“Create the life you want. Build a business that fits.” 

For this episode of The Octiv Sweat Equity podcast, join us as we visit Ivar Haywood, owner of FitLife Paarl, who transformed his CrossFit-only gym into a thriving all-inclusive fitness community over 12 years. 

Ivar shares his journey of adapting through industry shifts, surviving "the dip" that really challenged him, and building a hybrid model that puts family and community at the heart of everything. From designing an inspiring offering to creating a trademark model that supports other gym owners, Ivar reveals how staying true to your values and leaning into intuition can build something truly special.

Key themes:

1. From CrossFit to hybrid model: Adapting and evolving your business model to meet changing market demands

2. Community-centric design: Creating an all-inclusive space where families can spend time, not just work out

3. Surviving "The Dip": Navigating the brutal middle years when most gym owners want to quit

4. Values-driven business: Building around family, community and accessibility

5. The FitLife trademark model: Scaling through a flexible franchise-style approach that handles backend operations for independent gym owners

6. The power of intuition and presence: Developing business intuition through time in the trenches and learning to be fully present

7. “The right tech partner changes everything.” How Octiv and FitLife have evolved together

Leadership isn’t just about making decisions—it’s about creating a lasting impact.  The best leaders don’t just manage; they inspire, empower, and elevate those around them. But what truly sets strong leaders apart?

In this episode of The Octiv Sweat Equity Podcast, CEO and Founder of Octiv, Mark Fawzy, breaks down 6 key leadership principles that drive success. Whether you’re leading a team, running a business, or coaching athletes, these insights will change the way you lead.

In this episode of Sweat Equity, Mark Fawzy sits down with Henrik Almers, CEO of Coaches Congress, to dive into the incredible journey of growing one of the most impactful events for gym owners and coaches worldwide. From its humble beginnings as a small networking event in Sweden to expanding across Europe and now launching in Australia, Henrik shares how Coaches Congress has become a must-attend event for fitness professionals looking to elevate their businesses.

Mark and Henrik discuss: ✅ The evolution of Coaches Congress from informal meetups to an international education platform
✅ The challenges and wins of expanding into new markets like Germany, the UK, and Australia
✅ How top industry leaders like Matt Fraser and Rich Froning have become part of the movement
✅ The power of community and knowledge-sharing in the fitness industry

If you're a gym owner, coach, or fitness entrepreneur, this episode is packed with insights on how to grow, scale, and thrive in an ever-evolving industry. Tune in now!

In this episode of The Octiv Sweat Equity podcast, Mark Fawzy chats to COO of Discovery Vitality, Joe van Niekerk. Together they unpack all the details of the newly launched Vitality Fitness platform. A must-listen for all fitness facility owners in South Africa! 

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In this episode we talk to Elie Margerin, athlete, coach, CrossFit affiliate owner, CrossFit France team member and podcast host based in Paris. Elie has an interesting background in training the French police force and as a martial arts enthusiast, but it’s his passion for CrossFit and community that really shines through. He shares his story as well as some of the secrets to success from his successful gym business as well as the rapidly growing CrossFit market in France. 

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With Julian Festor, CrossFit France Country Manager 

In this episode, we interview Julian Festor, the CrossFit Country Manager for France. CrossFit has seen impressive growth and success in France, with France being CrossFit’s biggest market outside of the USA. Part of this success can be attributed to the professional and engaged approach of Julian and his team. Julian has been doing CrossFit since 2010, has co-managed gyms in Paris and has been the CrossFit France Country Manager since 2020. 

In this conversation he shared interesting insights into CrossFit France’s success, as well as his approach to fitness and relationships. He shares excellent advice for gym owners and other CrossFit country managers. 

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In this episode we speak to Tye Arnett of The Vive Tribe in Australia. Tye is a business coach, focussed specifically on helping CrossFit box owners to build gym businesses that thrive. Tye believes that there are too many box owners who struggle to find success and balance in their lives. They find themselves working in a business that consumes their lifestyle, rather than one that empowers it, and his purpose is to help these box owners to find better balance. 

The conversation covers the importance of people and culture in a business, the steps to turn a business around, and achieving better balance in life. It emphasises the need to focus on people and culture as the foundation of a successful business. Creating and maintaining a strong culture is crucial, and it requires systematising culture to ensure consistency. The conversation also highlights the consequences of not taking action and the importance of taking steps to achieve a better work-life balance.

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We wanted to start the year with intention, specifically when it comes to setting a healthy habit foundation and maintaining a mindset of momentum to carry us through this year.

With this intention in mind, we welcome our first guest of 2024, Trevor Lagerwey.

Trevor is the Head of Athletic Training at Virgin Active, he’s a two-time South African champion obstacle course racer, a regular on the cover of Mens’ Health magazine, a podcast host,  husband and father.

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Join host Mark Fawzy as he sets the tone for 2024 with an energising solo episode on The Octiv Sweat Equity Podcast. Mark shares valuable personal insights into cultivating high-performance habits that drive success in the fitness and entrepreneurship space. 

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Fitness business owners, entrepreneurs and team leaders, tune in for a motivating conversation to kick off your high performance habits this year. 

Estian Ferreira is the owner of multiple functional gyms and is hugely respected in the South African fitness community. Estian has grown his brand to six gym locations using an interesting franchise-like growth model, and in this conversation he shares very valuable insights for gym owners looking to grow their business. Estian has a collaborative mindset and amazing approachability that makes his perspective so inspiring. 

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