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Fitness + Technology

Welcome to the Fitness + Technology Podcast for club owners, operators, and fitness professionals! This show is your #1 trusted resource for the accelerating world of fitness technology. We regularly bring you an expert interview with a global influencer at the crossroads of fitness and technology. You’ll get the insights, tools, and inspiration you need to stay connected to the pulse of what matters most for your fitness business in the age of exponential technologies. This podcast is brought to you by the Fitness Industry Technology Council, who is mobilizing resources to drive the fitness industry forward, and representing leading companies and organizations to success through collaboration. This show is supported by Bryan O'Rourke and his family of companies including Vedere Ventures, a boutique investment and advisory firm helping early mature and late stage enterprises, moon mission media a digital marketing firm dedicated to the fitness space, and Integerus Advisors. To learn more visit bryankorourke.com
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Now displaying: October, 2017
Oct 31, 2017

For Episode 052 we're joined by Simon Hall, Principal Consultant at Fitness Business Experts and the General Manager of MYPT App, to show us the strategies needed to leverage technology and social media for generating leads, creating an engaging community experience, and increasing customer retention.

Even in our fast-paced digital world, we still see a serious lag in the adoption of social strategies and new technologies with many of today's clubs and personal trainers. This failure to take advantage of social platforms and new advancements in the fitness space will cause many facilities to suffer as others begin to offer a more exciting and emotionally engaging experience. 

Coming up, Simon breaks down the concept of creating a "Club-Within-A-Club." With the recent success of studio and boutique training centers, he shows how larger gyms can create a similar appeal within their existing facilities by transforming the experience around exercise classes. We talk about how many forward thinking club's now have specific ecosystems for their group training programs through using new technologies, upbeat music, and specialized branding.

These features add a custom feel for the members and fosters a community around these segments of the gym that provide their own unique atmosphere apart from the main facility. 

We also talk about the shocking statistics of members who aren't aware their gyms are even on Facebook. Simon explains the importance of having someone to be the technology "Champion" in the club, who takes charge of social media interaction, and leads the digital front for customer retention.

It's one thing to have the technology, but implementing and bringing it to the consumer in a seamless way calls for someone who is tech-savvy, enjoys creating content and posting on social platforms, and has a true passion for building a trusted bridge between their customers and technology.

With the high level of competition and rising consumer expectations in our industry, how can clubs and fitness professionals take advantage of new technologies and social platforms to offer a unique experience, build an engaged community, and increase member retention?

The answer to that question and much more takeaways for club owners, operators, and fitness pros in this episode with Simon Hall.

About Simon Hall

From hotel health club receptionist to respected industry consultant, Simon has held key roles: General Manager of Fitness & Marketing for the New Zealand YMCA, Manager of the Australian & New Zealand Fitness Industry Survey, consultant to many leading independent and popular fitness club chains. He was also Chairman / board member of Fitness New Zealand.

As Principle Consultant at Fitness Business Experts, he assisted all types of fitness businesses and operations to manage their business, improving operational efficiency, setting and managing marketing strategy, membership sales processes and training and anything to improve their bottom line.

Simon is also the General Manager of MYPT App, a mobile app development company. MYPT has created a Personal Training management platform for trainers to manage all aspect of their business from lead generation to accounts tools and client management. 

Along with his proven insights on fostering a deep connection between clubs and their members, Simon is also revolutionizing how personal trainers manage their business with MYPT App. This incredible lead generation tool is opening the door to hundreds of new potential clients for qualified fitness professionals in their local areas, as well as offering the payment and accounting systems that trouble so many small business owners.

Listen To Episode 052 As Simon Hall Uncovers

  • How MYPT App is helping fitness professionals manage their business and attract new leads
  • Simon's volunteer work protecting his local beaches as a Surf Life Saver
  • The current digital strategies clubs should implement to increase retention rates
  • The power of creating a separate boutique "Club-Within-A-Club" experience inside larger facilities
  • Important trends in fitness technology that Simon has noticed over the past 30 years
  • How boutique clubs are utilizing new technologies to up-level the customer experience
  • Leveraging social media to engage with members, create a community feel, and increase customer retention
  • The benefits of sending fitness reports to your members after classes and workouts
  • How big-box clubs can implement a uniquely branded, high-engagement group exercise model
  • Why the boutique portion of your facility is a good place to begin implementing technology
  • The geographical location features of MYPT App that connects clients with qualified local trainers
  • Blending technology into the club to keep members motivated, active, and retained
  • New combination boutique studios that combine 2 or more offerings such as yoga, spin, boxing, group training, etc.

Top 3 Takeaways From The Show

  • Clubs have no choice and now must fully embrace social media as an important tool for customer retention and member engagement. Currently, even though the majority of clubs have Facebook Pages and most their members are on social media, many facilities are failing to leverage these powerful platforms to connect with their customers. Simon recommends simple actions like displaying your social feeds on screens in the lobby and having group trainers casually invite members to engage and tag their gym and workout on social media.
  • Many trainers have a difficult time with lead generation and managing the accounting side of their business. If a fitness professional would like to spend more time perfecting their training craft and less time attracting new customers, there are now technologies that can solve this problem. The MYPT App is creating leads by pairing trainers up with local clients in need of their services while also providing calendars, scheduling, reminders, payment processing and so much more. 
  • Simon shows us the increased potential of fitness technology when combined with a "Champion" in the club who can lead the technology charge. In an era of exponential technology growth, what's most important to fitness professionals and operators is to understand where they are missing opportunities to engage and increase retention by formulating a trusted bridge between their customers and the technology. 

Power Quotes From Simon Hall

"Owners and operators need to place a much higher focus on the two biggest challenges we still face in our industry, customer acquisition and retention."  - Simon Hall on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

"Whether it's for social media or high-end features, clubs need someone to 'Champion' their technology, get people involved, and ensure a smooth integration with members."  Simon Hall on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

"Clubs who are taking their time to adopt new technologies need to quickly get on board. Consumer expectations are rapidly increasing and businesses who fail to implement new features and foster a community atmosphere though social media will be left behind."  Simon Hall on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

Resources Mentioned From Simon Hall

Thanks To Our Outstanding Sponsors

  • Bryan O’Rourke and his family of companies including Vedere VenturesIntegerus Advisors, and many more. If you are looking for unmatched guidance, capital, insights or a great speaker or facilitator, Bryan and his partners are the go to resource for your organization. To learn more visit bryankorourke.com
  • The Fitness Industry Technology Council, your non-profit resource for reliable technology information supported by forward looking brands who are seeking to drive increased technology adoption in the fitness industry. Make a difference and join FIT-C at fittechcouncil.org today
  • Check out Bryan and his partner Robert Dyer's recent book "9 Partnership Principles: A Story of Life Lessons" which is available now on Amazon.com

Become A FIT-C Podcast Sponsor

Oct 24, 2017

For Episode 51 we are joined by Garrett Marshall, Divisional CEO of Fitness On Demand, to discover how digital video programming is helping facilities enhance personalization, take advantage of underutilized space, and provide a greater variety of exercise formats to the consumer.

We're also exploring how to leverage the consumer fitness groundswell in our space. Fitness On Demand™ is a market-leading delivery platform of virtual fitness. Since 2010, their services have allowed facilities around the world to economically deliver premium fitness programs to their users. With programming and services designed to optimize space, streamline operations, and offer unparalleled variety, their services are a perfect addition to fitness facilities, apartment complexes, hotels, and more.

It's been shown that on average, functional training and studio rooms inside of clubs remain vacant 60-70% of the time. These new technologies are allowing facilities to capitalize on this space and provide a new digital experience to their members. Aside from the traditional gym setting, we also see this feature becoming a powerful amenity at resorts, hotels, and health facilities who want to provide their customers with an effective and engaging workout experience 24 hours a day.

With the groundswell of consumer health and fitness awareness on the rise, how can we leverage these cloud hosted technologies to take advantage of underutilized space, reduce operating costs, and provide members with unique and engaging workouts?

The answer to that question and much more takeaways for club owners, operators, and fitness pros in this episode with Garrett Marshall.

About Garrett Marshall

Garrett Marshall is the Divisional CEO of Fitness On Demand™, a market-leading developer of fitness delivery products for media and programming. Garrett combines a breadth of experience with an industry-specific, laser-focused, career path. Investing himself fully in each opportunity along the way, Garrett has been fortunate to play a role in several successful fitness businesses. His achievements span a variety of employment positions in small and large organizational settings. 

In the past, he served as a consultant to the commercial division of Snap Fitness, the Chanhassen, Minnesota-based franchisor of compact, state-of-the-art, 24/7 fitness centers, and as the manager of business development for Fitness on Request, based in North Maple Grove, Minnesota, which also markets video-based group fitness workouts. His first foray into the industry was as a membership sales associate with Life Time Fitness, Inc., a chain of large, full-service clubs based in Chanhassen, Minnesota.

Listen To Episode 051 As Garrett Uncovers

  • How on demand fitness programming will apply to the commercial fitness space
  • Ways that commercial brands can take advantage of the rising consumer health awareness
  • How clubs can utilize technology to minimize the "dead" times in studio and functional training rooms
  • The frequency and format preferences that members desire from on-demand fitness training
  • Garrett's insights from 15+ years in the fitness & technology space
  • His recipe for success when implementing video training into the group exercise setting
  • The need for commercial operators to have a digital and mobile strategy
  • Fostering connection and the "tribe effect" using digital platforms
  • The 28-day on-boarding process that customers receive when implementing Fitness On Demand
  • How clubs can reduce costs by using on-demand fitness to replace the live classes and formats they have simply carried over to satiate member demand
  • The Fitness On Demand mobile application that gives club members access to their routines and regimens when they can't make it to the gym.
  • Knowing when to schedule virtual programming to meet medium-interest times in the day, or when to leave the product open for on-demand to use
  • How Fitness On Demand integrates with the Health Kits on Google play and iOS to capture key pieces of vital work out activity when members engage through their mobile application
  • Task management systems Garrett recommends for busy professionals
  • How Fitness On Demand plugs into non-traditional facilities like resorts and hotels 
  • Garrett's conviction and purpose that fuels his leadership in the fitness industry
  • The top factors that currently appeal to the consumer:
    • Experience, Convenience, Personalization, and Education 

Top 3 Takeaways From The Show

  • Garrett believes that although it's one of the most engaging amenities, group fitness has also traditionally been one of the largest operating expenses for facilities. To address this issue, Fitness On Demand is uniquely positioned to help the customer add more value with digital video programming by offering added frequency, availability, and a variety of training formats, while at the same time reducing labor costs. Clubs can seek out technologies like Fitness On Demand to offset the expenses of underutilized space and for a digital replacement to live group classes. 
  • Personalization is one of the top appealing factors we see over and over when researching the behaviors of fitness consumers. In order to personalize products and services, you need to intimately know your target demographic. This requires we understand our customer's behaviors, whether it be a current member or a new prospect. Achieving this comes down to the value of data we collect as club owners and operators, and how we act and execute based on that information.
  • In order to effectively integrate and utilize new technologies in the club, there needs to be continuous education for fitness professionals and staff members. It's imperative to take a top-down leadership approach and ensure every level of employee within the club, from management to the trainers and sales staff, knows what the integration of any new technology will achieve, has a complete understanding of why they are doing it, and can easily communicate that to members and new prospects.

Power Quotes From Garrett

"In order to personalize your products and services, you have to intimately know the behaviors and preferences of the target consumer." Garrett Marshall on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

"Data collection needs to be at the forefront for all aspects of how the member interacts with the facility." Garrett Marshall on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

"As much as our product is designed to be an on-demand and self-service tool, it's a feature that really requires ongoing implementation; not just installation."  Garrett Marshall on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

Resources Mentioned From Garrett Marshall

Thanks To Our Outstanding Sponsors

  • Bryan O’Rourke and his family of companies including Vedere VenturesIntegerus Advisors, and many more. If you are looking for unmatched guidance, capital, insights or a great speaker or facilitator, Bryan and his partners are the go to resource for your organization. To learn more visit bryankorourke.com
  • The Fitness Industry Technology Council, your non-profit resource for reliable technology information supported by forward looking brands who are seeking to drive increased technology adoption in the fitness industry. Make a difference and join FIT-C at fittechcouncil.org today
  • Check out Bryan and his partner Robert Dyer's recent book "9 Partnership Principles: A Story of Life Lessons" which is available now on Amazon.com

Become A FIT-C Podcast Sponsor

Oct 17, 2017

As we fast-approach the one year anniversary next month for the fitness + technology podcast, today we're guided through some of 2017's most critical insights at the bleeding edge of trends and forecasts in our industry with the president of the Fitness Industry Technology Council, Bryan O'Rourke.

In this special 50th episode, we cover so much ground and discuss the pivotal fitness and wellness devices for the cloud so that our club operators, owners, and trainers can embrace the meaningful technologies and avoid falling behind the competition. We learn from Bryan about his take on the the way our 3 basic models in the commercial fitness space are being disrupted, how technology makes you the CEO of your own health, why more people die today from overeating than from famine, and the social and economic forces at play that have a direct impact on how all of us will do business in fitness in 2018 and beyond. 

If you've been listening to the show for a while and have received value from one or many of our expert guests, simply leave us a five star review for the podcast. Your voice helps the show reach more leaders and savvy fitness-tech minded professionals like you find the show, and gives our industry what it needs most right now: the credible, trustable, and tactical information to thrive in this digital era.

Over the past 50 shows, we've made a big focus on simplifying a sometimes cumbersome job of finding the reliable and detailed information about the trends occurring in the industry so your business can make informed technology decisions, and in this powerful conversation, we also uncover with Bryan how the rising level of consumer expectation will impact the need for club owners and operators to both embrace and implement the key technologies that will make a difference. 

With legacy technology systems in the United States driving risk aversion and slowing technology adoption in the fitness industry, what can we do as a fitness technology community to close the gap and serve more clients than ever before? 

The answer to that question and much more takeaways for club owners, operators, and fitness pros in this episode with Bryan O'Rourke.

About Bryan O'Rourke

Bryan O'Rourke is an experienced CEO, strategist, investor and advisor 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. His present focus is on fitness, wellness, health clubs, technology, innovation, finance, marketing and business development, but his expertise and consultancy extends to a number of disciplines and industries. As an executive and owner in multiple companies he is also President of the non-profit Fitness Industry Technology Council, driving innovation and collaboration 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. IHRSA named him one of 13 to watch in 2013. Bryan has contributed to two significant books on Innovation in the fitness sector. He delivers engaging customized keynotes and strategic working sessions and is a highly sought after speaker and facilitator who has delivered his message at industry conferences and organizational events on four continents.

Listen To Episode 050 As Bryan & Josh Uncover

  • How technology makes you the CEOP of your own health
  • How to use the tools and resources from the Fitness + Technology show to accelerate your businesses and career
  • Bryan's favorite interviews and insights from the past 50+ episodes
  • Blending the human aspect with technology to create an all-inclusive health, wellness, and training experience
  • How to find reliable and detailed information about the trends occurring in the industry so that businesses can make informed technology decisions
  • The gap between what's happening in the marketplace and how business owners are choosing to operate
  • The large number of businesses that don't have a reliable resource or means to analyze the data they collect
  • Connecting the dots between credible data and creating long-term behaviors changes for club members
  • The growth and collaboration we see with medical components and our health and fitness routines
  • How the CTA and Wellness Subcommittee are creating important standardizations for tracking and using data
  • The technology that may lead to a "dream dashboard" that will include activity and biosignature data
  • Why the U.S. is lagging in technological adoption compared to many Asian countries and the protocols that might help close the gap
  • How Apple's iOS 11 updates will allow for a more seamless club ecosystem
  • The need for club owners to embrace current technologies so they don't fall behind the competition
  • How the Fitness Industry Technology Council is supporting and mentoring new businesses and entrepreneurs
  • The ways that machine learning and AI may affect the health and fitness industries
  • The 3 basic models we see in the commercial fitness space
    • Membership 
      • This model is about selling first and lacks a focus and emphasis on the health outcomes of members. 
    • Community/Entertainment
      • People connect to their communities in a socialization construct with exercise being the main component. We are seeing this become more present with obstacle course races such as Spartan and Tough Mudder, and engaging group fitness activities such as Zumba.
    • Outcomes
      • This is the smallest piece of what we see in today's marketplace, although Bryan feels it's where we will find the most growth in years to come. People are realizing that with the rising costs of health care and the wellness epidemics we are facing, there is a serious need for a more holistic, proactive, and results-focused approach from their trainers and facilities.

Top 3 Takeaways From The Show

  • As the speed of technology increases, it's more important than ever for club owners, operators, and fitness professionals to make it a priority and "bake" into their weekly calendar the job of seeking out reliable and detailed information about the trends affecting our industry. This habit will provide the ability to make informed technology decisions and ensure members and clients receive the user experience the market is demanding. The advancements in tech have created a seamless fitness experience at many leading facilities, and clubs that fail to stay on top of the current trends members want in today's marketplace will surely lead to falling behind the competition.
  • To succeed in this new era of the fitness industry, it's imperative that business models include an emphasis and focus on the health outcomes and results of their members - not just new business units. As our population is suffering from more disease and the rising cost of health care becomes unsustainable, people across our nation are now seeing that a proactive and results-oriented program is of extreme importance.
  • Bryan believes that in this age of over-information, it's imperative that we don't fall into paralysis by analysis and fail to implement new technology. We are reminded in a previous episode by Marty Weems from Team EXOS that we have to keep pushing forward in this regard.  With Bryan's leadership and through this show, you can trust that the Fitness + Technology podcast will continue to seek out the most trustable information you depend on as we move faster towards wellness, fitness, and betterment technologies that are changing the landscape of how you run your fitness business.

Power Quotes From Bryan

"From a recent survey, two-thirds of businesses use digital marketing platforms, and one-third of those companies admit they don't know how to use it."  - Bryan O'Rourke on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

"In today's modern world, fitness is evolving into the larger space of overall physical and mental betterment."  - Bryan O'Rourke on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

"The greatest products and services of our fitness space have not been created yet."  - Bryan O'Rourke on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

"Being proactive as the CEO of your own health is really important to both the quality of anyone's life in the long run and in the cost of maintaining your quality of life in a sustainable way. That dynamic is not going to go away, in fact it's going to become even more pronounced."  - Bryan O'Rourke on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

Resources Mentioned From Bryan

Thanks To Our Outstanding Sponsors

  • Bryan O’Rourke and his family of companies including Vedere VenturesIntegerus Advisors, and many more. If you are looking for unmatched guidance, capital, insights or a great speaker or facilitator, Bryan and his partners are the go to resource for your organization. To learn more visit bryankorourke.com
  • The Fitness Industry Technology Council, your non-profit resource for reliable technology information supported by forward looking brands who are seeking to drive increased technology adoption in the fitness industry. Make a difference and join FIT-C at fittechcouncil.org today
  • Check out Bryan and his partner Robert Dyer's recent book "9 Partnership Principles: A Story of Life Lessons" which is available now on Amazon.com

Become A FIT-C Podcast Sponsor

Oct 10, 2017

We're exploring fitness devices, data, and ecosystems that matter with the CEO of Michael Wood Fitness and the CFO of Koko FitClub, Michael Wood. In this podcast, Michael uncovers what he believes is the recipe for success in merging the digital experience with in-person training.

Michael is widely recognized as one the nation’s top strength & conditioning experts. Through his leadership, Koko FitClub started as a integrated software company back in 2005. Not long after, they developed a strength training product with the goal of creating a unique turn-key coaching facility where the need for on-site trainers was to be obsolete. They saw moderate success with this new style of automated coaching, and soon realized that a critical component was missing: 

Human connection.

When Koko FitClub realized their digital experience needed to be upleveled to provide their members with both the technology and human connection they were looking for, they innovated a unique way to blend their tech with traditional training and semi-private exercise classes. From these pivotal changes, the members had a one-of-a-kind experience of tracking, coaching, and programming that provided a new and exciting way of working out. 

Listen in as Michael also speaks to technology and its role in taking a proactive and holistic approach to our wellness and shares the essential nutrition and mindfulness apps that support monitoring to make lasting changes in health behaviors.

This all-encompassing wellness approach that Koko delivers, inside and outside of the club, shows the true value of providing members with a unique blend of digital coaching, in-person training, and the online tools and resources to transform their nutrition and mindset.

But with the almost endless ocean of new technology, apps, devices, and platforms emerging in fitness and wellness, what are the integral parts of the optimal ecosystem in 2018?

The answer to that question and much more takeaways for club owners, operators, and fitness pros in this episode with Michael.

About Michael Wood

Michael Wood, CSCS, is widely recognized as one the nation’s top strength & conditioning experts. He serves as CEO of Michael Wood Fitness, formerly the Sports Performance Group, founded in 1988. The award-winning fitness-consulting company calls some of the biggest names in the athletic, academic, and entertainment industries their clients. The company has completed more than 35,000 training sessions to date under Michael’s guidance. Michael is also the Chief Fitness Officer at Koko FitClub, LLC, which develops interactive software and hardware for the $60B worldwide fitness and wellness industry. Koko FitClub is a national franchise with currently more than 100 locations throughout the United States and Canada.

Michael’s honors have included receiving the coveted Boston Magazine “Best of Boston” award and in both 2004 and 2005 Men’s Journal named Wood one of the top 100 trainers in the United States. In the December 2004 issue, the magazine also included Michael on their trainer “Dream Team,” comprised of the nine best trainers in the U.S. He is also a member of the Fitness Industry Technology Council and works with clients via the Wellness Roundtable. He is also a former member of Power Bar Team Elite. Michael has also raised money for two scholarship funds when he reached the summit of Africa’s highest peak, Mt. Kilimanjaro (19,340′), in 2008 with Thompson Safaris.

His professional experience includes director of business development and business director at two Velocity Sports Performance franchise locations, and director of strength and conditioning at New England Sports Academy. In addition, he had the great fortune of working as assistant strength and conditioning coach at the University of Connecticut and senior exercise physiologist at the Nutrition, Exercise Physiology and Sarcopenia Laboratory at the USDA-HNRC on Aging at Tufts University. Michael has also consulted for Sage Strategies, LLC, a premier management consulting firm specializing in the health and fitness, as their corporate fitness expert.

Listen To Episode 049 As Michael Uncovers

  • Why the fitness industry has seen the numbers of tech devices rapidly increase and how this affects our space
  • How the integration of digital coaching and in-person training provide a unique gym experience at Koko Fitclub
  • Why he founded Michael Wood fitness, LLC to address the unique demands of the fitness industry
  • The mission, vision, and change he is creating with Michael Wood Fitness
  • Michael's proven insights from nearly 30 years at the forefront of fitness and wellness technology
  • Why human connection was a critical component in the success of Koko's automated member tech
  • Koko's Smart Trainer technology that demonstrates various exercises and 30 minute workouts from celebrity trainers
  • The "personal USB stick" that allows every member to track data from their workouts
  • Why trainers are a necessity on location to assist members with the digital aspects of the club
  • Koko's principles of success that ensure they stay above the national average for weekly visits
  • The functional training classes that are attracting the younger clientele
  • Why Michael believes integrating fitness and lifestyle data into our programs will drive proactive health 
  • Understanding the "betterment" technology sector what this means to our fitness space
  • Using nutrition tracking to produce a sustainable behavior change
  • The top nutrition apps that are helping us to eat better, lose weight, and get healthy
  • Koko's online nutrition program and tools that provide a holistic wellness experience
  • Why Fitbit and Dexcom are partnering to produce continuous glucose monitors 
  • Using biomarkers and genetic testing to get a deeper picture of our health
  • Delivering the personal attention that brings out the best in member experience  
  • Koko's 3 pillars of individualized coaching:
    • Foundation
      • How Koko FitClub coaches works closely with members to set goals and outline a realistic plan to get there. They re-establish your body’s natural movement patterns and work to build a foundation of fitness in just a few weeks. This is where you’ll build a workout habit that “sticks”.
    • Concentration
      • To concentrate on goals, instructors safely increase the intensity of the coached workouts, including total-body strength and cardio conditioning. A personalized nutrition plan will help improve energy and fuel greater results from the workout.
    • Transformation
      • Reshape the body from the inside out with a sustainable, coached training program designed to burn fat and build lean muscle for life. With just 2-3 sessions a week on average, members feel stronger and leaner with more energy to take on new challenges.

Top 3 Takeaways From The Show

  • Michael reminds us of the incredible potential of fitness technology when combined with dedicated coaching and human connection. In an era of exponential technology growth, what is most important to fitness professionals and operators is to understand their unique and signature type of service that utilizes the best-of-the-best in the tech but also formulates a trusted bridge from a member to a dedicated coach.
  • Michael shared that Koko's digital coaching model didn't actually find true success until the physical coach was inside the gym. Whether it's for personal training or facilitating the integration of Koko's technology, the human connection aspect is a highly critical piece of their success. 
  • It's important to remember that fitness begins from the inside out. While of course exercise is an essential piece to any wellness routine, Michael believes we must now pivot in the fitness industry towards a comprehensive wellness approach with a key focus of mindfulness. He recommends apps like Sugar Rush to help regulate our intake and glucose levels, and Inside Tracker to get a better understanding of our biomarkers. But regardless of whatever device or application used it's the true integration of personality, technology, and human connection that will drive a successful ecosystem.

Power Quotes From Michael Wood

"In addition to our digital coaching, the in-person trainer is key for helping members learn our technology and get results in a safe, quick, and effective manner."  - Michael Wood on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

"Once we were able to pair our digital experience with a good knowledgeable coach, Koko's success was taken to a new level." - Michael Wood on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

"The best exercise program in the world isn't going to change someone if you can't adjust their mindset and behavior."  - Michael Wood on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

Resources Mentioned From Michael

Thanks To Our Outstanding Sponsors

  • Bryan O’Rourke and his family of companies including Vedere VenturesIntegerus Advisors, and many more. If you are looking for unmatched guidance, capital, insights or a great speaker or facilitator, Bryan and his partners are the go to resource for your organization. To learn more visit bryankorourke.com
  • The Fitness Industry Technology Council, your non-profit resource for reliable technology information supported by forward looking brands who are seeking to drive increased technology adoption in the fitness industry. Make a difference and join FIT-C at fittechcouncil.org today
  • Check out Bryan and his partner Robert Dyer's recent book "9 Partnership Principles: A Story of Life Lessons" which is available now on Amazon.com

Become A FIT-C Podcast Sponsor

Oct 3, 2017

On this podcast we explore the deeper impact of the 2017 fitness industry technology trends and beyond in this era of exponential growth with the President of the Fitness Industry Technology Council, Bryan O’Rourke, for a special featured podcast from the FIT-C webinar recorded LIVE just days ago.

With technology becoming not just a thing we use, but something we will become with no boundaries, Bryan reminds us that if we can think it, it can be. Yet even with all the technology that is creating more opportunity in and out of the fitness space than ever before, we also must understand the unforeseen consequences that tech is producing and how we can adapt to transcend the negativity around those changes. 

You’ll learn why Bryan believes we are in the "knee of the curve" when it comes to rapid adoption and creation of new exponential tech, how this relates to the 4 key driver dynamics of why technology must serve specific purposes for business including omnipresence, personalized service, sustainability, and aesthetic UX design.

Bryan also uncovers how Amazon is using data points, cognition, algorithms, and how this effects a new paradigm of value creation when look at our older paradigms that were less data centric.

From AI coaching, Habit DNA based customized eating plans, ELF mindfulness tech, AI Therapy, Augmented reality and so much more, Bryan spotlights how the fitness industry can leverage these new technologies to deliver higher value business models that support growing our industry, and why he believes we will shift away from the negative consequences of technology to ubiquitous delivery that makes tech more like the air we breathe, more powerful, and more able to impact our fitness business than ever before. 

About Bryan O'Rourke

Bryan O'Rourke is an experienced CEO, strategist, investor and advisor 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. His present focus is on fitness, wellness, health clubs, technology, innovation, finance, marketing and business development, but his expertise and consultancy extends to a number of disciplines and industries. As an executive and owner in multiple companies he is also President of the non-profit Fitness Industry Technology Council, driving innovation and collaboration 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. IHRSA named him one of 13 to watch in 2013. Bryan has contributed to two significant books on Innovation in the fitness sector. He delivers engaging customized keynotes and strategic working sessions and is a highly sought after speaker and facilitator who has delivered his message at industry conferences and organizational events on four continents.

Listen To Episode 048 As Bryan Uncovers

  • The unintended consequences that arise from technology 
  • Putting technology into historical context
  • Why we are close to the exponential curve of technology adoption exploding at a rapid pace
  • The importance of technology being able to serve people wherever and whenever they choose
  • Technology's impact & the Old Paradigm vs. the New Paradigm of Value Creation for organizations: 
    • Data points and information
    • Cognition and learning
    • Dollars and transactions
    • Users
  • How the new age of products and services are more interrelated than ever before 
  • How businesses are using data collection to increase revenue and improve the user experience
  • Exploring the 4 Quadrants of user model context:
    •  Omnipresence
    •  Personalized service
    •  Aesthetic UX design
    •  Sustainability
  • Technological improvements in the world of nutrition
  • Using biofeedback and measuring activity in the brain to help you create a desired state of mind
  • The increasing functionality of sensors being built into phones
  • How AI is affecting the fitness space
  • The augmented reality that's been built in the iPhone 8 
  • The technology that is detecting medical conditions before they become problemtatic

Top 3 Takeaways From The Show

  • Bryan believes that developing Omnipresence will be the key to our success in the digital world. Whatever we do as an industry should have a physical, digital, and hybrid version. To truly lead in the era of exponential technology our products and services need to be available wherever and whenever our customers and communities choose to participate.
  • When it comes to services, Bryan's guidance and research shows that technology must be extremely relevant, contextualized, and personalized to the user. The more personalized it is, the more valuable it is.
  • It's critical to keep the user experience in mind, especially in such a high touch and intimate setting like the fitness space. The user experience must be beautiful, simplistic, and frictionless. When we look through the lens of technology, we must see it as a tool to apply the four key drivers for all organizations including omnipresence, personalized service delivery wherever and whenever, aesthetic UX design with frictionless use, and lastly sustainability. Bryan reminds us we are at the precipice of a mass adoption at the "knee of the curve" and now is the time to explore how this will transform all the operations both inside and outside of your fitness business.

Power Quotes From Bryan

"We're moving to an evolution of technology being ubiquitous to the point that it's like the air we breathe." - Bryan O'Rourke on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

"Mindfulness is a rapidly growing area and a counterbalance to how technology has overtaken many of our lives"   - Bryan O'Rourke on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

"Many of the service personnel will soon be robotic. This technology is already here and will become mainstream in the next 5-10 years."  Bryan O'Rourke on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

Resources Mentioned From Bryan

Bryan O’Rourke and his family of companies including Vedere VenturesIntegerus Advisors, and many more. If you are looking for unmatched guidance, capital, insights or a great speaker or facilitator, Bryan and his partners are the go to resource for your organization. To learn more visit bryankorourke.com

  • The Fitness Industry Technology Council, your non-profit resource for reliable technology information supported by forward looking brands who are seeking to drive increased technology adoption in the fitness industry. Make a difference and join FIT-C at fittechcouncil.org today

  • Check out Bryan and his partner Robert Dyer's recent book "9 Partnership Principles: A Story of Life Lessons" which is available now on Amazon.com

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