Hewitt Tomlin is one of the Partners of TeamBuildr, a company that specializes in simplifying the program building and training regimes for coaches. He started his business in college with his roommates, and it was not an overnight success. They came across a problem that strength coaches had, and this was the fact that they were using Excel to train hundreds of athletes across the country, which was time-consuming for coaches. They eventually built a platform which made this process easier through their platform.  Tell us about your product and what makes TeamBuildr unique?  In the beginning, Tomlin thought that the key to his business would be to build an app that focuses on building good experiences for athletes electronically.  Soon they came to the realization that it is better to target their app to coaches who actually sit down and write these training programs, trying to ensure that coaches could save a couple of hours on writing training programs.  Tomlin placed an emphasis on building a platform that would make manual technical processes easier.  TeamBuildr will strive to always be a platform that is up to date and continuously improving their features.  What are your thoughts on the current status of things? How did the pandemic affect your business?  The current pandemic has accelerated business in a few sectors and remote training tools such as ours, it is beneficial for tools that facilitate some sort of remote transaction.  This means that your competition will increase.  You are solving a piece of the equation by being a remote tool, but there are several aspects that are involved. Tomlin likes to use the example that the highest quality platform may not always be the best selling, it is all in how it is marketed.  If your marketing is not formatted for today's situation, you cannot acquire customers remotely.  Tomlins business is not just about talking about their platform, but it's about helping coaches holistically with their pain points.  What are some features that you find more relevant now than maybe six months ago that you are focusing on?  A social media platform is important.  We have been working on a Team Feed which allows you to share your videos and images. This is important for coaches, they want to be notified of uploads. How do you see yourself fitting into the market? What makes TeamBuildr different?  TeamBuildr has decided to stay true toward what they call the Strength and Conditioning professional.  This means that the programs that you are writing and the feedback that is given has to do with strength training.  They cater towards the market interested in the principle of progressive overload.  How big are the Strength and Conditioning professional market? How does TeamBuildr estimate?  The market can very easily be estimated as it relates to Team Space, which includes high schools, colleges, professional teams, recreational teams, and so on - which is a market that is growing very nicely.  Strength and Conditioning have been growing in High Schools spaces due to the job stability it provides. CrossFit also affected the way Strength and Conditioning were seen, and it popularized it more.  This has been a big part of TeamBuildrs business, and it is getting bigger.  What has been one of your biggest challenges as an entrepreneur?  When it came to building their business, Tomlin said they were unaware that they were building a software as a service.  A lot of the advice given to Tomlin was not as relevant as it would have been if a business was being built 20 years ago, which meant that they had to seek direction on their own.  Tomlin and his partner discovered that they could be self-sufficient and could make progress for their business, and Tomlin did not understand the concept of taking money to see if it would win or lose within a couple of years.  Have you taken on investors? Are you still bootstrapping?  Tomlin says they never took on any investors, and never took out a loan.  They resorted to selling subscriptions and sold about 10 the first year. Tomlin and his partner were working full-time jobs and would reinvest into the business until the company snowballed.  They have been bootstrap the whole time.  What year did you officially found the company?  Tomlin says they made their first sale in 2012, with a division 3 school in Lynchburg, Virginia.  Tomlin spent his time cold calling coaches and using staff directories to try and get clients.  What are some gems you got from the cold calling experience?  Tomlin explains that when he was cold calling, he knew that this industry required time and trust was a big deal.  The Strength and Conditioning community is very tightly knit and he knew it would take time for it to snowball.  Cold calling is worth it for anyone evaluating when they start on a sales development enterprise.  What is your goal with this company? Do you have an exit strategy? What would you consider to be a success?  Tomlin says that they are pretty transparent about how they look at long term goals for a company.  He enjoys what he does and loves his customers, and says that he would not do anything that puts his business at risk.  They want to build a company that is attractive to people who are interested in buying the Country Club, so to speak.  If customers want to be involved, they would have to invest into the company, and they will inform them of future developments and growth.  They are taking the course that is a balanced approach, which is reinvesting in the company while making it a balanced approach.  Explain your thoughts on the decentralization of the fitness industry, where do they come from?  Tomlin explains that when he talks about decentralization, what he envisions is these really high-quality trainers who go out and learn how to market and acquire customers.  He supports small businesses and thinks a coach building up a business and 50 clients giving them very personal high touch training programs in nutrition advice, life and stress management coaching is a good model.  Tomlin thinks the only thing holding people back from doing this is the marketing and the concept of acquiring customers effectively.  When we look at the current state of your business at Team Builder, what is the biggest need that you guys have right now? What is your biggest challenge?  Similar to other Tech companies, finding good engineers and developers are important, TeamBuildr is considered a product-first company.  TeamBuildr is all about bringing a good product that is sustainable and scalable, and that requires talented and committed people.  TeamBuildr exists to ensure that employees are taken care of as well as customers, and then the economics are to be worried about.  Is your whole team located in DC? Do you have a remote team? How big is your team? TeamBuildr has 7 employees that are in office, but they are currently working remotely due to the epidemic.  The reason behind this was the desire to found a culture for the company, this means they want to bring in people face to face and have decided to be an in-person company.  What are some new products that Team Builder is putting out there?  TeamBuildrs first and foremost product is built for a coach to write their own training programs.  TeamBuildr  also offers resources in the form of templates and training templates.  The company got started on writing new templates for competitive athletes, speed, power and agility which would allow coaches to quickly be able to incorporate these into their training.  TeamBuildr built three to four at home templates that coaches could have access to and use within training their team, that it was of high quality and trustworthy.  Resources:  Facebook: Hewitt Tomlin LinkedIn: Hewitt Tomlin Website: TeamBuildr

Adam Zeitsiff is the CEO of Gold’s Gym. Zeitsiff has faced many challenges during the COVID, which shaped his belief that he may not solve the virus, but he can help to solve the problems within the fitness industry and ensure that it remains alive and thriving.  What kind of challenges have you faced? Give me an example of a challenge you faced over the last 60-90 days that came up where you had to overcome in a creative way? Zeitsiff says that during the shutdown, they faced the problem of supporting their team members, supporting their members and giving through unique content that members could consume from home.  Focusing on restructuring that they were going through, in order to ensure their business would be here 55 years from now.  They had to get really creative in focusing on their future and not getting distracted and keep the focus on bettering the business.  A schedule was built of things that Gold’s Gym had to accomplish, and pulling that through the entire shutdown in order to create a brand that will be here for a long time. Gold Gym tried their best focusing on the positives and hyped up their creativity with how they delivered their services.  What is the difference between just closing down and restructuring? What are the guidelines you have to work with? What does that mean for the company? The differences are that people fall for it due to the fact that they believe they have to protect themselves because they feel as if they can no longer be a concern within the company.  You may have a business that can - and will - survive, it is just important to restructure, remove liabilities and clean up your balance sheet.  The pandemic was difficult on the Fitness industry - and the food industry - we had no way to do any sort of deliveries or get any revenue in.  Gold Gym had to solve these liabilities and had to clean up their balance sheets with some of the clubs they operated.  Gold Gym restructured, removed their liabilities, and cleaned up their balance sheets in order to pull through the pandemic and be in a good position to expand internationally.   Beyond the hybrid model, what are you seeing now? Maybe from a technological perspective, or an entirely new model, what do you think is going to come out of it?  Zeitsiff says since the last time they spoke, they are even stronger than they were. Gold Gym has taken tremendous strides and has quite a few things to announce.  Hybridization is key to creating amazing experiences in the gym. If you are incapable of getting digital solutions that allow individuals to work out when not in a gym, it coincides with the brand's persona.  Zeitsiff believes digitizing gyms will be taken to the next level.  There will be people who will personalize the experience more than others, and engage members.  How do you increase experience? I guess that is Gold’s Amp. Is that the project or the answer you guys are working on to this digital fitness solution?  Gold’s Amp has been Gold Gyms foundation to digital fitness since their launch in 2017.  There are a lot of plans in order to develop features, functionality, content, programming and experience.  Who are the people that may never come back to a gym? How is Gold’s Gym trying to get in touch with these people and communicate with them?  Those who do not return may not have been so committed, to begin with, or who are not comfortable being in public spaced.  Gold’s Gym is reaching out to people, and informing them that they are taking necessary precautions to keep things clean.  One can only control what they can control. You can only give them proof that their health is taken into consideration, and that gyms are a safe space to be in.  If you were going to talk to an independent health club owner or someone who owns a couple of facilities, are there any blind spots or anything that you think a lot of those leaders within the health club industry are missing?  It is important to note that gyms are on the hot seat right now, the industry is under the microscope. It is important to show members you are constantly cleaning.  The fitness industry should not be afraid to sell and think about what to sell, and how to sell. It is important to realize people are cautious.  What other leaders in the industry as far as technology are you keeping an eye on? Any companies or names that you would like to highlight? Taking a look at the big guys, and how they innovate and react quickly is the forefront of our businesses.  First and foremost, the big guys need help to innovate and lead. They need their creations integrated within businesses.  Any type of technology that helps with engagement within the fitness industry is vital and is more important now than ever.  What are some of the bigger news outlets that you are on? Zeitsiff was on CNN, NBC Nightly News, and he enjoys the chances to represent Gold’s Gym.  With that level of exposure, how has your life changed over the last 90 days? Zeitsiffs wife keeps him humble, and it has helped him realize that they have a platform and allows him to help the industry.  Zeitsiff has been blessed to be running these brands, and this industry is very much needed in these difficult times. Exercise is medicine.    So Adam, anything else you’d like the fitness industry to hear?  Zeitsiff says that it is important for the fitness industry to continue with what they are doing, and keep helping people with their daily lives.  Resources Connect with Adam on LnikedIn Visit Gold’s Gym Website

In this episode, I had an interview with Max Coleman about his journey to healing, and how it resulted in him becoming the successful CEO of DaoCloud - a wellness practitioner network and marketplace.  We spoke about challenges, health issues, the problems practitioners are currently facing regarding insurance and so much more.  Tell us about your story; your background (4:42) Max is the CEO of Daocloud, which is a wellness practitioner network and marketplace. Daocloud was inspired by his own journey to healing and was founded with his colleague who he met in college. As a kid, he was put on a bunch of ADD drugs like Ritalin and Adderall, which did a good job of getting him to concentrate but had a very negative effect on him physically and mentally. To such effect that he was battling chronic back pain at the age of 16. Max started doing extensive research on health and holistic therapies. It took about 6 years to heal his back pain, but he learned a lot about his own health in this journey and realized that at least half the country has a chronic disease. The way he sums it up, most chronic diseases are caused by blocks of energy and emotions in the body, and Daocloud focuses on those aspects to get to the root of the problem. Daocloud recognizes 51 therapies.  After 5 years, the company has a network of 7000 practitioners in 50 states and 180 cities. The company offers a quiz and uses the answers to recommend which practitioner you need. Their mission is to make wellness primary care.  Are there windows into insurance money for these practitioners, or is that still a far thought? (14:42) Medicare and Medicaid recently started covering acupuncture, and chiropractors are also making way. But most insurance companies don’t cover these therapies. Max believes that there is not enough research to prove the efficacy of these treatments, as studies aren’t being funded to scientifically prove that they work. In the future, they will fund studies to prove efficacy so that insurance companies will get on board. Insurance companies make money from monthly instalments, and the people staying alive to pay them. So if they can prove that these therapies provide wellness and a longer lifespan, insurance companies will get on board.  Over the past 5 years, what are some of the challenges you faced as the founder and leader? (16:39) First is that initially, Eric, Max’s co-founder, used to be the CEO. he left about 2 years ago, and that’s when Max became CEO, and just took the company by its reins.  The biggest challenge he describes is loneliness. He feels like he’s in a dark tunnel where he can’t look back, he just has to keep going.  There is a lot of pressure in keeping 7000 practitioners, 1012 investors and his own team of 15 people happy.  In addition, all the stress and anxiety is not healthy, but he believes he was cut out for this because his own struggles with health are what enable him to lead the company. Who do you look up to? (19:26) Max says the first person that comes to mind is Elon Musk. Although he is probably not taking great care of his health, Max idolizes Elon for all that he is doing for the environment.  He looks up to entrepreneurs like Reid Hoffman, who he feels is very underrated.  Jason Calacanis is another idol for him - he believes that he is a great investor, and has a knack for finding founders of value.  Another thing he pointed out about Jason Calacanis, is that he has no problem giving out money for the right reasons, and thinks that founders need more people like him to support them.  Walk me through founder market fit? (22:18) Max describes founder market fit as a way of determining whether a founder would be a good fit to solve the market problem. He uses Jason as an example, saying that he is not too concerned with the business, but rather with the founder; their background, education, personality and so forth. Founders rarely fail because they run out of money; they fail because they give up. That is one of the crucial components to look at when deciding whether or not the founder is a good fit - you need to know that they won’t give up. Resources Connect with Max on LinkedIn Visit the Daocloud Website

In today’s episode, I have Justin Devonshire as a guest. We will be discussing the intricate topic of entrepreneurship, and what it means to be a leader from an investor’s point of view.  Justin shares his story of the hardships he has had to endure to get to where he is now.  Justin is the founder of Fitness Business Blueprint, as well as an investor and mentor.  Tell us about your backstory? (01:13) Justin tells me that when he was working at a gym as a college student, his intention was not to be a business owner; he was satisfied just working with fitness clients.  However, he was putting in a lot of extra hours, until the owner eventually gave him the keys and told him he can do as he pleases. Even though he was putting in all this time, he wasn’t receiving any revenue or even acknowledgement for his efforts. Family friends of theirs had an apartment in Cyprus and offered to let him stay there while trying to start his own fitness business. This was about 10 years ago.  He thought it would be easy to start up, but it wasn’t until he nearly got evicted after losing all his savings that he realized he needed to go back home and learn more about marketing and running a business.  Being a great coach won’t necessarily make you a good owner of a coaching business.  What drove you to Cyprus, was it a lifestyle choice, or did you see it as a business opportunity? (05:31) He says growing up in the UK, he always wanted to live in a warmer place like the Mediterranean.  Then the opportunity arose to move to Cyprus. He saw it as both a good change of scenery as well as a business opportunity.  It was primarily a lifestyle choice. He explains that his father worked very hard to retire on an island in Greece, and gave him some solid advice on life.  His father said that after working hard his whole life to make his dream a reality, he was bored because his best years were behind him.  Justin says his goal is to create a career in a place where he can see himself retire, rather than waiting for retirement before moving to the place of his dreams.  What are some of the biggest changes you made to make this thing a success? (10:16) Justin says when he was trying to start his own business, the mistake he made was in not taking factors like finances and systems into consideration. He was just trying to replace a job and pay his salary, he wasn’t thinking of growth.  He has since learned to position himself as unique, and to know the value of what he has to offer.  Instead of trying to tell people his worth, he started showing them by allowing people to come in and try his programs for free, or at a very low cost. Thus allowing the product to sell itself. He learned a lot about his target market and marketing itself. Becoming aware of aspects like organic marketing and the use of social media.  He started placing more focus on social media like Facebook and Youtube and adds that these were nearly the only two platforms so it was very easy and very cheap to make videos that ranked for keyword search terms, as no one else was really doing it. Talk to us about your company, who is your team? (27:36) Justin says he works with different business partners, clients, and long term friends. These are typically entrepreneurs with great entrepreneurial potential. In team building, they distinguish between integrators and visionaries. Visionaries being the impulsive people with the ideas, and integrators being the individuals who can put a structure in place.  He has a consulting team, which acts as the operational team. They are there to assist him, as he can’t run all the operations himself.  He also has an operational manager, an executive assistant, and a few implementers. This team is in charge of implementing systems, tracking finances and working on the long term strategy. In addition, they have individual teams and coaches, an online business, and a partner in India that handles online fitness throughout Dubai, India and the Middle East.  What’s your criteria for investing; not just monetary, but your expertise as well? (30:16) Justin says in the past he made the mistake of investing in a person because they had a great business idea, but they are not the right person for the business.  When this happened, he tried to overcompensate with his own knowledge, but these businesses never work out, because there’s no heart in it.  The entrepreneur has to be the ultimate leader with a vision for their business, and doing what it takes to make it a success.  If he comes across someone with a terrible idea, but they have what it takes to be a leader, he is willing to invest in them. What he looks for is a person who can be a leader, and who wants to invest their all into a business.   Resources Connect with Justin on LinkedIn Visit JustinDevonshire Website

In today’s episode, I have Andrew Swansburg as my guest. We will be looking at emerging markets, customer-centric and the challenges a young entrepreneur faced when starting a business.  Andrew is the founder and CEO of BrandBot, an all in one customer communication hub that is aimed at helping you reach customers the right way.  Who do you serve, primarily? (03:37) Andrew says their main focus is boutique studios.  They see a lot of emerging trends right now, like HIIT, boxing, and rowing.  Yoga is still their top market and brings in a lot of business.  However, he adds that a lot of their growth is coming from newer trends. Let’s try and define customer-centric? (05:32) Andrew believes how you got to where you are is an important factor. When talking about a studio’s product, to him that means the classes they’re offering. When they started, that product was most likely enough. However, with the fast opening of more studios and fitness modalities, they are starting to see that just the product is not enough anymore.  BrandBot is shifting into an era where businesses need to determine who they want their customers to be and focus solely on that. Brands are using specific personalities, something no one else is offering, to grow their businesses, rather than relying on their product alone.  Do you step in once people know who their customer is, or do you help them figure that out? (08:00) Andrew says they are there from day one, and they can be used differently as a business grows and changes.  Initially, their business is used for the transactional aspects like following up on Facebook leads and communicating with customers via email.  They feel it’s a shame that businesses continue using them for the transactional parts only. Their more experienced customers use them to present their brand along the journey. BrandBot helps the customer position themselves as a business, helping their customers establish what their goals are and how to accomplish them.   Around 18 months they start seeing a transition as people start figuring how to communicate with clients, and how to reuse that tested and approved method.  How have you seen growth within your company? (14:57) Andrew says they’ve seen a lot of change in the past three months.  For the first year and a half, they were focused mainly on creating an exciting product that would attract sales.  BrandBot has been doing a lot of digital marketing events, which is big for them at the moment.  A group of people in the same place always adds value, and it should be something business owners invest in. They have also started hiring outbound reps, adding to the sales function or a strict sales process.  How is your role changing? What challenges have you faced? (21:41) Andrew says his first challenge was being a college drop out in his 20’s, and the pressure that came from having to make a success out of his idea.  He approached a corporate culture specialist, and this guy walked him through evaluating his thinking as an entrepreneur; determining when to act on your thinking, and when to just let thoughts simmer.  That foundation helped him transition from just focusing on the product, to managing a team and his customers. He realized he had to scale himself because he could not fulfil all the roles anymore.  The whole transition, and trusting other people to handle business was very difficult for him.  He believes that trusting his team, and knowing when to rely on his thoughts has been a growing process for him.  Resources Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn Visit BrandBot Website

Today, I have guest Mel Tempest talking to me about the fitness industry; how she saw an opportunity 17 years ago and grabbed it with both hands. We discuss the ever-changing market of fitness, some of the struggles it faces and what the future holds for gym owners.  Mel started a health club in 2003 and is constantly on the hunt for new ideas and opportunities to make her club a safe, comfortable environment for everyone. While being an event speaker and podcaster.  Tell us about your journey in the crazy world of fitness (01:14) Mel explains she opened up the club in 2003 after a mentor told her that she would never aspire to be anything more than a circuit instructor. She was in her mid 30’s and wanted to be more than a real estate agent. She wanted to be a gym instructor. She had no real experience, but along with her husband decided to open a gym anyway.  Their first club was in a 450 square meter church hall. It was having numerous people come up to her and telling her that they were looking for a non-intimidating environment, that made Mel realize she needed to change her business model.  She’s been changing her business model for the past 17 years to meet the demographic in her community. 17 years later, and Mel reports that they are still going strong in an 1800 square meter facility of their own. And their goal remains the same; to create a safe, comfortable environment for members.  You said you shifted the way you did business to fit your demographic. Expand on that? (04:15) Mel says the first thing she banned in her clubs were crop-tops. Trainers were to wear regular shirts at all times. She tried to create a less intimidating environment by using her own staff as an advertisement for her business, rather than the image set by the media. She feels the graphics in the media were intimidating.  For a larger person, walking into a club where everyone is wearing crop tops and tank tops would be uncomfortable. Her aim was and has been for 17 years, to make the club a safe place for everyone.  For some members, coming to the club is the best part of their day. So she pays attention to the small things like greeting people and knowing their names. What expectations did you have for your podcast? (10:08) Mel says she wanted to interview people that she felt would help the industry, and she thought it was a simpler way of getting the knowledge to other club owners.  Too much focus is placed on high and mid-level achievers, so entry-level businesses are left behind; that became her target market.  These could include new businesses or business owners that have been in the industry for 10 to 15 years but are frightened of developing technology. Her goal was to assist those who are too afraid to ask for help. Their next step was getting the right speakers for the show. They have been very fortunate so far, and they are currently standing strong at 860 000 hits. She knows they are sharing the right information, as people approach her on a regular basis to tell her how much her knowledge has helped them. How do you look for collaborations in this industry? (20:03) Mel states that her main focus is to look for people that can offer something that she can’t, and if she can’t do something, she will get someone who can. She uses her female leaders as an example, saying that some of them excel in speaking about mindfulness and self-care. This, however, is not her strong suit.  Those in the health and wellness industry have a responsibility in creating positive mental health.  If you do not treat your peers with respect, it will have a negative mental impact on them. We don’t want anyone in the industry thinking that they are not valued as a speaker or coach. Everyone in the industry must be held accountable for the impact they have on their peers and teams. Everyone has to treat each other as part of a team, rather than the competition.  What are some of the biggest opportunities in the fitness industry? (23:25) Mel makes a great point in arguing that those who do not grow with technology will get left behind. There are new products coming out on a regular basis, products that are meant to make life easier - like running your front desk.  People over the age of 45 are frequently overlooked, but this age group has money to spend. They want one on one sessions and help with nutrition.  Every club has four business models under their roof; group fitness programming, technology, the gym with the actual equipment, and the practice. Don’t promote your business as a whole, promote it as individual business models.  The fitness industry is ever-changing. Attend events, listen to podcasts, do some research on how to improve so you can extend your stay in the industry.  Resources Connect with Mel on LinkedIn Visit Mel Tempest Website

In today’s episode, I have Kate Jaramillo and Ken Andrukow as guests. We will touch topics such as changes that are taking place in the world and the fitness industry, and what people need to be doing in these trying times.  Kate is a wellness mentor and ketogenic lifestyle expert. Her goal is to help women thrive and become the best version of themselves.  Ken is the owner and founder of Reebok CrossFit in Ramsay, Canada. Ken is aimed at helping members become open-minded and willing to take action. Let’s get right into it, what do you guys see out there? (01:32) Ken says he believes that times like these are when greatness rises. He says the health industry will make a dramatic change in regards to vaccines and the trials that accompany these vaccines.  He thinks that the time spent on trials for vaccines and cures will be shortened because people don’t want to be in this position again.  Kate adds that she thinks this is an exciting time; she says business owners will realize how much money they can save on rent and hiring offices. People will see what a big percentage of their work can be done from home.  She adds that all these open spaces that were used for offices and businesses can be converted to apartments, churches or grocery stores.  Also, general expenses will be much less. People are spending less money on things like gas and dry cleaning when they work from home.  One of the important questions business owners should ask themselves right now, is do I want my business to survive this? (07:00) Kate says she was inspired by advice saying that this is the pause we need.  A lot of business owners are unhappy with where they are with their business; four or five years down the line they don’t remember why they started the business in the first place.  Ken says that if you’ve wanted to stop what you’re doing because you don’t love it anymore, now is the time to do it. He adds that if a business has been shut down for three months, it will be even harder than before to get it back on track. No one will blame you for shutting down.  If you’re in an industry that’s ripe for disruption, now is the time for innovation (09:28) Ken says there hasn’t been much change in the fitness industry in 30 years in terms of what people want and need from the industry.  Technology has played its part in the last 5 years, but mostly in data recording.  Regarding the interaction between fitness professionals and clients, there’s a major innovation on its way.  If you’re in the industry, you have to think about your clients; what they wanted before the coronavirus struck, and what their needs will be after it's over.  What are you guys seeing in the wellness industry? (17:29) Kate says that people are in a panic, and giving things away for free. They have also noticed a rise in fake work-from-home business opportunities. These ads are posted on Facebook, and people are even getting personal messages about these insincere opportunities.  A lot of people are also stepping up as leaders and offering their clients support.  It’s important to check in with your clients, even if it's just for support. She sent out an email to numerous clients, just asking if they need anything, and what can she do to assist.  They put together a resource guide with fitness and nutritional information so that clients can keep up their routine. They aren’t doing it as a lead magnet, but rather to make sure clients feel calm, loved and supported in these times.  Looking at it from a societal standpoint, what is the one change you’d like to see in societies and communities after this pandemic (19:30) Kate says she wants people to make more time for each other. She wants people to go the extra mile for one another; not to take a hug or a handshake for granted.  Ken says he doesn’t want people going back to normal when all this is over; he wants us to learn from it.  He hopes that we become closer, as a society and a world.  Resources Connect with Ken on LinkedIn Connect with Kate on LinkedIn

Today, I have Steven Webster as a guest, and together we will dig into the future of technologically advanced training and coaching.  Steven is the CEO of Asensei, a mobile app that allows athletes to get guidance and coaching from professional individuals.  Give us some insight into your story; the story of Asensei and the development thereof (01:17) Steven says Asensai was brought together from three of his passions; sports, technology and being an entrepreneur. He was fortunate to have been working with big companies like Adobe, Microsoft and many more.  Growing up, he played every sport imaginable. He was already a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu when he went to university and before long, he became the coach for the Edinburgh University karate club - leading them to 10 national championships.  One problem he always wanted to solve was how to coach effectively using digital technology.  He saw the pieces fall into place. He felt that there had to be a way to make human movement; to create something that a machine can understand and teach.  Finally, he put together a team to solve that problem. Give us insight into Asensei; what are the qualities, what pieces are involved? (24:21) It's essentially a mobile app that allows you to pair with your apparel over Bluetooth. He says the app lets you subscribe to coaching plans and programs, allowing you to be guided and coached in your choice of sport with the help of the apparel sensors. Asensei has manufactured its own brand of compression gear, allowing a new brand to pilot the technology.  The goal for Asensei is to market; they want technical apparel companies to approach them with questions as to how they can implement sensors in their clothing.  Over the past five years, what are some of the biggest challenges you faced in building Asensei? (25:45) He believes the biggest challenge most companies face is timing.  You have to ensure that you don’t raise too much money too fast, as the market won't be ready.  With a complex product like Asensei, you can’t just drop your whole idea into the market, you have to present it piece by piece so that people understand what they’re getting into.  In addition, he says that you have to get investors on board. Although investors pride themselves on being risk-takers, initially it’s difficult to get people to imagine the future you have in mind.  What mouth-watering markets are you looking into right now? (31:25) Steven thinks the market they can have an impact on first is sports coaching.  Too much focus is placed on rehabilitation, rather than pre-habilitation. How do people know if they are in the shape they’re supposed to be in for the sport they want to practice? He refers to the industrial athlete; people whose job is to perform tasks that require skill and coordination. The idea that their movement can be continuously monitored and coached into the correct movement is a huge market opportunity.  Correct movement is vital, just like vital signs are critical to our health and well-being.  What do you think is the biggest need within your business right now? (35:19) Steven believes all entrepreneurs are frustrated with the pace of progress. So the ultimate goal is getting to the future faster.  He wants people to be compelled to use the app; even if you’re not a professional athlete of any kind, this app can help you train with professionals.  He uses rowing as an example and adds that you don’t even need the compression apparel, they will use data from the rowing machine and they’ll assist you with the right posture, technique and movements. Once you do get the apparel, you can get even more advanced coaching.  Fitness shouldn’t become something you have to be able to afford. He wants people to use the app so that everyone can get the most out of their training by using their ordinary equipment while implementing the sensors to monitor movement.  Resources Connect with Steven on LinkedIn Visit Asensei Website

In today’s episode, I am interviewing Kresten Jensen to discuss the topic of technology in fitness. How Motosumo has grown from three friends to a full-blown company.  Todays’s episode features a special deal. If you are a fitness professional or gym owner looking for ways to improve client experience, visit futureoffitness.co/deal. There you will find a discount code and a place to sign up.  Kresten is the founder and CEO of Motosumo; a fitness app that allows people to participate in group training and to connect with one another.  Tell us your story, how did you get into this? (03:25) Kresten says he has always been keen on sports and fitness. The whole idea started when two of his friends came over for pizza and they started building on this idea. They were looking at similar concepts and felt that they could produce something more interesting.  They thought if people were bringing their phones on a bike ride or a run, they could actually tell people how to move and provide insight into their power and efficiency.  They approached their first investors, and as soon as they got the go-ahead, they jumped right into it.  Creating an app to generate an income is tricky, because people look for free apps, and there are numerous fitness apps out there.  Where is the company now, as far as health clubs and gyms go? (07:37) Kresten says the company now has more than a thousand gyms on the platform, which was a big milestone for them.  They reached the thousand mark by the new year 2019. He’s always a bit cautious to give exact revenue but to provide a range; it’s around $2000 per gym annually for the full service. He adds that at this point in time, they are still using more money than they are actually accumulating. But he is confident that this will change very soon. Gamification, social networks, and events are powerful qualities. Did you implement these qualities intentionally? (09:43) He says initially, the social part wasn’t part of their vision. It was meant to be used as a tracking tool for the individual.  However, some more visionary team members convinced them of the benefits of connecting people. They were sceptical at first, but in no time they started seeing the positive effect of social connection. When he started thinking about gamification, his initial thought was to do something where people could compete. However, an advisor told them that the majority of people are collaborators and not competitors. People want to be part of a team.  Although these qualities were initially not implemented on purpose, they definitely are now.  You started out as a group of friends with an idea, and now you are running a whole company. What was adaption like? (17:32) He says one of the biggest factors for him was the fact that you can’t be involved in everything, and you definitely can’t be an expert at everything.  When you’re only three to eight people, you know what everyone else is doing. But as the numbers grow, it’s hard to keep track of everyone, so management systems and communication procedures must be put in place.  The most challenging mental shift for him was that he had to let go of things he knows nothing about, and things that shouldn’t bother him in the first place.  He jokingly says that he believes he has been quite a nuisance for some of the company members because he wants to be a part of everything and be involved everywhere.  How do fitness professionals take advantage of technology like yours? (20:05) He says regardless of what your profession is, you can find the app useful, and it’s really easy to use. It takes 5 minutes to install the app and you can get started right away. Once you’ve got the app, you just activate your gym on your phone. Since we are already using our smartphones for everything else, this is the sort of technology where you shouldn’t be afraid to get started. They have a ten-minute explainer video, and if it takes you more than ten minutes to understand how Motosumo works, it’s becoming too complicated.   If you really want to take advantage of this, it’s more than just downloading the app; you have to immerse yourself and see what the app can do for you. This will allow you to add value to your group fitness Resources Connect with Kresten on LinkedIn Visit Motosumo Website

In this episode, I have Mark Fisher as a guest. Contrary to what we normally do in discussing the future of fitness, this episode will discuss the importance of routines and structures that allow you to get the most out of your day and life.  Mark is the “Ninja master” and co-CEO of Mark Fisher Fitness, a gym he describes as offering serious fitness for ridiculous humans! They help people who normally hate the gym, find a fitness place they actually love.  How are you personally dealing with the lockdown? (02:41) Mark says he is actually doing pretty good, and the lockdown has made him realize how easy it is for him to do his own thing. He loves people, but he’s quite self-directed and can thrive on his own all day long. The opportunity to work on products alone, with the occasional meeting, is something that appeals to him.  However, he is also worried about what the next 12 months will hold, in terms of social restrictions set by the government, or even by social culture. It won’t be like flipping a switch and going back to normal. New York is a real estate game, and the main consideration is can you make enough money in that real estate market to cover fixed costs and make a meaningful profit.  Pay attention to events in the macroeconomic environment, because the downwind thereof will hit everyone. He thinks NY will deal with more psychological and emotional obstacles than a lot of other places but stresses the fact that in the long run, we will all be fine.  What are you doing during this time, perhaps reading more? (06:35) Mark says he likes working on products. One of the things he teaches is time management, so he likes creating a structure; being diligent and conscientious and just getting things done.  Most of his days are spent around a routine; getting up around 06:30, spending 20 minutes meditating, and 30 to 45 minutes reading while drinking his green formula and his morning coffee.  He completes his more intense tasks like writing an email, landing pages, marketing content, or working on presentations early in the morning. He does these in 30-minute blocks, and on a good day, he completes up to 5 30 minute blocks.  After checking emails and social media, he does a quick workout, followed by a late lunch and another meditation session, and then starts the second part of his day where he mostly does meetings.  The final part of his day starts around 17:30 to 18:30, where he spends 60 to 90 minutes crossing off the easier tasks like paperwork and clearing his inbox. Around 18:00 to 20:00 he has completed his cycle and spends the evening with his wife and their dog. Explain your statement that you have to create a challenging game that will allow you to move forward with momentum? (17:24) Mark says this is broadly about how the day gets scheduled. He likes to say that to-do lists that don’t exist in time are a recipe for being miserable, sad, and crazy.  You have to capture the inputs, either using a notebook, Google docs, or any resource that will allow you to capture all the things that need to be done.  You have responsibilities towards your personal life, work assignments, client-related tasks, and just an abundance of things to remember. Not writing these things down will make your life very, very challenging.  But then, you also have to analyze and organize these lists; if you have a bunch of never-ending to-do lists, you will never have the satisfaction of a game you can win, and there will never be a sense of accomplishment.  What is your unique ability, that fires you up and makes you feel like you do better than most people? (23:21) Mark says the ability to be meticulous with his time is a great asset. Discipline is something a lot of people struggle with, and he feels it’s a blessing to be disciplined.  Another factor for him is that he loves learning, and believes he is a quick study; he is able to find the frameworks and put them into action in a short time.  His third “superpower” is that he loves teaching; anything that has to do with mentoring and developing skills.  Something he’s really been digging into is adult learning, or training the trainer as it’s called in corporate circles. This boils down to training a team to do things very consistently and using the best learning practices for their task.  Given the uniqueness of our current situation, what books are you revisiting right now? (27:12) Mark says he has mainly been revisiting books lately because he is just not enthused by new books at the moment.  He says its probably a phase, but he has no interest in business books. Among the topics, he’s interested in are psychology, hard science, and philosophy. He recently revisited Man’s Search For Meaning, Sapiens, and Antifragile.  Among these books, he is also reading How Not To Be Wrong, which is known as Bill Gates’ top 10 books.  For the time being, he is enjoying books that are denser of nature.  Resources Connect with Mark on LinkedIn Visit Mark Fisher Fitness Website