022 #IHRSA2017 LIVE - Fitness Technology Ecosystems & The Youth Market

For the second half of our featured series "LIVE from IHRSA 2017," we're learning from two fitness technology professionals in different parts of our industry spectrum. In this doubleheader episode recorded live after the FIT-C roundtable session, we explore two important topics that make a direct impact to your fitness business.

First up is Geoffrey Little, President of GSL Consulting, to learn about the fast growing segments in both group and boutique fitness operations; specifically the opportunities for monetization and service in the youth market and sports performance.

Geoffrey worked at MINDBODY for 11 years, from early days through the 2015 IPO and is now a consultant to both vendors and operators in the fitness, wellness and education sectors and works with clients such as Virtuagym, who are exhibiting here at IHRSA.

Prior to MINDBODY, he worked in television documentary and media, covering naGo eight sorting out 50ture, science and technology, working with Time magazine, National Geographic, IMAX, and public TV.

Listen To Episode 022 As Geoffrey Uncovers

• What's next for the boutique or studio business
• What are the financial and service gaps to be found in the youth and sport performance markets
• The history of mind-body software from the beginning and what club operators can learn from their success
• What does the VirtuaGym technology do for the bottom line of the clubs and member experience
• How to identify new flourishing segments of the boutique and studio space changing over the next two years
• Why on the studio side, 20 to 30% year-over-year growth is continuing and what are the factors of how it may stall
• Exploring the youth sports market and sports performance markets for children and adolescents, and how the spending habits of parents correlate
• How Goeffrey used years of media experience to be a valued consultant to the fitness industry
• What needs to be top of mind in regards to technology for club owners

Top 3 Takeaways From The Show

• Geoffrey reminds us that golden opportunities are still out there with many more to come when looking at the growing space of boutiques, studios, and specifically sports performance and youth market styled facilities.
• With the millions of parents across the country and even more globally, the opportunities that exist for new delivery models in fitness are reflected by the data from the spending habits of health minded and caring parents who are seeking both youth sports and athletic training experiences for their children and adolescents.
• Beyond yoga, cycling, and group fitness classes where the parents can get a dynamic experience enhanced through technology, that same construct can and will apply to the facilities in the future that serve both families as well as individuals.

Power Quotes From Geoffrey

"In the FIT-C Roundtable, I shared how I've been waiting for over a decade to see this growth. I've been anticipating some of the giants to come into the business, which is going to continue to grow in both the studio and boutique, and this has now picked up the attention of Google and other big players. They are going to make the ground shake." - Geoffrey Little on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

"The youth market is almost completely separate from the health club market, however, health clubs could benefit with younger children as members. When we look across the data, a youth market that's really booming and getting the investment money right now is sports performance." - Geoffrey Little on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

Resources Mentioned From Geoffrey

• VirtuaGym
• IHRSA 2017
• Geoffrey on LinkedIn
• Sebastian Thrun: Inventor of the Driverless Car
• Orange Theory Fitness
• Redline Youth Sports
• Gymboree
• Parisi Speed School
• Soccer Shots
• I9 Sports
• Zapier
• iClass Pro
• Todd Durkin
• Body Evolver Data Hub
• Parents spending habits for youth sports
• The 2017 FIT-C Tech Trends Report

Tune in at 16:05 to hear from our featured guest, Kalen Pino of VirtuaGym.

With the mass of technology solutions now available for clubs, what customized software solutions will really help fitness facilities maximize the use of applications and mobile in both new member integration and in providing unforgettable member experiences?

In supporting and servicing over 4000 facilities, Kalen Pino, the US Sales Manager of VirtuaGym, unpacks the common approaches, best practices, and experience from thousands of conversations with club owners about what's really working from a technology perspective. He also shares how to create the right ecosystem that incorporates both a real benefit for the club while taking into account the functionality that the member actually wants.

Listen To Episode 022 As Kalen Uncovers

• What's the deeper impact of the IoT for clients, members and virtual fitness technology
• How to properly listen to your members to elicit better service with the use of technology
• Why VirtuaGym provides a truly different approach to club owners than other software solutions
• How to build the bridge between new technology implementation for a club owner from a mindset standpoint
• How to map out the customer journey and differentiate your club to establish "speciality" in your neighborhood
• How to address technology and change management with your staff
• The proper way to implement new technology systems into a busy health club
• What are the common roadblocks for new technology implementation
• Why there is "no sale without the story and no knockout without the set up" - Gary Vaynerchuck IHRSA keynote
• What a successful new member journey would look like when sourced digitally
• Using virtual coaching to establish greater client success rates when tied into a central hub system
• What to consider when looking at branded solutions: use a third party or deciphering when to build your own

Top 3 Takeaways From The Show

• Kalen believes that to find balance between what the gym wants from a business and operational standpoint and what the member really wants in function and service essentially starts with smart surveys, not immediate technology.
• Part of a new member orientation that most clubs are used to is walking around the member to show off the equipment and services on the fitness floor, but Kalen reminds us to also "show off the technology" and demonstrate how from the minute a member walks in the club they will notice the club's progressive use of mobile technology.
• No matter what software solution you're tying in to club operations, having mobile technology for customers to pay membership dues and purchasing services like personal training and childcare are just the start. What separates the great clubs from the good are software systems that truly work with one another. As referenced from Gary Vaynerchuk's keynote at the 2014 IHRSA we need to create a story and an experience to draw the members in build trust and then make the sale because there is no sale without the story and no knockout without the set up. Implementing the jab-jab-jab right hook model with the use of technology is sure to benefit the club and the customer for the long-term.

Power Quotes From Kalen

"Business within the fitness space is and always has been all about the people. The secret sauce of an organization and what they've done in order to be successful must now understand what new technology can amplify where they have already done an incredible job." - Kalen Pino on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

"It all comes down to creating the right ecosystem. Whatever it is that you choose as your technology strategy, you must make sure that it's part of who you are as an organization and part of your DNA." - Kalen Pino on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

Resources Mentioned From Kalen

• VirtuaGym
• VirtuaGym on facebook
• VirtuaGym on Twitter
• VirtuaGym on LinkedIn
• Gary Vaynerchuck
• Gary Vaynerchuk's keynote at the 2014 IHRSA
• FIT-C Roundtable
• Virtual Coaching VirtuaGym
• The 2017 FIT-C Tech Trends Report

Support This Podcast

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• Download the 2017 Tech Trends report

Thanks To Our Outstanding Sponsors

• 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