The Business of Boutique Fitness 665: The Big Picture with Lise Kuecker, Jennifer Maanavi of Physique 57, and Jack Thomas of The Fit Guide
Y'all,
Two industry leaders I'm absolutely fascinated by – Jennifer Maanavi, founder of Physique 57 (one of the best barre brands in the world), and Jack Thomas, creator of The Fit Guide (the gold standard for fitness excellence, like the Michelin Star guide for our industry). They're both revolutionizing how we think about hospitality in boutique fitness!
Tune in to our new series of conversations with amazing industry leaders: Episode 661: The Big Picture with Lise Kuecker, Jennifer Maanavi of Physique 57, and Jack Thomas of The Fit Guide.
● Building boutique from scratch: Jennifer started Physique 57 in 2005 when boutique studios didn't exist - told architects she wanted it to feel "like coming to my house to work out"
● Hospitality over amenities: Their most successful studio had wear and tear but sold the most memberships because of warm feeling and community - proves it's about connection, not expensive finishes
● Two types of training: What to teach (mechanics for safety) vs. how to teach (hospitality that brings people back) - "you can tell people to do 10 jumping jacks one way, or another way"
● Sales as service: Reframing sales from pushy to helpful - like a washing machine store, clients need guidance to find what's right for them, not to be left to figure it out alone
● The Fit Guide standards: 250 metrics evaluating every element of the member journey - only 90%+ scores earn five stars, representing the top 1-2% of the industry
● Modality gaps revealed: Yoga scored lowest across all seven cities (guru mentality putting teacher at center), while barre scored highest (natural teaching opportunities)
● Gratitude mindset: "We're just so grateful that you're here" - understanding everything clients go through just to show up for class creates servant leadership culture
Check out how both Physique 57 and The Fit Guide are elevating standards across our industry. The opportunities are massive when we focus on hospitality - and Jennifer's right, "the hero of the story is the client."
Catch you there, Lise
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