Club Insider

The Club Insider Archives: September 2015

Kim Manocherian and New York Health and Racquet Club
The Home of Health, Happiness and Everyday Heroes

By: Justin Cates

Justin CatesJustin CatesThe family business is an interesting concept, mixing elements from the business world and family dynamics to create an organization that offers a product or service. For some, it comes easy; for others, it is quite a challenge. In all cases, though, in order to succeed, a level of balance must be found, that of sound business concepts mixed with constructively handling possibly conflicting managerial styles. Crucially important to achieving this is communication. Going further, within the health and fitness club industry, in order to succeed, another balance must also occur, that of the relationship between the club and its member and what is offered to them across fitness, social, entertainment and other spheres. Read More

The Emotional Cocktail
By: Derek Barton

Derek BartonDerek BartonWhenever Norm Cates asks me to write an article for Club Insider, I do it gladly. Besides Norm being an icon in the health and fitness club industry with his signature hat, I can't help but be caught up in his passion for his publication, which by the way is celebrating 23 years in early December. Read More

"Insider Speaks"
The State of the Health and Fitness Club Industry According to Thomas Plummer

By: Thomas Plummer

Thomas PlummerThomas PlummerFor sale cheap: Used DeLorean time machine. No longer needed. Just visited a chain gym and was transported back to 1995 without it. No longer interested in living in the past in the fitness industry. Read More

The Financial Power of The Crowd
Part II

By: Stephen Tharrett

Stephen TharrettStephen TharrettIn Part I of this 2-part series last month, readers where introduced to crowdfunding. In addition, Part I provided an overview of donation-based and reward-based crowdfunding. In Part II of our series on crowdfunding, we will introduce readers to the newest crowdfunding mechanisms; debt-based crowdfunding, often referred to as peer-to-peer (P2P) lending; equity-based crowdfunding and royalty-based crowdfunding. These three approaches to crowdfunding are considerably different than donation-based and reward-based crowdfunding, being founded and structured along the principles of more traditional capital raise approaches (e.g., angel funding, venture funding and bank debt). Read More

Five Things You Can Learn From the Small Studio Model
By: Maria Parrella-Turco

Maria Parrella-TurcoMaria Parrella-TurcoSmall studio operators have perfected five successful concepts that club owners and operators can learn from and implement in their own businesses. If you have not already experienced a niche group-training studio, including those that offer yoga, Crossfit, TRX or cycling, move within just a few short blocks or miles from your club, it's just a matter of time before one or two will arrive in your neighborhood. Read More

Mitigating Liability Through the Proper Hiring, Training and Ongoing Certification of Employees
By: Paul R. Bedard, Esquire

Paul R. Bedard, EsquirePaul R. Bedard, EsquireYou've just signed up a new personal training client! A liability waiver has been executed and your new client has been placed with your head trainer! Other than failing to retain your new client, what could possibly go wrong? As I learned years ago when I would ask my law school professors which way a case should be decided, "It depends." Read More

It's Time For A Different Approach
By: Daron Allen

Daron AllenDaron AllenMonthly sales quotas have been around longer than the fitness industry itself. Managers continue to set sales quotas for their membership sales and personal training department?s. Over? ?time, ?these quotas become far reaching, and more often than not, unattainable, de-motivating ?goals. Read More

Programming For The "Fun Of It!"
Outline a Marketing Plan For Small Group Training Management Success

By: Laurie Cingle

Laurie CingleLaurie 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 #6, Outline a Marketing Plan. Read More

Bill McBride's Club Industry Show Fitness Leadership Track
BILL McBRIDE, President and CEO of Active Sports Clubs and former IHRSA Board Member and Chairman, is one of those presenting at Club Industry in Chicago October 7-9th. Bill is chairing the Fitness Leadership track at Club Industry, and he's invited you to attend the six sessions, which will offer business, operations and programming insights to leaders in the fitness industry. Bill has assembled a strong group of speakers to share their expertise with you, including Brent Darden, Frank Ancharski and Allison Flatley. Read More

200th Participant Enrolled in Precision Medicine Program for ALS
CAMBRIDGE, MA - The ALS Therapy Development Institute announced that it has enrolled the 200th participant in its Precision Medicine Program (PMP). This program is the first of its kind to be created for ALS and includes multiple aspects unique to the field of precision medicine specifically aimed to discover and develop treatments for ALS. This milestone meets two thirds of the program's goal for enrollment of 300 participants, which was made possible by the donations received from the 2014 social media phenomenon, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Read More

Muscle Up Marketing Ranks #40 on Inc. 5000 List of Fastest Growing U.S. Companies
ROSWELL, GA - Muscle Up Marketing has announced it ranks 40th on the Inc. 5000, Inc. magazine's annual list of the fastest-growing, privately held businesses in the U.S. Based on the company's 5,967% sales growth over the past three years, this designation marks a significant achievement for the 4-year old, Metro Atlanta-based marketing agency that focuses on the fitness industry. Read More

Two MAC Clubs to Become acac Fitness & Wellness Centers
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - Maryland Athletic Club (MAC) locations will soon be rebranded as acac Fitness & Wellness Centers. The MAC clubs in Timonium and Hunt Valley formally joined the acac family of clubs last month. Read More

Billie Jean King to Be Inducted Into the PTR Hall of Fame
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. - Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) will present its annual awards in February at the 2016 PTR International Tennis Symposium. The event, which includes more than 40 educational presentations for tennis teachers and coaches, a trade show and tournament, will be held February 17-20 on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Billie Jean King will be inducted to the PTR Hall of Fame at the Awards Banquet on Thursday, February 17. Read More

Blink Fitness Appoints Todd Magazine as President
NEW YORK, N.Y. - Blink Fitness, a premium quality, value-based fitness club, announced the promotion of Todd Magazine to President. Magazine has overseen Blink's expansion of its company-owned locations from four to 37 and has led the development of the brand's franchising initiative, which launched in June 2015. Read More

Norm's Notes for September 2015
By: Norm Cates

Norm CatesNorm CatesHello Everybody! This is your Club Insider Publisher and Tribal Leader Since 1993 checking in! Read More

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