-leading operators and investors by subscribing: http://insider.fitt.co

Today I'm joined by John Burns, CEO of TB12.

TB12 is a health and wellness company founded by Tom Brady and his personal trainer Alex Guerrero.

In this episode, we talk about the company's mission to help people perform better and live pain-free.

Building a business that encompasses physical locations, digital content, nutritional supplements, fitness equipment, and more.

And John talks about the company's plans to develop an education and certification program for TB12 coaches.

More from John

John Burns is the CEO of TB12, the health and wellness company founded by 6-time Super

Bowl Champion Tom Brady and co-Founder Alex Guerrero. John is responsible for leading all

aspects of the company's operations and growth strategy. He has enjoyed a successful career in executive leadership and venture capital. With a strong passion for entrepreneurship and brand building, he has served as Founder, Chairman, and/or CEO of multiple consumer companies. John has a particular interest in health, wellness, sports, and fitness. He serves, or has served, on the Boards of TB12, Spartan Race, Grillos Pickles, Yasso, and EverybodyFights. John received his undergraduate degree from Boston College and his M.B.A. from Babson College.

More from Fitt Insider

Fitt Insider is a newsletter and podcast dedicated to the business of fitness and wellness.

Join industry-leading operators and investors by subscribing: http://insider.fitt.co

Today I'm joined by Jason LaRose, CEO of Equinox Media.

In this episode, we discuss the SoulCycle at-home bike and Variis by Equinox — the digital platform powering the content and connected fitness experience.

We talk about the role of the instructor, music, community, and programming in producing fitness content.

Then we look ahead to the return of exercising in person, and how Equinox will approach an omnichannel fitness environment.

Let's get into it

More about Jason

Jason LaRose is the CEO of Equinox Media, a transformative on-demand platform offering access to the best brands in fitness. In his role, LaRose is responsible for leading strategy, growth and expansion for the company.

LaRose joined Equinox Media following more than 20 years of experience in brand, e-commerce, omnichannel retailing, and building communities in the digital and athletic spaces. Prior to Equinox Media, LaRose was President of North America for Under Armour where he spearheaded the company's entrée into wearables and fitness tracking apps, expanded the Under Armour Connected Fitness platform, and established the global e-commerce business. In the earlier days of e-commerce and social media, LaRose served as an Associate Principal in the Consumer and Digital Practices at McKinsey & Company where he helped companies expand their brands into the digital space. LaRose also previously served as a board member at Shop.org and held numerous executive strategy and operating positions at Sears Holding Corporation and Express, LLC.

LaRose holds a B.S. from the University of Michigan and an MBA from Duke University.

More from Fitt Insider

Fitt Insider is a weekly newsletter and podcast about the business of fitness and wellness.

From product launches and funding news to game-changing innovation, Fitt Insider provides listeners with insights and analysis on this ever-evolving industry.

Join your peers and colleagues from companies like Equinox, Apple, Peloton, Goldman Sachs, Nike, and ClassPass by subscribing.

Website: http://insider.fitt.co

This week, we're excited to bring you another edition of Startup Spotlight – a recurring series where we speak with early-stage founders working on fitness and wellness startups.

We usually focus on established companies, operators, and inventors — and we'll continue bringing you those conversations most weeks. But, from time to time, we're highlight companies at the beginning of their journey.

Today I'm joined by Lola Priego.

Lola is the founder of Base — where they're using at-home blood testing to improve diet, stress, sleep, and brain fog.

In this episode, we talk about putting health in the consumer's hands, targeting potential customers beyond the realm of biohackers, and how Lola was able to raise $3.5M with a team of only five employees as a first-time founder.

Let's get into it.

More from Lola

Lola is the Founder and CEO of Base, the first health tracker that uses a data science app paired with at-home testing to help people feel better. Prior to founding Base, Lola was a software engineer at Amazon, Facebook and Instagram where she was focused on improving network performance. She later went on to be the Head of Engineering at a Khosla-backed startup within the lab industry space. Through her own personal health journey, Lola realized that a major discrepancy in the healthcare system is the lack of access to data around one's health. She founded Base as a way to help people understand why they are feeling off with a data-driven approach. Base helps those users that can't sleep, are fatigued, brain fogged or are looking for the optimal personalized diet.

Originally from Spain, Lola studied medicine for a year before transferring to engineering at the Technical University of Madrid. She then came to the United States to study at the Illinois Institute of Technology and received her Master's Degree in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence. In her free time, Lola started a project through the organization More than Me where she goes to Liberia and teaches girls to code with tablets that she uniquely designed to work offline.

Social: https://www.instagram.com/get_base/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lolitapriego

Webpage: https://get-base.com/fitt for a 20% off discount

More from Fitt Insider

Fitt Insider is a weekly newsletter and podcast about the business of fitness and wellness.

From product launches and funding news to game-changing innovation, Fitt Insider provides listeners with insights and analysis on this ever-evolving industry.

Join your peers and colleagues from companies like Equinox, Apple, Peloton, Goldman Sachs, Nike, and ClassPass by subscribing.

Website: http://insider.fitt.co

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A quick reminder before we get into today's show — every Tuesday, we send a weekly newsletter filled with insights and analysts on the business of fitness and wellness. Join other decision-makers and industry operators, by subscribing at http://insider.fitt.co