This Month in Club Insider: September 2017
The GENAVIX Wellness Network
A Model for the Future
By: Justin Cates
Justin CatesLast year, in our November 2016 Cover Story, we featured Mike Benton's Executive Health and Sports Center (EHSC), located in Manchester, New Hampshire. In the course of that story, Mike introduced us to the GENAVIX Wellness Network, which at its core, is a new business model for our industry that bridges the gap between health club members, health care practitioners and health insurance carriers. By shifting the health insurance fee paradigm from fee-for-service to fee-for-value, an atmosphere for creating real and measurable results has been created. Now, the facilities that are joining this growing network are experiencing something our industry has been seeking for decades: the integration of health and fitness facilities, health care practitioners and health insurance carriers into a cohesive system that provides results for the end user. In short, GENAVIX is the foothold in helping our industry become a real and recognized part of the health care system. Read More...
Exercise is Medicine
A Letter From Mike Alpert
By: Mike Alpert
Mike AlpertCan you think back to a time when something dramatic changed for you? Something that defined what you really wanted to become or what you wanted to truly do that was meaningful with your life. Something so powerful that it really consumed a lot of what you focused on. For me, that happened in 1992, one year after we opened The Athletic Club of Bend in Bend, Oregon. I was watching a 5-year-old boy, Gabe West, having a great time in our indoor pool, splashing and floating with my help, so happy that he was hugging and kissing me. I saw just a little boy having fun, but others saw the impact that exercise had on him. Gabe had Spina Bifida and was confined to a wheelchair. Read More...
Seven MUSTS for a Healthy Draft
By: Melissa Knowles
Melissa KnowlesThe monthly EFT draft is the lifeblood of most fitness businesses. You put in the work to grow your member base and achieve your business model's goal for recurring revenue. When you finally attain it, you breathe a little easier. The draft is there like a big blanket, keeping your business warm and cozy during the coldest nights. Or, as is generally the case in fitness, the slower sales months of summer. Something so precious to your business should always be top of mind. You should nurture it with new sales (obvious), mind your cancellations (still obvious) and ensure you have a good system in place to pick up missed monthly payments (totally obvious, right?). That last piece is where this article will focus. Read More...
How Does Your Leadership Team Stack Up?
By: Dr. Art Curtis
Dr. Art CurtisWhy do some club companies continuously prosper while others underperform? This is a question that I have frequently looked at during my years in the club industry. I have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to be involved in many due diligence processes and the ultimate acquisition of dozens of clubs. The diligence processes gave me the opportunity to take a deep dive into the performance of a wide variety of clubs and business models, from the highest of the high end to the high-value/low-price (HV/LP) gyms that have been growing so rapidly for the past decade. Read More...
Federal Court Strikes Down Final Rule
By: Paul R. Bedard, Esquire
Paul R. Bedard, EsquireIn last September's issue of Club Insider, I wrote about the Fair Labor Standards Act's (FLSA) Final Rule: impending legislation that was, at that time, scheduled to take effect on December 1, 2016. Last September's article focused on how health club owners and operators could prepare for this significant new legislation. However, in November of 2016, Judge Amos L. Mazzant of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas stalled this legislation when he issued a preliminary injunction. Following this injunction, the Department of Labor (DOL) promptly filed an appeal, and the Fifth Circuit Court of appeals is scheduled to hear oral arguments later this year. In the meantime, business owners and operators have been left in a state of limbo on this issue. Read More...
Sales Success Discussion
By: Karen Woodard-Chavez
Karen Woodard-ChavezIt is that time of year again... the leaves are turning, the temperatures are finally getting cooler and the kids have gone back to school. What a perfect time of year for "a back to school tune-up" for those of us who are in sales. In other words, discussing what is working, not working; what we know, do not know; and come up with how we can best utilize tools we have been trained on, followed by one-on-one tours. The purpose of this is for us to be accountable, dependable and reliable to consistently meeting or exceeding goals. Pretty simple, huh? Read More...
REX Seeks to Assist Member Clubs in the Wake of Hurricane Harvey
TEXAS - In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, many clubs were impacted to varying degrees: temporary club closings, power outages, increased membership cancellations, requests for memberships to be placed on hold, flooding, facility and equipment damages, cancelled programs/classes (affecting staff earning and member spending), inability of members to access the clubs due to bridge and road closings, etc. Of course, in time, insurance will hopefully cover many of these business losses. However, an immediate need is taking care of affected staff members (especially front-line employees) that may not have the resources to help cope with to this catastrophe. Read More...
Fitness Connection Poised for Growth By Merging Management Teams
DALLAS, TX - Fitness Connection has centralized its ownership and management team to create one, unified brand. By combining resources as one company, the group plans to accelerate growth and new store openings. Previously, the health club chain split management of its over 40 locations in Texas, North Carolina and Nevada but shared alignment on key business operations, marketing and advertising. Read More...
Club Industry 2017 is on The Horizon!
A Focus On This Year's Networking Events
It's that time of year again; the 2017 Club Industry Show is on the horizon and will take place in Chicago, October 4 - 6 at the Chicago Hilton Hotel. We want to take a moment to inform you about this year's networking events. Every year, the value of connecting with industry colleagues cannot be understated, and at Club Industry, there are always a plethora of opportunities to do so. This year, be sure not to miss... Read More...
Iron Grip Account Executive, Michelle Gonzalez, Named to the SFIA Future Industry Leaders Scholarship Program for 2017
ORANGE COUNTY, CA - Iron Grip Barbell Company, the industry-leading manufacturer of innovative and durable American-made free weight equipment, congratulates Account Executive Michelle Gonzalez on her nomination to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association's Future Industry Leaders Scholarship Program Class of 2017. Read More...
Crunch Fitness West Florida Launches CrunchTV
Instantly Drives Millions of Member-Generated Social Media Impressions
CHICAGO, IL - Crunch Fitness West Florida, part of one of America's leading health club chains, best known for making serious fitness fun through unique programming and cutting-edge training, just got even fitter. Crunch has announced that it has launched #CrunchTV, which turns its gym TVs into a social media digital signage network, giving members their instant "15 seconds of fame" and the gyms a robust marketing platform. Read More...
2017 World Gym Convention Celebrates The Barbell With "Made Of Iron" Theme
LOS ANGELES, CA - World Gym International, the iconic global brand for bodybuilding and seriously fun fitness, gathered franchisees, vendors and partners from 11 countries for the 2017 World Gym International Convention in Las Vegas, September 6 - 9, 2017. The annual gathering was held at the Mirage Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas with attendees that included gym owners and staff from the United States, Canada, Australia, Russia, Egypt, Mexico, Brazil, India, Lebanon, Taiwan, Costa Rica and the Cayman Islands. Featuring a "Made of Iron" theme, the convention celebrated the return of the barbell, a core piece of exercise equipment integral to World Gym's signature small group training program, World Gym Athletics. Read More...
Norm's Notes for September 2017
By: Norm Cates
Norm CatesHello Everybody! This is your Club Insider Publisher and Tribal Leader Since 1993 checking in with our 285th monthly edition! Read More...