This Month in Club Insider: May 2025
Cover Story Classics
Will Phillips' Generating a Waterfall of Leads
By: Will Phillips
Will PhillipsPublisher's Note: Our dear friend, Will Phillips, passed away on April 10. His Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, June 14 in Boston. As was his personality, he encourages anyone attending to wear "colorful, celebratory garb." When we went to the online press with the April 2025 Edition of Club Insider, we were able to share the news of Phillips' passing with our readers. However, this month, after deep reflection, we have decided to share one of his incredible works as a Club Insider Cover Story Classic. Brought to you in the August and September 2008 Editions of Club Insider, we hope Will Phillips' Generating a Waterfall of Leads will help you bring your business to the next level. He would have wanted it that way...
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Planning Your Summer Programming
Creating Engaging and Effective Fitness Experiences
By: Sara Kooperman, JD
Sara Kooperman, JDSummer presents a unique opportunity for fitness facilities to revamp their offerings and attract new members. With warm weather, longer days and a shift in people's routines, it's the perfect time to introduce fresh, engaging programming. Thoughtful planning ensures your summer offerings cater to diverse audiences, keeping participation high and members motivated.
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The Second Wind
What Gym Owners Do After They Almost Quit
By: Jim Thomas
Jim ThomasThe gym business is both rewarding and grueling. It demands not only sharp business acumen but also deep wells of spirit, patience and resilience. At some point, nearly every independent gym owner or boutique studio operator faces a moment of crisis... a moment where the financial pressures, member churn, staffing challenges or sheer exhaustion makes quitting seem inevitable. But, the owners who find a second wind don't just survive; they transform. They rise stronger, wiser, and often, more successful than ever before. This article explores what happens after gym owners almost quit, how they find their second wind, and how you, too, can rediscover your drive, rebuild your business and create your next (and best) chapter.
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Connected Health Shares the Fitness Industry's Next Chapter
By: Nancy Trent
Nancy TrentThe sixth annual Connected: Health & Fitness Summit returned to Los Angeles earlier this year, serving as a powerful barometer for the intersection of fitness, wellness and technology. With over 450 high-level attendees, including industry leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators, the summit provided a dynamic platform to explore emerging trends, exchange groundbreaking ideas and forge strategic partnerships shaping the future of health and fitness.
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Stop Selling Everything
The Paradox of Choice
By: Jeffrey Pinkerton
Jeffrey PinkertonMy wife and I recently went to the Cheesecake Factory. I hadn't been in 20+ years, but she had a gift card... Neither of us wanted to cook on a Tuesday night, so we headed to the Mall of Georgia for some almost-free food. I had heard their menu was massive, but I wasn't ready for how massive. We actually sent the waiter away three times to give us more time to flip through endless pages of dinner options: pastas, pizzas, salads, sandwiches, seafood, steaks. With 100+ options, we were overwhelmed... a perfect example of the paradox of choice. And, if your group fitness menu boasts 100+ different classes, you're guilty of the same.
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High-Leverage Activities
Multiplying Your Impact
By: Herb Lipsman
Herb LipsmanAs we are preparing to launch SOZO Clubs Inc., I have been diving deep into the challenges that startups face... and how great founders overcome them. One resource that has resonated with me lately is High Output Management by Andy Grove, the legendary Co-Founder and CEO of Intel. Though written decades ago, Grove's insights are as relevant today as ever. One concept leapt out to me, not because it was new, but because it affirmed a truth I have lived by for years: the power of high-leverage activities.
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North Castle Partners' Awards Prestigious "CEO of the Year" Award to Crunch's Tony Scrimale
TAMPA, FL - North Castle Partners, a leading private equity firm and investment partner of CR Fitness Holdings LLC, the top franchisee for Crunch Fitness, has recognized CEO, Tony Scrimale, as the recipient of their 2025 "CEO of the Year" Award. A tradition now in its 25th year, this marks the second time in the past four years CR Fitness Holdings has been awarded, a rare occurrence in the ceremony's history.
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Workout Anytime Welcomes Larry Brayman as Chief Marketing Officer
ATLANTA, GA - Workout Anytime, the leading premium 24/7 fitness franchise with over 200 locations nationwide, announces the appointment of Larry Brayman as Chief Marketing Officer. This key leadership addition follows the recent naming of Jerry Pugh as CEO, reinforcing a bold new era of growth, innovation and brand elevation for the fitness franchise.
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TSG Consumer to Acquire EOS Fitness
SAN FRANCISCO, CA and DALLAS, TX - TSG Consumer Partners ("TSG"), a leading specialist private equity firm focused exclusively on the consumer sector, announces it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire E?S Fitness ("E?S"), a leading U.S. operator of High Value. Low Price. (HVLP) gyms. E?S Chief Executive Officer, Rich Drengberg, will continue to head the company with his tenured leadership team and will retain a vested interest in the go-forward company.
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Norm's Notes for May 2025
By: Norm Cates
Norm CatesHello Everybody! This is your Club Insider Founder and Tribal Leader Since 1993 checking in with our 377th monthly edition of this 30+ year running club business publication I refer to as: A Labor of Love! I'm very thankful that you've tuned in again for this iteration of Norm's Notes, as I proceed on my keyboard with my longtime habit of "Telling-It-Like-It-Is!" I'm really happy that you're reading this edition, and I want to THANK YOU ALL for sticking with us every month! As usual, we have a bunch of health and fitness club business news, so please read on!
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