Escape Your Limits & LIFTS

In the first of our three-part Consumer Electronics Show technology special from Las Vegas, we speak to Julie Sylvester, producer of fitness and wearable tech summits for Living In Digital Times, official partner of CES. This episode is a who's who of fitness technology, from the start-ups that have evolved to the huge brands we know today and the people behind them. Learn what caused this growth and how entrepreneurs implemented their insight for the benefit of both bodies and business. Watch the full episode on YouTube As conference producer, Julie Sylvester seeks out new and established companies who are at the forefront of innovation in the field of sports, fitness and wearable technology. The conferences she's been a part of with Living In Digital Times have fostered introductions that have led to key partnerships in the field of fitness and wearable tech. From a decade of experience, Julie knows everything there is to know about the sectors that help you understand whether workouts are actually effective or not. Celebrating decades of events, awards and exhibits that herald and tap into the future at CES, Living In Digital Times helps companies understand what it means to be a consumer in today's digital world. By identifying and exploring trends, desires and needs in specific consumer technology marketplaces, LIDT connects the dots to life's technology by providing context. Markets include health, finance, retail, family, fitness, and fashion – representing nearly every part of life touched by technology. Episode highlights - How CES has evolved and where it came from in the early days compared with the Vegas tech fest behemoth that it's become today. How fitness tech has evolved from the early days of GPS and step trackers to the vast and diverse connected training opportunities that are available today. How the little companies were driving innovation and progress in the market to start with before bigger companies came in and started a bidding war over all of them. What's interesting to investors today compared to yesteryear and how you can gain interest from the people that can help you scale your business. What's going to happen with all of this big data collected? Who will collate it and what will it mean for our future? Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Julie Sylvester…

Both controversial and cunning in the ways of behavioural science and sales, Benjamin Dennehy is an expert in challenging beliefs around money. These secrets of selling from the UK's most hated sales trainer will allow you to not only discover new predictors of success and recruit the right candidates for any sales roles, but battle against money concepts, subservience and tired belief systems in an industry where profit is king. Chances are that your "best practice" is not the best practice. In this episode you'll learn why. Watch the full episode on YouTube Benjamin Dennehy grew up in New Zealand before travelling to the UK for life experience, working in pubs. When the time came to get a "real job", he studied in law but fell into a role as a recruitment consultant. His recruitment record was abysmal – recruiting nobody in six months. However, his aptitude for lead generation and setting up appointments was through the roof. So began a new direction. Fast forward through years of sales development and prospecting, Benjamin is now working with people that have the desire, motivation and ambition to change. Benjamin Dennehy is an engaging sales speaker, interim sales director and sales trainer who will explain that the barriers cemented within your selling process ARE your parents' fault! Dennehy brings an antipodean brutality and charm to the sales experience many have never encountered before. His 'no holds barred' presentation will educate, inspire, motivate and help sales people to understand why they struggle with many of their daily sales frustrations. Episode highlights - Why you need to play to your strengths, even if you don't realise you're good at something until you start doing it. When you need to make the decision between working for someone else or making money for yourself, doing what you do best in a self employed role. How to avoid creating pitch briefs for prospects, where you're essentially working for free and giving them your ideas. Why so many sales people don't know why people buy things, which is imperative to understanding purchase behaviour and reasons for spend. How to understand what emotions drive purchases, and how your sales technique can be altered to appreciate this new truth. The real reason for purchase is often very different from what a prospect tells you it is. Hear about what the purpose of selling is and what you need to amend in your pitch or approach to make your prospecting universally appealing to any customer. How you can gain more control in your prospecting calls, and why at times you should even be looking for the hard "no" if they're not the right person you need. How you can get past the gatekeepers and what you should be saying to the real decision makers. Why you need to emulate the person you're trying to get through to. Why you need to learn how to ask questions in a way that doesn't upset people. How it may not be confidence that's causing lack of sales performance and what you can do to remedy the situation through a change of beliefs. Why comparing sales techniques, including training and daily approach, with other industries such as healthcare or the legal system will change your mind on how a salesperson should be behaving. Why price shouldn't be an issue and how the best salespeople can unveil how you can get around the "you're too expensive" dismissal. How a great salesperson wouldn't necessarily be a great manager, and why this career path and promotion may be detrimental to overall results for a business. Why some sales-related positions in a business really shouldn't have a sales target placed above them. The need for management skills sometimes outweighs the additional budget needs or cost. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Benjamin Dennehy…

Larry Domingo and Gino Lombardo are leading the future of the wellbeing market with a gym and recovery studio in one business. 6th Sense Fitness + Recovery not only offers traditional functional fitness benefits, but they're leveraging technology such as cryotherapy, compression, and other parasympathetic treatments that allow you to rest and digest compared to when you're working hard the rest of the time. This episode of the Escape Your Limits podcast will offer everything to help you recover quicker by dealing with inflammation, oxidative stress and similar conditions that follow tough workouts. Watch the full episode on YouTube Larry Domingo has been in the fitness industry for over 30 years. Now working as a boutique consultant, he is also founder of PrePostFit, providing innovative products backed by evidence-based science to the fitness industry and facilities such as 6th Sense Fitness + Recovery. Gino Lombardo is general manager of 6th Sense Fitness + Recovery and is passionate about guiding members to reach their full potential. Full of positivity and enjoyment of all things to do with both nature and movement, his approach is that 'you don't have to do it, you get to do it!' 6th Sense Fitness + Recovery is all about redefining wellbeing through looking after both body and mind. A gym space combined with wellbeing facilities such as cryotherapy, infrared sauna and photobiomodulation, 6thSense is leading a trend for providing everything a member needs under one roof. 6th Sense is a diverse selection of high-end services, group classes, and nationally certified trainers, providing you with a personalised fitness experience that is enhanced by modern-day technology and fused with scientifically backed methodologies, to help you train smarter and recover faster. Episode highlights - What facilities are up and coming with innovative technology to help you build, perform and recover in equal measure. How recovery studios and modalities can help the general public just as much as professional athletes. Why bigger budgets are being spent year on year for recovery of professional sports teams to give them the edge and get results, and how this is going to trickle down into general public appreciation soon. Why tech and apps will allow you to get to know yourself better and understand when you need to work hard or when you need to rest. Who the big players are in the recovery and rehabilitation market at present. How recovery facilities will help trainers differentiate themselves in a competitive fitness market. What's causing us to be constantly stimulated in the world today and how you can combat these environmental factors to get into a parasympathetic state that will improve every aspect of your life. What it is going to take to make recovery more mainstream and ensure that facilities are not too ahead of the curve for success. How operators should be pricing these recovery facilities and how often members need to be using them. What demographic recovery operators currently appeal to, why this is going to change and how levels of affluence around a location are important to any facility. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Larry Domingo and Gino Lombardo…

Host of the Escape Your Limits podcast, Matthew Januszek, takes a look back on the 12 months of 2019, identifying trends from every episode and how they'll make a difference in fitness. Whether it's finding what areas of the market are set to explode in the coming years from our guests' insight, or what you need to do in order to grow your business in any industry as an entrepreneur or business, this episode will set you up for 2020 and beyond. Watch the full episode on YouTube. Highlights – A look back on 12 months of the Escape Your Limits podcast, sharing information about what's happening in the immediate fitness industry and peripheral sectors that will change how we all work together. How competitive the fitness industry is and why the majority of businesses are fighting in the same market, often to their own detriment. Why finding your 'blue ocean' will bring innovation and increased business through appealing to a whole new range of people. What recovery really means, and why it's not just about preventing your muscles from aching. Mental recovery is just as important in any fitness regime. Why it's important to share conversations with as many people as possible to give a broad view of the fitness industry, rather than a small-scale perception through controlled information and agendas. How many people's lives have been taken over by the need for instant gratification, whether it's on social media, with financial progression or with dietary decisions. The importance of working together and finding partnerships to collaborate and benefit both parties, whether it's a venture, a product development process, or sharing an audience or customer base. Tips on staying relevant with your customer and how to overcome the challenges on technology advancement, purchasing trends and finding the right team to discover market trends. Timing your business proposition so you're not late to the game or too far ahead of the curve. There's a fine line between strategic innovation and bad planning. Why there are many times when you'll question yourself, but it's important to not let those doubts influence your decisions too much. Use feedback, both positive and negative, to drive you forward and push for more. What's coming from the Escape Your Limits podcast and Escape Fitness in 2020 and beyond. Join Matthew Januszek looking back on 2019 about the trends and topics covered in this year's Escape Your Limits podcast episodes…

Brendan Brazier and Mark McTavish are the game changers of alcohol. The two entrepreneurs are pioneering new growth in a market of drinks steeped in wellness and nutritional benefits. Through a vegan mindset and ethical stance, they're sharing the benefits of alcoholic elixirs, whether it's probiotics or the zero sugar, to prove there's new way of drinking for everyone. Watch the full episode on YouTube Brendan Brazier is a vegan triathlete and entrepreneur. After discovering nutritional ways to combat his own health conditions, Brendan started Vega – a plant-based drink to aid performance, with protein, essential fats, fibre, greens and more. Brendan was also an executive producer for the plant-based Netflix film, The Game Changers, alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger, James Cameron, Jackie Chan and countless others passionate about diet and nutrition. Mark McTavish is the president of 101 Cider House, a devoted cider fan and a lover of artistic beverages. With a juxtaposed background in fitness and the Canadian craft beer industry, Mark moved to south California to combine his passions in a fermented fruit drink that brings the enjoyment of alcohol with the benefits of probiotics and craft cider. Mark McTavish discovered the simplest way to make an alcoholic beverage, inspired by the organic sidras of northern Spain. 101 ciders contain zero residual sugar and no carbs, just 100% fresh pressed juice, full of naturally occurring yeasts and bacteria that ferment the base cider. To that, the team adds fresh fruits and herbs for flavor, and then everything is conditioned in the bottle (or keg). It's also probiotic, gluten free and vegan friendly! Now Mark has teamed up with Brendan to promote the benefits of healthy eating, healthy drinking and a mindset that means you can achieve anything. Episode highlights - Discover the new cold pressed juice that's been fermented – a healthy alcoholic drink with uplifting effects. Benefits include no dehydration, improved digestion and intestinal flora, and even nootropic qualities. How to go about the gritty world of brand building, creating a product and getting it out there. Why many athletes believe that a plant-based diet will help with everything from getting rid of inflammation, improving digestion, increasing strength and feeling better overall. The difference between veganism, a plant-based diet, being a vegetarian and other nutritional trends or marketing terms. How a lot of the opinions surrounding dietary decisions are based upon commercialisation of a food system that doesn't work. Why fear and laziness are the biggest contributors to not making better decisions with anything in life. How common ground can be destroyed by labels and naming conventions, and why division is not going to benefit anyone in regards to progressive nutrition choices. Why sprouted and fermented foods are so healthy for you, and can help with a multitude of gastronomic issues or conditions. Why a change in your diet will unlock the nuances of flavour after your tastebuds become recalibrated. How multi-layered distribution channels, price influences and margins are not currently conducive to a system that gives consumers healthy products when it comes to alcohol. Why we all have a stress threshold and how we can concentrate on productive stress while letting go of anything we can't control. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Brendan Brazier and Mark McTavish…

In these days of fake news, Facebook and Google monopolies and general misinformation, trust is hard to come by. Bryan O'Rourke knows how important trust is in any business, and why inspiring long-term confidence will shape the future of fitness, changing the leaders of internet activity as we know them. From a fitness futurist, board director, advisor, keynote speaker and president of the Fitness Industry Technology Council, this episode is a lesson in how fitness as we know it is going to grow in ways that are unimaginable to most of us today – trust us. Watch the full episode on YouTube

Through yoga, Stacey Mulvey is taking time to relax within the 'green rush' boom of the marijuana industry. As founder at Marijuasana, a traditional fitness concept combined with cannabinoids, she's creating a community of one-on-one coaching and trainer certification fuelled by CBD, THC and other cannabis products. Watch the full episode on YouTube Stacey Mulvey started doing yoga as part of a lifestyle epiphany. She was fed up of being out of shape, in pain and living a sedentary existence. Stuck in a mindset pattern full of victim consciousness and how every problem was everybody else's fault, Stacey realised that only she could improve how she feels in her body. She began to increase her movement through Callanetics and the healthier lifestyle created more happiness and positivity. After some time, Stacey quit her corporate job to become a Pilates instructor. This started her on a journey that's developed into a business opportunity like no other, jumping into an emerging market for a wellness and mindfulness movement that brings together two worlds. Marijuasana promotes wellness and considers plant medicine and yoga as essential components of an integrated, healthy lifestyle. Stacey and her team support and show respect toward those that use cannabis, and through participation in mindful movement and other creative activities they foster community connection, trust, and reduce stigma. Countering the intensity of some traditional yoga classes, Marijuasana is an open and community-based yoga movement that's welcoming anyone with an affinity to or curiosity about cannabis. Episode highlights Why it's down to you to change your lifestyle if you're not happy with it, and how you can take control to change your path and eventually develop a thriving business opportunity from your passions. The difference between cannabis, marijuana sativa, hemp, CDB, THC, the cannabinoid and other elements of the plant. What the effects of CBD are and why there's ambiguity surrounding the pros and cons of its use. Why cannabis culture and non-psychoactive CBD use has been stigmatised, even in territories where it's been legalised. How important authenticity is and why your integrity depends entirely on your ability to be truthful with yourself, including in business ventures. How the cannabis industry is split in two, and why marketing positions are differentiating the perceived morality or ethics behind health and wellness integration. Why your physical body can be affected by your mental state, whether that's through your attitude to healing, your own empowerment or the way that you deal with injury and recovery. How the cannabis industry needs to differentiate between wellbeing and dependency, and how this will aid both corporate and consumer in the long term. Why the best move in business can often be to brave and follow your instinct when it comes to emerging markets, even if you can't fully-explain exactly what led you to that decision. How financial institutions affect the cannabis industry and how this has stunted market growth. What the different options of consuming THC and CBD, whether it's inhalation and smoking or transdermal or edible, and how they affect your tolerance levels differently. How you can transfer a lesson structure in person to offer online experiences for digital classes that progress over different paces and time periods, or by employing certified trainers in multiple locations. How your body's endocannabinoid system regulates neurotransmitters and receptors in your body, and affects every system of your body, regardless of if you've used cannabis before. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Stacey Mulvey…

Do you value your time? Brad Lea is responsible for the training platform that gives you the most value from every second, helping you raise the game of your employees and business while adding value to your customers. Brad is also host of the Dropping Bombs podcast. His company, LightSpeed VT has helped authors, motivational speakers and serial entrepreneurs such as Tony Robins, Tom Hopkins, John Maxwell, Grant Cardone, and Daymond John, as well as fitness and automotive industry giants such as Gold's Gym and General Motors, respectively. When the industry icons want to train people, Brad has the software they use. Watch the full episode on YouTube Brad Lea grew up in Oregon with the same struggles as so many young adults. He dropped out of high school at 16 and was even kicked out of his house for not mowing the lawn, but he developed his never quit attitude and decided to push himself for more. After a career of 25 years in sales and marketing, he knew how to raise the game of salespeople and increase their revenue through effective training. Trying to scale his teaching, he took his ability on the road and found that it wasn't as effective as his one-on-one training. To combat this, Brad did some research and discovered the key ingredients that make for an effective training experience that lasts. Instilling these factors into one useable system that he could scale, he invented training software that helps large companies better their sales workforce and increase revenue time and time again. Brad visited Vegas in 1991 to see a friend and ended up staying. Before long he was looking for new business opportunities and LightSpeed VT was born. Started in 1999, LightSpeed VT interactive virtual training software allows you to quickly deploy a web-based, scalable and fully trackable training programme almost overnight. When training is done right, it is the single most important investment any company can make. Through implanting effective training, Brad and his team help clients to increase profitability, reduce turnover, increase customer satisfaction and streamline operations. The Dropping Bombs Podcast, hosted by Brad Lea, covers topics from finances and personal branding to finding success in the face of adversity. Through free-flowing conversations with entrepreneurs and industry leaders, Brad uses his no-BS approach to offer his audience the kind of candid advice needed to reach new heights. For more information visit lightspeedvt.com and droppingbombs.com Episode highlights Learn why there are four key ingredients that should be apparent in any quality training programme – good content, repetition, practice and accountability. The difference between training someone effectively and simply exposing them to information. Why your sales team needs to have the process drilled into its members like it's military training. How you can leverage technology to ensure that your sales team are fully trained and efficient with minimal spend, no matter where they are in the country or around the world. How to keep training relevant and continuous so that skills within any workforce remain high and staff turnover doesn't affect abilities within teams overall. Why it's the testing that's important, not simply the information. This is an approach that is relevant in everything from sales training to law or fitness certification. How often you need to train your skills and why it should be as regularly as even daily, just as it would be if you want to get fit. Hear how many hours in a typical week you should be training your team. Why it's easy to convince people to spend budget on advertising spend, but nowhere near as straightforward to influence spending on training in order to increase return on investment. What benefits mapping out your business will do to your understanding of processes and how visualising roles and responsibilities may highlight gaps in potential. How accountability is key to combat employees pushing back on training application, processes and systems that are being put in place. Why processes and systems for training can help at every level of business, whether hierarchal in one business, up and down supply chains, or with franchising opportunities. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Brad Lea…

Through decades of experience in leisure culture and the nightlife industry, along with endless feedback and research, Peter Marks knows his market, audience and customers like no other. This episode is all about recognising patterns and embracing change to stand out in a digital world with old school approaches that work. Through his role heading up The Deltic Group, Peter is proving how his knowledge can benefit any entrepreneur, and that there are more parallels between nightlife and fitness than you might think. Watch the full episode on YouTube Peter Marks started his career in nightclubs in 1981, and has seen considerable change throughout the industry. There were a lot more nightclubs and streets were a lot fuller back then. This has meant Peter has seen the leisure world evolve over decades, with businesses coming and going, experiencing culture shifts and learning from behavioural changes time and time again. However, the disciplines surrounding the business are the same, and parallel the fitness industry almost perfectly. In his current position as chief executive of The Deltic Group, Peter has come to be known as the go-to guy for all things in leisure and business. Encouraging teams to grow in their careers, his insight has ensured that his foundations remain grounded in pathways to success while being able to recognise patterns through industry research and be flexible enough to embrace change. The Deltic Group is the UK's largest operator of late night bars and clubs, with over 50 nightclubs in dominating positions around the country. The Group has a strategic focus on investing in its estate, people and entertainment to create great nights out for its customers. It is dedicated to being a best in class responsible operator, and in addition runs the 'Echo Trust' charity fund, which regularly donates to children's hospitals and schools in the local areas surrounding its venues. The Deltic Night Index is The Deltic Group's quarterly research, examining how consumers feel about the leisure offering in towns and cities. Every paper published offers insight on expenditure, frequency of nights out, duration, consumption statistics and unrivalled levels of detail for anyone to discover what club culture is all about. For more information visit delticgroup.co.uk Episode highlights - The importance of benchmarking and recognising trends, to the point of leading industry research in customer and client behaviour through your own research. How multiple factors such as industry shifts, licensing and levels of debt all contribute to the success of clubs and management companies alike. When is the best time to benefit from the collapse of other companies and competition, through intelligent buyout strategies and partnerships. How to adapt as an industry when it comes to unexpected changes in demand and income from the market. How to deal with the challenges of rents and renegotiating property and space costs. What you can do to service a market where people's tastes have drastically changed. These days customers and clients want more, with surroundings and design to provide Instagramable moments they can share. Why going old school with marketing is the ideal way to stand out in a crowded world of digital. Don't forget about the value of 'in real life'. How the customer experience has changed in the way of staff service and making people feel special. What are the causes of a raised experience for members and clients, and how you can embrace lower costs of modern equipment that will create the ultimate environment for your offering. Why you need to learn what price points work in each location – both club and city or town – and how to balance investment in particular sectors of your business. How long you should wait before refurbishing and changing the image of your club, and how competitive pressures to change have relaxed over the years. Why it's important to remember the basics of cleanliness and hygiene in order to maintain popularity and appeal to a broad customer base. The importance of learning from failure, particularly when trying to raise capital, and how you can use your entire experience to better the next time you try. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Peter Marks…

Whether it's Kobe Bryant, The Rock, or Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jason Ferruggia knows that you need to think like an athlete to make the difference in your life. Whether working out, fixing your diet, getting enough sleep or embracing personal development, you can always improve. This episode is a lesson in how to be a better entrepreneur, employee, boss, dad and athlete, from a world-renowned strength and conditioning specialist. Watch the full episode on YouTube Jason Ferruggia grew up inspired by real life and fictional athletes such as The Ultimate Warrior, Bruce Lee, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Wolverine and any larger than life figure. His dad was interested in bodybuilding, and Jason gravitated towards lifting, motivated to train in-line with the innovative ethos of Dorian Yates at the time. He went to college with the intention of one day hosting SportsCenter on ESPN or directing films, as a communications major. However, it didn't take long before he got bitten by the iron bug and ended up on pace to making a six-figure salary training people at 19 years old. Later on, he fully invested in his own personal development and moved to California, reinventing himself in the birthplace of physical culture. He's since been training people in the ways of functional fitness and a basement CrossFit approach long before it became popular, but it's always got results. As a world-renowned strength and conditioning specialist and host of the Renegade Radio Podcast, Jason Ferruggia aims to give you as the listener or reader the knowledge to build your body, strengthen your mind and optimise your life. He has contributed to broadcasts and publications such as Men's Health, Muscle & Fitness, Men's Fitness, Huffington Post, LiveStrong, Muscle & Fitness Hers, Shape, Entrepreneur, and shows on ESPN and CBS. For more information visit jasonferruggia.com Episode highlights: Why it's sometimes important to reinvent yourself for the purpose of personal development and reboot your self-limiting beliefs. How you can differentiate between information sources to take what's useful and reject what's not, whether it's physical training or personal development and other approaches to education. Why high level athletes may not be anywhere near as familiar with the importance of nutrition as you may think. How struggles in your past can be used for short term motivation, but why continuing to do this long term will be detrimental to your mental health. Corporate athletes and how your activity in the boardroom should be fuelled by the same thing as Kobe Bryant on the court. What movements, drills and workouts you need to make the most of your time with a busy schedule, while still giving yourself time to recover. Why your diet will not only shape you, but the types of foods often mean you can eat what you like as long as you're concentrating mainly on real foods and single ingredients. Which rep ranges and volume options are the safest for your body and central nervous system when lifting and working out. The importance of sleep and why it will help every aspect of your fitness and daily life. Why you need to pay attention to your body and journal every detail to test what works for you and how diet, sleep, activity and everything else will bring benefits or detriment. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Jason Ferruggia…

As well as UFC fighters, celebrities such as Chris Hemsworth and many athletes, Da Rulk is responsible for training heroes – firefighters, Navy SEALs, SWAT team members and other first responders. His inspirational ethos of "always can" allows him to cultivate a team mindset that proves that while fitness isn't easy, anyone can do it. Watch the full episode on YouTube Da Rulk has an impressive list of credentials including a BSc in kinesiology and certifications in strength and conditioning. His list of clients is even more remarkable, courtesy of elite military personnel, mixed martial artists and first responders. But it's his humble nature that makes Rulk even more influential. He knows that fitness is hard, and his method of working out – Raw Functional Training – makes you embrace the grind and push through it to succeed in anything. The fundamental part of RFT is building on great foundations to help your future self. For example, as an entrepreneur if you don't have those fundamentals of hard work, discipline and character, you'll see those holes in your business later. RFT – Raw Functional Training – is about empowerment and finding the internal fortitude to push past any challenge, either as a stand-alone system or a workout ethos to enhance what you do in other disciplines and activities. The key for Da Rulk and his clients is keeping it fresh and varied across the board. His philosophy in fitness is all about finding your footing to put the right foot forward every time. Inspiring and motivating, it's a moving philosophy that's all about finding purpose and driving through adversity. You always can. For more information visit darulk.com Episode highlights How making a difference instead of chasing money is something that comes with age, but understanding and appreciating this from a younger age will be a game changer in any business venture. Why if you don't have the fundamentals of hard work, discipline, and character in your business early on, you'll see those holes later in your venture. When the hardest part is for any trainer starting out, and why it builds the character that fine-tunes the success in the future. How stress can affect your performance, even if you've prepared for an event, and how you can teach your body to regulate itself under any circumstance. Adaptation is key. The secrets of why understanding body movements and getting your body moving in certain ways can progress you faster and mitigate injury. Why it's important to remove barriers of entry to a healthy lifestyle, whether that be financial, weight, location or any other challenge. How the accomplishment of fitness and events can bring a high that becomes addictive alongside the physical benefits of training. Why purpose is the biggest driver to avoid quitting anything. You need to find substance to any reason. Why the purpose of a trainer isn't to smash every client; it's to improve clients from where they're at. You've got to crawl before you can walk. How important it is to educate trainers as well as clients, and why many trainers are thrown too deep into the industry too quickly. How if you make finding a way forward into a habit, no challenge will get in your way. Why finding the right mindset can inspire those around you as well as enriching your own need and purpose. The positive impact can influence so much more than just the fitness space and mindset of others. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Da Rulk…

An internationally renowned icon of corrective and high-performance exercise kinesiology, just one conversation with Paul Chek, founder of the CHEK Institute, is never enough. A previous guest on the Escape Your Limits podcast, Paul returns to offer more insight into strength, spirit and our place in the universe. This episode will challenge your beliefs while helping you to embrace others that you didn't even realise you had. Paul's full mind, body and soul approach to fitness and wellbeing is enlightening and inspirational, and we're lucky to get a second bite of the apple. Watch the full episode on YouTube Paul Chek is a world-renowned expert in the fields of corrective and high-performance exercise kinesiology, stress management and holistic wellness. For over 30 years, Paul's unique, integrated approach to treatment and education has changed the lives of many of his clients, his students and their clients. By treating the body as a whole system and finding the root cause of a problem, Paul has been successful where traditional approaches have consistently failed. Paul is the founder of the CHECK Institute and the P~P~S Success Mastery Coaching Program. He is a prolific author of books, articles and blog posts. The CHEK (Corrective Holistic Exercise Kinesiology) Institute, based in California, offers fitness and healthcare professionals a uniquely integrated and holistic approach to health, fitness and wellbeing. These methods are truly holistic, viewing the body as a system of systems – a fully integrated unit where physical, hormonal, mental, emotional and spiritual components must be considered. For more information visit chekinstitute.com Episode highlights: What exactly is potential, and how your finite amount of energy should be concentrated on your goals instead of frittered away on distractions. Why pathologies are not effective pathways to long term success, even if it seems to be a good source of motivation at the time. How eating a poor diet is eroding your physical ability over time, and how it will catch up with you at some point. Why you need to get to really know yourself before taking on a big achievement to discover whether you're undertaking something for you or to prove something to someone else. The importance of baseline health and how, if you're not ready, the stress of any competition will take over. What is the belief that's leading to the behaviour that's causing the limitation? Discovering the ingrained reasons for your problems can be hard to uncover but will revolutionise how you think about what has caused you stress and anxiety in the past. How you can figure out direction, even if you don't know what your goal is, by understanding what your biggest nightmare is. A negative vote can lead to just as much positivity long term. You are 50% of every relationship, which means that any problem is 50% your fault. Even when you think you're not at fault, you can find ways to work towards a solution. How you may climb the ladder of success, only to find that it's leaning against the wrong wall. Don't let your ego drive your success. Let your heart guide you. Why listening to this episode will help you reach an elusive, empathetic stage that helps you discover the majesty and beauty of the whole game of life. What joys you will bring to yourself and everyone around you by realising what an investment in honesty, love and support will bring. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Paul Chek…

In this emotional and honest episode, we hear how our guest went on a journey of recovery and pain relief, creating an international business by accident in the process. Following a motorcycle accident, he developed a therapy tool that's helped everyone from stroke patients to CrossFit icon and fittest man in the world Mat Fraser benefit from an improved quality of life and better performance. For a lesson in beating pain at its own game, along with an insight into recovery and the next generation of fitness, meet Dr Jason Wersland, founder of Theragun. Watch the full episode on YouTube – https://youtu.be/radT6GFBK14 Jason Wersland grew up on a farm in Utah, embracing the resourcefulness of day-to-day life and watching his neighbor, a chiropractor for the Utah Jazz basketball team, who inspired him to follow the same career path. To begin with Jason worked for people for free to learn the ropes of the chiropractic industry, and it didn't take long for his skills to develop along with a real dedication and enjoyment to recovery, performance and mobility. However, following a motorcycling accident Jason sustained a lot of soft tissue damage, suddenly going from athleticism and working on clients to being a patient himself and not being sure he'd recover. He created a tool that used vibration and percussion to increase blood flow and aid muscle recovery. Following his injury and subsequent recovery, Jason first began using Theragun on clients in 2009, and then he included it in his clinic and began working on pro athletes with it in 2011. He launched Theragun as a business proper in 2016 and released the first commercial product. Now Jason is still a practicing chiropractor in addition to growing his business, working on everyone from stroke patients to pro athletes. Even today it's Jason's attachment to his work, sharing the benefits of Theragun, that drives him more than traditional chiropractic approaches. Theragun is the world leader in percussive therapy for targeted muscle activation, pain relief and full body recovery. A health and wellness company, Theragun was founded on the core principle that the more our bodies can move, the richer and more fulfilling our lives will be. Theragun is at the forefront of revolutionising muscle treatment. As the world leader in this space, the business continues to innovate with modern solutions for muscle pain relief, performance enhancement, and faster recovery. Highlights How injury and restrictions can cause anyone – everyman or athlete – to fall into a story that limits what they think they can do, and how bodywork and understanding mechanics can help free these limitations. Why the emotional state of anyone can be a huge contributing factor in any physical issue that a client may be facing. How you can overcome getting starstruck if you have the opportunity to work with celebrities by realising they're just like us, with the same issues that they need help for like any other client. What Jason did to overcome muscle atrophy from an impinged nerve following a motorcycle accident, and how this paved the way for the invention of the Theragun. How pain travels around the body, and why vibration can bring release of discomfort and immobility, even from muscle and nerves that you thought were completely unrelated to each other. Why the speed of pain pathways can be overridden by vibration and percussion to stimulate the brain using a different nervous system pathway. How creating a new market space can be met with ridicule until the venture is validated, and what happens when more manufacturers start to enter into the space. How international studies and research opportunities have boosted Theragun's credibility, and how these initially started out as simple anecdotal studies before developing to case studies around the world. What the trends and opportunities are in this emerging market, and how business can share information organically to ride the incoming wave of success in the meditation, stretching and recovery sector.

Wendy Coulson is responsible for developing thousands of instructors in the fitness industry. Through a passion for collective leadership in the global giant that is Les Mills, her position as CEO for the UK and Ireland is built on brilliant branding insight, innovation, staff engagement and trust. Through these incredible efforts she's helping lead the charge towards a fitter planet. Watch the full episode on YouTube Wendy Coulson left school and started in the management development scheme of the banking sector. During this time, she qualified in group fitness and PT, spending weekends upskilling herself and eventually deciding it was a better option to follow fitness as a career born from passion. She got a job in Fitness First, opening the chain's eighth club. Her experience in banking established core skills and competency that she brought to the fitness industry during years on both the supplier and operator sides Wendy is passionate about collective leadership and everyone coming together, contributing as part of a team in developing each other and reaping the rewards that arise with continual success. Les Mills is an entrepreneurial, innovative company with the purpose of creating a fitter planet. It began in 1968 when Les Mills set up a small family gym in Auckland. Three generations on, there are now millions who work out with Les Mills every day, all over the world. These workouts are licensed by 19,500 partners in 100 countries. Les Mills supports each of these partners to build relationships that extend beyond memberships, providing them with research, marketing and new workouts every three months. Their tribe of 135,000 certified instructors bring Les Mills workouts to life. Every day, programmes, such as BODYPUMP, BODYCOMBAT, BODYBALANCE, RPM, LES MILLS GRIT and more, pack out fitness studios around the globe. The future of fitness is merging physical and digital. Les Mills is leading the way with immersive training and workouts on demand. Episode highlights : How some things in fitness change such as budgets and the importance of social media, but many challenges stay the same such as retention, membership growth and industry disruption. Ways in which fitness has become more accessible beyond anyone's expectations with the growth of the home fitness market. The importance of purpose, and how fitness can make a difference in everyone's lives. How creating good content in collaboration with others brings better progress in changing anyone's life and pushing towards a fitter planet. Why it's important to find out how you can align your business with the interests and visions of others in order to find synergy and move forward together, rather than compromising either partner's approach. How feeling fulfilled and challenging yourself will create the drive for you to achieve anything, personally or professionally. Why pay is not everything, but feeling valued and getting recognised for the difference you've made is important. How using research on group exercise is the strongest way to improve retention rates alongside your profit and loss, taking away the fear of losing members for operators even when their member acquisition rates are strong. Secrets of group fitness that's seen occupancy rates go up to 90% for classes across the board. How to appeal to the 'right' demographics and how you can set goals to achieve exactly where you want to be at every level, whether it's about percentage of membership attending classes, recruitment, training, positioning, staff rewarding or environment decisions. Are you fulfilling the basic human needs of instructors in order for them to create the best possible experience for members? How traditional clubs can compete against the boutiques and individual operators. Why home fitness may be the key to engaging the majority of the population that doesn't workout, providing a comfortable experience in a familiar environment, before channeling them into a traditional location. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Wendy Coulson…

With FightCamp, Khalil Zahar has not only created an incredible product that's valued by MMA, boxing and martial arts athletes worldwide, but he's grown his venture to build and nurture a community like no other. This 'Peloton of boxing' is a martial arts-centric, full body workout programme backed by world-leading technology to bring physical and mental benefits to anyone, pro fighter or family fitness fan. Watch the full episode on YouTube – https://youtu.be/7EMCebwnlzo FightCamp is a story of evolution following Khalil Zahar's personal journey in learning how to box. He fell in love with the sport and saw quick progression and improvement until he reached a plateau. Not being able to find a dedicated way to efficiently track his boxing progress and see tangible improvement, Khalil originally founded Hykso, a company that produced sensors and software to track punches and effort metrics – number or type of punches and speed – during boxing workouts. Through continual development and not being scared to release early versions for valuable feedback, Khalil has improved his offering time and time again, building his FightCamp business around a genuine need from both professional athletes and the fitness community in general. Khalil's initial venture was a product but he's since built a community. At first, his Hykso punch sensors and app didn't have anyone telling you what to do; there were no tailored workouts and there was no social ecosystem. Hykso was tailored to the pros looking to improve over time. With FightCamp, it's a whole different experience. Building on the Hykso functionality, you can track your own metrics but also compare results with other members who have completed the same workout. There's a sense of gamification that comes with the leaderboards, and engaging workouts. The FightCamp Gym puts the best elements of a world class boxing gym directly into your home. Powerful and motivating workouts, expert-led instruction and elite trainers combined with premium equipment and the same training tech used by the pros. For more information visit www.joinfightcamp.com [EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS – FOUR OR FIVE BULLET POINTS (TIMINGS?)] Why choosing the right name is vital to your business success, especially making sure potential customers and partners can spell the business name correctly, easily. How a business can evolve from a personal need or requirement to pursue a passion efficiently. The journey of progressing the efficiency of algorithms in data sets and why it's important to compare them with known quantities to ensure that you're learning and spotting trends that will benefit your offering. How to translate physical movement – in this case hooks, jabs, and straight punches – into data, even when it can be confusing to the human eye. Similarly, how the tech may not be the problem, it may be the ambiguity of a definition. Why it's so much more effective to build a community and implement elements of gamification in a business venture instead of purely providing a service or single product for athletes. What changes have occurred in the home fitness market compared to around a decade ago, and how trends have changed behaviour to transcend age groups. How to define the next generation of fitness companies, and how they diversify into media, entertainment and other markets well beyond fitness alone. Why historical and current stories surrounding your core business proposition's culture and community can add the extra value on top of your offering. How you can convince investors in the value of your product, even if you're one of the first to market with a venture that hasn't been proven before. Why more companies are controlling distribution as much as possible because of the raised expectation of brands, and how there's more onboarding needed than ever. How Facebook ads and social media commerce can still be very effective for your business, even if you're not concentrating on the day-to-day activity on your platform profiles. Why no data indicates the definite direction to take in business, and you can't always rely on user feedback, but both can complement your gut feeling about taking the next huge leap for any venture. The future of fitness in the home, and how technology is leading the way for both digital workouts and physical events around the world. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Khalil Zahar…

Bill Parisi is a pioneer of performance in sports and athleticism. His understanding of how to coach for speed, power and agility is at the core of his world-class programming. Now, he's diving deeper into what the human body is capable of through a new fascination with fascia and how it inspired a new level of physical ability. Unlocking the secrets of better athletic achievements, day-to-day posture and even how fascia training can help fight cancer, this episode is a lesson in resilience and how our bodies are more like plants than machines. Watch the full episode on YouTube An all-American in track and field, Bill Parisi went on to start his youth training franchise at age 24, having now trained over 650 thousand athletes with his world-class programming and presentations, from NFL teams to huge industry icons such as Nike. After an injury brought an end to his Olympic javelin dreams, Bill was $50,000 in debt and started his entrepreneurial venture by buying a van and driving around to take on clients in fitness. From here, he focused on speed development, opening his first club of 3000 sq-ft as an early adopter of functional fitness equipment. His business grew at an incredible rate, bringing in $973,000 in three years. Bill is a pioneer of performance. He's not only invested in the athletic future of a nation, but has just released a book which includes groundbreaking research on fascia and how it can improve speed, power and injury prevention. Performance Proven. More than 650 thousand athletes have used the Parisi Speed School systems to build their athletic skills. With 90+ locations in the United States and worldwide, Parisi Speed Schools use a curriculum based in science and sports psychology to help every athlete reach their potential. For more information visit parisischool.com and fasciatrainingacademy.com Episode highlights: How a passion for performance and being wiling to try something new can lead to running the highest grossing facility in the world and expanding to change lives with fitness. How tailored training at a young age as opposed to just playing sports, even as early as seven years old, is showing to be beneficial in progressing youth performance in gross motor skills, movement literacy and motor vocabulary sessions. Why opening rituals, closing rituals and goal setting are vital in improving youth understating in fitness and performance. The importance of delivery of information in successfully achieving progression goals, whether they're in sports or fitness instruction. Why it's not always about physical attributes in fitness, as mental resiliency is incredibly important to long term success in any sport. How you will always benefit from continuing to learn and considering yourself as a student. The enlightening nature of learning about fascia, and how it inspired a new depth of discovery – enough to write a book purely on the subject and training surrounding it. Why fascia means that kangaroos expend more energy walking for a mile than hopping for a mile, and how this information can be used to unlock 'free energy' in the human body for the ultimate performance. The athletic difference between body types and what drives an individual, whether they're fascia-driven like a cheater, or muscular-driven like a rhino. Functional fitness defined as omni-directional, sub-maximal loading and how it's the best way to train and develop your fascia for a new level of fitness and sports achievement. The deep dive into fascia at a cellular level, and how this information will benefit coaches of any level to improve the performance of clients, athletes and teams. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Bill Parisi…

A pioneer of fitness in Asia, Eric Levine has a passion that's driven him to truly understand members, customers and clients. His career over four decades has taken him from positions where he would have worked for free because he loves fitness and knows how to get results through genuine care, to growing hundreds of clubs in multiple countries around the world. This episode is a lesson in adding value in every aspect of your business. Through branding, marketing, empathy and impressive results, you'll hear how to motivate different cultures and communities for universal fitness success. Watch the full episode on YouTube Growing up in Montreal, Eric's father was a businessman and an athlete – a national water polo and volleyball player. His family was all about health. Eric was even bought a weights set when he was just 12 years old. At 16, Eric's first job in fitness was in a chain of spas as a non-certified trainer. He fell in love with the industry. From such an early age, Eric appreciated that business and success was all about the needs of the member and not purely based on what the club had. He went from making $6000 to $60 a month for the experience of travel and training in the Caribbean and around the world. It's here he started truly learning the trade, branding, methods of customer retention and other secrets that would lead him on to future successes in every sense. Eric Levine has been described as the "best of the best" by fitness industry icon, Mark Mastrov. He has over four decades of experience in 24 Hour Fitness, Gold's Gym, California Fitness, Crunch, UFC GYM and other iconic brands around the world. This episode is a deep dive into every element of fitness, from finding the right location and efficient branding, to sales secrets and personal training strategies. Eric was one of the early pioneers of the Asian fitness industry, launching successful clubs in Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, China, Australia. Hear about the early days of famous brands and the challenges of culture, new territories, finding the right location and silencing the doubters. Today Eric is consulting for companies, lending his insight on picking locations, branding, sales, retention, personal training and ancillary revenue streams around the world. Find more details on http://ericlevineglobal.com Episode highlights: The importance of support within both professional teams and family environments to achieve success beyond monetary value. How you can discover what's a priority in any culture to understand what motivates them and what they need from your business proposition. Inspiring confidence in new territories that may not be familiar with equipment, machines or programming approaches. Hear about the early days of California Fitness and why visualisation is key to finding success in any environment, even when nobody else believes that your venture will work. The difference in traditional American clubs and the cultural approach in the east. How the international change provided the opportunity to do something totally different. Why branding is everything, and why if a club goes off brand then customer and member retention will suffer for it. How countries such as China don't have social media like we're used to, so the fitness industry needs to rely on traditional techniques to grow business. Why social media is not just about taking a picture for yourself, but about creating followers that want to tell their friends and invite them to join in the experience of a fitness location. Ways that you can prepare yourself mentally, physically, spiritually for the challenges that come from pursuing success and dedicating your life to achieving your goals. How to deal with unexpected legal issues in the fitness and gym membership environment, and how to support your staff if things go wrong. Why meditation, like the power of yoga, will be the next big growth market that takes off to benefit members and change lives. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Eric Levine…

Mark Mastrov has done it all in fitness and beyond. Building an empire, including one of the biggest chains in the world, his involvement in brands and markets such as 24 Hour Fitness, UFC GYM, Crunch, NFL associated training centres, NBA ownership, eSports and countless others prove his model for success works and his work ethic cannot be beaten. Humble but determined, Mark Mastrov has written the manual on making money in the fitness business. With simple systems for personal training, operations, sales and management, he's backed his teams around the world to grow careers and profit margins time and time again. There's no better to talk to for episode 100 of the Escape Your Limits podcast! Watch the full episode on YouTube Mark was told that he'd need to keep his knee in shape for his whole life after an injury in college. He started working at a small gym in return for free membership and soon fell in love with the business. An opportunity arose to invest in the gym with money he borrowed from his grandmother, which was the catalyst to building a career that would change the world of fitness forever. Following the development of programming software to manage gyms, Mark split the business to give the software side to his partner while he kept the acquired gyms and continued on a path of innovation. This saw him start creating new experiences for anyone that wanted to work out or work professionally in fitness. He has since gone on to build some of the biggest brands and cultivate the careers of countless fitpros around the world. With endless successes under his belt, this episode of Escape Your Limits delves into his past, the current state of fitness and what we can expect for the future. Mark Mastrov is a pioneer of revolution and one of the greatest minds in business. Building one of the biggest fitness chains in the world servicing 3.5 million members and selling it for a record 1.6 billion dollars, he inspired culture as the foundation of a fitness empire that's touched every corner of the industry. Launching more careers and developing more entrepreneurs in fitness around the world than anyone else, his name has come up on this podcast time and time again from guests attributing success to his influence. The man behind 24 Hour Fitness, UFC GYM, Crunch, NFL associated training centres, NBA ownership, eSports expansion and countless other entrepreneurial journeys that have grown ahead of the curve, please celebrate the 100th episode with us, welcoming the Godfather of Fitness, Mark Mastrov, to the Escape Your Limits podcast. Episode highlights - How taking advantage of opportunities that may have not originally been of interest can lead to creating a legacy founded on an ingrained ability to succeed. The development of software and first mag stripe sign in functionality that told operators whether members owed money or were up to date on payments before being allowed to enter the gym. The importance of business models and how the turning point of reoccurring revenue helped build the business into profitable progression and new credit line potential. Why collaboration is key and helping each other out can only improve the industry as a whole, even if it's through talking to competitors. Success is all about execution. The importance of being able to give up control when you grow a business. You need to trust your staff and allow them to do the job, because you can't do it all. How sales processes play such an important part in the consistency of service, and how Mark Mastrov developed these managerial programmes in the days where they hadn't previously existed. Why Mark Mastrov chose to shelter his team from distractions and external issues such as legal complications, so that they can concentrate on their roles in providing the best experience for members and customers. The philosophy that a business is an upside down pyramid. Mark believes that he works for his employees, and it's not the other way around. What the future of the fitness industry looks like for low cost, mid-market, high end, boutiques and franchise opportunities and ventures. What challenges come with international expansion, whether language differences and messages lost in translation, or political differences that arise from trying to promote teamwork between particular countries, and how to 'crack the code' with different markets or cultures. Why you need to decide on and write down your BHAGs – big, hairy, audacious goals – and how they'll drive you to succeed in anything you do, whether it's business or personal at any stage of your life. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Mark Mastrov…

Rick Richey not only owns the WeWork of fitness but has co-founded the first studio in the world to use technologies that help fight cognitive stress, anxiety and sleep deprivation. His mission? To restore your body, reboot your mind and reshape your system. Used by NBA players, UFC and Bellator fighters, and other professional athletes, ReCOVER NYC also offers the value of great recovery to anyone in search of better wellness. This episode of the Escape Your Limits podcast is a lesson in longevity. Watch the full episode on YouTube Dr Rick Richey is a master of understanding how the human body works for the healthiest, natural results from any effort. He not only owns a chain of gyms with some of the best trainers that New York has to offer in the WeWork of fitness, but he's pioneering self-care with the world's first recovery studio. Host of the official podcast of the National Academy of Sports Medicine and co-host of the Omnia Fitness podcast, meet Rick Richey, owner of Independent Training Spot and co-founder of ReCOVER, on this episode of the Escape Your Limits podcast. Independent Training Spot is designed for entrepreneurial personal trainers and physical therapists to develop their own businesses and brands of training. The mission is not only to help any trainer start their own business but to help them continue to build it on their journey or venture. In addition, if you're an individual seeking out a trainer, ITS is a great place to start your search. It's home to some of the best fitpros that NYC has to offer. In early 2017, Rick Richey and Aaron Drogoszewski had the realization that there was nowhere for people to go purely for purposes of recovery. In early 2018, ReCOVER opened as NYC's first recovery studio, a concept that has sparked a recovery revolution and is changing the way people function. To contact Rick email [email protected], or to hear more, download the Omnia Fitness podcast for industry business insight or the NASM CPT podcast for human movement science, concepts, flexibility and other exercise-related subjects. Episode highlights - How to manage the cost of a fitness business in one of the most expensive areas in the world, along with the biggest challenges you may not have thought about. What a WeWork style innovative fitness business venture offers to PTs and how it provides more opportunities than high-end gym spaces for trainers and clients. Training business models compared to membership models and how the risk versus rewards weigh up. Why it's a good idea to give something away for free, even if that particular customer doesn't come back. How your location's cleanliness and storage efficiency will be linked to perceptions of a trainer/operator's organisation and trustworthiness in the bigger picture. Why staying friendly and having a good relationship with people who work with you is paramount to an enjoyable environment and responsive team. How the body only benefits from a workout when it recovers, and how anabolic and catabolic states make a difference on the body's condition. The new technology that's allowing customers to alter bainwaves and reach a relaxed lucid dream state without feeling like they're even asleep. Benefits on the body that can come from varying air pressure up to 23,000 feet high, and how it will improve workouts. Why the digital fitness space is going to continue to grow, and how it will access the majority of populations who don't work out in traditional fitness spaces. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Rick Richey…

Jay Wright has built a business based on passion not only for the design of buildings around the globe, but also for the human body. Creating beautiful gyms, high-end luxury condominiums hotels and consulting for developments in many other world-class locations, The Wright Fit elevates experience everywhere it touches for the future of fitness. Creating opportunities to run, jump, lift and carry things, Jay and his team are naturally battling sedentary lifestyle trends with incredible fitness environments and training for life. Watch the full episode on YouTube Formerly co-owner of the largest private training gym in Manhattan, Jay Wright has designed fitness spaces and wellbeing facilities for some of the most iconic locations in New York City, including 15 Central Park West and JFK Airport. His lifestyle brand continues to educate clients across the country with holistic design, consulting, management and operations expertise in luxury gyms and residential projects. Designs aside, today's Escape Your Limits episode is a lesson in functional fitness to combat the sedentary evolution of the human race. Meet strength and conditioning specialist, celebrity trainer and gym designer, Jay Wright, CEO of The Wright Fit. As CEO and founder of The Wright Fit, Jay Wright's role is to create and develop an extraordinary lifestyle brand that elevates the concept, perception and experience of fitness, health and wellness through design, education and service. The Wright Fit is a premiere lifestyle brand specializing in health and fitness center design, management, operations and providing personal services (including personal training, soft tissue therapy, aquatic lessons, and group fitness). Its purpose is to educate clients and help them achieve their best body and wellbeing; both now and into the long-term. Through a holistic approach, the business' expertise is unparalleled. www.thewrightfit.com www.twfperformancelab.com Episode highlights - How to pick the most effective location that makes your business work and takes advantage of incredible levels of development across any neighborhood. Why your venture shouldn't be driven from a business standpoint, but a qualitative perspective for the brand, and how you can achieve this. How to elevate the experience of fitness and wellness from a design perspective, from a service perspective and from a programming perspective combined. Why consulting is impressive but it's still important to put your money where your mouth is and develop your own spaces with your own resources. How an athletic background and modeling career evolved into bigger passion for fitness and understanding everything to do with personal training, gym design and a world of wellness. How to develop your pursuit of a passion to grow from personal training to gaining operations experience and transitioning to the business side of the industry. Why there's always opportunity to take advantage of if you're willing to put the work in and you're passionate enough to keep pushing for your success. The difference between staying small as a boutique business and growing really big, going along with the ride of development – how this decision offers two very different roads to success. The centrepoint philosophy and how it not only drives people to their goals, but also fills our emotional reservoir that affects what we know we should do and what we feel we should do. The intrinsic link between fitness and real estate, and how strategic partnerships can make or break any location decision or investment. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Jay Wright…

Cuoco Black came from a background of engineering and natural bodybuilding to rise an icon of interior and conceptual design. His work stands as a playbook for innovation with exciting branding that's respected around the world. An Italian American, Cuoco also "recalibrated" his artistic ability after a professional visit to Paris, understanding how intellectual, cerebral, artistic and academic design can be, through a mix of the technical with the creative, blended together. Alongside his mission of trying to bring humanity back into fitness and wellness, Cuoco Black is breaking the mould of gym design, sharing his secrets in this episode of the Escape Your Limits podcast. Watch the full episode on YouTube Cuoco Black grew up in Springfield, Massachusetts. He studied engineering-based subjects before an epiphany led him to discover his passion for interior and architectural design through activities both in and out of education. He started teaching the subject, which gave him a good understanding of the technical side of things but soon moved on to helping business stamp a standout brand on any space. As a designer and academic in New York City, he began marketing himself to the fitness industry after realising how he could improve fitness spaces through conceptual design. Cuoco Black is a trusted and respected master fitness facility designer, gym brand architect, design academic and natural bodybuilder. A former faculty member of the New York School of Interior Design, Black advocates for the development of conceptual and theatrical gym models that dominate consumer attention in any fitness marketplace. The designer promotes an ideal that fitness facilities must embrace design attributes, which embrace luxury, telegraph fitness, motivate fitness consumers to exercise; and most importantly, amplify the brand. His work includes independent gyms, personal training studios, women's only facilities, residential fitness centers and new franchise models.​ Episode highlights - How any brand can improve its design influences, and why it's important to create your own concept instead of borrowing them off other sources of inspiration. Why fitness consumers' eyes move to whichever brand is offering something different and really standing out. How spotting trends may be just as useful in innovating by doing the opposite of what your competitors are doing, and not following the trend. Ways in which you can break the mindset that you need to go up against competitors with a similar offering – you need to avoid the blurred brand of similarity and do your own thing. What the 80:20 rule is and what it means for your construction budget in theory from a design standpoint. Why everything has to tag back to the brand concept in your interior space, to reinforce, strength and amplify your message and the experience for members. How social media platforms become an important part of your design when done properly. The key to longevity in design and experience, and how you can create a fitness space that lasts decades and still looks timeless. Why technology should have nothing to do with the fitness and wellness industry when it comes to gyms and studios. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Cuoco Black…

Charles Chen's weight loss journey saw him lose 100 pounds before continuing his discipline to help others and rise up as an influencing businessman in his own right. His ventures have drawn interest from serial entrepreneurs Gary Vee and Tom Bilyeu, motivational speaker Gabrielle Bernstein and he's now moving into the corporate world, working with companies such as Microsoft and Google. Watch the full episode on YouTube. A chef and wellness entrepreneur, Charles knows how to fuel his success in every respect. Host of Kitchen Hustle, creator of Dinner-Club, and founder of wellness media company Zzeal, he also appreciates the importance of bringing value to an audience. Episode highlights Why you should always be creating content instead of sitting around and waiting for opportunities to come to you. The explosion of growth in markets such as the emerging CBD industry, and how these are going to affect the food industry. How Charles' focus on food has developed from a need to heal himself, having lost such a great deal of weight before using his experience and knowledge to help others as well as himself. The ways that a side hustle can develop into a full time career rather than just a hobby or passion in addition to other workloads. Why the brands you associate with is so important, and how you need to extrapolate your own identity into who you speak to and engage with online. How building something and creating a business that's valuable to people is more important than being famous or getting on TV. Longevity is key to real success. Why word of mouth is still so important in business, despite there being so many opportunities to promote yourself and others on Instagram and other social media platforms. Learn about Charles' "Trifector of transformation" – spirit, body, kitchen – the three things that are core to change in anyone. Why you need to tap into the essential human needs to discover what people want and how you can make their lives better. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Charles Chen…

This week we meet a man who has not only brought in £50 million in revenue and stood alongside the most famous figureheads and influencers – including sharing the stage with American presidents – but he offers tools and techniques that that change lives. His courses offers insights and implementation of how businesses can improve their message, deliver the ultimate presentation, or discover a new level of understanding in anything they do with world class public speaking, free online classes and coaching at all levels. Not only does Andy Harrington show how he's a master of mindset, marketing and message, but this episode of the Escape Your Limits podcast is a lesson in the most important skill you can improve. Watch the full episode on YouTube Andy Harrington travels the world teaching business owners and entrepreneurs to unlock a secret revenue stream that they never knew existed. Creating new leaders at every event, he breaks clients out of a limited mindset to increase their earning potential by turning passion into profit. Understanding the significance of storytelling, he escaped his own limits of a call centre job to start a business that has brought in over 50 million pounds in revenue, helping raise people's confidence in public speaking and influencing others both on and offline. After working in a call centre making and around £1500 a month at the age of 29, Andy decided enough was enough and borrowed 10 thousand pounds from the bank to start his own business, which has now pulled in more than 50 million pounds in revenue. Andy has a passion in raising people's earnings and breaking them out of a limited mindset so they can realise their potential. He has helped thousands of people globally break though these restrictions and improve their quality of life. Episode highlights Learn the importance of value, how you can improve your offering and why business is more than just about selling. Why you need a structure for presentations, but not necessarily a script in order to create a flow and be flexible in the topic that you know well enough. Why presenting is all about asking yourself the questions almost rhetorically, but answering them yourself to invoke a conversational speech that deepens an audience's understanding of your subject or sale. How to overcome your social anxiety fear of looking foolish in front of people. Why education needs to lead any positioning or sales method to give bigger benefit to any customer or audience, followed closely by entertainment and emotion. What you need to change and evolve in your sales approach as the world of social media and building your personal brand grows and becomes more essential than ever. How to chunk out your offering to three methods of delivery for your customers: do it yourself, do it with you, and do it for you. These will bring different levels of engagement and income, with varying amounts of effort and service provision taking up your time or using other resources. The interesting differences between push and pull factors, or compulsion and addiction, and how you can create these feelings to aid your problem versus benefit experience around selling. You have to know how to subtly build a picture. How to get the blend right between commercial and content, and why missing this balance will lose the attention of an audience or potential client. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Andy Harrington…

Frank Zane agreed to this special follow-up episode of the Escape Your Limits podcast to give us even more insight into the life of a Mr Olympia icon. He tells us behind the scenes secrets of the Pumping Iron era, Gold's Gym and working out with Arnold Schwarzenegger, as well as how bodybuilders regularly helped each other improve, despite competitive nature. This is the life of a constant creator, improving muscle, music, body and mind. Watch the full episode on YouTube In this two-part episode, Frank Zane returns. His original Escape Your Limits podcast interview has been popular with millions of people on YouTube, social media and blogs across the internet. His insight into maintaining success well into your '70s, proves that we can all stay strong throughout our lives. Frank is still idolised by people all over the world for an incredible approach to life in both mind and body. His honest, logical and spiritual manner has brought levels of focus and success that most can only dream of, through perseverance and physical perfection. There are some great lessons here that have not been covered before by Frank. To see how we can all keep the fitness blues away, we hope you enjoy this second interview with bodybuilding and Mr Olympia legend, Frank Zane. Frank Zane has won all of bodybuilding's major titles including Mr. Olympia (3 Times), Mr. Universe (3 Times), Mr. World and Mr America. Frank is one of the leading experts on bodybuilding and active ageing. He is a world-renowned performance coach and the most highly educated bodybuilding champion. He has been named as one of the "Top 10 Legends of Bodybuilding" and also was awarded "The Best Physique of All Time" by Muscle and Fitness Magazine. Episode highlights - How meditation will empty your mind to allow you ideas and concepts to enter and aid your progress. A deep dive into the complexities and details of mindset from a multiple-time Mr Olympia. The importance of not using "powerless speech" or language that removes your control over yourself and your actions. Why you need to take photos of yourself – good and bad – so that you can observe your body as the world does and work on improving your physique, your mindset or both. What the three poisons are that hold us back in everything we do. How the awareness of lifeforms that have come before us manifest in our own subconsciousness, and how they continue to exist, life after life. How the prospect of death can be scary, but realising ways in which you can understand your mind and how it affects how you feel about longevity. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Frank Zane…

Frank Zane agreed to this special follow-up episode of the Escape Your Limits podcast to give us even more insight into the life of a Mr Olympia icon. He tells us behind the scenes secrets of the Pumping Iron era, Gold's Gym and working out with Arnold Schwarzenegger, as well as how bodybuilders regularly helped each other improve, despite competitive nature. This is the life of a constant creator, improving muscle, music, body and mind. Watch the full episode on YouTube In this two-part episode, Frank Zane returns. His original Escape Your Limits podcast interview has been popular with millions of people on YouTube, social media and blogs across the internet. His insight into maintaining success well into your '70s, proves that we can all stay strong throughout our lives. Frank is still idolised by people all over the world for an incredible approach to life in both mind and body. His honest, logical and spiritual manner has brought levels of focus and success that most can only dream of, through perseverance and physical perfection. There are some great lessons here that have not been covered before by Frank. To see how we can all keep the fitness blues away, we hope you enjoy this second interview with bodybuilding and Mr Olympia legend, Frank Zane. Frank Zane has won all of bodybuilding's major titles including Mr. Olympia (3 Times), Mr. Universe (3 Times), Mr. World and Mr America. Frank is one of the leading experts on bodybuilding and active ageing. He is a world-renowned performance coach and the most highly educated bodybuilding champion. He has been named as one of the "Top 10 Legends of Bodybuilding" and also was awarded "The Best Physique of All Time" by Muscle and Fitness Magazine. Episode highlights Why Frank Zane chose not to play a bigger role in the filming of Pumping Iron with Arnold Schwarzenegger and other bodybuilding greats. How to overcome failure, even when you've failed to the point of your own embarrassment, and how to come back stronger every time. What Frank Zane dreams of, and how he interprets these dreams to influence his own experiences. The origins of Muscle Beach, and why it moved from its original location. Discover the training schedule that Frank Zane and other bodybuilding and Mr Olympia greats worked each week, and why Frank feels that it was too intense in hindsight. The importance of documenting your goals and saying them out loud to teach your brain the secret of winning. How posing is an art form and why many don't appreciate this world of kinetic sculpture, instead thinking it's narcissism. How Frank Zane personally dealt with losing, why perseverance will beat anything, and how important it is to stick to your goals even when you don't achieve them first time around. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Frank Zane...

A sought after mentor, analyst, advisor and consultant, David Minton, director of The Leisure Database Company has seen it all. Through exploring data, research and insight, he knows what it takes for companies and entrepreneurs to thrive, embracing the catalysts of evolution for member benefit. This deep dive into health and wellbeing is a lesson in understanding of the real state of the fitness industry, through data driven information and years of experience. Watch the full episode on YouTube – David Minton has unique insights to share from decades in health and wellbeing as an analyst, advisor, mentor and fitness futurist. A man that knows the importance of finding your target market, his company has spent years helping operators maximise potential, improve strategies and unlock the secrets to growth. Through customer profiling, site analysis, market data and in-depth reports, he can identify fitness industry intelligence trends for investment opportunities or to benefit members and gym goers before even they know what's around the corner. The Leisure Database Company is passionate about leisure market intelligence because David Minton and his team know that an understanding of your target market and customers enables good decision making, better investments, better strategies for success and happier, more loyal customers. All of which lead to a greater competitive advantage! The business seeks to maximise your potential in the leisure market. Providing the best market data, the best site and customer analysis and the best advice to develop your customer potential, it is the leading leisure market intelligence specialist. Episode highlights Discovering developing algorithms and spotting trends in the days before social media and how these have become more intelligent over the years. How, even if you hate a particular subject at school, you can come to appreciate its application later on in life and use those skills every day for something you love. How the fitness industry has benefitted from David's experience with supply and demand in his television background. Insights from the early days of Apple and how these relationships have developed into a longstanding relationship with offerings in the app store. How technology has evolved through television, radio, computing, GPS and more to lead data advancements that bring further insights into behaviour. Why boutiques have become better at offering personalisation and positivity through data use for member messaging, compared to traditional clubs that are often more general and even negative at times. The effect of ageism in the industry and how this can be avoided through understanding what older generations want from a fitness initiative; how the industry is missing the biggest demographic for success. Why public sector fitness spaces are not interested in who's using their gyms, pools or studios, compared to the boutique model, which is incredibly personalised. The importance of brand and consistency, no matter where you are. What are the reasons why the fitness industry struggles with consistency or quality around the world? How the main sources of innovation comes from outside any particular industry, and why this brings the biggest user benefits that changes how we see businesses work. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with David Minton…

Kali Muscle is a master of money and motivation. Whether it's building his body or building a business, he's known for outworking anyone. Turning his life around after a prison sentence, he kicked his PT career off at 24 Hour Fitness before 'making it' as a larger than life YouTube star, inspiring millions and preaching that there's no excuse not to get motivated. Growing up, Kali Muscle was a youth pastor and man of God. At home, he wanted to prove to his mother that he was just as good as his high-flying brother. Through this motivation he became a great student until something horrible happened. His brother committed suicide. As the only man that Kali looked up to, it really affected him. However, despite the family tragedy, Kali he was still incredibly driven. He achieved a scholarship at Fresno as a strong safety in American football, going heads-up against the biggest running backs in the team. Through football, wrestling, or track, Kali would train until nobody else was working, even though he suffered from migraines, sickness and numbness every time he trained hard. Still angry about the death of his brother and out of money, Kali went down the path of robbing people before going on the run from the police. He was handed seven years in San Quentin prison, aged 19-years-old. Following his prison time, Kali started on a journey to become a professional bodybuilder with a job at 24 Hour Fitness, and eventually achieved YouTube, television and film fame. Whether heading up religious groups, prison gangs, or YouTube followings, Kali Muscle has always been in a position of leadership. Here's his story about how he's motivating millions today. With such a back story of positive and negative influences, overcoming all the odds and turning his life around, today Kali Muscle is motivating millions to achieve success in whatever they want to do. On top of his prison stories, workout regimes, and inspiration for anyone to stay on the right path, he spends his time inspiring everyone through daily videos relating to fitness, gaming, cooking and vlogs for his two million YouTube subscribers. His life story is also available in his book – Xcon to Icon: The Kali Muscle Story. Episode highlights - Part one The importance of captivating attention on YouTube with engaging thumbnails and titles to create a real source of income. How it's possible to be a one-man production company online. How even prison gangs have values and structure to their social groups and hierarchy, and how even the most desperate situations offer opportunities for negotiation and understanding. Why you must be aware of your own weaknesses and how to avoid letting them lead you down the wrong path, whether it's because of tragedy, missed career aspirations or anything else. How even crime can be done by the book, and why Kali ensured that he'd be able to cope in the real world business when he came out of prison. How to pivot your career in the most extreme of ways based on your strengths, including how to turn your life around if you're on the wrong path. Why success in anything depends on you doing your homework. Always stay hungry and surround yourself with great examples of whatever you want to be great at. How celebrity and fame may come from just concentrating on being successful and wanting to make enough money to be financially comfortable. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Kali Muscle…

Kali Muscle is a master of money and motivation. Whether it's building his body or building a business, he's known for outworking anyone. Turning his life around after a prison sentence, he kicked his PT career off at 24 Hour Fitness before 'making it' as a larger than life YouTube star, inspiring millions and preaching that there's no excuse not to get motivated. Growing up, Kali Muscle was a youth pastor and man of God. At home, he wanted to prove to his mother that he was just as good as his high-flying brother. Through this motivation he became a great student until something horrible happened. His brother committed suicide. As the only man that Kali looked up to, it really affected him. However, despite the family tragedy, Kali he was still incredibly driven. He achieved a scholarship at Fresno as a strong safety in American football, going heads-up against the biggest running backs in the team. Through football, wrestling, or track, Kali would train until nobody else was working, even though he suffered from migraines, sickness and numbness every time he trained hard. Still angry about the death of his brother and out of money, Kali went down the path of robbing people before going on the run from the police. He was handed seven years in San Quentin prison, aged 19-years-old. Following his prison time, Kali started on a journey to become a professional bodybuilder with a job at 24 Hour Fitness, and eventually achieved YouTube, television and film fame. Whether heading up religious groups, prison gangs, or YouTube followings, Kali Muscle has always been in a position of leadership. Here's his story about how he's motivating millions today. With such a back story of positive and negative influences, overcoming all the odds and turning his life around, today Kali Muscle is motivating millions to achieve success in whatever they want to do. On top of his prison stories, workout regimes, and inspiration for anyone to stay on the right path, he spends his time inspiring everyone through daily videos relating to fitness, gaming, cooking and vlogs for his two million YouTube subscribers. His life story is also available in his book – Xcon to Icon: The Kali Muscle Story. Episode highlights - Part one The importance of captivating attention on YouTube with engaging thumbnails and titles to create a real source of income. How it's possible to be a one-man production company online. How even prison gangs have values and structure to their social groups and hierarchy, and how even the most desperate situations offer opportunities for negotiation and understanding. Why you must be aware of your own weaknesses and how to avoid letting them lead you down the wrong path, whether it's because of tragedy, missed career aspirations or anything else. How even crime can be done by the book, and why Kali ensured that he'd be able to cope in the real world business when he came out of prison. How to pivot your career in the most extreme of ways based on your strengths, including how to turn your life around if you're on the wrong path. Why success in anything depends on you doing your homework. Always stay hungry and surround yourself with great examples of whatever you want to be great at. How celebrity and fame may come from just concentrating on being successful and wanting to make enough money to be financially comfortable. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Kali Muscle…

Bret Contreras, "The Glute Guy", has found a niche and developed business after business in a market where it's hard to be heard. His workouts, training, books, studies and experience have led him to become a gym-owning serial entrepreneur that's kicking ass on Instagram. Whether it's finding your one rep max or performing reps to failure, this episode of the Escape Your Limits podcast is a lesson in how to dominate a niche in a crowded market. Watch the full episode on YouTube Bret Contreras' journey on becoming The Glute Guy began as he wanted to develop his own muscles, motivated by insecurity as a youth. He successfully built his body through strength training, but still needed to get his ass in shape. He studied for a PhD in Sports Science from New Zealand to learn the differences between squats and hip thrusts, so that he can find out what works best. As his passion for posteriors grew, he started putting the time in through personal training, community building, blogging and engaging with countless industry professionals and fitness enthusiasts to be the man to go to for all things glutes. Decades later, he's pioneering the benefits of butt-based and lower body workouts through inventions, insight and inspiration on social media. Bret Contreras has been mentioned in 50 published studies, authored multiple books, founded The Glute Lab gym, and continues to be a stand-out voice as the world's foremost expert on glute training. Bret Contreras is responsible for the staple exercise of social media influencers around the world – the hip thrust. He's developed a portfolio of products and has intellectual property behind most of the glute builders on the market. With a social media following of nearly one million, a PhD in Sports Science and as a certified strength and conditioning specialist, The Glute Guy has never stopped pushing to be the best he can be. Founder, author and inventor, Bret knows his niche and has dominated the crowded market to create multiple income streams for a lifetime of success. Episode highlights - Why nobody talked about glutes in bodybuilding circles of yesteryear, and how the tides changed when Bret learned the science. How Instagram raised the profile of glute workouts and why they're important for anyone, regardless of gender. Why women have the voice and men no longer have the same platform on social media when it comes to which exercises work which muscles. Ways that Instagram has rewarded people who interact and engage with their audiences, and why it's important to be accessible instead of putting up barriers of celebrity and charging big money for the smallest of insights. How the perception of personal trainers can be very different compared to their ability and knowledge. Muscle doesn't beat science when it comes to helping others. The vulnerabilities of different business models, as well as why traditional business approaches are very different to the social media How education and consistency is important in anything you do. Always be teaching, always get content out and try to get out of your comfort zone. The difference between your Instagram feed and your Instagram story. It's important to know what to post where. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Bret Contreras…

Six-figure income, some of the most successful guests in the world, education and teaching others lessons he's learned on his own journey… An incredibly successful entrepreneur in his own right, John Lee Dumas can often be found talking to other big names in business such as Tim Ferris, Seth Godin and Gary Vaynerchuk as part of his Entrepreneurs On Fire podcast. This episode is a lesson in inspiration, helping you to find your big idea and get better at it so you can scale through quality and communication. JLD can help you create the life you've always dreamed of. Watch the full episode on YouTube John Lee Dumas left the US army to start a career in real estate. However, it didn't take long before his passion for podcasts took over. This led the author, podcaster and host of Entrepreneurs On Fire to create an award-winning show with an audience of millions that generates six-figure sums with every episode. Passion, enthusiasm and transparency are the name of the game with John Lee Dumas' podcast – Entrepreneurs On Fire. Interviewing thousands of guests such as Tim Ferris, Lewis Howes, Seth Godin and Gary Vaynerchuk, JLD unlocks the secrets of their success and shares it with a huge audience. On top of this, he also helps budding entrepreneurs find their big idea and unlock the lifestyle freedom that everyone seeks. Episode highlights : Learn what someone earning six-figures a month would do differently in order to bring even more success after learning from previous mistakes. Why you need to niche down to find your passion before you create content and discover your audience. How much time should you spend on marketing and promotion, compared with other business duties? Hear how John Lee Dumas creates a month's worth of content in six hours to maximise time for other areas of the business. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with John Lee Dumas…

John Romeo has industry experience through 40 years in fitness. In this episode of the Escape Your Limits podcast, he talks about the importance of people, customers and employees alike, as well as giving insight on the birth of 24 Hour Fitness and the growth of the Crunch Fitness gym franchise. Watch the full episode on YouTube John Romeo got out of a rat race lifestyle as a Union worker in New York, even though he was having fun. He took up the offer of moving to California with just a week's notice, before heading to Seattle and continuing his journey in the fitness industry. Starting out involved with Captain America's Family Fitness Center, the beginnings of what would evolve into the 24 Hour Fitness empire that we know today, John has seen every level of the industry as it's developed and his experience has increased. Now operating partner for Crunch Fitness and co-owner of Capital Fitness, John Romeo has excelled growth for multiple fitness spaces. He's also worked closely with UFC GYM, driving franchises in San Diego, and he's been active in the rapid expansion of numerous dynamic brands. With 40 years in the industry under his belt, there isn't much this man doesn't know about fitness and scaling a business. This episode of the Escape Your Limits podcast is a lesson in how to get more from any venture. With four decades of experience in the fitness industry, John's insight is second to none. If you've liked the sharing of his knowledge in this episode of the Escape Your Limits podcast and would like to contact John for consultancy opportunities, email [email protected] Consultancy aside, John's main focus is on Crunch Fitness. Some may call "no judgments" a tagline, but for Crunch, it's a way of life. It's the brand's Monday-thru-every-day mantra. An unfiltered philosophy that drives them to create a community and a gym for all. No judgments means room for everyone, regardless of shape, size, age, race, gender or fitness level. No matter your workout of choice, Crunch wants you to feel good while reaching your goals. Join the fun at crunch.com. Episode highlights - Hear about the evolution of 24 Hour Fitness and how the industry giant started out, born from mergers and acquisitions. What working with Mark Mastrov was like in the early days, and how his vision inspired the team and associated groups to take advantage of opportunities. Why it's important to recruit from within a company, and how training, coaching and supervision inspires a brand, culture and a work ethic that's unsurpassed in an employee achieving their potential. How you can prepare employees for future promotion by encouraging them to develop their own teams and pick potential candidates that could replace them. The importance of healthy competition, both in and out of your business, and why you should be talking to other companies in the same market as you. Why you need to spend time with your team and appreciate everything that everyone does. It's easy to forget some departments or positions, but showing appreciation to your employees is just as important as interacting with customers. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with John Romeo…

Jerzy Gregorek has overcome incredible odds to escape from political troubles and alcoholism before coming to America and dedicating his talent in pursuit of changing lives. Through Olympic weightlifting success and implementing these fitness techniques in his own programme, he's improving the mindset of clients and increasing both their physical ability and their happiness. Today, this approach has earned him the attention of the most successful people in the world from his home in Silicon Valley. He's also appeared on podcasts and in books by entrepreneur Tim Ferriss, and he's still going strong over 60 years old. Watch the full episode on YouTube In 1986, Jerzy Gregorek left Poland, together with his wife, as political refugees. Since then, they have both won numerous World Weightlifting Championships, founded the UCLA weightlifting team and coached and transformed hundreds of people. Developing The Happy Body programme in response to their clients wanting to remain youthful, Jerzy is in great shape at 64 years old. This episode of the Escape Your Limits podcast is a history of weightlifting and bodybuilding, personal growth, rolled into improving your mindset regardless of what you're faced with. The Happy Body programme was created by Jerzy and Aniela Gregorek. They explain its purpose below… "The most potentially damaging myth about exercise is that its main purpose is to burn calories. This eliminates any joy associated with the activity, making it obsessive and stressful. In addition to discouraging people from actually exercising, this myth also stifles improvement. "The Happy Body returns joy to the practice of exercise, helping to infuse your body with a sense of dignity. You cannot fall in love with burning calories but you CAN fall in love with exercise, the RIGHT KIND of exercise, properly executed. "Exercise should relieve the stress that is accumulated on a daily basis, rather than add to it. The approach is one of mindfulness, so the mind is focused at any given moment on what the body is doing." Episode highlights - The importance of having a space to get away from your day-to-day stresses. How your mindset is key to weight loss or life changes. You have to enjoy living the life of someone that weighs 120lbs if you want to weigh 120lbs. If you lose weight but still have the mindset of someone that weighs 160lbs, you'll be unhappy and revert back. Why you need to find ways of bringing joy to exercise and stop it being all about calorie burn, whether that's for yourself, clients or members. How business can build from simple working relationships and favours through microprogressions and developments. Why you shouldn't ever hire a trainer that's younger than you, as they won't understand what you're going through. How recovery is made up of transitions built up over years, and why it's never a straightforward story whether it's weight loss, personal growth, alcoholism or anything else. How to master self control and your own reward system, and why your need for instant gratification can affect so many other aspects of your life. Why delayed gratification is the gift of life, and how that's different from purely concentrating on future success. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Jerzy Gregorek…

Humble despite his achievements, the guest on this episode of the Escape Your Limits podcast has a passion for performance not only in business, but in sport, community spirit and improving health across the nation. Malcolm McPhail has taken turnover from £3.5 million to a staggering £12 million as group CEO at Life Leisure. Living fitness, he's also competed at an international level in athletics and the award-winning business is changing people's lives for the better time after time. Malcolm McPhail was a PE teacher before immersing himself in the fitness industry on another level. In his own words he's embraced opportunities where, despite not being au fait with how to do a job in the early days, said yes and excelled when faced with any responsibility. His paralleled athletics career saw him become Scottish 400m hurdles champion, and professionally in both the public and private sector he's driven business, playing a key role in the growth of Next Generation Clubs, now merged with David Lloyd Leisure. Winning honors for his physical and professional success, Life Leisure has most recently received the ukactive Uprising Transformational Leadership Award, commending efforts in staff development across the business. Life Leisure runs an extensive mix of sports and leisure facilities, ranging from small community recreation centres to large multi-use state of the art sport and leisure facilities. In addition Life Leisure delivers sporting activities and health programmes of the highest quality to those people who for one reason or another cannot access a local facility. Working to change the lives of the local community through a leisure trust, CEO Malcolm McPhail is increasing activity across the region, making it accessible for anyone to improve their health and fitness. Episode Highlights - Understanding leisure trusts and their relationship with local authorities, and how they're a more financially efficient way of delivering health and fitness in many communities. Why the former days of giving the customers everything whether they wanted it or not can teach us a lot about business approaches today. The difference between motivation and determination, and why one can lead you to disappointment while the other always keeps you on the road to success. Mindset and grit, and how being mentally able to beat the competition no matter what the cost can give you strength in anything from business to athletic performance. How we can work together to get children moving and overcome the obesity epidemic, even through simply using research that has been available since the '80s. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Malcolm McPhail…

Paul Lubicz is a Hollywood trainer that has a passion and purpose to unlock positive personal growth. For the motivation to find faith and trust in yourself, this episode of the Escape Your Limits podcast will enable you to flip your mindset to embrace and overcome fear, weakness, and vulnerabilities and learn how to move forward in a powerful and positive way. Paul's client list has included CEOs and celebrities such as Emilia Clarke, Natalie Portman, Rupert Murdoch, as he improves not just anyone's fitness, but their wellbeing and mindset, too. Watch the full episode on YouTube – https://youtu.be/xpRztw0vd5U Paul Lubicz grew up in Perth, western Australia. However, around high school he was still uncertain what he wanted to do in life. Adopted by parents that loved and cared for him, he met his biological family, aged 19. Their success influenced him to go into the medical world. Paul started as a manufacturing chemist but was a gym junkie at heart, played Aussie rules football and trained martial arts. It didn't take long before he was studying personal training to embrace his true calling – he graduated top of his class. Paul still worked as a chemist but almost blew himself up in an accident at work, which lead to his a-ha moment to quit and work full time as a personal trainer. After learning his craft, Paul went on a working holiday to London for six months, which turned into 10 years! He got a leg up through training celebrities at Working Title Films before becoming their in-house trainer. He also started writing articles for the Sunday Times, writing books, and making games with Sony PlayStation and Nike – becoming better known in fitness but also getting frustrated, as these jobs weren't teaching people about the things that restrict them in wellbeing. Paul decided to pivot his career into following his passion for promoting how anyone can achieve anything they put their mind to. Today, Paul Lubicz is a Hollywood trainer who has worked on movies such as Marvel's Captain America and The Pirates of the Caribbean series as a consultant for health and wellbeing. For over two decades, his articles, books and insights have been bringing balance to the lives of CEOs and celebrities such as Emilia Clarke, Natalie Portman, Rupert Murdoch, international royalty, and entertainment giants Sony PlayStation. He knows how to get extraordinary results for extraordinary people. All about mindset, spirituality, attitude, Paul wants to find connection with as many people as possible through authenticity and passion, to enable them to go on their own journey and achieve anything. For more information, follow @thewellbeingmanager on Instagram, email [email protected] for private sessions of visit his new website coming soon at www.thewellbeingmanager.com Episode highlights - How to rise to your potential by embracing the ups and downs of entrepreneurship. Why your perception, of someone or even yourself, can be very different to the person inside. Ways in which you can be strong enough to also be weak and vulnerable. Why happiness over confidence will bring you more success. How you can split your life into having, doing, and being. Passion and purpose will always lead to better performance. Stop concentrating on what other people are doing and do what you enjoy doing the most. The importance of learning your craft and listening to everyone around you when it comes to gaining new skills and contributing your own knowledge. Why it's a positive action saying yes to everything when you're hungry to learn and grow your experience as an entrepreneur. Why branding can drive consumerism through guilt, or it can inspire and embrace the possibility of people achieving their biggest potential. How a pilgrimage, in any form, will prepare you to change your mindset and find your own revelations by being open to change. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Paul Lubicz…

Over 900 episodes and one million downloads per month are impressive figures by anyone's standards. If that wasn't enough, with over 20 million views on YouTube, Mind Pump is a broadcast that's changing the fitness industry and bridging the gap between education and entertainment. Meet Sal Di Stefano, Adam Schafer, Justin Andrews, Doug Egge of Mind Pump Media. Sal Di Stefano, Adam Schafer, Justin Andrews and Doug Egge have decades of combined fitness experience as personal trainers, club managers, IFBB competitors and fitness thought leaders. They started as PTs in 24 Hour Fitness under Mark Mastrov, instilling successful business ideals and the mindset needed to make it as an entrepreneur. Their podcast is a seamless blend of education and entertainment, with combined experience of the trio of hosts. Mind Pump started in the days where podcasts weren't known by the masses. Today, the market has become more competitive and they're standing out above the rest with a first class studio and an authenticity that's rarely matched in fitness. With over 900 episodes and one million downloads per month, the Mind Pump team is leading the way with one of the fitness industry's most provocative podcasts. Mind Pump is an online radio show/podcast that has been described as Howard Stern meets fitness. It is sometimes raw, sometimes shocking and is always entertaining and informative. The hosts, Sal Di Stefano, Adam Schafer and Justin Andrews have over 40 years of combined fitness experience as personal trainers, club managers, IFBB competitors and fitness thought leaders. Episode highlights - How education combined with entertainment will continue to stand out above many other marketing efforts and business models, so long as it's backed by authenticity. The importance of communication – why there are so many people who can communicate well but have terrible information, or those that know great insights but can't share the knowledge effectively. Investment and how collaboration will do much better than the results of anyone going it alone in most cases. How your business venture needs a very definitive "why" in order to be successful. Which fitness industry business strategies are 'right' or 'wrong' and what marketing is best for whether it's aimed at members, personal training clients, or fitpros. When is the right time to sell once you've built up trust and support for any venture before it becomes a true business. Why flash-in-the-pan marketing isn't working for the fitness industry and why gyms are essentially just trading members instead of bringing new people in. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with the Mind Pump podcast team…

Harley Pasternak has an expansive education in wellbeing and nutrition, with a hunger to know more than anyone else about the science of fitness, movement and more. His dedication and understanding has seen him work with more celebrities in Hollywood than anyone else, with a client list including Kanye West, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Halle Berry, Katy Perry, Megan Fox, Kim Kardashian, Alicia Keys and more. Watch the full episode on YouTube Harley grew up in Canada as an avid hockey player; that's where his life in fitness began. He started reading muscle magazines and looking up to bodybuilders as having the ideal physique, especially in Hollywood with Schwarzenegger, Stallone and Van Damme all regularly featuring in starring roles. It didn't take him long before he began bodybuilding himself and studying the science behind it through degrees in kinesiology, exercise physiology, nutrition, a Master's in exercise physiology and started working on a PhD. Following his education, Harley got recruited by the military and worked under one of the most respected in his field, Dr Ira Jacobs, on how different drugs can benefit special forces teams and their work. It was then he got a call to work for free on a film shoot training Halle Berry, Robert Downey Jr and Penélope Cruz. Harley left his booming business in Toronto for the opportunity he couldn't afford to miss. Harley Pasternak is a fitness and nutrition specialist, boasting the largest roster of celebrity clients in the industry. He's worked with the likes of Kanye West, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Halle Berry, Katy Perry, Megan Fox, Kim Kardashian, Alicia Keys and more! A best-selling author, Harley has also starred on Revenge Body with Khloé Kardashian and is a regular contributor on Good Morning America. Episode highlights - The five factors of fitness that will change your life for the better – you may already be doing some of them. What's the point in having so much knowledge if you can't share it in a way that people understand? Why you can't be good at everything, so it's important to know what you're not good at. If you don't enjoy something then it's not for you. How you can find motivation for what you do from those that you're working for. Inspiration can come from any direction. Opportunities that will benefit you long term may not make sense to start with, but building on that potential will bring bigger benefits down the line. How you can be thankful for your failures, as they're the best way to learn in the long term. Why catering to the masses will bring you more money, but you've got to get good at the one thing you want to specialise in. How people will pay four times as much for something packaged to suit their needs and perceptions. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Harley Pasternak…

Dave Hancock is a high performance coach with an impressive track record. Through an exhaustive knowledge of the human body and movement, he's worked with some of the most successful athletes, celebrities and businesspeople, such as U2, Daniel Craig, David Beckham, Odell Beckham Jr, England national football team, the New York Knicks, Washington Nationals, Chelsea FC, and more. This episode is a lesson in high performance living. Watch the full episode on YouTube – YouTube Hard work has been instilled in Dave Hancock from his parents. Through paper rounds, washing cars and working behind bars, effort brought Dave respect for the money that he'd earned. Dave has always into fitness and sport. He was injured playing rugby to a high standard. From this, he saw a physio at a club and began taking an interest in helping others. For work experience after school, Dave attended an RAF rehabilitation centre and saw how they rehabilitated soldiers coming back from serious injuries – he was hooked. He studied hard for his qualifications, earned his stripes working in hospitals and perused a career working in sport. After building on his skills, he went for a successful four-day interview with Wolverhampton Wanderers football / soccer club, and started his professional career. Further success followed as he ventured Leeds United, and Chelsea, where his success story really took off before he travelled to America to be the performance director for New York Knicks basketball team. In everything he's done, the focus has been on health, fitness, nutrition, performance and development, even when designing the training facilities themselves. As a high performance coach, Dave Hancock specialises in rehabilitation, manual therapy, sports analysis of both training sessions and matches, injury prevention and more. Whether managing director of a physio/rehab centre chain or consultant for the top sports teams, Dave knows when to advise and when to recommend someone in another area of expertise. Most recently, Dave has taken up the role of CEO of Apollo, a complete sports data management system that's fully adaptable by the user. Schedules, rehab, workouts, game video, drawings and more can be sent directly to athletes via an interactive platform for both Apple and Android. Apollo is changing the way that people look at data and how it can support a team's performance. Episode highlights - Why you need to think laterally and learn from sources that may not be traditionally accepted in your industry or profession. Why you have to change the landscape of where you are to stay at the top of what you do. What the work ethic is like for top-level celebrities that want to stay the biggest names in their respective fields. Tips on mindset and how to overcome any challenge when it comes to your competition. The difference between perceptions of being gifted compared to the hard work and the foundations that people put in to being as good as they can be. How talent and hard work from individuals contributes towards successful and effective teamwork, and what leaders can do to bring the best out of their people. Why mindset is so important and influential in everything you do when it comes to interaction, respect and results. The psychology of sport and how the same approach can be implemented in business. Why love, praise and support is so important to get the best out of people, especially when they fail. How Lady Gaga is the perfect model for diversifying talent, using it in different ways and maintaining success. Why you have to keep a lighthearted approach with everything you do, especially when dealing with the dynamics of a team in business. There has to be a release valve to the pressure of a hard working environment. What's the difference between a survivor and an innovator in business, and which one is more valuable to long-term progress? Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Dave Hancock…

Positivity is paramount when it comes to defeating self-doubt and fear. Our guest knows how to bring out the best in anyone. In this episode of the Escape Your Limits podcast, founder CEO of Mi365 and motivational speaker, Pete Cohen, delivers truth after truth to not only change the fitness industry, but change the world and create a revolution that will better the lives of us all. Watch the full episode on YouTube Pete Cohen started out in the fitness industry as a fitness instructor, aerobics instructor and personal trainer. He then became manager of the largest gym in Europe at the time. Pete loved fitness but became disillusioned with the industry because people sign up to gyms despite not enjoying exercise. To find a way of understanding members, Pete ventured into studying psychology in order to better influence behavioural change, confidence, believe and will power, but found that the industry wasn't as open to evolution. Instead he concentrated on making change where he could. Sadly, his wife got diagnosed with a very aggressive brain tumour. Although she was given 18 months to live, Pete used their collective persistence and connections to find a solution – a treatment in America that cost $200,000 and nutritional support that followed – that worked. Today he speaks of how we can all achieve greatness when faced with adversity. Now, his goal is to help people take the lead with their lives, their relationships and their work, removing blame culture and create a revolution of wellness. Pete Cohen is one of the world's leading keynote speakers. Hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world have been motivated and inspired by Pete's presentations. He's also authored books around the world, made countless television appearances and motivated sports teams such as Arsenal football club to reach peak performance. Coaching business leaders, executives, corporate teams and sporting stars to achieve their best, Pete also excels at keynote presentations and inspires his audiences to think outside the box, believe in themselves and get motivated to take positive actions. He has worked with companies such as IBM, Boots, Pfizer, Robert Half International, BAA, Royal Bank of Scotland, Boehringer Ingelheim and Thomas Cook. Pete's interactive style is fun, thought provoking and leaves a lasting impression. Episode highlights: Who is the fitness industry benefitting? Is it only interested in people that like to exercise, and how can it facilitate the needs of people who don't exercise? Why we need to treat people in fitness like the health industry treats people that need medicine. Ways in which the fitness experience is more about feeling that someone cares, rather than just about the lights, the music and the equipment. How humans share a similar DNA structure to mushrooms and why you'll be hearing a lot more about adaptogens in the near future. Why facing the worst news only brings out the best in you and helps you to realise how much you can achieve. Why vision boards don't work, and how you can be motivated to act instead of just looking. How you can plan based on a WOOP – wish, outcome, obstacles, plan. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Pete Cohen…

Larry Nolan is the CEO Hardcore Fitness Gyms, founded in the suburbs of Los Angeles, where there are more gyms per square mile than any other city in the United States. Larry is also creator of Hardcore Nutrition supplements and host of the Go Hard podcast; he's all about being real to his clients and adding value wherever he can. This episode of the Escape Your Limits podcast is a lesson in risk for reward, overcoming adversity and always staying true to your customers. Watch the full episode on YouTube At 16, Larry Nolan got diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and Raynaud's phenomenon, a circulatory condition. Doctors told him that he couldn't work out. Through a passion for fitness and the rebellious nature of being young, he got back to exercising anyway. He soon found that, for him, working out and understanding the importance of rest periods could combat the symptoms of his conditions. Through his own experiences, Larry found passion in personal training to help others appreciate what their own bodies can do. He started a career training as a profession with 24 Hour Fitness and worked through all the areas of gyms in corporate America, whether it was training, sales, and more – the fundamentals of setting up a gym, management and the benefits of being around great talent, but the but the business side of training killed his passion for fitness. Starting his own group fitness initiative training clients in a local park, eventually Larry sacrificed everything to invest in an indoor space, even giving up his first holiday with his wife after years together. Fuelled every day with hard work to create his vision, from physical creation of the space to personal growth with education and earning his place as worthy of the customers he wanted to attract. Larry and Nadia Nolan founded Hardcore Fitness in 2007 in Santa Clarita. Known as the "transformation gym," it's all about motivating and supporting a community, whether a member is an athlete or has never stepped foot in a fitness space. As the crossover between PT and group exercise, Larry and his team focus on the needs of each member, offering energetic classes and facilities or resources for weight training, cardio, core, nutrition, motivation and accountability. With 18 locations now open, Hardcore Fitness is also recruiting for franchise opportunities to further its network. Larry is also creator of Hardcore Nutrition supplements and host of the Go Hard podcast. Episode highlights: How you can overcome mental obstacles such as the fear of competing against other PTs in a huge fitness space. Ways in which, even at a young age, medical conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and Raynaud's can be combatted by working out and planned rest periods. Why internships and networking are vital for experience and understanding, but may scare you as they reveal the side of business that you don't see. It's not all glamour. How adding value for the customer is important to any business, even if it's not necessary. How you can overcome anything, even a bad track record and two felonies, to build a successful business and follow your passion. The importance of every single client, and how they're precious. Understanding the fundamentals of a trainer and what business models you can implement to make the most of their strengths and passions. How to keep going, even when everything is going wrong. Why jealously and hate are such negative results from looking at someone else's success on social media, and how you can translate your reaction into something much more positive. How the finance works out in a successful venture, transitioning from outdoor group training to an indoor fitness space while still adding client value and scaling your business. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Larry Nolan…

Sue Anstiss has a lot of strings to her bow. In addition to her MBE for services to grassroots and women's sport, she's CEO of Promote PR, trustee for the Women's Sport Trust charity, a Women in Fitness Association UK council member and host of The Game Changers podcast. This episode of the Escape Your Limits podcast is a vital lesson in equality, dedication and a lifetime of getting a nation engaged in sport and wellbeing. Watch the full episode on YouTube – YouTube Sue Anstiss studied at Loughborough, graduating in Sports Science and English. After working in sales for Cadbury's, she's since honed her sports sponsorship background, having worked for Gatorade before facing redundancy. Sue set up on her own aged 26, bringing Bupa into the fitness industry along with other contacts she'd developed relationships with through her previous experience. It was the start of a journey of hard work and putting the hours in, striving for perfection in everything she's done. Promote PR, now celebrating 25 years in business, and has proved to be the perfect vehicle for Sue's passion in grassroots sport. Promote PR has been changing behaviour with powerful PR, content and social media for over two decades. Through Sue's initial set-up, the company first concentrated on sport and then the fitness sector before coming back to sport as the mainstay of business. With a strong team, Sue has since evolved the business and its approach for a more effective delivery of everything it does. Promote PR also does work in elite sport but uses those relationships to drive participation. In addition to her work directly with Promote, Sue is also a trustee for the Women's Sport Trust charity, getting more media coverage and funding to women's sport. Giving a lot of voluntary time to projects and campaigns is something that Sue is passionate about. If that wasn't enough, Sue's also host of The Game Changers podcast, dedicated to trailblazing women in sport telling their stories. If you'd like to guest on the podcast with Sue Anstiss, email her on [email protected] Episode highlights - When is the best time to start your entrepreneurial journey? When you're young and have little responsibility, or when you're older and more experienced? Ways in which you can get help to recruit women in a male dominated world, and why you found yourself in that position as a top level male business owner or employee. Why you should call out prejudice and discrimination in order to stop it happening again, and why working for someone else can prevent employees from taking action. Why you need to constantly have a thirst to learn more, and why it's really important for whatever you want to achieve. Why the boutique sector may be giving people the wrong impression of the fitness industry, and how it can negatively affect mental health when it comes to perception. Why the fitness industry is focused on unrealistic behaviour and makes members feel guilty for not using what they pay for, as opposed to inspiring them to engage. The difference between sport and fitness, and how sport can boost confidence whereas fitness in some ways increases self-consciousness. Why you need to think of the things that could come along tomorrow that would negate any benefit that you offer in business. Broaden your offering or know what benefit you'd offer if a disrupter entered the market. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Sue Anstiss MBE…

Dennis Yu is more than just a digital marketer. As CEO of BlitzMetrics, he's built a company contributing to tomorrow's future, partnering with schools to teach young adults. With his experience, they're learning the processes that saw him making $80,000 a day on Facebook ad serving a decade ago and more. Watch the episode on YouTube. Dennis Yu has lived a life of learning. As a child, his father encouraged him to the point where he was doing calculus by the time he was eight years old. Dennis' passion for numbers continued to develop through struggling with English, growing up in a Chinese family. Dennis could communicate better through figures and equations than he could with words. That is, until he studied the Oxford English Dictionary for three hours every day and went on to represent California in the national spelling bee. This drive and determination fuelled his natural entrepreneurial ability, from selling candy and sweets at school to selling traffic and attention online. Through his parents, Dennis got access to some of the first computers. His endless thirst for education meant that he was head and shoulders above others that needed his knowledge. Today, Dennis specialises in digital marketing, Facebook advertising and revenue optimisation while still finding time to host inspirational keynotes and contribute to a multitude of publications. Hear how he embraces his data geek nature to continue an astounding level of personal growth. BlitzMetrics is a digital marketing agency that partners with schools to train young adults on how to drive sales through social media and digital opportunities. Everything that Blitz does is governed by process, meaning that new students can come on board knowing nothing, and learn how to generate leads and revenue for multinational companies. BlitzMetrics is trusted by and has worked with Rosetta Stone, Wall Street Journal, Golden State Warriors, Social Media Examiner, Escape Fitness and more. For more information: https://blitzmetrics.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennisyu Episode highlights - How struggle can create a competitive nature to overcome any challenge and excel at something beyond the expectation of others. Facing the complexity of computing that seems very difficult, but can be straight forward if you just trust yourself to dive in and educate yourself. How many entrepreneurial journeys start at school, selling sweets or candy and making a profit through natural business mindset at an early age. How to embrace what you do know and appreciate your own abilities, even if you suffer from imposter syndrome in your job. How social networking started and grew, even 10 years before Facebook had been created. Secrets behind targeted ads, smartphone listening and GPS tracking, even if your phone is in airplane mode, and how AI is getting smarter. Why we hear so much about personal brands and why they're vital to building trust when it comes to business and sales. What is "rational ignorance," how does it help you and why resulting decisions are almost always made based on relationships. What budget you should be allocating to your social advertising budget, and why it isn't going to be as expensive as you think to test ideas that work. What we'll see in the future for digital opportunities and technological developments. How your service or offering has to be driven through morality and ethics, and why anything else isn't sustainable online. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Dennis Yu…

Jason Worthy, president of Life Fitness, has lived the life of both an entrepreneur and executive. Now, his 20 years of fitness experience have led him to the top of the biggest fitness company in the world. This episode of Escape Your Limits is a lesson in staying relevant and keeping your finger on the pulse of fitness market trends. Watch the full episode on YouTube Jason Worthy grew up in the UK with hardworking parents, the youngest of five children. He discovered an entrepreneurial spirit from an early age, retrieving golf balls and selling them back to golfers. Since then he's always had a desire to work hard and create something from his efforts. Following his education, Jason moved to London to become a fitness instructor and personal trainer with LA Fitness before going it alone. Entrepreneurially, Jason has faced business opportunities that haven't worked out, discovering new strengths as a result. He has learned how to deal with failure, rejection and how to be resilient. Climbing the ladder of success at the biggest fitness company in the world before moving to the US, Jason Worthy couldn't be more proud with the position he's in as president of Life Fitness today. Life Fitness' purpose is to inspire healthier lives. The Life Fitness family of brands encourages a full spectrum of active lifestyles, ranging from the traditional fitness options provided by Life Fitness, Hammer Strength, Cybex and ICG, activity for older adults and those in rehabilitation offered by SCIFIT, and the casual active pursuits inspired by Brunswick Billiards. Headquartered outside Chicago, in Rosemont, Illinois, Life Fitness is a division of Brunswick Corporation. Episode highlights - Reasons why staying calm is a leadership quality that's often overlooked, and why it's one of the most important skills to remember. Why it's important to learn from your mistakes and how they help teach you about yourself to grow in the future. The importance of a morning routine to help you collect your thoughts and own the day. How long it takes to own a job after coming into a new role or starting a new venture. Why you should force yourself to make the difficult positions, including acknowledging your weaknesses in business and how you can get the skills to overcome them. Understanding how unwavering belief and positive mindset can get you much further than intelligence or conventional education alone. How surrounding yourself with progressive and even aggressive people when it comes to business will progress you and the company further, so long as you're all pushing in the right direction. Set a clear vision and take your message forward. How to hire people that "get it." Find out if potential employees can get behind the "why" of the company, and then everything cascades down from there. Ways in which you can deal with internal politics and positioning in a positive way. Overcome negativity and work with those that question what you're doing and think they can do it better. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Jason Worthy…

An A-list master trainer, author and lifestyle consultant, Ashley Borden has faced both personal and professional challenges in her life to overcome them all and forge an incredible entrepreneurial career for the benefit of others. From a teenager with eating disorders, she's recovered to push her clients with understanding and empathy. It's a list that's included Christina Aguilera, Ryan Gosling, Reese Witherspoon, Rumer Willis, and she's also appeared on TV show Revenge Body with Khloé Kardashian. In this episode, we learn how it's never too late to create the best version of you. Watch the full episode on YouTube Ashley Borden grew up in fitness. Her mother owned health food stores, while her father owned sporting stores. Both parents were into fitness so Ashley grew up around movement and an understanding of wellbeing, but she was a dancer at heart. She suffered with eating disorders in her teenage years – compulsive exercise, compulsive eating, anorexia, bulimia – and overcame them through treatment and a change of perspective. Ashley wanted to learn how to move properly and be more athletic. After discovering how to do this, she felt the need to help others achieve the same understanding of how to have a good relationship with their own bodies. It didn't take long for her to create her career through doing what worked for her and clients she was instructing. Ashley Borden is a fitness and lifestyle consultant for some of Hollywood's most famous faces, publications and television shows. She's incredibly driven and goal focused. Ashley created her own space within the fitness industry, having overcome personal struggles and passed on this experience and these insights on to her clients. With over 40,000 hours of personal training experience, Ashley is also a published author and has appeared on television programmes such as Revenge Body with Khloé Kardashian. She has trained the likes of Christina Aguilera, Ryan Gosling, Reese Witherspoon and more. For more information visit ashleyborden.com Episode highlights - Learning how conventional career paths don't have to be the only route to success. Ashley forged her own education through hiring and learning from others. The importance of removing any negative speak when referring to yourself or thinking about your body. How to ensure you keep your self respect when it comes to picking which clients to keep or which to stop working with, and how to avoid negativity. Why it's important to remove personal relationships with your clients to avoid any negative association through a lack of boundaries. When to know if something's too much to do on your own, and why you might have to hold off on potential plans instead of struggling to cope. Why following a fitness programme is so important and how strength training is so important to anyone wishing to achieve their goals. How to monetize opportunity by looking at the bigger picture as a platform, for things like television appearances or segments in other media outlets. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Ashley Borden…

As an aspiring bodybuilder in Birmingham, Dorian "the Shadow" Yates never thought he'd compete at the level of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lee Haney, Frank Zane and other Mr Olympia winners. That attitude soon changed with success, winning Mr Olympia six consecutive times. His is a story of confidence, determination and belief that we can all learn from for anything that we do. Watch the full episode on YouTube Dorian Yates had his sights on becoming British Champion in bodybuilding. Little did he know he'd be placed among the greats such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lee Haney, Frank Zane and other Mr Olympia muscle icons. Dorian lived in the countryside, losing his father when he was quite young. He moved and grew up in Birmingham before his mum decided to leave and he wanted to stay, aged 16. He got into a bit of trouble as a teenager and was sent to a detention centre, but it was here where he cemented his love for hard physical exercise. Always wanted to gain new experiences and travel around the world. Since winning the Mr Olympia bodybuilding competitions six times, he's done that and so much more. Today he speaks at promotions, motivational appearances and seminars, explaining what his rise to success has taught him and how his approach has changed since retiring from bodybuilding. Dorian Yates revolutionised bodybuilding by setting new standards in body mass and conditioning. He was the first Mr. Olympia at 250 lbs (265 lbs at his best), presenting an absolutely shredded physique with extremely low body fat and outstandingly high muscle density. DY Nutrition is Dorian's company, including the Shadow Line bodybuilding supplements thatprovide exceptional training performance, with Dorian leading by example through years of Mr. Olympia experience. Dorian also hosts and runs high intensity training certification sessions for Master Trainers, to pass on his work ethic and methodology to personal trainers around the world. For more information visit http://dy-hit.com/ Episode highlights How your basic personality is influenced by genetics as well as your environment, and how this leads to your level of drive and determination in anything you do. The importance of staying humble, as Dorian Yates still lived in a council flat, sleeping on just a mattress, in Birmingham when he was British Champion in bodybuilding. The difference between a body for competing and a body for functional day-to-day activities or enjoyment, and why the two are very different. The benefit of tunnel vision when it comes to being the best in your field. Why we need to get kids from every nation into sports and fitness to turn any potential negative energy into a positive result. Breaking down your "Everest" goal into achievable sections so that you can take each one as it comes without anything seeming impossible. Before long you'll be close to your long term target. How to overcome uncertainty and remain confident, staying honest with yourself about what you can achieve and what you have to do to succeed. Why you should do things that benefit your health, both physical and mental, instead of solely projecting what you want people to think of you – unless they're one and the same. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Dorian Yates…

It's time that we spark up some debate between fitness industry leaders! As IHRSA is when the world of fitness comes together, what better time to discover fitness trends, the future of what boutique will become over the coming years, and how other sectors of the industry will react? Our guests this week have a combined 80 years in business and entrepreneurship. The biggest question we want answered? Has the boutique fitness industry peaked? Let's find out. Video Version - YouTube David Collignon, senior VP Blink Fitness Consistency in marketing, branding, and reaching out to people who may not have felt comfortable approaching big box gyms in the past. Josh Leve, founder and CEO of Association of Fitness Studios Ways in which the industry can make fitness a lifestyle, instead of just an activity of coming in to a location and working out. Dave Wright, creator and CEO of Myzone Reasons why boutiques as a buzzword is not sustainable, but gym experience anywhere is about group training, functional training and a frictionless experience with the advancement of technology. Emma Barry, former director of group programming and group exercise at Equinox Why the fitness industry hasn't been engaging enough over the years, even to the point of taking things for granted, and how boutiques as we know them today have brought a high emotional element to their service. Steve Vlchek, co-founder of Workout Bar How important experience is in fitness boutiques – that's about activity in and out of the gym, along with how to create community within everything that an operator does. Blink Fitness With 80+ locations, with franchise opportunities and plans for plenty more, Blink's USP is to bring a feel good experience with luxury at a value price. David Collignon joined Blink in 2016 and currently serves as SVP of operations. AFS The Association of Fitness Studios aims to support industry operators in changing lives, providing resources, expertise and education for any fitness business. Coming from fitness industry royalty (including his dad, the founder of IHRSA), Josh Leve has been behind AFS from the ground up. Myzone Wearable technology company Myzone shouts about the use of tech to help people feel good about exercise. Creator and CEO, Dave Wright, launched the company in 2011 and has been pioneering gym member engagement ever since. Equinox Fitness training, PT and studios that inspire you to perform, Equinox offers unlimited group fitness, luxury amenities and exceptional services. Formerly the director of group fitness programming, Emma Barry has a wealth of insight on what makes a successful fitness experience. Workout Bar Leading the way in what they call social fitness, Workout Bar in San Diego combines a high energy fitness program, utilising the latest in wearable technology along with lighting and immersive sound. On top of that, there's more to the social scene outside the gym walls, too. Steve Vlcheck is innovating in the space as one of Workout Bar's passionate directors. Episode highlights - What effect boutique fitness has had on the industry, how these changes have been seen in other industries and which sectors lead the charge. Why experience is key and how boutique studios can tailor their service to specific niches and needs of clients who pay Why buying into high emotional elements and hyperpersonalisation is only going to get more of an appealing offering for consumers. How being able to have control and pivot is a key factor to the success of boutique fitness spaces compared to big box gyms. What created the rise of the health club and why the boutique system is / isn't sustainable over the traditional big box gym. How boutiques have been around for years, and what's different now that's causing their popularity. Why financial decisions between pay per visit and EFT can make a huge difference in the longevity of a boutique business. How, while yield per square foot is vital, it's equally important to consider the experience outside of the gym space as well as in it. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with the IHRSA boutique fitness expert panel…

George Foreman III may be the son of the two-time world heavyweight champion and Olympic gold medalist, but it's the business lessons he's carried forward from family more than anything. Today, George feels passion for both boxing and business, with foresight and fortune of an entrepreneur. In this episode, we get a lesson in discipline and putting your ego aside. Watch the full episode on YouTube George "Monk" Foreman III says that it was always weird watching his dad on TV, but the fight game didn't get in the way of family life, as his dad gave his kids all the attention they needed and more. George's own boxing career saw him go 16-0 as a heavyweight, with 15 knockouts. Managed by his father, he spent training time learning how to grind and never give up, dragging vehicles and performing functional fitness movements such as digging and chopping wood. This not only gave George Foreman III his endurance and strength for the ring, but taught him determination and perseverance for his entrepreneurial journey, too. George Foreman III has always been driven by a passion for boxing in business, ever since his father's instruction to run the combat element of his own training space. In 2014, George opened EverybodyFights. He'd done his research. Boston was number one city in the nation for percentage of the population with a gym membership. It was also number three in terms of average price paid per membership. Looking into break even points, George's findings meant that his vision and business plan for a boxing gym made total sense. EverybodyFights has opened five new locations since 2014. New York, Boston, Kentucky, Chicago, and Philadelphia in 2019. Visit everybodyfights.com and unleash your inner fighter. Episode Highlights Learn ways to ensure that nothing or nobody can push you as hard as you're willing to push yourself. How to avoid imitation over authenticity in any entrepreneurial venture. Make your decisions based on the belief that your vision is going to work out. Give your brain the opportunity to be creative enough so you can execute your vision, regardless of your situation. Why doing your research on the competition is important before any business venture, even to the point of where George Foreman III physically ran to and toured every location in Boston to see what he was up against. The importance of real estate insight before you even think about what you'd like to do in the building itself. Hear the reasons why you're supposed to quit. Why nobody else does what's needed with an innovative venture, and what you need to get through it. The best way to market and why it's about authenticity and not just advertising to any particular cultural division, nationality, gender or age group. Make it real. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with George Foreman III…

Do you know your HIIT from your SMIT training? Fitness studios offer every niche of wellbeing. At ukactive's Sweat event, we talk to operators at the top of their game for a great understanding of what a boutique offering truly is, and what's to come. The Escape Your Limits boutique fitness expert panel: Jason Tubbs, MD of Another Space Olivia Brafman, head of business at Ministry of Sound Fitness Michelle Dand, group health and fitness manager at David Lloyd Steve Scales, director of client services at ukactive Watch the full episode on YouTube – Jason Tubbs, MD of Another Space Joined a panel at Sweat discussing whether the boutique sector has reached saturation, and what the future holds. Olivia Brafman, head of business at Ministry of Sound Fitness How to understand the journey you're being taken on in other experience-led industries, and why this works in the boutique fitness market. Michelle Dand, group health and fitness manager at David Lloyd How gyms and chains can learn from the boutique market to avoid complacency. Steve Scales, director of client services at ukactive How ukactive use Sweat and other events in driving the value of physical activity by supporting boutiques and informing decisions. Sweat is a thought leadership event connecting forward-thinking brands, startups, influencers and investors in boutique fitness. With the boutique sector rapidly growing in prominence, Sweat delivers cutting edge data insights, implementable business knowledge and will motivate and inspire. Guests, panel members, speakers and host include representatives and operators from leading fitness companies and bodies such as ukactive, Another Space, Ministry of Sound Fitness, David Lloyd, Escape Fitness and more. Episode highlights How complementary branding or processes can help a boutique space (or vice versa with a traditional gym) and why it's still important to have stand-alone brand perceptions externally. What the membership trends in boutiques are evolving to, and why the pay as you go/unlimited monthly offerings are switching between business models. Hear about the challenges of acquiring the best employees, and why boutiques are more about the performance than the personal training. How to pivot from a completely different industry into fitness and why transitions from the music industry, for example, have been so successful in boutiques. How to centre a fitness experience about the sound, and why nightclub culture is leading the way in boutique studio success. Growth strategies for the coming years and how transatlantic business can influence each other through embracing trends. How to positively introduce evolution and development to a member base that may fear change. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with boutique fitness experts from the ukactive Sweat event…

Descendant of fitness industry royalty, Josh Leve is the founder and CEO of the Association of Fitness Studios. An expert in strategic development, he helps thousands of individuals and businesses all over the world. Watch the full episode on YouTube Josh is the third generation of family members starting a fitness association, following in the footsteps of his grandfather who started the National Court Clubs Association and his father who started IHRSA. He had a background in the management side of fitness studios, scaling and improving health clubs through consulting, advertising, marketing and more. When it came to AFS, Josh embraced his entrepreneurial drive and acted on a big opportunity. The Association of Fitness Studios is made up of a team of people all over the USA. Through combined experience and input from all its members, AFS as a body has become an expert in maximising space and experience for clients. Josh Leve views everything he does with AFS from the pathway of a trainer just starting out their entrepreneurial journey, ensuring that it always has member needs at heart. AFS is the direct link between studio owners, suppliers, fitness professionals, certifying organisations, and consumers – connecting all segments of this vibrant industry. Its benchmarking reports are renowned for an accurate view of what's happening in fitness, and SUCCEED! is the association's major event dedicated to current and aspiring studio and gym operators of all disciplines. Episode highlights: How boutiques and fitness studios have evolved, with trainers, artists and performers progressing into entrepreneurs and businesspeople. Learn the pitfalls of starting your own business, what effect clients can have on the decision and what alternatives there are if entrepreneurship doesn't work out for you. How to define a boutique, and what differentiates them from any other gym set up. The importance of a high-touch, results-driven culture within the world of fitness studios. Why success is no longer about differentiation, and why it's more to do with customer service in the studio sector. The key elements of a successful experience and what locations can do to avoid doing things wrong. The differences between membership models, how to keep members coming back and how high performing studios provide the wow factor. How and why you can avoid dead spaces and lost revenue in your fitness space. Hear about the technology advances that will be driving the industry in years to come. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Josh Leve…

Brendan Cosso's temptation to smuggle drugs landed him in the most dangerous prison in South America. He rebuilt his life and dedicated it to education, events and helping people take a positive path. In this breathtakingly graphic and candid interview, we learn the value of decision-making from the CEO of the World Calisthenics Organisation. Watch the full episode on YouTube Growing up in a middle class family in California, and living a life of luxury working the VIP clubs of Hollywood, Brendan made one bad decision that saw his life come crashing down. Tempted by a lot of money and the lure of the Brazilian party scene, Brendan strapped himself up with cocaine and headed back to the US. Caught at the border, his decision landed him in the most dangerous prison in South America. Brendan rejected the idea that he would remain 'a criminal' and spent his term learning and educating himself. Improvising with whatever was available, he made a pulley system to work out on, improving his strength and movement – the system he later developed into the CrossCore, now sold worldwide. He has rebuilt his life and as CEO of the World Calisthenics Organisation, he dedicates it to education, events and creating opportunities in fitness for people who don't have careers. After being introduced to Calisthenics through a friend, Brendan saw the entertainment potential and created a competition in the park – making up the rules and pulling together make-shift equipment. Instantly popular with onlookers and contestants, Brendan sought sponsorship and quickly grew the contest to become Battle of the Bars – the global competition known on the streets today. Along with Kenneth Gallarzo, Brendan Cosso founded the World Calisthenics Organization (WCO) with the overarching intention of bringing the calisthenics and street workout movement to the forefront of the mainstream fitness industry. The WCO was the first organisation to hold a calisthenics competition on such a large and professional scale, reaching nearly 37,000 onlookers at the LA Fit Expo January 2013. Combing elements of street workout, parkour, gymnastics, free running and tricking, Battle of the Bars has become an intricate part of the growing community. Through WCO, Brendan is creating opportunities in fitness for people who don't have careers and is championing the recognition of calisthenics as a sport. See www.worldcalisthenics.org for more details. Episode highlights : How even in the darkest of places, you can find the strength to turn your life around – with self-reflection, acceptance, hard work and good decisions. Understanding that it isn't until you forgive yourself for what you've done that it allows you to move forward to forgive others for what they did to you. The importance of mental strength and dealing with difficult experiences in enabling you to be good and make a difference from today on. How by accepting whatever help your connections offer, you can help yourself to change your life. The importance of not worrying what others think, focusing on your goal and never giving up on what you think is achievable. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Brendan Cosso…

Brendan Cosso's temptation to smuggle drugs landed him in the most dangerous prison in South America. He rebuilt his life and dedicated it to education, events and helping people take a positive path. In this breathtakingly graphic and candid interview, we learn the value of decision-making from the CEO of the World Calisthenics Organisation. Watch the full episode on YouTube Growing up in a middle class family in California, and living a life of luxury working the VIP clubs of Hollywood, Brendan made one bad decision that saw his life come crashing down. Tempted by a lot of money and the lure of the Brazilian party scene, Brendan strapped himself up with cocaine and headed back to the US. Caught at the border, his decision landed him in the most dangerous prison in South America. Brendan rejected the idea that he would remain 'a criminal' and spent his term learning and educating himself. Improvising with whatever was available, he made a pulley system to work out on, improving his strength and movement – the system he later developed into the CrossCore, now sold worldwide. He has rebuilt his life and as CEO of the World Calisthenics Organisation, he dedicates it to education, events and creating opportunities in fitness for people who don't have careers. After being introduced to Calisthenics through a friend, Brendan saw the entertainment potential and created a competition in the park – making up the rules and pulling together make-shift equipment. Instantly popular with onlookers and contestants, Brendan sought sponsorship and quickly grew the contest to become Battle of the Bars – the global competition known on the streets today. Along with Kenneth Gallarzo, Brendan Cosso founded the World Calisthenics Organization (WCO) with the overarching intention of bringing the calisthenics and street workout movement to the forefront of the mainstream fitness industry. The WCO was the first organisation to hold a calisthenics competition on such a large and professional scale, reaching nearly 37,000 onlookers at the LA Fit Expo January 2013. Combing elements of street workout, parkour, gymnastics, free running and tricking, Battle of the Bars has become an intricate part of the growing community. Through WCO, Brendan is creating opportunities in fitness for people who don't have careers and is championing the recognition of calisthenics as a sport. Seewww.worldcalisthenics.orgfor more details. Episode highlights : How devastating and life-changing results can occur when you're influenced by the wrong crowd and attracted by an easy route to the lifestyle you want. The importance of taking responsibility for what you've done and making the right decision to protect your future and those you love. The reality of what it means to break the law and just how dangerous that can be. How sometimes the most terrifying thing isn't the horror of what you have to deal with in front of you but the possibilities of what you might have to do to protect yourself in the future. The realization that if you make a bad decision you can give other people the power to decide your fate. Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with Brendan Cosso…