035 Women & Technology In Fitness

On episode 35 were spotlighting two industry leaders, whom together along with the newly founded Women In Fitness Association, are creating a vibrant space for female leadership in the fitness world.

We're talking to Lindsey Rainwater, an experienced advisor and consultant to the fitness and wellness industry, and Debra Siena, President of Midtown Health. This is a timely subject as the habits, needs, considerations and consumer behaviors of women are so important in the digital age for club owners and operators to understand.

With over 80% of purchase decisions being made by women, we're uncovering in this show how the different segments of technology relate to and how they plug into the way operators and clubs will interact with women inside and outside the club, both today and in the future.

What are women really asking for at the crossroads of fitness and technology? What will the Women In Fitness Association do to support professional women in the fitness industry?

The answers to those questions and much more takeaways for club owners, operators, and fitness professionals with Lindsey Rainwater & Debra Siena in this podcast.

About Lindsey Rainwater

Lindsey, also known as Lindsey Rainh2o is a sought after Business Advisor and Consultant, Writer and Presenter. Lindsey loves helping people and organizations enjoy transformational change. Her enthusiasm for leadership, conscious living, and wellness amplified by technology drives the majority of her writing. Lindsey's intuitive and intentional form of communication facilitates unimaginable shifts in the unconscious mind resulting in powerful written, verbal and presentation skills.

As a well thought of advisor to the professionals supporting the fitness industry, she is known for her work in business development, business strategy, digital marketing, content creation and change management. Lindsey is also the Founder of The Women in Fitness Association, an association focused on supporting the professional Women in the Fitness Industry. She flows gracefully within a continually changing environment offering consistent effectiveness while delivering creative results. Her entrepreneurial spirit and drive has created a track record of consistent over-achievements throughout her career.

About Debra Siena

Debra Siena joined the Midtown Athletic Clubs and Midtown Health, in 1986. She is currently President of Midtown Health, a leader in customized fitness center management and employee health and wellbeing solutions nationwide. During her career with Midtown, Ms. Siena has been involved in health club development, acquisition and management of multiple clubs, ranging from 1,200 to 200,000 sq. ft.

Debra has been a featured speaker at wellness industry conventions since 1989, including the International Health Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA), Club Industry, the Medical Fitness Association, and the World Fitness IDEA convention, having presented in North America, Europe, South America and Asia. Ms. Siena served on the IHRSA board of Directors from 2003 through 2007, and Co-Chaired the Worksite Wellness Committee for Building a Healthier Chicago from 2006 through 2012. Debra received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree "with Honors" from the University of Illinois in Champaign and taught Kinesiology at Columbia College.

Listen To Episode 035 As Lindsey & Debra Uncover

• What is the WIFA doing for the women in our space
• The Women In Fitness Association: Why now more than ever it is important to create female mentorship
• How the attention spans of women and men differ when we look at the the application of technology
• Uncovering the nuances of pregnancy apps and a woman's needs
• Multitasking: Men vs. Women in the modern world
• Connection and socialization: What virtual apps and ecosystems appeal to women
• Relationship and community considerations when using technology in the fitness industry
• Exploring the mindset and roles of managers using new technology in and out of the club
• How in club technology solutions can equip owners and operators with better decision-making power based on real-time data of consumer behavior
• Understanding the national presence of technology segmentation for virtual fitness
• Understanding the differences between wellness and fitness tech responsiveness across the globe
• The acceptance of artificial intelligence combined with smart virtual coaching
• Why we are seeing additional mindfulness and restorative programs in health facilities

Top 3 Takeaways From The Show

• Debra believes that in Europe we are seeing a lot more virtual classes having sweeping popularity, which is slowly making its way as a larger trend in the United States. We are reminded by her wisdom that technology always has its place but as we get more high-tech then we have to stay high-touch, It's the combination of those that is going to make us most successful.
• We are reminded both by Debra and Lindsey that when it comes to wearable technology integrating deeper into the lifestyle of women in the fitness industry and the consumers that we all serve, to keep the visual aspect top of mind. The way that women interact and engage with technology is fundamentally different than men, and we must respect this difference when looking at the user experience and the look and feel of our devices and software.
• Lindsey believes that with 80% of buying decisions being made by women from a consumer standpoint, having a well-rounded representation of women in fitness, and really all types of organizations is just good business practice. Her aim with WIFA is to see more women in the board room, championing each other to achieve, and sharing success through collaboration. WIFA is creating a place where young women entering our space can find mentorship and for every seasoned veteran to have an impact on her peers that ripples out to affect the masses.

Power Quotes From Lindsey & Debra

"There's no question that women like a virtual fitness community. This has been built off of the group exercise phenomenon and how the majority of women are in classes taking advantage of that community in person, and they've extrapolated that connection into a virtual community where we have more women that check in in the clubs than men, we have more women that follow us under social media than men, I think that there is no question that women like the idea of being connected to a group whether it's competitively or just socially." - Debra Siena on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

"There's things that only women track, whether it's body temperature or the relationship to a female specific needs, or even heart rate relative to being nine months pregnant like myself. Whatever it is that we want to track, I don't think that the wearable market or sensor market has totally honed in on how to support us. We've come a ways forward, but I think there's still a big opportunity here." - Lindsey Rainwater on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

Resources Mentioned From Lindsey & Debra

• Women In Fitness Association
• Why The Wearable Device Market Isn't Giving Women What They Want
• Women Are Better Than Men At Multi-Tasking, Study Says
• The Women in Fitness Association (WIFA)
• WIFA on facebook
• WIFA Blog
• Lindsey Rainwater's website
• Lindsey Rainwater on LinkedIn
• Lindsey Rainwater on Twitter
• Lindsey Rainwater on Slide Share
• Lindsey Rainwater on Instagram
• Debra Siena on LinkedIn
• Debra Siena on Twitter
• Debra Siena on Slide Share
• Debra Siena - Midtown Health
• Women in Technology International
• IHRSA
• Fitbit Alta HR
• To-Do List App
• Headspace App
• Hearables Vs. Wearables
• 016 Lindsey Rainwater: Using Group Fitness Technology To Increase Revenue
• The Most Important Fact Every Organization Must Realize
• Group X: Boost Your Group Fitness in 2017 With These Tips
• How To Win Friends And Influence People
• Never Eat Alone
• Good To Great
• Apple News
• Tech Crunch App
• 2017 Forbes Top Technology Trends
• Lindsey's Contribution In the 2017 FIT-C Tech Trends Report
• The 2017 FIT-C Tech Trends Report

Thanks To Our Outstanding Sponsors

• Turbo-STRAPP is a wearable platform that harnesses the power of wearable fitness devices and seamlessly shares the data with fitness professionals. The platform allows you to connect with users throughout the day and provide professional guidance, workout suggestions, and even nutritional tracking. The potential to grow your business globally through digital content has arrived. Visit their website at www.turbo-strapp.com and enter your email for a FREE GUIDE on how to grow your online business.
• Bryan O'Rourke and his family of companies including Vedere Ventures, Integerus 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