HALO Talks: Elevating Wellness

Lauren Brenner is the innovative mind behind the groundbreaking fitness concept, Powerbox 360—a fusion of an immersive nightlife energy vibe with a killer workout. Brenner's concept transports participants into a 360 degree panorama of pulsating visuals and heart-pounding beats reminiscent of an electrifying club environment.  Her vision extends beyond "just" the workout though. She aspires to tra...

Matt Slowinski, a college junior when the pandemic struck, found himself at a crossroads along with his friend Aaron Reznik. With their academic lives interrupted and traditional internships inaccessible, Matt turned to his long-standing passion for tennis as a way to fill his time. For years, he and Aaron had coached private tennis lessons during the summer break. As they sought to shape their un...

Maxine Carrington is the Chief People Officer at Northwell Health. She's a highly recognized, dedicated, and forward-thinking professional who works closely with a team led by CEO Michael Dowling. Reflecting her company's expansive vision of health, she takes her role far beyond the traditional confines of her industry. Maxine is not one to simply wait for illness to manifest in her 85,000+ commun...

Chris Craytor's journey with IHRSA, now formally known as the Health and Fitness Association, is a story of transformation and strategic development. When Craytor first joined the board, he was immediately faced with the challenge of fundraising for advocacy—a task that was met with more rejections than approvals. Despite the difficulty in securing even modest contributions, his determination did...

Monica Marder, a dynamic entrepreneur with a penchant for wellness innovation, embarked on a transformative journey in 2018 when she founded her first fitness studio. Struggling to find a workout regimen that was both low impact and incorporated functional strength training, but distinctly different from traditional Pilates, Monica envisioned an alternative that combined intensity with a result-dr...

Ethan Blauner's story begins in the tumultuous period of the pandemic when the doors of the (unfortunately now defunct) Switch Playground--like many big box and boutique gyms across the globe--shuttered and left trainers wandering in an uncertain fitness landscape. As routines crumbled, Ethan faced the challenge that rattled the entire industry . . . the abrupt transition from physical spaces to a...

Sid Raman is a structural engineer with over three decades of experience in the construction and building sector. His expertise took an innovative turn roughly seven years ago, as he delved into the niche of construction automation and robotics. Sid discovered a new-found excitement in the application of motors and controllers, and the fascinating overlap between the principles governing both cons...

Matthew Schober is the Co-Founder of Concierge Health (previously known as Gym Farm), a company that provides services to fitness facilities. Host Pete Moore and Matt discuss ancillary revenues, establishing new revenue streams for clubs, and the complex challenges and opportunities in the insurance and corporate markets. Matthew elaborates on how Concierge Health's platform--Connections--integrat...

Will Coker emerged as an innovative thinker in the realm of club operations, a field where he's spent 24 years honing his expertise. His journey into entrepreneurship began when the seeds of an idea took root along with his Co-Founders, who held influential positions on advisory councils and boards across various other HALO-sector companies. Coker's role as an operations savant and an informal sta...

Jim Ludwig, an enthusiastic former tennis player, has been the linchpin for the pickleball community in Naples since 2010. His journey with the sport began at a small country club where he recognized the game's potential for growth, particularly among the senior demographic. Sensing the need for more space, Jim's vision led him to a nearby park, where he observed underutilized tennis courts. Takin...

Rina Raphael is a highly regarded, well-established writer and journalist who has covered a wide range of topics in the HALO sector from fitness and nutrition to biohacking and even strology startups! She currently has a highly regarded newsletter on substack called Well to Do, and in 2016 she authored the Gospel of Wellness which deep-dives into the changes she witnessed in the industry, highligh...

In this episode, host Pete Moore sits down with long-time friend and former classmate Brian Paris to discuss a wide range of topics related to coaching, wellness, and personal development. Brian shares insights into his approach to coaching, emphasizing the importance of a holistic lifestyle, positive psychology, and the impact of habits and mindset. The conversation also delves a bit into the fin...

Christine Howe has dedicated her entire career to staffing and recruiting in the HALO (Health, Active Lifestyle, Outdoors) industry for over 12 years. She recently ventured out on her own and started Fit Pro Finders, a staffing service catering specifically to the HALO space. She and her team work with a wide range of companies, from small to mid-sized independents, to franchise-owned and corporat...

Dr. Kenneth Cooper (often referred to as the "Father of Aerobics") has been one of the seminal pioneers in the field of preventive medicine for over five decades. Despite tremendous skepticism from the medical community at large initially, he founded the Cooper Clinic in Dallas in December, 1970 with the belief that taking care of healthy individuals was just as important as treating the sick. Ove...

Prime Hall served in the Marines from 2005 to 2017, with his initial deployment being in the infantry for the first four years. He later transitioned to becoming a water survival instructor, where he drew on principles of military water survival for the basis of his programming. Hall relays the story of an individual who survived for 20 hours in the Gulf of Mexico after falling off a Carnival crui...

Dave Cantor is a 20+ industry veteran in the natural food space. His journey began in the Midwest, where he developed a passion for food, sustainability, and gardening during his college years. After honing his cooking skills and pursuing his interests in farming, Dave eventually ended up running his own organic farm in New Mexico. He later furthered his education by obtaining a Master's degree in...

Lee is an entrepreneur originally from Michigan who, at 24, made a bold move to Costa Mesa, California in 2010 where he headed up the development of perhaps the first infrared studio in the country. He transformed the fledgling studio, implementing a membership model, and elevating the experience for customers. This marked the beginning of Perspire Sauna Studios, which has since expanded into a bu...

Former currency trader Dom D'Alexander found himself unexpectedly drawn to a passion project that would substantially alter his career trajectory. Selling currencies to hedge funds was intellectually stimulating but something he lacked any real passion for. His hobbies were always focused on his own well-being, leading him to delve into something combining his love for personal development and sel...

In this episode, host Pete Moore is joined by Josh Bonhotal from TXV Partners. Josh shares his wealth of experience in player performance and training, from his time with the Chicago Bulls to his role at Purdue's men's basketball program. They dive into venture investing, discussing portfolio construction and risk management. As well as discuss the use of technology to optimize athlete performance...

Zvi Goffer is a former finance executive and father who was inspired to take action when planting the seeds of college education in the minds of his two kids. His idea for Campus VR took root when he brought his kids to his alma mater, a state school in New York . . . which unfortunately didn't do a good job representing themselves on their website. Wanting to do more than just show pictures, he d...

In this episode, Pete talks with Dixie Grace, a former planning engineer turned entrepreneur who has "brought back" the boiled peanut (a long time classic Southern snack) to the Northeast, an area where they're notoriously difficult to find . . . but not anymore! Raised by a single parent, she comes from a family of entrepreneurs, with her grandmother owning beauty salons and her mother being invo...

In this episode of HALO Talks, host Pete Moore is joined by Director of Education, Jeremy Strom, from Reaxing International. Jeremy shares insights into the Reaxing system, a game-changing, neuroscience-based program designed to train for unpredictability and enhance overall movement and response time. He discusses the company's innovative products, such as the Reax Run treadmill and Reax Board, a...

Host Pete Moore welcomes Josh Forkner, a prominent figure in the CBD space. Josh shares insights into his company's operations, including their innovative approach to product development, strategic partnerships, and the challenges they've faced in the market. Pete and Josh dive into the unique selling points of CBD products, the potential for growth in the industry, and the transformative impact o...

In this episode, host Pete Moore sits down with serial entrepreneur Todd Abrams, the Co-Founder and CEO of ICON Meals. Todd shares his journey from starting his entrepreneurial ventures in the software industry to his passion project based in Texas, ICON Meals, which focuses on providing convenient and healthy food options.  Throughout the conversation, Todd discusses the challenges and successes...

In this episode, host Pete Moore dives deep into the VC (venture capital) world with Kiva Dickinson, Founder of Selva Ventures. Kiva began his career in investment banking before joining TPG. He received top-notch training there and developed a keen interest in the dynamics of the consumer world, particularly in ecommerce and health and wellness. His focus shifted to earlier stage opportunities, p...