HALO Talks

25 years after working incredibly hard to attempt to dance professionally in NYC, Ruth stepped into her first indoor cycling class at the Reebok Sports Club on the Upper West Side in NYC. Not long after that, an entire movement (and arguably a new sector of the fitness industry) was born.  Industry icon Ruth Zuckerman discusses everything from the instructor training, the initial hurdles of expansion, maintaining authenticity, the history of the early days of Soul Cycle and Flywheel, and provides her two top pieces of advice for all entrepreneurs in the HALO sector. This is a must for everyone in the HALO space! 

"You have to really learn how to manage yourself as an entrepreneur. . .nobody's coming to rescue you. It's consistency and persistence that makes the difference," states Deekron Krikorian, Founder of Sharp Body. Deekron founded RockitWave8 which later became MotionTraxx. . .still among the top 5 for running music on iTunes. They had over 100,000 steady subscribers and 1 million downloads in the first 10 months along with Cliff Bar, Gatorade, ASICS, Powerbar and others as sponsors. Pete and Deekron discuss how do you know when it's time to step back?  Is it always necessary to exit? Listen now to this wide ranging discussion on all things entrepreneurial!

"We test where we know we can be true to ourselves. Where we don't test is to go trying to be everything to everybody else," states industry veteran Jay Wagnon. Jay owns Sky Fitness, 3 large clubs in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He later became an Area Developer for Orange Theory Fitness which he's since sold. This wide ranging conversation covers the pros and cons of becoming a franchisee versus building your own brand, the process of selling your business, the evolution of the industry, how he kept competitors at bay, and more! 

Dr. Paulvin's practice is very highly regarded in NYC and on the leading edge of advances in science, tech, and personalized precision medicine. In this wide ranging conversation, he discusses his years of building out his practice geared toward the HALO sector. Topics touched on range from the increase in the recovery space, peptides, "peptide packs," Theragun, Hyperice, lymphatic massage, Copper compression, NuCalm, Neufit, PMF, neuromodulation and more! Listen now to learn more about this burgeoning part of the medical field. 

"Once you learn how to build something and understand the fundamentals of keeping something going--and training people to do that--you can apply that model to many different settings," states Marc Cohen, long-time industry veteran. From serving as the VP of Training for David Barton (which he helped take nationally) to the Director of BFX Studios, Mark has worked with facilities of all sizes. This broad discussion touches on everything from advertising, to the positives (and negatives) of technology, thoughts of the future of the industry . . . and some of his top pieces of advice for new clients!

If you've been in the HALO space for any length of time, you've most certainly come across one of the icons in the industry--Rick Caro. Rick is one of the original founders of IHRSA and is now on his 46th year. In this comprehensive, wide ranging discussion, Rick takes us through some of the key markers in the business: EFT, rise of educational programs, the beginnings of HVLP facilities, rise of the boutiques, corporate wellness, and his concerns (and excitement!) for the future of the industry. 

"When you start with dance, people aren't victims anymore. . .their full potential is reached," states Vandana Hart, creator of the highly regarded Netflix show, We Speak Dance. As a lifelong dancer trained with Alvin Ailey, Vandana's desire to effect greater change moved her into working with the UN on various humanitarian efforts all over the world, during which, her self-financed "Anthony Bordain" style show was born. Among many other things, future plans include launching a We Speak Dance Method which will benefit local dancers around the world, aid in solving the ecosystem of dance not being valued as an art form, educate dancers on how valuable it is to own your own IP, and much more! 

FlextIt allows users to work out at thousands of fitness clubs across the US at affordable, by-the-minute rates. They're now in 20 states and recently hit their 1000th club to join the platform.  "We're not a discounting service. We're not the cheapest option on the market, and everything we do is owner or operator-centric. Everything is up to their discretion," states CEO Austin Cohen. Listen now to learn more from this seasoned entrepreneur and the incredible growth of FlexIt!  

 "We have a baby. . . and its name is Brrrn," laughs Co-Founders Jimmy and Johnny. The initial idea started back in 2013 and, after many iterations and "hundreds" of no's, they ended up testing their cold weather workout idea at the SixPoint Brewery in Brooklyn.  After some tweaks, the (now 50 degree) workout landed (with incredible press!) in the Flatiron district in NYC-the epicenter for all things fitness. Listen now to learn about the challenge of starting concept which was (extremely) non-traditional at the time, debunking the myth saying workouts must be hot and sweaty to be effective, the how's and why's of needing to switch your brand messaging and more! 

With a recent raise of $300 million, Gympass has been making big waves in the HALO sector since they've entered the US market just a few years ago. Simply put, their goal is to, "Help get people active who weren't active before," states CEO of the US Market, Marco Crespo. And with partners like CVS on the corporate side and marquee names like Lifetime Fitness and Soul Cycle on the provider side, they're well on their way. Gympass is a company provided benefit which gives employees access to thousands of gyms, studios and fitness centers. In the USA, they currently have 10,000 fitness partners already on the platform and 90% of the users they bring to any gym are completely new. Listen now to learn the challenges of navigating notoriously long corporate sales cycles, the differences and (similarities) of the HALO sector in other countries, and much more! 

GymWisely is a game changing new platform that maximizes the number of visits someone can make to [more than one] gym, at their convenience, makes it economical for them to expand the amount of time they can devote to a club, and from a business owners standpoint, provides incremental revenue. "These members are serious about their health, fitness, and trying new things. They're the kind of people you want in your door. They are not going to be in and out."  Currently, 20 partners are going live with another 50 ready to on board. Listen now to learn more about this fantastic software that's long overdue! 

"We didn't spend any money on marketing or advertising in the beginning, it was all word of mouth initially," says Sarah Levy, CEO & Founder of Y7 Studio.  With 14 locations and a strong financial & advisory partner in KarpReilly, Y7 is thriving. Yet? Interestingly, it's also "very polarizing" states, Director of Marketing Lauren Roxborough . . . and that's the way they want it! Y7 is not focused around a single teacher and studios have no mirrors, and are candle lit with fantastic music. Listen to learn more about this fantastic brand and their plans for expansion. 

 "Some of the best sports-ish businesses are putting data over existing sports. . .just look at Top Golf for example," states Founder Alex Patterson. Alex began in corporate law, but quickly moved to the (then newly founded) Tough Mudder. After 5 years working with them in various positions, he struck out to form, from the ground up, a different type of escape room. He took the physical element present in TM and moved it into the digital game/escape room space. The result is a fantastic, highly scalable hybrid that's getting a ton of attention. Listen now to learn more about Beat the Bomb and their future plans!    

"A leader's job is to put a really buttoned up, solid, strategic plan in place to execute on [the company] vision, and after that. . .it's ALL about people," states Brian Anderson--a highly seasoned C-Level executive in the HALO sector. With 15+ years in early stage/consumer focused brands, the first company he helped take from $1m - $45m in 5 years, the second from $35m - $100m in 5 years and the third from start up to ~$20m in 4 years. Listen now to hear his thoughts on brand building, company culture, state of the market/valuations, and more! 

"Being the OG is always a good thing! . . There's a real proof of concept there!" laughs Marius Morariu. Marius holds 3 patents in skin care and discusses the impressive, 20 year history of the company. What they did and how they did it put them way ahead of the curve, and they have tons of high profile clients & a fantastic reputation to show for it! Marius chats about everything from being the first to bring a technology over from Europe, the challenges of formulating their early products, marketing, distribution and what the future holds for this world renowned brand!

In his wide-ranging career beginning at in film & TV at the WWE, to starting a rehab staffing business, to becoming the Red Cord North America distributor, and presently an owner of 2 Gracie Barra jiu-jitsu dojos in NJ, Mike has seen a great deal. Listen now to this wide- ranging discussion on everything from the challenges of entering the US market, getting CEC's, long sales cycles, the place in the industry for dance & martial arts, and more!

"I think people don't realize what feeling good feels like because they're fed so much crap and not moving enough," states Joe Hawley, former 8 year veteran of the NFL. After retiring in 2017, he bought a van, rescued a dog, and hit the road! Along the way he started Live Simpl, (livesimpl.com) sold nearly 70% of his belongings, changed his diet, his thoughts around money, nutrition, exercise, and a ton more. Joe is clearly having a blast and his message is a must hear for everyone. "Live with less, experience more!"   

"The one foundational element of Comvest that goes back to the beginning is our our owner's belief in good management teams," states Dan Lee. What are some factors debt providers look at when evaluating a deal? What are the differences between firms like Comvest as opposed to banks and SBIC funds? What are sponsored and non-sponsored deals? Covenant and non-covenant deals? Listen now to learn more!

"I'm a big believer in the experience economy. If you can provide someone with a feeling that you can't get somewhere else. . .you're going to be successful. There's nothing that's going to replace the energy people feel when they're together," states Bradley. A 20+ year finance veteran, Chris has been on both sides of the fence. Listen to learn more about what a SPAC is, ROIC, how an investment committee works behind closed doors, why it's important to sometimes just "cut the Gordion knot" and more!

"Action prevents anxiety. If I have this gut instinct and I feel like the risk is worth taking, I'll go all in," states Remorca. Dennis began his career at Equinox, then moved over to Definitions. He eventually started his own business on 75th and Park with $19K of financing. 3 locations later (with more in development) Dennis chats about the challenges and questions all entrepreneurs face at one point or another. For anyone who has thought about going out on their own (or for those who've recently done so!) this is a must listen.