Fitt Insider

Today I'm joined by Courtney Reum, co-founder of M13 — a brand development and investment company.

In this episode, we discuss the shifting venture capital ecosystem, trends in health and wellness, and the firm's investments in companies like Tonal, Headspace, and ClassPass. Plus, Courtney shares his frameworks for evaluating potential investments.

More from Fitt Insider

Fitt Insider helps operators stay informed and make better decisions. We produce a weekly newsletter and podcast, curate an industry jobs board, and invest in early-stage companies.

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*** Visit the jobs board: https://jobs.fitt.co/

*** View current investment and get in touch: https://insider.fitt.co/investments/

More from Courtney

Courtney Reum is an innovator whose goal is to create impact towards global change. In April 2016, Courtney co-founded M13, a Los Angeles based brand development and investment company that accelerates businesses at the nexus of consumer products, technology, and media. M13 focuses on building emerging entrepreneurial businesses, and will directly invest more than $100 million of investments over the next 5 years.

Courtney began his career as an Investment Banker at Goldman Sachs in New York, working with such brands as Procter & Gamble, Under Armour, and Vitamin Water. In 2007, following his career at Goldman Sachs, Courtney and his brother Carter Reum established VEEV Spirits with the goal of creating "a better way to drink". Originally offering a first of its kind vodka alternative, VEEV Spirits quickly grew to be one of the fastest-growing independent brands in the country and later, with the addition of VitaFrute™ Cocktails by VEEV, the first line of organic ready-to-drink cocktails. VEEV has been honored as the winner of the Technomic Fast 50 Award and by Inc. Magazine as one of the 500 Fastest-Growing Companies in the U.S. (#7 in the food & beverage category).

While growing VEEV, Courtney & Carter began investing and providing guidance as advisors and board members to emerging businesses. Some of their select early investments include Bonobos, Birchbox, Warby Parker, Pinterest, Lyft, Kevita, and Krave Jerky. In 2016, Courtney & Carter sold a majority stake of VEEV Spirits to a multi-national strategic buyer, allowing them to found M13 and focus on their entrepreneurial stewardship of consumer brands. M13 currently has investments in 100+ companies spanning consumer brands, media, and technology.

Courtney holds a B.A. with distinction from Columbia University in New York and is an alumni of Harvard Business School. He is also an active member of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and has served as the President of the Bel-Air Chapter. Courtney was appointed as one of Mayor Eric Garcetti's Commissioners for the Los Angeles Convention Center & Tourism Authority and is philanthropically involved as a Board Member of the Los Angeles Opera and City Year, which helps underserved schools.

Courtney was named one of the 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs of both 2014 and 2015 by Goldman Sachs at its annual Builders + Innovators Summit, featured in Inc's "500 fastest growing private companies in America," and included in the Forbes "30 Under 30" list. Courtney serves as a contributing writer for Inc magazine and is featured in best-selling books such as Richard Branson's "Screw Business as Usual" and Blake Mycoskie's (TOMs Shoes) "Start Something that Matters."

Finally, Courtney and his brother are the authors of the national bestseller Shortcut Your Startup, which was published by Simon & Schuster in January 2018 and aimed to share their insights and empower the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Today I'm joined by Nate Pearson, co-founder and CEO of TrainerRoad.

In this episode, Nate shares his experience building a bootstrapped, profitable company over ten-plus years. We explore the fast-growing and increasingly competitive endurance tech category. And we talk about TrainerRoad's Adaptive Training platform that uses machine learning to help cyclists get faster.

More from Fitt Insider

Fitt Insider helps operators stay informed and make better decisions. We produce a weekly newsletter and podcast, curate an industry jobs board, and invest in early-stage companies.

*** Subscribe to our newsletter: https://insider.fitt.co/newsletter/

*** Visit the jobs board: https://jobs.fitt.co/

*** View current investment and get in touch: https://insider.fitt.co/investments/

More from Nate

Nate Pearson is CEO and Co-Founder of TrainerRoad, the leading training system for cyclists and triathletes who want to get faster. Athletes in over 150 countries use TrainerRoad's Adaptive Training system, training calendar, apps, workouts, training plans, and analysis tools to elevate their performance. Additionally, TrainerRoad's forum, blog, and podcasts are trusted educational resources for athletes around the world.

Learn more at www.TrainerRoad.com

Today I'm joined by Krisna Bhargava, CEO of Arena — the complete mobile smart gym.

In this episode, we discuss Arena's innovative strength training solution and its focus on human performance — including athletes, strength coaches, and physical therapists. Krisna details the company's plan to accelerate growth. And we cover Arena's mission to replace the dumbbell.

Note: Fitt Insider is an investor in Arena

More from Fitt Insider

Fitt Insider helps operators stay informed and make better decisions. We produce a weekly newsletter and podcast, curate an industry jobs board, and invest in early-stage companies.

*** Subscribe to our newsletter: https://insider.fitt.co/newsletter/

*** Visit the jobs board: https://jobs.fitt.co/

*** View current investment and get in touch: https://insider.fitt.co/investments/

More from Krisna

Krisna Bhargava, PhD is a scientist turned entrepreneur whose lifelong love of fitness began with martial arts, skiing, and hiking. Krisna has an extensive background in automation and biophysics, bringing the view that strength training is the foundation of reaching peach performance as much as it is preventative healthcare.

Today I'm joined by Melissa Bentivoglio, co-founder and CEO of Frame Fitness — makers of a connected Pilates reformer.

In this episode, Melissa shares how her experience as an athlete, instructor, and designer led to founding Frame. We talk about the company's $5M funding round that included 24 Hour Fitness founder Mark Mastrov. And we cover content, community, and manufacturing as the company prepares to ship products in 2022.

More from Fitt Insider

Fitt Insider helps operators stay informed and make better decisions. We produce a weekly newsletter and podcast, curate an industry jobs board, and invest in early-stage companies.

*** Subscribe to our newsletter: https://insider.fitt.co/newsletter/

*** Visit the jobs board: https://jobs.fitt.co/

*** View current investment and get in touch: https://insider.fitt.co/investments/

More from Melissa

Melissa Bentivoglio is a classically trained ballet dancer and a renowned pilates and fitness instructor. Melissa credits her dedication to pilates as having changed her life after years of elite level performance. In 2018, she designed her own proprietary reformer for use in her own studio. By launching Frame, she hopes to make pilates more widely available and accessible, so that everyone has a chance to improve their quality of life.

Today I'm joined by Helaine Knapp, CEO of CITYROW.

In this episode, we discuss the company's origin as a single boutique fitness studio, the decision to launch a connected rower and digital app, and Helaine's plan to scale an omnichannel experience.

More from Fitt Insider

Fitt Insider helps operators stay informed and make better decisions. We produce a weekly newsletter and podcast, curate an industry jobs board, and invest in early-stage companies.

*** Subscribe to our newsletter: https://insider.fitt.co/newsletter/

*** Visit the jobs board: https://jobs.fitt.co/

*** View current investment and get in touch: https://insider.fitt.co/investments/

More from Helaine

After spending years climbing the corporate ladder, Helaine Knapp left the world of

publishing for tech start-up life. Group fitness was her outlet while working hard and

taking on the hustle and bustle of New York City. Months of spin and boot camp

classes left her with a lower back injury, however, and she began searching for a

workout that was low impact, but super effective. After a friend suggested rowing,

Helaine initially rejected it as something "my dad did in college," but following a few

workouts on a sexy machine, pairing it with total body sculpting moves off the

machine, changed her mind and the concept for CITYROW was born.

With a mission of delivering a smart, fun, effective workout to all fitness levels, under

Knapp's leadership, CITYROW has grown from one studio in New York City to a

national omnichannel fitness brand a top-ranked on-demand global program

featuring at-home rowers and a fast-growing digital subscription business alongside

12 open studios and 65 franchises sold nationwide!

Knapp has yet to row on the water and has been featured as a business leader and a

wellness expert on TODAY, Women's Health, ABC, Harper's Bazaar, Shape, Well +

Good, Vogue, Yahoo! Finance, and PEOPLE, among many others.

Today I'm joined by Martin Adler, CEO of Brooklyn Boulders — operators of urban climbing, fitness, and community centers.

In this episode, we discuss the growing business of rock climbing, leveraging technology to enhance the climbing experience, and falling in love with the joy of movement.

More from Fitt Insider

Fitt Insider helps operators stay informed and make better decisions. We produce a weekly newsletter and podcast, curate an industry jobs board, and invest in early-stage companies.

*** Subscribe to our newsletter: https://insider.fitt.co/newsletter/

*** Visit the jobs board: https://jobs.fitt.co/

*** View current investment and get in touch: https://insider.fitt.co/investments/

More from Martin

Martin Adler is the CEO of Brooklyn Boulders. He previously served as Brooklyn Boulders Vice President of Strategy & Growth and then as Interim CEO. Formerly a co-founder of Healthrageous (Acq. by Humana) and Chief of Product and Strategy at Reflexion Health (Acq. by Smith & Nephew), Adler has spent the past fifteen years developing companies and services that empower people to enhance their own wellbeing.

www.brooklynboulders.com

Arcade Climbing: www.arcadeclimbing.com

linkedin.com/in/martinadler

Today I'm joined by Sarah Robb O'Hagan, CEO of Exos — a human performance company.

In this episode, we discuss Sarah's experience at companies like Nike, Gatorade, Equinox, and Flywheel Sports. We talk about Exos programs that span work, sport, and life. Plus, we cover the company's efforts to make elite performance more accessible through in-person and digital offerings.

More from Fitt Insider

Fitt Insider helps operators stay informed and make better decisions. We produce a weekly newsletter and podcast, curate an industry jobs board, and invest in early-stage companies.

*** Subscribe to our newsletter: https://insider.fitt.co/newsletter/

*** Visit the jobs board: https://jobs.fitt.co/

*** View current investment and get in touch: https://insider.fitt.co/investments/

More from Sarah

Sarah Robb O'Hagan took the helm at Exos in 2020 as chief executive officer. In this new era of the business, she's leading Exos' transformation from predominantly gym-based services, to a fully omnichannel performance program and coaching platform. Prior to Exos she served as CEO of Flywheel, global president of Equinox and Gatorade, and held leadership roles at iconic brands like Virgin and Nike. Sarah is the author of "Extreme YOU", a book to help unleash potential in ambitious leaders, and she's been named one of Forbes' Most Powerful Women in Sports and one of Fast Company's Most Creative People in Business. She sits on the boards of JetBlue Airways and Strava, and is a trustee emeritus of the Women's Sports Foundation.

Today I'm joined by Daniel Sobhani, CEO of Freeletics — an AI-powered fitness app.

In today's episode, we discuss the company's evolution from PDF workout plans to a digital fitness platform with more than 50M users. We cover the launch of Staedium, the company's new game-based connected strength training product. And Daniel shares his thoughts on innovation, team building, gamification, and more.

More from Fitt Insider

Fitt Insider helps operators stay informed and make better decisions. We produce a weekly newsletter and podcast, curate an industry jobs board, and invest in early-stage companies.

*** Subscribe to our newsletter: https://insider.fitt.co/newsletter/

*** Visit the jobs board: https://jobs.fitt.co/

*** View current investment and get in touch: https://insider.fitt.co/investments/

More from Daniel

Daniel Sobhani is the CEO at Freeletics, the leading provider of AI-based fitness and mindset coaching, with more than 165 employees and nearly 53 million users worldwide. Born and raised in Munich, Germany, he studied business administration, mechanical engineering, finance and technology management in Munich and Sydney. After working at the renowned Boston Consulting Group, he then joined Freeletics in its early stages as CEO in 2014. At the time, Freeletics was a very small, young startup, but one which was growing rapidly. Daniel helped foster its potential and guided the team to achieve international success in just a short space of time – all as a bootstrapped company.

After five successful years as a bootstrapped company, Daniel Sobhani steered Freeletics to the next milestones of the company's history, as it closed a $45 million Series A funding round in 2018 and a $25 million Series B funding round in September 2020, to enable further product innovation, exploring and building new business verticals and to expand Freeletics' global footprint.

With its AI-powered and hyper-personalized digital fitness and lifestyle coaching, Freeletics has continued to disrupt a multi-billion-dollar industry which, before the company's existence, had been dominated by stationary gyms and exclusive personal trainers. Aside from its financial success, the company has grown exponentially across the board. With almost one million users in early 2014, today the Freeletics app has over 52 million users in more than 175 countries. The company has continued to build on its product portfolio, also launching an e-commerce platform. With exciting things in the pipeline, Freeletics continues to strive to innovate and disrupt the digital fitness industry. Daniel has enabled and guided Freeletics to become the creator of one of the world's most popular fitness apps, inspiring and challenging people all over the world to become the greatest versions of themselves, both mentally and physically. And this is just the beginning.

Today I'm joined by Akin Akman and Angela Manuel-Davis, co-founders of AARMY — a digital and in-person fitness concept.

In this episode, the team explains how AARMY accelerated its digital transformation during the pandemic. We also talk about the importance of building community in a virtual environment. And we discuss the company's hybrid offering that includes studios, pop-ups, digital content, and potentially hardware.

More from Fitt Insider

Fitt Insider helps operators stay informed and make better decisions. We produce a weekly newsletter and podcast, curate an industry jobs board, and invest in early-stage companies.

*** Subscribe to our newsletter: https://insider.fitt.co/newsletter/

*** Visit the jobs board: https://jobs.fitt.co/

*** View current investment and get in touch: https://insider.fitt.co/investments/

More from AARMY

Akin Akman, Co-Founder & Chief Fitness Officer

As a tennis prodigy, Akin began his athlete journey at age 7 at the world-renowned IMG Academy training with legendary coach Nick Bollettieri. Akin has channeled all his years of training to create the signature AARMY Method, based on an authentic world-class athlete training philosophy. Transforming people from diverse backgrounds and different levels of fitness into true athletes has not only become Akin's passion, it is also the hallmark of his brand making him widely considered the world's #1 group fitness coach.

Angela Manuel-Davis, Co-Founder & Chief Motivation Officer

Angela is one of the world's leading fitness coaches and most inspiring motivational speakers. Angela's love of sports began early and directly from her family. The daughter of a legendary professional baseball coach, Angela went on to become a track star and Olympic trial semi-finalist. One of the world's top 25 100 meter runners, Angela knows firsthand how a strong foundation of practice, goal setting, and focus can build strength in every part of life. She blends the transformative power of sport and spirituality to encourage a purpose-driven life in each one of her athletes.

Today I'm joined by Jeff Veldhuizen, CEO of Capti — a game-based smart bike.

In this episode, we discuss Capti's immersive gaming experience. Jeff explains how Capti differs from other connected equipment makers. And he shares the company's long-term goal of powering fitness in the metaverse.

More from Fitt Insider

Fitt Insider helps operators stay informed and make better decisions. We produce a weekly newsletter and podcast, curate an industry jobs board, and invest in early-stage companies.

Subscribe to our newsletter: https://insider.fitt.co/newsletter/

Visit the jobs board: https://jobs.fitt.co/

View current investment and get in touch: https://insider.fitt.co/investments/

More from Jeff

A respected leader in health and fitness, Jeff's career range includes general manager of high-growth businesses, growth marketer, strategist, and operator in CPG, CE, Sporting Goods, e-commerce, and connected fitness. A tech-driven marketing and direct-to-consumer executive, Jeff has been an integral part of shaping some of the world's most recognizable brands and their online presence.

https://capti.co/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-veldhuizen/

https://www.instagram.com/capti_bike/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/capti-fit/

https://www.facebook.com/CaptiSmartBike