HALO Talks

Dr. Jaime Schehr is one of a small number of people who is both a Registered Dietitian and Naturopathic Physician. After serving as a clinician in Mount Sinai for 12 years, she began her own practice in addition to starting Xfit Lab which has worked with companies like Soul Cycle and Peleton. Dr. Schehr "married medicine and fitness" and because of her broad background in both fields, is able to assess analyze and assess data in unique (and actionable) ways. In one of our more scientifically oriented HALO Talks, Dr. Schehr dives deep into VO2 max tests, separates some facts from fiction, and more! 

"You have to have sat on the operating side of the table if you want to be really effective in this space," states Leigh Randall, Managing Partner of Topspin Partners, a leading private equity firm in the HALO sector & consumer products and services space since 2000.  "We hear over and over from small business owners that there's a complete lack of appreciation for what they've accomplished!" What is private equity exactly? What can PE firms bring to the table for entrepreneurs? What should entrepreneurs know about approaching PE firms? Listen now to this info-packed chat with this seasoned executive.

"I'm naturally scrappy, I love a good challenge. . . I don't need to be a hero and do it alone!" says Jackie Stauffer, CEO & Founder of the innovative company, RECESS. A former college athlete, Estee' Lauder & Equinox Fitness marketing executive, RECESS was born (like many companies) from a personal frustration. "I was starting to not work out because of the whole 'waiting in line to shower!' thing. I thought there definitely had to be a better way!" states Stauffer. RECESS came out of that with the very apt tagline, "For the in-between moments." This game-changing, unique product is poised to blow up! Listen now to learn how's Jackie has gotten so far so quickly and where RECESS is going next.      

Ron is currently the CEO of Daxko but spent 26 years with Reynolds & Reynolds--the leading tech company in the retail automotive space. Jeff founded Club Automation which Daxko acquired in January, 2018. This chat with these two highly seasoned executives runs the gamut from the benefits of partnering, why you should consider this path when the time comes, how to vet an appropriate partner, how nascent the fitness industry is tech wise, and much more! 

Hari Singh was the Dairy Barn President for 15 years and learned about this "CrossFit thing" when it started making waves in NYC. He became a convert and started CrossFit NYC (the 16th CrossFit affiliate in the world.) With 26 instructors on staff and 2 locations, "We never thought we'd get 30 people!" he jokes. Hari has a strong relationship with Greg Glassman the Founder and mentions, "He isn't saying anything different today than he has when we first started." How do you win in an industry with no barriers to entry?  What was one of the biggest things CrossFit NYC did in the beginning that helped set them apart? Learn more about CrossFit's early days, Hari's journey & much more!  

One day, Elana Frankel, Co-Founder of Indigo & Haze--a highly curated CBD marketplace specializing in plant-based wellness, beauty, and living--was in Miami and the next? She was in the hospital having a CAT scan. The doctors still don't know what happened but they do know she suffered a TBI. (Traumatic brain injury.) Her road to recovery was accelerated due to her use of CBD tea, but she kept quiet about it. "3 or 4 years ago, CBD was underground, especially on the East Coast! People needed education. When you said 'cannabis' people went straight to marijuana or 'getting stoned' or 'do I need a medical card?'" says Frankel. CBD is non-intoxicating and has a massive array of health benefits. Listen now to learn more about her incredible journey and this rapidly moving market segment.          

"Save your money before you open your studio. You should have a minimum 3 months, preferably 6, of your operating budget in the bank before you open," states Julian Barnes, Co-Founder of the Boutique Fitness Summit ("BFS") which organizes 1-day summits in DC, NYC, and Chicago. Julian has been around the industry since playing competitive tennis as a child. He's run over 100 networking events in NYC from 2012-2017 & his passion for the boutique fitness space (and helping the Owner/Operators with best business practices) is contagious! If you're an Owner or General Manager of a boutique facility, this is event is a must.    

Focused on the place where "entertainment meets fitness," Crunch Fitness was a huge game changer when they first started. Cyrus, an 18+ year industry veteran & the Senior Vice President of Group Fitness Programming, discusses complex issues such as which type of programming to use in your facility. Top things you need to know to retain top talent. Pros and cons of pre-packaged programming. Her thoughts on streaming, the issues around health insurance for group exercise instructors and more! 

Wayne Strobel's ambitious goal is to have Beachbox become, "The Disney of health and wellness, creating cohesive brand experiences in our studios, at home, on our mobile devices, and online." Beachbox is "more than just a gym" and Wayne's extensive in the retail sector helped shape their mantra, "Build, Burn, Become!" Listen now to learn more about their unique gamification of their workouts through "Beach Bucks" and much more!

30 Minute HIT initially started in 2004 as a small idea that took hold in a "traditional" MMA gym.  Now with 71 brick & mortar locations in Canada and the USA, it was, "Initially an experiment to see if people would get results and become attracted to the program. It kind of exploded and then we knew we had something really sustainable and we could grow," says Jackson Loychuk, Co-Founder.  They brand has an incredibly devoted following. Everyone in their marketing is a client. They sold their first few licenses with zero advertising, and all their corporate support staff are current franchisees. Listen now to learn what's on tap for this fast-moving team!

With two successful exits behind her, Founder Gail Levy wanted to aid a friend who was searching for something to minimize effects of chemotherapy. With 150 research papers backing it up (there are many more now, 5 years later) molecular hydrogen came on her radar.  The first few years were self funded and, "After a ton of trial and error and having to start from scratch twice!" Hfactor is now a leader in the space and in stores nationwide. Listen now to learn more from this seasoned entrepreneur.  

Using a device called the Cryoskin (and in only 28 minutes per session) how does $38K in revenue the first month with no advertising sound? "It's already happened and the top distributor in the USA is doing approximately $65K per month," says Co-Founder Simon Mansell.  "It's hardware as a service," he continues. "The machine, training, and marketing are all free. One woman would come in, the next day 5 of her friends would follow." Listen now to more about this powerful revenue driver.  

Brian Gallagher and his partner started Throwback Fitness in April 2014 in NYC. They raised less than 100K from friends and family and crafted "the world's funnest workout." Both former investment bankers, neither had experience in fitness which was, "A big plus," says Gallagher. "We went lower risk initially because we didn't know what we were doing! We're students of the minimally viable product and wanted to just get something out there, tweak it and learn as we go. Not everything has to be perfect from the start." Throwback is now certifying teachers nationwide and working with YMCA's to scale their concept. 

Tom Hatten, Mountainside Fitness Founder, signed his first lease in 1990 and went on to build 17 clubs, making the company the largest independent operator in Arizona. Each club has at least 80 group classes with 3 very large studios. With child care and many other amenities, "We live at the top of the middle" says President Craig Cote. With tremendous brand equity in the region, listen to learn more about how they continue to cement their spot in an extremely competitive landscape and what's in store for the future.

Indoor cycling without the mirrors?! YES! And there's a specific reason why Nick Staples, Founder of Zenergy, does it that way. Zenergy started in Charleston, VA in July 2015 and focuses strictly on secondary markets. They've quickly grown to 3 studios with plans for an additional 10 in the next 24 months. "People didn't know what we were doing at first, but they believed in it and were having fun, and I think that in an untapped market, we were able to take something that started small and blew it out of the water," he states. Listen to learn more about how he did it. 

"The worst thing you can do as a gym owner is think because you work out, you know how to run a business," says Jim Czupil, Gold's Gym 2015 Franchisee of the Year. Jim was looking for his next step after retiring from the corporate world. He and his family now own 2 clubs which serve about 11,000 members combined. Learn more about his journey into the industry with Gold's. . . a brand who he's pleased to represent and notes, "They're absolutely there when you need them!"

Mark is a former finance executive who initially turned to fitness because it was a passion. "I thought I'd seed it, but I ended up running it going on 3+ years now!" he laughs. Zyn22 is a hybrid studio model based in the heartland of Texas combining Spinning and HIIT. They're getting a lot of attention, have a great handle on who they are (and who they cater to) and the demand for more is growing steadily. Listen now to learn more! 

Eliud began his career climb at Sam's Club. His store alone generated nearly $250K per day. He gleaned a ton from that well-oiled machine and eventually built up 7 Gold's Gym's with his father and 4 siblings. "Our Dad taught us the value of hard work, and that helped make us who we are today," he states.  The Garcia's have received multiple awards from Gold's corporate as top franchisees. Learn more about the pros and cons of working with family, starting from scratch, and more!         

What did it take to secure the extremely valuable Brooklyn, Bronx, & Queens Crunch franchise market? "Chutzpah!" laughs owner Assaf Gal. With 6.5 million people in those areas combined, Assaf has 10 units secured with two open and a third on the way. He continues, "The brand will help bring people in the door, but when they get in, it's your people that need to engage with them and keep them in." If you're an entrepreneur thinking about entering into a franchise agreement with a HALO sector brand, you'll find Assaf's advice incredibly valuable.  

https://www.halotalks.com/mp3/DavidBarton.mp3