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The Business Side Of Fitness

The Business Side Of Fitness

By Vanessa Severiano

The Business Side of Fitness hosted by Vanessa Severiano, shares the journey of the founders, executives and pioneers behind some of the most well known and innovative brands in fitness and wellness. Each week, Vanessa curates meaningful and thought provoking conversations around sales, marketing, leadership, brand development, growth strategies, career development and much more. This show is a must for investors, entrepreneurs, and career minded professionals in the business of fitness and wellness.

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Visit www.vanessaseveriano.com to learn more.
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Episode 131 - Modern sales and marketing for fitness clubs with Alan Leach

The Business Side Of FitnessMar 21, 2022

00:00
54:11
Episode 149: Mastering the customer experience with Judy Turchin

Episode 149: Mastering the customer experience with Judy Turchin

Customer experience can make or break a brand.

As Judy Turchin, founder of JPT Partners LLC and former COO of Eqinox puts it, “if you are not in touch with your customer, you've lost your way on the journey.”

Today on The Business Side of Fitness Podcast we chat about all things related to customer experience including:

  • What separates an outstanding customer experience from an okay one
  • How organizations can measure their success (hint: it’s not just about revenue)
  • How often businesses should recalibrate their customer journey
  • The first thing she looks at when reviewing a marketing strategy
  • Tips on building your own business
  • Opportunities for the fitness/wellness world in 2023 and beyond

Tune into the conversation here: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/podcast

ABOUT THE HOST

Vanessa Severiano has more than two decades of experience creating, developing and growing healthy lifestyle brands. Learn more about mentorship with Vanessa here:

https://www.vanessaseveriano.com

ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST

Judy Turchin is a dynamic, people-centric executive with expertise in omnichannel customer experience and engagement, global operations, sales and marketing. Judy has a 25+ year track record in direct to consumer health/wellness/fitness, financial services, real estate and law. Over the past 10+ years Judy has held various C-suite roles including Chief Operating Officer, Office of the CEO, Chief Administrative Officer, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer for various global businesses.

Ms. Turchin is the Founder of JPT Partners LLC, a global advisory firm that partners with companies and leadership teams to tackle their most critical strategic issues including customer experience, brand/marketing, operational excellence, real estate growth and programmatic employee wellness.

Learn about Judy here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judyturchin

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Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to The Business Side of Fitness wherever you listen to podcasts.  Your support means so much and helps more than you know!

Oct 03, 202230:32
Episode 148 - How to create partnerships that drive revenue with Massi Sardi

Episode 148 - How to create partnerships that drive revenue with Massi Sardi

Gyms and studios can be hesitant to work with aggregators and marketplaces.

The concern is often cannibalizing their current membership base, when really the role of these marketplaces is audience development.

Today on The Business Side of Fitness Podcast, Massimiliano Sardi, Vice President & Head of Partnerships at Gympass shares, “90% of the time, it's a new customer, a new member going to them.”

Gympass helps the fitness and wellness industry access a new group of people while bringing incremental revenue to gyms.

Massi goes further to explain:

-The strategy for bringing Gympass to the US market and how it was received

-How corporate wellness has changed over the last few years

-Which markets have rebounded the fastest (may surprise you)

-How to structure valuable partnerships

-The KPI that’s impacted the most by Corporate Wellness programs

Tune into the conversation here: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/podcast

ABOUT THE HOST

Vanessa Severiano has more than two decades of experience creating, developing and growing healthy lifestyle brands. Learn more about mentorship with Vanessa here:

https://www.vanessaseveriano.com

ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST

Massimiliano Sardi  hails from Italy. He’s a Columbia alumni. The first part of Massi's career was at Google's EU HQs in Dublin Ireland. Later he moved to management consulting in the US, where he started to work with HR clients; in late 2017 when Gympass expanded to the US, Massi joined Gympass to work on the US launch, building the team both on the client side working with HR clients and on the partnerships side working with fitness partners - Currently Massi leads the US partnerships organization and digital partnership globally as Gympass moved it global HQs to the US.

Learn about Gympass here: https://www.gympass.com

**SPREAD THE WORD

Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to The Business Side of Fitness wherever you listen to podcasts.  Your support means so much and helps more than you know!

Sep 26, 202233:54
Episode 147 - The strategic way to view content with Erika Shannon Hathaway

Episode 147 - The strategic way to view content with Erika Shannon Hathaway

We’ve all heard that content is king, but let’s face it; content without a solid strategy behind it is just noise.

Erika Shannon-Hathaway knows all about laying out a content strategy that works.  On todays episode of The Business Side of Fitness Podcast, Erika shares the same methodology she used, which helped to take MYXfitness from 0 to favorable acquisition by BeachBody and then public via SPAC  in under two years.  Wow!

Tune into today's episode to learn more about the relationship between content, product and brand along with:

What startup life is REALLY like

Shifting from in front of to behind the camera

The early days at Soul Cyle

Tune into the conversation here: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/podcast

ABOUT THE HOST

Vanessa Severiano has more than two decades of experience creating, developing and growing healthy lifestyle brands. Learn more about mentorship with Vanessa here:

https://www.vanessaseveriano.com

ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST

Erika is a seasoned fitness expert who has been in the industry for over 16 years. A former professional dancer and theatrical General Manager, she got her start in fitness as a General Manager of Teacher training for Patricia Moreno’s intenSati method, eventually becoming an instructor herself. She grew into fitness production and content strategy as the industry landscape shifted and moved toward streaming and connected fitness. Erika has worked for Equinox, SoulCycle, Daily Burn, MYXfitness and Beachbody, and is driven by her passion to instill connection and confidence through the power of movement.

Learn about Erika here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erikashannon/

**SPREAD THE WORD

Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to The Business Side of Fitness wherever you listen to podcasts.  Your support means so much and helps more than you know!

Sep 19, 202233:14
Episode 146 - How to leverage relationship selling with Star Sage

Episode 146 - How to leverage relationship selling with Star Sage

Every startup dreams of becoming a global brand, but not many make it.

Today on the Business Side of Fitness Podcast, Star Sage, Director of Business Development at Hyperice shares what it’s been like to go from startup to megabrand over the last 8 years.

Star attributes some of the success to relationship selling.  She says, ” I think in our industry,  we have such a luxury that we are selling something that is good for people. I think we forget that sometimes. And that's something that I remind my team, I remind myself daily, and then that enthusiasm is exuded into when I am selling the products and building those relationships.”

In this episode you’ll learn:

What it’s like to scale a startup brand

How the company established credibility before wellness became mainstream

When the time was right to shift from education oriented marketing to brand marketing
How Hyperice plans to continue innovating in the future

Star’s sales tips

Tune into the conversation here: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/podcast

ABOUT THE HOST

Vanessa Severiano has more than two decades of experience creating, developing and growing healthy lifestyle brands. Learn more about mentorship with Vanessa here:

https://www.vanessaseveriano.com

ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST

Star Sage’s  passion lies in the health & wellness and consumer technology. Currently, Star is the Director of Business Development for Hyperice. Star joined the Hyperice team over seven years ago, before Hyperice launched its first product in market. Since then, Star has focused on Hyperice’s brand and product(s) positioning, through B2B&B2C marketing, PR, and strategic planning across industries worldwide. A firm believer in the power of partnerships, Star formed integral relationships in fitness (Equinox, Barry’s Bootcamp, Orangetheory), hospitality (AMEX Lounges, Marriott), Corporate Wellness (EXOS, Google), Esports (NRG, OWL), Premium retailers (Best Buy, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s), Star focuses and develops the relevant engagement for companies to the everyday consumer.

Based on the valuable partnerships Star has formed and continues to develop, her true skills lies in finding potential sales opportunities, igniting a fast-paced focus for a team, and delivering valuable return to businesses and entrepreneurs.

Learn about Hyperice here: https://hyperice.com/

**SPREAD THE WORD

Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to The Business Side of Fitness wherever you listen to podcasts.  Your support means so much and helps more than you know!

Sep 06, 202233:48
Episode 145 - The art of storytelling and the role it plays in business with Roger Harvey

Episode 145 - The art of storytelling and the role it plays in business with Roger Harvey

“Life is a game. And the best storyteller wins. That simple. If somebody tells me that their sales are slow, then I tell them, well tell a better story. “

Storytelling really is the name of the game - in business and life!

And nobody tells a better story than today's podcast guest, Roger Harvey.

This man has impacted so many people and molded many careers in the fitness industry including mine.

We have known each other for over 20 years and I’m still learning so much from him!

Today’s episode is jam packed with stories everyone can learn from:

  • Crisis management
  • Using the word family in business
  • What is means to truly be a leader
  • Understanding and managing expectations
  • Developing staff
  • The role of vulnerability

Tune into the conversation here: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/podcast

ABOUT THE HOST

Vanessa Severiano has two decades of experience creating, developing and growing brands in the fitness & wellness industry. Learn more about 1:1 mentoring with Vanessa:

https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/consulting

ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST

Roger Harvey is an experienced Consultant with a demonstrated history of working in the health wellness and fitness industry. Skilled in Operations Management, Coaching, Team Building, Leadership, and Marketing. Strong consulting professional with a Bachelor’s Degree focused in Movement Science from University of Michigan School of Kinesiology. Past roles include, but are not limited to:

13 years Chief Operating Officer at Crunch

2 years Chief Operating Officer at Shecky's Media

5 years Chief Operating Officer at Cyc Fitness

18 months Chief Executive Officer at Switch Playground

14 months Chief Executive Officer at NYSC

Learn about Roger here: www.whatisrogeRradio.com

**SPREAD THE WORD

Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to The Business Side of Fitness wherever you listen to podcasts.  Your support means so much and helps more than you know!

Aug 29, 202249:11
Episode 144 - How to grow your business in any economy with Eric Posner

Episode 144 - How to grow your business in any economy with Eric Posner

The fitness business is a passion fueled business, but…there's a big difference between a hobby and a business.

Not many people can turn their passion into a viable business, but Eric Posner, CEO and Co-Founder of Swerve is one of those people.

Today on The Business Side of Fitness podcast, Eric shares the grit that got him and his team within striking distance of their 10th year in business.  While several virtual fitness brands are laying off workforces and recalibrating projections, Swerve is raising capital.

“Ultimately, the reason why we started Swerve in the first place was not because of the dollar. We did it because we love bringing people together and harnessing community and connecting one another in a way that's positive for your life. That's why we chose this path of uncertainty, over being in a corporate job that paid really well.”

Tune in to today’s episode to hear Eric dish on:

-Innovating from a brick and mortar model to a digital b2b model

-What it takes to have staying power in this industry

- How the team approach to fitness positively impacts utilization

And much more.

Tune in here: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/podcast

ABOUT THE HOST

Vanessa Severiano has two decades of experience creating, developing and growing brands in the fitness & wellness industry. Learn more about 1:1 mentoring with Vanessa:

https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/consulting

ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST

Eric Posner is the driver of Swerve’s finances, investor relations, sales, and partnership growth strategy. Eric has a degree in Psychology and Economics from Harvard, and experience as a Division I Lacrosse player under his belt. Posner previously held a position at Investment Bank HSBC. In 2019, Eric was named by Industry Wired among the most influential people in the health & wellness industry.

Learn about Swerve here: https://swervefitness.com

**SPREAD THE WORD

Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to The Business Side of Fitness wherever you listen to podcasts.  Your support means so much and helps more than you know!

Aug 24, 202236:53
Episode 143 - Exploring wellness travel and beyond with Brian Chappon

Episode 143 - Exploring wellness travel and beyond with Brian Chappon

“There's this terminology that sounds cool to talk about: series A series B, who cares? Build a product that changes the world.”

Hot diggity dog.  Brian Chappon, CEO & Founder of CENTRED just gets it.

Today’s podcast episode of The Business Side of Fitness is worth your time!

Sugar coating is so lame.

“I lost the weight by chasing my kids around”

“I build this business with hard work and determination”

Oh, come on….YOU KNOW there’s got to be more to the story.

Today, Brian peels back the layers and dives into what it really takes to build a wellness empire including:

- The entrepreneurial operating system that changed his business

- Details on the marketplace his team is building

- Revenue diversification

- The good, the bag and the ugly parts of building a brand

- His journey of self discovery

We’re coming in hot off summer vacation with tons of value.

Tune in now by visiting: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/podcast and let us know what you think!

ABOUT THE HOST

Vanessa Severiano has two decades of experience creating, developing and growing brands in the fitness & wellness industry. Learn more about 1:1 mentoring with Vanessa:

https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/consulting

ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST

Brian Chappon is the definition of a scrappy social entrepreneur and global citizen. A competitive athlete and seasoned expert in capital markets around the world, he takes an international perspective to building economic ecosystems and promoting health & wellness.

Brian founded his career as a volunteer and intern with NGOs providing disaster relief. Seeing the economic impact of those environmental events led to a new focus on the need for sustainable entrepreneurship and investment ecosystems in developing countries. As a consultant and head of capital markets, he raised funds and created models to analyze high-return projects and de-risk public-private partnership investments. He built networks of insurance companies, PE/Financial service providers, governments, NGOs, and innovative projects to build wealth, jobs, and opportunities in new markets  in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

The mix of extended international travel, stress, and commitment to marathon training took a toll on his health. After the recession of 2008 he hit max burnout and went from what felt like being on top of the world to becoming homeless and living in a 24hour Starbucks in New York City. After shaking off the pain of failure Brian took a sabbatical to teach spinning in a high-end studio. During his time of reflecting he heard of the mental and physical health issues that fellow road warriors faced while traveling, and the idea to create a health studio in an airport was formed. He is now combining his passion for fitness, experience in entrepreneurship, and vision for global health to launch CENTRED-Wellness.com, the first travel health and wellness platform changing the way the world will travel during and after the global Covid-19 crises. brian@centred-wellness.com

Learn about CENTRED here: https://centred-wellness.com/

**SPREAD THE WORD

Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to The Business Side of Fitness wherever you listen to podcasts.  Your support means so much and helps more than you know!

Aug 08, 202242:21
Episode 142 - How to build a disruptive brand with Dr. Kim Maugeri

Episode 142 - How to build a disruptive brand with Dr. Kim Maugeri

What or who would you say is the biggest underdog in fitness?

In my opinion, it’s pilates.

Pilates is incredibly versatile, effective and valuable, but it hasn’t really gone mainstream.

Today, Kim Maugeri,  co-founder and CEO of Skōp joins us on The Business Side of Fitness.  Kim and her team are on a mission to redefine Pilates as a category and introduce it to the world in a new and exciting way.

Tune in to the conversation to hear Kim share:

-Connecting the dots between form and injury and how Skōp can help

-What it’s like to be a female founder in fitness/tech

-The brands B2B strategy

-How Skōp has changed since it’s inception

Listen to the full episode by visiting: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/podcast

ABOUT THE HOST

Vanessa Severiano has two decades of experience creating, developing and growing brands in the fitness & wellness industry. Learn more about 1:1 coaching with Vanessa:

https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/consulting

ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST

Kim Maugeri is the co-founder and CEO of Skōp as well as a certified athletic trainer and chiropractor whose specialties are sports medicine and pre and postpartum care.

Between her experiences teaching group fitness for +10 years and her clinical expertise, Skōp’s mission is to redefine Pilates as a category and introduce it to the world in a new and exciting way.

Learn about Skōp here: https://www.skop.me/

**SPREAD THE WORD

Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to The Business Side of Fitness wherever you listen to podcasts.  Your support means so much and helps more than you know!

Jul 04, 202238:53
Episode 141 - The power of partnerships with Sean Turner

Episode 141 - The power of partnerships with Sean Turner

Looking to get that competitive edge?

Partnerships are a great way to offer more value to end users without stressing over high acquisition costs.

Today, on The Business Side of Fitness, Sean Turner, CEO of Les Mills US shares tips on how to create partnerships that are built to last.

He gives us the scoop on:

-How partnerships can solve retention problems

-Corporate wellness, the Les Mills way

-How the US market is different from other international markets

-The uncommon KPI that his team tracks (hint; it has to do with trees!)

Listen to the full episode by visiting: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/podcast

ABOUT THE HOST

Vanessa Severiano has two decades of experience creating, developing and growing brands in the fitness & wellness industry. Learn more about 1:1 coaching with Vanessa:

https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/consulting

ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST

Sean Turner is the CEO of Les Mills US, an international group fitness brand delivering life-changing fitness experiences for over 50 years. Sean has been with the company since 2018, when he relocated from Europe to Chicago to spearhead Les Mills’ United States expansion initiatives. He’s been instrumental in driving the company’s growth strategy to develop and market its latest hybrid and omnichannel offerings for its club, instructor, and consumer audiences – to better meet shifting customer demands.

Learn about Les Mills here: https://www.lesmills.com/us/

**SPREAD THE WORD

Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to The Business Side of Fitness wherever you listen to podcasts.  Your support means so much and helps more than you know!

Jun 27, 202233:45
Episode 140: The huge business opportunity you may be missing with Jonathan Freeman

Episode 140: The huge business opportunity you may be missing with Jonathan Freeman

The anti-aging market sure is huge right now.  Is your business missing out?

Doesn’t it blow your mind to think of how much money people invest into botox, fillers, plastic surgery and more to look younger? (p.s. no judgements here)

But what about… feeling better?

Fitness and wellness is the true bio-hack to ant-aging, right?

Today on The Business Side of Fitness, Jonathan Freeman, the Founder and CEO of Club Active, a chain of fitness clubs dedicated to the 50+ over population shares how he’s changing the way we age.

Jonathan shares:

-The huge opportunity to get more people moving

-Why there’s such a big disconnect between the worlds of fitness and medical

-How to appeal to baby boomers

-His big plans to open 5,000 clubs in the next 10 years

Listen to the full episode by visiting: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/podcast

ABOUT THE HOST

Vanessa Severiano has two decades of experience creating, developing and growing brands in the fitness & wellness industry. Learn more about working with Vanessa: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com

ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST

Jonathan Freeman is the Founder and CEO of Club Active.  Jonathan is an Exercise Physiologist with a bachelor of exercise science and a masters degree in exercise rehabilitation . Founded in 2017, with a purpose to change the way we age, Club Active is a chain of wellness centers dedicated for the over 50s population.  Jonathan is on a mission to improve the lives of our active baby boomers with a goal of growing 5000 clubs in the next 10 years. He wants to change the way we age by providing a safe, fun and non intimidating environment with clinical exercise advice.  Jonathan has worked with international athletes, Olympians and most well known for his rehabilitation work with celebrity Chris Hemsworth, Zac Efron and many more.  His email is jonathan.freeman@clubactive.com.au

Learn about Club Active here: https://clubactive.com.au/

**SPREAD THE WORD

Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to The Business Side of Fitness wherever you listen to podcasts.  Your support means so much and helps more than you know!

Jun 20, 202235:42
Episode 139 - How to build a business with staying power with Rab Shanableh

Episode 139 - How to build a business with staying power with Rab Shanableh

How many businesses were made during the pandemic, but won’t survive another year?

Time will tell who is built to last and who isn’t.

Today, on The Business Side of Fitness Podcast, Rab Shanableh, Co-Founder & CEO of OxeFit pulls back the curtain to bring us behind the scenes.  He shares:

-Leveraging science to help athletes and every day people perform better

-How the technology minimizes injuries for users
-The thought process behind integrating multiple modalities in one piece of equipment

-Why is OxeFit is uniquely positioned for success when offerings are becoming irrelevant

Rab says,  “it's an area where I've always thought there's got to be a smarter way to give the athlete, the client, the consumer, the patient in a rehab clinic, the data that makes them think differently about wellness, and get him to actually perform the exercise with the rehab, and actually understand how the body reacting to the particular exercise.”

Listen to the full episode at: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/podcast

Listen to the full episode by visiting: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/podcast

ABOUT THE HOST

Vanessa Severiano has two decades of experience creating, developing and growing brands in the fitness & wellness industry. Learn more about working with Vanessa: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com

ABOUT TODAY'S GUESTS

Mohammed “Rab” Shanableh is the Co-Founder, CEO and Chairman of The Board at OxeFit.With a career spanning 25 years in technology, Rab has led and worked with some of the most elite industry leaders in the technical arena. His experience ranges from large, recognizable public companies to co-founding one of the most successful tech ventures in the industry today. Prior to OxeFit, he co-founded Affirmed Networks, an industry leader in virtualization and 5G, which was recently acquired by Microsoft.

OxeFit is a first-of-its-kind strength training system, revolutionizing the world of connected fitness through advanced robotics and artificial intelligence. By harnessing data-driven workout programs, XP1 and XS1's computer-controlled weight loads allow for variable resistance training while state-of-the-art technology captures data and monitors form to identify weaknesses and potential for injury. Included in the OxeFit ecosystem is a library of engaging content, which seeks to bring a new element of connectivity to the fitness community. OxeFit is headquartered in Plano, Texas.

Learn about OxeFit here: https://www.oxefit.com/configure/xs1

**SPREAD THE WORD

Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to The Business Side of Fitness wherever you listen to podcasts.  Your support means so much and helps more than you know!

Jun 13, 202233:53
Episode 138 - Having the courage to niche down with Rachel Katzman and Julie Cartwright

Episode 138 - Having the courage to niche down with Rachel Katzman and Julie Cartwright

We’ve all heard the saying “the riches are in the niches”, yet niching down can be scarier than it seems.

What about the revenue opportunities we’re leaving on the table?

Let’s face it…FOMO stops a lot of business leaders from making bold decisions.

Ultimately, when we think this way, what we’re really missing out on is our edge; the chance to craft messaging that deeply resonates with the client we best serve.

Rachel Katzman, Co-Founder and Julie Cartwright, President of P.volve know all about blazing a trail in the female health and fitness category.  Today, on The Business Side of Fitness Podcast, they’re sharing:

- Developing numerous points of entry for the business and how they came to be

- Addressing the female health issues and challenges that aren’t openly discussed

- Why assembling a clinical advisory board what the right move for the business

- The hard lessons they’ve learned along the way

Listen to the full episode by visiting: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/podcast

ABOUT THE HOST

Vanessa Severiano has two decades of experience creating, developing and growing brands in the fitness & wellness industry. Learn more about working with Vanessa: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com

ABOUT TODAY'S GUESTS

Over the years, P.volve has blossomed into a multi-million dollar female-centric brand that bridges the gap between healthcare and functional movement. For women, feeling your best in your own skin is vital to our wellbeing. After struggling through her own battles with Scoliosis and Lyme disease, no one knows this better than Rachel Katzman herself. Katzman, at only 24 years old, realized that her body was depleting after a constant state of pain became her norm as a result of high-impact workouts. In 2017, Rachel created P.volve to diverge from the vanity driven fitness industry to revolutionize the ‘mind-to-muscle’ training method that cured her scoliosis. She then brought on Julie Cartwright, President of P.volve, creating a 100% female-founded brand. Together, they hoped to globalize the method and bring the same life changing results to every woman. After a few years of perfecting the science-backed method, P.volve has become one of the fastest-growing, international functional-movement brands with 100+ employees, three state-of-the-art studios, tens of thousands of streams and celebrity fan base including Oliva Culpo, Padma Lakshmi, Shay Mitchel, Stacey London, Kate Bosworth, Molly Sims and more. However, with this huge success also came more health concerns for Katzman as she was eventually diagnosed with Lyme disease. Since then, Katzman and Cartwright have worked diligently to provide women with the means to strengthen and empower their minds and bodies regardless of their physical state.

Learn about P.volve here: https://www.pvolve.com/

**SPREAD THE WORD

Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to The Business Side of Fitness wherever you listen to podcasts.  Your support means so much and helps more than you know

Jun 06, 202239:05
Episode 137 - The powerful impact intangibles have on profit with Amber Martinez

Episode 137 - The powerful impact intangibles have on profit with Amber Martinez

Does company culture impact profitability?

Even though it may be difficult to quantify, Amber Martinez, COO of Pound believes there is a direct correlation between people and profits and I have to agree with her!

Today on The Business Side of Fitness podcast, Amber drops 2+ decades worth of fitness business knowledge on us including:

  • Her favorite acronym: REPS: relationships, experiences, processes, and success metrics
  • Building a reputation as “the fixer”
  • Tips for organizations that are struggling with the Great Resignation
  • Mastering the customer AND employee journey

-Plus, so much more!

Listen to the full episode by visiting: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/podcast

ABOUT THE HOST

Vanessa Severiano has two decades of experience creating, developing and growing brands in the fitness & wellness industry. Learn more about working with Vanessa: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com

ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST

As a fitness industry leader with over two decades of experience, Amber is known for her energizing and authentic proven business approach, with an unparalleled entrepreneurial spirit, skill, and mindset built upon optimization, sustainability, and scale.Amber has built a reputation as "the fixer", moving into underperforming environments and turning them around culturally, operationally and financially. Personally, Amber takes great pride in her ability to develop others and create a palpable team culture. A winning culture fueled by inclusivity, diversity, innovation, and empowerment. An environment that becomes so much more than “just a job” or “just a gym.” Amber takes her position in the Fitness Industry personally and has dedicated her entire adult life to making a difference in others' lives. That is her promise.

Learn about Pound here: https://poundfit.com

**SPREAD THE WORD

Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to The Business Side of Fitness wherever you listen to podcasts.  Your support means so much and helps more than you know!

**INTERESTED IN BECOMING A PARTNER?

Inquire about supporting the show through partnership by emailing hello@vanessaseveriano.com.

May 30, 202243:15
Episode 136 - Continuing to learn and grow as a fitness professional with Amy Boone Thompson

Episode 136 - Continuing to learn and grow as a fitness professional with Amy Boone Thompson

Amy Boone Thompson, Owner & CEO of IDEA Health & Fitness says it best, “Every fitness professional needs to hone their business skills.”

Yes, we do! 

The learning process never ends!

To advance in business we need to:

- Surround ourselves with people who elevate and inspire us

- Invest in continuing education

- Network with peers & mentors in our field

Today on The Business Side of Fitness podcast, Amy shares the story of her career, along with numerous actionable tips on leadership, longevity in our industry and the professional accomplishment she’s most proud of.

Just in time for #mentalhealthawarnessmonth, Amy also discusses the role fitness professionals can play in battling the mental health crisis we are currently facing and what fit pros can expect at the (superbowl of fitness)  IDEA World Convention in July!

Listen to the full episode by visiting: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/podcast

ABOUT THE HOST

Vanessa Severiano has two decades of experience creating, developing and growing brands in the fitness & wellness industry. Learn more about working with Vanessa: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com

ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST

Amy Boone Thompson has  amassed nearly three decades as a career fitness professional, wellness advocate and business owner/leader. She has held every role, from practitioner to presenter to executive and is a highly respected global thought-leader. She is co-founder of the National Women’s Basketball League, founder of In-Out Fitness Solutions, Fitness Professionals Networking Group, Four Seasons Yoga and is now Owner & CEO of IDEA Health & Fitness Association.

Amy’s gifts of connection, vision and leadership continue to INSPIRE her journey and success – professionally and personally. Her entrepreneurial spirit combined with her rich experience as a business and media executive are the catalysts to her leadership. Amy fully embodies her tagline, “Fitness is my Business;” always seeking to empower and elevate others while creating global impact.

Learn about the Idea World Convention here: www.ideafit.com/conferences

**SPREAD THE WORD

Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to The Business Side of Fitness wherever you listen to podcasts.  Your support means so much and helps more than you know!

**INTERESTED IN BECOMING A PARTNER?

Inquire about supporting the show through partnership by emailing hello@vanessaseveriano.com.

May 22, 202234:56
Episode 135 - What you need to know about scaling a fitness business in 2022 with Pete Moore

Episode 135 - What you need to know about scaling a fitness business in 2022 with Pete Moore

“Real businesses in the coming years are going to be franchise businesses that have strong sales and marketing, have systems in place and are part of a larger entity, because I think you have an advantage in that. And they're gonna have unit economics that continue to be replicated.” Pete Moore, Founder and Managing Partner of Integrity Square puts it all out there on todays episode of The Business Side of Fitness podcast. He drops so many gems in this conversation, you might need to listen twice! We’re talking about…. - The variety of deals he’s been involved in all the way back to the Crunch/Ballys acquisition in ‘01 -How he helps entrepreneurs in the HALO (health, active lifestyle, outdoors) sector scale their business with institutional capital -The investment communities outlook on our industry now vs pre pandemic. - Ideal relationships between investors and operators & why sometimes giving up autonomy is the right choice And much, much more. Pete says, “I'm here to serve the industry, bring as much capital as I can, educate people, create more jobs and change lifestyles.” Listen to the full episode by visiting: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/podcast ABOUT THE HOST Vanessa Severiano has two decades of experience creating, developing and growing brands in the fitness & wellness industry. Learn more about working with Vanessa: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST Pete is the Founder, Managing Partner and Chief Dream Architect at Integrity Square ("ISQ,") the leading boutique financial advisory firm and an early stage investor in the HALO sector. Since founding ISQ in 2010, the firm has played an active advisory role in 100+ mergers & acquisition, private placement and advisory assignments across North America, Europe and Asia. He and his team have also invested in passionate entrepreneurs at Switch Playground, HigherDOSE, XTEND, Greco Fitness, Promotion Vault and The Athlete Book. Prior to ISQ, Pete was Head of the Active Lifestyle & Wellness Group at Sagent Advisors (2003-2010.) Prior to 2003, Pete was co-founder of FitnessInsite, a SasS sales management platform with 1500+ clients (based in AZ.) At FitnessInsite, Pete invested his personal capital, leveraged his credit cards and learned what it takes to manage a startup. Pete built his business and financial acumen on top of the foundation laid at three critical positions early in his career: Senior Associate at Brockway Moran & Partners, the private equity owner of Gold’s Gym International, Inc; worked as an Associate at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette; and an Analyst at Chase Securities. (Now JP Morgan.) Pete graduated from Emory University (BBA, 1994) and received his MBA from Harvard Business School (1999.) While at HBS, he co-founded IRON PLANET, the leading B2B auction site for used heavy equipment, which was sold to Ritchie Bros for $758 million. Learn more about Pete and his endeavors here: http://www.timetowinagain.com, http://www.halotalks.com, and http://www.halotalks.com/academy **SPREAD THE WORD Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to The Business Side of Fitness wherever you listen to podcasts. Your support means so much and helps more than you know! THIS SHOW IS PRODUCED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SYNC FLOOR 86 percent of US adults taking virtual exercise classes plan to continue doing so as gyms reopen. That’s a huge opportunity for anyone looking to launch or expand their virtual fitness offering. Our friends at SyncFloor offer a catalog of over 16,000 songs by the best independent commercial artists. It's great music that can be affordably licensed for both live and Video On Demand fitness classes Listeners of ‘The Business Side of Fitness Podcast' get their first 30 minute class covered for free. Just go to https://fitness.syncfloor.com **INTERESTED IN BECOMING A PARTNER? Inquire about supporting the show through partnership by emailing hello@vanessaseveriano.com.
Apr 18, 202243:07
Episode 134 - Improving retention by helping people understand data with Jason Moore

Episode 134 - Improving retention by helping people understand data with Jason Moore

Do you roll your eyes when you hear the word “personalization”?

I’m kind of over it since a lot of what’s passed off as personalization is not in fact personalized, but more of an algorithm at play.  As a marketer, I get that this buzzword is a way to get attention in today's market.

After chatting with Jason Moore, CEO & Founder of Spren, it’s clear that he and his team really get it.  They’re helping the everyday person decipher data (from wearables and smartphone cameras) and most importantly taking action on that data.

Afterall, what’s the point of tracking your HRV or your sleep if you don’t know what to do with it?

Action is what drives results.

Today on the podcast, Jason shares:

- The journey from working with elite athletes to everyday people

- Why he went from a D2C to B2B model

- How Spren improves partners retention

- Impacting the habits of people over time

Listen to the full episode by visiting: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/podcast

ABOUT THE HOST

Vanessa Severiano has two decades of experience creating, developing and growing brands in the fitness & wellness industry. Learn more about working with Vanessa: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com

ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST

Jason Moore is the CEO and Founder of Spren, a B2B technology platform that helps apps connect to the human body with a simple snippet of code - no hardware required. Using computer vision and deep learning algorithms, Spren transforms the smartphone camera into a biomarker sensor measuring heart rate variability (HRV), recovery, stress load, fitness progress, respiratory health, illness prediction, body fat, and more. Jason and the Spren team are committed to transforming how we work, live, and play, by helping all connected products enhance human health and wellbeing.

Learn more about Spren here:  https://www.spren.com

**SPREAD THE WORD

Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to The Business Side of Fitness wherever you listen to podcasts.  Your support means so much and helps more than you know!

THIS SHOW IS PRODUCED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SYNC FLOOR

86 percent of US adults taking virtual exercise classes plan to continue doing so as gyms reopen.

That’s a huge opportunity for anyone looking to launch or expand their virtual fitness offering.

Our friends at SyncFloor offer a catalog of over 16,000 songs by the best independent commercial artists. It's great music that can be affordably licensed for both live and Video On Demand fitness classes Listeners of ‘The Business Side of Fitness Podcast' get their first 30 minute class covered for free. Just go to https://fitness.syncfloor.com

**INTERESTED IN BECOMING A PARTNER?

Inquire about supporting the show through partnership by emailing hello@vanessaseveriano.com.

The Summit by BFS is back in New York City, April 28-30.

You won’t want to miss their elite lineup of speakers and panelists including Keynote Speakers, Jay Galluzzo prior Co-Founder and CEO of Flywheel and Sadie Lincoln, Co-Founder and CEO of barre3. simply magical, and this is the event to help you build the business that will thrive in the future.

Space is limited. Get your ticket before they close registration April 15, 2022. Visit: https://bfs2022.com/

Apr 11, 202243:49
Episode 133 - Unpacking the fitness metaverse with Andy Hall

Episode 133 - Unpacking the fitness metaverse with Andy Hall

Am I the only one that feels lost when it comes to the Metaverse, NFTs & Web 3.0?

Honestly, I have been pushing off learning more about this “new world” because it felt like the future…something I can learn about in a few years, but it turns out the future is NOW.

I tapped into expert Andy Hall, Head of Commercial at OliveX where he and his team are building the fitness metaverse to learn more.

Check out today's episode of The Business Side of Fitness podcast to learn the following from Andy:

-The specific opportunity in the metaverse for the fitness industry

-His thoughts on brands that should and shouldn’t enter the metaverse

-The financial investment required to get involved

Listen to the full episode by visiting: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/podcast

ABOUT THE HOST

Vanessa Severiano has two decades of experience creating, developing and growing brands in the fitness & wellness industry. Learn more about working with Vanessa: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com

ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST

Andy Hall has been in the Leisure, Fitness Tech, Sales and Business Development sectors for more than 18 years. Throughout his career, he has always had a passion for Sales and Leisure and in particular, leading teams to give the best experience possible to members through fitness and tech products. Andy is now leading the team to build the fitness metaverse and create new NFT projects for fitness brands globally.

Learn more about The Fitness Metaverse here:   https://discord.gg/kpWz9HwD

**SPREAD THE WORD

Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to The Business Side of Fitness wherever you listen to podcasts.  Your support means so much and helps more than you know!

THIS SHOW IS PRODUCED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SYNC FLOOR

86 percent of US adults taking virtual exercise classes plan to continue doing so as gyms reopen.

That’s a huge opportunity for anyone looking to launch or expand their virtual fitness offering.

Our friends at SyncFloor offer a catalog of over 16,000 songs by the best independent commercial artists. It's great music that can be affordably licensed for both live and Video On Demand fitness classes Listeners of ‘The Business Side of Fitness Podcast' get their first 30 minute class covered for free. Just go to https://fitness.syncfloor.com

**INTERESTED IN BECOMING A PARTNER?

Inquire about supporting the show through partnership by emailing hello@vanessaseveriano.com.

The Summit by BFS is back in New York City, April 28-30.

You won’t want to miss their elite lineup of speakers and panelists including Keynote Speakers, Jay Galluzzo prior Co-Founder and CEO of Flywheel and Sadie Lincoln, Co-Founder and CEO of barre3. simply magical, and this is the event to help you build the business that will thrive in the future.

Space is limited. Get your ticket before they close registration April 15, 2022. Visit: https://bfs2022.com/

Apr 04, 202235:11
Episode 132 - Women in FitTech with Laura Munkholm

Episode 132 - Women in FitTech with Laura Munkholm

Our lives are shaped by our everyday habits.

This is commonly known, but are we using behavioral psychology to really move the needle in the business of fitness and wellness?

Today on The Business Side of Fitness Podcast, Laura Munkholm, Co-Founder and President of Walla shares how she’s using personality typology to help studios retain their clients and more.

Tune into this episode to learn:

-The biggest surprise Laura came across when launching Walla

-Why businesses continue to rely on antiquated legacy software

-Breaking the glass ceiling in FitTech

-What it was like to go from consultant to founder

Check out the full episode to learn more from Laura by visiting: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/podcast

ABOUT THE HOST

Vanessa Severiano has two decades of experience creating, developing and growing brands in the fitness & wellness industry. Learn more about working with Vanessa: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com

ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST

Laura Munkholm is the president and co-founder of Walla, studio management software for the boutique fitness industry. As one of a handful of female founders in FitTech, and a former studio operator, she is unique in understanding the industry challenges, and how to support studio owners. She has consulted for hundreds of studios globally, built communities around fitness software, and is a featured industry speaker on sales, retention, and customer success. Taking from her background in competitive sports, studio management, and sales, she built a company and platform that can give studios the edge in the new world of wellness.

Learn more about Walla and get 50% off four months here:   https://hubs.ly/Q015Sqpq0.

**SPREAD THE WORD

Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to The Business Side of Fitness wherever you listen to podcasts.  Your support means so much and helps more than you know!

THIS SHOW IS PRODUCED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SYNC FLOOR

86 percent of US adults taking virtual exercise classes plan to continue doing so as gyms reopen.

That’s a huge opportunity for anyone looking to launch or expand their virtual fitness offering.

Our friends at SyncFloor offer a catalog of over 16,000 songs by the best independent commercial artists. It's great music that can be affordably licensed for both live and Video On Demand fitness classes

Listeners of ‘The Business Side of Fitness Podcast' get their first 30 minute class covered for free.

Just go to https://fitness.syncfloor.com

**INTERESTED IN BECOMING A PARTNER?

Inquire about supporting the show through partnership by emailing hello@vanessaseveriano.com.

The Summit by BFS is back in New York City, April 28-30.

You won’t want to miss their elite lineup of speakers and panelists including Keynote Speakers, Jay Galluzzo prior Co-Founder and CEO of Flywheel and Sadie Lincoln, Co-Founder and CEO of barre3. simply magical, and this is the event to help you build the business that will thrive in the future.

Space is limited. Get your ticket before they close registration April 15, 2022. Visit: https://bfs2022.com/


 

Mar 28, 202237:04
Episode 131 - Modern sales and marketing for fitness clubs with Alan Leach

Episode 131 - Modern sales and marketing for fitness clubs with Alan Leach

A truly skilled salesperson makes it look easy. They are the kind of person that seems totally at ease and watching them interact with people is like poetry in motion. It’s true artistry. They just always seem to close the sale, but… how?! Sales and marketing is the fuel that drives the machine of every business including yours, yet marketers and salespeople don’t necessarily have the reputation of being the most loved people on their teams. Am I right or am I right? Today on The Business Side of Fitness podcast, Alan Leach, CEO of Westwood Club dives into this very topic and so much more. It’s a real treat to learn from someone with over 30 years of experience in our industry so get ready as he covers: -Professionalizing the level of sales and marketing in our industry -Best practices for sales and marketing -The difference between sales & marketing (no, they aren’t the same) -The value of sales teams -What his work as Chair of IHRSA entails Plus more… Check out the full episode to learn more from Alan by visiting: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/podcast ABOUT THE HOST Vanessa Severiano has two decades of experience creating, developing and growing brands in the fitness & wellness industry. Learn more about working with Vanessa: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST Alan Leach is a 34 year sales and marketing veteran of the fitness industry. Currently CEO and Director of Sales and Marketing at West Wood Clubs Dublin, Ireland, with over 38,000 members at 7 fitness clubs in Ireland and Sarajevo. Sales Trainer and International speaker and presenter on fitness business marketing. Chairperson of IHRSA (International Health, Racquet and Sports Association), based in Boston, USA. Director of IHRSA. Chair of IHRSA International Committee (International Health, Racquet and Sports Association). Only the second non US chair of IHRSA in 45 years. Since 2010, Alan has been engaged as an international speaker and presenter on fitness marketing.He’s presented to 1000,s of club managers & owners at fitness conventions in San Francisco, Las Vegas, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Diego, Brazil, Mexico, Austria, Spain, United Kingdom, Sweden, Finland, Italy, Iceland, China, Portugal, France, Kuwait, China, Australia and many other countries. Regular speaker and presenter at all major fitness industry conferences around the world. In 2014, he became the only European invited to join the faculty of The IHRSA Institute at the Kenan-Flagler Business School at The University of North Carolina, USA, lecturing on Marketing Strategy, Digital Marketing, and Sales Management. Winner of Direct Marketing awards for fitness marketing competing against Irelands top advertising agencies. Winner of a FIA award for fitness marketing. In 2011, invited to join IHRSA’s ‘Ask An Industry Leader’ online forum. Featured several times in IHRSA CBI magazine, Club Solutions magazine, and many other 'international' fitness marketing publications. Regular contributor to Club Solutions magazine in US. Learn more about Westwood Clubs here: https://westwood.ie/ **SPREAD THE WORD Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to The Business Side of Fitness wherever you listen to podcasts. Your support means so much and helps more than you know! THIS SHOW IS PRODUCED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SYNC FLOOR 86 percent of US adults taking virtual exercise classes plan to continue doing so as gyms reopen. That’s a huge opportunity for anyone looking to launch or expand their virtual fitness offering. Our friends at SyncFloor offer a catalog of over 16,000 songs by the best independent commercial artists. It's great music that can be affordably licensed for both live and Video On Demand fitness classes Listeners of ‘The Business Side of Fitness Podcast' get their first 30 minute class covered for free. Just go to https://fitness.syncfloor.com **INTERESTED IN BECOMING A P
Mar 21, 202254:11
Episode 130 - Sales mastery for fitness and wellness professionals

Episode 130 - Sales mastery for fitness and wellness professionals

Growth comes from stepping outside of your comfort zone and today I’m trying something I’ve never done before….

Surprise, surprise.

Today’s episode of The Business Side of Fitness is a solo episode where I’m taking a deep dive into all things SALES in the context of fitness and wellness.  If you’re in the business of fitness and or wellness, this episode is a must listen for YOU to look at sales in a whole new way.

Buckle up because we’re covering:

  • Reframing our mindset around sales
  • Breaking the ice and establishing rapport with prospects
  • How to find commonality with prospects
  • Disarming people
  • Common misconceptions about sales
  • Recommended reading
  • And so much more

After you listen, I’d love for you to share your feedback with me.  Please let me know if you like these solo episodes and would like to hear more.

If you’re interested in sales training for your team or individual sales coaching, please contact me at hello@vanessaseveriano.com.

Check out the full episode to learn more by visiting: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/podcast

ABOUT THE HOST

Vanessa Severiano has two decades of experience creating, developing and growing brands in the fitness & wellness industry. Learn more about working with Vanessa: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com

**SPREAD THE WORD

Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to The Business Side of Fitness wherever you listen to podcasts.  Your support means so much and helps more than you know!

THIS SHOW IS PRODUCED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SYNC FLOOR

86 percent of US adults taking virtual exercise classes plan to continue doing so as gyms reopen.

That’s a huge opportunity for anyone looking to launch or expand their virtual fitness offering.

Our friends at SyncFloor offer a catalog of over 16,000 songs by the best independent commercial artists. It's great music that can be affordably licensed for both live and Video On Demand fitness classes

Listeners of ‘The Business Side of Fitness Podcast' get their first 30 minute class covered for free.

Just go to https://fitness.syncfloor.com

**INTERESTED IN BECOMING A PARTNER?

Inquire about supporting the show through partnership by emailing hello@vanessaseveriano.com.

Mar 14, 202235:16
Episode 129 - A new way to improve customer retention with Aaron De Jong

Episode 129 - A new way to improve customer retention with Aaron De Jong

Retention is the name of the game.

Once we’ve acquired a client, we’ve got to have a strategy to hold on to that client.  A tight onboarding process gets things started off, but we’ve got to continue to deliver value to increase the lifetime value of each client.

Aaron de Jong, Founder & CEO of movr had developed a great tool for connected fitness companies to improve retention.

Today, on the podcast, Aaron shares his thoughts on:

-Contributing factors that lead to his radically different approach to fitness

-The balance of giving people what they need vs what they want

-What the word personalization means to him

“Why do people care about what we're doing? It's unlikely because it's good for you. The problem to solve -and we're consistently working at it in both the mover app and with partners, is how do we make this matter?”

Check out the full episode to learn more from Aaron by visiting: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/podcast

ABOUT THE HOST

Vanessa Severiano has two decades of experience creating, developing and growing brands in the fitness & wellness industry. Learn more about working with Vanessa: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com

ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST

Aaron de Jong has over a decade experience in coaching movement and is the founder of the movr App. Aaron enjoys finding ways to move his body everyday, whether it’s outdoors, chasing a soccer ball, on his bike or moving kettlebells around. He’s dedicated his career to bringing better physical health outcomes to the global population through the exercise prescription platform he’s created on the movr app.

Learn more about Movr here:  www.movewithmovr.com

**SPREAD THE WORD

Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to The Business Side of Fitness wherever you listen to podcasts.  Your support means so much and helps more than you know!

THIS SHOW IS SPONSORED BY SYNC FLOOR

86 percent of US adults taking virtual exercise classes plan to continue doing so as gyms reopen.

That’s a huge opportunity for anyone looking to launch or expand their virtual fitness offering.

Our friends at SyncFloor offer a catalog of over 16,000 songs by the best independent commercial artists. It's great music that can be affordably licensed for both live and Video On Demand fitness classes

Listeners of ‘The Business Side of Fitness Podcast' get their first 30 minute class covered for free.

Just go to https://fitness.syncfloor.com

**INTERESTED IN BECOMING A SPONSOR?

Inquire about supporting the show through sponsorship by emailing hello@vanessaseveriano.com.

Mar 07, 202240:37
Episode 128 - The risks and rewards of entrepreneurship with Kirt Debique

Episode 128 - The risks and rewards of entrepreneurship with Kirt Debique

Just because something is available on the internet doesn’t mean it’s free for us to use any way we want.

An example of this is music.

We wouldn’t want someone swiping our proprietary workout videos to use for their gain, BUT….

We do this to musical artists all the time when we use their music in our offerings.

Lots of us aren’t even aware of the legal implications of music licensing. I wasn’t!  It’s complicated!

Today on The Business Side of Fitness, Kurt Debique, CEO and Founder of SyncFloor helps us understand the options for music licensing and his entrepreneurial journey plus:

-What it means to find sips of joy

-Leaving microsoft after 20 years to pursue his passion in music

-The difference is between licensed and unlicensed music

-How brands and entrepreneurs can protect their past and future content

Check out the full episode to learn more from Kurt by visiting: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/podcast

ABOUT THE HOST

Vanessa Severiano has two decades of experience creating, developing and growing brands in the fitness & wellness industry. Learn more about working with Vanessa: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com

ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST

Kirt Debique is CEO & CTO of SyncFloor, a B2B platform providing licensed access to high quality commercial music from over 100 labels and publishers around the world. Their clients include fitness companies, ad agencies, production companies, brands, podcasters, and local governments. With over 22,000 tracks from partners like Believe, TuneCore, Create Music Group, Motor Music, and Sub Pop, SyncFloor is the one stop shop for businesses and creators looking to add authentic music from real artists to their creative projects.

Learn more about SyncFloor here:  https://fitness.syncfloor.com

**SPREAD THE WORD

Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to The Business Side of Fitness wherever you listen to podcasts.  Your support means so much and helps more than you know!

THIS SHOW IS SPONSORED BY SYNC FLOOR

86 percent of US adults taking virtual exercise classes plan to continue doing so as gyms reopen.

That’s a huge opportunity for anyone looking to launch or expand their virtual fitness offering.

Our friends at SyncFloor offer a catalog of over 16,000 songs by the best independent commercial artists. It's great music that can be affordably licensed for both live and Video On Demand fitness classes

Listeners of ‘The Business Side of Fitness Podcast' get their first 30 minute class covered for free.

Just go to https://fitness.syncfloor.com

**INTERESTED IN BECOMING A SPONSOR?

Inquire about supporting the show through sponsorship by emailing hello@vanessaseveriano.com

Feb 28, 202231:27
Episode 127 - The missing link for the fitness industry with Josh Rider

Episode 127 - The missing link for the fitness industry with Josh Rider

How many times have you heard the phrase, “you can’t out train a bad diet”?

Probably a million or more.

Some people never achieve the results they're looking for.  It’s not the fitness facilities fault.

There’s a missing link.

That missing link is nutrition.

You’re probably nodding your head because you knew that already.

Why then are fitness and nutrition typically siloed into different offerings when we know these are two foundational pillars of health and wellbeing?

Josh Rider, Chief Revenue Officer for YouFit Gyms and I dive into this topic and more today on The Business Side of Fitness podcast.

Additionally, Josh shares:

How he went from investment banking to fitness

Why a recent rebrand was right for YouFit

The reason a partnership with Eat Love was the answer for integrating nutrition into their offerings

…and more

Check out the full episode to learn more from Josh by visiting: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/podcast

ABOUT THE HOST

Vanessa Severiano has two decades of experience creating, developing and growing brands in the fitness & wellness industry. Learn more about working with Vanessa: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com

ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST

Josh Rider joined YouFit Gyms in November 2021 as the Chief Revenue Officer. Prior to joining YouFit Gyms he held executive leadership roles at the International Sports Sciences Association, [solidcore] and Gold’s Gym International. Josh has almost 20 years of experience leading teams across multiple industries encompassing the Marine Corps, Investment Banking and Fitness. Josh holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science from Baylor University and an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management.

Learn more about YouFit here:  https://youfit.com/sweepstakes

**SPREAD THE WORD

Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to The Business Side of Fitness wherever you listen to podcasts.  Your support means so much and helps more than you know!

THIS SHOW IS SPONSORED BY SYNC FLOOR

86 percent of US adults taking virtual exercise classes plan to continue doing so as gyms reopen.

That’s a huge opportunity for anyone looking to launch or expand their virtual fitness offering.

Our friends at SyncFloor offer a catalog of over 16,000 songs by the best independent commercial artists. It's great music that can be affordably licensed for both live and Video On Demand fitness classes

Listeners of ‘The Business Side of Fitness Podcast' get their first 30 minute class covered for free.

Just go to https://fitness.syncfloor.com

**INTERESTED IN BECOMING A SPONSOR?

Inquire about supporting the show through sponsorship by emailing hello@vanessaseveriano.com.

Feb 21, 202232:42
Episode 126 - Reaching new audiences with Taylor and Justin Norris

Episode 126 - Reaching new audiences with Taylor and Justin Norris

Is the fitness industry really innovating or just creating multiple versions of the same offering?

How can we, as an industry, inspire more people to move their bodies?

One way to reach and resonate with new audiences is to explore different concepts AND messaging.

LIT Method, founded by husband and wife team Justin and Taylor Norris is doing just that.  Their low-impact training concept has grown by “building bodies, not breaking them”.

On today's episode of The Business Side of Fitness we chat about:

-How the experience has evolved since its inception

-Why now is the right time to franchise the concept

-The process behind creating their proprietary  LIT Strength Machine

-Digital vs in studio clients

Check out the full episode to learn more from Justin and Taylor  by visiting: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/podcast

ABOUT THE HOST

Vanessa Severiano has two decades of experience creating, developing and growing brands in the fitness & wellness industry. Learn more about working with Vanessa: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com

ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST

Justin and Taylor Norris are the Co-Founders and Co-CEOs of LIT Method, the company behind the proprietary Low Impact Training workout designed to build bodies, not break them. The visionary creators of the patent pending LIT Strength Machine, Justin and Taylor have garnered a cult following around their singular combination of personal training, physical therapy, and injury prevention.

In 2021, LIT Method opened its first LIT LAB and announced an investment from Marcy Venture Partners, securing the support from the famed venture capital firm founded by Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter, Jay Brown, and Larry Marcus, as well as an investment from five-time MLB All-Star, Adrian Gonzalez.

Featured in Self Magazine, Forbes, InStyle, Women’s Health, GQ, People, and more, Justin and Taylor are guaranteeing what they call ‘inclusive innovation’ remains at the heart of their mission.

Learn more about LIT Method here: https://www.litmethod.com/

**SPREAD THE WORD

Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to The Business Side of Fitness wherever you listen to podcasts.  Your support means so much and helps more than you know!

THIS SHOW IS SPONSORED BY SYNC FLOOR

86 percent of US adults taking virtual exercise classes plan to continue doing so as gyms reopen.

That’s a huge opportunity for anyone looking to launch or expand their virtual fitness offering.

Our friends at SyncFloor offer a catalog of over 16,000 songs by the best independent commercial artists. It's great music that can be affordably licensed for both live and Video On Demand fitness classes

Listeners of ‘The Business Side of Fitness Podcast' get their first 30 minute class covered for free.

Just go to https://fitness.syncfloor.com

**INTERESTED IN BECOMING A SPONSOR?

Inquire about supporting the show through sponsorship by emailing hello@vanessaseveriano.com.

Feb 14, 202230:30
Episode 125 - How to be influential with Dr. Robin B

Episode 125 - How to be influential with Dr. Robin B

Do you want to learn how to increase your influence?

Today on The Business Side of Fitness, Dr. Robin B., pharmacist, influencer, and entrepreneur teaches us a thing or two about becoming influential.  She shares:

  • How she built her personal brand
  • How her marketing prowess was received by her fellow pharmacists
  • Which came first - the products or audience
  • Why playbook was the right partner for her fitness app

Check out the full episode to learn more from Dr. Robin B by visiting: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/podcast

ABOUT THE HOST

Vanessa Severiano has two decades of experience creating, developing and growing brands in the fitness & wellness industry. Learn more about working with Vanessa: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com

ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST

Dr. Robin B is a  a pharmacist, fitness enthusiast, influencer and podcast host of The Dose Show, helping busy professionals transform their mind, body and spirit through beauty, fitness and nutrition.

Learn more about Dr. Robin B  here: https://drrobinbapp.com

**SPREAD THE WORD

Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to The Business Side of Fitness wherever you listen to podcasts.  Your support means so much and helps more than you know!

THIS SHOW IS SPONSORED BY SYNC FLOOR

86 percent of US adults taking virtual exercise classes plan to continue doing so as gyms reopen.

That’s a huge opportunity for anyone looking to launch or expand their virtual fitness offering.

Our friends at SyncFloor offer a catalog of over 16,000 songs by the best independent commercial artists. It's great music that can be affordably licensed for both live and Video On Demand fitness classes

Listeners of ‘The Business Side of Fitness Podcast' get their first 30 minute class covered for free.

Just go to https://fitness.syncfloor.com

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Feb 07, 202227:50
Episode 124: Mastering Time Management with Shannon Fable

Episode 124: Mastering Time Management with Shannon Fable

Do you ever feel like there’s not enough time to accomplish everything you need to get done?

If so, you aren’t alone.

I’m right there with you.

Between tackling work projects (let’s face it- they never end!) and mom duties- there’s not much left and balance is something many of us are left chasing.

We’re desperately striving, but never arriving.

Today on The Business Side of Fitness podcast, Business Development Consultant, Shannon Fable is sharing her top tips on time management.

She shares, “You can't bring your same self to the same problem and expect a different result. We've got to rewire those soundtracks that say I'm bad at time management, I'm easily distracted, I don't know how to focus, this is my kryptonite, etc”

If you keep feeding yourself this story, your reticular activating system is looking for evidence this is true.

So you repeat the behavior pattern and stay stuck.

Tune in to episode 124 now to learn how to break the cycle from Shannon plus:

  • The 3 different types of innovation
  • Dedicating 15% of your time towards your big picture goals
  • Why urgency and innovation don’t really go together

For more visit: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/podcast

ABOUT THE HOST

Vanessa Severiano has two decades of experience creating, developing and growing brands in the fitness & wellness industry. Learn more about working with Vanessa: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com

ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST

Shannon Fable is a sought after speaker, author, and thought leader in the area of business development and strategic innovation.  She has spent more than two decades helping impressive brands such as Anytime Fitness, Schwinn®, Power Systems, ACE, Silver Sneakers, FIT4MOM, Intelivideo and BOSU®.   Fable served as Chair of the ACE  board of directors, co-founded and successfully sold GroupEx PRO®, and currently advises Talent Hack in strategic partnerships and business development. In addition to her many accomplishments, Shannon was awarded the 2013 IDEA and 2006 ACE Instructor of the Year awards. As a Book Yourself Solid® Licensed Professional, she helps fit pros navigate the industry to build scalable and sustainable businesses.

For $20 off Shannon’s Time By Design course visit: https://www.shannonfable.com/time-by-design-self-paced and use coupon code VANESSA2022.

**SPREAD THE WORD

Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to The Business Side of Fitness wherever you listen to podcasts.  Your support means so much and helps more than you know!

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Inquire about supporting the show through sponsorship by emailing hello@vanessaseveriano.com.

Jan 31, 202239:22
Episode 123 - Everything you need to know about strategic partnerships with Jason Crowe

Episode 123 - Everything you need to know about strategic partnerships with Jason Crowe

Everyone knows that partnerships are a great way to advance in business, but HOW do we even start?

Creating a truly valuable and mutually beneficial business partnership seems like mission impossible yet in an age where it’s becoming increasingly more challenging to get in front of potential customers, partnerships are becoming more valuable than ever before.

Today, on The Business Side of Fitness podcast, Jason Crowe, Vice President of Partnerships and Business Development at Precision Nutrition unpacks what it really takes to develop a partnership that works.

Tune into to discover:

The exact steps Jason’s team takes to develop partnerships for PN

Creating partnerships that go beyond offering a discount

The right time to evaluate the success of a partnership

And more.

Tune in now to learn from Jason’s expertise!

For more visit: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/podcast

ABOUT THE HOST

Vanessa Severiano has two decades of experience creating, developing and growing brands in the fitness & wellness industry. Learn more about working with Vanessa: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com

ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST

With over 15 years of Healthcare and Wellness industry experience focused on Sales, Business Development and Partnerships, Jason Crowe has worked for Fortune 50 companies, International Medical Institutions and high-value startups around the world.

Currently, Jason is the VP, Partnerships and Business Development at Precision Nutrition - the world’s largest nutrition coaching and coaching certification company.  At PN, Jason leads the company’s network of international resellers, club chain and industry partners, external promotions programs and internal sales team.

Jason lives in Toronto, Canada with his wife of 14 years and 2 young children.

Learn more about Precision Nutrition  here: https://www.precisionnutrition.com

**SPREAD THE WORD

Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to The Business Side of Fitness wherever you listen to podcasts.  Your support means so much and helps more than you know!

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Inquire about supporting the show through sponsorship by emailing hello@vanessaseveriano.com

Jan 24, 202242:54
The Business Side of Fitness Trailer

The Business Side of Fitness Trailer

The Business Side of Fitness Trailer

Jan 22, 202200:39
Episode 122 - Building a business where everyone wins with Matt Spettel

Episode 122 - Building a business where everyone wins with Matt Spettel

The fitness industry isn’t what it used to be.

Do you agree?

There’s been a major power shift.

Consumers and employees are now calling the shots.

Businesses that embrace the change are shining while others are… reluctantly adapting.

Today on The Business SIde of Fitness Podcast, Matt Spettel shares how he’s doing things differently as Co-Founder and CEO of CoPilot:

trainers are salaried vs the more common -  hourly compensation.

education is a top priority for staff

Matt also shares:

- How & when he knew a rebranding was the right move

- The importance of audience development for the fitness sector

- East coast vs west coast fundraising experiences

Tap below for more from Matt:

https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/podcast

ABOUT THE HOST

Vanessa Severiano has two decades of experience creating, developing and growing brands in the fitness & wellness industry.

Learn more about working with Vanessa: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com

ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST

Matt Spettel is the co-founder and CEO of CoPilot, a Pittsburgh-based remote personal training startup. With an engineering background from Carnegie Mellon University, Matt specializes in designing and building innovative consumer products and experiences. In his free time, Matt enjoys soccer, hackathons, strength training, and competitive guitar hero.

For a 14 day free trial from CoPilot visit: https://go.mycopilot.com/businessoffitness

ENJOY THIS PODCAST?

Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to The Business Side of Fitness wherever you listen to podcasts.  Your support means so much and helps more than you know!

INTERESTED IN BECOMING A SPONSOR?

Inquire about supporting the show through sponsorship by emailing hello@vanessaseveriano.com.

Jan 17, 202232:49
Episode 121 - Tips to attract and retain staff with Sean Gagnon

Episode 121 - Tips to attract and retain staff with Sean Gagnon

So, you want to build a business in the fitness industry?

It’s all about the people.  People create experiences.  People bring brands to life.

Having staying power in this field isn’t easy.  You’ve got to constantly innovate, evolve and find a team who believes in the same mission.  That’s really the key.

Today on The Business Side of Fitness Podcast, Sean Gagnon, CEO of The Abs Company shares the secrets behind attracting and retaining top tier talent.

In this episode, the 25 year fitness industry veteran also shares:

-What his favorite saying,  “The Lion Eats First” means (P.S. -it’s trademarked)

-How they’ve secured 35 world wide patents

-His take on the current landscape and the future of our industry

“Leadership is how we act. I expect everybody to act as a leader, whether you're sitting in my seat, and you happen to have the title of CEO, or the person who just started.”

Tap below for more from Sean:

https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/podcast

ABOUT THE HOST

Vanessa Severiano has two decades of experience creating, developing and growing brands in the fitness & wellness industry.

Learn more about working with Vanessa: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com

ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST

Sean Gagnon is a 25+ year fitness industry veteran who  started as a personal trainer.  After earning his graduate degree from the University of Florida, Sean transitioned to gym ownership. Through some great connections and good timing he was able to transition to the equipment side of the business and started The Abs Company in 2007. His innovative products have earned us 35 worldwide patents and over $100Million in sales. Everyday Sean strives to live The Abs Company  mission as We Change Lives from the Core!

Learn more about The Abs Company  here: https://theabscompany.com/

ENJOY THIS PODCAST?

Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to The Business Side of Fitness wherever you listen to podcasts.  Your support means so much and helps more than you know!

INTERESTED IN BECOMING A SPONSOR?

Inquire about supporting the show through sponsorship by emailing hello@vanessaseveriano.com.

Jan 10, 202239:10
Episode 120 - What you should really know about building a brand with Shaun Grove

Episode 120 - What you should really know about building a brand with Shaun Grove

How should brands evolve as they scale?

Today on The Business Side of Fitness, Shaun Grove, President of Rumble Franchising shares how he’s growing the brand in 2022 and beyond.  From Playing pro-ball to law school, joining the FBI and spearheading global franchise brands, Shaun has quite the interesting story to tell!

Get ready to learn:

-What it was about Rumble that made it the right fit for the Xponential portfolio of companies

-The biggest change that’s been made to the brand (to make it repeatable)

-Their strategy for international expansion

-How the team has managed to sell 200 territories in a matter of months

“Right now rumble has the largest pipeline of any of our expo brands with interest from potential franchise candidates.”

There’s so much to absorb from this episode!

Tap below for more from Shaun:

https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/podcast

ABOUT THE HOST

Vanessa Severiano has two decades of experience creating, developing and growing brands in the fitness & wellness industry.

Learn more about working with Vanessa: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com

ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST

Shaun Grove has an undergraduate business degree from University of San Diego and JD from University of San Francisco. Shaun has been the President of Rumble Franchise, LLC since its inception, March 2021. He previously served as President of Club Pilates Franchise, LLC since its inception, March 2015. Shaun was the General Counsel for UFC Gym Franchise Company from January 2013 to June 2014 and was the General Counsel for LA Boxing Franchise Corporation from March 2009 to December 2012, when it was acquired by UFC Gym. He also owned and operated four UFC Gym franchise locations in Southern California from January 2012 – October 2021.

Learn more about Rumble here: http://www.rumbleboxinggym.com

ENJOY THIS PODCAST?

Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to The Business Side of Fitness wherever you listen to podcasts.  Your support means so much and helps more than you know!

INTERESTED IN BECOMING A SPONSOR?

Inquire about supporting the show through sponsorship by emailing hello@vanessaseveriano.com.

Jan 03, 202234:11
Episode 119 - Two big things to think about when it comes to corporate wellness with Brad Dieter

Episode 119 - Two big things to think about when it comes to corporate wellness with Brad Dieter

Is corporate wellness the solution employers need for their recruitment and retention problems?

Today on The Business Side of Fitness Podcast, Brad Dieter COO of Macros Inc & Director of Science at Harness Biotechnology and I go down the rabbit hole on the topic of corporate wellness and much more!

Listen in to this episode to hear Brad cover:

-Why fitness & nutrition are commonly kept in different silos

-Why nutrition is the toughest part of the health matrix to tackle

-Misconceptions about nutrition and activity

-Work environments and cultures that foster healthy lifestyle

-Why dieting FOMO is real

Brad says, “It's been made way too complicated. I think that the majority of people can get 95% of the results that they need in their life, on the nutrition side with some very simple ideas, and simple interventions.”

Tap below for more from Brad:

https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/podcast

ABOUT THE HOST

Vanessa Severiano has two decades of experience creating, developing and growing brands in the fitness & wellness industry.

Learn more about working with Vanessa: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com

ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST

Learn more about Macros Inc here: https://macrosinc.net

ENJOY THIS PODCAST?

Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to The Business Side of Fitness wherever you listen to podcasts.  Your support means so much and helps more than you know!

INTERESTED IN BECOMING A SPONSOR?

Inquire about supporting the show through sponsorship by emailing hello@vanessaseveriano.com.

Dec 27, 202133:04
Episode 118 - Building strategic distribution relationships to boost global expansion with Stefan Sillner

Episode 118 - Building strategic distribution relationships to boost global expansion with Stefan Sillner

Dominating the domestic market is one thing.  Global expansion is quite another.

Don’t all brands want to expand globally?

But HOW is this achieved?

Partnering with the right people is key.

Today, on The Business Side of Fitness Podcast, we sit down with Stefan Sillner, Global Business Development Consultant.   Stefan supports businesses as they enter new markets.  CLMBR, Hygear,  A-champs and Fit Tech Company are some of the brands he’s currently working with.

Get ready to learn about:

- Building strategic distribution relationships to boost sales

- The power of networking-  done right

-Taking calculated risks in business

-Powerful habits for success

Listen to this episode now to hear how Stefan answers the question “is the combining of fitness and technology a fad that people will tire of? “

Tap below for more from Stefan:

https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/podcast

ABOUT THE HOST

Vanessa Severiano has two decades of experience creating, developing and growing brands in the fitness & wellness industry.

Learn more about working with Vanessa: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com

ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST

With a background of 18 years in the fitness industry, Stefan Sillner is a highly skilled global business development executive who has built an extensive international network. Previously, Stefan worked for HAMMER Sport as Executive VP and created distribution partnerships into 65 countries worldwide. Stefan has supported established brands such as Power Plate and fit tech start-up companies like CLMBR, Hygear and A-champs in their international expansion. He recently joined the Fit Tech Company as advisor as part of the new US team.

Learn more about CLMBR here: www.clmbr.com

ENJOY THIS PODCAST?

Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to The Business Side of Fitness wherever you listen to podcasts.  Your support means so much and helps more than you know!

INTERESTED IN BECOMING A SPONSOR?

Inquire about supporting the show through sponsorship by emailing hello@vanessaseveriano.com.

Dec 20, 202142:35
Episode 117 - The four step process to educating people with Greg Mauer

Episode 117 - The four step process to educating people with Greg Mauer

Do you know the difference between coaching and training?

Truthfully, I have used these words interchangeably, but they are in fact, not the same.

Today, on The Business Side of Fitness Podcast,  Greg Maurer, VP of Fitness and Education - Workout Anytime Franchising takes us to school by breaking down the difference between coaching and training and so much more including:.

- Key pillars to successful leadership (30+ years of experience taught him a thing or two!)

- The value of customization and connection in our businesses

- The commonalities in the challenges fitness professionals face

- The four step process in educating teams

Tap below for more from Greg:

https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/podcast

ABOUT THE HOST

Vanessa Severiano has two decades of experience creating, developing and growing brands in the fitness & wellness industry.

Learn more about working with Vanessa: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com

ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST

Greg Mauer is the Vice President of Fitness and Education for Workout Anytime franchising systems. He has expertise in club management, sales, marketing, commercial fitness product and program development, and strategic planning and implementation. Additionally, Greg has extensive experience and expertise in the development of education and marketing infrastructure to launch new products and programs in the fitness industry.

Learn more about Workout Anytime here: workoutanytime.com

ENJOY THIS PODCAST?

Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to The Business Side of Fitness wherever you listen to podcasts.  Your support means so much and helps more than you know!

INTERESTED IN BECOMING A SPONSOR?

Inquire about supporting the show through sponsorship by emailing hello@vanessaseveriano.com.

Dec 13, 202148:04
Episode 116 - How to grow in business using systems and strategy with Regan Stokes

Episode 116 - How to grow in business using systems and strategy with Regan Stokes

Sometimes passion, talent and skills just aren’t enough to make it in business.

Add in systems and strategy and now we’re talking…

Today on The Business Side of Fitness Podcast, we chat with Regan Stokes, President of Purre Barre.

In this episode, Regan opens up about:

  • The correlation between a strong business infrastructure and success
  • Creating the American dream (600 times)
  • Keeping Pure Barre relevant after 20 years
  • Business challenges she’s faced and how she’s handled them
  • Pillars for operational excellence

Tap below for more from Regan:

https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/podcast

ABOUT THE HOST

Vanessa Severiano has two decades of experience creating, developing and growing brands in the fitness & wellness industry.

Learn more about working with Vanessa: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com

ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST

Regan Stokes first entered into the franchising space through a career opportunity to join the team of a budding franchisor in the fitness space. While Stokes was primarily working in client management before that, she became fascinated by the concept of franchising and saw first-hand how the franchisor and franchisee could work together to create the strongest business possible. After starting in a franchise relations role, she quickly worked her way up onto the executive leadership team.

Now, as the president of Pure Barre, a boutique fitness concept with 600 locations, Stokes is responsible for building a business model and support system that allows entrepreneurs to achieve their dreams of business ownership.

Learn more about Pure Barre here: purebarre.com

ENJOY THIS PODCAST?

Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to The Business Side of Fitness wherever you listen to podcasts.  Your support means so much and helps more than you know!

INTERESTED IN BECOMING A SPONSOR?

Inquire about supporting the show through sponsorship by emailing hello@vanessaseveriano.com.

Dec 06, 202127:43
Episode 115 - Taking risks and landing your dream job with Melissa Chordock

Episode 115 - Taking risks and landing your dream job with Melissa Chordock

Do you remember the moment you landed your dream job?

On today's episode of The Business Side of Fitness Podcast, Melissa Chordock, President of AKT shares the journey that led to her landing her dream job and what it was like to get that call of a lifetime.

When you tune in to this episode, you’ll learn about:

- Her approach to managing relationships - from franchisee partnerships to team leadership

- Taking personal and professional risks

- How AKT expanded during over the last year (when many were struggling)

- Her ambitions for the AKT brand over the next 5 years

- The piece of advice she wishes someone would have given her years ago

Tap below to tune in:

https://www.vanessaseveriano.com/podcast

ABOUT THE HOST

Vanessa Severiano has two decades of experience creating, developing and growing brands in the fitness & wellness industry.

Learn more about working with Vanessa: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com

ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST

Melissa Chordock is the president of AKT, a one-of-a-kind, premier fitness franchise that combines the very best of fitness- integrating interval, strength, and toning for the most effective fitness program around!  As an Xponential Fitness emerging brand, Melissa’s background in operations, talent management, and 8 years of experience in fitness franchising is helping grow AKT into a worldwide brand with a committed, engaged, and loyal following.

Learn more about AKT here: https://www.theakt.com/

ENJOY THIS PODCAST?

Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to The Business Side of Fitness wherever you listen to podcasts.  Your support means so much and helps more than you know!

INTERESTED IN BECOMING A SPONSOR?

Inquire about supporting the show through sponsorship by emailing hello@vanessaseveriano.com.

Nov 29, 202130:48
Episode 114 - Combining high and low tech with Jeff Rosga

Episode 114 - Combining high and low tech with Jeff Rosga

Do you ever wonder if we make health more complicated and intimidating than it needs to be?

It’s possible to sleep well without tracking sleep cycles….

We can nourish our bodies properly without tracking macros….

The list goes on.

Today on The Business Side of Fitness, I sit with Jeff Rosga, Co-Founder & President of Outfit Training to discuss the role of tech in our lives and in his business.

Jeff shares his detailed thoughts on:

- The changes he’s seen in the fitness industry over the last 25+ years

- Liberating fit pros through opportunities that empower them to generate personal net worth (finally, an exit strategy for fit pros!!)

- Learnings from his 18 years at Life Time

- Meeting and partnering with Randy Hetrick (you’ve probably heard of him)

- Merging high & low tech to lower the barrier of entry into fitness

Plus lots more!

ABOUT THE HOST

Vanessa Severiano has two decades of experience creating, developing and growing brands in the fitness & wellness industry.

Learn more about working with Vanessa: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com

ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST

Jeff Rosga is a results-orientated leader with over 25 years in the fitness industry, most recently serving almost two decades at Life Time. Jeff has a proven history of building successful products and training experiences through a combination of innovative vision, strategic execution and strong business acumen. His track record of success included operating multiple business units for Life Time in fitness, training and education, product and program development, and finally founding the educational training entity Life Time Academy. He is considered an industry thought leader and recently partnered and launched OutFit with Randy Hetrick, the founder of TRX. His drive for a career in the health and fitness space began as a collegiate athlete and Academic All-American at the University of Minnesota, while earning his BS degree in Business Management and Entrepreneurship from the Carlson School of Management

.

Learn more about Outfit here: https://www.outfittraining.com/

ENJOY THIS PODCAST?

Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to The Business Side of Fitness wherever you listen to podcasts.  Your support means so much and helps more than you know!

INTERESTED IN BECOMING A SPONSOR?

Inquire about supporting the show through sponsorship by emailing hello@vanessaseveriano.com.

Nov 22, 202141:44
Episode 113 - The medical fitness opportunity with Bobby Verdun

Episode 113 - The medical fitness opportunity with Bobby Verdun

We aren’t out of the woods yet, friends!

Although it’s tempting to feel like “we’re back”, 47% of people in the fitness industry have lost their jobs while 20% of gyms and studios have permanently closed.

WHAT are we doing about it?

Bobby Verdun, Founder and President of Active Entities believes one of the biggest untapped opportunities is closing the gap between the medical and fitness industries.

Today, on The Business Side of Fitness Podcast, Bobby shares:

- Where the independent clubs fits into a fitness landscape cluttered with M&As and IPOs

- The parallels between coaching sports teams and coaching staff at clubs

- Investments that need to be made to capitalize on the current opportunity

- How he leverages strategic partnerships

- Tips for building a business that stands the test of time

and more.

ABOUT THE HOST

Vanessa Severiano has two decades of experience creating, developing and growing brands in the fitness & wellness industry.

Learn more about working with Vanessa: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com

ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST

Bobby Verdun is the Founder and President of Active Entities where he and his team provide fitness center management solutions and business plan development for health clubs and gyms, golf and tennis clubs, hotels and resorts, residential complexes and universities.

Learn more about Active Entities here: https://activeentities.com/

ENJOY THIS PODCAST?

Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to The Business Side of Fitness.

Thank you for your support!

Nov 15, 202135:36
Episode 112- The rise of the gig economy with Crystal Robinson-Carroll & Rosana Gambino

Episode 112- The rise of the gig economy with Crystal Robinson-Carroll & Rosana Gambino

How do you build a real career in the fitness industry?

For many fitness professionals, longevity and advancement can be a major challenge.

After meeting in the hospitality industry and working at Class Pass, Rosana Gambino and Crystal Robinson saw an opportunity to support fit pros in taking their careers to the next level.

Today on The Business Side of Fitness podcast, Crystal & Rosanna chat about their brand fittly and:

- Why making a livable wage in fitness is more challenging than some may think

- How they’re connecting talent with job opportunities at gyms, studios and beyond

- Adapting business models to changing times

- New tech features that enable fit pros to connect and build community in app

- Plus so much more

ABOUT THE HOST

Vanessa Severiano has two decades of experience creating, developing and growing brands in the fitness & wellness industry.

Learn more about working with Vanessa: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com

ABOUT TODAY'S GUESTS

fittly serves as the premier global career platform for fitness industry professionals to find life changing opportunities! fittly is a place to:

* Connect with the best gyms and studios to find more fulfilling jobs and coaching opportunities

* Showcase your unique brand with social streaming, video content, and badass playlists with your engaging fittly profile

* Join the growing fittly community and network with thought leaders, fitness entrepreneurs, and diverse trainers of all specialties

* Unlock essential tools to grow your business and secure more clients

And this is just the beginning...

Learn more about fittly here: https://fittly.com/

ENJOY THIS PODCAST?

Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to The Business Side of Fitness.

Thank you for your support!

Nov 08, 202134:56
Episode 111 - Creating a brand for fitness entrepreneurs with Danielle Donovan

Episode 111 - Creating a brand for fitness entrepreneurs with Danielle Donovan

Anyone who has ever created a brand from zero knows what a heavy lift it truly is.

The allure of entrepreneurship is tempting.   Successful outcomes are determined by a variety of factors and the day to day grind to achieve said success is often not glamorous.

Today on The Business Side of Fitness Podcast, Danielle Donovan, Founder of Cheerfit shares her journey including:

  • Developing a brand of empowerment in a world of body shaming
  • Business development tactics
  • Fostering community engagement
  • The entrepreneurial challenge of letting go of control

ABOUT THE HOST

Vanessa Severiano has two decades of experience creating, developing and growing brands in the fitness & wellness industry.

Learn more about working with Vanessa: https://www.vanessaseveriano.com

ABOUT TODAY'S GUEST

Danielle Donovan is the founder of CHEERFIT - the world-renowned workout method and certification that combines cheer-inspired exercises for a fun, high-energy workout! Danielle's inspiration for CHEERFIT came during her time as a D1 cheerleader for Syracuse University. Today, CHEERFIT has evolved into a global movement connecting cheer, dance and fitness enthusiasts around the world through its ambassador program, proven workout method, and virtual certification. CHEERFIT has been featured in everything from SELF Magazine to voted hottest new workout trend on NBC.

Danielle is not only passionate about helping others, but also loves the business side of fitness and has extensive industry experience in everything from business development, community building, and brand strategy. Danielle resides in NJ with her husband, golden doodle (Lola), and is a mom to a happy, active, toddler boy.

Learn more about Cheerfit here: https://www.cheerfittraining.com/

ENJOY THIS PODCAST?

Please make sure to rate, review and subscribe to The Business Side of Fitness.

Thank you for your support!


Nov 01, 202138:25
Episode 110: Leveraging and monetizing time with Austin Cohen
Oct 25, 202136:29
Episode - 109 Lola Priego | Base: A consumer first approach

Episode - 109 Lola Priego | Base: A consumer first approach

What makes a business customer centric?

For starters, it’s refreshing to see brands FIRST identify what customers want and then build a business around those needs while others build a business and THEN search for clients who are a good fit.

Today on the podcast, Lola Priego, Founder of Base, an at-home lab test and app that pinpoints the root cause of what’s actually going on with your body- shares with us the foundation and future of her business.

In this episode Lola dives into:

The elimination of the middleman in business

Learnings from her time at Facebook and Amazon, which she applied towards Base

Fulfilling her personal mission

Helping people to decipher data in a way that’s actionable, not overwhelming

And much, much more.

️ ️ ️ ️ ️

Does The Business Side of Fitness podcast bring you value?

Please rate, review and share it!  This helps the success and continuation of the show.

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Connect with Vanessa on LinkedIn!

Have a question or want to learn more about Vanessa’s consulting work? Drop us a line hello@vanessaseveriano.com

Oct 18, 202137:15
Episode 108 - Jimmy Martin and Johnny Adamic | brrrn: Brick + Mortar goes D2C
Oct 11, 202140:51
Episode 107 — Jeff and Mikki Martin: Brand X Method: Impact of High Performance Lifestyles On Youth
Oct 04, 202147:46
Episode 106 – Vlado Bosanac: Making Critical Decisions
Sep 27, 202147:35
Episode 105 – Rick Cruz | In-Shape: Operational Excellence
Sep 20, 202134:12
Episode 104 – Trent Ward | FORME: The Strategic Partnership Jackpot
Sep 13, 202133:44
Episode 103 – Trevor Lucas | Cycle Bar: Consistency Is King
Sep 06, 202149:00
Episode 102 – Lou DeFrancisco | Stretch Lab: Turning Passion Into A Career
Aug 30, 202159:38
Episode 101 – CJ Kelly | Flexia Pilates: Feeling Your Way To Success
Aug 23, 202140:51