The Boutique Fitness Studio Stampede; a Report on the State of the Boutique Fitness Studio Industry
Boutique fitness studios find themselves in the spotlight as the media features them, investors flock to them and as consumers visit them in record numbers. To address this buzz in attention and to tell the real story we’ve prepared this whitepaper on the state of the boutique fitness studio industry. Nearly 30 pages in length, this report offers a comprehensive overview of the industry; one not commonly covered in industry media.
Published: August 26, 2019
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230 Million by 230; Implications for the U.S. Fitness Industry and Future Approaches to Growth
The leaders of the global fitness industry have recently told us that the fitness industry can reach 230 million global members by 2030. A bold prediction or not was the question we asked ourselves? Consequently, we decided to use this whitepaper to lay out our case on the subject.
In this whitepaper we bring forward some data and opinions regarding 230 by 2030. The paper begins with a look at American non-essential purchasing behavior and perceptions and how these may influence future industry growth goals. We will follow that with a look at the perceptions and realities around fitness memberships and how this may frame future growth goals. Lastly, we will share our opinions on what our industry could do to implement an altered approach to membership growth; not one that gets us to 230 million by 2030, but rather 250 million.
Published: July 11, 2019
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A Mosquito in a Nudist Colony – So Many Choices. Where to Begin?
Robert Dedman, Sr., founder of ClubCorp, would often start team meetings with the phrase “I feel like a mosquito in a nudist colony. There are so many choices; where to begin.” The intention of this statement was to let the leaders of the company know how much opportunity there was before us; but at the same time letting us know that it wasn’t just about the opportunities;, instead is was about making the right decision in regards to the opportunities to pursue. We believe the mosquito in the nudist colony serves as an excellent framework for bringing forward the many opportunities we witnessed at four of this year’s fitness industry events; EHFF, FIBO, IHRSA and SUCCEED.
In this month’s white paper we bring forward some of the opportunities a wise operator might have explored if they had observed the tangible and intangible happenings of these four industry events. As to whether these opportunities are the right choice for our readers depends entirely on where you and your business stand at the moment.
Published: May 6, 2019
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U.S. Budget Clubs – A Value Proposition becoming Commoditized and Where it Goes Next
Whether you call them budget clubs, high volume low price clubs (HVLP), or high value low price clubs (HVLP), one thing is certain, these fitness industry versions of the Dollar Store have been wreaking creative destruction among traditional fitness club operators for the past decade, both in the U.S. and in Europe. The purpose of this whitepaper is to explore the budget gym sector. We will provide context by profiling the attributes that reflect a budget gym. Next, we will provide a brief overview of the budget gym sector’s history. Upon completing an overview of the sector’s history, we will provide an in-depth look at where the sector stands today and conclude with a discussion of what lies ahead.
Published: April 16, 2019
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The Wisdom of Dr. Seuss – A Different Way of Thinking When it Comes to Operating a Fitness Business
The fitness industry continues to evolve, often by taking a few steps back before moving forward. This pattern is the result of what Albert Einstein referenced when he said, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
In this whitepaper we decided to introduce a new way of thinking based on the wisdom of Dr. Seuss. Using some of Dr.Seuss’s most famous quotes we frame a different way of thinking about the fitness business with the intent of helping the industry change the industry conversation and the resulting outcomes.
Published: February 22, 2019
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