094 Garrett Marshall, Paul Bedford, & Mike Leveque: Dealing With The Coronavirus

This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, Bryan O'Rourke shares his presentation live from Beyond Activ in New York. Beyond Activ is a leadership, investment, and business development event for owners, managers, and investors of health, wellness, fitness, and hospitality brands. Bryan was invited to present and host a panel on franchise innovation and growth with Emily Seaman, Head of Marketing from Momence, Bradford Smith, Chief Development Officer from PureGym, Eric Keller, VP of Support at Self Esteem Brands, and Justin Vartanian, Senior VP of International Division at Planet Fitness. You can access Bryan's presentation deck here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vSI72UFIcTKyT8G7yZ8jskOJaEknXvc6/view Recap of presentation is as follows: Key Drivers of Future Growth and Innovation (GII): Globalism, Demographics, Values, Technologies, and Economics are identified as the five mega-trend drivers of GII. Customer Spending and Attitudes: Younger generations (Gen Z and Millennials) are spending more on health and wellness than older generations. U.S. consumers consider going to the gym a core part of their fitness routine. Five Trends Impacting Businesses: Declining customer satisfaction due to cuts in customer service. Generative AI is shifting the internet experience from transactional to personal. Lack of differentiation and creativity in app and brand design. People feel overwhelmed by technology and desire more control and human connection. Traditional life paths and values are shifting, leading to uncertainty and a search for trust. 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer: Innovation and technology offer promise but also risk exacerbating trust issues and societal instability. CEOs are expected to address societal changes and lead on issues like job skills, technology ethics, and automation. Franchising and Competition: The International Franchise Association (IFA) tracks 9,000 brands in the U.S. alone, indicating high competition. There's also increasing cross-border competition for brands globally. Key Opportunities for Businesses: Prioritize the customer experience and personalization at scale. Differentiate through authentic branding and humanized technology. Embrace long-term thinking, adaptability, and a focus on human values and trust. CEOs should address societal impacts of innovation and lead on key issues. Overall, the presentation emphasizes the need for businesses to adapt to evolving consumer trends, technological advancements, and societal changes to drive future growth and innovation. please send podcast link asap ty One Powerful Quote: 9:45: "What this leads to inevitably for all firms and franchising is the balancing of humanizing their brands while futurizing their organizations." 4-10 Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 2:42: Bryan kicks off his presentation with the five leading trends influencing the industry. 12:04: Bryan asks the panel regarding growth strategy for franchising. 16:14: Bryan asks the panel about growth focus by geography, demographics, franchisees, or mergers/acquisitions. 19:35: Bryan asks the panel about leveraging technology to enhance franchise operations. 27:00: Bryan asks the panel about the challenge in executing innovation. 28:33: Bryan asks the panel about brand consistency and localization challenges for international brands. 32:59: Bryan asks the panel about low performing franchisees. 38:15: Bryan asks the panel about franchise saturation in the marketplace. 42:36: Bryan asks the panel about their personal slogans to business and life. 44:31: Bryan and the panel answer questions from the audience. Bullet List of Resources: https://beyondactiv.com https://momence.com/ https://www.puregym.com/ https://www.sebrands.com/ https://www.planetfitness.com/ Guest Contact Information: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-seaman/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradfordsmithfranchise/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-keller-cfe-6638a28/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinvartanian/ https://www.bryankorourke.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryankorourke/ http://www.fittechcouncil.org/ https://www.youtube.com/user/bko61163

23 Sep 202454min

This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O'Rourke welcomes Adam Alfia to the show. Adam is the Founder of Real Time Feedback, which is a customer engagement platform that allows customers to directly interact with businesses in real time. Customers submit discreet feedbacks that are sent in real time to a businesses owners and managers. The business can respond using the in-app 2 way chat feature to work with the customer to resolve any complaints. Once the issue has been resolved, the business can send the customer a link to give a positive review of the business. Today, Adam joins Bryan to talk about his business and his insights in managing the customer experience. One Powerful Quote: 17:04: "Build it as if you are talking to a 3 year old." 4-10 Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 3:08: Bryan opens the show by asking Adam how customers have changed in a more digital world. 10:54: Adam speaks on the barriers in adopting customer engagement platforms. 16:18: Bryan & Adam talk about simplicity as a key differentiator. 17:48: Adam shares his advice for operators to resimplify their processes to be more customer friendly. 21:55: Adam imparts his savvy business advice to the listeners. Bullet List of Resources: https://www.realtimefeedback.com/ Guest Contact Information: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamalfia/ https://x.com/adam_alfia https://www.bryankorourke.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryankorourke/ http://www.fittechcouncil.org/ https://www.youtube.com/user/bko61163

10 Sep 202425min

This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, Bryan O'Rourke welcomes back the infamous Sal Pellegrino to the show. Sal has worked in the fitness and wellness industry in a variety of roles, from club owner to equipment sales professional, to industry trend spotter and advisor in leading organizations. He is currently the Executive Director for FISA, which provides valuable research and unique events for the commercial and not-for-profit fitness industry. Today, Sal joins Bryan to recap his experience at CanFitPro, FISA, and latest trends in the industry. One Powerful Quote: 14:13: "We have to continue to share our collective wisdom." 4-10 Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 2:11: Bryan opens the show with Sal sharing his experience at CanFitPro. 4:53: Sal talks about FISA. 8:20: Sal shares his insights on the top trends happening in the industry. 12:49: Bryan asks Sal how operators can benefit from these trends. 14:44: Bryan inquires with Sal about the resistance in operators adopting technology solutions. 16:25: Bryan wraps up the show with Sal sharing the next FISA event and his contact information. Bullet List of Resources: https://beyondactiv.com/events/americas/ https://www.nunify.com/events/alloy https://fisana.org/ Guest Contact Information: https://x.com/Sal_Pellegrino https://www.linkedin.com/in/salpellegrino/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryankorourke/ http://www.fittechcouncil.org/ https://www.youtube.com/user/bko61163

30 Aug 202418min

This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, Bryan O'Rourke shares his panel discussion, The Download On Digital, from 2024 IDEA World live from Los Angeles. He is joined by fitness technology gurus Garrett Marshall, Eric Posner, Jeffrey Scott, Mike G. Hansen, and Deb/Debbie/Deborah Praver (Eble) as they take a deep dive into the latest trends, innovations, and how technology is revolutionizing the fitness industry. The panel also answers questions from the audience highlighting key topics in digitization, retention, hybrid experiences, strategies, content creation, and AI. One Powerful Quote: 37:18: "You're not gonna get what you don't ask for." 4-10 Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 3:12: Bryan opens the panel discussion with Garrett Marshall and Jeffrey Scott discussing wearable technologies and fitness apps reshaping the role of group fitness/trainers and the opportunities/challenges presented for these experiences. 11:03: Garrett Marshall speaks on the impact of virtual reality on the industry, how he sees it evolving, and how group fitness/trainers can incorporate it. 13:41: Bryan asks Deborah to speak on the proliferation of online fitness content and its impact for digital participants. Jeffrey and Mike add their insights. 19:25: Bryan asks Jeffrey whether digitization has improved or hindered accountability/adherence and how professionals can strike a balance to maintain client relationships. 21:54: Bryan asks Mike how AI is reshaping the role of fitness professionals and what skills they should have to stay relevant and competitive. 25:22: Bryan answers a question on monitoring clients and the depth of personalization. 29:36: Jeffrey asks Mike how to speak to AI and ask the right questions/prompts. Garrett and Bryan add their thoughts. 32:55: The panel answers a question on creating valuable fitness content. 36:14: The panel answers a question on building your online community base. 38:38: The panel answers a question on noncompete concerns. 41:57: The panel answers a question on synchronizing group fitness teams and trainers with digital platforms. 47:13: The panel answers a question on conducting digital transformation. 51:23: The panel answers a question on niche vertical integration. 52:18: The panel answers a question on preferred style of training. 56:10: The panel answers a question on scaling an online business. 1:00:50: The panel answers a question on balancing in-training and online training rates. Bullet List of Resources: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7218632384433250304/?commentUrn=urn:li:comment:(ugcPost:7218632383250489344,7218701436937760769)&actorCompanyId=757050 Guest Contact Information: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garrettmarshall/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericmposner/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrey-scott-8b171447/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeghansen/ https://x.com/Mike_G_Hansen https://www.linkedin.com/in/deb-debbie-deborah-praver-eble-b777486/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryankorourke/ http://www.fittechcouncil.org/ https://www.youtube.com/user/bko61163

15 Juli 20241h 5min

This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O'Rourke welcomes Brandon Bean to the show. Brandon is the Co-Founder of Lumin Fitness, a smart movement platform with a cutting-edge operating system design to leverage the latest advances in computer vision, digital displays, and machine learning to deliver personalized, interactive fitness experiences. Today, Brandon joins Bryan to talk about his business and key trends happening in the space. One Powerful Quote: 15:55: "Data is dopamine." 4-10 Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 3:33: Bryan asks Brandon's opinion on the latest trends in machine learning, personalization, and technology. 5:52: Brandon talks about his business, Lumin Fitness. 9:40: Brandon articulates how he conceptualized Lumin's business model. 17:01: Bryan inquires with Brandon on pricing strategy. 18:26: Bryan and Brandon discuss globalization of the major fitness brands and the implications on their business strategy. 23:01: Bryan wraps up the show by asking Brandon to impart his final advice to the listeners. Bullet List of Resources: https://lumin.fitness/ Guest Contact Information: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-bean-5523a8/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryankorourke/ http://www.fittechcouncil.org/ https://www.youtube.com/user/bko61163

1 Juli 202426min

This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O'Rourke welcomes Chris Edwards to the show. Chris is the Founder & CEO of TriCore Wellness which focuses on the integration of technology, health data, and professional coaching. TriCore Wellness seeks to develop and provide comprehensive wellness solutions for individuals, employees, and businesses. Today, Chris joins Bryan to talk about his business and truly define what wellness means. One Powerful Quote: 2:53: "Wellness is essentially living optimally without limitations." 4-10 Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 2:46: Bryan opens the show by asking Chris how he defines the term wellness. 4:12: Chris highlights the key trends in the wellness industry space. 5:49: Bryan inquires with Chris about how to deploy these solutions. 6:54: Chris talks about the repercussions in some of the recent medical interventions happening today in wellness. 8:07: Bryan and Chris talk about the implications in integrative care and health preservation for the aging population in the United States. 9:50: Chris shares his story about TriCore Wellness. 13:04: Chris elaborates on the strategic and growth perspective for TriCore Wellness. 14:54: Bryan wraps up the show with Chris imparting his final pearls of wisdom to the listeners. Bullet List of Resources: https://tricorewellness.com/ Guest Contact Information: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-edwards-367094196/ https://www.bryankorourke.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryankorourke/ http://www.fittechcouncil.org/ https://www.youtube.com/user/bko61163

24 Juni 202418min

This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O'Rourke welcomes Alan Thompson to the show. Alan is the founder and CEO of GroeFit, a gym member management software powered by computer vision technology. GroeFit leverages cutting-edge AI to provide gym staff with real-time insights, transforming big box gyms into supportive communities that recognize and nurture every member's fitness journey. Today, Alan joins Bryan to talk about GroeFit and why automated engagement is table-stakes for organizations. One Powerful Quote: 13:38: "Get good at marketing, really good at marketing." 4-10 Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 2:10: Bryan opens the show with Alan sharing his journey to launching GroeFit. 5:17: Alan talks about personalization and how GroeFit delivers personalized experiences. 8:28: Alan explains why automated engagement and personalization are table-stakes for large organizations. 11:50: Alan shares his insights and pearls of wisdom to the listeners. 15:20: Bryan and Alan talk about some of the tech at GroeFit. 21:35: Bryan wraps up the show with Alan. Bullet List of Resources: https://groefit.io/ Guest Contact Information: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alantheus/ https://x.com/AlantheusT https://www.bryankorourke.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryankorourke/ http://www.fittechcouncil.org/ https://www.youtube.com/user/bko61163

7 Juni 202424min

This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O'Rourke welcomes Steven Webster to the show. Steven is the CEO of ASENSEI which captures sports apparel and knowledge into software so that fitness equipment, training apps, and connected fitness products can coach and correct customer's movement in real-time. ASENSEI aims to strengthen engagement by turning solo practice into instructional learning, locks in brand loyalty by connecting coaching to clothing, and increase retention by showing customers measurable progress along a learning path. Today, he joins Bryan to talk about his business and the digital landscape of personalized training. One Powerful Quote: 8:51: "Challenges are just hooks for opportunities." 4-10 Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 3:03: Bryan opens the show by asking Steven about the digital landscape in digital wellness. 6:40: Steven shares his views on the innovator's dilemma. 9:24: Steven comments on the risk reward dynamic in business valuations. 11:12: Bryan inquires with Steven about his business, ASENSEI. 14:13: Steven talks about his journey and what he has learned. 17:41: Bryan wraps up the show by asking Steven to impart his final advice to the listeners. Bullet List of Resources: https://www.asensei.ai/ Guest Contact Information: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenwebster/ https://x.com/stevenjwebster https://www.bryankorourke.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryankorourke/ http://www.fittechcouncil.org/ https://www.youtube.com/user/bko61163

4 Juni 202422min