Category: Industry Leaders

Amenities, Collaboration, FitLife, IHRSA, Industry Leaders, Message From John

John’s Musings – 2018 is going to be a great year!

By John’s Musings

Happy News Years to everyone! 2018 is beginning to feel like a record year with the amount of orders that are streaming into our order desk. Fitness facilities seem to be packed with new members and I’m optimistic that “fitness” is going to be back in fashion again.

January’s Soapbox will be one of our best ever. Lots of new content furnished by experts new to the Soapbox, its exciting to be meeting all these new people and their desire to help people achieve a better quality of life. If you have a suggestion for a topic to be highlighted, please let me know and we will do everything we can to be accomadating.

Lets start with Petra’s very own “Cleanologist”, Franz Johnson and his video test of hand sanitizers and dealing with the flu

Just about every person I know has been affected by the flu epidemic. Reviewed figures seem to point to a record flu season. The current flu shot only inoculates you to 30% of the flu viruses which means you more susceptible than in past years to get the flue.  As we all know the best way to avoid the flu is “wash your hands” as often as you can! In the first Soapbox article for the January issue, Petra’s “Cleanologist” Franz Johnson speaks to the need to wash your hands and if this isn’t possible, use a hand sanitizer. We have embedded in Franz’s article a video on a test comparison of Petra’s foaming non-alcohol hand sanitizer versus Gojo/Purell’s hand sanitizer. Not only did our foaming hand sanitizer reduce/neutralize/kill more pathogens/bacteria than the Gojo/Purell hand sanitizer but our product is half the cost! I believe your will find Franz’s video not only entertaining but very educational.

Continue reading “John’s Musings – 2018 is going to be a great year!” →

Collaboration, Industry Leaders, Wellness

Brian Walker from Live Purple shares the importance of getting fit, the right way.

I remember the first time I walked into a high-end gym in a fancy neighborhood. The sales pitch was minimal and the transaction went quickly followed by a firm handshake. I was looking to escape daily pressures and for a sense of belonging to a group. It would not take long before I was addicted. That gym was a newly built facility in my school and the addiction was to pain killers. I was 13 years old. I would overdose twice before reaching high school.

My story is far too common. Ninety percent of prescription drug addiction starts between the ages of 12 and 18 years old and nearly one in five teens has already abused a prescription pain killer equating to 4.2 Million teens.  With most public schools either significantly reducing the amount of time spent on health education, or eliminating health education all together, most don’t realize the dangers from prescription abuse and one of the many reasons we the abuse shows no signs of improvement. In 2016, the cost of prescription drug misuse in the U.S. exceeded $443 billion each year.  Ninety-seven percent of the $443 billion was spent on the consequences from the abuse with only 3% spent on prevention.

After decades of working executive level positions in fortune 1000 companies, I found myself 32 years old, exhausted, stressed and out of shape. I entered a different type of gym. I received a different sales pitch than decades earlier yet once again became addicted. This time to fitness. Unlike the high I had sought from pills, my addiction to fitness is under my control. This is of little surprise as some of the brain regions effected by commonly misused drugs are the same regions impacted by exercise.

I recently had the opportunity to listen to the former Surgeon General of the United States discuss the increased risk factors to society of substance misuse including the role of stress, anxiety, and the role the “lifestyle” plays, including lack of exercise. that lifestyle practice has become a major topic as the search to find a solution reversing the current trend is discussed.

Sixty percent of all addicted have a medical condition defined as a dual diagnosis disorder or co-occurring disorder.  Dual diagnosis means the addict also suffers from an additional mental disorder in addition to their addiction disorder. For example, alcoholics often also suffer from symptoms of depression and opioid addicts often also suffer from a type of anxiety disorder (in many cases PTSD).

In the most recent survey of the American Psychological Associations, teens are experiencing as much stress as adults, in and some cases more, leading to feelings of depression and loss of appetite. Adult stress levels are also on the rise with only one in ten saying they’re willing to seek professional support to address the issues. The remaining 90% become prime candidates for attempting self-medication thus dramatically increasing their chances of becoming future addicts.

As fitness professionals, it is imperative we not only remember our purpose but act on “why we do what we do.” Our top priority must remain to use our solutions to better the lives of others in every community in which we operate.  Having a proven solution to help an epidemic, it is our responsibility to expose that solution and inspire the community to participate. If we choose not to support the cause, and we continue to ignore the devastation, this epidemic will continue to spread. The consequences to all will be catastrophic.

Live Purple, A CAUSE FOR FITNESS, is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Our team has decades of experience and knowledge of all aspects of the fitness industry allowing us to provide you the tools and solutions to impact the addiction, the mental health and the obesity epidemics. Most programs currently offered were created specifically for one of the founders own multi-club fitness companies. Each program is designed from inception to be mutually beneficial, delivering both impact to the community and increasing new business resulting from the cause marketing and brand awareness benefits.  Live Purple is the ideal cause-relationship solution for the health and fitness industry.

Together we can fulfill our responsibility as professionals and help end this epidemic.  To learn how you can have a greater impact, please contact us at info@livepurple.org.  We will have one of our Impact Teammates contact you immediately.

Brian Walker
VP of Research & Education | Co-founder,
BWalker@LivePurple.org

Amenities, Industry Leaders, MACMA, Towel Service

John’s May Musings

REX Roundtable, if you are not aquatinted with this organization, you should be. Will Phillips the founder of REX Roundtable has written a brief blurb on what to expect from entry-level employees coming into the workforce. I believe you will find his content of interest.

Since joining the REX Roundtable family (as a vendor), I can’t say enough good things about the organization. The quality of clubs, the owners and managers, all with the purpose of helping each other and improving their clubs. The transparency of the REX members is truly inspiring. I encourage you to go to their website ( www.rexroundtables.com ) to learn more.

Continue reading “John’s May Musings” →

Industry Leaders, Leadership

Leadership Lessons

by Bill McBride

Sometimes business feels metaphorically like war.  I say metaphorically because nothing in business compares to the pain, suffering and sacrifice our dedicated soldiers defending our great nation provide.  But strategically and from a leadership perspective, there are so many lessons us civilians can learn from the great military leaders like Retired Secretary of State Colin Powell. 

With strategic “battle” planning, one must take into account:

  1. One’s Army – Team condition and capabilities.  Competency, Readiness, Morale, & Confidence in leadership
  2. The Enemy – Population Inactivity, “Substitutes” to our product offerings, and our Competition (although this makes us better and is not our core threat it is an adversary in talent and member acquisition)
  3. The Geography & Climate – Local, state & federal economic factors, local & federal regulations, weather, workforce talent, population density and consumer demographics
  4. Leadership & Strategy – Leadership & Strategy

Continue reading “Leadership Lessons” →

FitLife, Industry Leaders, Success

FitLife Club Owners/Managers Retreat-Lindsey Rainwater to Keynote

Join The FitLife Club Network for their annual Owners/Managers Retreat on April 30th -May 1st featuring top-notch training from industry professional Lindsey Rainwater.

The mission of the FitLife Summer Conference is to create meaningful networking and educational opportunities for the owners, managers, and staff of FitLife member clubs and the suppliers who support them.

screen-shot-2017-02-12-at-3-42-19-pm
Lindsey Rainwater, FitLife Keynote Speaker

Lindsey Rainwater, an experienced consultant and coach to the fitness and wellness industry will be discussing Social Media Made Simple for your Health Club; The What and the How Behind Hacking Social Media Management for Your Health Club.  Continue reading “FitLife Club Owners/Managers Retreat-Lindsey Rainwater to Keynote” →

Collaboration, Giving Back, Industry Leaders, Message From John

Happy New year! 2017… It’s all about “We” :)

Let 2017 begin. Everyone starts the new year with lofty goals and inspirations which seem to be based upon self-improvement. We at the Soapbox will try to change this mindset of being about “me” and moving forward into 2017 we want to change the perspective to “We”.

Let’s start with providing our Soapbox readership with a gift if you want to attend the tradeshow at IHRSA. Working with the folks at IHRSA, we are providing free tradeshow passes to anyone who wishes to attend (link Below).  Anyone, from the owners to staff can attend the IHRSA tradeshow free of charge. There is no limit to the number of passes that can be obtained by a facility, anyone that wants to go, can use the link provided and take advantage of this special offer. This is another way we “give back” to our readership.

Meredith Poppler from IHRSA writes about the lofty but achievable goals of The IHRSA Foundation and the desire to demonstrate the impact health clubs have on helping people effectively improve and manage their health, and then promote those benefits to increase the physically active population and improve wellness across the globe. We encourage you to donate to the IHRSA Foundation and help promote evidence-based programs that encourage healthy lifestyles.

I’ve known Neal Simpson, the Director of The FitLife Club Network for a number of years. Fitlife is an association of independent fitness facilities located in the Pacific Northwest. In this Soapbox edition he talks about the Fitlife regional summer conference and the guest speakers that will be presenting. If you have never experienced attending a regional IHRSA event located in picturesque Bend Oregon, contact Neal for more details.

Bill McBride comes through with another powerful article on Active Wellness, which is the leading health service management company and its passion in building active communities through both fitness and wellness. You will find the article full of ideas and practices that should inspire you to think outside the box and I encourage you to contact Bill to learn more.

Finally, in the spirit of giving back, we are continuing our “Free Consultation Offer – Our Gift to You!” offer through January. Bill McBride, President & Chief Executive Officer, Active Wellness, Active Sports Clubs & BMC3, Bryan O’Rourke, Business, Technology & Wellness Leader. Speaker, Consultant & CEO, Brent Darden, Principal at Brent Darden Consulting, Chairman of the Board for IHRSA, and Chairman of REX Executive Roundtables and Sal Pellegrino, Precor, Inc. have offered to “give back” to the Soapbox readership by offering free consulting services. Theres no catch, no fee, no charge for an initial consulting session. If you want to be on the cutting edge of programs to make your facility more profitable, increase membership and provide a better membership experience, you need to email them and take advantage of this special offer. They will meet or exceed your expectations.

As you might have noticed, we are making changes in the Soapbox’s format and we encourage you to drop us an email and let us know how you are doing. We are here to serve you so we look forward to your suggestions and comments.

It’s a pleasure and privilege to serve you and look forward to seeing you at IHRSA.

free-ihrsa

Collaboration, Industry Leaders, Partnership

9 Partnership Principles: A Story of Life Lessons and Working Together

by Bryan K. O’Rourke and Robert Dyer >>>

When most people create business partnerships, they focus on potential opportunities, their office, titles, mission statements, stationary, logos, social media platforms, and more. But entrepreneurs Bryan O’Rourke and Robert J. Dyer know there is much more to establishing a successful partnership.

Inline image 1The founders of Fitmarc, which is a strategic partner with a variety of leading global fitness and wellness players, share nine principles to success in this guide to improving life at work and at home.

Whoever you’re considering as a partner, values and character should be at the top of the list. You must openly discuss your views without fear of reprisal—and if you can’t—you need to ask yourself why. It’s also important to realize that no one has the right answers. But you do need to ask the right questions if you want to succeed.

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FitLife, Industry Leaders

2016 Draws to a close… A FitLife Update

by Neal Simpson of FitLife Club Network >>

Well my friends, another year has come and gone. What will 2017 bring? The Board of Directors and I have a great year planned with several events and educational opportunities.

This year we will have our Owners/Managers retreat in April @ the Resort in CDA, Idaho. Watch for information coming in the next few weeks on this exciting program, featuring Lindsey Rainwater. Lindsey will explain and show us how we can take control of social media and use it to our benefit, without feeling overwhelmed.

The Summer Conference this year at the Riverhouse in Bend, OR. will be held on July 23-25, 2017, as we move back to our traditional days of Sunday through Tuesday. I have been contacted by several new companies that will be in the trade show. I can tell you we have secured as keynoters Chris Stevenson, (Stevenson Fitness) and Mark Matteson, “Get more of the Right Things Done in less Time!” I should have our 3rd keynoter secured by January 1st.

Another item on my list is to schedule a meeting in PDX to discuss providers such as Silver & Fit, Silver Sneakers, etc. We will meet in person but also have a “call in” feature so everyone can make it notwithstanding the weather. We need to have a plan as these type of “programs” will continue to eat away on our profitability and possibly losing members to other clubs that reduce their prices so low it is not feasible for us.

Read the entire FitLife Newsletter Here fitlife-dec2016

neal

Neal Simpson is the Executive Director of the The FitLife Club Network, an association of independently-owned health and fitness clubs in the Pacific Northwest. Our reciprocity program gives each club’s members the ability to use approximately 80 different clubs in Oregon, Washington, Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming on a short-term basis while they are traveling.
Many of the clubs in the Network have been in business for more than 25 years now, so there is an incredible wealth of knowledge and experience among our group of owners and managers. Networking is a key benefit of membership in FitLife and a willingness to share ideas and information is a hallmark of our association’s reputation.

To learn more about joining FitLife, click here.

Giving Back, Industry Leaders

Free Consultation Offer – Our Gift to You!

In December the SoapBox begun a campaign to give back to our readers. A complimentary “one on one” consultation session (60 minute session) with Bill, Brent, Bryan, Sal, Lindsey or Brandi. If you have a desire to talk with Sal about industry trends, we will arrange a free session with him. If you are interested in a discussion in retaining members or any other topic with Brent, we can make it happen. How about social media questions and concerns, Brandi and/or Bryan can provide “one on one” expertise and finally, Lindsey loves helping people, facilities and organizations enjoy transformational change and Bill McBride is able to work with you on strategy, sales & marketing or organizational structure. You can choose one, two, three or all six members to discuss your club’s questions or concerns. All provided to you at no charge. We are not talking about a webinar, we are talking about each of the individuals mentioned above talking directly to you, your management staff or administrative staff, its up to you who you include in the “one on one” 60 minute conference call.

 

Bill McBride profile

Bill McBride, President & Chief Executive Officer, Active Wellness, Active Sports Clubs & BMC3

Bill is a health club industry veteran with over 25 years of experience leading and managing all aspects of commercial health clubs, medical fitness centers, residential, community, multi-tenant and corporate fitness sites. He co-founded Active Sports Clubs and Active Wellness, LLC and owns a health club consultancy – BMC3. Bill has served as Chairman of the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) Board of Directors, President of the Mid-Atlantic Club Management Association (MACMA) and served on the Industry Advisory Board for the American Council of Exercise (ACE). He is actively engaged as an author on industry education, serves on several Advisory Boards and speaks regularly on industry topics throughout the world.
@billmcbride65

Bryan O'Rourke Profile

Bryan O’Rourke, Business, Technology & Wellness Leader. Speaker, Consultant & CEO

Bryan O’Rourke is an experienced CEO, strategist, deal maker and adviser who helps organizations and professionals realize their full potential and solve their biggest challenges. With a track record of building teams and growing global brands, his network of associates and partners have served organizations large and small. As the current President of the Fitness Industry Technology Council, he is working to create interoperability standards in the fitness space. He is considered a leading expert on technology, consumer and business trends and his views have been published in periodicals like the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Inc. Magazine, CBI and many others.
@Bryankorourke

Brent Dardin Profile

Brent Darden, Principal at Brent Darden Consulting, Chairman of the Board for IHRSA, and Chairman of REX Executive Roundtables

The club industry has labeled Brent Darden a “Texas Talent” and “Industry Treasure” – “part preacher, part teacher, and part reacher”. For over three decades, the former IHRSA Board of Directors Chairman has amassed a wealth of knowledge about the industry and continues to share his experiences around the world through speaking and consulting. His messages have reached audiences across nine continents and been translated into seven different languages. In addition to his consulting practice, Brent also Chairs several industry REX Roundtables. Website: brentdarden.com

Sal Pelligrino Profile

Sal Pellegrino, Precor, Inc.

Sal Pellegrino is an experienced presenter at many industry events, Gold’s Gym Convention, Club Industry, IHRSA, World Gym convention, Medical Fitness Association and the JCC Association. Sal is a wealth of industry knowledge and has a keen eye for creative industry trends. His experience ranges from owning two fitness centers for seven years and thirty years of vendor experience with a number of large fitness equipment and service companies (StairMaster, Precor, Star Trac and Les Mills). During these many years of experience he focused on large national and regional chains where he observed many new trends, creative programs and facility design elements. He lives in Raleigh, NC with his wife and daughter and is known to play a pretty good guitar. Recently, Sal has accepted a position with ABC Financial as the SVP of Client Management.
@Sal_Pellegrino

Lindsey Rainwater, http://www.lindseyrainh2o.com/

Also known as Lindsey Rainh2o is a sought after Business Consultant & Leadership Coach, Writer and Presenter. Lindsey loves helping people and organizations enjoy transformational change. Her enthusiasm for leadership, conscious living, and wellness amplified by technology drives the majority of her writing. Lindsey’s intuitive and intentional form of communication facilitates unimaginable shifts in the unconscious mind resulting in powerful written, verbal and presentation skills. As a well thought of consultant and coach to the professionals supporting the fitness industry, she is known for her work in business development, business strategy, digital marketing, content creation and change management.
@LindseyRainH2O


Brandi J. Bergeron, Moon Mission Media

Brandi is talented Marketing Consultant, Branding Strategist and Content Creator with her finger firmly on the pulse of digital and social media’s leading edge. With 20+ years of marketing experience under her belt, Brandi loves nothing more than helping clients to thrive in both traditional marketing and the constantly changing seas of digital and social media. Her secret weapon is a knack for combining powerful relationships with strategic expertise that bridges the Wellness, Fitness and Technology industries.
@brandijude

Sign up for your free consulting offer today!

Giving Back, Giving Thanks, Industry Leaders

December 2016 SoapBox

Merry Christmas!

Our gift to you: free expert consulting with IHRSA icons! No “catch”, just our way of giving back to our readership.

December 2016

Dear Soapbox Readers, What a year 2016 has been! With the December Soapbox, we conclude our last 2016 issue by giving back. With the help of IHRSA industry icons, Bill McBride, Brent Darden, Bryan O’Rourke, Sal Pellegrino and now our new editions to the Soapbox family, Lindsey Rainwater and Brandi Bergeron, our Soapbox newsletter has grown beyond our expectations and is bringing valuable information to our ever expanding readership.

We have truly been blessed in so many ways.

As we look forward to the December holidays, the season for giving and “giving thanks”….We are going to do something that has never been done before, at least I’m not aware of. We are going to give back to our readers. We are going to offer our readers a complimentary “one on one” consultation session (60 minute session) with Bill, Brent, Bryan, Sal, Lindsey or Brandi. If you have a desire to talk with Sal about industry trends, we will arrange a free session with him. If you are interested in a discussion in retaining members or any other topic with Brent, we can make it happen. How about social media questions and concerns, Brandi and/or Bryan can provide “one on one” expertise and finally, Lindsey loves helping people, facilities and organizations enjoy transformational change and Bill McBride is able to work with you on strategy, sales & marketing or organizational structure. You can choose one, two, three or all six members to discuss your club’s questions or concerns. All provided to you at no charge. We are not talking about a webinar, we are talking about each of the individuals mentioned above talking directly to you, your management staff or administrative staff, its up to you who you include in the “one on one” 60 minute conference call.

I mentioned to several club managers our “Season To Give Back” program and was always asked, “whats the catch?” The beauty of the above offer is, there is no catch! Each of the content contributors have a heart to give back to our readers and help each of you provide an improved membership experience, be a stronger presence in your community and lets not forget, more profitable…Its that simple.

If you are interested in participating in our “Season To Give Back” program, contact me and we will take care of the rest. Its that easy. We also invite you to share this special offer with other club owners and managers. This offer is good through January 2016. We want everyone to succeed, and can’t think of a better way to facilitate this goal than with the help of Bill McBride, Brent Darden, Bryan O’Rourke, Brandi Bergeron, Lindsey Rainwater and Sal Pellegrino.

Its our hope the “Season To Give Back” program will bring you some holiday cheer and we welcome your participation, your questions, comments and suggestions. May you have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

– John Mickelson

Email John here for a free consulting offer good through January 2017.

Bill McBride profile

Bill McBride, President & Chief Executive Officer, Active Wellness, Active Sports Clubs & BMC3

Bill is a health club industry veteran with over 25 years of experience leading and managing all aspects of commercial health clubs, medical fitness centers, residential, community, multi-tenant and corporate fitness sites. He co-founded Active Sports Clubs and Active Wellness, LLC and owns a health club consultancy – BMC3. Bill has served as Chairman of the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) Board of Directors, President of the Mid-Atlantic Club Management Association (MACMA) and served on the Industry Advisory Board for the American Council of Exercise (ACE). He is actively engaged as an author on industry education, serves on several Advisory Boards and speaks regularly on industry topics throughout the world.
@billmcbride65

Bryan O'Rourke Profile

Bryan O’Rourke, Business, Technology & Wellness Leader. Speaker, Consultant & CEO

Bryan O’Rourke is an experienced CEO, strategist, deal maker and adviser who helps organizations and professionals realize their full potential and solve their biggest challenges. With a track record of building teams and growing global brands, his network of associates and partners have served organizations large and small. As the current President of the Fitness Industry Technology Council, he is working to create interoperability standards in the fitness space. He is considered a leading expert on technology, consumer and business trends and his views have been published in periodicals like the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Inc. Magazine, CBI and many others.
@Bryankorourke

Brent Dardin Profile

Brent Darden, Principal at Brent Darden Consulting, Chairman of the Board for IHRSA, and Chairman of REX Executive Roundtables

The club industry has labeled Brent Darden a “Texas Talent” and “Industry Treasure” – “part preacher, part teacher, and part reacher”. For over three decades, the former IHRSA Board of Directors Chairman has amassed a wealth of knowledge about the industry and continues to share his experiences around the world through speaking and consulting. His messages have reached audiences across nine continents and been translated into seven different languages. In addition to his consulting practice, Brent also Chairs several industry REX Roundtables. Website: brentdarden.com

Sal Pelligrino Profile

Sal Pellegrino, Precor, Inc.
Sal Pellegrino is an experienced presenter at many industry events, Gold’s Gym Convention, Club Industry, IHRSA, World Gym convention, Medical Fitness Association and the JCC Association. Sal is a wealth of industry knowledge and has a keen eye for creative industry trends. His experience ranges from owning two fitness centers for seven years and thirty years of vendor experience with a number of large fitness equipment and service companies (StairMaster, Precor, Star Trac and Les Mills). During these many years of experience he focused on large national and regional chains where he observed many new trends, creative programs and facility design elements. He lives in Raleigh, NC with his wife and daughter and is known to play a pretty good guitar. Recently, Sal has accepted a position with ABC Financial as the SVP of Client Management.
@Sal_Pellegrino

Lindsey Rainwater, http://www.lindseyrainh2o.com/
Also known as Lindsey Rainh2o is a sought after Business Consultant & Leadership Coach, Writer and Presenter. Lindsey loves helping people and organizations enjoy transformational change. Her enthusiasm for leadership, conscious living, and wellness amplified by technology drives the majority of her writing. Lindsey’s intuitive and intentional form of communication facilitates unimaginable shifts in the unconscious mind resulting in powerful written, verbal and presentation skills. As a well thought of consultant and coach to the professionals supporting the fitness industry, she is known for her work in business development, business strategy, digital marketing, content creation and change management.
@LindseyRainH2O


Brandi J. Bergeron, Moon Mission Media
Brandi is talented Marketing Consultant, Branding Strategist and Content Creator with her finger
firmly on the pulse of digital and social media’s leading edge. With 20+ years of marketing
experience under her belt, Brandi loves nothing more than helping clients to thrive in both
traditional marketing and the constantly changing seas of digital and social media. Her secret
weapon is a knack for combining powerful relationships with strategic expertise that
bridges the Wellness, Fitness and Technology industries.
@brandijude

How Health Clubs Can Prepare For Their New Anticipated Members in January

by Lindsey Rainwater

The end of the year is right around the corner, we were just starting to admire the beautiful changing leaves, and in a mere two weeks or so, a whole new year was upon us, which will likely pass by just as quickly.

With the weather changing and passing days also comes the chaos of trying to fit everything into our days. As Health Club’s our busiest season approaches with the looming cloud of never ending to-do’s, but also the excitement of new members and new goals.

The same tools we enacted to rejuvenate during our quiet time will be the same ones that lead us through not only the hectic ones, but all year round as well: Feeding ourselves well, resting properly and ensuring we get a mental break, too.

I spoke with an industry professional about how she maintains focus and keeps her head in the game during this approaching time of year.

“As a trainer, our job is to train… to train the body how to succeed. People feel more confident when they’re successful,” said Paisley Sowell of Pleasant Valley Country Club in Little Rock, Arizona. “I challenge people to eat healthy, workout hard and get enough sleep. Trainers need to be role models.”

Spend the extra time that you can with family and friends, but make sure you’re still taking advantage of this time to sleep and fuel your body and mind.

Paisley has this down to an art. “During this busy holiday season, I set an example by getting to bed early to give my clients the best training sessions,” she said. “Hysteria is contagious. I believe energy is as well. In order to have energy to share with my reoccurring clients, I need to be well rested, eat healthy and feel good. I plan out my schedule wisely with clients, making sure I get a good night’s sleep, especially for the early bird clients.”

When evaluating your meal choices and holiday goodies (the 80/20 rule), remember to save yourself the sluggishness (and belly-ache) of overindulgence. Paisley shares the wealth so as to not throw herself too far off track. “Clients love to gift me gifts … the kind of sweets you’d die for. I set an example by just tasting and sharing the goodness in order to stay physically fit.”

Lastly, take time to have quiet moments. As impossible as this might sound, turn your phones off or on silent, and be present with whomever you’re with. Bask in solitude and peace. It does the soul good to experience the sound of nothing, difficult but vital.

“Having a newborn at home, I try to keep my work to a minimum at home,” said Paisley. “With the ‘new year, new body’ approaching, more clients tend to want to train. I set up a schedule where I can have some downtime for myself to re-energize for the next client.”

What an excellent example to lead by. Make sure you’re living a life outside of work and making the most of every moment.

What about you? What do you do to keep yourself on-point amidst the new member influx?

——————————————-
Lindsey Rainwater, also known as Lindsey RainH2O, is a sought-after business consultant, leadership coach, writer and presenter to the fitness and wellness industry. For more information about Rainwater, follow her on Twitter @LindseyRainH2O

MFN is offering SoapBox readers a special intro rate of
$99 or 50% off first years membership.
Sign up today for this special offer!
Offer ends 12/31/16

INCREASE YOUR CREDIBILITY AND ONLINE EXPOSURE

Create a full page profile listing on their site!

The Medical Fitness Network (MFN) is an online resource locator for consumers to find fitness or allied healthcare professionals.

MFN welcomes all qualified professionals in your facility: acupuncturists, chiropractors, dietitians, fitness/yoga/pilates, health & wellness coaches, massage therapists, mental health professionals and physical therapists.
Giving Thanks, Industry Leaders, Message From John

November SoapBox

A Message From John

November 2016

Dear Soapbox readers,

Changes are coming to the Soapbox, we are expanding into other services and product areas that we will share with our readership around the first of the year. We start the change with our new relationship with Brandi Bergeron at Moon Mission Media who will be our new SoapBox facilitator. Brandi brings to the Soapbox new ideas dealing with social media and experience in dealing with icons in our industry. We will be using Brandi’s talents not just for the Soapbox but for new projects coming online in 2017 including “Giving Back” projects to our readership. We welcome Brandi to the Soapbox family and I encourage you to enjoy Brandi’s bio shown below.

Lisa Dougherty is the founder of the Medical Fitness Network. Yes, there are individuals like Lisa that believe in “giving back” and want to make a difference in people’s lives. To spend time with her is to realize her special qualities. Bill McBride feels so strongly about Lisa that he wrote her introduction. You can’t help but feel energized once you meet Lisa and get a dose of her infectious personality. Lisa realizes that we have an obligation to service our aging population and people with special needs. Her organization Medical Fitness Network (MFN) provides you access to a number of programs that will help seniors and “special needs” members in your facility. Enrich your membership with all the Medical Fitness Network programs and make a positive difference in a member’s life.

Kelly Campbell from Augie’s Quest provides us content on updates and activities in the Augie’s Quest organization. I would encourage you to receive their newsletter and attend their Augie’s Quest bash at the 2017 IHRSA. Please review Kelly’s article and join with me in supporting this iconic organization.

Finally, in October we did our first ever “Flash Promotional Email Blast”! We offered a case of Petra AC 575-F Non-Alcohol Foaming Hand Sanitizer at about ½ the price of competing brands. We will run another Flash Email Blast later this month.

Thank you for being a loyal Soapbox reader and we look forward to providing you information thats worthy of your time to read.

John

The DOL’s Final Overtime Rule

by Meredith Poppler of IHRSA

Changes to Federal Overtime Laws are going into effect on December 1. These changes will extend overtime eligibility to an additional 4.2 million workers. Under the new rule, an employee must have a guaranteed salary of at least $47,476 to qualify as exempt, more than double the current minimum of $23,660.

IHRSA is extremely concerned about the overtime rule’s potential costs to health clubs and about the short time frame to prepare for compliance. We are working to stop or delay the changes. But in the meantime, because these changes could have a drastic impact on a club’s payroll, IHRSA is providing all IHRSA members with a complimentary webinar on Monday, November 21 at 2pm EST: ihrsa.org/webinars

Attend this webinar to learn more about the Department of Labor’s new FLSA Overtime Exemption Rule, steps to take to comply with this rule, and an explanation of the FLSA’s “Retail Sales Exemption” by employment attorney Jordan Schwartz.

More information about how IHRSA is trying to stop these changes from taking effect, and how these changes will impact clubs is available here. 

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Vice President of Communication and Leadership Engagement at IHRSA
Meredith Poppler puts her 20+ year career in the industry to work protecting and promoting health clubs by raising awareness of and funding for important policy issues, and encouraging advocacy, collaboration and leadership within the industry. And as IHRSA’s Media liaison, Poppler communicates the importance of physical activity and the benefits that health clubs provide to their communities.  @PopplerMeredith
Meredith Poppler puts her 20+ year career in the industry to work protecting and promoting health clubs by raising awareness of and funding for important policy issues, and encouraging advocacy, collaboration and leadership within the industry. And as IHRSA’s Media liaison, Poppler communicates the importance of physical activity and the benefits that health clubs provide to their communities.  @PopplerMeredithVice President of Communication and Leadership Engagement at IHRSA

Dear Soapbox Readers: A Message from Bill

I’m honored to serve on the Medical Fitness Network’s advisory board.  After meeting Lisa Dougherty, being moved by her passion and learning about the mission of the MFN – I was determined to be involved. 

We enrolled our clubs and fitness professionals in the “super registry” to better serve special populations.  Not only is it very fulfilling to work with those in the most need of our expertise.  It also furnishes leads to our highly trained fitness professionals within our facilities.  These new members personal train because they want and need the expertise of highly qualified fitness professionals. 

If you are the kind of operator that truly wants to make a difference for people, you should join the MFN. 

If you are the kind of operator that wants more members to serve within your facility, you should join the MFN. 

If you are the kind of operator that wants to do more Personal Training, you should join the MFN.

Just saying… ☺

Bill McBride

Co-Founder,President & CEO Active Wellness

—————————-

Bill is a health club industry veteran with over 25 years of experience leading and managing all aspects of commercial health clubs, medical fitness centers, residential, community, multi-tenant and corporate fitness sites. @billmcbride65

 

Why Clubs Should Join the Medical Fitness Network

by Lisa Dougherty

There are approximately 100 million baby boomers (aged 50 and over) making up 30% of the nation’s population and three-fourths of its wealth.  This group is expected to live longer than previous generations.  This is the largest population segment in our economy and they are seeking professional help for their aging bodies.

As this group ages, we are seeing a significant increase in obesity, chronic disease and individuals with multiple medical conditions.  The number of aging individuals seeking fitness professionals is about to reach it’s tipping point. 

Among the many conditions a boomer client may face are: joint replacements (often two or more), arthritis, cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, Parkinson’s and muscle loss.

These members/clients, once thought of as the exception, are now becoming the norm. They have heard that not all exercise is created equal and they will be looking for clubs, programs and professionals who understand who they are and how they can be helped to restore function and preserve their quality of life.

The Medical Fitness Network (MFN) was founded in 2013 due to the necessity of servicing our aging population.  America’s aging are internet savvy and  spend time researching online before deciding who and where to get help from when their physician suggests starting an “exercise program”. 

MFN is a free online resource directory for consumers to locate clubs, fitness & allied healthcare professionals who provide services for those with chronic disease, medical conditions, disabilities and women’s health issues including pre & postpartum care.   

MFN has partnered with many of the top medical & health organizations in the U.S was 

acknowledged by the White House as a finalist for Champions of Change in 2016 for its community service work.

Facilities can join to increase their online exposure and credibility for $99 for the first year. Membership includes a full page business listing plus unlimited professional memberships for each of the staff to promote their services and specializations under the facility listing.   The cost of this membership is easily offset by all the benefits that come with it.

MFN believes education is important and has partnered with 50 education companies that provide members with savings on certifications and CEC’s.  Fitness & allied healthcare professionals working with the aging population must have a higher level of knowledge, skill and expertise.

Members also gain access to FREE educational webinars from the top experts in the fitness industry to stay up to date on the latest in research and trends in the industry.

It is clear, the demand for  more medical fitness facilities and professionals will only grow as our population grows and ages.  The MFN offers an opportunity for clubs & fitness professionals to become an established part of the healthcare team.  Please join this registry today!

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Lisa Dougherty is the founder of the Medical Fitness Network.  Her vision is help improve the quality of lives of the many millions of people by connecting them with facilities and professionals who have background in prevention, treatment & rehabilitation of chronic disease, medical conditions, disabilities and women’s health issues including pre & postpartum care.   
Lisa has worked in the fitness industry since 1999.  She graduated from the University of Ca, Irvine, Fitness Instructor Program, and went on to get her Certified Personal Trainer and Health Coach Certifications through the American Council on Exercise. She has many specialty certifications to work with arthritis, CVD/stroke, breast cancer, diabetes, fibromyalgis, knee & hip replacement, MS, osteoporosis, Parkinson’s, post surgical/rehab as well as pre & postpartum fitness.

Closer To A Cure – Augie’s Update

by Kelly Campbell

The fitness industry continues to support Augie’s Quest to Cure ALS, the research initiative led by LifeFitness co-founder Augie Nieto.  Recently, Health and Fitness club recruited and trained runners to raise a record $430,000 for ALS research.   Team Quest4ALS is a new Augie’s Quest endurance event program that works with people of all athletic abilities to train for and complete a half-marathon for their first time or their fastest time while committing to a fundraising minimum to benefit amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) research at the ALS Therapy Development Institute.  Thanks to 15 clubs and over 155 runners who completed the Brooklyn Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon for ALS Research on October 8th.

Congratulations to the top 3 fundraising teams: 

1. Newtown Athletic Club – $169,000
2. The Atlantic Club – $107,068
3. Greenwood Athletic & Tennis Club – $52,479

Augie’s Quest was represented by Augie’s wife, Lynne, and his son, Austin, who finished the half-marathon in honor of his dad.  Five patients living with ALS attended the event, and inspired all runners to finish.  We are grateful for the fitness industry who came together to help make this Inaugural event a success!

Save the Date for the 12th Annual BASH for Augie’s Quest, which will take place in conjunction with the IHRSA Conference and Trade Show on March 10, 2017 in Los Angeles.  Please visitwww.augiesquest.org/bash for details.

Thanks to the fitness industry, great strides are being made in research.  This year the ALS Therapy Development Institute has made significant progress on its two lead research programs; AT-1501 and the Precision Medicine Program. Right now, there are already 370 people enrolled in the PMP, and the Institute is aggressively working in partnership with those people with ALS to collect crucial data necessary to find treatments and cures. One of the most significant outcomes to date of the PMP are the creation of databases pointing to the potential use of the movement and speech tracking technology used as tools to speed up clinical trials, reducing the time and number of lives it may take to determine if proposed treatments for ALS actually work. One such proposed treatment, AT-1501 has also advanced forward this year, overcoming milestones related to its scalable manufacturability and potency of that process. In addition to these two lead research programs, the Institute continues to lead the field in the screening and validation of potential treatments by developing various models of disease, including mouse and now human derived cell lines. For the latest information on these programs, please visit  http://www.als.net/summit. 

A Soapbox Welcome

Brandi J. Bergeron is a talented Marketing Consultant, Branding Strategist and bjb
Content Creator with her finger firmly on the pulse of digital media’s leading edge. With 20 years of marketing experience under her belt, Brandi loves nothing more than helping her clients to thrive in both traditional marketing and the constantly changing seas of digital and social media. Her secret weapon is a knack for combining powerful relationships with strategic expertise that bridges the Wellness, Fitness and Technology industries.

A strategist who truly understands the power of a thriving community, Brandi’s mission is to help her clients to explode a raving fan base through top notch content. Her work isn’t done until her clients have blasted through the ceiling of their business potential.

An LSU Grad who has spent the last 2 decades working within a variety of industries, from Lifestyle brands (B2C) to the industrial sector (B2B), she can skillfully hone and realize a company mission, bringing integrity, honesty, creativity and compassion to all of her work. Known for her attention to detail, Brandi is super easy to work with and she loves getting to know her clients in order to meet and exceed their every marketing need.

Through her full service media company, Moon Mission Media, co-founded with industry leader Bryan K. O’Rourke, her work continues to develop impactful messages and stimulate authentic engagement between diverse communities across the digital landscape. Motivated by the fun of enabling her clients to serve their audiences in a meaningful way, Brandi earns customer trust and converts them into loyal supporters for each one of her clients.

It’s a passion for excellence that drives Brandi’s success. Her unwavering ability to deliver consistent results is the driving force behind her solid reputation as a stellar marketing professional. She’s a whiz on any campaign, no matter how abundant or limited her resources may be. Brandi never fails to answer the customer’s call with creativity and commitment.

Brandi held the position of Director of Digital Marketing at both Integerus LLC and the Fitness Industry Technology Council and she’s worked as a Marketing Consultant at various companies in the health industry, including DiAMC (Diabetes Assessment and Management Centers) and Physicians Proviso.

She has recently been published in a joint collaboration between Bryan K. O’Rourke and Robert Dyer, in their new book, The Nine Principles of Partnership. When she’s not producing marketing miracles for her clients, you can find Brandi running on the beach, reading and spending time with her family and friends.

Connect with Brandi Twitter, LinkedIn  & IG

Industry Leaders, Operations, Tradeshows and Events

PetrA-1 Joins Tom Johnston for Global Wellness Day!

 

Dear SoapBox Readers,

We are changing things up a bit in this May Soapbox Newsletter. This month we feature two individuals that have a strong desire to make things better for those around them. Tom Johnston has a desire to help change the world and Dan Lopez has a passion to change and evolve his facilities for a better membership experience.

I was introduced to Tom Johnston through a mutual friend. Tom is the Chief Operating Officer for American Leisure with a passion for promoting and championing Global Wellness Day (GWD). As explained in the content shown below, GWD started as a grass roots movement that has now spread around the world. June 11th will be the 4th year anniversary and it so happens that Tom is the GWD Ambassador for the United States. I’m sure many of you have questions and perhaps have a desire to become involved with GWD. I encourage you to contact Tom via his email and he will be more than happy to answer all your questions. Thank you Tom for sharing your passion to make the world a much better place.

Our second featured author is Dan Lopez who is the operations/facility officer for the Spare Time Clubs in Sacramento. A large portion of our readers are involved in the actual “nuts and bolts” of facility management. Its our hope you will find Dan’s insight into club operations of interest. Dan brings a number of disciplines to his role at Spare Time and is one of the few people I know that loves to share his knowledge and experience with others. Have you experienced challenges or issues in managing your facility or facilities? How can you reduce pool expenditures, how about the best form of indoor or outdoor lighting, Dan is the man that has the answers. Over the years, Dan has been able to succeed in providing the savings that ownership has needed yet has improved the membership experience. I marvel as I walk through his clubs and the logistics that take place to make his facilities safe, fun and profitable. As with Tom, Dan’s contact info is listed at the end of his article and I encourage you to contact him for words of wisdom.

We cherish our readership and it’s a pleasure and privilege to serve you.We welcome your questions, comments and concerns and if there is a favorite topic you feel passionate about, please let us know. We are here for you and would love to hear from you

John Mickelson

Tom Johnston photoMeet our Featured Contributor
Tom Johnston, Chief Operating Officer of American Leisure and GWD Ambassador
Recognized for overseeing operations of innovative lifestyle amenity spaces for prominent real estate developers. Tom has a consistent record driving increased membership and sales revenue in the health and fitness industry. You can connect with Tom via email.

 

Global Wellness Day: Saturday, June 11, 2016

This information brought to the SoapBox by Tom Johnston
(You can read the full press release here)

Saturday, June 11, 2016 will mark the fourth Global Wellness Day (GWD) being celebrated around the world. GWD’s international network of over 70 Global Wellness Day Ambassadors report that they are on target to have over 3,000 properties & locations in 100 countries organize complimentary wellness activities like yoga/Pilates/dance workshops; breathing & mindfulness sessions and nutrition & beauty classes to help millions realize that “One day can change your whole life.” In fact, GWD events will be held around the world on the second Saturday in June, from sunrise in New Zealand until sunset in Hawaii.

Global Wellness Day LogoTaking away the barriers of exclusivity, this year’s rallying cry for GWD is “Wellness for Everyone!’’ with a range of cities, tourism boards, health clinics and even national dance companies offering are workshops and classes to educate & inspire the public about the benefits of proactive wellness and mind-body fitness. Waterfront communities from Asbury Park New Jersey to Imperial Beach, California, and both Jacksonville and Boca Raton, Florida, are organizing a day of family friendly wellness activities. AltaMed, the largest community health center in the nation based in California, understands wellness extends beyond healthcare and will be championing wellness opportunities for its employees and the communities it serves on June 11 in order to fully advocate equal access health & wellness services. And in Arizona, the Mountain Vista Medical Center will promote GWD activities at their Women’s Wellness Expo and the Sedona Golf Resort will hold the state’s first Wellness Golf Tournament, followed by a Community Wellness Fair at The Collective Sedona, a food/shopping/art/wellness center, with over 10 local spas holding classes and events.

Setting aside the second Saturday of June to provide complimentary, educational and experiential wellness activities to the public to promote good physical and mental health was the brainchild of Belgin Aksoy, owner of Turkey’s only destination spa and herself a cancer survivor. An idea whose time had come, Global Wellness Day was quickly embraced by the wellness industry and, amazingly, only one year later GWD was celebrated in 74 different countries at over 600 spas, hotels & destinations!

So our question to you is…What should the SoapBox do for GWD??
Submit your ideas today and we will highlight them in next month’s publication! Let’s get our local club members AND employees motivated with global ideas that think local. Click here to share your idea.

GWD American Leisure Team

The GWD American Leisure Team

John’s Testimonials: Hear What Our Customers Are Saying!

Customer: Dan Lopez, Corporate Facilities Director with Spare Time Clubs

Dan Lopez photoWhen John asked me to contribute to The Soapbox I was honored. John and Petra have been a part of my Spare Time team for 14 years. He and Petra are a vital part of our daily business. Petra is not just a vendor they are a team member that contributes to the over all success of our company. I mention this because as a Facilities Director managing multiple locations I depend on many people to help me maintain our clubs to the highest standards.

A critical key to finding a quality vendor or solving a difficult facility issue is to seek out Quality Information before making Any Decision. When it comes to making decisions on a particular product or vendor we usually have plenty of time to gather information and investigate the products or companies before making a decision. This principal must be applied in all of our decisions, even when we are dealing with time sensitive repairs that effect our daily operation and most importantly our members. I find that many people in the repair and service industry makes decision based on their experience, that is a vital piece to understanding a problem and implementing a solution, however it is not the only piece. There are other factors. Following is a guideline that I use when making any decisions for my facilities. The challenge is to not ignore this process for time sake, because a hasty uninformed decision only leads to further problems and longer and more costly repair times.

The First piece of Quality Information needed- What is the problem?  Sounds simple, however many times it is not. Really understanding what the issue is a critical step in making a Quality Decision. Asking many questions will eliminate many rabbit trails and cut down dramatically on the time it takes to solve the issue. “A quick decision leads quickly to more problems.”

The Second piece of Quality Information needed- What are the solutions? Once you have a clear understanding of the problem you must know decide how to resolve it. The key here is to once again have good information. It may be that the simple inexpensive fix may not be the right fix. The real questions are what have I spent in the past, what I will need to spend in the future and how does the down time affect my members. “A cheap fix may cost you more”

The Third piece of Quality Information needed- How do I prevent this from happening again? This is the piece that gets left out in many of our decision making process, however it is a critical function that I use to reduce both down time and cost of repairs at our clubs. If I fully understand the reasons for the failures I can put in place procedures to prevent it from happening again. This is a win win for our members and our bottom line. “Am I fixing it for today or forever?”

I strongly encourage companies to use some type of asset tracking software. I use it on a daily basis when deciding to repair or replace a particular asset such as a pool heater. It is very important that all repairs get imputed to the software so you can make an informed decision. If anyone has questions about asset tracking software, I would be happy to discuss my experience and knowledge with you.

Industry Leaders, Operations, Towel Service

Towel Retention Improves Productivity and Your Bottom Line!

Dear Soapbox Readers,

Just a reminder, come by the best and newest Petra booth at this year’s IHRSA Trade Show in Orlando! We’ll be handing out special prizes to those who stop by to see us at booth #1249. Get your free passes here when using promo code EXHFL.

Last month we talked membership levels, did you try the “Petra Challenge” to let your members decide what they like best?? Remember, as part of the “Petra Challenge”, we furnish complimentary product to install in both the men’s and women’s shower and vanity areas and we will know within a few days which products the membership prefer. This way your members feel a sense of gratitude that you want to provide the best locker room products available and that you value their opinion. It’s a win-win for everyone.

Again, I would encourage you to implement the same kind of program with other vendors, the cost is typically zero and something so simple can endear your membership in your desire to be a progressive and forward thinking facility. If you have questions or comments, please contact me. As the Soapbox is a forum for all things that help your facility grow and help change the lives of your membership for the better.

Towel Retention Improves Productivity and Your Bottom Line!

Poor towel retention can negatively effect many aspects of day to day operations. This can many times genuinely frustrate members, employees, and managers! Towel retention is an important aspect of running a fitness or health club.

Matthew Anderson GM PetraMeet our Contributing Author, Matthew Clayton Anderson, General Manager for Petra Soap, Inc.
Matthew has been a part of the Petra team for 7 years and has spent a decade working in the fitness and healthy club industry over all. Read on to learn about his towel retention research, experience, and recommendations. You can contact Matthew via Email or on LinkedIn.

“Back in 2005, I had a predicament that I had run out of storage space for all of the workout towels that I had inadvertently taken from my local gym.  I decided that I would locate all of the towels from my house and return them to the club during my next workout.  I thought I should speak to the General Manager of the club, and quickly learned how much theft occurred at my club.

Follow-up research found that most clubs face similar losses when it comes to towels. 80% of towels ordered by clubs in our industry end up leaving the club one way or another. This leaves the wear and tear rate at or below 20%! This seemed insane to me, and so I decided to do something about it.

AT Towel ImageFast forward a decade, Petra Hygienic Systems has become the industries leading towel company, and most of our success comes from the AT (anti-theft) Towel System.”

I partnered with ADT Sensormatic (now Tyco) at the time to research and develop a fool proof systems that would help reduce the towel loss in the health and fitness industry.  After many years of trial and error, we finally produced a working system in 2010.  With our special patented tag, our AT Towels will remind club guest to return the towels before exiting the club.

We now have over 100 customers that utilize the AT towel system included LA Fitness, GoodLife Fitness, Gold’s Gym and True Fitness in Singapore.  On average, our customers see a better than 40% savings on their annual towel spend because towels are staying in the club.

It has been a fun adventure over the years, and I am proud to have provided a product that helps support the fitness industry and is ultimately good for our environment.”

 

Industry Leaders, Operations

Discover the New Ways People Buy with Bill McBride

Dear Soapbox Readers,

Have you experienced a plateauing of your membership levels, or perhaps a decrease in membership? Have you really given thought of how you need to separate your facility from others that seem to be doing it better, offering more programs or equipment options than your facility?

Why have you not given thought to working with your manufacturer representatives? I can’t speak for others but its not uncommon for me to be in at least half a dozen facilities a week. My knowledge base of club facilities allows me to be able to know within 5 minutes of setting foot on the premises if the club is in growth mode or is struggling to make ends meet.

A simple suggestion for your consideration, develop a relationship with a team of manufacturer sales reps, let them provide you an assessment of what you have and what you could implement for a more user friendly facility.

When visiting a facility and I’m asked about suggestions on improving the membership experience, I always start with a facility walkthrough. If the facility is a customer, I’ll make suggestions on areas that could lower their cost but at the same time provide a membership experience that exceeds their expectations. If the facility is not a current Petra products user, I suggest they Take the “Petra Challenge”, let the members decide what they like best, after all, they pay the dues so let them make the decision on what products they find to their liking. The “Petra Challenge”, we furnish complimentary product to install in both the men’s and women’s shower and vanity areas and we will know within a few days which products the membership prefer. This way your members feel a sense of gratitude that you want to provide the best locker room products available and that you value their opinion. It’s a win-win for everyone.

I would encourage you to implement the same kind of program with other vendors, the cost is typically zero and something so simple can endear your membership in your desire to be a progressive and forward thinking facility.

If you have questions or comments, please contact me. As the Soapbox is a forum for all things that help your facility grow and help change the lives of your membership for the better.

– John Mickelson

 

Join Bill McBride for an IHRSA Webinar This Thursday
February 11, 2016 from 11am to 12pm PST

Transitioning from primarily sales & marketing to programs and results is a big transition. Specialized studios and focused offerings are selling fitness experiences, energy and results. Group camaraderie with HR technology is also proving to be an amazing motivator. Based on the book Unselling by Scott Stratten & Alison Kramer.

What You Will Learn:

  • Customer Pulse:  Ecstatic, Static, Vulnerable (Not too different from Net Promoter, Neutral, Detractor)
  • The problems with “Scrambling To Save” (Cause:  Over promising & Under Delivering)
  • What Customers Want – They want getting what they pay for
  • Great experiences – not only Great, but HERE at our Club/Site
  • Feedback requires Action – The Customer Rules.  You can’t ask then not respond and address
  • Social Media – “The Customer Strikes Back” – Business Problems or Negative Social Media?  A lot of a Club’s Social Media problems are really business problems
  • Discover how people now buy and learn how to enroll customers
  • Explore adaptation versus re-creation
  • Gain insight on coaching versus selling
  • Learn how to optimize prospect motivation
  • Learn how to find & enroll your best customers
  • Air Canada versus West Jet
    • VP of Operations (all execs should espouse)
    • Everybody matters
    • 2 planes going to the same place – I’m going with the one that has a better experience
    • Carey Smith quote:  “You treat your customers and your employees and your vendors all the same with the utmost respect and the utmost care and that will pay you back in spades”
  • Treat everyone as your customers.  It’s not just about customers
  • If something goes wrong, you can talk to vendors, employees and clients to make things work out – Don’t take anything for granted
  • Permission Marketing – Seth Godin

Bill McBride profile

Bill is a health club industry veteran with over 25 years of experience leading and managing all aspects of commercial health clubs, medical fitness centers, residential, community, multi-tenant and corporate fitness sites.  He co-founded Active Sports Clubs and Active Wellness, LLC and owns a health club consultancy – BMC3. Bill has served as Chairman of the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) Board of Directors, President of the Mid-Atlantic Club Management Association (MACMA) and served on the Industry Advisory Board for the American Council of Exercise (ACE).  He is actively engaged as an author on industry education, serves on several Advisory Boards and speaks regularly on industry topics throughout the world.

Giving Thanks, Industry Leaders

Start the Year Off Right!

Welcome to our January 2016 Edition!

We’ve come a long way since last year, and it’s all thanks to you. The SoapBox has tackled many topics from technology changes to day-to-day operations and the feedback has been tremendous. Our guest speakers have been a driving factor to this success, and we are ready to extend this offer out to all of you!

If there has been a recent challenge your facility has overcome that you want your members and stakeholders to know about, consider being a guest on the SoapBox! You can forward the newsletter to email contacts, post the link on your website, and even share the newsletter on social media sites. This can help increase website traffic which means more interest in your facility! Interested? Email our designer Katy here.

Our featured Guest Speaker this month is Tanya Dunlap, PhD and Managing Director of Perio Protect, LLC, who focuses on cutting edge Gum Disease treatment. For many of us in the fitness industry, we focus on muscle strength and endurance training. Tanya eloquently describes the need for proper oral health to maintain our healthy lifestyles.

Your Mouth May Get You in Trouble

Your body looks great in the mirror. You feel strong, energetic and agile. You’re proud of the investment you make in your fitness. Does that mean you have a clean bill of health? It all depends on how much you know about your teeth, gums, and proper dental care.

The unfortunate truth is there’s a good chance, like half of all Americans, you have an infection in your mouth that threatens your wellness. It’s gum disease, also known as gingivitis or periodontitis, and, like any infection in your body, it’s a serious threat to your good health. The problem is, you can’t exercise, diet, brush, or floss it away.

You may not even know you have it. Most people don’t. But you can look for warning signs. Bleeding gums when you brush or floss is often the first sign of an infection. 80% of adults show this symptom. Obvious plaque or tartar on your teeth and swollen, red or tender gums typically develop next. In more advanced stages you can have spaces developing between your teeth and sensitive teeth. Persistent bad breath is also very common and can occur at any stage.

Ignoring these symptoms could cost you your teeth; in the same way that stopping your workout regimen could cost you your strength, energy, and body tone. Left untreated, gum disease could even compromise other areas of your well-being. Research shows that there is an association between oral infections and diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, respiratory illnesses, blood clots, and strokes.

The American Dental Association has highlighted 200 possible connections between systemic diseases and oral health. While no one has identified a direct cause, the evidence is clear that seemingly minor infections in your gums, left untreated, can grow and have negative repercussions throughout the body.

Advances in microbiology have led the way to a better understanding of bacterial growth in the mouth. More than 1000 different species of bacteria have been identified in human mouths. We need bacteria in the mouth; a healthy oral flora is good for humans, but when pathogenic bacteria develop and gain too large of a foothold, the bacterial populations can become destructive, causing infections that are tricky to treat.

Development and Effects of Biofilm

The mouth is the perfect incubator for bacteria because it is warm, moist and has an ample food supply for various bacterial species. The mouth and specifically the periodontal pocket (the space between the tooth and gum tissue) is a unique space in the body because it has various concentrations of oxygen that allows for the growth of greater variety of bacteria, from aerobic species to the more pathogenic anaerobes. And all of these bacterial species are living together in a symbiotic community called a biofilm.

Biofilms are fascinatingly complex. Once thought to live predominantly in free floating or planktonic form, most bacteria (approximately 80%) are now known to live in biofilm communities. A biofilm can function like a multi-cellular organism, with communication between individual cells. This development of the community is not random, but a highly organized process during which the bacterial community matures with respect to food sources and to intercommunications between the various micro-organisms. And it is hard to manage the communities because they have defensive properties. You can brush and floss all you want, but you will be fighting a losing battle because your homecare tools just don’t get deep enough.

Treatment is Important

You’ve worked too hard on your health to let gum disease go unchecked. Take another step in your wellness program by asking your dentist about treatment. Most important, make sure your dentist and hygienist are familiar with the most progressive, minimally invasive treatment available today from Perio Protect® –– the homecare system proven effective to thousands of dental professionals.

Combined with professional cleanings, the Perio Protect® approach is simple and comfortable. You just wear a special customized tray to deliver a gel with a low concentration of hydrogen peroxide to fight the infections under your gums where toothbrush, rinse, and floss can’t reach. In minutes the peroxide will penetrate the matrix, kill some of the exposed bacterial cells, and begin to change the microenvironment of the pocket with the release of oxygen. The oxygen is toxic to anaerobes and promotes healing, in part with the stimulation of new blood vessels which happens when it is held under pressure, as it is with the prescription Perio Tray.

Tanya Dunlap Perio ProtectPerio Tray delivery takes just 10-15 minutes a day and you can even workout while you wear it. Not only will you be healthier, you’ll also have fresher breath and whiter teeth. Visit PerioProtect.com to learn more. You’ll also find a Perio Protect® provider near you. Contact Tanya for details.
In Case You Missed It

IHRSA industry icons, Bill McBride, Brent Darden, Bryan O’Rourke and Sal Pellegrino, have all agreed to provide our readers with a complimentary “one on one” 30 minute consultation session. If you have a desire to talk with Sal about industry trends, we will arrange a free session with him. If you are interested in a discussion in retaining members or any other topic with Brent, we can make it happen. How about social media questions and concerns, Bryan can provide “one on one” expertise and finally, Bill McBride is able to work with you on strategy, sales & marketing or organizational structure. You can choose one, two, three or all four members to discuss your club’s questions or concerns. All provided to you at no charge. We are not talking about a webinar, we are talking about each of the individuals mentioned above talking directly to you, your management staff or administrative staff, its up to you who you include in the “one on one” 30 minute conference call.

If you are interested in participating in our “Season To Give Back” program, please click on the link below, fill in the necessary fields and we will take care of the rest. Its that easy. We also invite you to share this special offer with other club owners and managers. We want everyone to succeed, and can’t think of a better way to facilitate this goal than with the help of Bill McBride, Brent Darden, Bryan O’Rourke and Sal Pellegrino.

Click Here for Free Consultation Sessions

Giving Thanks, Industry Leaders, Message From John

Merry Christmas! Our gift to you: free expert consulting!

Welcome to the December Edition of the SoapBox!

Dear Soapbox Readers, What a year 2015 has been! With the December Soapbox, we conclude our last 2015 issue. With the help of IHRSA industry icons, Bill McBride, Brent Darden, Bryan O’Rourke and Sal Pellegrino, our Soapbox newsletter has grown beyond our expectations and has brought valuable information to our ever expanding readership. We have truly been blessed in so many ways.

As we look forward to the December holidays, the season for giving and “giving thanks”….We are going to do something that has never been done before, at least I’m not aware of. We are going to give back to our readers. We are going to offer our readers a complimentary “one on one” consultation session (30 minute session) with Bill, Brent, Bryan and Sal. If you have a desire to talk with Sal about industry trends, we will arrange a free session with him. If you are interested in a discussion in retaining members or any other topic with Brent, we can make it happen. How about social media questions and concerns, Bryan can provide “one on one” expertise and finally, Bill McBride is able to work with you on strategy, sales & marketing or organizational structure. You can choose one, two, three or all four members to discuss your club’s questions or concerns. All provided to you at no charge. We are not talking about a webinar, we are talking about each of the individuals mentioned above talking directly to you, your management staff or administrative staff, its up to you who you include in the “one on one” 30 minute conference call.

I mentioned to several club managers our “Season To Give Back” program and was always asked, “whats the catch?” The beauty of the above offer is, there is no catch! Each of the content contributors have a heart to give back to our readers and help each of you to be a stronger presence in your community and lets not forget, more profitable…Its that simple.

If you are interested in participating in our “Season To Give Back” program, contact John here and we will take care of the rest. Its that easy. We also invite you to share this special offer with other club owners and managers. This offer is good through January 2016. We want everyone to succeed, and can’t think of a better way to facilitate this goal than with the help of Bill McBride, Brent Darden, Bryan O’Rourke and Sal Pellegrino.

Its our hope the “Season To Give Back” program will bring you some holiday cheer and we welcome your participation, your questions, comments and suggestions. May you have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

– John Mickelson

Email John here for a free consulting offer good through January 2016.

 

Bill McBride profileBill McBride, President & Chief Executive Officer, Active Wellness, Active Sports Clubs & BMC3

Bill is a health club industry veteran with over 25 years of experience leading and managing all aspects of commercial health clubs, medical fitness centers, residential, community, multi-tenant and corporate fitness sites.  He co-founded Active Sports Clubs and Active Wellness, LLC and owns a health club consultancy – BMC3. Bill has served as Chairman of the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) Board of Directors, President of the Mid-Atlantic Club Management Association (MACMA) and served on the Industry Advisory Board for the American Council of Exercise (ACE).  He is actively engaged as an author on industry education, serves on several Advisory Boards and speaks regularly on industry topics throughout the world.

Bryan O'Rourke ProfileBryan O’Rourke, Business, TechnoIogy & Wellness Leader. Speaker, Consultant & CEO

Bryan O’Rourke is an experienced CEO, strategist, deal maker and adviser who helps organizations and professionals realize their full potential and solve their biggest challenges. With a track record of building teams and growing global brands, his network of associates and partners have served organizations large and small. As the current President of the Fitness Industry Technology Council, he is working to create interoperability standards in the fitness space. He is considered a leading expert on technology, consumer and business trends and his views have been published in periodicals like the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Inc. Magazine, CBI and many others.

Brent Dardin ProfileBrent Darden, Principal at Brent Darden Consulting, Chairman of the Board for IHRSA, and Chairman of REX Executive Roundtables

The club industry has labeled Brent Darden a “Texas Talent” and “Industry Treasure” – “part preacher, part teacher, and part reacher”. For over three decades, the former IHRSA Board of Directors Chairman has amassed a wealth of knowledge about the industry and continues to share his experiences around the world through speaking and consulting. His messages have reached audiences across nine continents and been translated into seven different languages. In addition to his consulting practice, Brent also Chairs several industry REX Roundtables. Website: brentdarden.com

Sal Pelligrino ProfileSal Pelligrino, Senior Vice President of Client Management at ABC Financial Services

Sal Pellegrino is an experienced presenter at many industry events, Gold’s Gym Convention, Club Industry, IHRSA, World Gym convention, Medical Fitness Association and the JCC Association. Sal is a wealth of industry knowledge and has a keen eye for creative industry trends. His experience ranges from owning two fitness centers for seven years and thirty years of vendor experience with a number of large fitness equipment and service companies (StairMaster, Precor, Star Trac and Les Mills). During these many years of experience he focused on large national and regional chains where he observed many new trends, creative programs and facility design elements. He lives in Raleigh, NC with his wife and daughter and is known to play a pretty good guitar. Recently, Sal has accepted a position with ABC Financial as the SVP of Client Management.

 

Fitlife Update: Winter Retreat!

Feb 21-22, 2016 at the Skamania Lodge, Stevenson, WA featuring roundtable discussions with Dr. Gerry Faust. Two days only $99!!

Call 888.591.9077 using Reservation Code: Fitlife

CCD Update: Spring Symposium & Trade Show!

April 19-21, 2016 at theRenaissance by Marriott Palm Springs Hotelfeaturing keynote speakers, networking activities, and education. Two days only $189for members and $239 for non-members when you register by Feb. 25.

Contact Lin Conrad at 510-243-1532 or via email for more information.

Celebrating the Memory of a Lost CCD Friend

Our house is still without Hannah.  My long time Springer Spaniel sidekick and companion has gone to the other side.  We traveled all over California together, me with my work, her with her ball.  When not traveling we spent hours together in the CCD office.  She never let me spend too much time in the chair.  Her subtle shove of a ball in my direction would remind me it was time to take a break.  She was the best hiking dog; never leaving my side to wander off in the bushes or chase a coyote.  She understood her commitment and tried her best to uphold them.  I sit now in my office chair and wait for that ball to roll over into my feet…Our house is still without Hannah.

St. Mary’s Fitness Center Personal Trainer a Guinness World Record Holder!

Saint Mary’s Fitness Center hosted a fundraiser for the The SPCA of Northern Nevada and had the support of the local community as Reno resident Mark Zarubi (a Saint Mary’s Fitness Center Personal Trainer) broke the 12 and 24 hour Guinness World Record on Tuesday, September 1, 2015. You can see their promotional video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKnSQ9aTVl8

Industry Leaders, Technology

October Feature: Trends and Directions in 2015 by Sal Pelligrino

Introduction:

An in depth look at what’s happening in our business from the eyes of a “former-equipment guy turned finance” who has a good handle on the industry by working national accounts for the past fifteen years. Sal has been an industry veteran since 1978. His experience stems from being a club owner for seven years and working for three major equipment companies since 1984. Recently, Sal accepted an executive position with ABC Financial as SVP of Client Management. Their amazing focus on customer retention and client partnership is most intriguing to him. Also, he will have the unique opportunity to work with his daughter Sarah who has been with ABC for 1.5 years (see photo below).

Sarah and Sal

Sal has witnessed all of the major industry trends from Racquetball Clubs to the Nautilus Fitness Concept to the Big Box and now the high-end experiential Boutique Fitness Clubs. By traveling three weeks per month, Sal is constantly out there meeting with clients, assisting with planning of new facilities and watching the explosion of boutique and small group training options effecting the traditional fitness centers. Sal’s busy travel schedule takes him all around the country where he sees what is hot in programming, design and industry trends.

State of the Industry:

What an incredible time to be in the health and wellness business. We see the fitness business growing, and more and more business models and companies are coming into the space. The franchise fitness business has continued to grow and the boutique fitness models are turning up everywhere. The facility owner and management team must be in tune with industry trends and all of the competitors in their respective marketplace. From my experience, most operators have very busy schedules and it’s difficult for them to track new trends happening in other markets around the country. The purpose of my presentation is to share what I see in the market and provide a working understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of these new business models and how the owner can best respond to these threats.
Planet Fitness has grown to over 950 locations now serving around 5 million members, LA Fitness has 640 locations, CrossFit has topped 10,000 locations and is forging Elite Fitness, AnyTime Fitness has more than 2,600 locations, LifeTime Fitness dominates the family market, Crunch Fitness Franchises are in high demand, Retro Fitness has over 100 facilities, YMCA locations exceed 2,600, Equinox owns the luxury market and their HVLC Blink Model and Soul Cycle brands are making waves in many markets. Boutique fitness and the experiential training models are growing by leaps and bounds. The main focus of any fitness club manager is to focus on member retention and development of non-dues revenue. Personal Training and Small group training programs are a key solution to this competitive marketplace.

Crossfit

Small Group Training:

The power of CrossFit, Men’s Health magazine, the Biggest Loser TV Show and Orange Theory Franchise have transformed the industry. The high intensity group training programs (with proper supervision) has certainly entered the minds of many consumers. Every club owner I have spoken with during the past two years has been seeking a solution to this request and need. One of my clients (Town Sports International) has successfully installed their UFX Zones (800 to 1,500 square foot turf area) in 153 locations. In every case, when the UFX zone was installed there was corresponding increase in PT and small group training revenue. Many members are using this UFX Zone for stretching, functional movements and core training. This has been a big departure from the traditional strength circuits and free weight areas. These areas are very cost-effective a covers the costs of the custom turf, TRX tower, Kettle bells, platform, AirDynes and Turbo Trainer Total Body bikes. The key item in the success of developing this area is not simply the space, but the program that goes with it. Here are few great sources for programming ideas and special programs guidelines: Rick Mayo with www.alloyfitness.com, Thomas Plummer of the NFBA (www.jointhenfba.com), Aaron Moser of Perform Better in Providence, RI www.performbetter.com and the Les Mills Grit Programwww.lesmills.com. Don’t try and create this small group training model alone, the above industry specialists have the power to help you succeed in this important profit center.

Boutique Fitness Trends:

Before we discuss the details of this category I would like to share the following numbers detailing the growth of the four major segments of the industry from 2010-2014:

Large Private Clubs………………………..10%
High End Fitness……………………………15%
No Service 10-20K Sq. Foot Clubs…140%
Studio Concept Clubs……………………405%

Cross Fit Photo

Yes, you probably have three to ten of these competitors in your market right now. CrossFit, Orange Theory, Barry’s Boot Camp, Yoga studios and boutique cycling studios like Soul Cycle & Fly Wheel.

Members are willing to pay from $89 to $175 per month for these experiential exercise programs. They pay premium dollars for a results driven program – we just have to offer the right program, have the right leadership and proper member motivation to make this happen.

The market is willing to pay in order to achieve their desired results and tell all of their friends in the process. Another interesting development of the Boutique fitness model is the evolution to the larger training gyms. While in Charlotte, NC this year I came across Pure Body Fitness (a 16,000 square foot training gym). Imagine a full service gym offering a combination of a main functional area surrounded by an incredible offering of group exercise rooms (i.e. Yoga area, group cycle room, Treadmill room, TRX body suspension area).
Pure Body Yoga

Members are paying in excess of $140 per month and getting the desired results they are looking for in a trendy space with inspiration walls and very capable team of professionals. There is another interesting part of the décor in these new boutique centers – the Inspiration walls or motivational boards (see the photobelow).

Inspirational Wall at Fitness Center

Indoor Group Cycle Trends:

This has become a very personal area of expertise for me. During my 5.5 years of working with Star Trac we had incredible success with selling the Star Trac Spinning brand of group cycles. Actually, we were the world-wide leader in group cycling and because of this fact, I learned a great deal about this space in the market. With the rapid success of Soul Cycle, FlyWheel, CycleBar and numerous boutique cycling centers, the traditional health and fitness center cannot compete with their own 650 square foot space, with eight year old bikes, lousy audio/light experience, and mediocre instructors.
Cycle Photo

Why are members paying up to $35 per class in New York, Boston and LA? It’s all about the experience.

One of my clients (Gordon and Skip Johnson owners of Gold’s Gym in West Cobb and Douglasville, GA) did an amazing job in upgrading their cycle room. With $40,000 and a very thoughtful plan, they transformed a very dated room into a wonderful cycling experience. So get moving my friends and improve your lighting, sound system and upgrade those dated and rough riding bikes.

MyZone
Also, all of the new cycle franchise groups are offering a wide array of technology feedback systems: MyZone and Performance IQ where they capture the work load, heart rate a calorie burn of all the participants and displayed their scores on monitors to show their level of improvement and motivate their participants. Again, it’s all about the experience and quality of the ride (instructor motivation, leadership, room design and quality of bikes used). Another growth item in this segment is the interest in offing Cycling programs based on Power (measurements of Watts). The Spinner Blade Ion by Star Trac, The Schwinn Perfomance AC, Matrix and Free Motion all offer a very accurate modality for Power Training. There are two important items to consider – the higher cost of the bikes (usually $500-$800 more than the traditional commercial group cycle bike) and the need for instructor Power Training (usually a $2,000 additional cost). I am big on education so I highly recommend this for your instructor team.

Club Within a Club:

During my travels I have noticed so many facilities who have created a group training area, by purchasing a functional apparatus like the Life Fitness performance 360 or other functional products. The biggest problems I have seen are there are no programs to go with the product. It’s all about the program folks. So often owners think if you build the space it’s enough, but members need a program path to follow and lead them to desired results. Some great examples of this strategic expansion are:

  • Town Sports International and their UFX Zones – 800 to 1,500 square feet of training space right smack in the middle of the traditional fitness floor
  • The East Bank Club in Chicago designated 5,000 square feet to their training area with great success
  • Gold’s Gym corporate is in the process of rolling out Gold’s Fit (their version of this new industry trend)

Trends in High Value Low Cost Models:

This segment has continued to grow and thrive. Planet Fitness is approaching 1,000 locations and America loves the $10-$20 club model. In my opinion PF turned our industry upside down and really effected the marketplace and spawned the growth of the functional training gyms and programs. Club owners had to differentiate themselves in the marketplace to complete with this low-cost membership model. Retro Fitness has created a very successful business model (especially after their appearance on Undercover Boss) and experienced consistent growth around the country. There are a bunch of regional HVLC players around the country, Crunch Franchise, Blink Fitness (by Equinox), Fitness 19, and 10 Fitness in Little Rock. I have been training there for the past four weeks and enjoyed my experience.

If a low cost competitor comes into your market, I suggest the following:

  • Purchase the IHRSA publication on How to compete with a Low Cost Competitor
  • Make sure you contact industry peers who have already battled this model in other markets
  • Call your equipment or service vendors who can be a great resource for you
  • Go visit them, work out there, take your management team on a class trip to experience this model and go back and create the perfect defensive strategy

Trends in the Big Box National Chains:

The big boys have controlled the market for decades and still do for the large part. If an LA Fitness, 24 Hour Fitness, Equinox and LifeTime Fitness comes to your market, get ready to do battle. They are a powerful force to contend with. Their business models are strong and their marketing muscle blankets the community when they come to town. LA Fitness builds beautiful 40,000-60,000 sq ft facilities with a pool, basketball court, large indoor cycling room and tons of strength lines and cardio. Recently, I see that they are adding a functional fitness space for small group training. LifeTime Fitness has dominated the family fitness market. They just opened their second multi sports center in Raleigh, NC – they are doing extremely well and own the family market with branded programs and incredible focus on numerous branded profit centers. Equinox owns the high end market by placing beautiful centers in the richest zip codes in the country. Their HVLC Blink Model is growing and now they are selling a franchise business system. Another interesting trend is the willingness of large national players to build clubs right near another big box club. Two markets in the northeast that come to mind are Paramus, NJ and White Plains, NY. On one corner in downtown White Plains there is a Crunch Franchise, new Planet Fitness and a New York Sports club on the same street corner. Paramus, NJ has an Equinox, LA Fitness, New York Sports Club, 24 Hour Fitness, Blink Fitness, Retro Fitness, Gold’s Gym and a new Hospital Wellness Center all within a 2-3 mile radius. Competitors are not afraid to go right at each other. 

There are also strong regional players who have earned incredible success and reputation in various markets around the country such as Town Sports International from Boston to Washington DC. They’ve gone back to their roots by opening four new 17,000-20,000 square foot neighborhood fitness centers in NY and Boston in the past year. Xsport Fitness based in Chicago, has a fantastic model that has incredible success with multiple profit centers especially in Personal Training (PT) and retail. Also, Gold’s Gym (a legacy of strength) corporate now owns over 150 clubs and celebrated their 50th anniversary this year in Dallas. Arnold Schwarzenegger brought down the house with a special appearance by accepting his Hall of Fame award, it was a very special event.

Online membership sales is a big focus in recent years. Both LA Fitness and 24 Hour Fitness have made this a major focus. What about you? Speak with your club Billing and Club software company today on how to implement this powerful tool. In today’s world, consumers want to buy when it’s convenient for them. (visitabcfinancial.com for details)

Technology Trends:

As I started to draft this section on technology trends I happened to view this article on how technology will affect our industry. Please take the time to read this informative viewpoint: http://blog.netpulse.com/the-club-of-2020. Now back to the article.
In my opinion the two biggest technology discussion points have been the advent of wearable technologies and mobile applications. The FitBit commercials on TV and social media are visible on a daily basis and the question is? How can a club owner use these technologies to enhance exercise adherence or drive people to the club. I noticed a YMCA association who had a unique partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS). They offered discounts to members who used the FitBit to monitor their daily activity.

FitBit and BCBS Club Applications is another big item for discussion and Netpulse is leading the way in this field of play. On a recent visit to a Retro Fitness club conversion in Raleigh, I noticed a poster detailing the benefits of their new mobile app. It’s time to get moving in this direction – make this a priority for the busy winter season.

If budgets are tight and you are trying to make an impact with your members from a technology standpoint. Make your center a WIFI hotspot – from the lobby to cardio area. Let the member bring in the technology devise they prefer – it saves you a lot of money.

Key Things to Think About:

We certainly covered a lot of ground in the article, but in closing I want to share the following information. First of all, think like a member again. The next time you walk into your club–tour your facility–and be critical of every aspect of your walk through (where can you improve, what needs to be updated or replaced). Please note the following summary below: Invest in continuing education for you and your key department managers. I suggest you purchase IHRSA’s Profiles of Success. You can download a free preview or purchase the Profiles of Success here).

I want to thank you for the read today. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me directly at sal.pellegrino@abcfinancial.com or to Jennifer Hutchinson, Marketing Director with ABC Financial Services at Jennifer.Hutchinson@abcfinancial.com.

Thank you,
Sal Pellegrino

Sal Pellegrino is the SVP of Client Management at ABC Financial.  Their company mission is two-fold:  to be the resource for cutting-edge technology in the health and fitness industry and to maximize collections from the highest percentage of members on a daily basis.

ABC’s core leadership is comprised of Jim Bottin, Founder and CEO, alongside a powerful executive team, all with years of experience as fitness industry veterans.  Jim Bottin’s history in the industry began in 1974 when he opened his own martial arts studios in Arkansas. Five years later, he began expanding those studios into fitness centers. In 1981, ABC Financial was founded as a solution to the software and payment processing needs for Mr. Bottin’s own chain of 13 health clubs. Beginning as a specialized solution for the private owner, ABC was so effective we quickly grew to a client base outside of Mr. Bottin’s ownership – our client base is now approaching 7,500 health and fitness clubs throughout the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico.

By learning from our solid foundation and successes of the past, ABC management remains devoted to focusing on the future – staying on the cusp of industry evolution in service and technology, as well as providing the highest level of commitment to our customers’ success.

We believe our customers should expect the highest standards of service from us because we expect no less from ourselves.  It’s what has made us the industry leader.
When partnering with ABC Financial, you should expect the most up-to-date software and benefits only ABC can provide.

Industry Leaders, Operations, Water Reduction

July 2015

Feeling the pressure of water restrictions?

Reduce water evaporation up to 30% a month with a new product from Sea Klear now available through Ecolab.

In our last edition, we talked about how it was up to us to rise to the challenge of meeting water use reduction goals while maintaining member satisfaction in a cost effective manner. We are rising to that challenge.

Introducing the Revolutionary New Product: Solar Shield!

SolarShieldBottleThis newly released product helps reduce pool water evaporation and heat loss to save you money and reduce water usage. Solar Shield forms an ultra-thin, invisible barrier on the surface of the water that is safe for swimmers and is a simple alternative to traditional pool covers.

The long-lasting product can provide protection up to 30 days between doses, saving you time. Solar Shield is also compatible with saline systems, allowing you to apply it wherever you need it most.

A reader with a 45,000 gallon pool could expect to use a gallon of Solar Shield over a 2-3 month period, translating into approximately $50 a month to reduce water loss (usage rates and cost per treatment will vary by pool size).

Contact your Ecolab representative at
1-800 EL CLEAN to order.

 

Did you know?

PoolThe EPA estimates a 15,000 gallon outdoor pool can lose over 45,000 gallons of water during the course of a year to evaporation?

Readers, we want to help you with water conservation and your day-to-day needs, but we need your feedback. Ask us a question and we will find an industry leader to offer a helpful answer.

Send in your questions here.

Featured Partnership of the Month: FitLife

FitLife fights for independent health club ownership and gathers experts to support their 77 Pacific Northwest clubs by hosting the Fitlife Summer Conference, where you come to learn, grow, share and have fun! Email Neal for registration information to attend the convention.

Neal with FitLifeThis summer marks the 35th annual summer conference. “..we have one of the best line-ups...‘Customer Service, Re-energized!‘ Bill McBride, Eddie Tock, Robert Brewster, Brent Darden and more are also presenting.”- Neal Simpson, Executive Director of the FitLife Club Network, who has dedicated over 30 years to FitLife and 40 years to the industry!

A Testimonial from Neal…

“Thank you Petra and John Mickelson for all you do to support Fitlife. Our member clubs enjoy your prompt attention to detail and great products and service. Looking forward to seeing you at our summer conference and trade show in Bend, Oregon this July. Your sponsorship of Bill McBride is always one [of] the highlights of our conference. John with Petra, I am truly glad I met ya!” – Neal

Petra is sponsoring the one and only Bill McBride for the third year in a row for a reason.

Bill McBride, SpeakerHe’s an amazing speaker who knows what he’s talking about. 

You can get a sneakpeak from Bill in the all new Fitness Business Podcast as he talks purchasing behavior, management criteria, business strategy, and more!

Industry Leaders, Operations

May 2015

Welcome to May Edition of the SoapBox!

Last month, we were able to enrich the lives of many people (and animals!) thanks to your Donation Nominations!

All our winners received the $500 donations made in their nominators’ names. The surprise and joy on the other end of the telephone was what made this experience truly special. But there are more Donation Nominations to be made! Make your submission today by using the form at the bottom of this post.

Our guest today is Dr. Stacey Naito, a truly remarkable woman who has dedicated the last 25 years of her life to health and fitness. Dr. Naito is offering valuable tips for the special needs of women so health club and fitness facility owners can provide this powerful demographic with the support they need to meet their health and wellness goals. Until next time…John & Katy

Meet Our Contributing Author Dr. Stacey Naito

DrStaceyNaitoDr. Naito is the Medical Director for Urban Med, a company she has been with for the last 4 years. She has 11 years of experience in medicine and 25 years in fitness/health. You can email Stacey at in2neuro [at] yahoo.com

Favorite Quote…”Real success is finding your lifework in the work that you love.” ~ David McCullough

Women’s Health & Fitness:

Relationship-based solutions for female clientele of any age

By Dr. Stacey Naito

Many women can often be intimidated by health club or gym environments for a multitude of reasons. Women who don’t have a clue how to use unfamiliar exercise machines may find the experience of navigating through a whole collection of them rather terrifying.

As if that isn’t enough, some women question their ability to perform exercises with the necessary degree of coordination, balance and strength. Other women may hold onto the common misconception that lifting weights will make them extremely muscular and masculine, so they will shy away from free weights and weight machines, opting instead for more aerobic style activities. What is remarkable is that once these women are educated on the importance of regular exercise and proper nutrition, they experience profound health benefits which impact every aspect of their lives.

Gym owners who are willing to make an effort to address the unique concerns of women have a wonderful opportunity to build trust in their female clients, while also potentially increasing revenue by offering classes, training packages, classes, supplements and apparel which are designed for women.

If one-on-one training is offered at your facility, make sure to develop a group of trainers which can motivate female clients and address their unique concerns without making them feel inadequate or overwhelmed. Women also tend to have more questions about how to eat healthy, and often practice chronic caloric restriction which their bodies eventually adapt to, making it more difficult to drop those last few pounds, so it also makes sense to offer nutritional advice or refer female clients out to a dietician or nutritionist who is affiliated with your facility. Once the clients begin to experience physical and mental transformations, they become great cheerleaders for the gyms in which they train.

LegCurlNaito
One of Dr. Naito’s favorite exercises, the Leg Curl.

On a personal note, I am a proponent of weight training and supportive nutrition, especially in older individuals. One of the cruel consequences of aging is that a progressive loss of muscle occurs, beginning as early as one’s 20’s. I explain to clients that resistance training and an increase in protein intake are both critical for combating the insidious deflation of muscle and sagging skin which are the dreaded signs of advancing age.

It is important to make clients aware of the fact that resistance training will increase muscle-fiber diameter and overall strength, as well as naturally boost growth hormone and testosterone levels in the body.

Such hormonal and metabolic boosts can be incredible blessings for a menopausal woman who has been riding the unpredictable and often uncomfortable wave of hormonal decline, which is fraught with hot flashes, mood swings and, insomnia.

Basically, it is never too late to begin strength training!

For more information on age-related muscle loss in older women, please read my feature article in the September 2014 issue of Muscle & Body Magazine.

 Make Your 2nd Quarter Donation Nomination!