Future of Fitness

Street Parking was founded by Julian and Miranda Alcaraz in 2016. Miranda – after 15 years in the fitness industry, 8 years on CrossFit HQ seminar staff, and 8 years competing in CrossFit. Julian – after 10 years in the fitness industry, and 5 years competing in CrossFit. Both having trained and competed at the highest level – the CrossFit Games – they found themselves in new territory – busy. Julian was running a business and Miranda had settled into a full time job. At the time the couple was dating and lived over an hour away from each other. They noticed something interesting. The workouts they would post on their social media from HOME – with simple equipment – was what people who followed them responded to most. An idea was formed. Post the simple workouts we are doing at home – so people can follow along. Charge a fee that is totally doable for most people. Create a community where we can push and motivate each other. The first ever workouts were posted in November 2016 (just a few days before Miranda found out she was pregnant with their baby boy). Memberships went up for sale the week before New Years. Within the first month, Street Parking had 700 Members. Miranda has had huge success in the fitness industry and now in business. Her current business, Street Parking, has over 10,000 members and she started in less than two years ago! Street Parking is a workout program designed for people who have limited time and/or equipment. Let's listen to how she accomplished this in such a short time. Listen, subscribe and share!

Conor O'Loughlin is the CEO of Glofox. Having played professional rugby for an 8 year period with Connacht, subsequently built out a web and app development business which provided tech services on a consultancy basis. Through this business Conor and his co-founders (Anthony Kelly and Finn Hegarty) recognised how the fitness industry has evolved and specifically how the challenges around managing these businesses were facing could be solved using technology. Let's listen to his journey, the idea of Glofox, how they'd deal with COVID and their mission to become the number one operating system for the fitness industry. check out: glofox.com connect with us: futureoffitness.co

Marc Zionts is an executive, athlete, and environmentalist and has been successfully leading companies since 1987. Zionts is the Executive Chairman of Precision Nutrition, a BV Investment Partners portfolio company. We talk about building resilience in coaching like partnerships with clients to optimize health, well-being through developing and sustaining positive mindsets, the tools that need to use to help health coaches automate their business and much MORE! Relevant Links: https://www.instagram.com/precisionnutrition/ https://www.facebook.com/insidePN https://twitter.com/insidePN https://www.linkedin.com/company/precision-nutrition/ Connect with us: www.futureoffitness.co

Kelly Starrett is a CrossFit trainer, physical therapist, author, and speaker. His 2013 fitness book, Becoming a Supple Leopard, was featured on The New York Times bestselling sportsbooks list. He is a co-founder, with his wife Juliet Starrett, of the fitness website MobilityWOD. He created The Ready State Virtual Mobility Coach. It's like having a virtual Kelly Starrett in your pocket. And it's already helped tens of thousands of people resolve pain, prevent injury, and improve their physical performance. In this episode, we'll get Kelly's thought processes behind "Stepping Into The Gap" Relevant Links: https://thereadystate.com/ The Ready State Youtube Channel Connect with us: https://www.futureoffitness.co/

Reed Davis, Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner (HHP) and Certified Nutritional Therapist (CNT), is an expert in functional lab testing and holistic lifestyle medicine. Over 20 years ago, Reed Davis recognized people were caught in a "cycle of trial and error" and he committed to being the last person they needed to see. While working with top leaders in alternative medicine, he ran thousands of labs on thousands of people and learned to identify "healing opportunities." Using all-natural, drug-free protocols, Reed made observations about who got better and who didn't, codifying which "general principles of health building" would outperform "specific treatments" being provided by standard and even alternative medicine. And through this work, he then developed the Functional Diagnostic Nutrition® Certification Course and D.R.E.S.S. for Health Success Protocol® to educate and empower as many people as possible about how to get well and stay well naturally, so they, in turn, may empower others to do the same. Resources and Links: https://www.facebook.com/FunctionalDiagnosticNutrition/ https://twitter.com/FDNtraining https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7xDnEKCe9gKeWZ2vbE3C8w https://www.instagram.com/fdntraining/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/san-diego-natural-health-&-fitness-ctr/ Connect with us: https://www.futureoffitness.co/

Robb Wolf is a former research biochemist, a 2X New York Times/WSJ Best Selling author of The Paleo Solution and Wired To Eat. Robb has transformed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people around the world via his top ranked iTunes podcast, (The Healthy Rebellion Radio, The Paleo Solution Podcast) books, and seminars. Robb has functioned as a review editor for the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism (Biomed Central) and as a consultant for the Naval Special Warfare Resiliency program. He serves on the board of Directors/Advisors for: Specialty Health Inc, The Chickasaw Nation's "Unconquered Life" initiative and a number of innovative start ups with a focus on health and sustainability. Robb holds a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and is a former California State Powerlifting Champion (565 lb. Squat, 345 lb. Bench, 565 lb. Deadlift) and a 6-0 amateur kickboxer. Wolf has provided seminars in nutrition and strength & conditioning to a number of entities including NASA, Naval Special Warfare, the Canadian Light Infantry and the United States Marine Corps. Resources and Links: https://robbwolf.com/ The Healthy Rebellion Radio Connect with us: https://www.futureoffitness.co/

Dan Uyemura and I talked about our own ways on how we use social media, how to be more creative with online fitness/health marketing strategies than ever and get useful social media strategies for 2021! Dan is a lifelong web application developer turned gym owner that saw a glaring hole in the gym management software space and decided to fill it. He believes customer experience is the primary thing most small business owners don't pay enough attention to, and has a personal mission to help gym owners build better businesses and help more people in their communities. Resources and Links: https://www.facebook.com/pushpress https://www.facebook.com/danielsan (personal) https://instagram.com/pushpress https://instagram.com/danielsan (personal) https://www.linkedin.com/company/pushpress https://www.linkedin.com/in/danuyemura/ (personal) Connect with us: https://www.futureoffitness.co/

Tune in as Ian Mullane explains his software solutions for Brick and Mortar. He is the Founder and CEO of Keepme, launched in 2019 - a business dedicated to increasing the revenue of health and fitness operators utilizing Artificial Intelligence, an AI-powered sales and marketing CRM platform for the fitness industry. Resources and Links: https://twitter.com/keepme_ai www.keepme.ai https://www.linkedin.com/company/keepme-ai/ Connect with Ian Connect with us: https://www.futureoffitness.co/

Coach McQuilkin is the Director of Training and Education for Power Athlete, a worldwide strength and conditioning organization focused on empowering performance. Chris has led over 100 clinics across 16 countries spanning 6 continents introducing the Power Athlete Methodology to athletes, sports medicine professionals, performance and sport coaches. Resources and Links: https://www.facebook.com/chris.mcquilkin https://twitter.com/TexMcQuilkin Instagram: @mcquilkin Connect with Chris Connect with Future of Fitness: www.futureoffitness.co

Natalia Karbasova is founder of FitTech Summit and CEO of FitTech Company and Founder of FitTech Summit. Previously, Natalia was with Hubert Burda Media, one of Europe's largest media companies, for 9 years. She worked as personal assistant to the company owner and one of Germany's top billionaires, Dr. Hubert Burda, looking into global digital trends. Later on, as Burda's Creative Evangelist, she successfully launched several innovation initiatives like hackathons, rapid prototyping labs, pitch competitions and startup conferences. She founded the FitTech Summit while still at Burda and spun it off 2020 to run it as an independent company. She has been into track-and-field athletics for 8 years and is a certified fitness coach. Resources and Links: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fittechsummit www.fittechsummit.com Connect with Natalia

Mike Fantigrassi is the Senior Director of Product Development at the National Academy of Sports Medicine. (NASM) Mike is a results-driven leader with diverse expertise and an extensive network of contacts within the fitness industry. He has a proven ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment. He has an extensive background in education and training program development/presentation. Mike is passionate about fitness, education, and helping others develop new skills that result in growth and success. He is fascinated by emerging health and wellness technology and fitness startups that are driving positive change. What is Mike's history? (0:47) Mike went to college at Florida State University. Like many people at that age, Mike was unsure what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. He was particularly drawn to fitness and, more specifically, nutrition. Mike fumbled a bit with his choice of career. He wanted to go to medical school and then physical therapy school before settling for chiropractic school. Still, to fulfill the prerequisites for that, he had to get his undergraduate degree in food and nutrition. That was the earliest version of the personal training undergraduate degree that someone would get to prepare to do personal training with a strong emphasis on nutrition. Mike had not wanted to go in the direction of dietetics and Clinical nutrition, but he did get to do was be a fitness trainer on Florida State University's campus for a year and a half. At the time, they had just opened up a large-scale recreational weight training facility that was state of the art. One of the best things that Mike went through was two weeks of training with the gym manager and everyone else who was involved. It was Mike's first exposure to learning how to be a good trainer. You can read about that stuff in textbooks but having the experience of being mentored and knowing you are receiving quality information is irreplaceable. Once Mike graduated, he did a bit of coursework that he had needed to complete. After that, he moved to South Florida, where he had grown up and started working as a personal trainer for Gold's Gym. He did that for a bit before transitioning into making sales for a gym that was going to open but never ended up opening, and from there, his journey just continued. What steps have fitness professionals taken to educate themselves amidst everything that has happened this year? (7:11) The beauty of COVID and Mike believes that anybody in the fitness industry selling education content saw a bump in their sales because of the third recession mike has had the experience. He started working for NASM in 2010 on the heels of the 2008 recession, which laster until 2010. During these times, you see people jumping careers; people went from personal training to real estate and vice versa. However, during times of uncertainty, people tend to invest in themselves. Mike read an article that MBA programs are filling up; it is becoming difficult to get into different education types. Mike went through an MBA to help him with the business side of things they do at NASM. 2020 has been a record year for NASM. It has been the best year they have ever had, and Mike believes a lot of it came from COVID and then executed many things they had wanted to do for a long time. In particular, they wanted to utilize instructor teams that they have built up and maintained for a long time and push out a lot of content for their audience. This year alone, they have done 125 different types of webinars and broadcast. They have multiple things they do on their Facebook page that gets plenty of engagement, which Mike believes audience members are hungry for. What are the most significant differences Mike thinks fitness professionals need to understand doing virtual vs. in person? The difference is something that Mike and NASM are trying to address through their product. One of the things they were going to do before COVID was to get their instructor team together once a year. This year in April, they were going to do media training with them. Everything from audio to on camera and how to read off of a teleprompter, unscripted stuff; because they had noticed the trend approaching. COVID accelerated that trend. They looked at two platforms on which you can do virtual training. Mike did a lot of the research himself, and there was someone else coaching him too. They found that when virtual training is done right, it is surprisingly effective. Mike was surprised at how much he enjoyed remote coaching. He has also seen people struggle to adopt online coaching because they treat it like a regular session, leaving the coach and trainees disjointed and detached from the session. Mike says online coaching is a skill set that you need to develop. You cannot do the same things you can do in person, and you have to understand that. You have to know how to make the experience enjoyable for everyone involved. NASM NASM is the world lead

Dan John has coached for more than 30 years. He's helped hundreds of athletes pack on double-digit pounds of rock-solid muscle. As an athlete, John broke the American record in the Weight Pentathlon. He is the author of several books, including Intervention. How has Dan's 2020 been? (0:57) Dan does believe in the COVID virus. He says he is one of the few people who trust science lately. His whole career has always been a dance between technology and theology. Just the other day, Dan was at a cafe, and a young 30 something-year-old white American couple were refusing to wear masks and giving the waitress trying to reinforce the state of Utah's law a tough time because of it. Dan believes the problem lies with ignorance. Which is to ignore, and many people are choosing to ignore common decency to take care of the elderly. Dan himself is 63 with a history of a severe lung disease called pleurisy. Dan finds it increasingly frustrating that he knows so many people taken by the virus, and yet it is still so hard to get people to wear their masks. Dan says it goes back to Dicken's A Christmas Carol where you know the girl has wanted and the boy has ignorance and Dicken tells us that we were both but mostly the boy, which is the most disappointing thing about 202 to Dan. Dan has had an online presence since 1998. His new project Brian Walton has a thing called Workout Generator. You do not need any plug-in equipment; you don't even need equipment. It will spring out workouts for you based on what you need and have available. Dan has been able to finish writing a book this year, and he is working on Powell's set sleeves and redoing EZ Strenght. They are deep in the project currently. He says it has been a good year, but he feels that they could do better. What is Dan's routine? (5:36) Monday through to Friday, at 9:30, he opens his garage, which is his gym, and people from all around the world will come and workout with Dan. When Dan was getting ready for the Olympic lifting meet three days a week, he would snatch overhead squat. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday are whole-body workouts, so push, pull, hinge, squat, and some loaded cores. Tuesdays are 'buns and guns' where they do hip thrusts, many deadlifts and arm workouts, etc. Thursday is for doing Tim Anderson's original strength workout. That is more or less the big picture of Dan's Monday to Friday. He does not generally work out on the weekends because it is how life has worked out for him. Almost every day, Mike leads them through the training. They have suspension trainers, and they use their body weight to stretch and move things around. They do original strength almost every single day. They try to do good workouts. Many days Dan will strap on ankle weights of 5 pounds each and grab 3-pound dumbbells before going for a run of a few miles. The work of Leonard Shorts works Back in from the '80s. Dan believes heavy hands are the gentlest, which means if you put weights in your hands while you walk or run, you pump them subconsciously. His legs counter his hands during these exercises, and he pumps slightly higher than his shoulders. It gets his heart rate where it needs to be in his target zone, and if he does it correctly, they can have a fantastic conversation. How does Dan track his heart rate? (8:49) He bought the Phil Maffetone heart rate tracker. It is the one that connects to the IRS, and it gives you GPS tracking. He has been using it every three or so weeks and, during his testing of the product, has found that he is quite happy with it. Whenever Dan feels like testing his heart rate or feels strange, he likes monitoring his heart rate to ensure it stays in his targeted zone. Dan always has a target zone where he can still talk, but his breathing is stable and within his target zone. Dan also utilizes a chest strap. The strap is excellent, but you have to keep looking down at it. You have to open your phone while you are swinging weights, and it becomes a bit of a hassle. For most lesson centers, Dan believes in the talk test. Say, for instance, you are walking with your 89-year-old grandma, and you're walking with her, and suddenly she gets quiet. You might feel fine, but you have blown off her walking talk. Another point that Dan uses it for is, for example, when he does the 0.2-mile loop around his block 15 times, all he has to do is what is called the MAF test, which is the max aerobic function. Dan John University Here you will find Dan's most famous programs along with a customizable workout generator built to suit your needs. You pick the equipment you have, the schedule you want, and the appropriate difficulty. Along with the custom workout generator, you'll also have access to Mass Made Simple, the Humane Burpee, and many other popular programs. Resources Connect with Dan: Website Dan John University: Website Connect with Eric: LinkedIn

Don Moxley is the Director of Applied Science and Brand Development at Longevity Labs. His message statement is, "Understanding and directing individual changes that alleviate suffering and contribute to the betterment of well people." He was Captain of The Ohio State University Wrestling Team, where he earned a Big 10 Championship in 1985. What is Don's background? (1:27) Don is an exercise physiologist by training. He spent 25 out of the last 35 years as an adjunct or assistant professor at some academic preparation level or universities. Don has always had one foot in the fitness industry, whether in sales, marketing or education roles or even applied sciences. His last job in the human performance section was as a sports scientist for Ohio State, working closely with the wrestling program. He was there from 2015-2018. The coach at Ohio wanted Don there, but the athletic department did not care much for his presence. Don made the athletic department make decisions they did not want to, so he exited when he received an offer to enter the cannabis industry. While working in exercise science, particularly in the recovered space, they worked with heart rate variability, which is used to measure athlete readiness. In the process of doing this, a couple of the pro guys in the industry asked Don what he thinks about cannabis. Don did not know much about cannabis at the time, but if his NCAA athletes tested positive, they would get kicked off the program. Cannabis has been stigmatized so much that it is hard to find excellent and accurate information on the subject. However, with some push and resources from friends of his and an incredible offer, Don decided to enter the cannabis industry. What does Spermedine do, and what is it responsible for? (8:24) Spermidine triggers an interesting intracellular process called Autophagy. It is a word seen in the health and fitness community. It is associated with fasting and intermittent fasting that triggers autophagy. Looking at Spermidine's experimental models for extending longevity, the one universal model is calorie restriction. If you want increased longevity across the board, calorie restriction is the critical factor to do that. But it is a challenge in itself, and you cannot starve yourself to immortality. Autophagy ends up being the critical process so that when there is a calorie restriction in your environment, your cells recognize this and they begin a process called intracellular cleaning, That cell could have a protein that misformed and is no longer functional, but it is sitting there, gumming up the rest of the process. During autophagy and intracellular cleaning, that non-functioning cell gets used up and makes space for new functional cells. Spermidine acts as a trigger for autophagy and intracellular cleaning, therefore helping people live healthier, longer lives with the simplicity of a product they can readily purchase. How has COVID affected Spermidine? (21:18) Looking into Spermidine and the research that is out there already, Autophagy's process contributes to immunity drastically. Don has a paper that had been accepted and is in final edits right now for a world-renowned journal that shows spermidine supplementation to human sells stops COVID transmissions by 85-92% Immunity is a big deal, especially in these times. Dirty cells do not promote immunity, so when we start to look at the process of autophagy, its relationship to immunity becomes more significant. We live in extremely energy toxic environments where the process of autophagy is rarely allowed to happen within our bodies. With the pandemic, people realize they have realized they have to look after their metabolic health. The relation between poverty and COVID is high. People in populations that are heavily crowded within inner cities are not crystal clear and clean suburb classes. Even COVID has also affected them; they have not been hit as hard as the already lower class populations have been. Metabolic health could, however, be a problem found within both populations. People need to start paying attention to all the intracellular activators they have to help them fix and improve their immune systems' metabolisms in the process. Spermidine SpermidineLIFE® is the world's first naturally extracted and clinically tested dietary supplement to promote cellular renewal. The active ingredient, spermidine, is considered key to slowing down the cellular aging process. As the body ages, spermidine levels decrease, along with the self-renewing power of its cells. Resources Connect with Don: LinkedIn Spermidine: Website Connect with Eric: LinkedIn

Jim Crowell is the Founder at JWC Advisory Group, Founder and Investor at Boost Capital, and former CEO of Opex Fitness. He is a board member of The Brand Q Method. Jim is a strategist who loves to learn and help others improve. How did Jim get to where he is now? (1:35) Jim went to Penn State where he played tennis for them. Jim had been an athlete his whole life and loved the idea of training and fitness. He enjoyed training tennis because it had been his college sport and he enjoyed going to tournaments and competing. He loved the idea of getting better at things. Being a hedge fund trader had taught him how the world works and how money flows etc. Towards the end of that career, Jim felt that he wanted to be a part of the health and wellness industry. Leaving the hedge fund business, Jim opened a CrossFit gym with a friend of his in Pittsburgh. They did well and opened a second gym. After 4 years Jim sold the business to his business partner at the time. Gym moved to Arizona to work with Opex Fitness. He worked himself up to the role of CEO and helped them build a global coaching education, a gym licensing business, remote coaching, and one on one sessions. Jim left Opex in 2020 and has been advising and investing typically around the fitness and wellness area. Jim loves the idea of being a part of the evolution of fitness because he believes fitness is a very immature market in many verticals. What does Jim consider to be a mature market? (4:00) Setting COVID aside, consider going to a restaurant. You have a good idea of what type of restaurant model will work. Technology is being put into restaurants too. We are seeing this now especially because of COVID. People are eating from home a lot more but in terms of successful restaurants, considering COVID lifts and the vaccine is out, people will want to go back out to restaurants. Restaurants have a fair amount of competition and the restaurant owners either have competitive advantages or they have to run extremely efficiently to survive. There's an efficient market in fitness right now. You are seeing so many new things come out and you are seeing brand new markets that do not have competition yet. A lot of legacy brands like Equinox have immediately shifted to an online ecosystem. So where people thought there was no competition there is now becoming competition. We are seeing jockeying for who is going to take the lead in the big categories. Jim believes in the big categories there are always a few that win and by win he means they get higher margins because they have competitive advantages. It's the companies who create sustainable competitive advantages that have the most likelihood of success. What should an investor be looking at in 2021? (40:50) Once you put investors on your LinkedIn profile, you will get a whole bunch of stuff coming through to your profile. Some of them might be interesting but a lot of it won't be worth looking at. Jim's friends like to invest in early but not launch products that have shown traction and can scale. These are not highly competitive markets unless the product has shown that it has better traction in a significantly large market. Looking at the technology side, it is where most investor's minds are going. You have to differentiate and you have to be simpler and more valuable. If you are brick and mortar in terms of gyms, investors are only looking at you if the price is depressed and they think they can get a return based on that. A lot of investors are looking to buy into franchise concepts, corporately owned concepts out of bankruptcy right now. Technology obviously has scale. It is where people are going. There are opportunities for the investors to get into companies that just got obliterated by COVID but still have good assets on the book. You have to know what you want and what your return profile will look like. If investors aren't direct experts in the industry they need to have conversations about what real value and real barriers are. JWC Advisory Group At JWC Consulting they offer you a complete service in Compliance which includes but isn't limited to Food Safety, Health and Safety, Human Resources, and Internal auditing to enable you to perform better and safer. From creating systems of excellence conforming to international standards ensuring product and process safety to training your people to work in a safe way, assessing how you're doing, and helping you perform even better in the future, they are there to assist you at every step of your safety journey. Resources Connect with Jim: LinkedIn JWC Consulting: Website Connect with Eric: LinkedIn

Philipp Roesch-Schlanderer is CEO/Co-Founder at eGym GmbH. Prior, he studied Business and Technology Management at Columbia University in New York. With eGym Philipp Roesch-Schlanderer has taken fitness training into the digital age. Before his keynote at the ISPO Digitize Summit, he talks about the digital transformation of the sports industry and his company as a positive example. How did Philipp get to be the founder of eGym? (0:48) Philipp was born and raised in Germany before moving to the U.S for University. He attended Columbia Business School in New York City. When he started there, his friends told him he needed to wear his Columbia T-shirt every day and at least two times a week take the shirt to a gym. That was the first in Philipp's life that he ever went to a gym and he did not understand the product. He would press the quick-start button on cardio machines and it would just go, not according to his own goal or body. Whenever he left the gym, Philipp was never sure whether he was successful or not because there was a lack of data. During that time, and speaking to his friends and other people who go to the gym, a lot of them had the fact that they weren't very successful in common. They also said the experience does not feel great and most of them said that they've been in and out of gym memberships because of New Year resolutions. So many people understand that they have to go to the gym but the product just doesn't work for them. Philipp believes that with technology he can fix a lot of that and he believes technology will also help make the fitness industry much larger than it is. That is why he started eGym. Where does Philipp see the greatest potential for technology within the fitness space? (4:09) When Philipp thinks about the gym, he sees it more as access to tools. You sign up for your membership and you have access to all the machines and weights etc. About 80% of people go to the gym with a training goal in mind. Philipp compares access to tools vs access to solutions. For example, imagine a restaurant where you cannot order a salami pizza already made, but you have access to all of the tools or 'ingredients' to make your salami pizza. This is how gyms are providing service, if you have a training goal, you still only get access to the tools. In gyms, you need to find your way on your own. And so Philipp believes through technology, gyms can turn from access to tools, to access to solution providers. Philipp imagines a gym where every piece of equipment knows you, knows your training goal, and your current state of training. Every piece of equipment would set itself up for you automatically and guide you through an ideal, perfect workout for you. When you leave the gym you also see the data that is meaningful and makes sense to you. It makes you understand the progress you have made while training. 80% of people do not just want the solutions and what they need is a personalized experience. You hear a lot of, what could be the digitization of gyms? How could digital technology be used for gyms? And it turns into a lot of different rabbit holes. Philipp firmly believes that the digitization of the gym means personalizing user experiences. He believes this is where the biggest impact of the technology lies. What future does Philipp see in the industry? (29:26) There is no question that 202 has been a tough year for the fitness industry. If politicians decided that gyms are now on a zero revenue level they could shut down gyms again. Sometime in 2021, there should be a point where gyms are allowed to reestablish themselves and get their finances in order. Philipp is excited because the gym industry has never been dependent on the economic cycle. Whether it was 2001 or 2012, it has always been a great time for the gym industry. There might be a recession because of Corona but it's not problematic for gyms, the industry keeps growing by about 4-5% yearly. The growth in the industry was large because of health awareness and Philipp feels that 2020 has made people more health-conscious than ever before. A lot of people are wondering about their immune systems and this has woken people up to want to live healthier lifestyles. Stats from a McKinsey study shows that in China people were already living a lot more health awareness than before. A lot of people in the gym industry have been frustrated about politicians locking them down. Everyone understood gyms as being an aesthetics kind of thing but not people's views on it are shifting from aesthetics-focused to more health-based workouts. And so Philipp believes in the future that the growth of the gym industry will be exponential and easily surpass their steady 4-5% growth rate yearly. eGym EGYM is a global fitness technology leader providing fitness and health facilities with intelligent workout solutions. EGYM makes exercising smarter and more efficient with its comprehensive suite of connected gym equipment and digital products that integ

Jerred is a Strenght and Conditioning Coach and founder of End of Three Fitness. He is a former Physical Training Leader and Fitness Program Manager with the U.S. Airforce Special Operations Command., and he's been featured in WOD Talk Magazine, Sweat RX Magazine, Life Hacker, The Huffington Post, The Art of Manliness, and more. He currently coaches and programs for hundreds of athletes from military operators to stay-at-home moms. How did Jerred get to where he is now? (0:39) Jerred did not start with the common path most people take to become a coach. Jerred wanted to be a fighter pilot since he was very young, and fitness was intertwined with that dream. Starting early in highschool, Jerred always had a passion for fitness. However, he also wanted to fly, and fly something fast. He spoke to his dad around the time he was to be off to college. He told him about how he wanted to do both fitness and flying, trying to get some fatherly advice. His father told him he can coach or be a fitness trainer at any point in his life, but you can't be a fighter pilot any time in your life because of their age limitations. So Jerred decided to be a fighter pilot and pursue his goal of fitness later in life. He spent four years doing ROTC in college and he got accepted into a program called Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training. He completed the program and ended up flying, 2 years later he ended up injuring himself in an aircraft. He got a bad hernia which ended up making him need surgery and physical therapy and after that he was not allowed to fly a high g-force aircraft anymore. After the flying door got closed in his face, Jerred had only one other door open and that was fitness. He started getting certifications, writing, reading, and blogging. Pretty much anything he could do to pursue his goal of going full fitness entrepreneur. Jerred says there's a surprising amount of entrepreneurship involved in making fitness your career. A big part of Fighter Pilot training is the long hours, training days would usually go up to 16 hour days. So knowing how hard the hours were, Jerred has started working out from home prior to leaving for his training. He had no money so he built all the equipment he needed to stay fit in his garage with minimal capital involved. He ended up sharing these DIY fitness equipment online and that was how he started getting traffic for his fitness business. Jerred was not passionate about building the equipment, he was only passionate about fitness itself and so he dove into the coaching and programming side and built up his audience slowly but surely to get to where he is now. What has the pandemic changed about the concept of a garden gym for Jerred? (9:24) Jerred says garage gyms are definitely pickup up popularity. There is a bit of a divide between what people were interested in when it comes to real gyms and garage gyms. Jerred thinks both are good in their own ways and even though they are different Jerred does not think any trainer would say "I only cater to garage gym athletes" and this is because you can do any fitness you would do at a facility in your garage, living room, or wherever you want. Home gyms and garage gyms have grown in popularity exponentially over the last year because of the pandemic. Home guy people are a bit more limited in terms of space for their workouts within their living room or bedroom etc. Jerred has noticed that his business is now attracting a certain type of person and then there were others that looked interested but Jerred's style turned out to not be what they are looking for. Rogue fitness has escalated immensely and they are struggling to keep up to date with all the production they need to do, to the point that they are skipping out on old annual traditions like matte black Fridays. If Rogue can catch up with all of their resources, Jerred believes that garage gyms are going to become a staple for the fitness industry from here on out. End of Three Fitness End of Three Fitness is a fitness and conditioning business that has one person, and that is to make you a better human. They use their study and application of doing as they call it: Better humanology. They focus on garage gym athletes, the 'other' guy/girl, and humans around the world get better and healthier. Resources Connect with Jerred: Twitter End of Three Fitness: Website Connect with Eric: LinkedIn

Joe Sanok is the founder of Practice of the Practice Podcast the #1 podcast for counselors. He is also a keynote and TEDx speaker as well as a business consultant and writer. He has been featured on Huffington Post, Forbes, GOOD Magazine, Reader's Digest, entrepreneur on Fire, and Yahoo News. He has published 5 books and has been named the Therapist Resource's top podcast, consultant, and blogger. How did Joe get to where he is now? (0:44) Joe was trained as a traditional therapist. After getting his Masters in counseling and psychology he first worked at non-profits and community mental health. He tried out counseling private practice as a contractor to help pay off his student debt and found that he liked it. He started his own practice when he moved back to Northern Michigan and saw it as his 'side-gig' until one of his interns mentioned that they would love to work at his practice. He was hired at the community college in Traverse City and it was during that time he started listening to more and more podcasts. Listening to people like Pat Flynn and Lee Dumas inspired him and he ended up starting his own podcast in 2012 called Practice of the Practice. In 2014 he was reevaluating his job at the community college and decided to quit and rather do his counseling and podcast full time. Once his podcast really gained momentum, Joe sold his practice and is now completely location independent, they live in a camper house and travel the nation while podcasting on the road. How did Joe's podcast start out? (5:57) Joe did not have a clear plan when he started his podcast. When new podcasters ask Joe for tips on starting their podcasts, he will tell them that having a clear place and clear arc for your p[odcast is important. Joe's first few episodes were really just him reading a book and then telling his audience what he learned from it. He also gave his audience thoughts on how to apply what he learned from the book to private practice. Sometimes he would reach out to someone to be a guest on his podcast but mostly he said it was him just trying out different things with zero plan, trying to see what worked. Listening back on his first episodes now, he admits they are pretty terrible but he learned by doing. Who does Joe primarily work with? (20:51) Joe says about 80% of their audience are counselors, therapists, psychologists and coaches are increasing in number every day too. A lot of their audience wants to do better at digital marketing. Membership communities, eCourses, and some fitness people are also appearing and working with Joe now. Joe gives special mention to Melissa from the Bom Bom podcast. She is a fitness instructor but she tackles the topic of the mom mindset where many women put everyone else's needs, wants, and health before their own. She tries to teach women that if you care about your own wants, needs, and health then you will be a better mom and person overall. What's been one of the biggest challenges for Joe as a business owner and entrepreneur? (22:29) Thinking back to 2012 when he started Practice of the Practice that year was very difficult for him. His daughter was born in 2011 and it became clear soon after that she had some serious heart conditions. During the first year of her life, they didn't sleep more than an hour at a time, having to constantly check up on her, feed her and change her diapers because her medication was to stop fluid from building up around her heart so she was going to the bathroom every hour and a half or so. They struggled to get her enough calories and her growth rate was stinted. She was in an out of the hospital the first year of her life and eventually she had open-heart surgery. 2 weeks after his daughter's surgery, Joe was diagnosed with Thyroid cancer. His wife had a miscarriage, his grandmother passed away and his best friend's wife got breast cancer sometime in the months of Joe going through his own treatments. Despite how difficult the year was, it acted as a clarifier for Joe and made him realize that he did not want to sit in a community college doing counseling for the rest of his life. The Practice of the Practice Podcast Practice of the Practice covers everything it takes to make your service-based private practice successful. Learn amazing ways to grow your referral count, save tons of money, and have a lot of fun in the process. Resources Connect with Joe: LinkedIn Practice of the Practice: Website Connect with Eric: LinkedIn

Omar Yunes Marquez has developed and grown businesses in the US and Latin America since 2000. He is currently Partner and CEO at 54D, an international wellness brand aimed at changing personal habits and empowering its members through a focus on exercise, nutrition, and recovery. He has an entrepreneurial background and experience as a multiple-franchise restaurant owner and real estate investor. In the past he has also acted as CEO for the Union de Credito Mexicano, a regulated financial entity in Mexico focused on providing financing to small and medium companies. What are the hallmarks of success for 54D (8:26) 54D is always striving to achieve new goals. Their entire business model is designed around members achieving their goals. They are not a gym with a monthly or yearly membership or even pay by the class. They want you there for a specific time long enough to achieve the result that you want. Their program started as a program that really went against the grain of the fitness industry, which was focused on having a consistent, measurable revenue in the long term. 54D went for a 9-week program. 54 Days of training broken into 6 days a week. Which is how they got the name 54D Instead of breaking up everything like most fitness programs where you would for example maybe do 20% training and 80% nutrition you have to do 100% for Training, Recovery, and Nutrition. Focusing on achieving that goal over a 54 day period and every time their clients achieved that goal and saw the results they would spread the word of 54D to their friends. That's what Omar attributes to their success. What were some challenges that Omar faced? (18:37) Even though 54D is in Latin America, Columbia, and the US, Omar said that everybody who is a client in the business has the same drive to feel good about themselves. So Even though the people are very different across the countries, they knew that the basic wants and needs, fears, and love were the same for their clients and that was to feel accomplishment and to get rid of what was physically or mentally bothering them with the 54D Program. This allowed 54D to have some certainty when they moved to the US as well. However, they also chose a good spot, Miami, to start off with because of how big the Latin American community is there. They originally invited 90 random people into the program for free, which was surprising as their program usually costs $3900. So while it was challenging expanding their franchise to the US, they found that business was roughly the same. Even now with COVID, they have members in 57 different countries and all of those members are striving towards the same goal. How have they changed their business this year? (27:46) The main thing is, is that 54D went online. At the start of the lockdowns around March in Miami, they were streaming online classes for free. That was their first time online as they have never before been on YouTube or Instagram. They started online wanting to help people cope with being at home for such extended periods of time. They decided to offer these classes for free people they felt that it wouldn't be fair towards people will less money to go crazy at home with nothing to do. So even though they could make a lot of money from these online classes, but they decided to help people out rather for about 4 months of free classes. After reestablishing the price of the classes, they were pleasantly surprised to find that most of the members stayed. 54D 54D is a program of human transformation which aims to align patterns of behavior, achieving physical, mental, and emotional changes in only 54 Days. Resources Connect with Omar: LinkedIn 54D: Website Connect with Eric: LinkedIn

Joel is a best-selling author and one of the world's foremost authorities on strength, conditioning, and energy programs. His strategies have been used by thousands of elite performers and top athletes worldwide, including the Navy, SEALS, UFC Champions, and dozens of teams from the NFL, NBA, MLS, NCAA, and more. What's been different for Joel these last 2 years? (4:20) Joel's personal goal has always been to help as many people as he could on the conditioning side of coaching. He says this goal has grown quite a lot in the last two years. Back when COVID hit Joel thought that it was going to be a very hard period for his business. However, things actually picked up significantly for online education as more and more people were looking for certification. People have realized the industry is changing and that remote training is going to become a large part of training in the coming years. People will have to apply themselves more than ever and try and learn as many new skills as possible. How does Joel's certification equip coaches to kind of deal with the new world with remote coaching and things like that? (7:05) Joel was receiving a lot of emails at the start of COVID lockdowns from people who couldn't access their gyms and wanted to stay in shape. Sending out a mass email asking if anyone would be interested in a free 30-day conditioning training video, he received a massive response. Keeping a limit of 300 people to ensure quality support for everyone involved, they sold out spots in two days. Conditioning training is a good skill for online coaching because you do not need a whole lot of equipment like if you're doing something like strength training. Joel received many positive reviews from people saying that they have managed to stay fit and healthy thanks to his conditioning training. What has surprised Joel within his specific niche? (16:40) Joel was surprised that so many people use conditioning for the goals they are working towards. The more people you encounter the more you learn about niche sports that are often overlooked that other people might take super serious. Seeing his training being implemented in these sports surprised but pleased Joel. How is the fitness industry going to be different? (32:56) Joel believes all of the new technology is going to help people make better decisions, have better habits, and a better idea of how to improve their fitness. He believes we are going towards better personalization through technology and more of a holistic approach to health and fitness. The reason fitness use to break down for so many people was that there was little personalization within the programs. 40-50 people were doing the same program and now with remote training, it's easier to work out individual programs for people as they can enter their nutrition, medical histories, and physical disabilities for the coaches to see. Morpheus Morpheus is the first fitness technology guaranteed to accelerate your recovery and make you more fit, It helps you shift your body into the recovery zone and accelerate your results when training. Resources Connect with Joel: LinkedIn Morpheus: Website Connect with Eric: LinkedIn

Shane is the founder of Dark Horse Rowing, the leading educator of indoor rowing education and career training for fitness professionals and athletes. Shane has a BA in Business Administration, a certified CrossFit Kettlebell Certificate, a CrossFit rowing certificate and is CrossFit Level 1 Certified, Concept 2 Master instructor, and a certified ACE Group Fitness Instructor. How did Shane get to be where he is now in the business that he created? (3:26) Shane was never the best student or athlete in high school. But he loved sports too much to give it up and eventually his grades and sporting abilities approved. When Shane started University he overslept for baseball tryouts and ended up trying rowing and fell in love with it instantly. Going to championships during his university years, Shane ended up being introduced to CrossFit through Stefan Rochet. So from there, Shane's rowing team was using CrossFit as strength training for their rowing. Coming out of University, Shane was too light to be a heavyweight rower and too heavy to be a lightweight rower so he was stuck in purgatory so to speak for a bit. Jumping over to CrossFit, Shane says he luckily fell into the lap of Invictus a decently competitive gym. Competing in CrossFit and simultaneously coaching rowing made Shane realize that there was a desperate need for people to learn how to use the rowing machine. This led him to teach several CrossFit Rowing seminars over several years and through that and enough exposure he ended up creating Dark Horse Rowing. The Business of Rowing (8:15) There has truthful not been a lot of research done on the rowing market. British rowing did some market research three or four years ago which was more to show what their future goals were. But looking at the number of machines sold, it's about 4 million and that's just Shane's guess. These machines last forever, Shane calling them lifetime machines. But then there's the water rower and hydro which are new players to the game and all of the inexpensive amazon rowing machines, Shane estimates that they're actually sitting at close to the ten million. And that was talking pre-COVID, which has essentially now cause the purchases in rowing machines to spike. So the rowing industry is growing in popularity swiftly. Is rowing a standalone fitness offering? Can people completely devote themselves to rowing alone and stay healthy and fit for the majority of your life? (17:18) Shane says rowing is such a diverse exercise. It is low impact and risk-averse. Meaning there is little risk of anything negative happening to you. You can train your strength, your conditioning, your lactic threshold, and even your coordination. Is it the one thing you should choose? That depends because the thing you choose to stay healthy and fit is ultimately the thing that you will love doing every day for the rest of your life. Shane says yes it can keep you healthy and fit for however long you pursue it, but so many other things could also do that for you. So find what works for you. What does Shane envision gyms are going to be like in 2 years? (34:10) Any gym that physically exists is going to realize that an online feature will become a wholly integrated part of their business. This is because too many people at this point have tasted what home fitness can be. Many people however will still enjoy that experience of going to the gym and engaging with people. So, therefore, physical gyms will still exist but will start to rapidly integrate online and digital training into their business models. Dark Horse Rowing Dark Horse Rowing was the pursuit of Shane Farmer's passion for fitness and rowing. They strive to create the best possible experience for athletes so they can continue to provide support for a lifetime. Resources Connect with Shane: LinkedIn Dark Horse Rowing: Website Connect With Eric: LinkedIn

Jonathan Goodman is the founder of the Personal Trainer Development Center and author of multiple bestselling books for personal trainers. In addition, Jon founded the first-ever certification for online fitness trainers, the Online Trainer Academy. When Jon started Online Trainers Academy, how did he know we were going to have a pandemic in 2020 that would turn every one online? (1:18) Jon thought this was funny but says he did not know. However, it is not inconceivable to assume that there was going to be some large scale interruptive event in the future. The world changes very quickly and historically, in unpredictable ways. Anyone who was paying attention from a few years ago would've noticed the upward trend in technology-driven business. But what ultimately led Jon to turn towards online himself was an injury that put him off his feet for two weeks, effectively killing his income for that time period, and that got him thinking that he had to build something else. The Concept of Anti-fragility. (3:48) One of the key elements of anti-fragile is the concept that the more chaos ensues, the stronger things that are anti-fragile get. Jon encourages making yourself familiar with the concept of anti-fragility if you want to set yourself up for the future. You need to understand anti-fragility, asymmetrical risk and you need to understand how to mitigate loss and maximize gain. What's going on in the online training game? (16:38) There are a lot of people doing it that have no idea what they are doing. These people are hacking together not well thought out solutions and doing horribly because of it. Jon relates it to you going to a gym after googling a bit and bringing a video camera and now you're going to train people. Big training companies have thrown together online training programs and Jon's own clients have said that the models fall short and are terrible. You have to really do the research and spend the time to understand the core of online training for example: What works from a financial and business standpoint. What works for actual training clients as humans. How to get people to want to do the workout and to continually adhere to the workout? What does Jon think is going to be centralized within actual gyms? (22:26) Gyms are going to radically change, there is no doubt about that. The fitness industry is relatively young. In the past gyms have sold personal trainers as people who are not commoditized but treated and paid them like they were commoditized people and the truth is more personal trainers are commoditized. To be a truly great personal trainer you need to exhibit a lot of traits that are very hard to find in any single human for example: You need to be in good shape, energetic, motivational, empathetic, great at science programming, and interested in entrepreneurial aspects along with about 15 other things. However, with collaborative pairing and work, you can take multiple people with different skillsets and put them together to form something unique and powerful. The PTDC The Personal Trainer Development Center creates solutions for fitness and nutrition professionals. They do this by helping you do a better job, build a better business, and live a better life at every stage of your career. They have the World's Premier Certification for online training and are an internationally recognized leader for education and guidance within the fitness industry. Resources Connect with Jonathan: LinkedIn The PTDC: Website Connect with Eric: LinkedIn

Vanessa Severiano has been a leader in the fitness industry for 18+ years. She has extensive experience in creating, managing, and developing brands in areas of sales, marketing, branding, and operation. Vanessa understands firsthand what is required to ensure a successful outcome for a wellness business. How did Vanessa get to where she is now? (1:19) Vanessa started out about 19 years ago just after graduating from college. She had two degrees in English Literature and interpersonal and organizational communication. Interpersonal and Organizational Communication is about how to speak to others and clearly communicate management styles. Burnt out from School, Vanessa didn't want to work in a cubicle and started researching cool companies. Her first job was at The Crunch in 2001 which was a very work hard/play hard environment. In 2005 she moved to Miami and started the first two Equinox locations in Florida. Being a single move of two kids at the time, Vanessa pushed herself to limits she never thought was possible. After that, she ended up working for David Barton Gym for several years and then got a great opportunity to be a part of a start-up in Miami. Starting from zero members, zero-brand and zero identity was thrilling and took several years to build up but now she is where she is today. How does Vanessa tackle problems while helping businesses build themselves? (9:41) When coming into an organization that already exists you need to understand the history, understanding what's been happening and what has been successful. And then you can start focusing on what needs to happen and change to make the unsuccessful portions of a business successful. Coming into a new organization also poses the problem of people resisting change whether it is beneficial or not. You have to create that relationship and comfort level with those people. Connecting with other people, empowering them, and learning from them too. Solving problems in a business is a very collaborative process. Having good communication and speaking to the clients about what they also want is very important. Where most fitness professionals fall short withing their sales and marketing tactics and strategies. (11:56) Talents are individual and what you're good at is what you're good at but others might not be but they are good in something completely different that you are not good at. It's important to focus on yourself and your talents, no one is good at everything. It's important to collaborate with others to combine different strengths together. Business owners should invest in themselves and in a mentor to try and bring as much value as they can to clients. The key to having great relationships. (22:08) Effort, value, and respect are important to bring into a hopefully long term relationship, whether it's a business or romantic relationship. Nobody likes a one-sided relationship so you have to be willing to give, to provide value and support for the other person. Recognize that people communicate differently and adjust your way of communicating with individual people. Meeting people halfway is a big part of forming healthy relationships. They don't maintain themselves and putting in equal effort is important. What is something positive that will come out of this pandemic for the fitness industry? (25:11) Brands will be forced to provide more value to clients and the members and consumers of fitness technology. This is because there is a lot more competition out there at the moment from lower-priced options. Clients stick with a certain service or product because it gives them tremendous value and therefore as a company you have to make sure to maintain that value for your consumers. With the recent and rapid growth in fitness technology, Vanessa hopes and believes that it will get more people moving and being active. VannesaSeveriano.com Vanessa Severiano aims to help fitness and wellness businesses create outstanding brand experiences. Resources Connect with Vanessa: LinkedIn Vanessa Severiano: Website Connect with Eric: LinkedIn

Max Shank is the owner of Ambition Athletics, he is also the author of Ultimate Athleticism, Simple Shoulder Solution, and Master The Kettlebell. Max studied economics and Spanish. He uses his knowledge in economics to make training and life easier and more efficient for his clients. Max wants to see everyone succeed and live a healthy and active life and therefore trains people to sustainably move daily without getting injured. What does Max's daily practice look like? (2:48) Max likes focusing on breathing to start off with, followed by a controlled pause. During this stage, you are practicing drawing the abdomen in and rolling it in waves. Really building that core control. People tend to hold their core stiff to exercise it but one should rather learn to balance the tension in their core, thus teaching them to breathe diaphragmatically. He then moves on to the vision and vestibular exercises to stimulate your vestibular system (your inner ear). They then move on to juggling, rolling on the floor, and shoulder rolls. They top this off with some self-massage and Isometrics bringing it to a full spectrum balanced muscle movements. Max also advises to be slow and deliberate in your movements and to build up speed over time, because if you're in too much of a hurry you end up missing the gains you would've gotten from deliberate slow movements. What will be a good thing to come out of the fitness industry? (41:24) There will be less competition for gym owners because many will be leaving the business forever. People in the industry like trainers are craving human connections. The more comfortable they can make their clients, the more clients you will eventually have. People are going to be slow coming back to physical gym sessions, however, people are open to online coaching and prefer it more than live training sessions. Time Management (53:07) Max believes that meditation does not really count unless you do it for an hour at a time. He thinks the same of exercise if you didn't do it for at least an hour, you did not really exercise. You need to try and fit these times into your schedule if you want to see any noticeable changes in your mood and productivity. Constant motion is important, but helping each other is more important. Figuring out the best way to thrive together. The world is your oyster, you just have to work hard. Ambition Athletics Ambition Athletics Their goal is to help people live a better, more active life without the stress of injury. With the belief that exercise should always build you up and not tear you down. Their exercises aim at sustainable and safe exercises that invigorate people and ready them for the day ahead of them. Resources: Better Every Day www.maxshank.com (Mobility) www.5minuteflow.com (Athleticism) www.ultimateathleticism.com The best gym in Encinitas: www.ambitionathletics.com (Healthy Shoulders) www.simpleshouldersolution.com Connect with Eric: LinkedIn Future of Fitness: Website

Today, we celebrate our 200th episode by taking a walk down memory lane and listening to some key moments in the last few episodes. Eric Malzone started this podcast almost 3 years ago because he wanted to help modernize the fitness industry. He tries to make the episodes as relevant and frequent as possible to keep up with current events and wants to help play a part in making the value of the fitness professional rise. Eric loves hearing from the fans and uses the feedback he receives to help add even more value right back into the podcast. Starting Businesses (3:50) Building a brand, company, or network is a marathon, not a sprint. You need to really believe in yourself and what you are trying to put out into the industry. Try and focus more on the bigger picture of what you yourself are trying to do for people and the world around you. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't do something if you believe and work hard enough, anything is possible. Ask the people what they want, ask people what makes them happy, and adapt your business constantly to meet these criteria to the best of your ability. Don't be afraid to challenge the norms of others. That difference might be what sets you apart from the rest. However, don't see everyone as competition, be open to collaboration with others because your weak area might be someone else's strong area, and by working together, you can both reach higher and further. Making a difference (8:25) It's the little things that make a big difference to peoples' days like knowing people's names and saying hello and goodbye as they come and go. For some people coming to the gym or fitness club, is the best part of their day and, fitness professionals should strive to make those spaces as inclusive and safe for these people. To be happy, you need to find things that are constructive and good for you. We want people to smile more, we want people to move a bit more and ultimately, it comes down to mental health more than anything. Thoughts are uncontrollable, but your reaction to your thoughts is completely in your control. Fitness and Health during Covid-19 (24:48) Corona has acted as a catalyst and has accelerated the modernization of the fitness industry. It's also helped people become more health conscious as it directly relates to people caring for their bodies to build up that healthy immune system. Professionals are hoping and believing that the virus has changed the industry and people's outlook on health for the better. People have leaned on the fitness industry more than ever as an outlet for physical and mental wellness in uncertain times. Resources: Reach out to Eric: LinkedIn Future of Fitness Website: Website Contact: Erica Suter Mark Fisher Justin Devonshire Kate Jaramillo Ken Andrukow Mel Tempest Tony Gentilcore Adam Zeitsiff Andy Swansburg Steven Webster Kresten Jensen Max Coleman Jen Zygmunt Eric Chessen Dr. James Hardt Hewitt Tomlin Mike Hansen Shannon Hudson Dr. Sean Pastuch EC Synkowski

EC Synkowski runs OptimizeMe Nutrition, a company whose goal is to provide solutions for anyone to improve their weight, health, and overall well being through sustainable diet methods. EC has extensive education in the life sciences with a BS in biochemical engineering, a first MS in environmental sciences (with a focus in genetics), and a second MS in Nutrition & Functional Medicine. She has also trained others for two decades and has over 600 hours of public speaking experience teaching fitness and nutrition all over the world. How did EC get to where she is now? (1:36) EC originally started in environmental engineering and did some CrossFit seminars on the side before professionally starting in fitness. It was only when CrossFit started growing exponentially around 2010 that she started working full time for them. She continued to build her skills that she had accumulated over a decade by doing weekend training regimes and meeting other fitness professionals and designing new CrossFit programs, implementing them, and scaling them. It wasn't until around 2016 that she needed to do some continuing education for CrossFit, gaining a second master's degree in nutrition and functional medicine. As she finished her degree she resigned from CrossFit and started her own company. Why is nutrition so confusing and complicated? (11:09) EC states that people think too deploy about their diets and the "changes" that happen to them when we eat healthier. People focus on the details like oh I'm eating salmon now instead of chicken. Or I'm eating fewer tomatoes but more strawberries. These differences are minuscule and what is actually important is that people are eating less processed foods like ice-cream and chips. Diets contribute largely to overall health but for optimal results combine healthy eating habits with healthy life habits like family, community, and fitness It's healthier and easier to not go too extreme and rather moderate your intake of unhealthy foods instead of try and cut them out completely. People tend to follow popular trends instead of focusing on the actual research behind certain diets. Meat vs Plant-Based. (23:35) People are moving from saying Vegan due to the negative connotations it has gathered to saying plant-based. EC sees the plant-based as being an improvement on veganism. She doesn't believe that only plant-based nutrition is necessary for optimal health. EC recommends animal sources due to the lower calorie to protein intake than plant-based protein. Plant-based proteins have people eating too many carbs and fat to reach their needed protein levels. Even if you choose supermarket meat that's probably been factory farmed, it is still healthier than eating processed foods like chips and pizza. EC states that it doesn't matter whether you buy pastured beef or factory-farmed beef if you're actively trying to be a healthier person you are saving on environmental and medical costs elsewhere. Life Stress and its impact on health. (32:23) EC states that life stress and some other psychological factors are as important as nutrition. When people are feeling less than optimal they generally look at correcting their diets because it seems within their control when stress isn't. She points out in her Blue Zones that when you start asking which protein powder is better, it's laughable because 6 out of the 9 factors people use to reach 100 have nothing to do with nutrition. If we build our bodies up to be resilient with certain nutrition programs we have more freedom within our lives. People need to focus on the big picture more instead of all the smaller details. Don't be obsessive about every little aspect and ingredient of your diet and workout and rather use that energy to right other factors in your life, like getting enough sleep. Start simple, get intricate. (39:21) EC thinks focusing on the bigger picture, like eating 800g a day, and getting that right first is very important before going into the intricate details. People struggle the most with the consistency of it. It's a lifestyle change, its how you choose to live your life for forever. She offers her clients a leaderboard where people can check in on four things a day; did they hit their protein target? Did they hit their fruits and vegetables? Did they exercise? Did they sleep enough? You need less precision than most people think, it's just that you need to keep doing them in the long term. EC's Company OptomiseMe Nutrition OptimiseMe Nutrition is a company dedicated to making nutrition easy through B2B/B2C digital education and corporate wellness programs. Their mission is to provide easy solutions for anyone to improve their weight, health, and overall wellbeing with sustainable diet changes. They have helped thousands to live a healthier and happier life. Resources Connect with EC: LinkedIn Check Out OptimiseMe Nutrition's Website: Website Connect with Eric: LinkedIn

Jason Ackerman finished his Psychology masters in 2006. After graduating, he realized that he needed to find a 'real' job, something different from where he would be stuck in a gym for 16 hours a day and ending up with no energy. Jason decided to become a Crossfit coach and is one the founders of Own Your Eating. He is also the author of the book titled "Best Hour of Their Day." How does Jason feel about the CrossFit community right now?? Jason believes CrossFit is in the right place. The community went through difficult times, but they pulled together and came out stronger. He also believes Crossfit will continue to grow, and it is headed in a positive direction. How does he see CrossFit changing over the next year? Jason believes there will be more communication from the top, more events, and more activity. There will be a push to a digital route, such as virtual workouts or a CrossFit app that people can use at home. Jason is teaching people to work with failure. What exactly is he working on? For many people, it is not all about training.t is more focused on what they are eating. The focus of Jason's training is on their mindset and the emotions behind that. People often try to hide their failures. Go onto social media, and you'll see that people portray all the good and none of the bad. Jason says that there is a gap between people's lack of speaking about their failures and their method to overcome it. He wants to show people that you can overcome it. How does Jason's relationship with failure look, and how it has changed over the last three years? He used to be afraid of failure. He viewed it as the end, with the worst-case scenarios attached to failure. We need to realize that you can do something to change and alter the course with every step of the way and prevent failure. Jason has gone through many failures and has come up with three actions to help avoid failure. An excellent example of a company that could have tried to overcome failure was Blockbusters; with the introduction of streaming apps, they closed down. There were a gap and an option for them to make different decisions and succeed, and individuals face similar situations. What is an example of where Jason failed, that led to something better because he changed his mindset about failure? Jason says it would be something that he innovated or pivoted. Innovation wise, he was going through a burnout with his clients and barely made ends meet. He was in the gym for 16 hours a day; some hours, he had clients, and other times he had none. Quitting the fitness industry was firm in his mind; it was 2006. He had just finished his Masters in Psychology but did not want to go into that direction, so he saw a gap and opportunity to get into and instruct Crossfit. Resources: Instagram: @thejasonackerman Instagram: @ownyoureating Linketree: Jason Ackerman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonackerman78/

Dr. Sean Pastuch is an entrepreneur, coach, medical professional, and is leading a tribe. He has hit a lot of adversity through the process but has managed to work through it and create Active Life Professional. Dr. Pastuch now focuses all his time, effort, and energy on being an entrepreneur. A year ago, he had 18 members on his team, but he now has 41 people helping him reach for success. What are the rules of 3's and 10's? This is a business rule that every time your revenue starts with either a three or a 10, it is time to change your entire business - if you are making $100,000 a year, but you want to make $300,000 a year, you will need to change some things. Things will need to change, from who your clients are, how you find them, what you're charging, and anything else that needs to be altered for you to reach the next three or ten. Can you describe your business's qualities from two months ago and then explain what you are working towards two months from now? What does that transition look like? Dr. Pastuch says two months before this recording; they were willing to take on whatever punches that were going to be thrown their way and take any challenge head-on. The business is now moving more towards martial artistry, where everything happens on purpose and through patterns, which ensures there are reasonable next steps to take. They had to build a corporate structure because there was a lack of accountability and responsibility. After someone goes through your pro-coach program, how do they start those relationships with the medical profession? Are you helping them facilitate that? Dr. Pastuch helps people by giving them a vocabulary that is backed by substance and is working towards bridging the gap better in the future. Dr. Pastuch had a client that was in a coma and lost 80lbs, he came to Dr.Pastuch to help return him to his former body and increase his muscle mass. Dr.Pastuch then wanted to speak to every doctor that worked with his client, and together they worked together for a year. How do you think the fitness industry is going to change over the next year? Dr. Pastuch hopes that a year from now, hobbyists in the fitness space will be worked out because they are not professional trainers. Professional trainers realize the way they work needs to change. The people who have the most skills with marketing and sales will win, and it might not have anything to do with their ability to coach. There may be many professionals that will be left out because they refused to learn those skills. Resources: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-pastuch-02ba88109/ Instagram: @drseanpastuch @ActiveLifeRx, @ActiveLifeProfessional Websites: Active Life Professional

Shannon Hudson grew up in the Martial Arts Industry. As a child, he picked up amateur boxing and kickboxing and did Karate tournaments, which led to a professional career in 2003 as a kickboxer and boxer. He got the opportunity to fight on Chuck Norris's World Combat League in 2003. Hudson has managed to fight all over, he has fought in France, the US, and Switzerland. In 2011 he received an opportunity to fight for the IPF World Title, where he won the title. His experience and love for Martial Arts led him to open 9Rounds. What do you think attributed to that fast growth - when you got 100 members in 30 days - to? There is no class time tied to the classes, so the members can never be late. They can just come in and get started in a class when they have time. Each session is a full-body workout in 30 minutes. The workouts change every single day, this meant members did not do the same thing every time they came in. People enjoy having someone there to instruct them and help them through the sessions. Do you think there is a flip side to this model - some challenges that come along with it? Hudson says that there are definitely a few challenges that they face with this model, during COVID they had to switch to a schedule to keep the capacity low. Everyday Hudson comes across complaints surrounding the introduction of the schedule, people are not happy about scheduling. What was your mindset to approaching 9Rounds and building it from a bootstrap method? Hudson says when they reached 40 locations, they took on a partner and a minority partner. Big mistake entrepreneurs have the tendency to do is to try to raise capital too early, instead, they should be disciplined with the money and grow their business through that. Hudson says that the difficult times they went through living on a budget taught him valuable lessons that he would not replace for anything. How many locations do you have globally now? 9Rounds has 750 locations across 19 countries. What markets have you picked up growth on that you did not see coming? Hudson says that Saudi Arabia and the Middle East locations were the most surprising to him. There are locations in Middle Eastern places that have 600 members. What has been one of the more challenging markets for you? Japan was found to be difficult as most people do not speak English, the culture is very respectful and conservative. Opening locations in Japan were slower than anticipated. Are there any competitors you run into the most? Secondary competitors are Orangetheory and F45 - which are growing rapidly. Primary competitors to Hudson would be anyone that punches and kicks for fitness. Mayweather Boxing, Title Boxing, iLoveKickboxing, and Beachbody are amongst the names Hudson keeps his eyes on. What are the dimensions you are looking for space-wise? 1200 - 1500 square feet is the desired size, the room needs to be controllable. These dimensions make it possible to keep sessions intimate. How do you put people through on ramping so they can get to workouts? 9Rounds created an online training system that has a test behind it, it is over 6 hours of training modules to get a trainer certified by brand standards. 9Rounds has taken their Kickboxing program and have turned that into an accredited course. How are you adjusting and coping with COVID? Hudson found the transition to be challenging but believes it ultimately brought people closer. The crisis forced 9Rounds to think about the different types of customers in the marketplace - the old fashioned, the homebody, and the retail customer. The business model had to be shifted to accommodate these customers and shifted to an online program - with over 140 filmed. 9Rounds' goal is to get more people, and helping all three types of customers. Are you looking at any solutions to how people may get equipment at home? There is a shortage of kettlebells, but not boxing gloves, 9Rounds is looking at designing a workout bag for home. Hudson says the required equipment is not disrupted for them. How do you think the fitness industry will be different with this new normal? Hudson believes that 20 - 25% will not reopen, 9Rounds has even lost a few locations. The offerings to consumers will be different, catering to a wider variety of customers. What has been one of the biggest personal challenges you face as an entrepreneur? There are not many people Hudson finds that thinks as he does, therefore it can be lonely. Poor communication is a big cause of Hudsons challenges. What is one of the biggest needs do you have as a business right now? Hudson is in the search for talented executives. A new VP of ops is desired. Are there any last thoughts you would like to share with the audience? Being an entrepreneur can be very stressful. Go and move around, exercise, change your state physically. Resources: Website: 9round LinkedIn: Shannon Hudson Facebook: 9Round Fitness

Fabio Zonin is a StrongFirst Certified Instructor. He is a former powerlifter, natural bodybuilder, and the owner of fitness centers. He has authored many articles for Italian popular magazines and websites that are dedicated to fitness, bodybuilding, and strength. How have things been in Italy over the last 90 days for you? Fabio says that it is getting better in Italy. Italy did not have the experience to deal with the COVID. Italy is open again, however, they do have their rules with social distancing, sanitization, and masks. Within the organization of Strong First, you have been evolving and shifting as well, can you give us some insights into some updates on that? How are you working out Strong First now? Strong First is a company that is based on live events, and the events were often rescheduled or canceled, it was difficult in the beginning. Managing events were not easy, so Strong First worked on creating a stronger online presence to help their customers to stay strong at home. Strong First turned some of their in-person events into online live events. Strong First sees their events becoming smaller. Does Strong First have first branded gyms or studious? Strong First has gyms that have specific requirements. It needs to have certified instructors. Strong First reached over 50 gyms and then COVID occurred, it will take a few months before they start creating and reopening gyms. How many certified coaches does Strong First have? What are some of the numbers you guys have as far as your community? Strong First has 4000 instructors worldwide in over 50 countries. Coaches need to recertify every 2 years, and Elite Instructors need to recertify every 3 years. Strong First had to give extended recertification dates for coaches due to COVID. Pablo was on the Joe Rogan podcast. How did that affect the community? Do you see any traction? How did that affect the community? What was the result of that? It increased traction, from people who did not know who Strong First was. Pablo is a natural-born leader, and it was a great podcast. The podcast piqued interest from outsiders and was great for the community. Is there any particular technology that you guys are looking at right now to kind of step into the next evolution fo what this industry may look like? Strong First is looking int a training app and a streaming system for online training to provide a window to our instructors to be seen. Technology and going online will help people be coached by different people and in different countries. It can be difficult finding a trainer that fits your time but using different times zones can change this. How do you think the fitness industry is going to be fundamentally different? Zonin is concerned that going too fast into going online may affect quality. Zonin has been basing a lot of his feedback on his online sessions on the feedback using people's faces, and the transition to online made it difficult to see how people reacted. When COVID started, a lot of people turned to be an online presenter, you need to learn how to present in front of a camera and the way you teach. So many social media gifts did not give away quality workouts, the student has no idea how to figure out what is good or what is bad. Resources: Email: [email protected] Website: Strong First Website

Emmet Williams came into My Zone with his partner Dave Wright in between 2010 and 2011. The two had been introduced to heart rate monitoring technology and wanted to use that to be an accurate representation and motivator for customers' fitness and health. How did you end up with My Zone? It began in the Fitness Industry with a marketing company called Creative Fitness Marketing, it was based in America, New Zealand, Australia, and the UK. When Williams was based in Australia, he took equities within that business, when he was 26 years old, and grew it. Williams came into My Zone in 2010/2011 and had a network established around the industry. Williams's partner, Dave Wright, looked at the heartrate products, which caused Williams to look at it from a genuine perspective. Williams and Wright believed that using this technology would help drive engagement and that would drive retention. The experience of William and Wright managed to apply this concept better than the new technology that was arising in the market. My Zone is a combination of both hardware and software, is that right? It is a mix of hardware - being a heart rate belt, and monitor - as well as software - which includes club display and the smartphone app. The goal is to make the client feel good and keep them motivated. The sense of achievement that comes along with this practice is what keeps the client interested. There is a leaderboard on My Zone that helps build a sense of community. Is there any functional fitness or how are you guys applying this to other models? Besides spinning and cycling. Heart rate has been attached to cycling for a long time, and My Zone took into consideration the science and the simplicity of the concept and incorporated that. My Zone aspired to build a point system that is perfect for the gym industry. My Zone looks at your fitness level - such as a gold handicap - which democratized exorcise. It removes who the fittest person is in the room, and levels the exercising in the glass. Each person practices in their fitness level. It does not matter what exercise you are doing, as long as you are doing some form of exercise. When a consumer buys it, is it part of their gym membership? Can they buy it independently? My Zones business model is selling to the gym operator, but the waistband can be bought on Amazon. Are there any new metrics that you are looking into? Heart rate viability is an interesting way to go, but it can be a challenge, and My Zone is not delving into that. They are looking at their heart rate recovery, which will portray how healthy your cardiovascular system is. Heart rate recovery can predict your fitness age and your mortality rate by seeing how healthy the metrics are, and they will be clinically proven to be accurate. How is your company building that gamification and community in this new hybrid world we're in? Williams believes that it all begins with strategy and the operative system. My Zone encourages half-year huddles, which is to review the mid-year mark, and they ask the operators what their strategy is. Often times, they do not have a response to that, which is okay. They teach them a practice that helps establish a strategy to help figure out where they would like to go with the year going forward, and finding your anchors. My Zone is a good fit if one of your anchors is a community, results, and sustainability. It gives you a goal and a status ranking. My Zone strives to position itself as an authority to bring rewards and community to the customers. What are some of the biggest challenges you are facing now as an organization? My Zone came into this year with a growth plan and took their existing products and new services into consideration, but that was turned over due to COVID. They want to focus on their existing customers and want to help to reboot them before they concentrate on growth. My Zone has a few products such as the mZ remote, as well as the patented fitness the releasing in the Fall (2020). My Zone expanded into Germany and Singapore, and are looking forward to spending more time at improving there. Are there any kind of strategic partnerships or collaborations you guys are looking for? My Zones API goes out to many vendors and is very happy to show their data. My Zone has a very open mind when it comes to new technologies. Is there anything you are reading right now that you would recommend to the audience? Steve Schwarzman - What it takes: Lessons in Pursuit of success. Matthew Syed - The power of diverse thinking. Sean Ellis - Hacking Growth. Resources: Website: myzone.org Emmet Williams Email: [email protected]

Mike Hansen got into this industry in the 90s and discovered that his passion was fitness. He changed his mindset to an entrepreneur mindset and wanted to make fitness more fun for people. He wanted to tie gaming with fitness, and through that saw that there was a big gap within the fitness industry digitally. How do you define a smart gym? What would things look like back in 2010-2011 compared to now? Hansen says that he believed you could connect better with people, and knew who he was. Ultimately it was aimed at understanding the consumers and sending them the right message. Ultimately it was a timing factor when it came to fitness apps, as back in the early days people saw them as information apps, and not aimed at assisting the user. In the world of Smart Champs, who do you think is doing really well? Hansen says he has not seen one fully executed, he sees a lot of vendors that potentially solve part of that niche. He believes it is yet to be fully brought together. There are a lot of opportunities when it comes to being able to make gym-related concepts Smart, but it is just not there yet in the industry. Explain how the Hub would work, explain the concept. There is a multitude of places where someone could work out, the application will potentially control where you exercise. The Hub will provide assistance and Hansen will provide the value within the application. Looking at what we have seen over the past 90 days, how much did you expect to see, and how much has been a surprise for you? Hansen's business has had to adapt in order to adopt the shifts that are driven by the consumer. There was an indication that there would be a shift to a smarter change to society all around. 74% of clubs now have a digital or some sort of streaming to offer, whereas before it was as low as 5%. Hansen found the pace of the VR and its move into the market to be the biggest surprise for him. So you are a managing partner in Endorvins, what is Endorvins all about? What brought this about? Endorvins is a full-service fitness streaming agency - it is the first fully dedicated and integrated agency that is determined to take businesses online within fitness and streaming. This was brought on when Hansen was working on a project last year and he identified a big gap within service. What do the actual processes look like for making a company digital? Determine your content strategy in order to determine the tools you require. Once it has gotten to that point, an individual will be taken to their procurement process. After which the individual can be introduced to the market. Once all of that is established, Endorvins will handle everything from content uploading to doing title management and publishing. Endorvins also extends into licensing and is truly end to end. Do you think as you move forward, who do you think your main clients will be coming from? Hansen says their target market is to connect fitness creators to consumers, their primary markets for opportunity is in fitness boutiques. Endorvins cross over any market that serves content. Hansen believes that there will be a change in the market to offering a more digitized manner of content and distribution. Can you expand on what your thoughts are on the decentralization of fitness and what that is looking like from a historical perspective? As a gym owner, the walls need to be broken down and change from being a location provider to a service model. In order to support your member as a service company, you have to be able to have the ability to communicate with your customer - this may mean streaming, and you will need to embrace technology in order to achieve this. What do you think the gym model is going to look like a year from now, from health clubs down to boutiques, who do you think is going to thrive? Hansen believes that those who will thrive are those who are going to embrace a hybrid model, and believes it will be able to serve a customer as a consumer service will today. Your business model will need to be changed to a 24-hour service, and convenience is important and you need to embrace that. What are some things that did not go right? What was a challenge for you as you were navigating these waters? Hansen says that placing cameras in fitness rooms was bad timing in 2014/2015. He believes that the only way to get better in the timing factor is to root himself into the job side of the equation - he now does consumer interviews. What was the intention of placing cameras in the fitness room? Hansen had the idea that he wanted to create a broadcasting network specifically designed for gyms to reach their markers. He wanted to build a content catalog and give that content catalog to broadcasters to be placed on TV. How are you seeing the gaming industry and the fitness industry merging? Where are they overlapping now? Hansens says that they looked at the VR and the AR, and has toyed with the idea that whether or not people will exercise if it is a video game.

Sumit Seth comes from a very humble background and worked in the hospital healthcare space, and did work for Henry Ford's Hospitals, UnitedHealth Group, and did his Masters degree in hospital healthcare administration. A few years later he realized fitness is true healthcare. A trainer Seth had - Jake Freeman - changed his life, and made him want to change and impact the lives of others, and feels blessed through this. So, he started working towards establishing Naamly. Do you see the fitness industry coming more aligned with - and even becoming - the health and wellness industry? How do you see what is currently happening with Covid-19 and the pandemic and this huge rush towards health? How do you see the industry rising up? Seth believes that Covid-19 has accelerated a lot of things, and acts as a catalyst for what is almost an eventuality. There are some trends in play when it comes to an ageing population and the rise of obesity and chronic disease, which are things we already knew about and were already becoming mainstream healthcare. There is a "health is wealth" mentality, and people have realized that as you live longer, the quality of life matters and the quality of life can only be reached when you have mental and physical health. Covid-19 is helping individuals realize the importance of health. Seth speculates that there will be a rise in people going to the gyms and a move within the digital space of fitness and health. Seth believes there will be a merge between fitness and health. How did your company start? How did you come up with the concept? Seth had a background both in healthcare and running a staffing firm, however, it was all about the people for him, the people make the biggest difference. They wanted to create something where they could recognise and celebrate people, initially causing them to target both yoga fitness and massage, but soon decided on the fitness space. Seth and his partner Jake decided to contribute here, and they started to focus on the trainer, which morphed into focusing on the gym owner - because it is also about celebrating entrepreneurs. They decided to dedicate their foreseeable future to focus on celebrating entrepreneurs and helping them succeed, which in turn creates healthier communities. What are the benefits of Naamly? You serve gym owners, right? Naamly serves gym owners and helps train gyms in engaging their members, empowering their staff, and whatever success means to them - whether it is leading a fulfilling life, or making more money - that is our model. What does the service entail? How does it work? Naamly focuses on three broad value propositions; engage members, staff empowerment, and centralized communication tools. Engaging members lead to better connectivity, which in turn leads to members trusting you and returning. Staff empowerment leads to staff wanting to take action and puts their hearts in the right place. Centralized communication tools help the gym owner in building connections and deeper relationships with their members. Naamly brings email, phone and text under one shared inbox, so trainers or staff members can see what goes on. How many people is Naamly serving? What is the trajectory of the business looking like? Naamly is going very well, despite all the self-limiting beliefs Seth had in the past that he had to work through. Seth says that Naamly has made its fair share of mistakes, but they learned from them, and have been very fortunate in getting things right. Naamly serves thousands of members now, and consider themselves very fortunate to be seen as a worthwhile partner. What has been one of the biggest personal challenges you have had working in Naamly? Seth says one of the biggest challenges for him was work/life balance, as an entrepreneur, you work very hard for something and you see it manifest, you want to continue tending to it. The last company Seth worked at, the factor that drove him away was when his child did not understand why he was there and not working, this caused him to leave that job in search of balance. Seth admits that the lines of balance are blurred when one works from home, and you are enjoying your work more. What are some of the biggest takeaways for you from working with Ken? Ken taught Seth to take time for himself, and in doing so the world won't crash and burn, and work will still be there when he gets back. Ken also taught Seth how to go outside of his comfort zone and embrace new and fresh ideas, which led Seth to a lot of personal growth. If you get started at 4 a.m, what time does your day finish? Seth finishes his day at around 10-11 p.m at night. What is the biggest challenge you are facing within your business right now? Externally the biggest problem Seth faces is about wanting to help more gym owners and make an impact on their life. Naamely is also facing scalability challenges and morphing their own processes because they are getting new personas in and they all have nuanced needs.

In today's interview, I have Jen Zygmunt as my guest and we are looking into the world of virtual fitness. Jen is the SVP of sales and marketing at Wellbeats, which is the world's leading virtual fitness provider, where she is responsible for creating and driving demand. Along with her thriving career, she is also a wife and mother who enjoys the outdoors and staying active. What's your story? How did you get to where you are with Wellbeats (01:13) Jen says she used to be in the consumer goods industry, and she landed in fitness coincidently. However, her mom was a PE teacher growing up, so she has a background in physical fitness. She has always been passionate about sports, but career-wise, she started in IP sales and ended up in the sales and marketing side of consumer goods. At the time she was traveling every week, and when she was pregnant with her second child, she thought it was a good opportunity to change her career path. She dug into her network and started looking for something different. At the same time Jason Von Bank, CEO of Wellbeats, was looking for someone with a sales and marketing background to manage those areas of the company. She met with Jason and she has been with Wellbeats for four and a half years. Give us some insights into the depth and breadth of the content you guys are producing (04:31) Jen says they have traditional fitness classes like yoga and cycling - anything you can find in the group fitness area. They also have nutrition classes, which include nutrition education and cooking recipes. Additionally, they offer mindfulness and meditation classes. They tried to cater to different groups and environments; they have office breaks where you can do a quick workout in the office, and they also offer classes geared around specific sports like golf. She says they try to accommodate everyone regardless of age, ability, interest or environment. How do you help companies and corporations become active in the program? (06:36) Jen says technology is very beneficial in this area; it helps you reach customers in different ways with different messages. It also allows them to recommend specific content to their customer, based on their interests and behaviors within the application. This keeps the customer engaged and ensures that they come back. Customers return to Wellbeats because the company offers them something they are interested in. If a customer signs up for a challenge, they will remind them to come back and complete their challenge. She says this drives engagement. Some people are hard to get motivated and get going, and in most cases, these people must get activated. How do you approach this challenge? (07:27) Jen says Wellbeats provide a lot of tools to help employers motivate their employees. They have monthly promotional campaigns where they focus on education like how to get started. They offer education on anything from getting started to breathing exercises and adds that these are important because you shouldn't just jump into a hiit class if you haven't been working out. She says nutrition is another gateway into physical activity, along with mindfulness classes. You can even listen to a podcast based on managing stress and anxiety. What does virtual training look like? (12:00) Jen says that all of their products are on demand right now, so they offer pre-recorded classes within their app. They try to push people into their fitness assessments or their challenges so that they can fulfill the customers' needs, whether it's helping them lose weight, train for a 5k or help them with a work from home challenge. They're focused on helping the customer find a solution through a provided schedule. Wellbeats do live recording on Facebook and social media, even some live events, but these are more event-based and not an everyday occurrence. Resources Connect with Jen on LinkedIn Visit the Wellbeats Website

Dr. James Hardt moved around a lot in his earlier childhood due to his father being a teacher. This shaped his thinking about the nature of reality and the importance of transcending culture. He accelerated in Mathematics, Science and English in High School, which earned him a Scholarship and went to Carnegie Institute of Technology, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in Physics, and then a Masters Degree and PhD in Psychology along with a postdoc in psychophysiology at the Langley Porter Neuropsychiatric Institute in San Francisco. What is Psychophysiology? Dr. Hardt explains this term as psyche meaning "mind" and physiology meaning "body". This involves interactions between mind and body. Dr. Hardt is a brain scientist and international businessman, and enables people to work with their physiology, the electroencephalogram, learning to control their emotions and their thinking or experiences, all of which are dependent on underlying brainwaves. Brainwaves rule your life - your emotions, feelings, perceptions. Anything that people do to have an effect or experience, they only have an effect if it changes the brainwaves. What is BioCybernaut? What is the service provided by you? What are the qualities of what you do? BioCybernaut is to inner space what an astronaut is to outer space. Deconstructing the word, "bio" means body, "cyber" is the calculating technology. Cipher - long ago - was used to mean doing arithmetic, and calculations. Naut is a Greek suffix used to describe someone going on an adventure. We now have Cosmonauts and Astronauts and Biosevennauts who explore inner space. If brain exploration was looked at from a perspective of travel across the United States - New York meaning you know everything, and California is you know nothing - how far do you think we have gotten? Making the assumption that the trip started in San Francisco, at least halfway across the Bay Bridge, and we are heading to Oakland. People seem extremely full of angst and depression when everything seems relatively peaceful if you look at the history of mankind, why are we such an unsettled creature? We are very aware. A cow may not be anxious or worried when being led to the slaughterhouse because they may not be a very aware creature. Whereas humans have the ability to be aware of past, present and future. Ramadas said "If you want to live high, you have to live outside of time" and Zen Master Suzuki Roshi said, "time is the basis of fear". You may be fine in the present, but you may not be in the future. Dr. Hardt believes perfectionism is a curable disease. An obsession with perfection creates anxiety and impairs your abilities. Letting go of perfectionism you will be closer to perfectionism. Early psychological research was able to show that anxiety could impair all forms of performance, mental or physical. Alphas brain waves are like silver bullets against anxiety. This was a basis for a paper Dr. Hardt published in 1978, where he was able to show that if you took high anxiety people and taught them to increase their alpha, both types of anxiety would drop. There are 6 and 12-month check-ups with previous patients that used this method and proved that they were actually better off further down the line than the day after training. Why is there shame around anxiety? If it is believed that something relating to your mental state that you believe is not optimal or as good as those around you, there will be shame. Dr. Hardt can help relieve this. If you look at types of drugs that reduce anxiety, are they messing with alpha brain waves, or how are they working? Is this the science-related between he pharma and what you do or is there a connection? Humans are Bio Electro Magneto Chemical Organisms - our awareness is dependent on proper functioning of biochemistry, the electrical and the magnetic activity which is produced by biological chemical activity. Drugs allow you to intervene with biochemistry. When you are working towards doing something, there are activities in your brain when you are doing brainwave feedback where you are doing your processes through consciousness, which alter underlying biochemistry. A study done by Jean Penniston discovered the alterations brain wave training has on the blood, which reduced beta-endorphins, which is a stress indicator in the brain. Brain wave training reduces a bad marker of brain biochemistry, which allows you to intervene in the system any place you like. How long have you been studying this? You don't count your birthdays anymore, is that right? Dr. Hardt had started studying this subject even before he was 26. When anyone comes over for training, Dr. Hardt will have a cake and put a candle in the middle of it to celebrate the fact that this is their first year of their life. What is your origin story? Dr. Hardt was a senior in physics at Carnegie Institute of Technology when he came across a sign that said Dr. Joe Kumea will be talking on brain waves. He decided to g

In this episode, I am interviewing Eric Chessen about fitness in the autism population. Eric is the founder of Autism Fitness, which is a fitness framework dedicated to providing fun and meaningful fitness outcomes to individuals across the spectrum. How has your life, and business changed over the last three months? (01:14) Eric says he has lived in New York his whole life. He and his wife decided that it was time for a big change, so they relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina. They relocated on the first of March, and three weeks later everything changed. They had three autism fitness certification level one courses coming up, which were two-day events. While hoping for the best, they soon realized that they weren't going to be able to do the seminars. Eric and his business manager put their heads together and agreed on two main concerns; one was purely from a business perspective, they knew that they had to keep their revenue stream going. Their second concern is that the valuable information they provide can't be found anywhere else. His goal is to provide the best possible fitness programming principles, concepts, and strategies to the autism community. They realized how important their information is to people and the community, so they completely restructure their level one certification. They now offer a four-week online course on Zoom. They have certified professionals attending the Zoom calls. Doing the course online has been proven to be more advantageous because they have more time to spend on concepts and asking questions. They were forced into this situation, but it resulted in the production of something that is even better than the original version. Do you agree that people will make the best out of our current situation and that it may even become a more permanent arrangement? (05:50) Eric agrees that someone who has been successful in a space away from home, also knows what it takes to be successful, even without that space. He looks at the psychology of choice; it has been proven that people are not only fatigued when having too many choices, but they are also never satisfied. People get confused when they have too many choices. Ultimately they end up being unhappy with their choice because there were too many options. When you start putting in constraints, it improves focus and eliminates "noise". When there isn't a lot of choices, you pick one and go with it. For the entrepreneurial-minded, it means making things happen even when you don't have a lot of options. You don't have a perfect course of action, but it eliminates a lot of variables. Describe the type of people that enroll in your program, what is the ideal? (08:34) He says the high caliber of people that enroll in the program continues to astound him. Autism fitness certification is not something you get into by accident. There's almost a barrier to entry, and they see a cross-section of the fitness and the wellness community. The people that enroll consist of fitness trainers, PE coaches, physical and occupational therapists, speech pathologists, and parents. Eric says the parents in the program are some of the most remarkable people because they do this to empower themselves, as well as to make it possible for other parents and families. The trainers consist of those who are really interested in working with this niche population, but they need more guidance. There are also trainers who have been approached by parents or schools to develop fitness programs. What will I gain by doing your certification? (15:51) The fitness professionals that take the course are already familiar with the principles of movement, biomechanics, and exercise selection. The difference between general programming, and programming with the autism population, is that there are adaptive and cognitive variables with the autism population. There are also physical challenges involved because most of the autistic individuals that they work with tend to have gross motor deficits. He says the adaptive and cognitive areas are where they really make a difference for fitness coaches because they're looking at adaptive functioning as motivation. In other words, they assess the athlete's level of motivation to participate, and what steps to take if the athlete isn't motivated. The entire course is set up on a contingency basis, meaning that they observe, and then react based on what they see. They provide positive behavior support to a population that generally doesn't want to engage in vigorous physical activity. What they are trying to deliver through the course, is having methods that work, and can be implemented immediately. What personal challenges have you encountered on your journey? (24:18) Eric says his biggest challenge is listening to people's advice. Another challenge was transitioning into the online world. He never wanted to do anything online but believes that a lot of fitness professionals feel the same way. It comes back to the psychology of choi

Hewitt Tomlin is one of the Partners of TeamBuildr, a company that specializes in simplifying the program building and training regimes for coaches. He started his business in college with his roommates, and it was not an overnight success. They came across a problem that strength coaches had, and this was the fact that they were using Excel to train hundreds of athletes across the country, which was time-consuming for coaches. They eventually built a platform which made this process easier through their platform. Tell us about your product and what makes TeamBuildr unique? In the beginning, Tomlin thought that the key to his business would be to build an app that focuses on building good experiences for athletes electronically. Soon they came to the realization that it is better to target their app to coaches who actually sit down and write these training programs, trying to ensure that coaches could save a couple of hours on writing training programs. Tomlin placed an emphasis on building a platform that would make manual technical processes easier. TeamBuildr will strive to always be a platform that is up to date and continuously improving their features. What are your thoughts on the current status of things? How did the pandemic affect your business? The current pandemic has accelerated business in a few sectors and remote training tools such as ours, it is beneficial for tools that facilitate some sort of remote transaction. This means that your competition will increase. You are solving a piece of the equation by being a remote tool, but there are several aspects that are involved. Tomlin likes to use the example that the highest quality platform may not always be the best selling, it is all in how it is marketed. If your marketing is not formatted for today's situation, you cannot acquire customers remotely. Tomlins business is not just about talking about their platform, but it's about helping coaches holistically with their pain points. What are some features that you find more relevant now than maybe six months ago that you are focusing on? A social media platform is important. We have been working on a Team Feed which allows you to share your videos and images. This is important for coaches, they want to be notified of uploads. How do you see yourself fitting into the market? What makes TeamBuildr different? TeamBuildr has decided to stay true toward what they call the Strength and Conditioning professional. This means that the programs that you are writing and the feedback that is given has to do with strength training. They cater towards the market interested in the principle of progressive overload. How big are the Strength and Conditioning professional market? How does TeamBuildr estimate? The market can very easily be estimated as it relates to Team Space, which includes high schools, colleges, professional teams, recreational teams, and so on - which is a market that is growing very nicely. Strength and Conditioning have been growing in High Schools spaces due to the job stability it provides. CrossFit also affected the way Strength and Conditioning were seen, and it popularized it more. This has been a big part of TeamBuildrs business, and it is getting bigger. What has been one of your biggest challenges as an entrepreneur? When it came to building their business, Tomlin said they were unaware that they were building a software as a service. A lot of the advice given to Tomlin was not as relevant as it would have been if a business was being built 20 years ago, which meant that they had to seek direction on their own. Tomlin and his partner discovered that they could be self-sufficient and could make progress for their business, and Tomlin did not understand the concept of taking money to see if it would win or lose within a couple of years. Have you taken on investors? Are you still bootstrapping? Tomlin says they never took on any investors, and never took out a loan. They resorted to selling subscriptions and sold about 10 the first year. Tomlin and his partner were working full-time jobs and would reinvest into the business until the company snowballed. They have been bootstrap the whole time. What year did you officially found the company? Tomlin says they made their first sale in 2012, with a division 3 school in Lynchburg, Virginia. Tomlin spent his time cold calling coaches and using staff directories to try and get clients. What are some gems you got from the cold calling experience? Tomlin explains that when he was cold calling, he knew that this industry required time and trust was a big deal. The Strength and Conditioning community is very tightly knit and he knew it would take time for it to snowball. Cold calling is worth it for anyone evaluating when they start on a sales development enterprise. What is your goal with this company? Do you have an exit strategy? What would you consider to be a success? Tomlin says that they are pretty transparent about how they look at long

Adam Zeitsiff is the CEO of Gold's Gym. Zeitsiff has faced many challenges during the COVID, which shaped his belief that he may not solve the virus, but he can help to solve the problems within the fitness industry and ensure that it remains alive and thriving. What kind of challenges have you faced? Give me an example of a challenge you faced over the last 60-90 days that came up where you had to overcome in a creative way? Zeitsiff says that during the shutdown, they faced the problem of supporting their team members, supporting their members and giving through unique content that members could consume from home. Focusing on restructuring that they were going through, in order to ensure their business would be here 55 years from now. They had to get really creative in focusing on their future and not getting distracted and keep the focus on bettering the business. A schedule was built of things that Gold's Gym had to accomplish, and pulling that through the entire shutdown in order to create a brand that will be here for a long time. Gold Gym tried their best focusing on the positives and hyped up their creativity with how they delivered their services. What is the difference between just closing down and restructuring? What are the guidelines you have to work with? What does that mean for the company? The differences are that people fall for it due to the fact that they believe they have to protect themselves because they feel as if they can no longer be a concern within the company. You may have a business that can - and will - survive, it is just important to restructure, remove liabilities and clean up your balance sheet. The pandemic was difficult on the Fitness industry - and the food industry - we had no way to do any sort of deliveries or get any revenue in. Gold Gym had to solve these liabilities and had to clean up their balance sheets with some of the clubs they operated. Gold Gym restructured, removed their liabilities, and cleaned up their balance sheets in order to pull through the pandemic and be in a good position to expand internationally. Beyond the hybrid model, what are you seeing now? Maybe from a technological perspective, or an entirely new model, what do you think is going to come out of it? Zeitsiff says since the last time they spoke, they are even stronger than they were. Gold Gym has taken tremendous strides and has quite a few things to announce. Hybridization is key to creating amazing experiences in the gym. If you are incapable of getting digital solutions that allow individuals to work out when not in a gym, it coincides with the brand's persona. Zeitsiff believes digitizing gyms will be taken to the next level. There will be people who will personalize the experience more than others, and engage members. How do you increase experience? I guess that is Gold's Amp. Is that the project or the answer you guys are working on to this digital fitness solution? Gold's Amp has been Gold Gyms foundation to digital fitness since their launch in 2017. There are a lot of plans in order to develop features, functionality, content, programming and experience. Who are the people that may never come back to a gym? How is Gold's Gym trying to get in touch with these people and communicate with them? Those who do not return may not have been so committed, to begin with, or who are not comfortable being in public spaced. Gold's Gym is reaching out to people, and informing them that they are taking necessary precautions to keep things clean. One can only control what they can control. You can only give them proof that their health is taken into consideration, and that gyms are a safe space to be in. If you were going to talk to an independent health club owner or someone who owns a couple of facilities, are there any blind spots or anything that you think a lot of those leaders within the health club industry are missing? It is important to note that gyms are on the hot seat right now, the industry is under the microscope. It is important to show members you are constantly cleaning. The fitness industry should not be afraid to sell and think about what to sell, and how to sell. It is important to realize people are cautious. What other leaders in the industry as far as technology are you keeping an eye on? Any companies or names that you would like to highlight? Taking a look at the big guys, and how they innovate and react quickly is the forefront of our businesses. First and foremost, the big guys need help to innovate and lead. They need their creations integrated within businesses. Any type of technology that helps with engagement within the fitness industry is vital and is more important now than ever. What are some of the bigger news outlets that you are on? Zeitsiff was on CNN, NBC Nightly News, and he enjoys the chances to represent Gold's Gym. With that level of exposure, how has your life changed over the last 90 days? Zeitsiffs wife keeps him humble, and it has helped him realize

In this episode, I had an interview with Max Coleman about his journey to healing, and how it resulted in him becoming the successful CEO of DaoCloud - a wellness practitioner network and marketplace. We spoke about challenges, health issues, the problems practitioners are currently facing regarding insurance and so much more. Tell us about your story; your background (4:42) Max is the CEO of Daocloud, which is a wellness practitioner network and marketplace. Daocloud was inspired by his own journey to healing and was founded with his colleague who he met in college. As a kid, he was put on a bunch of ADD drugs like Ritalin and Adderall, which did a good job of getting him to concentrate but had a very negative effect on him physically and mentally. To such effect that he was battling chronic back pain at the age of 16. Max started doing extensive research on health and holistic therapies. It took about 6 years to heal his back pain, but he learned a lot about his own health in this journey and realized that at least half the country has a chronic disease. The way he sums it up, most chronic diseases are caused by blocks of energy and emotions in the body, and Daocloud focuses on those aspects to get to the root of the problem. Daocloud recognizes 51 therapies. After 5 years, the company has a network of 7000 practitioners in 50 states and 180 cities. The company offers a quiz and uses the answers to recommend which practitioner you need. Their mission is to make wellness primary care. Are there windows into insurance money for these practitioners, or is that still a far thought? (14:42) Medicare and Medicaid recently started covering acupuncture, and chiropractors are also making way. But most insurance companies don't cover these therapies. Max believes that there is not enough research to prove the efficacy of these treatments, as studies aren't being funded to scientifically prove that they work. In the future, they will fund studies to prove efficacy so that insurance companies will get on board. Insurance companies make money from monthly instalments, and the people staying alive to pay them. So if they can prove that these therapies provide wellness and a longer lifespan, insurance companies will get on board. Over the past 5 years, what are some of the challenges you faced as the founder and leader? (16:39) First is that initially, Eric, Max's co-founder, used to be the CEO. he left about 2 years ago, and that's when Max became CEO, and just took the company by its reins. The biggest challenge he describes is loneliness. He feels like he's in a dark tunnel where he can't look back, he just has to keep going. There is a lot of pressure in keeping 7000 practitioners, 1012 investors and his own team of 15 people happy. In addition, all the stress and anxiety is not healthy, but he believes he was cut out for this because his own struggles with health are what enable him to lead the company. Who do you look up to? (19:26) Max says the first person that comes to mind is Elon Musk. Although he is probably not taking great care of his health, Max idolizes Elon for all that he is doing for the environment. He looks up to entrepreneurs like Reid Hoffman, who he feels is very underrated. Jason Calacanis is another idol for him - he believes that he is a great investor, and has a knack for finding founders of value. Another thing he pointed out about Jason Calacanis, is that he has no problem giving out money for the right reasons, and thinks that founders need more people like him to support them. Walk me through founder market fit? (22:18) Max describes founder market fit as a way of determining whether a founder would be a good fit to solve the market problem. He uses Jason as an example, saying that he is not too concerned with the business, but rather with the founder; their background, education, personality and so forth. Founders rarely fail because they run out of money; they fail because they give up. That is one of the crucial components to look at when deciding whether or not the founder is a good fit - you need to know that they won't give up. Resources Connect with Max on LinkedIn Visit the Daocloud Website

In today's episode, I have Justin Devonshire as a guest. We will be discussing the intricate topic of entrepreneurship, and what it means to be a leader from an investor's point of view. Justin shares his story of the hardships he has had to endure to get to where he is now. Justin is the founder of Fitness Business Blueprint, as well as an investor and mentor. Tell us about your backstory? (01:13) Justin tells me that when he was working at a gym as a college student, his intention was not to be a business owner; he was satisfied just working with fitness clients. However, he was putting in a lot of extra hours, until the owner eventually gave him the keys and told him he can do as he pleases. Even though he was putting in all this time, he wasn't receiving any revenue or even acknowledgement for his efforts. Family friends of theirs had an apartment in Cyprus and offered to let him stay there while trying to start his own fitness business. This was about 10 years ago. He thought it would be easy to start up, but it wasn't until he nearly got evicted after losing all his savings that he realized he needed to go back home and learn more about marketing and running a business. Being a great coach won't necessarily make you a good owner of a coaching business. What drove you to Cyprus, was it a lifestyle choice, or did you see it as a business opportunity? (05:31) He says growing up in the UK, he always wanted to live in a warmer place like the Mediterranean. Then the opportunity arose to move to Cyprus. He saw it as both a good change of scenery as well as a business opportunity. It was primarily a lifestyle choice. He explains that his father worked very hard to retire on an island in Greece, and gave him some solid advice on life. His father said that after working hard his whole life to make his dream a reality, he was bored because his best years were behind him. Justin says his goal is to create a career in a place where he can see himself retire, rather than waiting for retirement before moving to the place of his dreams. What are some of the biggest changes you made to make this thing a success? (10:16) Justin says when he was trying to start his own business, the mistake he made was in not taking factors like finances and systems into consideration. He was just trying to replace a job and pay his salary, he wasn't thinking of growth. He has since learned to position himself as unique, and to know the value of what he has to offer. Instead of trying to tell people his worth, he started showing them by allowing people to come in and try his programs for free, or at a very low cost. Thus allowing the product to sell itself. He learned a lot about his target market and marketing itself. Becoming aware of aspects like organic marketing and the use of social media. He started placing more focus on social media like Facebook and Youtube and adds that these were nearly the only two platforms so it was very easy and very cheap to make videos that ranked for keyword search terms, as no one else was really doing it. Talk to us about your company, who is your team? (27:36) Justin says he works with different business partners, clients, and long term friends. These are typically entrepreneurs with great entrepreneurial potential. In team building, they distinguish between integrators and visionaries. Visionaries being the impulsive people with the ideas, and integrators being the individuals who can put a structure in place. He has a consulting team, which acts as the operational team. They are there to assist him, as he can't run all the operations himself. He also has an operational manager, an executive assistant, and a few implementers. This team is in charge of implementing systems, tracking finances and working on the long term strategy. In addition, they have individual teams and coaches, an online business, and a partner in India that handles online fitness throughout Dubai, India and the Middle East. What's your criteria for investing; not just monetary, but your expertise as well? (30:16) Justin says in the past he made the mistake of investing in a person because they had a great business idea, but they are not the right person for the business. When this happened, he tried to overcompensate with his own knowledge, but these businesses never work out, because there's no heart in it. The entrepreneur has to be the ultimate leader with a vision for their business, and doing what it takes to make it a success. If he comes across someone with a terrible idea, but they have what it takes to be a leader, he is willing to invest in them. What he looks for is a person who can be a leader, and who wants to invest their all into a business. Resources Connect with Justin on LinkedIn Visit JustinDevonshire Website

In today's episode, I have Andrew Swansburg as my guest. We will be looking at emerging markets, customer-centric and the challenges a young entrepreneur faced when starting a business. Andrew is the founder and CEO of BrandBot, an all in one customer communication hub that is aimed at helping you reach customers the right way. Who do you serve, primarily? (03:37) Andrew says their main focus is boutique studios. They see a lot of emerging trends right now, like HIIT, boxing, and rowing. Yoga is still their top market and brings in a lot of business. However, he adds that a lot of their growth is coming from newer trends. Let's try and define customer-centric? (05:32) Andrew believes how you got to where you are is an important factor. When talking about a studio's product, to him that means the classes they're offering. When they started, that product was most likely enough. However, with the fast opening of more studios and fitness modalities, they are starting to see that just the product is not enough anymore. BrandBot is shifting into an era where businesses need to determine who they want their customers to be and focus solely on that. Brands are using specific personalities, something no one else is offering, to grow their businesses, rather than relying on their product alone. Do you step in once people know who their customer is, or do you help them figure that out? (08:00) Andrew says they are there from day one, and they can be used differently as a business grows and changes. Initially, their business is used for the transactional aspects like following up on Facebook leads and communicating with customers via email. They feel it's a shame that businesses continue using them for the transactional parts only. Their more experienced customers use them to present their brand along the journey. BrandBot helps the customer position themselves as a business, helping their customers establish what their goals are and how to accomplish them. Around 18 months they start seeing a transition as people start figuring how to communicate with clients, and how to reuse that tested and approved method. How have you seen growth within your company? (14:57) Andrew says they've seen a lot of change in the past three months. For the first year and a half, they were focused mainly on creating an exciting product that would attract sales. BrandBot has been doing a lot of digital marketing events, which is big for them at the moment. A group of people in the same place always adds value, and it should be something business owners invest in. They have also started hiring outbound reps, adding to the sales function or a strict sales process. How is your role changing? What challenges have you faced? (21:41) Andrew says his first challenge was being a college drop out in his 20's, and the pressure that came from having to make a success out of his idea. He approached a corporate culture specialist, and this guy walked him through evaluating his thinking as an entrepreneur; determining when to act on your thinking, and when to just let thoughts simmer. That foundation helped him transition from just focusing on the product, to managing a team and his customers. He realized he had to scale himself because he could not fulfil all the roles anymore. The whole transition, and trusting other people to handle business was very difficult for him. He believes that trusting his team, and knowing when to rely on his thoughts has been a growing process for him. Resources Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn Visit BrandBot Website

Today, I have guest Mel Tempest talking to me about the fitness industry; how she saw an opportunity 17 years ago and grabbed it with both hands. We discuss the ever-changing market of fitness, some of the struggles it faces and what the future holds for gym owners. Mel started a health club in 2003 and is constantly on the hunt for new ideas and opportunities to make her club a safe, comfortable environment for everyone. While being an event speaker and podcaster. Tell us about your journey in the crazy world of fitness (01:14) Mel explains she opened up the club in 2003 after a mentor told her that she would never aspire to be anything more than a circuit instructor. She was in her mid 30's and wanted to be more than a real estate agent. She wanted to be a gym instructor. She had no real experience, but along with her husband decided to open a gym anyway. Their first club was in a 450 square meter church hall. It was having numerous people come up to her and telling her that they were looking for a non-intimidating environment, that made Mel realize she needed to change her business model. She's been changing her business model for the past 17 years to meet the demographic in her community. 17 years later, and Mel reports that they are still going strong in an 1800 square meter facility of their own. And their goal remains the same; to create a safe, comfortable environment for members. You said you shifted the way you did business to fit your demographic. Expand on that? (04:15) Mel says the first thing she banned in her clubs were crop-tops. Trainers were to wear regular shirts at all times. She tried to create a less intimidating environment by using her own staff as an advertisement for her business, rather than the image set by the media. She feels the graphics in the media were intimidating. For a larger person, walking into a club where everyone is wearing crop tops and tank tops would be uncomfortable. Her aim was and has been for 17 years, to make the club a safe place for everyone. For some members, coming to the club is the best part of their day. So she pays attention to the small things like greeting people and knowing their names. What expectations did you have for your podcast? (10:08) Mel says she wanted to interview people that she felt would help the industry, and she thought it was a simpler way of getting the knowledge to other club owners. Too much focus is placed on high and mid-level achievers, so entry-level businesses are left behind; that became her target market. These could include new businesses or business owners that have been in the industry for 10 to 15 years but are frightened of developing technology. Her goal was to assist those who are too afraid to ask for help. Their next step was getting the right speakers for the show. They have been very fortunate so far, and they are currently standing strong at 860 000 hits. She knows they are sharing the right information, as people approach her on a regular basis to tell her how much her knowledge has helped them. How do you look for collaborations in this industry? (20:03) Mel states that her main focus is to look for people that can offer something that she can't, and if she can't do something, she will get someone who can. She uses her female leaders as an example, saying that some of them excel in speaking about mindfulness and self-care. This, however, is not her strong suit. Those in the health and wellness industry have a responsibility in creating positive mental health. If you do not treat your peers with respect, it will have a negative mental impact on them. We don't want anyone in the industry thinking that they are not valued as a speaker or coach. Everyone in the industry must be held accountable for the impact they have on their peers and teams. Everyone has to treat each other as part of a team, rather than the competition. What are some of the biggest opportunities in the fitness industry? (23:25) Mel makes a great point in arguing that those who do not grow with technology will get left behind. There are new products coming out on a regular basis, products that are meant to make life easier - like running your front desk. People over the age of 45 are frequently overlooked, but this age group has money to spend. They want one on one sessions and help with nutrition. Every club has four business models under their roof; group fitness programming, technology, the gym with the actual equipment, and the practice. Don't promote your business as a whole, promote it as individual business models. The fitness industry is ever-changing. Attend events, listen to podcasts, do some research on how to improve so you can extend your stay in the industry. Resources Connect with Mel on LinkedIn Visit Mel Tempest Website

In today's episode, I have Kate Jaramillo and Ken Andrukow as guests. We will touch topics such as changes that are taking place in the world and the fitness industry, and what people need to be doing in these trying times. Kate is a wellness mentor and ketogenic lifestyle expert. Her goal is to help women thrive and become the best version of themselves. Ken is the owner and founder of Reebok CrossFit in Ramsay, Canada. Ken is aimed at helping members become open-minded and willing to take action. Let's get right into it, what do you guys see out there? (01:32) Ken says he believes that times like these are when greatness rises. He says the health industry will make a dramatic change in regards to vaccines and the trials that accompany these vaccines. He thinks that the time spent on trials for vaccines and cures will be shortened because people don't want to be in this position again. Kate adds that she thinks this is an exciting time; she says business owners will realize how much money they can save on rent and hiring offices. People will see what a big percentage of their work can be done from home. She adds that all these open spaces that were used for offices and businesses can be converted to apartments, churches or grocery stores. Also, general expenses will be much less. People are spending less money on things like gas and dry cleaning when they work from home. One of the important questions business owners should ask themselves right now, is do I want my business to survive this? (07:00) Kate says she was inspired by advice saying that this is the pause we need. A lot of business owners are unhappy with where they are with their business; four or five years down the line they don't remember why they started the business in the first place. Ken says that if you've wanted to stop what you're doing because you don't love it anymore, now is the time to do it. He adds that if a business has been shut down for three months, it will be even harder than before to get it back on track. No one will blame you for shutting down. If you're in an industry that's ripe for disruption, now is the time for innovation (09:28) Ken says there hasn't been much change in the fitness industry in 30 years in terms of what people want and need from the industry. Technology has played its part in the last 5 years, but mostly in data recording. Regarding the interaction between fitness professionals and clients, there's a major innovation on its way. If you're in the industry, you have to think about your clients; what they wanted before the coronavirus struck, and what their needs will be after it's over. What are you guys seeing in the wellness industry? (17:29) Kate says that people are in a panic, and giving things away for free. They have also noticed a rise in fake work-from-home business opportunities. These ads are posted on Facebook, and people are even getting personal messages about these insincere opportunities. A lot of people are also stepping up as leaders and offering their clients support. It's important to check in with your clients, even if it's just for support. She sent out an email to numerous clients, just asking if they need anything, and what can she do to assist. They put together a resource guide with fitness and nutritional information so that clients can keep up their routine. They aren't doing it as a lead magnet, but rather to make sure clients feel calm, loved and supported in these times. Looking at it from a societal standpoint, what is the one change you'd like to see in societies and communities after this pandemic (19:30) Kate says she wants people to make more time for each other. She wants people to go the extra mile for one another; not to take a hug or a handshake for granted. Ken says he doesn't want people going back to normal when all this is over; he wants us to learn from it. He hopes that we become closer, as a society and a world. Resources Connect with Ken on LinkedIn Connect with Kate on LinkedIn

Today, I have Steven Webster as a guest, and together we will dig into the future of technologically advanced training and coaching. Steven is the CEO of Asensei, a mobile app that allows athletes to get guidance and coaching from professional individuals. Give us some insight into your story; the story of Asensei and the development thereof (01:17) Steven says Asensai was brought together from three of his passions; sports, technology and being an entrepreneur. He was fortunate to have been working with big companies like Adobe, Microsoft and many more. Growing up, he played every sport imaginable. He was already a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu when he went to university and before long, he became the coach for the Edinburgh University karate club - leading them to 10 national championships. One problem he always wanted to solve was how to coach effectively using digital technology. He saw the pieces fall into place. He felt that there had to be a way to make human movement; to create something that a machine can understand and teach. Finally, he put together a team to solve that problem. Give us insight into Asensei; what are the qualities, what pieces are involved? (24:21) It's essentially a mobile app that allows you to pair with your apparel over Bluetooth. He says the app lets you subscribe to coaching plans and programs, allowing you to be guided and coached in your choice of sport with the help of the apparel sensors. Asensei has manufactured its own brand of compression gear, allowing a new brand to pilot the technology. The goal for Asensei is to market; they want technical apparel companies to approach them with questions as to how they can implement sensors in their clothing. Over the past five years, what are some of the biggest challenges you faced in building Asensei? (25:45) He believes the biggest challenge most companies face is timing. You have to ensure that you don't raise too much money too fast, as the market won't be ready. With a complex product like Asensei, you can't just drop your whole idea into the market, you have to present it piece by piece so that people understand what they're getting into. In addition, he says that you have to get investors on board. Although investors pride themselves on being risk-takers, initially it's difficult to get people to imagine the future you have in mind. What mouth-watering markets are you looking into right now? (31:25) Steven thinks the market they can have an impact on first is sports coaching. Too much focus is placed on rehabilitation, rather than pre-habilitation. How do people know if they are in the shape they're supposed to be in for the sport they want to practice? He refers to the industrial athlete; people whose job is to perform tasks that require skill and coordination. The idea that their movement can be continuously monitored and coached into the correct movement is a huge market opportunity. Correct movement is vital, just like vital signs are critical to our health and well-being. What do you think is the biggest need within your business right now? (35:19) Steven believes all entrepreneurs are frustrated with the pace of progress. So the ultimate goal is getting to the future faster. He wants people to be compelled to use the app; even if you're not a professional athlete of any kind, this app can help you train with professionals. He uses rowing as an example and adds that you don't even need the compression apparel, they will use data from the rowing machine and they'll assist you with the right posture, technique and movements. Once you do get the apparel, you can get even more advanced coaching. Fitness shouldn't become something you have to be able to afford. He wants people to use the app so that everyone can get the most out of their training by using their ordinary equipment while implementing the sensors to monitor movement. Resources Connect with Steven on LinkedIn Visit Asensei Website

In today's episode, I am interviewing Kresten Jensen to discuss the topic of technology in fitness. How Motosumo has grown from three friends to a full-blown company. Todays's episode features a special deal. If you are a fitness professional or gym owner looking for ways to improve client experience, visit futureoffitness.co/deal. There you will find a discount code and a place to sign up. Kresten is the founder and CEO of Motosumo; a fitness app that allows people to participate in group training and to connect with one another. Tell us your story, how did you get into this? (03:25) Kresten says he has always been keen on sports and fitness. The whole idea started when two of his friends came over for pizza and they started building on this idea. They were looking at similar concepts and felt that they could produce something more interesting. They thought if people were bringing their phones on a bike ride or a run, they could actually tell people how to move and provide insight into their power and efficiency. They approached their first investors, and as soon as they got the go-ahead, they jumped right into it. Creating an app to generate an income is tricky, because people look for free apps, and there are numerous fitness apps out there. Where is the company now, as far as health clubs and gyms go? (07:37) Kresten says the company now has more than a thousand gyms on the platform, which was a big milestone for them. They reached the thousand mark by the new year 2019. He's always a bit cautious to give exact revenue but to provide a range; it's around $2000 per gym annually for the full service. He adds that at this point in time, they are still using more money than they are actually accumulating. But he is confident that this will change very soon. Gamification, social networks, and events are powerful qualities. Did you implement these qualities intentionally? (09:43) He says initially, the social part wasn't part of their vision. It was meant to be used as a tracking tool for the individual. However, some more visionary team members convinced them of the benefits of connecting people. They were sceptical at first, but in no time they started seeing the positive effect of social connection. When he started thinking about gamification, his initial thought was to do something where people could compete. However, an advisor told them that the majority of people are collaborators and not competitors. People want to be part of a team. Although these qualities were initially not implemented on purpose, they definitely are now. You started out as a group of friends with an idea, and now you are running a whole company. What was adaption like? (17:32) He says one of the biggest factors for him was the fact that you can't be involved in everything, and you definitely can't be an expert at everything. When you're only three to eight people, you know what everyone else is doing. But as the numbers grow, it's hard to keep track of everyone, so management systems and communication procedures must be put in place. The most challenging mental shift for him was that he had to let go of things he knows nothing about, and things that shouldn't bother him in the first place. He jokingly says that he believes he has been quite a nuisance for some of the company members because he wants to be a part of everything and be involved everywhere. How do fitness professionals take advantage of technology like yours? (20:05) He says regardless of what your profession is, you can find the app useful, and it's really easy to use. It takes 5 minutes to install the app and you can get started right away. Once you've got the app, you just activate your gym on your phone. Since we are already using our smartphones for everything else, this is the sort of technology where you shouldn't be afraid to get started. They have a ten-minute explainer video, and if it takes you more than ten minutes to understand how Motosumo works, it's becoming too complicated. If you really want to take advantage of this, it's more than just downloading the app; you have to immerse yourself and see what the app can do for you. This will allow you to add value to your group fitness Resources Connect with Kresten on LinkedIn Visit Motosumo Website

In this episode, I have Mark Fisher as a guest. Contrary to what we normally do in discussing the future of fitness, this episode will discuss the importance of routines and structures that allow you to get the most out of your day and life. Mark is the "Ninja master" and co-CEO of Mark Fisher Fitness, a gym he describes as offering serious fitness for ridiculous humans! They help people who normally hate the gym, find a fitness place they actually love. How are you personally dealing with the lockdown? (02:41) Mark says he is actually doing pretty good, and the lockdown has made him realize how easy it is for him to do his own thing. He loves people, but he's quite self-directed and can thrive on his own all day long. The opportunity to work on products alone, with the occasional meeting, is something that appeals to him. However, he is also worried about what the next 12 months will hold, in terms of social restrictions set by the government, or even by social culture. It won't be like flipping a switch and going back to normal. New York is a real estate game, and the main consideration is can you make enough money in that real estate market to cover fixed costs and make a meaningful profit. Pay attention to events in the macroeconomic environment, because the downwind thereof will hit everyone. He thinks NY will deal with more psychological and emotional obstacles than a lot of other places but stresses the fact that in the long run, we will all be fine. What are you doing during this time, perhaps reading more? (06:35) Mark says he likes working on products. One of the things he teaches is time management, so he likes creating a structure; being diligent and conscientious and just getting things done. Most of his days are spent around a routine; getting up around 06:30, spending 20 minutes meditating, and 30 to 45 minutes reading while drinking his green formula and his morning coffee. He completes his more intense tasks like writing an email, landing pages, marketing content, or working on presentations early in the morning. He does these in 30-minute blocks, and on a good day, he completes up to 5 30 minute blocks. After checking emails and social media, he does a quick workout, followed by a late lunch and another meditation session, and then starts the second part of his day where he mostly does meetings. The final part of his day starts around 17:30 to 18:30, where he spends 60 to 90 minutes crossing off the easier tasks like paperwork and clearing his inbox. Around 18:00 to 20:00 he has completed his cycle and spends the evening with his wife and their dog. Explain your statement that you have to create a challenging game that will allow you to move forward with momentum? (17:24) Mark says this is broadly about how the day gets scheduled. He likes to say that to-do lists that don't exist in time are a recipe for being miserable, sad, and crazy. You have to capture the inputs, either using a notebook, Google docs, or any resource that will allow you to capture all the things that need to be done. You have responsibilities towards your personal life, work assignments, client-related tasks, and just an abundance of things to remember. Not writing these things down will make your life very, very challenging. But then, you also have to analyze and organize these lists; if you have a bunch of never-ending to-do lists, you will never have the satisfaction of a game you can win, and there will never be a sense of accomplishment. What is your unique ability, that fires you up and makes you feel like you do better than most people? (23:21) Mark says the ability to be meticulous with his time is a great asset. Discipline is something a lot of people struggle with, and he feels it's a blessing to be disciplined. Another factor for him is that he loves learning, and believes he is a quick study; he is able to find the frameworks and put them into action in a short time. His third "superpower" is that he loves teaching; anything that has to do with mentoring and developing skills. Something he's really been digging into is adult learning, or training the trainer as it's called in corporate circles. This boils down to training a team to do things very consistently and using the best learning practices for their task. Given the uniqueness of our current situation, what books are you revisiting right now? (27:12) Mark says he has mainly been revisiting books lately because he is just not enthused by new books at the moment. He says its probably a phase, but he has no interest in business books. Among the topics, he's interested in are psychology, hard science, and philosophy. He recently revisited Man's Search For Meaning, Sapiens, and Antifragile. Among these books, he is also reading How Not To Be Wrong, which is known as Bill Gates' top 10 books. For the time being, he is enjoying books that are denser of nature. Resources Connect with Mark on LinkedIn Visit Mark Fisher Fitness Website

Today I have Erica Suter as my guest. We're getting into the world of youth sports, and how competitive and business-minded it has become. Erica is a strength and conditioning coach, whose passion lies in youth sports and training young players to become strong, resilient and creative, while still enjoying the game. Give us your background; how did you get here, and what do you do? (01:15) Erica says she has been a strength and conditioning coach for eight years; her main focus is on elementary, middle and high school kids. She does have college athletes training with her, who has been with her since a young age. Soccer has always been a joyous part of her life. She played soccer while in college, and when she graduated she became a volunteer and coach for young kids in Brazil. She was unsure of her future, so she started looking for ways to make a career out of coaching. When she returned from Brazil, she started training athletes in her free time. She noticed that her training was taking off, so she left her job six months later and started coaching full time. What advice would you give someone who's new in the industry, and not getting a lot of traction? (09:12) Erica says consistency is the key factor in becoming successful. The most important thing to keep in mind is that people need to do something they're passionate about and can post about every day; something that doesn't feel like an obligation. This can be a video compilation of their training or services, it can be podcasting or having an active Twitter account. Gaining traction shouldn't be your only goal; make this a journey in finding yourself and what you're good at. How has soccer changed over the last 10 years in North America? (11:40) The first thing Erica mentions is that soccer has become faster and more physical, and of course, more competitive. More and more youngsters are becoming involved in soccer, especially female athletes. She adds that because it's become so competitive, kids are finding less joy in soccer, as they seem to be experiencing a lot of pressure. People are forgetting the purpose of youth sports. The pressure has led kids to compare themselves on social media; they aren't playing for fun anymore, they are playing to become professional, or get a college scholarship. Early specialization isn't necessarily a good thing. Where do you think the most pressure is coming from, parents, or coaches? (13:07) Erica says it's a combination of both. However, she tries to be forgiving with parents, as they are receiving all sorts of information, and in most cases, they don't know any better. Parents are most likely forced into early specialization. The world of sports is rapidly becoming a world of business. It may be that parents don't realize this is the direction they're heading in, but the system is forcing them to go there. With sports becoming a business, parents are forced to keep up with tournaments, club fees, and leagues. As a way of approaching this problem, she always advises parents to let their children take part in additional activities outside of their primary sport; something that is more for relaxation. She adds that seeing a strength and conditioning coach will allow kids to learn a variety of skills and movement, which will enhance their primary sport. Expand on how soccer changed your life and put you in a safe place (14:32) Erica says she has always been thankful for soccer, and how much she loves it. She had good role models and coaches growing up. She was in a very abusive relationship in high school, which almost cost her her happiness. She was willing to quit soccer and follow her boyfriend at the time to college. The day before early admissions were due to John Hopkins University, she realized soccer had always been her safe place and she wasn't ready to give it up. Erica remembers the moment she told her parents that she was ending the relationship and playing soccer at John Hopkins, as one of the most memorable moments of her life. Resources Connect with Erica on LinkedIn Visit Total Youth Soccer Fitness Website

In today's episode, I have Adam Zeitsiff as a guest, discussing the health and fitness industry and what COVID-19 holds for the future of fitness. Adam Zeitsiff is the president and CEO of Gold's Gym, which is an American chain of fitness centres. Who is your strongest demo? (02:20) Adam says a decade ago they were still famous for helping people get stronger in bodybuilding, which is what put them on the map. So if asked this question then, bodybuilding would have been their demo. Today, however, their demo is split from a male and female standpoint. The 22 to 44 age group is big at the moment, again, evenly split between male and female. A big part of their market is still helping people get stronger, and their bodybuilding heritage is still a proud part of the business. As a leader and CEO, how is your role changing right now? (03:40) He says they closed the gym on March 16th, and although it was a very difficult decision, it was the right choice in their efforts to support humanity. He has since been acting out the role of chief psychologist and reaches out to his whole team regularly to make sure that everyone is in the right frame of mind. The company has an amazing franchise support organization, which is also reaching out all the time. He has to keep himself in check every day as well, realizing that this is something no one has experienced before, and it's hard for everyone. But this too shall pass. Have you seen any creative problem solving out there? (08:13) Adam says one thing he has noticed from their own business is how they came together as a global franchise community to help drive online content and fitness. They have Gold's amp fitness and exercise app, which offers audio coaching, video coaching, and music. They've made the app available for free until the end of May so that anyone can use it. This is their way of supporting members and nonmembers. They made contact with all franchises around the globe to create video-on-demand content, and within a few days, they launched their content. They came together as a fitness community, which was something that didn't exist beforehand. A lot of their local franchises have made their premises available to necessary workers like firefighters who are working around the clock. This way, these necessary workers can take showers and clean up because they can't go home. When the dust settles, what do you think the fitness industry is going to look like? (11:16) He says when the gyms reopen, he doesn't know what "normal" will be? Things will probably never go back to what they were, but they can try and create some semblance of it. People are going to return gradually and then there will be the "gym rats" who will be the first people there when the doors open, but this will probably be the exception. It will take a while for people to get comfortable again because, besides the quick trip to the store, people will not have been in a public setting in a long time. The virus has accelerated the demand for digital fitness; it has been part of the industry for a while, but people are becoming aware of it now more than ever. What is the one thing fitness professionals and gym owners should not be doing right now? (15:22) He says this is the time where your brand and your legacy can be defined or redefined. Regulations are in place for a reason; don't meet your clients and help them work out at the back with the lights off. He says it sounds silly, but he has heard of people doing it. Don't put sales over the health and safety of members. No one is receiving revenue at the moment, so everyone is struggling, but remember that safety comes first. Don't lose contact with family, friends or members. Reach out, don't stay idle in that regard. Resources Connect with Adam on LinkedIn Visit the Gold's Gym Website

In today's episode, Tony Gentilcore and I discuss our current global situation regarding COVID-19; what it means for the fitness world, and how to cope at this time. Tony is the co-founder of Cressey Performance in Hudson, Massachusetts, and the author of a popular blog called Because Heavy Things Won't Lift Themselves. Do you see people marketing the fact that people are making more money during this time? 03:16 Tony says the one thing he has noticed is that people are still selling products during this time. He adds that he sees no issue with it, as he does the same. Fitness professionals recognize the fact that they have a lot of free time, and offer others in the industry a way to improve their skills and crafts. He says they just released their shoulder and hip blueprint because he feels it is a good resource to have during this time. They even lowered the price, and they are offering a payment plan. Tony also says that there are individuals who are taking a nefarious approach to their marketing and taking advantage of the situation, which is unfortunate. How do you feel about individuals selling their services at this time? 06:17 If you have something valuable to offer, you shouldn't feel bad about selling your services. He explains that he shut down his studio, so he's not training anyone in person, but he is offering virtual training classes. He says he is charging his normal rate for these classes because he is still a certified, knowledgeable coach. Tony says in these times of uncertainty, people are feeling obligated to lower their prices because they aren't offering their services in person, which he feels is a normal reaction, but most loyal customers will be satisfied with paying the full rate. He adds that we are in a time where people understand that we need to support each other, and he sees a lot of good things happening in the industry. What do you think are the qualities of leadership? 07:49 Tony explains that being on lockdown will take its toll on mental health, and we should look out for each other. He says there is a big opportunity for fitness professionals to become a major role in their clients' lives. You can engage with your clients by doing Zoom calls, running groups or even just call your clients, and that will go a long way. He adds that people are going to need help with their weight management and mobility during the lockdown, but the most important thing is that they just need someone to talk to. He says there is more to being a coach than just training; during this lockdown, Tony has put in a lot of effort to support his clients, both emotionally and with their fitness levels. What is going to be different about the fitness industry once this pandemic has run its course? 13:59 Tony says he thinks a lot of people will realize that they have created an efficient setup for themselves, and they won't see the point in spending a lot of money on a gym membership anymore. He adds that he thinks there will be a delay in the time it takes people to get back to the gym once this is over. However, for the people who have made fitness a part of their lives, going back to the gym will probably be the first thing they take control of when this pandemic has ended. He says he is very concerned about small business owners and what this lockdown will mean for their business. He thinks a lot of people will have to close their businesses and lose all their hard work. Are there any tips you have for people to get through lockdown? 27:56 Tony says it's important to reach out to friends and colleagues. He says people want to feel like they are in people's thoughts and that they have a support system. He adds that you need to stay authentic and be yourself. It's okay to be in touch with your emotions; it's okay to show vulnerability and its okay to cry. He says that he finds solace in the fact that everyone is in the same boat. Everyone is dealing with this crisis. We all experience it differently, and it causes more problems for some people than others, but no one is alone in this. It doesn't just affect one group or class of people. Resources Connect with Tony on LinkedIn

Kate Jaramillo & Ken Andrukow In this episode, I have a conversation with Kate and Ken about what is currently happening in the world with COVID 19 and find out from them what we can do as entrepreneurs and leaders within our communities and businesses. Kate is a top tier wellness professional and a loving wife and mother to 4 beautiful children. One of the most impactful lessons that one can learn both personally and professionally is whatever we wish to achieve; we can by taking massive action. She strives to give people the avenue to go down to living the life that they truly deserve. Ken is an experienced business owner and mentors with a demonstrated history of building businesses that scale. What is going on in your area, and how are people responding to COVID 19 and all the measures to slow the spread down? (1:32) Ken says that the people in the city are slowing and systematically distancing themselves from each other. He officially shut down his gym the day before until further notice. The sad part is that there are people who are contracting the virus and passing away, so it's hard to be optimistic in times like these. Ken says that for him, the bottom line is that we're all in the same boat. There isn't one person in the world who isn't, and we must all remain positive, this thing will eventually clear. According to him takes positivity to get through this, and everyone has to work together, do the right thing, and stay home even though there may be financial implications. Kate says she works from home, so it doesn't have a direct impact on her schedule, but everyone is trying to be careful and limiting their activities. She also mentioned that her kids have joined online classes and that even their gymnastics teacher started giving online classes. Kate is focused on serving her community and helping mitigate their fears and anxiety. It's important for people to stay calm. How does one step up in your local community and become a leader in times like these? How do you become a leader in your community and in your business? (5:07) Ken feels that people should see being optimistic as being opportunistic. In tough times being are being forced to be innovative, identify problems, and use what you can create to help other people. He feels that there are people who are opportunistic when they are inflating the prices of certain products. If you are out there leading people and helping others to feel better and see the positive, an opportunity may arise, and there is nothing opportunistic about that. He encourages people to give away their influence and create value instead of selling. He talks about a client who decided to give away a coaching course that would have been sold for $1000 and because the client did that more than 2000 people signed up so far. Even though the revenue was given up, people will come back because they saw the value. How do you support local businesses in these times or relieve the financial stress on your clients? (9:04) Ken says they closed the gym because they had to, and whether they closed or not, everyone is stuck at home and can't go to the gym. We have to realize there is a barrier put between us, and we have to ask ourselves how to overcome the barrier. How do we help our gym members and hold them accountable? His gym is doing virtual classes three times a day, and one of the classes will be recorded so that members can use it later. They are also doing a gear loan out to assist members and keep them active. They were also doing a nutrition challenge for their members and increased the level of communication with their members by texting them regularly and calling them. What trends do you see in the health and wellness community? (10:58) Kate says that everyone is a little bit scared and feels that their clients rather want to sit and watch the news while eating Oreos; they are stress eating. The people in the health and wellness industry are concerned about their clients, and they are also worried about their business because they may have to refund their clients. She thinks that online entrepreneurs will be okay because they have little overheads. People should be there for their clients, empathize with them and let them know that you can understand where they are at reminding them that this will be a great time to practice mindfulness, mindfulness eating, and doing more face to face meetings over Facebook live or zoom meetings. People can still do live workouts together to foster community. We should give more access to their community. While we can't control any of what is happening with the virus, what can we do? (12:36) Kate feels that this is the perfect time for us to innovate and be creative. We can pour back into our business by watching the webinars are classes that we've been putting together and improving them. People should see what other people's needs are right now and create challenges to bring people together. We should be the entrepreneurs we are and

Alan is the owner of Ultimate Ventures Limited, an enthusiastic speaker and owns and operates one of the toughest cycling events in the world – Race Around Ireland. He works with entrepreneurs and managers of small to medium-sized businesses as they set goals, create action plans and develop the skills. He also works with large companies including Microsoft, helping them build high-performance teams through shared goals, better communication, and resilience training while managing energy and wellness. He trains sportspeople and regularly delivers motivational and educational talks. Ultimate Ventures Limited has Sports Performance Programs and Business Performance Programs. What is your background and how did you to where you are now? (01.31) Alan has been in the fitness industry since 1989. He started weight training in school to avoid bullies and as he gained weight the bullies wanted to know how he was doing it so he designed a training plan. He went on to study recreation and leisure management and then fitness courses and started working in different gyms training athletes. He started his own gym at that time after attending a hypnosis show and took a side route into software development, developing a system where your computer could tell how stressed you were, by the way, you were using the mouse. This fell through as it was too early for a market. Alan sold his gym and went back to college for four years when he was 22 and then went to work at Sunshine Coast University. How have you incorporated hypnotism and some of the principles from that into what you're doing? (08.00) Alan says that it's just one tool he can introduce as part of the mental skills training as the nervous system cannot tell the difference between something that is vividly imagined and reality. Hypnosis is really just a guided version of the visualization. What were the challenges you faced in communicating the value of mental training to people on top of their current training? (11.19) Getting trainers and coaches to act on their belief that a large part of your performance is your mental game and skills training. The second issue is that it's seen as being separate to train. Alan says that the next issue was the nutritional part of training and that trainers were saying the nutrition was important but that they did not necessarily have a plan. The fourth challenge is training the psychological and the mental skills train, which he feels it's still seen on the outside and to help people understand how to simplify and integrate this into training. Eric and Alan discuss anxiety and how it relates to training. He maintains that it's how we perceive the situation that can make a massive difference to what we're actually doing. Your competitors are not there to beat you, they are there to make you better. What other segments do you think that this would be of value? (26.26) Alan says they are using the same skill base they use in the sports sector and teaching it to the companies that he is working with, from a business point of view, whether it's an entrepreneur or major corporations. He also works with students, actors, and Directors. Basically anyone who deals with performance-based anxiety such as public speaking. Who are some of the other people who are really pushing for in this field? (29.15) Meditation gurus, for example, are the people that Alan is looking at. From a fitness point of view the training peaks guys, are doing really well, and then a big part of that he is actually looking at, at the moment, is eSports What alan is interested in the most is integrated technologists. Eric and Alan discuss mental training for eSports and mental training in general. Resources: Connect with Alan Linkedin Check out Ultimate Ventures Limited Website Check out Alan's Course Going into the Zone Website