WELL RUN: The Business of Fitness + Wellness

If your staff feels like members can walk all over them and leadership never steps in, this is not a staffing issue. It’s a culture issue.

In this solo episode, Annie breaks down how entitlement gets baked into gym and wellness cultures, why leadership avoidance quietly erodes trust, and what actually needs to happen before staff will feel empowered to hold boundaries with confidence.

This conversation is for owners and operators who want strong member experiences and teams who feel supported, respected, and safe doing their jobs.

Covered in This Episode

• Why “the customer is always right” has damaged team culture in service-based businesses
• The critical difference between a member’s perception being real and their behavior being acceptable
• How leadership avoidance turns into a cultural norm, not just a leadership flaw
• Why staff stop enforcing standards when they don’t feel protected
• How long-standing entitlement impacts trust, confidence, and retention
• Why leadership has to go first before expecting staff to handle tough situations
• Real-world examples from the front desk and the fitness floor
• What effective education and training around tough conversations actually looks like
• How to reset expectations without alienating members
• Creating a true win-win-win for members, staff, and leadership

Key Takeaways

• Entitlement is not a personality trait. It’s a learned behavior.
• Staff will not care about new expectations until they know leadership cares about them.
• Culture is shaped by what leadership tolerates and what leadership models.
• Training only sticks when it’s reinforced by visible leadership behavior.
• Boundaries can be firm, respectful, and human at the same time.

Referenced in This Episode

• The New Gold Standard by Joseph A. Michelli
  A look at how the Ritz-Carlton empowers staff to uphold standards while treating everyone with dignity and respect.

Want Support With This?

Tough conversations do not have to feel combative or awkward. Annie offers training for leadership teams and staff, both in-person and virtual, designed to build confidence, consistency, and trust across the entire organization.

Send us Fan Mail

WELL RUN: The Business of Fitness + Wellness
Hosted by Annie Adragna and Erin Schirack.

Connect: @wellrun.podcast
For more information or to work with us, visit WELL RUN on Instagram and send us a DM.

Email us: [email protected]

Annie Adragna | Oasis Consulting Firm
25 years in fitness leadership. Advises owners and investors on profitable operations, talent strategy and product development.
Website | Instagram

Erin Schirack | HIGH SOCIETY
Luxury wellness consultant and Pilates educator turning distinctive programming and brand experiences into revenue.
Website | Instagram

Enjoying WELL RUN? Follow the show, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or rate us on Spotify. Share an episode with a fellow owner or operator.

In this episode of Well Run Podcast, Annie sits down with Erin Schirack, founder of HIGH SOCIETY, for a grounded and honest conversation about leadership, talent, and the future of luxury fitness and wellness.

Together, Annie and Erin explore what happens when leaders stop forcing talent into rigid boxes and start designing teams and experiences around real strengths. They talk about the operational and cultural cost of misaligned roles, why leaders hesitate to make changes even when they know something is off, and what shifts when organizations finally allow people to contribute at their highest level.

The conversation also touches on the evolution of wellness within hospitality and corporate environments, the importance of emotional intelligence in leadership, and why community and connection are no longer optional in high-touch fitness spaces.

This episode is a must-listen for owners, operators, and leaders who care about people-first leadership, strong culture, and building businesses that perform without burning everyone out in the process.

Key takeaways from this episode:
• Why strengths-based talent placement is a strategic advantage, not a risk
• The early signs that roles and teams are misaligned
• How emotional intelligence shows up in real leadership decisions
• What elevated wellness experiences require beyond programming
• Where the fitness and wellness industry is headed next

Listen in, then take a moment to reflect on this question:
Are you designing your team around job titles, or around what your people actually do best?

If this episode resonated, leave a review on Apple Podcasts, share it with a colleague, or follow along for more conversations that help leaders build businesses that are both human and profitable.

Send us Fan Mail

WELL RUN: The Business of Fitness + Wellness
Hosted by Annie Adragna and Erin Schirack.

Connect: @wellrun.podcast
For more information or to work with us, visit WELL RUN on Instagram and send us a DM.

Email us: [email protected]

Annie Adragna | Oasis Consulting Firm
25 years in fitness leadership. Advises owners and investors on profitable operations, talent strategy and product development.
Website | Instagram

Erin Schirack | HIGH SOCIETY
Luxury wellness consultant and Pilates educator turning distinctive programming and brand experiences into revenue.
Website | Instagram

Enjoying WELL RUN? Follow the show, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or rate us on Spotify. Share an episode with a fellow owner or operator.

The holidays have a way of revealing everything your team already feels. When leaders get intentional about appreciation during this season performance rises stress levels stabilize and the member experience gets stronger.

In this short episode I break down five ways to appreciate your team that go beyond the usual card and cookie tray. These approaches work because they speak to different appreciation styles on your team and they take less time than you think.

You will hear
 • How to give recognition that actually lands
 • Why removing a burden can be more impactful than giving a gift
 • The difference between thoughtful gifting and performative gifting
 • How presence changes the emotional climate of your club
 • The role of future focused appreciation in retention

If gifting stresses you out or you end up buying the same thing every year I created a gift guide to make this simple. It is curated for leaders in fitness wellness and hospitality who want to give something elevated without wasting hours searching.

Get the Gift Guide:
THE HIGH EQ LEADERSHIP GIFT LIST

Listen connect and share
If this episode helped you lead with more confidence pass it on to another owner or operator who could use it. You can also follow along and send me your questions or episode requests anytime.

Send us Fan Mail

WELL RUN: The Business of Fitness + Wellness
Hosted by Annie Adragna and Erin Schirack.

Connect: @wellrun.podcast
For more information or to work with us, visit WELL RUN on Instagram and send us a DM.

Email us: [email protected]

Annie Adragna | Oasis Consulting Firm
25 years in fitness leadership. Advises owners and investors on profitable operations, talent strategy and product development.
Website | Instagram

Erin Schirack | HIGH SOCIETY
Luxury wellness consultant and Pilates educator turning distinctive programming and brand experiences into revenue.
Website | Instagram

Enjoying WELL RUN? Follow the show, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or rate us on Spotify. Share an episode with a fellow owner or operator.

Building a strong team is not a guessing game. It is one of the most important responsibilities of any owner or operator who wants a people-first and financially healthy business. In this solo episode, Annie pulls from two decades of leadership inside luxury fitness and wellness spaces to break down what it really takes to hire well.

You’ll hear why most hiring problems start long before the interview even happens, and why speed and convenience are the enemies of a strong culture. Annie shares how to get clear on the values that actually matter for your business, what a precise job description should look like today, and how to design interview conversations that reveal who someone really is instead of who they think you want them to be.

She also speaks candidly about the shifting talent pool, the rise of AI-written job descriptions, and why clarity, communication, and a high EQ approach are now non negotiable if you want to attract great people and avoid constant performance management issues.

Key Takeaways

• Clarity is a leadership responsibility
• Values should drive hiring decisions, not convenience
• Job descriptions must act as filters
• Interviews should be thoughtful, human, and revealing
• Strong candidates want to interview you too
• When you take care in the hiring process, you take care of your culture

Call to Action
If you’re building or rebuilding a team in your club, studio, or wellness space and want support with job descriptions, interview design, or hiring strategy, Annie can help. Connect on LinkedIn or visit the website to start the conversation.

Send us Fan Mail

WELL RUN: The Business of Fitness + Wellness
Hosted by Annie Adragna and Erin Schirack.

Connect: @wellrun.podcast
For more information or to work with us, visit WELL RUN on Instagram and send us a DM.

Email us: [email protected]

Annie Adragna | Oasis Consulting Firm
25 years in fitness leadership. Advises owners and investors on profitable operations, talent strategy and product development.
Website | Instagram

Erin Schirack | HIGH SOCIETY
Luxury wellness consultant and Pilates educator turning distinctive programming and brand experiences into revenue.
Website | Instagram

Enjoying WELL RUN? Follow the show, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or rate us on Spotify. Share an episode with a fellow owner or operator.

In this episode on Well Run, I break down what really happens inside fitness and wellness clubs during the holiday rush and why leaders cannot treat this season like business as usual. The volume changes. The energy changes. The expectations change. Your team feels every bit of that.

I talk about how to lead with clarity and emotional intelligence when things get busy. We get into scheduling that actually supports your people, preparing your team for an influx of guests who may not understand your space, and why your presence on the floor matters more than any polished plan.

I share a story from a Christmas Eve emergency that reminded me how important safety refreshers are this time of year. We look at how to prepare your members, how to celebrate your team without adding pressure, and how to guide your operation with steadiness, not strain.

This episode is about leading through humanity, staying grounded and giving your people what they need to serve at a high level without burning out.

Key Takeaways

Your team needs clarity more than intensity
The holidays bring unpredictable traffic and stressed guests. Leadership is about stabilizing the energy, not pushing harder.

Scheduling is a leadership skill
If the schedule is off, your people feel it immediately. Build it with intention, not hope.

Your presence sets the tone
When leaders are visible and steady, teams stay calm and confident.

Safety training matters more than you think
Emergencies do not wait for convenient moments. A prepared team can change the outcome of someone’s life.

Members follow your cues
Reminding your community that your team is carrying more than usual supports a healthier culture for everyone.

Celebration should never add stress
Ask your team what feels good instead of assuming they want more events on their already full calendar.

Humanity is the heart of leadership
When you take care of the humans who run your club, everything else improves.

Send us Fan Mail

WELL RUN: The Business of Fitness + Wellness
Hosted by Annie Adragna and Erin Schirack.

Connect: @wellrun.podcast
For more information or to work with us, visit WELL RUN on Instagram and send us a DM.

Email us: [email protected]

Annie Adragna | Oasis Consulting Firm
25 years in fitness leadership. Advises owners and investors on profitable operations, talent strategy and product development.
Website | Instagram

Erin Schirack | HIGH SOCIETY
Luxury wellness consultant and Pilates educator turning distinctive programming and brand experiences into revenue.
Website | Instagram

Enjoying WELL RUN? Follow the show, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or rate us on Spotify. Share an episode with a fellow owner or operator.

Maximizing Wellness: Integrating Recovery and Longevity Strategies in Fitness Clubs

In this episode of WELL RUN. Podcast, Annie Adragna sits down with Jason Stella, a longtime leader in the health, fitness, and recovery space with nearly three decades of experience guiding people and organizations toward better performance and longevity.

Now serving as Chief Innovation and Growth Officer for Forward-Thinking Advisory Group, Jason shares what true recovery looks like and why it’s becoming the cornerstone of modern fitness and wellness. Together, they unpack the three dimensions of recovery—physical, psychological, and physiological—and how clubs can move beyond buzzwords to create systems that actually improve outcomes.

The conversation covers practical ways to integrate cold plunges, red light therapy, and other advanced wellness technologies into health clubs, while avoiding the industry’s biggest trap: buying gear without strategy or education. Jason and Annie explore what separates successful integration from wasted investment, and why healthspan—not just lifespan—is the new goal for members and operators alike.

Key Topics Covered:

• Defining recovery and what it isn’t
• Physical, psychological, and physiological dimensions of recovery
• How to design a recovery culture, not just a recovery room
• Common mistakes clubs make when investing in wellness tech
• Real-world results from tools like ArcLED and cold plunge systems
• Why focusing on healthspan is the future of fitness

Connect with Jason:
Instagram

LinkedIn

Email: [email protected]

Send us Fan Mail

WELL RUN: The Business of Fitness + Wellness
Hosted by Annie Adragna and Erin Schirack.

Connect: @wellrun.podcast
For more information or to work with us, visit WELL RUN on Instagram and send us a DM.

Email us: [email protected]

Annie Adragna | Oasis Consulting Firm
25 years in fitness leadership. Advises owners and investors on profitable operations, talent strategy and product development.
Website | Instagram

Erin Schirack | HIGH SOCIETY
Luxury wellness consultant and Pilates educator turning distinctive programming and brand experiences into revenue.
Website | Instagram

Enjoying WELL RUN? Follow the show, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or rate us on Spotify. Share an episode with a fellow owner or operator.

In this episode of Well Run, host Annie Adragna returns after a short break to share her reflections from the Beyond Activ Americas fitness conference in Dallas.

Annie unpacks what truly resonated — from the industry’s rapid innovation and renewed focus on longevity and wellness, to the simple truth that still drives success: people. She shares key insights and personal connections with industry leaders like Jeff Zwiefel and Mark Mastrov, whose reminder that “it’s about people — find great people and you can do anything” became the heart of this episode.

Through thoughtful reflection, Annie explores the evolving landscape of luxury fitness spaces, the shift from lifespan to healthspan, and why emotionally intelligent leadership remains the most undervalued business strategy in the industry. She emphasizes the power of high-touch experiences in an increasingly high-tech world, and the need for more real, human conversations about what it takes to lead well.

If you attended Beyond Activ or want to continue the conversation on EQ leadership and people-first profit, Annie invites you to reach out and share your biggest take-aways!

Or, if you’re a fitness or wellness leader ready to navigate the people side of business with more clarity and confidence, book a free 30-minute coffee chat with Annie to talk through your next step

Send us Fan Mail

WELL RUN: The Business of Fitness + Wellness
Hosted by Annie Adragna and Erin Schirack.

Connect: @wellrun.podcast
For more information or to work with us, visit WELL RUN on Instagram and send us a DM.

Email us: [email protected]

Annie Adragna | Oasis Consulting Firm
25 years in fitness leadership. Advises owners and investors on profitable operations, talent strategy and product development.
Website | Instagram

Erin Schirack | HIGH SOCIETY
Luxury wellness consultant and Pilates educator turning distinctive programming and brand experiences into revenue.
Website | Instagram

Enjoying WELL RUN? Follow the show, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or rate us on Spotify. Share an episode with a fellow owner or operator.

Staffing isn’t just an HR headache — it’s one of the most overlooked revenue strategies in the fitness, wellness, and spa industries. In this episode of Well Run, Annie Adragna breaks down why the battle for talent is the real bottom-line issue every owner and operator should be paying attention to.

With more candidates seeking positive culture, growth opportunities, and respect over just a paycheck, the old approach to hiring and retention simply doesn’t cut it anymore. Annie explains the staggering costs of turnover — from 50% to 200% of an employee’s salary and how trainer churn rates as high as 80% can quietly (or not so quietly) drain profit.

This episode highlights:

• Why staffing should be treated as a revenue strategy, not just a back-office function
• The true cost of losing good talent — from direct hiring expenses to lost members and revenue
• The cultural red flags that drive candidates and employees away
• Practical ways to assess whether you would want to work in your own business

If you’re ready to stop money from slipping through the cracks, listen in and then take the Revenue Leaks Quiz to find out where staffing and retention may already be costing you.

Send us Fan Mail

WELL RUN: The Business of Fitness + Wellness
Hosted by Annie Adragna and Erin Schirack.

Connect: @wellrun.podcast
For more information or to work with us, visit WELL RUN on Instagram and send us a DM.

Email us: [email protected]

Annie Adragna | Oasis Consulting Firm
25 years in fitness leadership. Advises owners and investors on profitable operations, talent strategy and product development.
Website | Instagram

Erin Schirack | HIGH SOCIETY
Luxury wellness consultant and Pilates educator turning distinctive programming and brand experiences into revenue.
Website | Instagram

Enjoying WELL RUN? Follow the show, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or rate us on Spotify. Share an episode with a fellow owner or operator.

In this episode of Well Run, Annie Adragna tackles the problem of toxic leadership in gyms, health clubs and wellness businesses. From fear-based managers who rely on intimidation to leaders who hide behind “false harmony,” these patterns hurt staff morale, increase turnover, and create hidden revenue leaks.

Drawing on 23 years of experience in luxury fitness and wellness management, Annie explains why EQ leadership in the fitness industry is no longer optional — it’s the foundation of profitable, people-first growth. She shares practical leadership strategies that improve retention, boost employee engagement and directly impact your club’s bottom line.

You’ll learn how to:

• Recognize fear-based leadership behaviors that cost you money
• Spot “false harmony” and how it undermines trust and performance
• Shift toward high EQ leadership that creates a thriving workplace culture
• Ask the right questions, acknowledge meaningful contributions, and build systems that support both people and profit

If you’re ready to elevate your leadership approach and fix the cultural issues that silently drain revenue, this episode is your playbook. Annie also introduces a free tool — the Revenue Leaks Quiz — to help fitness and wellness operators uncover profit drains and strengthen long-term business sustainability.

Send us Fan Mail

WELL RUN: The Business of Fitness + Wellness
Hosted by Annie Adragna and Erin Schirack.

Connect: @wellrun.podcast
For more information or to work with us, visit WELL RUN on Instagram and send us a DM.

Email us: [email protected]

Annie Adragna | Oasis Consulting Firm
25 years in fitness leadership. Advises owners and investors on profitable operations, talent strategy and product development.
Website | Instagram

Erin Schirack | HIGH SOCIETY
Luxury wellness consultant and Pilates educator turning distinctive programming and brand experiences into revenue.
Website | Instagram

Enjoying WELL RUN? Follow the show, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or rate us on Spotify. Share an episode with a fellow owner or operator.

In this episode of Well Run, Annie Adragna breaks down why discount-driven membership strategies are one of the fastest ways to undermine long-term success in the luxury fitness industry.

Instead of chasing short-term spikes from flash sales and promos, Annie explains why the most successful operators focus on Lifetime Value (LTV) — the total revenue a member contributes over their entire relationship with your club.

She shows how compounding membership value through retention, engagement, and upsells leads to sustainable growth. Backed by real data and a cautionary CrossFit case study, this episode is packed with actionable strategies: from tiered memberships to intentional upsells to creating a culture where retention is everyone’s responsibility.

If you’re ready to stop racing to the bottom and start building $12,000 clients, this one’s for you.

how do gyms make money without discounts

what is lifetime value in the fitness industry

how to increase average revenue per member in a gym

best revenue strategies for fitness clubs

how to keep gym members longer

how to sell high-value memberships

sustainable growth for fitness businesses

Send us Fan Mail

WELL RUN: The Business of Fitness + Wellness
Hosted by Annie Adragna and Erin Schirack.

Connect: @wellrun.podcast
For more information or to work with us, visit WELL RUN on Instagram and send us a DM.

Email us: [email protected]

Annie Adragna | Oasis Consulting Firm
25 years in fitness leadership. Advises owners and investors on profitable operations, talent strategy and product development.
Website | Instagram

Erin Schirack | HIGH SOCIETY
Luxury wellness consultant and Pilates educator turning distinctive programming and brand experiences into revenue.
Website | Instagram

Enjoying WELL RUN? Follow the show, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or rate us on Spotify. Share an episode with a fellow owner or operator.