330. Why Investors Are Betting Big on Fitness in Asia-Pacific, with Eric Falardeau of McKinsey

Asia-Pacific is becoming one of the most exciting growth markets in global fitness with huge opportunities for growth. In this episode, Jack Thomas sits down with Eric Falardeau of McKinsey & Company to explore the forces shaping the next phase of the fitness and wellness industry. They discuss why investors are increasingly interested in fitness, the shift towards market consolidation, and the rise of mass participation events and social wellness. Eric also shares his perspective on APAC, from increasingly discerning consumers to the real estate and localisation challenges operators face when scaling across the region. Filmed during Beyond Activ in Bangkok.   SHOW SPONSORS Our sponsors are helping us to raise the standards of Asia's fitness industry. Show these great companies some support! Hapana, our preferred gym management software Ezypay, our preferred subscription and payment solution   NEWSLETTER For fitness business tips, insights and news - subscribe to The Fit Guide Newsletter   THE FIT GUIDE The Fit Guide helps you find and experience the world's best fitness clubs and studios; and helps clubs create incredible, five star client experiences every time. Visit The Fit Guide The Fit Guide on LinkedIn The Fit Guide on Instagram   GUEST RESOURCES Eric Falardeau on LinkedIn   SHOW RESOURCES Jack Thomas on LinkedIn Fitness Business Asia Website Fitness Business Asia Instagram

Chris Wilson arrived in Australia in 2012 as a backpacker with almost no money. Today, he runs one of the country's most exciting boutique personal training businesses, with memberships costing up to AU$580 per week. Host Jack Thomas sat down with the founder of Chris Wilson Fitness Studio to discuss why hospitality beats traditional customer service and the mindset behind charging more. They discuss premium positioning, client experience, staff retention and the small details that create exceptional businesses and experiences. Filmed during Beyond Activ in Bangkok.   SHOW SPONSORS Our sponsors are helping us to raise the standards of Asia's fitness industry. Show these great companies some support! Hapana, our preferred gym management software Ezypay, our preferred subscription and payment solution   NEWSLETTER For fitness business tips, insights and news - subscribe to The Fit Guide Newsletter   THE FIT GUIDE The Fit Guide helps you find and experience the world's best fitness clubs and studios; and helps clubs create incredible, five star client experiences every time. Visit The Fit Guide The Fit Guide on LinkedIn The Fit Guide on Instagram   GUEST RESOURCES Chris Wilson on LinkedIn Chris Wilson Fitness Studio   SHOW RESOURCES Jack Thomas on LinkedIn Fitness Business Asia Website Fitness Business Asia Instagram

We sat down with Peter Thew, CEO of MOVE [REPEAT], the group behind Yoga Movement, STRONG Pilates in Singapore and REVL Training, to discuss the realities of scaling fitness brands across Asia. We explored the biggest mistakes businesses make when expanding internationally, why Singapore has become Asia's proving ground for fitness concepts, and some of the moves behind the company's huge success. Whether you're launching your first studio in Asia or expanding across borders, this episode is packed with lessons on brand, leadership and growth. Recorded at Beyond Activ Bangkok.   SHOW SPONSORS Our sponsors are helping us to raise the standards of Asia's fitness industry. Show these great companies some support! Hapana, our preferred gym management software Ezypay, our preferred subscription and payment solution   NEWSLETTER For fitness business tips, insights and news - subscribe to The Fit Guide Newsletter   THE FIT GUIDE The Fit Guide helps you find and experience the world's best fitness clubs and studios; and helps clubs create incredible, five star client experiences every time. Visit The Fit Guide The Fit Guide on LinkedIn The Fit Guide on Instagram   GUEST RESOURCES Peter Thew on LinkedIn Move Repeat Yoga Movement REVL Training   SHOW RESOURCES Jack Thomas on LinkedIn Fitness Business Asia Website Fitness Business Asia Instagram

The fitness industry has changed dramatically in Asia Pacific over the past five years, and few people have had a better view of that transformation than Ryan Hogan. Host Jack Thomas sat down with the CEO of APAC at Les Mills to discuss the company's new partnership with Hyrox, the biggest findings from Les Mills' latest global fitness report, why "vibe" has become one of the industry's most important competitive advantages, and where the biggest growth opportunities lie across Asia. From AI and human coaching to Indonesia's booming fitness scene and the future of group training, this episode is packed with insights for gym operators looking to stay ahead.   SHOW SPONSORS Our sponsors are helping us to raise the standards of Asia's fitness industry. Show these great companies some support! Hapana, our preferred gym management software Ezypay, our preferred subscription and payment solution   NEWSLETTER For fitness business tips, insights and news - subscribe to The Fit Guide Newsletter   THE FIT GUIDE The Fit Guide helps you find and experience the world's best fitness clubs and studios; and helps clubs create incredible, five star client experiences every time. Visit The Fit Guide The Fit Guide on LinkedIn The Fit Guide on Instagram   GUEST RESOURCES Ryan Hogan on LinkedIn Les Mills   SHOW RESOURCES Jack Thomas on LinkedIn Fitness Business Asia Website Fitness Business Asia Instagram

What will separate the world's best gyms from everyone else by 2030? We welcome Jarron Aizen, CEO of Hapana, to discuss why the company rebuilt its software from the ground up, and how the next generation of gym technology will fundamentally change the way fitness businesses operate. From AI that can make operational decisions to unified data that gives operators a complete view of their business, this conversation explores the systems that could define the industry's next decade. Whether you lead a single club or a global fitness brand, this episode offers a fascinating look at what's coming next. Visit Hapana.   SHOW SPONSORS Our sponsors are helping us to raise the standards of Asia's fitness industry. Show these great companies some support! Hapana, our preferred gym management software Ezypay, our preferred subscription and payment solution   NEWSLETTER For fitness business tips, insights and news - subscribe to The Fit Guide Newsletter   THE FIT GUIDE The Fit Guide helps you find and experience the world's best fitness clubs and studios; and helps clubs create incredible, five star client experiences every time. Visit The Fit Guide The Fit Guide on LinkedIn The Fit Guide on Instagram   GUEST RESOURCES Jarron Aizen on LinkedIn Hapana   SHOW RESOURCES Jack Thomas on LinkedIn Fitness Business Asia Website Fitness Business Asia Instagram

We sat down with Liv Billingham from Ezypay to unpack the biggest trends shaping the fitness industry across Southeast Asia. We break down the opportunities and challenges in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand, discussing everything from market maturity and consumer behaviour to localisation, digital wallets and recurring payments. We also explore why community continues to outperform technology alone, why operators need to think beyond simply importing a successful model from another country, and what brands should consider before expanding into new markets. Essential listening for anyone operating or investing in the region. Visit Ezypay.   SHOW SPONSORS Our sponsors are helping us to raise the standards of Asia's fitness industry. Show these great companies some support! Hapana, our preferred gym management software Ezypay, our preferred subscription and payment solution   NEWSLETTER For fitness business tips, insights and news - subscribe to The Fit Guide Newsletter   THE FIT GUIDE The Fit Guide helps you find and experience the world's best fitness clubs and studios; and helps clubs create incredible, five star client experiences every time. Visit The Fit Guide The Fit Guide on LinkedIn The Fit Guide on Instagram   SHOW RESOURCES Jack Thomas on LinkedIn Fitness Business Asia Website Fitness Business Asia Instagram   GUEST RESOURCES Olivia Billingham on LinkedIn Ezypay

Most gym equipment is still judged on the wrong things: Brand reputation, how it looks, or which influencer recommends it. In this episode, Benny Price of RTS Global joins us to talk about his new venture, Gym Equipment Design, and why the industry needs a proper standard for what "good" actually is. We get into the thinking behind creating a comprenesive award for gym equipment design, built around human-centered performance, rather than marketing. From usability and adjustability to resistance profiles and innovation, Benny breaks down how equipment should be evaluated based on how it actually works for the user, not just how it looks on the gym floor. This is essential listening for any fitness manager, gym owner or coach. Visit Gym Equipment Design   SHOW SPONSORS Our sponsors are helping us to raise the standards of Asia's fitness industry. Show these great companies some support! Hapana, our preferred gym management software Ezypay, our preferred subscription and payment solution   NEWSLETTER For fitness business tips, insights and news - subscribe to The Fit Guide Newsletter   THE FIT GUIDE The Fit Guide helps you find and experience the world's best fitness clubs and studios; and helps clubs create incredible, five star client experiences every time. Visit The Fit Guide The Fit Guide on LinkedIn The Fit Guide on Instagram   SHOW RESOURCES Jack Thomas on LinkedIn Fitness Business Asia Website Fitness Business Asia Instagram   GUEST RESOURCES Benny Price on LinkedIn Gym Equipment Design

Linda Tang's WeBarre has earned multiple awards from The Fit Guide for both class and overall experience, making it one of the standout fitness brands globally, not just in Barre. In this episode, Linda shares how she has maintained consistent five-star standards across multiple Singapore locations, in a city where pre and post-class service has historically scored lower overall. Expect plenty of practical takeaways for operators who want to raise their standards. Check out Five-Star Fitness on YouTube here.   SHOW SPONSORS Our sponsors are helping us to raise the standards of Asia's fitness industry. Show these great companies some support! Hapana, our preferred gym management software Ezypay, our preferred subscription and payment solution   NEWSLETTER For fitness business tips, insights and news - subscribe to The Fit Guide Newsletter   THE FIT GUIDE The Fit Guide helps you find and experience the world's best fitness clubs and studios; and helps clubs create incredible, five star client experiences every time. Visit The Fit Guide The Fit Guide on LinkedIn The Fit Guide on Instagram   SHOW RESOURCES Jack Thomas on LinkedIn Fitness Business Asia Website Fitness Business Asia Instagram   GUEST RESOURCES Linda Tang on LinkedIn WeBarre

We welcome Jeff Bladt from ClassPass to answer some of the questions and concerns studio owners often raise about the platform. ClassPass has its vocal critics, so we discuss some of the most common sticking points and areas of tension between studios and the platform. For host Jack Thomas' analysis of ClassPass's role in the industry, check out episode 321, The Truth About ClassPass.   SHOW SPONSORS Our sponsors are helping us to raise the standards of Asia's fitness industry. Show these great companies some support! Hapana, our preferred gym management software Ezypay, our preferred subscription and payment solution   NEWSLETTER For fitness business tips, insights and news - subscribe to The Fit Guide Newsletter   THE FIT GUIDE The Fit Guide helps you find and experience the world's best fitness clubs and studios; and helps clubs create incredible, five star client experiences every time. Visit The Fit Guide The Fit Guide on LinkedIn The Fit Guide on Instagram   SHOW RESOURCES Jack Thomas on LinkedIn Fitness Business Asia Website Fitness Business Asia Instagram   GUEST RESOURCES Jeff Bladt on LinkedIn ClassPass

ClassPass has become a controversial topic, with studios publicly leaving the platform recently. They say it damages pricing, brand value and the industry. In this episode, Jack shares his honest perspective as a studio owner who has worked with ClassPass for years, as well as someone who has had extensive conversations with ClassPass management and studio owners around the world. ClassPass is here to stay, so it's very important to make smart, informed decisions about the platform that are best for your business. This episode will help you do that.