Ed Buckley, CEO of FitOn Health, discusses the merger of FitOn and Peerfit, the impact of weight loss drugs on the fitness industry, and the lack of connectivity between nutrition, fitness, and healthcare. They also explore the trends shaping the fitness industry and the value of serving the senior market.
FitOn Health's acquisition of Peerfit allowed them to have more control over their digital component and saw significant growth in the B2B side of their business with increased revenue.
Medicare's expansion into additional services and decisions on reimbursement levels have a significant impact on funding and business strategies in the healthcare and fitness industries, creating new opportunities and driving mergers and partnerships.
Deep dives
Fit On's Acquisition of Peerfit: Combining B2B and Consumer-Facing Fitness Platforms
In this podcast episode, Ed Bugley, CEO of Fit On Health, discusses Fit On's acquisition of peerfit, a corporate wellness platform. The two companies merged to form Fit On Health, with a focus on serving customers, employers, and health plans. The acquisition allowed Fit On Health to have more control over their digital component, as they transitioned from using third-party vendors to having their own platform. This led to increased engagement, with four times the number of people activating their Fit On accounts compared to the previous vendor. Fit On Health also saw significant growth in the B2B side of their business, with revenue increasing by almost 100%. The company's emphasis on providing a comprehensive wellness solution, including programs for fall prevention, chronic condition management, and nutrition, has been well-received in the market. Additionally, the podcast touches on industry trends such as the impact of weight loss drugs, challenging fundraising markets, and the potential for consolidation in the fitness industry.
The Influence of Medicare on the Fitness Industry
The podcast highlights the role of Medicare in shaping the healthcare and fitness industries. Medicare's expansion beyond traditional health insurance to include additional services such as nutrition and grocery benefits has created new opportunities for businesses operating in these areas. Medicare's decisions on reimbursement levels also have a significant impact on funding and business strategies. The discussion suggests that understanding Medicare's direction and priorities can help businesses target their offerings and align with reimbursement criteria. The trend of merging different market leaders, even in seemingly unrelated areas, is also anticipated, driven by shared infrastructure, client bases, and the need for growth in a competitive funding landscape.
The Convergence of Fitness and Healthcare
The podcast explores the intersection of fitness and healthcare, emphasizing the increasing focus on preventive care and holistic wellness. The conversation highlights the potential impact of personalized nutrition and exercise as integral components of healthcare solutions. The integration of digital content, in-person experiences, and chronic condition management offers a comprehensive approach to deliver meaningful outcomes and sustained behavior change. The discussion remarks on the importance of incentivizing and reimbursing interventions that combine fitness and nutrition. It also suggests that partnerships and mergers in the industry may arise from the need to adapt to changing reimbursement trends and create more comprehensive wellness solutions for customers.
Challenges and Opportunities in the Fitness Industry
The podcast addresses the current challenges and opportunities in the fitness industry. The decline in funding and delayed IPOs have created an environment where market leaders are exploring acquisitions and partnerships to drive growth. The discussion emphasizes the importance of being a good partner to stakeholders, including health plans, gyms, and members, to navigate through changing dynamics. The conversation alludes to the potential for unexpected partnerships, where companies with different offerings can come together based on shared infrastructure, clientele, or industry trends. Additionally, the podcast mentions the disruptive potential of funding decisions by healthcare entities, such as Medicare, and how they can shape the business landscape.
Today I’m joined by Ed Buckley, CEO of FitOn Health, a wellness benefits platform for employers and health plans.
On a mission to bridge healthcare and fitness, Ed founded corporate wellness platform Peerfit in 2011 — connecting people with quality digital health content and in-person fitness classes. FitOn acquired Peerfit in 2022, launching FitOn Health and breaking into B2B.
In this episode, we discuss the company’s approach to serving customers, employers, and health plans. Plus we cover the impact of weight loss drugs and a challenging fundraising market on the fitness industry.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
• How the Peerfit acquisition played into FitOn’s strategy • The benefits of vertically integrating with a well-resourced company • Why Medicare reimbursement guidelines impact wellness trends and funding
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FitOn App: https://fitonapp.com/ FitOn Health Website: https://www.fitonhealth.com/ -
The Fitt Insider podcast is brought to you by Jack Taylor, our exclusive PR partner. More than just PR, they’re creative storytellers and brand builders who actually understand the health and wellness industry. Learn more and get in touch at https://fitt.co/jacktaylor
Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (01:22) Ed's role as CEO of FitOn Health (03:17) Decision to merge with FitOn (08:21) Benefits of merging with FitOn (10:08) B2B side has grown 100% in revenue in a year and a half (13:15) Metrics FitOn optimizes for on the digital side (16:08) FitOn's ability to produce customized content for health plans (17:11) Collaboration with celebrities like Gabrielle Union and Giada De Laurentiis (18:26) Constant innovation and execution as a selling point (19:51) Wide variety of content categories on the platform (22:59) Investment in condition management and nutrition services (24:25) Focus on healthcare and outcome-based reimbursement (27:09) Need to connect nutrition, exercise, and healthcare for incentives (29:02) Trend of GLP-1 weight loss drugs impacting healthcare reimbursements (30:15) Behavior change is the key for sustained health improvements (32:54) Market leaders in adjacent categories may merge (34:39) Funding in digital health has slowed down, leading to acquisitions (38:19) The impact of Medicare funding on the healthcare industry (38:40) Medicare's reduction in reimbursement levels (40:15) YMCA and Medicare example (45:40) Conclusion
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