The Club Insider Archives: August 2015
Planet Fitness
The IPO of The Juggernaut
By: Norm Cates
Norm CatesThe story of Planet Fitness is one of determination, innovation and good business. The company's Co-Founders, Mike and Marc Grondahl, were determined to succeed in the health and fitness club business. Their original rural market had several competitors, so this was not an easy task. Like the inventor of the pulley in order to make pulling a weighted object via a rope easier, Planet Fitness began to innovate to make the future of building a viable business possible. Instead of churning the usual 15% of the market that would consider their club and the clubs of their competitors, they elected to go after those who might not be a typical health club member: the 85% our industry has tried so hard, with varying success, to attract.
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"Insider Speaks"
Augie's Quest For A Cure
By: Mike Alpert
Mike AlpertI have known Augie Nieto for over 25 years as the Founder and Owner of Life Fitness, one of the world's largest manufacturers of Cardio and Strength equipment. When we first met, Augie was driving around in a Slugo Motor Home trying to sell his LifeCycles to Nautilus clubs. In nine months, he sold a total of eleven LifeCycles. Through years of tireless work and brilliant marketing, Life Fitness became a must-have in every good health club. Augie was on a roll, and in 1999, he sold his company to Brunswick for $325 million dollars.
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How to Be Like "Mike"
By: Ron Alterio
Ron AlterioWe all remember those classic Gatorade commercials from the '90s that helped cement Michael Jordan's legacy as one of, if not the most influential sports figures of all time. Kids all across the country were trying to imitate "Mike" on their neighborhood basketball courts. He was the best. He knew it, and the world knew it. As a result, EVERY kid in America --in fact if we are honest, every adult too-- wanted to be just like "Mike."
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The Financial Power of The Crowd
Part I
By: Stephen Tharrett
Stephen TharrettRaising capital has never been an easy task for entrepreneurs, and for most entrepreneurs, launching a business raising capital can be the "straw" that often breaks the camel's back, the challenge most likely to derail their business vision. Until recently, raising equity for a business venture, be it start-up capital or growth capital, was comparable to a soldier navigating a minefield without a mine detector.
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How Effective Are Your Sales Meetings?
By: Karen Woodard-Chavez
Karen Woodard-ChavezIn the health and fitness industry, specifically on the club side, sales meetings vary in frequency, purpose, value and consistency compared to other industries. If there is a wide variance in these factors, there could also be a wide variance in the effectiveness of the meetings. The bottom line with sales meetings is that they are designed to increase sales. This article will provide some insight into how to make your sales meetings more effective in increasing your sales.
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It IS Personal and It's Business
By: Jarod Cogswell
Jarod Cogswell"It's not personal, it's just business." While I still consider myself "old school" in a lot of ways, this particular statement gives me a knot in my stomach because I have news for all of those short-sighted thinkers... business IS personal, especially in the fitness industry. It is an industry filled with operators responsible for changing personal lives, and just like any other for-profit business, one that has a need to make money.
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Why Cutting Your Promotional Efforts Kills Your Gym
By: Jim Thomas
Jim ThomasThe biggest mistake you can make is to cut your marketing budget, or even worse, don't even have one. Marketing, advertising, promotion and branding are the lifeblood of your gym that brings in new members and other sales. A primary job function of any gym owner is to be sure the door is swinging, the phone is ringing and the email is dinging. You must continue to grow market share and avoid obscurity. Stay focused on helping people and solving problems for people. Now, before I share some tips on how to do this, many owners will say, "I just don't have time." Well, you do if it's a priority.
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Programming For The "Fun Of It!"
Create a Space For Small Group Training Management Success
By: Laurie Cingle
Laurie CingleSuccess with Small Group Training (SGT) is based on 7 Keys: (1) Leverage Your Offerings, (2) Hire and Retain Champion SGT Trainers, (3) Define Metrics, (4) Identify a SGT Manager, (5) Create a Space, (6) Outline a Marketing Plan and (7) Develop a Budget. The focus of this article is Key #5, Create a Space.
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ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Gives Patients Hope
CORONA DEL MAR, CA - During the summer of 2014, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge took over social media and brought ALS to the forefront of people's minds, Facebook walls and Twitter feeds across the globe. It also raised a significant amount of funds, including more than $4 million, which was donated by individuals, foundations and corporations to the ALS Therapy Development Institute. This year, the campaign is back in full force with an official launch set for August 1, 2015.
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World Gym Launches A Global Social Media Search For Its New Fitness Ambassadors
LOS ANGELES, CA - World Gym International, the iconic global brand for bodybuilding and serious fitness, has officially announced the launch of its Ambassador Search Program. The iconic brand has begun its first global search to find one male and one female member to be the new faces of World Gym International.
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Living Well After Cancer
Publisher's Note: Club Insider featured Mike Alpert and his Claremont Club in Claremont, California in our March and April 2015 editions. In that 2-part, 9,500-word Cover Story, Mike shared their story of Project Walk, their efforts to deliver Exercise as Medicine and their Living Well after Cancer Program. Recently, Mike was kind enough to send a copy of the following letter he received from Ms. Linda Johnson, one of his clients in their Living Well after Cancer Program. Importantly, the early days of the Living Well after Cancer Program was founded by the late Julie Main, Santa Barbara club operator and former IHRSA Board Member and Chairperson and adopted by Mike at his Claremont Club.
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JoAnna Masloski Returns To Wellbridge As COO
DENVER, CO - Wellbridge, the owner and operator of 21 premier athletic clubs and spas nationwide, announced JoAnna Masloski is its new Chief Operating Officer, beginning Monday, August 3, 2015.
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The Professional Tennis Registry to Host Directors of Tennis Conference
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC - The Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) will hold the 4th Annual Directors of Tennis Conference, October 20-22, 2015. It will be held at the Shipyard Beach Club on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
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The American Council On Exercise Celebrates Its 30th Anniversary!
In honor of the 30th Anniversary of ACE, the organization commemorated the milestone with a team-wide event at its San Diego Headquarters on June 30th. Congratulations from Club Insider to everyone at ACE for reaching the special 30th Anniversary milestone.
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Norm's Notes for August 2015
By: Norm Cates
Norm CatesHello Everybody! This is your Club Insider Publisher and Tribal Leader since 1993 checking in with our 260th monthly edition! As we rapidly move toward our 23rd Anniversary of publishing, I want to thank you all for reading Club Insider!
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