Club Solutions Magazine

With the new year underway, one extremely popular industry trend from 2023 is still gaining more steam and traction — pickleball. The game is still the most popular sport in the U.S. with more clubs joining the craze and adding it to their offerings. Frank Lawrence, the CEO of Little Rock Athletic Centers, recently sat down with Club Solutions Magazine Podcast host Rachel Zabonick-Chonko to discus...

Club Solutions Magazine is celebrating its 20th anniversary this month after two decades of serving the fitness industry. Shawn McDonald and Rico Francis, the co-founders of Club Solutions, recently sat down with Club Solutions Magazine Podcast host Rachel Zabonick-Chonko to discuss the brand’s history, culture and what lies ahead for the company in the near future. The duo provides a genuine look...

Recovery is still a growing trend in the industry and clubs are finding new ways to capitalize on interest from members. In fact, the modality was the focus of the recovery and wellness panel at the 2023 Club Solutions Leadership Retreat. Ani Oksayan, the vice president of fitness for Chuze Fitness, recently sat down with Club Solutions Magazine Podcast host Rachel Zabonick-Chonko to discuss Oksay...

The fitness industry is currently ripe with franchise opportunities, ranging from big-box clubs to boutique concepts. One such company seeing sizable success across a variety of verticals in the boutique space is Xponential Fitness. Taylor Brown, the editor of Club Solutions Magazine, recently sat down with Lance Freeman, the president of franchise development of Xponential brands. They discuss Fr...

You will learn: – How gyms can effectively leverage technology, such as fitness apps and wearables, to enhance the overall member experience and encourage long-term engagement. -How to balance offering of incentives without compromising the financial sustainability of the business. -Additional services or amenities can gyms offer to add value and encourage long-term commitment from members. - And...

Once the COVID-19 pandemic struck in 2020, clubs across the U.S. were put in a perilous position. Many were shut down for extended periods of time. The situation created a need for club leaders to have their voices heard through political advocacy. Liz Clark, the CEO and president of IHRSA, recently sat down with Club Solutions Magazine Podcast host Rachel Zabonick-Chonko to talk about the work Cl...

As technology continues to take center stage in everyday life, more clubs are investing in software offerings to improve operations and member relations. One tech option built specifically to assist clubs in these endeavors is GymStudio. Taylor Brown, the editor of Club Solutions Magazine, sat down with Hewitt Tomlin, the CEO and founder of GymStudio, to discuss what sets GymStudio apart from othe...

Marketing has perhaps never been more important in the industry as it is now. Simply put, failure to accurately showcase your club to the public could result in a failure of member sales. Alex Schwartz, the director of marketing at Midtown Athletic Clubs, recently sat down with Club Solutions Magazine Podcast host Rachel Zabonick-Chonko to discuss a unique case study his club experienced surroundi...

One of the more popular trends occurring in the industry right now is a focus on medical body composition analysis. Success in fitness is now being measured by members not only through results on the gym floor, but by their health outcomes showcased on body scans. Taylor Brown, the editor of Club Solutions Magazine, sat down with Christian Dietrich, the global division manager of body composition...

Thought Leaders Roundtable: The Fitness Industry's Role in Mental Health. You will learn: - Best practices for providing mental health support for members and employees. - How to better promote programming and services to aid in mental health. - Specific programs clubs are implementing that focus more on mental health. - And more. Panelists include: - Mary Frank, VP Sales & Marketing, Cincinnati S...

After 30 years as a member of 24 Hour Fitness, CEO Karl Sanft has seen the club grow and change a lot over time. Fast forward to 2023, and Sanft is now looking back at all the lessons learned during his first full year as CEO of the company. Sanft recently sat down with Club Solutions Magazine Podcast host Rachel Zabonick-Chonko for a conversation on his brand’s 40-year anniversary and what’s been...

Cardiac arrest is very prevalent as it happens to over 350,000 people every year in the U.S. Even worse, survival rates today are 10% or less in communities. That number has not changed mostly due to a lack of automated external defibrillators (AEDs). Taylor Brown, the editor of Club Solutions Magazine, sat down with Sameer Jafri, the CEO and co-founder of Avive Solutions, a company that’s empower...

On July 19, four thought leaders from a cross-section of the industry gathered to discuss the trends in recovery offerings and amenities. Sponsored by WellnessSpace Brands. Topics of discussion: What types of recovery products, amenities and services clubs are offering. Best practices for offering these services to members. Tips for monetizing/packaging these offerings. Where recovery is headed/gr...

Being a leader of an organization in an ever-changing industry can present an array of successes and difficulties. While learning how it display effective leadership takes time, it’s absolutely necessary to operate a club. Carol Nalevanko, the president of Village Health Clubs & Spas, recently sat down with Club Solutions Magazine Podcast host Rachel Zabonick-Chonko for a frank conversation on lea...

One of the most recent trends in the fitness industry is the rise in interest surrounding body composition scans for member health data and analysis. Taylor Brown, the editor of Club Solutions Magazine, sat down with Dipra Ray, the CEO and co-founder of Bodymapp, an accessible and affordable 3D body scanning app, available on iPhone or iPad. They discuss all the app’s features and how it stands ou...

The 2023 Club Solutions Leadership Summit brought together top industry leaders to discuss a series of innovative ideas and pressing topics through roundtables and a panel discussion. In this virtual discussion, sponsored by ISSA, attendees from the Leadership Summit highlight the big ideas and top takeaways discussed during the event. These include: - How to navigate a culture change with Gen Z e...

With 2022 being a transformational year in the world of technology, businesses around the world are trying to find new ways to use the most recent tech developments to their advantage. Mike Rucker, the chief digital officer for Active Wellness, recently sat down with Club Solutions Magazine Podcast host Rachel Zabonick-Chonko to discuss the future of technology in the fitness industry. They discus...

Thought leaders from a cross-section of the industry discuss the strength fitness trend. Sponsored by SportsArt. Topics of discussion: - Trends in strength equipment and functional fitness. - What members are gravitating towards, and what clubs are buying. - Fitness floor and functional fitness layout advice. - What to look for in equipment partnerships. - Advice for other operators. Panelists inc...

In the continued aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses around the world are still facing numerous staffing challenges. While there may not be immediate answers to some of these struggles, clubs can still employ several beneficial strategies. Joe Cirulli, the owner of Gainesville Health & Fitness, recently sat down with Club Solutions Magazine Podcast host Rachel Zabonick-Chonko to detail...

Thought Leaders Series: Answering Your Most Pressing Questions by Club Solutions Magazine

Clubs continue to look for new, beneficial avenues to increase membership and support retention. While not every strategy is a sure home run, eco-friendly fitness equipment is one approach companies like SportsArt are finding success with offering. Rico Francis, the president of Club Solutions and Peake Media and special guest, recently sat down with Ruben Mejia, the executive vice president of Sp...

Now more than ever, current and potential employees are looking for positive working environments to continue their careers in. Ideal job titles and salaries are often not enough to retain talent with job morale becoming more important for personnel. Nate Welch, the vice president of operations for Cross Gates Family Fitness, recently sat down with Club Solutions Magazine Podcast host Rachel Zabon...

Thought leaders from a cross-section of the industry discuss serving the next generation. Topics of discussion: - What programs/equipment do you see Gen Z drawn to the most? - How are you marketing to reach the younger generation? - What sets Gen Z apart from previous gym goers? - How can gyms capitalize on this generation? Panelists include: - Billy Grenham, Chief Marketing Officer of CycleBar -...

Thought leaders from a cross-section of the industry discuss how to keep new members engaged after the New Year rush. Topics of discussion: - How are facilities marketing to new members, enrolling them and managing their expectations. - How to help new members make exercise a priority and routine. - What role gyms play in helping members achieve behavior modification. - Successful strategies for r...

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, medical fitness has emerged as a top trend in the industry. With the trend aimed at maximizing a person’s health and quality of life, medical fitness helps impact more lives in the community and get more members back in clubs. Sue Boreskie, the CEO of Reh-Fit, recently sat down with Club Solutions Magazine Podcast host Rachel Zabonick-Chonko to discuss medical fi...