Gym Business - Business for Unicorns Podcast

About Ben: Benjamin Pickard, B.Sc. Kin, CSCS, started Lean Strong Fitness in 2014 to use his passion, education, and experience in helping everyday people integrate fitness with their lives to get exceptional results. Known for his flexible approach to exercise and nutrition, Benjamin’s clients develop and confidently maintain a stronger, happier, and healthier lifestyle through fat loss, strength training, and nutrition coaching. Running personal training, small group, and online programs, he has a unique approach to motivation and accountability that helps his clients thrive, and by staying at the forefront of all the latest health and training news they are getting the most relevant information (and best possible results) for their fitness journey. Outside of the gym, Benjamin loves back country camping, a hot coffee on a cool spring morning, and creating the perfect hamburger. He lives in Guelph, ON with his family. In this episode, Michael spoke with Michael about: Grit and Lessons he’s learned as a leader Building systems in your business KPIS what numbers to track, how to track them, and the value of keeping track

About Ashley: Ashley Selman is an international presenter and business consultant who is passionate about coaching fitness studio owners across the country to run more successful, profitable, and THRIVING studio businesses. As the founder of Evolution Trainers - a 14,000 square foot private personal training and wellness studio with a world-class team of 40 expert health and fitness professionals serving over 500 clients - she has seen it all and has many lessons to share to help other owners reach higher levels of success faster. She serves on the advisory committee for the Idea World Club and Studio Summit, and has spoken at many industry-leading events such as IDEA World, IDEA PTI East and West, IHRSA, The Mindbody BOLD Conference and the Nor Cal Fitness Summit. In this episode, Michael spoke with Ashley about: Predictions for how Covid with affect the fitness industry Start setting goals and measuring the things that matter How to hire based on values How to approach personal development on your team in a collaborative way  

Mark and Michael are back with the second bonus episode of the season. In this episode, Mark and Michael discuss: Expense Ratios: Exactly how much you should be spending on your fitness business The idea of Internalized Capitalism Mark Answers the Final Five Questions Mentioned in This Episode: Profit First Profit First for Microgyms Simple Numbers Financial Intelligence for Entrepreneurs Comic Essentialism 49/51 Article

About Pete: Pete is one of the few fitness professionals who identify specifically as a "business guy." He has served as the Vice President and Business Director of Cressey Sports Performance since co-founding the company in 2007. With an MBA from Babson College, more than a decade of fitness industry experience, and a profound appreciation for the nitty-gritty realities of managing a fitness facility, Pete brings a unique perspective to discussions surrounding the business of fitness. Most importantly, Pete is a proud husband to Katie, and father to Collin and Owen Dupuis. In this episode, Michael spoke with Pete about: Surprising tips for how he invests and develops his team How he stays focused and disciplined everyday 3 networks every fitness professionals need access  

About Luka: Luka was born and raised in Ljubljana, Slovenia, and gives credit to basketball, fitness, and coaches in taking him from going down the wrong path in crime to becoming a professional basketball player in the elite European Leagues as well as the NBA Summer Pro League. After his professional career, Luka went into his passion of training to affect others like the coaches that changed his life. He has been a coach for 14 years building skill sets in every area associated with physical and mental performance, as well as body transformation. Luka is the founder and co-owner of the Vigor Ground gym in Ljubljana, Slovenia, and owner of the Vigor Ground Fitness and Performance in Seattle, WA, both gyms recognized as leaders in coaching in each respective country, where they have cumulatively coached and transformed over 8,000 clients in total since 2006. Luka is also the creator of Vigor Ground Fitness and Business Summit, one of the industry's most respected educational events for coaches and gym owners. In this episode, Michael and Luka Discuss: The power of branding How to cultivate resilience The value of taking time to think Exercise to develop an alter ego to see new perspectives

In this episode, Mark Fisher joins me as we talk about our plans for Business for Unicorns in 2021 and our top three lessons learned from 2020. Our industry continues to struggle through COVID, so we share our ups and downs from a super tough year. Thanks as always for listening (and not watching)! Please spread the word to all your fellow fitness business nerds. Let's kick some 2021 ass! In the episode, Michael and Mark discuss: The value of community  This year of COVID and what we’ve learned about ourselves and our business  What percentage most gyms should spend off salary for their teams

About Stuart and the LTB Podcast: The LTB Podcast is a place where personal trainers (PTs) can gain education, insight and knowledge from other trainers and experts. Our aim is to provide you with the know-how and inspiration to build the kind of career you want to build. Stuart is the head of member support at Lift The Bar, a company designed to help personal trainers have more enjoyable and successful careers. He runs the LTB podcast and spends most of his time researching guests, writing blogs and talking to LTB members about challenges they are having as they look to grow their businesses. Check out Lift the Bar Podcast. In this special episode, Stuart spoke with both Mark and Michael about: The closing of our Bowery Location Marketing and Sales Strategies Our Long Time Partnership

About Betty: Betty grew up in Vancouver, Canada, where she grew interested in wellness and sustainability. Her experience spans strategy, human capital, and digital transformation as a consultant at McKinsey and Kearney advising leaders across industries including consumer goods, agriculture, and tech.  She is a Yale School of Management MBA candidate specialized in Management Science and holds a BCom in Accounting & Sustainability from the University of British Columbia, and Certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition from Cornell’s T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies. She is also a certified yoga instructor and (almost) daily meditator In this episode, Michael and Betty Discuss: Triple bottom line management How to foster a culture of innovation The ups and downs of entrepreneurship during COVID Mentioned in this episode: Upright Oats Follow Upright Oats on Instagram

About Kristen: Kristen Grossi is the Founder + CEO of Los Angeles-based talkTECH and Co-founder + CEO of Joint PR. She brings over 15 years of experience to the two public relations agencies. Her multi-faceted approach in delivering strategic, results-oriented PR campaigns and launches, expertise in media relations, and grassroots branding tactics has a proven track record. Under Kristen's direction, talkTECH has developed into one of the fastest-growing U.S. PR firms for early-stage and established startups. She has managed communications for over $300M in collective venture capital funding announcements and facilitated media coverage for over 375 companies since talkTECH’s inception ten years ago. One-third of talkTECH's portfolio has been acquired. In 2019, Kristen and her partner, Alysha Light, created Joint PR, a powerhouse communications agency for emerging and established cannabis companies. Joint PR helps cannabis brands at every stage and every corner of the industry, from manufacturing to VC funding to consumer and B2B products and services. Prior to talkTECH and Joint PR, Kristen was the Director at Grace PR, a lifestyle agency in Chicago, where she managed a variety of noteworthy clients and high profile events. Kristen graduated with a B.A. in Public Corporate Communications from Butler University and is involved with organizations such as Women 2.0, L.A. Promise Fund, and has taught PR workshops at General Assembly LA and the 1871 Accelerator in Chicago. Kristen was honored with Los Angeles Business Journal’s “Women Making a Difference” award and the L.A. Biz Award for “Women of Influence”. In this episode, Michael and Kristen Discuss: Rolling out a road map for DIY PR How to find someone for a one-off launch How to make the most out of media coverage Working in the cannabis industry Mentioned in the Episode: The Class Light Watkins General Assembly Email Kristin at kristen@talktechcomm.com

About Leeatt:  Leeatt Rothschild is the Founder and CEO of Packed with Purpose, a corporate gifting company with a social mission. From award-winning coffee made by adults with disabilities to artisanal granola produced by female survivors of abuse, everything in a Packed with Purpose gift box is a premium product that creates a societal impact.  Prior to founding Packed with Purpose, Leeatt spent 12 years in the private sector  — first at a digital marketing agency, and later as a CSR consultant to Fortune 500 companies, where she advised Chief Sustainability Officers on how best to spend their CSR budgets to impact society while simultaneously creating a financial return for the company. Leeatt has been philanthropically-driven since the very beginning of her career. After college she served two years in the Peace Corps in Paraguay, where she launched an income-generating fertilizer business with local farmers, witnessing first hand the profound positive impact that economic development can have on the lives of individuals living in underdeveloped communities. Following her experiences in the Peace Corps, she earned an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business, and a Masters in International Studies from The Lauder Institute. In this episode, Michael and Leeatt discuss: Embedding purpose into one's business Using scrappy tools to source insights and solve problem Managing and growing a highly seasonal business Mentioned in this Episode Packed with Purpose