Fitt Insider

Let's talk about the business of wellness…

My guest today is Hamish Grierson, the Co-Founder and CEO of Thriva, a pro-active healthcare business that provides customers with at-home finger-prick blood tests. Founded in 2016 by Hamish and his Co-Founders, Eliot Brooks and Tom Livesey, Thriva not only exists to support consumers on their personal health journey, but also hospitals, surgeries, and most recently, COVID testing centers. 

In this episode, Hamish takes us through his journey of dabbling with entrepreneurship, how a corporate career built the foundation for him to launch Thriva, and where the idea of the at-home blood testing kit came from. We talk about the early days of fulfilling product from a back garden shed, the importance of being credible - particularly in the health sector - and why Hamish believes that the future will see a convergence of the segmented health and wellbeing systems. 

Thank you to our sponsors:

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

- Modern accountancy firm dedicated to saving you money, GrowFactor

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

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 L Catterton Managing Partners Michael Farello & Jon Owsley.

In addition to investments in consumer brands across almost every category, L Catterton has been heavily involved in the fitness space investing in Equinox, ClassPass, Peloton, Tonal, and many others.

In this episode, we take a deep dive into the future of fitness, including COVID's impact on gyms and studios, the growth of connected fitness, and the potential for tech companies like Apple and Amazon to get involved.

More on today's guests

Michael Farello

Michael is a Managing Partner of L Catterton's growth fund, focusing on all aspects of the fund's investment strategy and portfolio management. Over the course of his career, he has served on the Boards of more than 30 companies, with a particular focus on health and wellness, technology and direct-to-consumer businesses. In this capacity, he has focused on the companies' growth strategies, acquisitions and marketing and has extensive experience on both compensation and audit committees. He has served on the Boards of Vroom (NASDAQ: VRM), HomeChef (acquired by Kroger), Better.com, 98point6, ClassPass, Hydrow, Humann, and Pinarello among others.

Michael has worked in the consumer sector since the late-80s as a consultant, senior executive, and investor. Prior to joining Catterton, he held several executive positions at Dell where he led the company's consumer marketing and ecommerce business following a strategic role in the Office of the Chairman. Previously, Michael spent 12 years at McKinsey & Company, most recently as a Partner focusing on the consumer sector.

Mr. Farello earned an M.B.A. with distinction from the Harvard Business School and a B.S. with distinction in industrial engineering from Stanford University.

Jon Owsley

Jon is a Managing Partner of the L Catterton Growth Fund. Prior to joining L Catterton, he was a consultant at The Parthenon Group, a strategy consulting firm based in Boston. Prior to joining The Parthenon Group, Jon was a corporate attorney at Hale and Dorr (now Wilmer Hale) in Boston. Prior to Hale and Dorr, he was the Assistant Brew Master at Otter Creek Brewing and was a college lacrosse coach. Jon received a B.A, magna cum laude, from Middlebury College and a JD, with honors, from Cornell Law School. Jon lives in Connecticut with his wife and three teenage daughters.

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

Let's talk about the business of wellness…

My guest today is Morten Toft Bech, the Founder of plant-based pioneer Meatless Farm. Launched in 2016 after struggling to find healthy and tasty plant-based options for his family, Morten began his own 12 month R&D project into developing a delicious meat alternative that wasn’t only good for his health, but also good for the planet.

In this episode, Morten talks us through building a plant-based food business with no experience in the F&B category, the opportunities that come from being one of the first to launch (in the European market), and his perspective on category innovation. We also dive into the fundraising journey of Meatless Farm, and how getting disciplined with your finances at the start is crucial to attracting institutional investors, and why you need to build your team alongside your fundraising goals - top tip, investors want to know you have the team around you to deliver! 

Thank you to our sponsors:

- Beyond, the leading branding and creative agency for wellness brands, specialising in areas of food & drink, health & lifestyle, sports & technology.

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

- Modern accountancy firm dedicated to saving you money, GrowFactor

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

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

This week, we're excited to bring you the first episode 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 Cam Porter — the Founder and CEO of Core.

Core is making it easy for fitness instructors to create a branded digital experience across iOS, Android, and the web. The company's content and client management tools help instructors launch and scale their business.

In this episode, we discuss the current state of digital fitness, the disconnect between fitness and health, empowering instructors to build an online business, and the challenges Core is working through to get a product to market.

A quick note on today's episode, Anthony and I working with Cam and the Core team in an advisory role. We're excited to play a small part in helping fitness instructors grow their businesses.

More from Cam

Cameron Porter is the founder and CEO of Core, the most recent incubation to come out of the NYC based venture studio, AlleyCorp, best known for its past incubations that include; MongoDB (MDB), BusinessInsider, Gilt Groupe, Zola, and many more. Prior to leading Core, Cameron worked as a Venture Architect at AlleyCorp where he helped to launch companies in spaces ranging from renewable energy food truck fleets to prescription digital therapeutics. His path the venture world was not a traditional one. Cameron dropped out Princeton when he was drafted into Major League Soccer. While playing professionally, Cameron also worked with the league's front office as a software engineer. Through all of it, he has maintained a deep passion for how people relate to their bodies and hopes that his work can help people get a little closer to arete — fulfillment through the mind, body, and soul.

About Core: Core enables fitness instructors to launch, scale, and grow their business. To do this, Core provides a one-stop-shop for content and client management that powers the instructor's own branded experience across iOS, Android, and web. You set the prices. You own the content. You own the customers. It's your business powered by Core.

Learn more: https://www.core.fitness/

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

Let's talk about the business of wellness…

My guest today is Sarah Brown, the founder of British-born skincare brand Pai. 13 years since launch, Pai is one of the veterans of the organic and natural skincare market. The brand’s transparent approach, commitment to sustainability and efficacy, and depth of experience have all combined to bolster its global growth, as have the tailwinds of a thriving industry that’s predicted to reach $54bn by 2027.

In this episode Sarah talks about the challenges of being a boot-strapped business with big ideas, how playing the long game and committing to full vertical integration including manufacturing their own products, has set them apart… and why it’s so important to fail fast. 

Thank you to our sponsors:

- Feel-Good Brands is the leading business community for purpose-driven brands. If you’re responsible for building and managing a wellness brand, join the community and get connected.

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

- Modern accountancy firm dedicated to saving you money, GrowFactor

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

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 Randy Hetrick — the Founder and CEO of TRX.

In today's episode, we discuss Randy's journey from Navy SEAL to inventing the TRX suspension trainer. The company's "triple threat" of innovative products, professional education, and fitness content. And why Randy believes TRX represents a more accessible approach to exercise than more expensive connective fitness options.

About Randy

Randy Hetrick is the founder and CEO of TRX Training, one of the world's leading fitness brands. After graduating from USC, Randy attended BUD/S and began a 14-year career as a Navy SEAL. He completed multiple deployments, and his operational career culminated as a Squadron Commander of the SEAL's elite special missions unit where he was tasked with leading the nation's most crucial special operations missions. While on one deployment in Southeast Asia, Randy created the Suspension Trainer®–perhaps the most prolific piece of exercise equipment in history and later the first TRX product.

In addition to his role at TRX, Randy is also an investor and advisor to early-stage businesses, a speaker to organizations around the world, and a regular lecturer on leadership and entrepreneurship at his alma maters (USC & Stanford).

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

Let's talk about the business of wellness…

Samuel Dennigan is the Founder & CEO of Strong Roots, a frozen plant-based food brand encouraging people to cook healthy meals at home. Launched in Ireland in 2015, the brand has expanded across the world listing their sweet potato fries, kale-and-quinoa burgers, and other innovative products, with key retailers like Walmart and Whole Foods.

In this episode, Sam shares the reality of accelerator programmes, the keys to leading a team through rapid growth, and why he bootstrapped the business using savings and bank loans for the first 4 years.   

Thank you to our sponsors:

- Feel-Good Brands is the leading business community for purpose-driven brands. If you’re responsible for building and managing a wellness brand, join the community and get connected.

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

- Modern accountancy firm dedicated to saving you money, GrowFactor

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

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 Jason Baptiste, CEO of STUDIO.

STUDIO is a smart hub for your home gym.

In this episode, we discuss STUDIO's transition from a fitness app to connected hardware. How digital fitness companies can build community online. Business model innovation in the fitness industry. And whether or not gyms will go the way of movie theatres and arcades.

More from Jason

Jason is the CEO and co-founder of STUDIO, the smart hub for your home gym. STUDIO is the one immersive screen that connects to all your home gym equipment to take fitness classes from instructors you love with a community that uplifts you. STUDIO is financially backed by investors including Huami (NYSE:HMI), the world's largest wearable maker, and LifeFitness, the world's largest manufacturer of commercial fitness equipment. Prior to STUDIO, Jason was the CEO and founder of Onswipe, the world's largest mobile publishing platform, before it was acquired in 2014. Jason is also the author of "The Ultralight Startup", a book on entrepreneurship professionally published by Penguin Random House. Jason has also been recognized by Forbes and Inc. as a 30 under 30 CEO.

STUDIO, the smart hub for your home gym, is the one immersive screen that connects to all your home gym equipment to take fitness classes from instructors you love with a community that uplifts you. STUDIO is financially backed by investors including Huami (NYSE:HMI), the world's largest wearable maker, and LifeFitness, the world's largest manufacturer of commercial fitness equipment. STUDIO was founded by Jason L. Baptiste and Nathaniel McNamara and is headquartered in New York City.

Learn more: https://www.trystudio.com/

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.

Let's talk about the business of wellness…

Jonathan Petrides (JP) is the Co-Founder of allplants, Europe’s largest dedicated plant-based kitchen serving over 1 million frozen ready meals to households across the UK. Launched by JP and his brother Alex Petrides in 2017, the duo set out to inspire more people to eat plants for a better future for our planet.

In this episode, JP shares the vision behind the plant-powered business, the challenges of delivering a frozen vegan product around the UK (including finding eco-friendly packaging), and how as a team, allplants obsess over customer feedback. We also talk about building a community-driven legacy business and the importance of becoming a certified B Corp.

Thank you to our sponsors:

- Beyond, the leading branding and creative agency for wellness brands, specialising in areas of food & drink, health & lifestyle, sports & technology.

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

- Modern accountancy firm dedicated to saving you money, GrowFactor

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

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 Lionel Conacher — Managing Partner at Next Ventures.

Next Ventures is a venture capital firm investing in companies focused on human optimization across sports, fitness, and wellness.

In this episode, we talk about how Lionel teamed up with Lance Armstrong to start the firm. Emerging opportunities in hydration, AI, and skin sensors. And why companies like Apple, Amazon, and Google are entering the health and fitness space.

More on Lionel

Lionel Conacher is a life-long multi-sport athlete and outdoorsman and proud member of Canada's first family of sport. His financial experience spans senior positions in public companies in both Canada and the US, investment banking, and most recently private equity. He understands what it takes to create a highly successful start-up having co-founded Westwind Partners Inc., a specialized Canadian institutional investment bank. As Chief Executive Officer, Lionel grew Westwind to $100 million in revenues over 5 years after which it was sold to Thomas Weisel Partners (TWP) for $145 million. Post-sale Lionel served as President of TWP until the sale of TWP to Stifel Financial in 2010. For 7 years prior to co-founding NEXT VENTŪRES, Lionel was a Senior Advisor and Operating Partner at Palo Alto based private equity firm, Altamont Capital Partners, LLC. He currently sits on the boards AMP Human Inc., Kinetyx™ and DXL Group (NASDAQ: DXLG). Lionel is also actively involved in various non-profits including serving as a Trustee of SFMOMA, Council for Canadian American Relations and Surf Canada.

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