How do you compete with the big guys when you’re running a local boutique studio? According to Zach Mills, founder of ONBRND, it’s not about outspending the giants; it’s about out-thinking them. In this episode, Zach joins Laura Munkholm to share his journey from collegiate athlete to marketing lead at Xponential Fitness—where he oversaw brands like YogaSix and AKT—to eventually launching his own successful agency.

Zach reveals why the digital landscape is more crowded than ever and why Meta has become an ever-evolving door that requires constant optimization. He dives deep into the necessity of a solid foundation, explaining why you shouldn’t spend a dime on ads until your CRM and lead-nurturing infrastructure are leak-proof. He also discusses the power of consistency, the shift from complex targeting to high-performing creative hooks, and how AI tools like ChatGPT act as amplifiers rather than replacements for human strategy. Finally, he shares the inspiring success story of Natural Pilates and how they scaled from 4 to 12 locations by prioritizing the backbone of their business.

“We don't just need hot Pilates; we need a community-based brand... that human interaction piece is the backbone."

What happens when you say yes to an opportunity you feel totally unqualified for? For Kenzie Wesp, it meant becoming a business owner before she even graduated college. In this episode, Laura Munkholm sits down with the powerhouse behind Nashville’s Trueform and Format studios to discuss how she scaled her business

Kenzie shares her unique journey, from a career-ending dance injury to owning multiple boutique fitness brands, and reveals her secret sauce for leadership: calling people higher while staying humble enough to sub a 6:00 AM class yourself. Whether you’re a studio owner or an aspiring entrepreneur, Kenzie’s "peanut butter and jelly" philosophy on risk will change the way you look at your next big leap.

"When the leader of the business is clear about exactly who they are delivering to... they’re able to forge their own path instead of trying to blend in."

Is boutique fitness becoming too transactional? In this episode, we sit down with Erin, founder of La Forme, who walked away from a 21-year corporate career to redefine what it means to show up for a workout. We dive into how she transitioned her high-level operations background into a human-centric studio model that prioritizes community over calculations—and how offering a solid sweat session is no longer enough. Discover why "putting your adult life in a cubby" is the ultimate luxury, how to empower your staff with a surprise and delight budget, and why the future of fitness lies in becoming a true "third space" for your members.

“Your confidence and your aspiration has always gotta be bigger than the impact that you’re having on others, because that’s how your impact grows."

Beyond strategy, Mike explores the psychological weight of the phrase "You Belong Here," positioning it as a vital antidote to a world where loneliness is as lethal as a pack-a-day smoking habit. He outlines the Five Levels of Belonging, providing a roadmap to move members from being merely "tolerated" to a peak state of security where they can stumble without fear of exile. By "re-membering" members every day and consistently articulating the life-changing value of health, leaders can transform their businesses into sanctuaries of community that are impossible to detether from.

“If you can consistently enroll just two new members each month, you can add $50,000 a year in annual revenue by the end of the first year.”

Many studio owners feel like they’re working nonstop…yet their bank account doesn’t reflect the effort. In this episode of Well, Well, Well, Laura sits down with Julian Barnes, co-founder and CEO of the BFS Network, to decode the latest State of the Industry report—and what it really tells us about profitable, sustainable studios. Julian breaks down who’s actually represented in the data (spoiler: it’s overwhelmingly independently owned studios), why profitability is the metric that keeps your doors open, and how the percentage of studios hitting 20%+ margins has almost doubled since the last report.

They dig into the surprising correlation between having a dedicated manager and landing in the most profitable tier, the unsexy basics the best studios execute every single day, and Julian’s simple formula for adding $50K in annual revenue by focusing on just two to three net new members a month. You’ll also hear a candid conversation about why “community” alone can’t be your moat, how to stand out when three studios open on the same block, and what it really looks like to shift from passion project to business owner—without losing your heart for impact.

If you’ve ever thought, “I love what I do, but this has to make more money,” this is your playbook episode.

"You can lead your team from a calm energy."

This is the conversation every studio owner needs to hear. Many boutique fitness owners struggle with finances, feeling lost or frozen by overwhelming metrics. In this episode of Well, Well, Well, finance expert, Lauren Schoenfeld, Founder, CEO + CFO of Active Core Consulting, peels back the shame and simplifies the path to financial clarity. Lauren, who scaled her career from a major consulting firm to eight years at Equinox, brings the tactical knowledge of big business to the small-business owner. She dives deep into the emotional tax of being a business owner versus a CEO, the core seven metrics that actually matter, and how harnessing your "flow state" is the key to making strategic, bold decisions for profitability. Learn the difference between reacting to numbers and actively steering your studio toward success.

“When it comes to movement, it’s about the pleasure principle. What brings you joy? That’s the key.”

We all enter the fitness industry because it fired us up, but somewhere along the line, the constant competition, the selling, and the feeling of burnout can take over. In this must-listen episode of Well, Well, Well, host Laura Munkholm welcomes Jessica Maurer, Director of Education for the Mental Wellbeing Association. They dive deep into the emotional realities of studio ownership and teaching—and how to reclaim the spark.

Jessica shares groundbreaking, evidence-based strategies to shift the narrative from fitness as punishment, guilt, and competition to fitness as joy, pleasure, and genuine connection. Learn the critical difference between burnout and boredom, the dangers of the false consensus effect in boutique fitness, and the simple structure that will make social media an engine for connection, not comparison. This is the conversation you need to hear to stop focusing on management and start leading with wellness and finding true fulfillment.

“We want to go upstream to look for a solution, before you get to downstream sick care.” 

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Dr. Gloria Winters, Chief Health Officer of the YMCA of the USA, to dissect the critical gap between preventative wellness and clinical medicine. With over 25 years as a physician and orthopedic physical therapist, Dr. Winters brings rare insight from the front lines of patient care to the decision-making tables in Washington, D.C. (including a recent conversation with the administrator of CMS).

Dr. Winters shares her incredible journey from treating patients full-time to championing whole-person health across 2,600 communities nationwide. She uses a powerful parable—the "Third Friend"—to redefine the role of the wellness industry as the essential force that goes upstream to prevent problems before they start.

"If we’re just taking them to the other side of a workout, that's easy to leave, that's easy to replace."

Tired of chasing fitness trends? Host Laura Munkholm and experienced brand strategist Barry Kostabi reveal the single most powerful strategy for building a resilient wellness business: shifting from selling a workout to selling an identity. Drawing on his global experience, Barry explains why Identity-First Brands succeed where others fail, how to speak to the 80% of people who aren't moving, and why deep-seated loyalty isn't about the type of class you offer, but the feeling you deliver. If you're ready to build a business that people feel they can't live without, learn how to deliver the emotional journey clients are truly buying.

Learn more from (and with) Barry and his company, Fitcarma: