Five-Star Fitness by The Fit Guide

Will Guidara talks about how creating memorable “wow” moments can be a powerful part of a five-star experience. However, they mean little if you haven’t mastered the basics first. In this episode, Matt and Jack discuss why gyms need to get the fundamentals right before trying to deliver unreasonable hospitality. From learning members’ names and making eye contact to removing friction from booking...

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One of America’s most well-known boutique fitness brands went from $10 million in annual revenue to closing every location less than two years after being acquired. FitLab raised $65 million, partnered with Nike and acquired some of America's best-known boutique brands such as Y7 Studio and Mile High Run Club. The Nike partnership fell apart. Then other studios started closing. We break down w...

Five-Star Gym Reception Services Course Eric Falardeau from McKinsey & Company joins the show to share his perspective on the biggest trends and opportunities shaping health, fitness and wellness. Drawing on McKinsey’s work with some of the world’s leading companies and investors, we explore where the industry is heading. We discuss industry consolidation, what investors are looking for, and t...

Warmth and competence are both essential to delivering a five-star fitness experience, but which matters most? In this episode, Matt and Jack explore the idea of the “Hospitality Quotient” and why qualities like kindness, empathy, curiosity and self-awareness can be just as important as technical ability. We discuss what fitness can learn from Danny Meyer’s approach to hospitality, why the most kn...

Five-Star Gym Reception Services Course Industry legend Dr. Paul Bedford — also known as the ‘Retention Guru’ — joins the show to share the lessons he’s learned from more than two decades studying member retention in the fitness industry. We discuss why people stay, why they leave, and the biggest mistakes gyms make when trying to improve retention. Keeping a member is easier than getting a knew o...

Five-Star Gym Reception Services Course Mark Fisher built one of the fitness industry’s most distinctive brands, growing Mark Fisher Fitness into a business that generated more than $34 million in sales before its exit. Today, through Business for Unicorns, he helps gym owners around the world build stronger businesses, teams and member experiences. In this episode, we discuss how to create unforg...

Five-Star Reception Services Welcome back to our monthly fitness industry roundup, where we go beyond the headlines and break down what the biggest stories actually mean for operators, brands and the future of the industry. This month, co-founder and host Jack Thomas covers: ⭐ Beyond Activ launches its new community app 🥊 Barry’s non-compete sparks industry debate 🧘 Club Pilates surpasses 1,500...

Five-Star Gym Reception Services Course Ryan Hogan, CEO of Les Mills Asia Pacific, joins us to discuss the trends shaping the future of fitness. Drawing on insights from the latest Les Mills Global Report, we explore why more people are exercising than ever before, the growth of strength training, and why creating the right atmosphere and human connection is more important than ever. We discuss th...

Matt and Jack have spoken to gym owners and managers across the industry, and there’s one mindset that predicts a weak sales experience more than any other. In this episode, we discuss why sales should be viewed as service, the questions every team should be asking before making a recommendation, and how to guide people without overwhelming them. If you want to improve sales in your gym while maki...

Five-Star Gym Reception Services Course Jarron Aizen, CEO of Hapana, joins the show to discuss how the brands that succeed will use AI to strengthen, rather than replace, human connection. We explore Hapana’s journey from a personal training platform to one of the industry’s leading software providers, why they rebuilt their entire platform from the ground up, and what operators should be thinking...

Liv Billingham of Ezypay joins host Jack Thomas to break down five of the region’s most important fitness markets: Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand. We explore the growth, trends and consumer behaviours shaping each country, from Singapore’s highly competitive boutique scene and Malaysia’s rapid development to Indonesia’s complex local landscape, the community-led Phili...

Welcome back to our monthly fitness industry roundup, where we go beyond the headlines and break down what the biggest stories actually mean for operators, brands and the future of the industry. This month, Jack Thomas covers: ⭐ The Fit Guide launches Five-Star Fitness Reception Course 🇹🇭 GymNation expands into Thailand 🏆 HYROX World Championships head to Hong Kong 💰 HYROX reportedly secures a...

Most gyms get their late coming policy and implementation all wrong. In this episode, Matt and Jack discuss what fitness businesses can learn from hospitality about punctuality, communication and removing friction from the member journey. From starting and finishing classes on time to handling unavoidable delays professionally, we break down the standards that separate well-run clubs from the rest...

Yves Preissler joins the show to discuss what the fitness industry can learn from the world’s leading hospitality brands. Drawing on decades of experience in luxury hotels, Yves explains why personalization, genuine human connection and consistently great service are what keep customers coming back. We discuss why front desk interactions often let gyms down, how small personalized touches can tran...

In this episode, Matt and Jack explore what fitness businesses can learn from luxury hospitality when it comes to pre-arrival communication. From booking journeys and confirmation emails to digital onboarding and social media, we discuss how the best brands build anticipation, reduce uncertainty and make clients feel welcomed before they even arrive. If you want to improve first impressions, this...

Andrea Lomas of Mandarin Oriental joins the show to share what fitness businesses can learn from one of the world’s most respected luxury hospitality brands. From listening and anticipation to staff training, atmosphere and operational excellence, Andrea explains the principles that help Mandarin Oriental deliver consistently exceptional experiences around the world. We discuss how simple gestures...

Our co-founder Jack Thomas recently spoke at Beyond Activ Bangkok on the 10 biggest opportunities in fitness. Based on insights from more than 500 anonymous gym visits worldwide, the talk was one of the most popular sessions at the event. We’re excited to share the full presentation with you here. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Build A Five-Star Reception Team ---...

The Fit Guide Dubai — Top Stories Welcome back to our monthly fitness industry roundup, where we go beyond the headlines and break down what the biggest stories actually mean for operators, brands and the future of the industry. This month, Jack covers GymNation’s $100M raise and expansion plans, The Yard Gym’s global partnership with Nike, the launch of the Gym Equipment Design Awards, The Fit Gu...

Community has become one of the biggest buzzwords in fitness, but what does it actually mean, and how do great brands build it properly? In this episode, Matt and Jack break down what gyms can learn from hospitality brands like Soho House, where connection, programming and shared experiences sit at the centre of the business model. We discuss how fitness brands can create stronger communities, whe...

The Fit Guide’s 2026 results for Dubai’s boutique fitness scene are in. In this episode, we break down the biggest stories and stats, including how Dubai compares to other global fitness cities, where the market is leading the world, where it’s still falling short, and where the biggest opportunities lie. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Thank you to our sponsors Ha...

Sales in fitness is not just about getting someone to sign up. It is about understanding people, building trust and creating an experience that feels genuine from the start. In this episode, Matt and Jack break down the psychology behind effective gym sales, using lessons from hospitality and premium customer experience. From reciprocity and scarcity to the paradox of choice and the contrast princ...

Welcome to the first edition of our monthly fitness industry roundup, where we go beyond the headlines and break down what the biggest stories actually mean for operators, brands and the future of the industry. This month, Jack covers ClassPass making reviews public, Les Mills partnering with HYROX, Club Pilates expanding into Southeast Asia, rising gym membership numbers across the US and UK, Nik...

Late arrivals happen in every boutique gym. The question is how you handle them. In this episode, Matt and Jack break down what the world’s leading gyms do when clients show up late, and why getting this right matters for both the latecomer and everyone already in the room. We cover clear policies, how to communicate them well, and how to train your team to deal with these moments calmly, consiste...

Emma Masters, founder of Therapy Fitness and fitness industry speaker and consultant, joins the show to discuss a common but unspoken issue that many gyms overlook. Your most popular instructors can be driving busy classes, but if they’re not focused on new members they can also be holding your business back. Emma shares a clear, important perspective on experience and how to maintain consistency...