The Society Pod

Dave Appel is challenging the fitness industry to rethink its role in health by confronting the stigma around peptides and embracing integration. In this episode, we discuss the intersection of fitness, wellness, and emerging medical trends like peptides and GLP-1s. Dave shares insights on telehealth, industry convergence, and the future of personalized health solutions. One in eight Americans are...

Before becoming a sought after business coach and strategist, Micah Logan was a founder and a CEO. He has done the work, built the processes and learned the lessons in the trenches. Now, he's helping other entrepreneurs and businesses as an advisor and fractional executive. In this episode, he shares his journey from fitness entrepreneur to business strategist, emphasizing the importance of practi...

Mary Beth Olson has spent her entire career in Communications and Public Relations and it shows. In this episode, she talks passionately about the space and offers advice on how to deploy Public Relations for your business. She shares her journey from PR professional to founder of MBO Media, emphasizing the importance of storytelling, client partnership, and authentic self-promotion in building a...

In this episode, Darin Newbold shares his journey from corporate leadership to coaching, focusing on self-awareness, patterns, and frameworks like the Enneagram and Purpose Factor to help leaders and teams make focused decisions and unlock their potential. Takeaways: - Self-awareness and pattern recognition is critical to advancing your leadership skills - The Enneagram and Purpose Factor are used...

Before joining Shack Shine, Katie Schaeffers worked in events, carefully designing customer experiences. Now, as the leader of the Shack Shine brand, she calls customers frequently and uses insights gathered to make strategic decisions for the brand. Her customer obsession extends into relationships with Shack Shine franchise owners, both current and prospective. This episode covers everything fro...

Andrew Menter is the founder of Physmodo, a company that utilizes computer vision to deliver scalable movement assessments. As fitness consumers are collecting more data to optimize performance, movement assessments are a critical layer Andrew shares his journey from investment banking to entrepreneurship, the origin of Physmodo, and the importance of movement assessment in fitness. He discusses t...

In this episode, I chat with Row House founder, Debra Strougo about everything happening in the fitness industry. Of course, we talk about brand-building and establishing core target audiences in order to be successful. We talk about the me-we-go structure that helps organizations stay aligned and moving as one force. Debra shares insights on trends in the fitness industry, the balance between tec...

In this episode, Marco Benitez discusses his innovative company Rook, which simplifies data integration for fitness brands through wearable technology. Where developers used to have to integrate in multiple directions, Rook aggregates API's and offers a single integration for consumer data. Marco emphasizes the significance of data in understanding health behaviors and the need for a holistic appr...

Albert Ramos is a financial strategist and fractional CFP specializing in the fitness and wellness industry. In this episode, we discuss the importance of financial literacy for fitness brands, key metrics for growth, and various funding strategies available to entrepreneurs. Albert emphasizes the need for effective matchmaking between investors and business owners, the role of podcasts in sharing...

Jason Moore is applying his self proclaimed nerd brain-power to solving one of the biggest problems facing the fitness industry: There are too many apps and wearables tracking slices of fitness information. No tool offers a comprehensive solution to tracking a fitness journey. His company, SPREN, is a health technology platform that utilizes smartphone technology to accurately track body compositi...

It's not uncommon in the fitness industry for great brands to launch with a good class offering but a limited ability to grow revenue. In this conversation, I connect with Kelsey Willhite who's an expert at moving the needle on critical metrics in the fitness industry: booking rates, conversion rates and of course revenue generated. In our conversation, Kelsey shares her journey from being a membe...

Pete Moore has had a front row seat to many of the mergers and acquisitions in the HALO Sector over the past 15 years. In this conversation, we discuss the current state of fitness and the HALO Sector, from dollars entering the space to consumer trends to the nomenclature of “wellness” and “community.”  The list of brand name drops is long: Soul Cycle, Gold’s Gym, Oura, SweetGreens, CrossFit,...

April Porter brings her experience as a multi-unit franchisee to her new coaching concept, SecretSOS, a business intelligence platform aimed at helping franchisees and small business owners maximize their potential. April discusses her journey from owning kickboxing gyms to founding SecretSOS. We dive into common mistakes franchisors make, the importance of investing in oneself, and the challenges...

In this episode Allison Beardsley and Eric Tepper share their unique journeys in the fitness industry and their current project: growing Red Light Method. Bringing complementary personalities to the organization, Allison and Eric are building a fast growing fitness franchise in the trendy recovery segment of fitness. We discuss the importance of blending wellness and fitness, their experiences in...

In this episode, I chat with Eric Malzone about the multifaceted nature of his career in the fitness industry, his journey into podcasting, and the lessons learned along the way. We discuss the importance of networking and how podcasting helps nurture your network. Eric shares insights on the art of improv in conversations, and the value of being present during interviews. He recommends committing...

Sam Tooley, CEO and co-founder of Alpha Fit Club, has spent the last few years quietly building a fitness empire centered around community and brand. At the center of the ecosystem is Sam himself as well as the fast growing fitness franchise, Alpha Fit Club. In this conversation, he shares his journey in the fitness industry, discussing the vision behind Alpha Fit Club, its unique positioning in t...

Corrales Cachola is a strategic consultant and marketer, helping brands bring human-centric marketing and storytelling to life for their organizations. In this conversation, we discuss how to uncover core brand stories, the significance of deep values in branding, and the evolution of Corrales' company, Brand New Voices. He discusses the essence of storytelling, emphasizing its role in leadership...

Matt Zeigler is a true Renaissance man, working as a managing director at Sunpointe Investments while also pursuing creative side projects in his free time. Our conversation focuses on curiosity fueling creativity and then creativity fueling unique perspectives in the traditionally uncreative environment of finance. We explore themes of introversion, networking, creativity, and the importance of e...

In this episode of The SocietyPod, Melissa Knowles shares her career journey through the fitness industry, discussing the evolution of fitness trends, the impact of technology and AI, and the importance of personal wellness. As the Vice President of Global Key Accounts at ABC Fitness, she reflects on her leadership style, emphasizing vulnerability and collaboration, and highlights the significance...

I’ve been in a funk. Unfortunately, I know exactly why. In today’s episode, I unpack the issue that I’ve been working through lately of trying to stay balanced between skepticism & belief. While I normally skew a little skeptical, negativity has recently expanded and it’s impacted everything. Including my skin. LOL! Let's all learn from my current state of distress! Let’s bring self-awareness...

In this fitness-focused episode of SocietyPod, I host Matt Burruss and Spencer Panchik, who are introducing XPODIUM to the US and Canada. They discuss their backgrounds in fitness, the vision behind XPODIUM as a lifestyle brand rather than just an equipment company, and the evolving landscape of the fitness industry. Our conversation highlights the importance of strength training, the challenges f...

With an entire career built in the fitness industry, Raphael Konforti knows how to drive revenue for facilities and results for members. As Senior Director of Fitness, Business and Operations at 24 Hour Fitness, he has a front row seat to the fast-evolving personal training space. We discuss the legacy of 24 Hour Fitness, the importance of trainer development, and the evolving landscape of fitness...

The top fitness concept on the Inc 5000 (ranked #276) BODYBAR Pilates is on a hyper growth track. In this episode, I connect with Kamille McCollum, President and Chief Brand Officer of BODYBAR on what makes her concept unique among other Pilates concepts and franchises. We discuss the evolution of Pilates, the unique approach of BODYBAR, the importance of community in fitness, and the empowerment...

Tyrre Bucks is a professional athlete who turned his passion for athletics into Players Health, a company dedicated to creating safe spaces for athletes. With $60million raised in a recent series C fund-raise, Players Health is poised for another year of fast growth. In this conversation, Tyrre shares his journey from being a professional athlete to an entrepreneur, discussing the inception of Pla...

Kelly Ann Winget is a wizard when it comes to democratizing investment information. She has a brilliant way of making complex topics clear and making the scary world of alternative investments less scary! In this episode, we discuss the importance of financial literacy, the challenges faced by female founders in securing investment, and the need for democratization of financial information. Kelly...