659: Partnering with Local Businesses

Y’all,   the noise about tariffs in recent months has stirred questions and anxiety among the fitness industry (and many industries, frankly) about the effects on their business.    Crediting Liz Clark’s and Mike Goscinski’s talk at the Health & Fitness Association’s Fly-In & Advocacy Summit, let’s dive into Episode 667: How Tariffs & Trade Can Impact Your Studio.     Universal uncertainty: legislative, studio and consumer unknowns  Lucky strike: service-based industries have an advantage Building up: construction costs jump due to steel and aluminum tariffs On the rise: price bumps on equipment and retail products made overseas  Good news: consumers prioritize fitness/wellness during economic challenges   Notify your local senators and congresspeople that higher costs on building and consumer goods will decrease jobs, tax revenue and economic growth. Learn the basics in Episode 667.    Catch you there,   Lise   PS: Join 2,000+ studio owners who’ve decided to take control of their studio business and build their freedom empire. Subscribe HERE and join the party! www.studiogrow.co www.linkedin.com/company/studio-growco/  

Y'all, Two industry powerhouses I'm absolutely fascinated by – Garrett Marshall and Debra Rogo! Garrett's been shaping our space for 22 years and just launched something that could change everything, while Debra brings her incredible insight from years of working with operators. Together they're solving the biggest challenge in fitness: how do we maintain our position of influence when 90% of our members are on their smartphones buying wellness products we don't offer? Tune in to our conversation with these two industry legends: Episode 666: The Big Picture with Garrett Marshall & Debra Rogo. ● The industry veteran: Started at Lifetime Fitness during their first IPO, learned how each department (personal training, spa, kids care, restaurants) runs on separate P&Ls - real respect for what's possible when you run fitness departments professionally ● WellBeats to Exponential: Co-founded WellBeats (originally Fitness Request) in 2007, then started competitor Fitness on Demand as CEO for 8 years under Lyft Brands, then 5 years as president at Exponential Fitness through another IPO ● The precision health platform: Launched 30 days ago after 18 months of development - designed to bridge fitness and healthcare without the operational nightmare most providers face ● The $5 billion opportunity: Companies like Everly Well, Thorne, HIMS are capturing the post-COVID wellness boom while fitness providers lose influence - consumers have a much broader definition of wellness now ● The practical solution: Curated partnerships (not a marketplace) with leading wellness providers - telehealth, peptides, GLP-1s, hormone replacement, at-home lab tests, precision supplements ● Three value propositions: Data integration to improve programming, product offerings for clients wanting more than fitness, recurring revenue that continues beyond membership length ● Smart partnerships: Hand-selected experts who wake up thinking about peptide therapy and hormone optimization - avoiding the trap of spending 40-50% of resources for 10-20% revenue growth ● The data advantage: Fitness providers get all the wellness data back to personalize programming - understanding that exercise is just one component of their members' broader wellness picture ● What's coming: Mental health telehealth and sleep/recovery services on the fast-follow list - expanding the five non-fitness wellness market segments ● Pre-validated expertise: Cutting through the chase to go directly to specialists who understand microdosing, metabolic health, and cutting-edge therapies your conventional doctor gives you blank stares about The signals are everywhere - walk your gym floor and see the evidence. The question isn't whether wellness and fitness will merge, it's whether our industry will step up to maintain our position of trust and influence. Garrett's built the bridge. Catch you there, Lise PS: Join 2,000+ studio owners who've decided to take control of their studio business and build their freedom empire. Subscribe HERE and join the party! www.studiogrow.co www.linkedin.com/company/studio-growco/

Y'all, Two industry leaders I'm absolutely fascinated by – Jennifer Maanavi, founder of Physique 57 (one of the best barre brands in the world), and Jack Thomas, creator of The Fit Guide (the gold standard for fitness excellence, like the Michelin Star guide for our industry). They're both revolutionizing how we think about hospitality in boutique fitness! Tune in to our new series of conversations with amazing industry leaders: Episode 661: The Big Picture with Lise Kuecker, Jennifer Maanavi of Physique 57, and Jack Thomas of The Fit Guide. ● Building boutique from scratch: Jennifer started Physique 57 in 2005 when boutique studios didn't exist - told architects she wanted it to feel "like coming to my house to work out" ● Hospitality over amenities: Their most successful studio had wear and tear but sold the most memberships because of warm feeling and community - proves it's about connection, not expensive finishes ● Two types of training: What to teach (mechanics for safety) vs. how to teach (hospitality that brings people back) - "you can tell people to do 10 jumping jacks one way, or another way" ● Sales as service: Reframing sales from pushy to helpful - like a washing machine store, clients need guidance to find what's right for them, not to be left to figure it out alone ● The Fit Guide standards: 250 metrics evaluating every element of the member journey - only 90%+ scores earn five stars, representing the top 1-2% of the industry ● Modality gaps revealed: Yoga scored lowest across all seven cities (guru mentality putting teacher at center), while barre scored highest (natural teaching opportunities) ● Gratitude mindset: "We're just so grateful that you're here" - understanding everything clients go through just to show up for class creates servant leadership culture Check out how both Physique 57 and The Fit Guide are elevating standards across our industry. The opportunities are massive when we focus on hospitality - and Jennifer's right, "the hero of the story is the client." Catch you there, Lise PS: Join 2,000+ studio owners who've decided to take control of their studio business and build their freedom empire. Subscribe HERE and join the party! www.studiogrow.co www.linkedin.com/company/studio-growco/

Y'all, when someone tells me they can measure my body composition with just my phone camera, I'll admit I was skeptical. But after sitting down with Jason Moore (founder of Ren) and the fabulous data nerd herself, Deborah Roko, I'm convinced we're looking at the future of fitness coaching. And it's arriving faster than you think. These two are solving the biggest pain point in our industry: what happens during those 163 hours when your clients aren't in your studio. ● Camera magic: Independently validated technology that measures body fat percentage, lean mass, and muscle distribution using just your smartphone - no more $12K DEXA scans or InBody machines ● AI coaching clones: Coaches can literally train their own AI that texts with clients twice daily, providing 24/7 guidance without burning out the human coach ● HRV mastery: Real-time biofeedback through heart rate variability that predicts recovery, stress, and aerobic fitness - plus instant meditation feedback through breath control ● VO2 max breakthrough: Get accurate VO2 max readings through a week of one-minute daily finger scans on your phone camera - no more grueling treadmill testing ● Enterprise scaling: Working with big studio chains to create on-brand AI coaches that embody company values and training philosophy across all locations ● Coach empowerment: 11 years of development focused on making coaches better, not replacing them - Jason's trained 3,000+ coaches as an accredited instructor with NASM, NSCA, and ACSM ● Glucose revolution: Coming soon - blood glucose monitoring through camera technology ● Data integration: Connects with all major wearables to create holistic health pictures that actually guide meaningful action Jason's background as both a software engineer AND a coach gives him the rare ability to understand what coaches actually need versus what tech companies think they need. The result? Technology that amplifies human coaching instead of trying to replace it. This isn't about replacing the human connection - it's about giving your clients the guidance they're craving when you can't be there, while giving you back your sanity. Because being a coach means wearing every hat from therapist to cheerleader to sales rep, and burnout is inevitable without better tools. Catch you there, Lise PS: Join 2,000+ studio owners who've decided to take control of their studio business and build their freedom empire. Subscribe HERE and join the party! www.studiogrow.co www.linkedin.com/company/studio-growco/

Y'all, when you've been in this industry as long as I have, you can feel the big shifts coming. But even I wasn't prepared for the Pilates explosion we're witnessing right now. It's unlike anything we've seen before, and if you're not paying attention, you're missing the boat on the biggest opportunity in boutique fitness. Tune in to our new series of conversations with amazing industry leaders: Episode 663: The Pilates Explosion - Global Growth with STOTT Pilates' Beth Gibbs-Bartel. ● Education empire: STOTT Pilates has trained 80,000+ instructors across 100 countries with unmatched anatomical focus ● Asia domination: unprecedented growth in China, Middle East, and APAC regions driving global expansion ● Reformer revolution: studios shifting from 6-machine comprehensive setups to 20+ reformer-only concepts ● Know your limits: instructors finding their sweet spot for class sizes (hint: it's probably around 16 max) ● Chair emergence: stability chair group classes becoming the next big trend, especially in innovative markets like Australia ● Silver surge: aging population will drive return to privates and semi-privates as boomers seek personalized attention ● Social media catalyst: TikTok trends directly correlating to studio boom 3-6 months later ● Content creation: new facilities incorporating influencer and content spaces into studio design Whether you're thinking about adding Pilates to your offerings or you're already in the space, Beth's insights on global trends, equipment evolution, and the future of Pilates education will help you ride this wave instead of getting swept away by it. And meet Beth (who's about to take her own company's certification!), after you hear from her in Episode 663. Catch you there, Lise PS: Join 2,000+ studio owners who've decided to take control of their studio business and build their freedom empire. Subscribe HERE and join the party! www.studiogrow.co www.linkedin.com/company/studio-growco/

Y'all, For boutique fitness studio owners, scaling from a single location to a multi-club empire while maintaining premium standards seems impossible. But what if you could learn from someone who's done exactly that? Meet Rob Beal, Fitness Director at Third Space, who's helped grow them from 4 to 13 premium clubs across London and built the highest-valued fitness concept per square foot worldwide. Tune in to our new series of conversations with amazing industry leaders: Episode 662: Building Premium Fitness Empire - Lessons from Third Space London. ● Own your IP: keeping all training, programs and instructors in-house instead of outsourcing to freelancers ● Pilates leads the pack: Reformer Pilates is their #1 performing modality, now in 10 of 13 clubs ● Strength over HIIT: consumer demand has shifted from high-intensity to strength-focused programming ● Recovery revolution: spa, wellness and recovery services are essential for premium positioning ● Data-driven future: integrating wearable tech data and AI to enhance personal training ● Medical integration: longevity services and preventive health will dominate premium fitness ● Culture through growth: moving star performers to new locations to maintain standards and mentorship Whether you're planning your second location or dreaming of a fitness empire, Rob's insights on team development, real estate strategy, and staying ahead of consumer trends will reshape how you think about growth. And meet Rob (who's about to become a dad!), after you hear from him in Episode 662 Catch you there, Lise PS: Join 2,000+ studio owners who've decided to take control of their studio business and build their freedom empire. Subscribe HERE and join the party! www.studiogrow.co www.linkedin.com/company/studio-growco/

One brand I’m so excited to watch is LiveMetta – currently 11 yoga and Pilates studios (along with one spa) in Southern California. They’re truly bringing something different to our space!    Tune in to our new series of conversations with amazing industry leaders: Episode 661: The Big Picture with Lise Kuecker and Chris Farnsworth of Live Metta.    Mission critical: embodying loving kindness as a foundation and culture Competition killer: thoughtfully expanding to fully own select markets Golden Rule: prioritizing relationships, ensuring support, paying well Lifelong learning: investing in professional development and continuing ed Change agent: donating to local nonprofits through LiveMetta Heart Space   Check out how LiveMetta shines brightly in the boutique space. And meet co-founder, Chris (who I call my Southern brother), after you hear from him in Episode 662.    Catch you there,   Lise   PS: Join 2,000+ studio owners who’ve decided to take control of their studio business and build their freedom empire. Subscribe HERE and join the party! www.studiogrow.co www.linkedin.com/company/studio-growco/  

Y’all may assume that because 77% of boutique fitness studio members are women, marketing to females is a no-brainer. They’re showing up anyway, right?    Wrong. To grow, you must keep tweaking your outreach to this demographic. Learn how with Coach Rachel Prairie in Episode 660: Attracting & Retaining Female Clients in Your Studio.    Get close up: know your client avatar’s age, interests, hobbies and more Give them something to talk about: capitalize on word-of-mouth referrals  Create touch points: cultivate community with events, programs and socials  Make it easy: have great intro offers, flexible memberships and pricing options Educate & empower: share information about holistic wellbeing   Win women by carefully customizing your studio’s messaging, products and services. Review and refine your approach in Episode 660.    Catch you there,   Lise   PS: Join 2,000+ studio owners who’ve decided to take control of their studio business and build their freedom empire. Subscribe HERE and join the party! www.studiogrow.co www.linkedin.com/company/studio-growco/  

Want a relatively easy win-win for your studio? Consider partnering with another local business to drive traffic and boost sales in both places.    This goes beyond sharing a flyer or offering a discount. Coaches Rachel Prairie and Sep Uyttendaele lay out the possibilities in Episode 659: Partnering with Local Businesses.    Focus on fit: consider which businesses align with your brand and clients Create a wish list: identify local shops and ask members for recommendations  Get creative: think events, programs, presentations and bundled services Make an offer: draft a detailed proposal outlining mutual benefits  Build a relationship: collaborate closely, track key metrics, address snags    Linking to the right business can deliver a valuable ROI that includes a flow of steady leads and increased brand awareness. Open your eyes to the opportunities with Episode 659.    Catch you there,   Lise   PS: Join 2,000+ studio owners who’ve decided to take control of their studio business and build their freedom empire. Subscribe HERE and join the party! www.studiogrow.co www.linkedin.com/company/studio-growco/  

For boutique fitness studio owners, sometimes you’re so deep in the weeds with sales, marketing and operations that you miss the big picture of what’s happening in the industry.    So step out for a moment to look at the landscape with Coaches Rachel Prairie and Conor McGarry in Episode 658: Emerging Trends & Innovations in Fitness.    Follow the leaders: Pilates and strength are top trends in 2025 Go virtual: consumers want digital on-demand and livestream classes  Custom fit: personalized instruction and options drive loyalty  Welcome wellness: recovery products and services are hot Cultivate community: people crave connection and belonging   Assess your current offerings, evaluate the opportunities and align new products and services with your brand. Episode 658 gets your wheels turning.    Catch you there,   Lise   PS: Join 2,000+ studio owners who’ve decided to take control of their studio business and build their freedom empire. Subscribe HERE and join the party! www.studiogrow.co www.linkedin.com/company/studio-growco/