Today I’m joined by Krisna Bhargava, CEO of Arena — the complete mobile smart gym.    In this episode, we discuss Arena’s innovative strength training solution and its focus on human performance — including athletes, strength coaches, and physical therapists. Krisna details the company’s plan to accelerate growth. And we cover Arena’s mission to replace the dumbbell.    Note: Fitt Insider is an investor in Arena   More from Fitt Insider    Fitt Insider helps operators stay informed and make better decisions. We produce a weekly newsletter and podcast, curate an industry jobs board, and invest in early-stage companies.   *** Subscribe to our newsletter: https://insider.fitt.co/newsletter/   *** Visit the jobs board: https://jobs.fitt.co/   *** View current investment and get in touch: https://insider.fitt.co/investments/   More from Krisna    Krisna Bhargava, PhD is a scientist turned entrepreneur whose lifelong love of fitness began with martial arts, skiing, and hiking. Krisna has an extensive background in automation and biophysics, bringing the view that strength training is the foundation of reaching peach performance as much as it is preventative healthcare. 

Today I’m joined by Melissa Bentivoglio, co-founder and CEO of Frame Fitness — makers of a connected Pilates reformer.    In this episode, Melissa shares how her experience as an athlete, instructor, and designer led to founding Frame. We talk about the company’s $5M funding round that included 24 Hour Fitness founder Mark Mastrov. And we cover content, community, and manufacturing as the company prepares to ship products in 2022.    More from Fitt Insider    Fitt Insider helps operators stay informed and make better decisions. We produce a weekly newsletter and podcast, curate an industry jobs board, and invest in early-stage companies.   *** Subscribe to our newsletter: https://insider.fitt.co/newsletter/   *** Visit the jobs board: https://jobs.fitt.co/   *** View current investment and get in touch: https://insider.fitt.co/investments/   More from Melissa  Melissa Bentivoglio is a classically trained ballet dancer and a renowned pilates and fitness instructor. Melissa credits her dedication to pilates as having changed her life after years of elite level performance. In 2018, she designed her own proprietary reformer for use in her own studio. By launching Frame, she hopes to make pilates more widely available and accessible, so that everyone has a chance to improve their quality of life.

Today I’m joined by Helaine Knapp, CEO of CITYROW.   In this episode, we discuss the company’s origin as a single boutique fitness studio, the decision to launch a connected rower and digital app, and Helaine’s plan to scale an omnichannel experience.    More from Fitt Insider    Fitt Insider helps operators stay informed and make better decisions. We produce a weekly newsletter and podcast, curate an industry jobs board, and invest in early-stage companies.   *** Subscribe to our newsletter: https://insider.fitt.co/newsletter/   *** Visit the jobs board: https://jobs.fitt.co/   *** View current investment and get in touch: https://insider.fitt.co/investments/   More from Helaine    After spending years climbing the corporate ladder, Helaine Knapp left the world of publishing for tech start-up life. Group fitness was her outlet while working hard and taking on the hustle and bustle of New York City. Months of spin and boot camp classes left her with a lower back injury, however, and she began searching for a workout that was low impact, but super effective. After a friend suggested rowing, Helaine initially rejected it as something “my dad did in college,” but following a few workouts on a sexy machine, pairing it with total body sculpting moves off the machine, changed her mind and the concept for CITYROW was born.   With a mission of delivering a smart, fun, effective workout to all fitness levels, under Knapp’s leadership, CITYROW has grown from one studio in New York City to a national omnichannel fitness brand a top-ranked on-demand global program featuring at-home rowers and a fast-growing digital subscription business alongside 12 open studios and 65 franchises sold nationwide!   Knapp has yet to row on the water and has been featured as a business leader and a wellness expert on TODAY, Women’s Health, ABC, Harper’s Bazaar, Shape, Well + Good, Vogue, Yahoo! Finance, and PEOPLE, among many others.

Today I’m joined by Martin Adler, CEO of Brooklyn Boulders — operators of urban climbing, fitness, and community centers.    In this episode, we discuss the growing business of rock climbing, leveraging technology to enhance the climbing experience, and falling in love with the joy of movement.    More from Fitt Insider    Fitt Insider helps operators stay informed and make better decisions. We produce a weekly newsletter and podcast, curate an industry jobs board, and invest in early-stage companies.   *** Subscribe to our newsletter: https://insider.fitt.co/newsletter/   *** Visit the jobs board: https://jobs.fitt.co/   *** View current investment and get in touch: https://insider.fitt.co/investments/   More from Martin    Martin Adler is the CEO of Brooklyn Boulders.  He previously served as Brooklyn Boulders Vice President of Strategy & Growth and then as Interim CEO. Formerly a co-founder of Healthrageous (Acq. by Humana) and Chief of Product and Strategy at Reflexion Health (Acq. by Smith & Nephew), Adler has spent the past fifteen years developing companies and services that empower people to enhance their own wellbeing.   www.brooklynboulders.com  Arcade Climbing: www.arcadeclimbing.com   linkedin.com/in/martinadler 

Today I’m joined by Sarah Robb O’Hagan, CEO of Exos — a human performance company.    In this episode, we discuss Sarah’s experience at companies like Nike, Gatorade, Equinox, and Flywheel Sports. We talk about Exos programs that span work, sport, and life. Plus, we cover the company’s efforts to make elite performance more accessible through in-person and digital offerings.    More from Fitt Insider    Fitt Insider helps operators stay informed and make better decisions. We produce a weekly newsletter and podcast, curate an industry jobs board, and invest in early-stage companies.   *** Subscribe to our newsletter: https://insider.fitt.co/newsletter/   *** Visit the jobs board: https://jobs.fitt.co/   *** View current investment and get in touch: https://insider.fitt.co/investments/   More from Sarah   Sarah Robb O’Hagan took the helm at Exos in 2020 as chief executive officer. In this new era of the business, she’s leading Exos’ transformation from predominantly gym-based services, to a fully omnichannel performance program and coaching platform. Prior to Exos she served as CEO of Flywheel, global president of Equinox and Gatorade, and held leadership roles at iconic brands like Virgin and Nike. Sarah is the author of “Extreme YOU”, a book to help unleash potential in ambitious leaders, and she’s been named one of Forbes’ Most Powerful Women in Sports and one of Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business. She sits on the boards of JetBlue Airways and Strava, and is a trustee emeritus of the Women’s Sports Foundation.

Today I’m joined by Daniel Sobhani, CEO of Freeletics — an AI-powered fitness app.    In today’s episode, we discuss the company’s evolution from PDF workout plans to a digital fitness platform with more than 50M users. We cover the launch of Staedium, the company’s new game-based connected strength training product. And Daniel shares his thoughts on innovation, team building, gamification, and more.    More from Fitt Insider    Fitt Insider helps operators stay informed and make better decisions. We produce a weekly newsletter and podcast, curate an industry jobs board, and invest in early-stage companies.   *** Subscribe to our newsletter: https://insider.fitt.co/newsletter/   *** Visit the jobs board: https://jobs.fitt.co/   *** View current investment and get in touch: https://insider.fitt.co/investments/   More from Daniel    Daniel Sobhani is the CEO at Freeletics, the leading provider of AI-based fitness and mindset coaching, with more than 165 employees and nearly 53 million users worldwide. Born and raised in Munich, Germany, he studied business administration, mechanical engineering, finance and technology management in Munich and Sydney. After working at the renowned Boston Consulting Group, he then joined Freeletics in its early stages as CEO in 2014.  At the time, Freeletics was a very small, young startup, but one which was growing rapidly. Daniel helped foster its potential and guided the team to achieve international success in just a short space of time – all as a bootstrapped company.    After five successful years as a bootstrapped company, Daniel Sobhani steered Freeletics to the next milestones of the company’s history, as it closed a $45 million Series A funding round in 2018 and a $25 million Series B funding round in September 2020, to enable further product innovation,  exploring and building new business verticals and to expand Freeletics’ global footprint.   With its AI-powered and hyper-personalized digital fitness and lifestyle coaching, Freeletics has continued to disrupt a multi-billion-dollar industry which, before the company’s existence, had been dominated by stationary gyms and exclusive personal trainers. Aside from its financial success, the company has grown exponentially across the board. With almost one million users in early 2014, today the Freeletics app has over 52 million users in more than 175 countries. The company has continued to build on its product portfolio, also launching an e-commerce platform. With exciting things in the pipeline, Freeletics continues to strive to innovate and disrupt the digital fitness industry. Daniel has enabled and guided Freeletics to become the creator of one of the world‘s most popular fitness apps, inspiring and challenging people all over the world to become the greatest versions of themselves, both mentally and physically. And this is just the beginning. 

Today I’m joined by Akin Akman and Angela Manuel-Davis, co-founders of AARMY — a digital and in-person fitness concept.    In this episode, the team explains how AARMY accelerated its digital transformation during the pandemic. We also talk about the importance of building community in a virtual environment. And we discuss the company’s hybrid offering that includes studios, pop-ups, digital content, and potentially hardware.    More from Fitt Insider    Fitt Insider helps operators stay informed and make better decisions. We produce a weekly newsletter and podcast, curate an industry jobs board, and invest in early-stage companies.   *** Subscribe to our newsletter: https://insider.fitt.co/newsletter/   *** Visit the jobs board: https://jobs.fitt.co/   *** View current investment and get in touch: https://insider.fitt.co/investments/   More from AARMY   Akin Akman, Co-Founder & Chief Fitness Officer   As a tennis prodigy, Akin began his athlete journey at age 7 at the world-renowned IMG Academy training with legendary coach Nick Bollettieri. Akin has channeled all his years of training to create the signature AARMY Method, based on an authentic world-class athlete training philosophy. Transforming people from diverse backgrounds and different levels of fitness into true athletes has not only become Akin’s passion, it is also the hallmark of his brand making him widely considered the world’s #1 group fitness coach.   Angela Manuel-Davis, Co-Founder & Chief Motivation Officer    Angela is one of the world’s leading fitness coaches and most inspiring motivational speakers. Angela’s love of sports began early and directly from her family. The daughter of a legendary professional baseball coach, Angela went on to become a track star and Olympic trial semi-finalist. One of the world’s top 25 100 meter runners, Angela knows firsthand how a strong foundation of practice, goal setting, and focus can build strength in every part of life. She blends the transformative power of sport and spirituality to encourage a purpose-driven life in each one of her athletes.

Today I’m joined by Jeff Veldhuizen, CEO of Capti — a game-based smart bike.    In this episode, we discuss Capti’s immersive gaming experience. Jeff explains how Capti differs from other connected equipment makers. And he shares the company’s long-term goal of powering fitness in the metaverse.    More from Fitt Insider    Fitt Insider helps operators stay informed and make better decisions. We produce a weekly newsletter and podcast, curate an industry jobs board, and invest in early-stage companies.   Subscribe to our newsletter: https://insider.fitt.co/newsletter/   Visit the jobs board: https://jobs.fitt.co/   View current investment and get in touch: https://insider.fitt.co/investments/   More from Jeff    A respected leader in health and fitness, Jeff's career range includes general manager of high-growth businesses, growth marketer, strategist, and operator in CPG, CE, Sporting Goods, e-commerce, and connected fitness. A tech-driven marketing and direct-to-consumer executive, Jeff has been an integral part of shaping some of the world's most recognizable brands and their online presence.   https://capti.co/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-veldhuizen/ https://www.instagram.com/capti_bike/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/capti-fit/ https://www.facebook.com/CaptiSmartBike

Today I’m joined by Marc Maurer, co-CEO of On — a Swiss-engineered performance footwear and apparel company.    In this episode, we discuss the company’s recent IPO, including growth opportunities in retail and direct-to-consumer channels. Marc explains how On combines performance, design, and sustainability to stand out in a crowded market. And he shares the company’s mission to ignite the human spirit through movement.   More from Fitt Insider    Fitt Insider helps operators stay informed and make better decisions. We produce a weekly newsletter and podcast, curate an industry jobs board, and invest in early-stage companies.   Subscribe to our newsletter: https://insider.fitt.co/newsletter/   Visit the jobs board: https://jobs.fitt.co/   View current investment and get in touch: https://insider.fitt.co/investments/   More from Marc   Marc Maurer has served as the Co-Chief Executive Officer of On since January 2021. Marc joined On in March 2013 and served as the Chief Operating Officer since joining the brand. Prior to joining On, Marc served as Head of Business Development and Marketing for Valora Retail, a publicly-traded European retail company, from April 2012 to March 2013, where he was responsible for driving the company’s business development strategy. Marc also worked at McKinsey & Company as an Engagement Manager, from April 2007 to March 2012. Marc serves as a Board Member of the Swiss Entrepreneurs & Startup Association since 2020. Marc holds a Master’s in Business Administration from INSEAD.

Today I’m joined by Kimberly Ang, co-founder and CEO of KAYA — an app for rock climbers.    In this episode, Kim shares the company’s vision for building the Strava of rock climbing, including a premium subscription, increasing access to climbing, democratizing mentorship, and helping grow participation in the sport.    More from Fitt Insider    Fitt Insider helps operators stay informed and make better decisions. We produce a weekly newsletter and podcast, curate an industry jobs board, and invest in early-stage companies.   Subscribe to our newsletter: https://insider.fitt.co/newsletter/   Visit the jobs board: https://jobs.fitt.co/   View current investment and get in touch: https://insider.fitt.co/investments/   More from Kimberly   Kimberly is Co-Founder & CEO of KAYA, the climber’s app. An avid climber for 10+ years, she’s passionate about shaping KAYA to drive the growth of climbing and help every climber stay inspired, connected, and progressing. Founded in 2019 with a team of climber technologists, KAYA has quickly grown to become the largest network of climbers, gyms, and climbing areas in North America. Brands such as The North Face, Adidas, and USA Climbing partner with KAYA to run novel digital competitions and experiences. Kimberly has championed KAYA’s values-led initiatives in diversity, equity, inclusion, and sustainability.     Before co-founding KAYA, she was at IDEO, the global design and innovation firm. There she helped Fortune 500 companies stand up new brands and products in clean energy, health and wellness, and consumer technology sectors. Kimberly received her Masters in Social Sciences from the University of Chicago where she studied policy and sociology. She spent the first chapter of her career nerding out in public policy before opting for a more creative and entrepreneurial path. She now lives in Lake Tahoe, CA where she can stay close to her Bay Area roots while enjoying life in the mountains every day. 

Today, I’m joined by Benjamin Nazarian, CEO of Therabody – a wellness technology company.    In this episode, we discuss the rise of the recovery category. We explore Therabody’s evolution from a single product—the Theragun–into a platform for pain management, as well as the company’s transition into the consumer market.    Plus, we look at emerging and adjacent verticals, including breathwork, contrast therapy, mental fitness, and more.    More from Benjamin   Benjamin Nazarian is the Chief Executive Officer of Therabody. Under his leadership, Therabody evolved from a single device - Theragun, which pioneered the percussive therapy category - into an ecosystem of products and solutions that help people perform better, recover faster, and manage pain as an alternative to traditional medicine. Benjamin spearheaded Therabody’s global expansion to 10,000 retail locations in more than 60 countries. His commitment to creating cutting-edge products and solutions that are available to everybody has been integral to Therabody’s rapid growth and has established Therabody as a leader in the wellness industry.   Prior to Therabody, Benjamin spent much of his career as a Managing Partner of Omninet Capital, where he still serves on the investment committee. Benjamin graduated from the University of Southern California (USC), with a Bachelor of Science in accounting and received his Juris Doctorate from the Law Center at USC. He currently resides in Los Angeles.   More from Fitt Insider   Fitt Insider is a platform for entrepreneurs, executives, and investors redefining the business of fitness and wellness.   From our newsletter and podcast to our industry-specific jobs board, we create content and resources to drive the industry forward. We also invest in early-stage health and fitness companies.   For more, visit: https://insider.fitt.co/

Today, I’m joined by Jordan Fliegel. An experienced entrepreneur and investor, we talk about Jordan’s role at Techstars Sports, his investment fund, Founders First, and his time as founder of CoachUp and co-CEO of Draft.com.    The conversation also covers emerging opportunities in the Sports Tech category, as well as Jordan’s framework for evaluating companies and founders.     More from Jordan   Jordan Fliegel (born 1986) is an American tech entrepreneur and investor, focused on the sports industry.    Techstars Sports - Fliegel is currently Managing Director of the Techstars Sports Accelerator, which he launched in 2019. Techstars Sports invests $120k/company in 10 startups annually and provides mentorship, office space and hands-on support. The consortium of strategic partners backing the accelerator includes the Next Level Fund, Pacers Sports & Entertainment, NCAA, Indiana Sports Corp, Indianapolis Colts, and Indianapolis Motor Speedway/IndyCar. The accelerator has 30 portfolio companies, including Ergatta, which raised $30M at a $200M valuation in 2021.    Founders First - Fliegel is an investor in over 150 startups as Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Founders First, a vertical-agnostic early-stage angel fund and syndicate. Portfolio companies include Carta, Dapper Labs, Ramp, Fight Camp, MMHMM, Mparticle, Digits, Botkeeper, Merit, HqO, etc)  Draft.com - Fliegel was previously co-CEO of Draft.com ("DRAFT"), a venture-backed fantasy sports company headquartered in NYC. In 2017, he sold DRAFT for $48M to Paddy Power Betfair.    CoachUp.com - Fliegel was Founder and CEO (now Chairman) of CoachUp.com, the leading sports coaching platform with over 20,000 coaches, backed by $14M in venture capital and headquartered in Boston. NBA MVP Stephen Curry is Fliegel's partner and the lead spokesman at CoachUp.    Pro Basketball – Fliegel played professional basketball in the Israeli Premier League, Israeli National League and EuroCup league, and in 2018 led a group that bought a double-digit minority stake in the ANBL 4X Champion New Zealand Breakers.    Author - Fliegel writes and lectures on entrepreneurship, investing, and leadership and is the author of "Coaching Up!" (Wiley & Sons, 2016, with a foreword by NBA Champion Shane Battier).    Awards - Fliegel and his companies were named Inc “30 under 30”, Forbes "30 under 30", BBJ “40 under 40”, and Finalist for Ernst & Young “New England Entrepreneur of the Year”.    Personal: Fliegel grew up in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He earned a B.A. in Philosophy & Government from Bowdoin College, and an M.B.A. from Tel Aviv University.    More from Fitt Insider    Fitt Insider is a platform for entrepreneurs, executives, and investors redefining the business of fitness and wellness.   From our newsletter and podcast to our industry-specific jobs board, we create content and resources to drive the industry forward. We also invest in early-stage health and fitness companies.   For more, visit: https://insider.fitt.co/

Today, I’m joined by Phil Southerland, founder and CEO of Supersapiens — a company using continuous glucose monitoring to help athletes manage their energy levels.    In this episode, we discuss advancements in glucose monitoring. Phil explains why the company is focused on endurance athletes and high performance. And he shares his vision for using sports as a platform to change the health of the world.    More from Phil   Phil Southerland was born in Tallahassee, Florida, and was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when he was only seven months old, the youngest case of diabetes on record in the world at that time. His parents were told that he would be dead or blind by 25. Fortunately, they were stubborn, and Phil had access to insulin, a knowledgeable medical team, and the latest in blood glucose monitoring tools. At six, he had the dream not to go blind and a drive to reach the A1C results needed.   He discovered his love of the bike when he was 12. While attending the University of Georgia, he dreamed of combining his passion for cycling and his personal mission to raise awareness around diabetes. In 2005, Team Type 1 was founded, and by 2007 an all-diabetes cycling team not only won but set the world record in the 3,000-mile Race Across America. Under Phil’s leadership, the dynamic squad rapidly grew from an amateur team to more than 100 athletes spanning the globe to inspire and unite people affected by diabetes and ranked in the top 25 professional cycling teams in the world in 2012.   In late 2012, Phil and the team partnered with Novo Nordisk to create Team Novo Nordisk. The team is spearheaded by the world’s first all-diabetes pro-cycling team and features a development team, elite team, and one female professional track star, Mandy Marquardt.   Now in his late-thirties, Phil has dedicated his life to redefining what it means to live with diabetes and is driving a global movement to show the world how exercise can save the health of the world.   "Exercise is the billion-dollar drug that rarely gets prescribed."   Throughout his career, professional highlights include speaking at the United Nations on World Bicycle Day, leading a session at SXSW, and addressing audiences at ADA and AADE to speaking to one person at an event in Boise, Idaho. For Phil, the value isn’t based on prestige as much as it is on impact. He is driven to make a difference in people’s lives and approaches it one person at a time.   To Phil, the bike has kept him alive for the past 25 years. While retired from professional racing, Phil regularly rides and still credits the bike for providing him with his continued health and sanity.   Phil is a dedicated and proud father to three boys with wife, Dr. Biljana Southerland. In addition to the bike, Phil is a passionate skier and deep-water scuba diver. He calls Atlanta, Georgia home, and is a supporter of the High Museum. Phil is a former board member of Camp Kudzu, Hope Sports, and JDRF. He is a voracious reader and enjoys collecting rare wines and watches. Phil is the author of the book ‘Not Dead Yet’, which chronicles his life from early diagnosis of diabetes to professional cyclist and his mission to change the face of diabetes on a global scale.   Southerland currently serves as the CEO and co-founder of Team Novo Nordisk, the world’s first all-diabetes professional cycling team, and the founder and president of the non-profit Team Type 1 Foundation. More from Fitt Insider    Fitt Insider is a platform for entrepreneurs, executives, and investors redefining the business of fitness and wellness.   From our newsletter and podcast to our industry-specific jobs board, we create content and resources to drive the industry forward. We also invest in early-stage health and fitness companies.   For more, visit: https://insider.fitt.co/

Today I’m joined by Ara Katz, co-founder & co-CEO of Seed Health — a microbial sciences company.    In this episode, we discuss the microbiome and the many ways it impacts well-being. Ara explains Seed’s approach to building a platform around studying and commercializing probiotics. And we talk about the differences between wellness, healthcare, and consumer life science.    More from Ara    A serial entrepreneur, advisor and angel investor, Ara Katz has eclectic experience at the intersection of health, tech, environment, media and design.    She founded Seed Health to pioneer applications of microbes for both human and environmental health. Her work encompasses the translation of breakthrough science for a pipeline of probiotic innovations from discovery through commercialization across product, brand, insights, design-thinking, delivery technologies, industrial design, international DTC, new retail strategies, community, fundraising, channel expansion, business development and science communication.    She spearheaded the company’s $40MM fundraising to accelerate R+D and accelerate the company’s pipeline beyond gut microbiome into microbial applications across dermatology, oral hygiene, pediatrics, women's health, infant health and nutrition. She brought the company carbon negative, to profitability, and led the acquisition of digital health ML company, Auggi.   Ara is also a co-founder of Seed Health’s environmental division, SeedLabs, and its first partner biotech company focused on women’s health, LUCA Biologics. Their first therapeutic for rUTI enters the clinic in September 2021 followed by interventions for BV and Preterm Birth.    Previously, Ara co-founded mobile commerce startup Spring, where she helped launch ApplePay on iPhone, and has invested in and advised companies across consumer, health and tech such as: RXDefine (TeleMed), C16 Biosciences (Sustainability), MindBodyGreen (Wellness), Mahmee (Maternal Care), Stadium Goods (Consumer / Marketplace), and Unicycle (Ed Tech).    Ara was a Visiting Fellow at the MIT Media Lab, where she helped create the Center for Future Storytelling and CCA’s Design Thinking MBA program. She has appeared on numerous podcasts like Rich Roll, Girlboss Radio, Welltodo, Commune and Broken Brain. She has been named in Marie Claire’s ‘The New Guard: The 50 Most Influential Women in America,’ Business Insider’s Silicon Alley ‘Top 100’ and ‘36 Rockstar Women in NYC Tech,’ Create + Cultivate’s ‘100 List for STEM,’ and Women We Admire’s ‘Top 100 Women CEOs of 2021.’ Her work has earned accolades such as Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas 2019, 2020, and 2021,TIME’s Best Inventions 2018, and a Webby Award for Best Use of Stories in 2020.    She lives in Venice, California with her husband and five-year-old son, Pax (the reason Seed Health exists). She is passionate about the communication of science, the interplay of the environment and physical space, and the connecting of never before connected dots. Lastly, she’s the proud owner of several tardigrades who live at Harvard’s Museum of Natural History.   More from Fitt Insider   Fitt Insider is a platform for entrepreneurs, executives, and investors redefining the business of fitness and wellness.   From our newsletter and podcast to our industry-specific jobs board, we create content and resources to drive the industry forward. We also invest in early-stage health and fitness companies. For more, visit: https://insider.fitt.co/

Today I’m joined by Tom Aulet, co-founder and CEO of Ergatta — a game-based connected rower.    In this episode, Tom lays out the opportunity in creating fitness offerings that go beyond instructor-led, boutique-style classes. We talk about the company’s approach to designing game-based content. And we discuss the potential for Ergatta to enter new categories in addition to rowing.    More from Tom   Tom is a teacher, turned economic analyst, turned enterprise software revenue leader, turned tech entrepreneur.  After graduating from Vanderbilt with a degree in Spanish & Economics, Tom spent a year teaching English to high schoolers in Spain and then two years as an economic consultant at Cornerstone Research.  Wanting something completely new, he then jumped to marketing software platform MediaMath where he did global enterprise deals, ran an EMEA & LATAM revenue team out of London, and eventually built and ran a global sales team.  While struggling to find a practical and enjoyable fitness routine with a demanding job, Tom got the idea for Ergatta, partnered with his two favorite ex-colleagues and built the world’s first game-based cardio machine.    More from Fitt Insider    Fitt Insider is a platform for entrepreneurs, executives, and investors redefining the business of fitness and wellness.   From our newsletter and podcast to our industry-specific jobs board, we create content and resources to drive the industry forward. We also invest in early-stage health and fitness companies.   For more, visit: https://insider.fitt.co/

Today I’m joined by Joey Gonzalez, the CEO of Barry’s — a premium boutique fitness brand.    In this episode, Joey shares his experience with the company, from customer and instructor to chief executive. We talk about Barry’s X, the company’s new digital platform, as well as Joey’s vision for an omnichannel offering that includes partnering with connected fitness brands. Plus, we discuss the importance of building a values- and mission-driven company culture.    More from Joey    Joey Gonzalez is the CEO of Barry’s, the original cardio and strength interval workout that began a global boutique fitness movement.        His Barry’s journey started in 2003, as a client in the iconic Red Room. He became an instructor soon after working his way up the ranks before finally taking the helm of the business as CEO in 2015.   Since then, Gonzalez has dedicated his life to expanding the Barry’s brand across the country and around the world, fostering diverse communities across 4 continents. Barry’s now has 80 studios in 30 cities and 14 countries across the US, UK, France, Italy, Scandinavia, Mexico, Australia and South East Asia, and welcomes 150,000 people globally through its doors each week.    In 2020, Gonzalez oversaw the creation of Barry’s At-Home, an innovative virtual concept that allowed Barry’s members to experience a digital workout with Barry’s instructors from around the world, from the comfort of their own homes. Since launching, Barry’s At-Home has held over 20,000 digitally streamed classes and seen over 800,000 faces on the screen. He also oversaw the opening of 18 outdoors studios in select markets across the country including New York City, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Boston, DC, Mexico City, and Miami.    Under Gonzalez’s stewardship, the brand has become known for its values of diversity and inclusivity, celebrating every member of Barry’s global community through weekly diversity, inclusion and belonging workshops and initiatives such as United We Sprint, an annual celebration of World Pride month.    In 2018, Gonzalez was named to Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business list and received CEO Award of the Year from North Castle Partners. He sits on the board of the Family Equality Council and is currently studying at Harvard Business School to earn his OPM degree. In 2020, Gonzalez was named EY Of The Year Greater Los Angeles’ Entrepreneur of the Year.    He currently resides in Miami, FL with his husband, daughter and son.    More from Fitt Insider   Fitt Insider is a platform for entrepreneurs, executives, and investors redefining the business of fitness and wellness.   From our newsletter and podcast to our industry-specific jobs board, we create content and resources to drive the industry forward. We also invest in early-stage health and fitness companies.   For more, visit: https://insider.fitt.co/

Today I’m joined by Jonathan Wolf, the co-founder and CEO of ZOE — a personalized nutrition company.    In this episode, we talk about the gut microbiome, at-home test kits, and how ZOE helps people understand the impact different foods have on their well-being. We also discuss the benefits and challenges of a direct-to-consumer model versus seeking FDA approval for companies in the health diagnostic or wearables space.    More from Jonathan   Jonathan is the cofounder of health technology company ZOE. ZOE teaches you how your own body responds to food, based on personalized tests, AI and the largest in-depth nutritional study in the world carried out with Mass General Hospital, Stanford Medicine and King's College London. He is also the cofounder of ZOE's COVID Symptom Study, the largest study of COVID in the world with over 4 million users. The study is now funded by the UK government and provides real-time monitoring of COVID cases, support for vaccine trials and crucial scientific research with KCL such as papers in Nature Medicine on which symptoms predict COVID, the importance of anosmia and the first systematic study of long COVID.   Previously he was Chief Product Officer at Criteo which was a 30 person start-up when he joined. Seven years later when he left it was public on NASDAQ, with over 2,000 people and over $1Bn revenue of revenue. In that time Jonathan built the product organization, created the publisher and midmarket sales organization, and opened the New York office. Prior to this Jonathan worked at Yahoo!   Jonathan attended Oxford University where he received the Gibbs prize for Physics and was President of the Oxford Union, and was then at Harvard. He has been a Foundation Fellow at Corpus Christi College Oxford since 2015.   More from Fitt Insider   Fitt Insider is a platform for entrepreneurs, executives, and investors redefining the business of fitness and wellness.   From our newsletter and podcast to our industry-specific jobs board, we create content and resources to drive the industry forward. We also invest in early-stage health and fitness companies. For more, visit: https://insider.fitt.co/

Today I’m joined by Echelon Fitness CEO Lou Lentine.    In this episode, we discuss the company’s growing connected fitness platform — including smart bikes, treadmills, rowers, and interactive workout mirrors. Lou explains how Echelon was able to build partnerships with 12K retailers, including Walmart, Target, and Costco. Plus, he talks about the company’s plan to release gaming-inspired content and strength training equipment in an effort to become the hub for at-home fitness.    More from Lou   Lou Lentine embodies the very definition of an entrepreneur. By the age of thirty, he built a $30 million dollar consumer products business. Today, he stands as the CEO of Echelon Fitness and President and founder of Viatek Consumer Products Group.    Echelon Fitness, is raising the bar on at-home connected fitness by making wellness accessible and affordable for everyone. From state-of-the-art indoor cycling bikes to first-in-class touchscreen fitness mirrors, auto-folding treadmill and smart rowers, Echelon incorporates thoughtful design and smart innovation into personalized workouts that fit into your active life, when it’s convenient for you. Members can join a variety of live and on-demand classes led by down-to-earth personal fitness instructors who are there to help you stay balanced and reach your wellness goals. You can even track your performance against Echelon’s live leaderboard and beat your personal best while cycling, boxing, strength training, cardio, yoga and more.   Viatek Consumer Products Group is a company that has developed solution-oriented merchandise that has attracted major retailers and TV Shopping Networks. His high level of corporate citizenship and exemplary talent within the sales industry has allowed Viatek to establish partnerships around the globe and distribute products in seventy countries spanning five continents. Some of his numerous honors and recognitions include: the World Trade Book of Honor Award, Exporter of the Year Award, Deloitte & Touche Fast 50 for Central Florida & Fast 500 USA, University of Central Florida Alumni of the Year, and a Nomination for the Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young.   Lou Lentine believes that the frontier of innovation starts with an idea. Developing products that make sense or solve a common problem is one of his biggest passions. In his opinion, watching a product blossom from an idea to a reality, to ultimately landing in the hands of a happy customer is the biggest success any inventor can reach.   No stranger to direct response TV, Lou Lentine developed some of the most popular items on TV including the Hurricane Spin Mop, a revolutionary mopping system that cleans floors throughout the home without the use of harsh detergents which then landed on the shelves of major retail giants including Walmart, Target, Walgreens, and CVS. The Hurricane went on to be distributed in over 30 countries. Among his other notable inventions, the patented Renu-it Battery Regenerator, a Home Shopping Network’s special,  sold nearly 2 million units worldwide; Mighty Jump — an emergency car jump starter sold millions of units globally.   Lentine and his affiliated companies have been developing and inventing products since 1992. He began promoting his products on television in 1996, including on HSN, the Shopping Channel Canada, QVC, USA, QVC UK, QVC Germany, and Shop TV Japan. He moved his business to Chattanooga in 2011. He has filed for more than 100 patents.    More from Fitt Insider   Fitt Insider is a newsletter and podcast on the business of fitness and wellness.   Join industry-leading operators and investors by subscribing: http://insider.fitt.co

Today I’m joined by Juliet and Kelly Starrett, the husband and wife team behind The Ready State – the company that pioneered mobility training.    In this episode, we talk about the evolution of their business, from a CrossFit gym to a Youtube channel and a variety of coaching products, including a digital subscription, educational courses, speaking, and consulting. We also discuss the fitness industrial complex as it relates to the booming fitness industry but widening health gap — along with how Juliet and Kelly think about increasing access and improving outcomes.   More from Kelly and Juliet   Kelly Starrett:  Kelly is the co-founder (with his wife Juliet) and Chief Creative Officer of The Ready State Inc., which pioneered musculoskeletal self-care and recovery.  Kelly is also the co-author of the New York Times bestsellers Becoming a Supple Leopard and Ready to Run and the Wall Street Journal bestseller Deskbound. Kelly was also the co-founder of San Francisco CrossFit, the 21st CrossFit affiliate. Kelly consults with athletes and coaches from the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB the US Olympic Team and CrossFit works with elite Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard forces, and consults with corporations on employee health and well-being. Dr. Starrett’s work is not limited to coaches and athletes; his methods apply equally well to children, desk jockeys, and anyone dealing with injury and chronic pain. He believes that every human being should know how to move and be able to perform basic maintenance on themselves.    Juliet Starrett:  Juliet Starrett is an entrepreneur, attorney, author, and podcaster. She is the co-founder and CEO of The Ready State Inc, which has pioneered musculoskeletal self-care and recovery.  She is also the former co-founder and CEO of San Francisco CrossFit, one of the first 50 CrossFit affiliates. Juliet is the co-author of the Wall Street Journal Bestseller, Deskbound and co-host of The Ready State Podcast. Before turning her attention to The Ready State and San Francisco CrossFit full-time, Juliet was a professional whitewater paddler, winning 3 World Championship and 5 national titles. She also had a successful career as an attorney, practicing complex commercial litigation at Reed Smith for nearly eight years. More from Fitt Insider   Fitt Insider is a newsletter and podcast on the business of fitness and wellness. Join industry-leading operators and investors by subscribing: http://insider.fitt.co

Today I’m joined by Chip Hawkins, Founder and Chairman of Wahoo Fitness — a fitness technology for indoor cycling and endurance training.   In this episode, we discuss Wahoo’s evolution from a single product used to track cycling stats to an indoor bike trainer and now a variety of devices and accessories for endurance athletes. Chip also talks about his approach to product development and the importance of staying innovative. Plus, we look at the opportunities and challenges in content, software, and building a fully integrated platform.    More from Fitt Insider   Fitt Insider is a newsletter and podcast on the business of fitness and wellness. Join industry-leading operators and investors by subscribing: http://insider.fitt.co

Today I’m joined by Bryan Myers, the President & CEO of [solidcore] — a Pilates-based boutique fitness brand with more than 70 locations across the US.    In this episode, Bryan talks about transitioning into the CEO role earlier this year. Then, we discuss COVID’s impact on the business, raising new capital to support expansion, and [solidcore]’s digital partnership with Equinox+. Bryan also shares his approach to building culture and persisting through the pandemic.    More from Bryan   Bryan is the President & Chief Executive Officer for [solidcore] boutique fitness and a trained [solidcore] Coach. In his role as CEO, Bryan is responsible for setting and executing strategy focused on growth and building a strong, inclusive, and nationwide community of clients and employees.   Prior to joining the [solidcore] team as COO in 2018, Bryan was a member of the leadership team of sweetgreen, the national leader in the healthy fast-casual category. He joined sweetgreen in 2014 as Director of Finance and, over the course of 4 years, wore many hats including his final role as VP of Development, helping the company grow from a regional chain of 22 restaurants to 90 locations nationally. Bryan began his career as a consultant for The Boston Consulting Group, providing strategic advice to Fortune 500 companies on topics of growth, organizational design, and operational transformation.   When Bryan isn’t sweating it out on [sweatlana], you can find him immersed in the many, amazing performance venues in the DC area. Bryan is also passionate about finding ways to give back to the community and currently serves on the Board of the Ridley Scholars Foundation, an organization that provides financial and mentorship support to high-achieving African-American students.   In 2020, Bryan was recognized by the Washington Business Journal as a Minority Business Leader honoree.   More from Fitt Insider   Fitt Insider is a newsletter and podcast on the business of fitness and wellness. Join industry-leading operators and investors by subscribing: http://insider.fitt.co

Today I’m joined by Mark Mullett and Ashley Mills, the co-founders and co-CEOs of obé — a premium digital fitness platform offering live and on-demand workouts.    In this episode, Mark and Ashley explain how their background in talent management and experience at CAA led them to start obé. We discuss the role of content, community, and instructors on the platform, as well as the company’s plan to host in-person events. And we talk about obe’s new $15M funding round that included CAVU Venture Partners, Athleta, WW, and Samsung NEXT.    Fitt Insider also invested in obe’s latest round. We’re excited to support the company as they continue to expand the platform.    More from Mark and Ashley   Mark is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of obé, a premium at-home fitness platform that offers live and on-demand workouts. An entertainment industry veteran, Mark has spent 10+ years representing television’s top talent and content creators across different platforms. Mark began his career at William Morris Agency on their television and lifestyle team before accepting a position at Creative Artists Agency (CAA) in 2014. He has worked with household names such as Dr. Oz and Nick Cannon, multimillion dollar brands such as Bethenny Frankel’s SkinnyGirl and content creators such as Machete, while working closely with content providers such as Bravo, Food Network, and Fox.   Ashley is the Co-Founder of obé, a premium at-home fitness platform that offers live and on-demand workouts. An entertainment industry veteran, Ashley spent the last 10+ years representing television’s top talent and content providers across network and digital platforms. Ashley began her career at Creative Artists Agency (CAA), and eventually came to lead the lifestyle talent department, where she was responsible for recruiting top talent, building out television and digital platforms and overseeing endorsement and licensing businesses.    Mark and Ashley spent the greater part of their careers selling programming to a millennial-minded consumer, developing a deep understanding of what she values. As exercise fanatics, they quickly realized a large portion of this demographic was being underserved in the fitness category. This consumer wanted access to varied, premium fitness experiences led by the best talent in the business that didn’t come with a Park Avenue zip code or price tag. Mark and Ashley set out to democratize the boutique fitness experience for a captive audience, while emphasizing accountability and community as key elements for a workout routine. obé was born in March 2018.    More from Fitt Insider   Fitt Insider is a newsletter and podcast on the business of fitness and wellness. Join industry-leading operators and investors by subscribing: http://insider.fitt.co

Today I’m joined by Eric Roza, the owner and CEO of CrossFit.    In this episode, Eric shares his vision for the company’s future. We cover the role of technology, growing the CrossFit Games, and new initiatives across eCommerce, direct-to-consumer fitness content, and healthcare. We also discuss the obstacles he’s facing as he tries to turn around the embattled brand. Plus, Eric talks about how a cold email and handshake deal led to him taking over the company.    More from Fitt Insider   Fitt Insider is a newsletter and podcast on the business of fitness and wellness.   Join industry-leading operators and investors by subscribing: http://insider.fitt.co

Today I’m joined by Chloe Steinberg. Chloe is a partner at Sapphire Sport, a venture capital platform investing in companies powering the next generation of consumers.    In this episode, we talk about Chloe’s experience at Equinox, where she led Equinox Ventures. We discuss Gen Z’s approach to wellness, including a broader shift toward a healthier lifestyle. And Chloe shares her framework for separating fads from sustainable health and fitness businesses.    More from Chloe   Chloe Steinberg is a partner at Sapphire Sport, where she focuses on investing in early-stage companies shaping the future of consumption.  Chloe has deep industry expertise in the health & wellness sector, stemming from her 5+ years as an operator and investor with the Equinox Group of Brands.  During that time, Chloe launched and led Equinox Ventures, the group’s investment arm focused on high-performance living.  She also supported Business Development & new business incubation, including the launch of Equinox Media in 2020.    Earlier in her career, Chloe cofounded Vayner Capital in partnership with Gary Vaynerchuk and was a member of the investment team at Insight Venture Partners, where she focused on consumer tech and enterprise software investments.  Chloe is deeply passionate about people doing work they love so in her free time, she founded and runs ExclusiveJobs, a not-for-profit, bespoke talent placement network in the consumer sector.   Chloe graduated magna cum laude from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where she played varsity lacrosse.  She was named to the Forbes 30 under 30 list for Venture Capital in 2020.  A Baltimore native, Chloe now resides in Westport, CT with her husband and son.   More from Fitt Insider   Fitt Insider is a newsletter and podcast on the business of fitness and wellness.   Join industry-leading operators and investors by subscribing: http://insider.fitt.co  

Today I’m joined by Aaron de Jong, CEO of movr — an app that makes healthy movement more accessible for everyone.    In this episode, we talk about Aaron’s journey from fitness instructor and studio owner to startup founder. We discuss the company’s approach to improving mobility and strength through movement assessment and mini-workouts. And Aaron shares his plan to bring movr’s technology to other fitness platforms.    Disclosure: We're investors in movr, and we're excited to support Aaron and team on their mission to promote healthy movement.  More from Aaron   Aaron de Jong is the founder of the movr app an exercise prescription tool built to help you move and feel better every day. He has a B. Ed in Physical Education, over a decade of experience as a personal and group strength instructor in his studio in Vancouver, and is a current lululemon Train Ambassador. Aaron enjoys finding ways to move his body, whether it’s outdoors, trail runs, on his road bike, or moving kettlebells around. Stumbling through life with dry humor, eating popcorn, playing with his newborn daughter, and educating people how they can improve their health are all passions of Aaron’s. You can reach out to Aaron direct [email protected] or by downloading movr to your smart device.   More from Fitt Insider   Fitt Insider is a newsletter and podcast on the business of fitness and wellness. Join industry-leading operators and investors by subscribing: http://insider.fitt.co

Today I’m joined by Kelsey Ramsden, CEO of MINDCURE — a life sciences company using psychedelics to promote healing and improve mental health.    In this episode, we discuss the psychedelic revolution, including shifts in science and culture paving the way. Kelsey explains the challenges and opportunities facing operators and investors in this space. And she talks about MINDCURE’s efforts to build digital therapeutics that support psychedelic-assisted therapies.     More from Kelsey   With over fifteen years founding, scaling, and operating innovative companies across Canada and the Caribbean, Ramsden is recognized globally for building multiple, multimillion-dollar businesses both on and offline.  She earned the honor of being named Canada’s Top Female Entrepreneur – twice. She serves on the Entrepreneurship Council for the University of Western Ontario and holds an MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario. She is a renowned thought leader and published author.   More from Fitt Insider   Fitt Insider is a newsletter and podcast on the business of fitness and wellness.   Join industry-leading operators and investors by subscribing: http://insider.fitt.co

Today I’m joined by Omer Atesmen, Founder and CEO of The Skills — an online education platform offering courses taught by the world’s best athletes.    In this episode, Omer explains how the company was able to partner with athletes like Michael Phelps, Maria Sharapova, and Megan Rapinoe. We discuss the challenges and opportunities in EdTech, including content production and competitors like MasterClass. And Omer shares his plan for building the definitive education platform in the sports and wellness space.    More from Omer   Omer is a proven entrepreneur with a combination of high-growth startup and management consulting experience.  He previously founded and grew Clean Energy Experts with zero external investment to 150+ employees, $30M+ revenue, and 20% net income before selling the company to Sunrun. Omer attended Stanford for his BS/MS and Kellogg for his MBA.   More from Fitt Insider   Fitt Insider is a newsletter and podcast on the business of fitness and wellness.   Join industry-leading operators and investors by subscribing: http://insider.fitt.co  

Today I’m joined by Sam Cole, co-founder & CEO of FitXR — a virtual fitness club bringing fun and immersive workouts to the home.    In this episode, Sam breaks down the innovation happening in virtual reality. We talk about the potential for VR fitness to make working out fun and engaging for an entirely new audience beyond exercise enthusiasts. And we discuss the future of personalization, community, and group workouts in VR.    More from Sam    Sam is the CEO and a co-founder of FitXR. Sam began his career as a management consultant at PwC in Auckland, New Zealand and then worked in private equity after moving to London in 2014. As a firm believer of the benefits of regular exercise for physical and mental health, Sam has always kept fit. Since the conception of VR, he has had a vision of delivering immersive fitness through VR to motivate people to keep fit, by providing access to guided workouts and programs in a highly personalized environment. After meeting Sameer at business school, they decided to launch FitXR to deliver this vision together.   Sam holds a bachelor's degree in law and finance from Otago University. He earned his MBA from Cambridge University.   More from Fitt Insider   Fitt Insider is a newsletter and podcast on the business of fitness and wellness. Join industry-leading operators and investors by subscribing: http://insider.fitt.co

Today I’m joined by Josh McCarter, CEO of Mindbody — a business management software for fitness and wellness services.    In this episode, we discuss COVID’s impact on the fitness industry. Josh explains how the company navigated the pandemic, including layoffs, his transition to CEO, and the launch of virtual experiences. And we talk about the future of fitness, including digital content, the role of fitness professionals, and the return to exercising in person.    More from Josh    Josh McCarter is CEO of Mindbody, the leading technology platform for the fitness, wellness, and beauty industries. Mindbody’s technology powers tens of thousands of wellness businesses, including industry-leading brands such as OTF, F45, and DryBar. In addition to helping these businesses deliver authentic experiences to their clients, Mindbody has built the world’s largest wellness marketplace, where millions of consumers find and book in-person and virtual wellness classes and appointments in the U.S. every month. Josh joined Mindbody in 2018 as chief strategy officer following the company’s acquisition of Booker, where he had served as CEO and co-founder. Prior to taking over as CEO at Mindbody, Josh served as the company’s president.   Josh graduated cum laude with a BA in political science from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and received his MBA from the Marshall School of Business at USC (and yes, he recognizes the conflict of interest!). He has held board positions with Booker, SpaFinder, several Autobytel subsidiaries, Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO), and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). As a result of his youngest daughter’s diagnosis with type 1 diabetes in 2009, his family has been dedicated to finding a cure by supporting a variety of type 1 causes, most recently Beyond Type 1. When not working, Josh is an avid adventurer, having traveled to more than 50 countries and traversed the U.S. on his Harley-Davidson.   More from Fitt Insider   Fitt Insider is a newsletter and podcast on the business of fitness and wellness.   Join industry-leading operators and investors by subscribing: http://insider.fitt.co

Today I’m joined by McConnell Smith of VMG Partners — a private equity firm focused on growth-stage investments.    In this episode, we explore emerging opportunities across fitness and wellness. We discuss VMG’s new $850M fund, including the firm’s approach to backing consumer- and health-focused brands. And McConnell talks about VMG’s investment in [solidcore] — a Pilates-based boutique fitness concept.    More from McConnell    McConnell is a partner at VMG Partners, a growth equity fund focused on partnering with emerging, high-growth, health and wellness focused consumer brands. He has worked closely with a number of VMG’s investments, including [solidcore], Quest, Sun Bum, Nutpods, Justin’s, Solid Gold, Vermont Smoke & Cure, and Hello Bello, among others. McConnell joined VMG in 2016 and focuses on the nutrition, wellness, and fitness categories.   Prior to VMG, he worked in the consumer investment banking groups at Piper Sandler and KeyBanc Capital Markets, and before that was a member of L’Oreal’s supply chain finance team.   McConnell grew up in Cleveland and attended Yale University where he played (quite poorly) wide receiver on the Yale football team.   More from Fitt Insider   Fitt Insider is a newsletter and podcast on the business of fitness and wellness.   Join industry-leading operators and investors by subscribing: http://insider.fitt.co

Today I’m joined by Eric Wu. Eric is the Co-founder and COO of Gainful, makers of personalized nutritional supplements.    In this episode, Eric shares his journey from Y Combinator to raising $10M in venture capital. We discuss the opportunities and consolidation in the personalized nutrition category. And Eric explains why he believes Gainful could be a billion-dollar company.    More from Eric    Eric Wu is the co-founder and COO of Gainful. He started the company as an undergrad at Georgetown University, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude from the School of Foreign Service. Eric led Gainful as CEO from 2017 until 2020, participating in YCombinator and growing the company to 8-figure annual revenue. Prior to Gainful, Eric worked in digital marketing at Hatch (consumer hardware), completed a fellowship with True Ventures (an SF-based venture capital firm), and served as COO of The Hilltop Microfinance Initiative, a DC-based nonprofit focused on empowering low-income and immigrant entrepreneurs.   More from Fitt Insider   Fitt Insider is a newsletter and podcast on the business of fitness and wellness. Join industry-leading operators and investors by subscribing: http://insider.fitt.co

Today I’m joined by Anand Sharma. Anand is the founder and CEO of Gyroscope — an app that lets you track and improve everything about your health.    In this episode, we talk about Gyroscope’s evolution from a personal health experiment to a sustainable business. The challenges and opportunities in creating a personalized health dashboard. And the company’s mission to build a new operating system for the human body.    More from Anand    Anand is the founder & CEO of Gyroscope. He built the first version of Gyroscope as a personal project to track his own life and health (aprilzero.com) and then founded the company to provide it as a service for everyone. He previously designed Quizlet, now used by millions of students to study for their classes, and theory11, an online school for magic. He can be found in most places as @aprilzero   More from Fitt Insider   Fitt Insider is a newsletter and podcast on the business of fitness and wellness.   Join industry-leading operators and investors by subscribing: http://insider.fitt.co

Today I’m joined by Anthony Geisler, Founder and CEO of Xponential Fitness — a holding company of nine boutique fitness brands, including Club Pilates, Pure Barre, CycleBar, and others.    In this episode, Anthony tells us how they managed to open new studios during the pandemic. We talk about how the Rumble acquisition came together. And Anthony explains why he’s bullish on the return of in-person exercise.    We also discuss what’s next for Xponential — including more acquisitions, whether or not they’ll launch connected fitness equipment, and the likelihood that they go public this year.    More from Anthony   Anthony Geisler is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Xponential Fitness. After graduating from USC in 1999, Geisler and a friend saw the potential in the dot com era and created a domain name and website development business, before moving into casino gaming software, then to fitness when he purchased LA Boxing in 2001. Seeing more opportunity in specialized workouts, Geisler bought Club Pilates in early 2015, a small collection of boutique Reformer Pilates studios concentrated in California that has now grown to 900 licensed locations. In 2017, Anthony recognized there was further opportunity with scheduled boutique fitness and formed Xponential Fitness, which is now the curator of leading fitness brands across each vertical of the boutique fitness industry, including Club Pilates, Pure Barre, CycleBar, Row House, StretchLab, AKT, YogaSix, STRIDE, and Rumble.   More from Fitt Insider   Fitt Insider is a newsletter and podcast on the business of fitness and wellness.   Join industry-leading operators and investors by subscribing: http://insider.fitt.co

Today I’m joined by Eric Min, co-founder and CEO of Zwift — a fitness company born out of gaming where users ride and run in virtual worlds.    In this episode, Eric shares the key insights that led him to start Zwift. We discuss the company’s plan to launch a smart bike and other connected equipment, including a rower. And Eric explains why Zwift hopes to make virtual cycling an Olympic sport.    More from Eric    Eric Min is the Zwift CEO and Co-Founder at Zwift, the online fitness company born from gaming.   Launched in 2014, Zwift has grown to see over 3.4 million accounts registered with the platform. The company achieved Unicorn Status in 2020, following a $450M funding round, led by KKR. Utilizing massively multiplayer online (MMO) gaming technology, Zwift brings the outdoor experience indoors blending mass participation events, competition and social connections in immersive 3D environments, ripe for exploration.   Working in partnership with the World Cycling Governing Body (the UCI), Zwift hosted the first UCI Cycling Esports World Championships in 2020. In the same year, Zwift also hosted the first Virtual Tour de France in July for both men and women.   In collaboration with the UCI, Zwift will be one of the five sports – alongside rowing, baseball-softball, sailing and motor sport – on the programme of the inaugural edition of the Olympic Virtual Series, a new virtual event launched by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).   More from Fitt Insider   Fitt Insider is a newsletter and podcast on the business of fitness and wellness. Join industry-leading operators and investors by subscribing: http://insider.fitt.co

Today I’m joined by Saeju Jeong, the co-founder and CEO of Noom — a psychology-based digital health platform.    In this episode, we discuss Noom’s 14-year history. Saeju shares his journey, from South Korea to founding and scaling a digital health startup. We explore the product’s many iterations, including fitness, healthcare, and weight management. And Saeju explains why he is so passionate about helping people live healthier lives.    More from Saeju   Born in South Korea to a family of doctors, Saeju has always had an intense desire to help people. From an early age, he knew his life’s work would be dedicated to improving the wellbeing of as many people as possible. It was after the death of his father at a young age that Saeju became more motivated than ever to truly change lives for the better and use his entrepreneurial spirit (Saeju founded South Korea’s first-ever heavy metal record label) to make an impact. After dropping out of college and moving to the US, Saeju met his co-founder Artem Petakov who shared his vision of helping people live healthier lives and convinced him to leave Google to develop Noom. As CEO, Saeju is responsible for setting the strategic vision for Noom and has led the company through several years of tremendous growth, helping millions of people improve their lifestyles and health. In 2020, Saeju was named EY Entrepreneur of the Year.   More from Fitt Insider   Fitt Insider is a newsletter and podcast on the business of fitness and wellness. Join industry-leading operators and investors by subscribing: http://insider.fitt.co

Today I’m joined by Jason Karp, Founder and CEO of HumanCo — a holding company of health and wellness brands.    In this episode, we talk about Jason’s experience starting Hu, a healthy snack brand, and selling the company to Mondelez. Jason shares his vision for HumanCo, which includes investing in, incubating, and acquiring brands. And we discuss HumanCo Acquisition Corp, a $250M SPAC led by Jason and CAVU Venture Partners.    More from Jason   Jason H. Karp is Founder and CEO of HumanCo – a mission-driven holding company that invests in and builds brands focused on healthier living and sustainability. Recently, Jason also co-founded HumanCo Acquisition Corp. – a $300m SPAC focused on Health & Wellness where he serves as Executive Chairman. In addition to HumanCo, Jason is also Chairman and Co-Founder of Hu (as in Human), one of the fastest-growing snacking companies in the U.S. Hu was recently sold to Mondelez International in January 2021. Prior to HumanCo, Jason spent over 20 years in the hedge fund industry. He was the Founder, CEO and CIO of Tourbillon Capital Partners, an investment fund that managed over $4 billion, and prior to that, worked at 3 multi-billion dollar funds at the partner level. Jason has a B.S. in Economics, summa cum laude, from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania where he also was an Academic All-American and All-Ivy in Varsity Squash.   More from Fitt Insider   Fitt Insider is a newsletter and podcast on the business of fitness and wellness. Join industry-leading operators and investors by subscribing: http://insider.fitt.co

Today I’m joined Jacob Rothman, co-founder and CEO of Perch.    Perch is a velocity-based training system that uses 3D cameras to quantify and improve performance.    In this episode, we talk about using technology to improve strength training. The idea of trickle-down health — where a company initially targets elite athletes before broadening its customer base. And how Jacob thinks about the role of content, community, competition, and data in the future of strength training.    More from Jacob   Jacob is the Co-founder and CEO of Perch. Originally from Charlotte, NC, Jacob attended MIT where he studied Mechanical Engineering and played baseball. After graduating in 2016, he attended grad school at MIT for one year before dropping out to work on Perch full time. Perch uses small and mobile cameras to monitor and manage athlete performance and activity in the weight room. Perch currently helps elite athletic organizations, such as the LSU Tigers and the NY Giants, get the most out of their work in the weight room, while working towards enabling a safer, more efficient, and more connected fitness experience for everyone.     Jacob has previous work experience at Apple, Oculus VR, and various MIT labs. He currently resides in Boston, MA.   More from Fitt Insider   Fitt Insider is a newsletter and podcast on the business of fitness and wellness.   Join industry-leading operators and investors by subscribing: http://insider.fitt.co

Today I’m joined by Greg Caplan. Greg is the co-founder and CEO of Spot Meetings — a platform for walking meetings.    In this episode, Greg explains how his personal experience with remote work led him to start the company. We look at what goes into designing a meeting platform for walking. We discuss the health and productivity benefits of simply walking more. And Greg talks about launching Spot’s beta and amassing a waitlist of 5K people.    A quick disclosure, we are excited to be investors in Spot — supporting the company on its mission to help people escape Zoom fatigue and be more physically active.   More from Greg   Greg Caplan is the co-founder of Spot Meetings, a platform for walking meetings. Previously, he co-founded Remote Year, the original remote work and travel community.    Visit: www.meetwithspot.com   More from Fitt Insider   Fitt Insider is a newsletter and podcast on the business of fitness and wellness. Join industry-leading operators and investors by subscribing: http://insider.fitt.co

Today I’m joined by Jeff Morin — CEO of Liteboxer, an interactive at-home boxing experience.    In this episode, we talk about Jeff’s background in building hardware products, why Liteboxer was four years in the making, how the company’s gaming-inspired platform makes people want to work out, and the potential for mixed reality to disrupt the fitness industry.    More from Jeff   Jeff Morin is an MIT-educated engineer and certified personal trainer with an eye for both physical and technological performance. Prior to founding Liteboxer, Jeff operated as Manufacturing Lead at Formlabs then DEKA, overseeing manufacturing management, supply chain, and procurement for next-gen product development.   More from Fitt Insider    Fitt Insider is a newsletter and podcast dedicated to the business of fitness and wellness.    Join industry-leading operators and investors by subscribing: http://insider.fitt.co

Today I’m joined by Robin Thurston, CEO of Outside.    Outside, or Pocket Outdoor Media, as it was formerly known, is a platform for active lifestyle content and experiences.    In this episode, we talk about the acquisitions, rebrand, and $150M funding round that helped turn Pocket into Outside. Robin shares his vision for a recurring revenue bundle across all aspects of an active lifestyle. And we discuss the challenges and opportunities brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.    More from Robin   Robin Thurston is the CEO of Outside, the world’s leading creator of active lifestyle content and experiences. Formerly known as Pocket Outdoor Media, Robin acquired Outside along with other companies such as OutsideTV, Gaia GPS, AthleteReg and Peloton Magazine in February of 2021. Across web, print, podcast, social, video, and TV, the brand engages with over 70 million of the most active and influential consumers in the world every month. Under his leadership, Outside is reinventing how athletes consume content, participate and engage, increase knowledge, find gear, and ultimately perform in their sport.   Before joining Outside, he ran a consumer genetics company called Helix in Silicon Valley before returning to his home state of Colorado.  Prior to Helix, Robin co-founded and built MapMyFitness into one of the world’s largest open fitness tracking platforms. Following the acquisition of MapMyFitness by Under Armour, he joined the innovative sports apparel organization and served as Chief Digital Officer, where he led the overall strategic direction of the company’s Connected Fitness and eCommerce business.     Robin spent the first ten years of his career building a mutual fund classification and ratings platform at Lipper (a Thomson Reuters Company), as well as a risk and compensation platform at both American Century Investments and Wellington Management. He graduated with a MS in Finance from University of Colorado at Denver and lives with his wife and three children in Boulder, Co. He is a lifelong cyclist who started riding and racing in the early 1980’s.

Today I’m joined by Alexa Meyer.    Alexa is the co-founder and CEO of Coa — a mental health and emotional fitness company offering therapist-led classes.    In this episode, we talk about Coa’s mission to become the Nike of mental health. Why we should treat mental fitness like going to the gym. How in-person, community-focused classes help to destigmatize the idea of going to therapy. And why professional basketball player Kevin Love invested in the company.    More from Alexa   Alexa is the Co-Founder & CEO of Coa. After trying to take care of her own mental wellbeing, she was frustrated with the lack of options and asked: “Why isn’t there a gym for mental health?” This sent her on a mission to make emotional fitness as inviting and community-based as physical fitness. She started the first "Mental Health Pop-Up" and helped hundreds of people across the country try therapy. She continues this mission at Coa where she uses her background in start-ups, product, and branding to change how the world thinks about emotional wellbeing. Prior to Coa, Alexa was a VP at a fast-paced tech startup, worked at the world’s largest brand strategy firm, Interbrand, and studied psychology and consumer behavior in Canada (her home country!).   More from Fitt Insider    Fitt Insider is a newsletter and podcast dedicated to the business of fitness and wellness.  Join industry-leading operators and investors by subscribing: http://insider.fitt.co

Today I’m joined by Jon Carder.    Jon is the co-founder and CEO of Vessel — an at-home diagnostics company helping users optimize their health.   In this episode, we talk about using blood and urine tests to measure biomarkers. How Vessel sold 100K test kits as part of its pre-order campaign. Jon shares his plan to launch a connected, health-tracking toilet. And we discuss the company’s mission to put a diagnostic lab in the palm of every hand.    More from Jon   Jon Carder is a serial Internet entrepreneur. After starting his first company, eHeaven.com, at the age of just 19 (which led to a short-lived early retirement at 27), his determination to build and innovate drove him to launch a series of multi-million-dollar online businesses: ClientShop.com, MojoPages.com, Mogl.com, and Empyr.com. Today, Carder serves as CEO and co-founder of Vessel, an in-home wellness tracking company that instantly and accurately uncovers what your body really needs.   More from Fitt Insider    Fitt Insider is a newsletter and podcast dedicated to the business of fitness and wellness.    Join industry-leading operators and investors by subscribing: http://insider.fitt.co

Today I’m joined by Jeff Byers.    Jeff is the CEO of Amp Human — a human performance company helping athletes unlock their potential.   In this episode, we talk about Amp’s evolution from a single product into a platform. Jeff’s plan to build a system around human performance. How the company gained traction in the Tour de France, NFL, and United States military.    More from Jeff   Jeff Byers is the co-founder and CEO of Amp Human-- a human performance company and venture-backed startup based in Park City, Utah.  They work with the world's best athletes and teams, including Super Bowl and Stanley Cup Champions, and Tour de France winners. In addition, Amp Human has assembled one of the best scientific advisory boards in the industry to help push innovation and research forward.  Their flagship product, PR Lotion, gives the body more bicarb (a natural electrolyte) to neutralize lactic acid in muscles which allows athletes to push harder, feel better, and go longer.   Prior to starting Amp Human, Jeff was an early member of a biotech company for 3 years, which inspired him to build Amp Human. At the biotech he and his co-founder saw an opportunity within the biotech to leverage its technology outside of medicine and in the human performance space and establish themselves at the forefront of human performance.   Before his business career, Jeff attended the University of Southern California, where he was a 2-time captain and a multiple year starter for their championship football team. While playing he graduated with his undergraduate degree in 3 years and proceeded to earn his masters in business administration before entering the NFL.  He had a 4 year career in the NFL, mostly for the Carolina Panthers, serving as a backup but also starting a handful of games

Today I’m joined by Brian Reilly.    Brian is the co-founder and managing partner of Will Ventures — an early-stage firm investing across health & wellness, media, and consumer products.    In this episode, we discuss the firm’s $55M inaugural fund. We take a closer look at a few of their portfolio companies — including Elo, Liteboxer, and Breathwork. Then Brian talks through ideas and untapped opportunities he’s interested in backing.    Let’s get into it.    More from Brian    Brian brings a diverse professional background to bear on his work, with experience spanning the sports, fitness and healthcare sectors and across technologies (wearables, disposables, artificial intelligence, machine-learning) and business environments (VC-funded startups and investment firms).   In addition to his investment expertise, Brian has deep technology experience, gained as a Founding Member and the Director of Product and Research at the Sports Innovation Lab, the premier sports technology research and advisory firm, and as a product manager at MC10, where he was responsible for the development and commercialization of next-generation sports, fitness and healthcare wearables and software systems for big data storage and machine-learning.   Brian earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Harvard University and was a member of the college’s varsity football team. He is from East Windsor, New Jersey. > Brian’s Twitter and LinkedIn > Will Ventures Twitter (company)   More from Fitt Insider    Fitt Insider is a newsletter and podcast dedicated to the business of fitness and wellness.  Join industry-leading operators and investors by subscribing: http://insider.fitt.co

Today I’m joined by Harpreet Singh Rai, CEO of Oura — makers of a health-tracking smart ring.    In this episode, we talk about the evolution of wearables from step counting to health monitoring. We discuss Oura’s focus on accurate, actionable data. And Harpreet explains why he thinks competition from Apple, Amazon, and Google is actually a good thing.    More from Harpreet   Harpreet Singh Rai is the Chief Executive Officer of Oura and a member of its board. His purpose is to be part of a team that is committed to improving population-level health and wellbeing. Under his leadership, Oura has grown to a team of over 150 employees and has launched its generation 2 ring, shipping over 300,000 units to 98 different countries. He is responsible for Oura’s vision and strategy and guides decisions that ensure the organization's financial health. Before joining Oura in 2017, Harpreet was a portfolio manager who led the technology, media and telecom portfolio at Eminence Capital for 9 years. He began his career working in Morgan Stanley’s merger and acquisitions group. Harpreet studied electrical engineering at the University of Michigan.   More from Fitt Insider    Fitt Insider is a newsletter and podcast dedicated to the business of fitness and wellness.    Join industry-leading operators and investors by subscribing: http://insider.fitt.co

Today I’m joined by Brett Thomas.    Brett is the co-founder and managing partner of CAVU Venture Partners — a leading venture capital firm investing in better-for-you food and beverage brands, as well as companies across health and wellness.    In this episode, we discuss the evolving definition of health and how it’s broadening the firm’s thesis. We explore the art, science, and luck behind investments in Beyond Meat, Vital Proteins, Hims, and Thrive Market. And Brett talks about CAVU’s role in a new $225M SPAC targeting the health and wellness space.    More from Brett   Brett Thomas is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of CAVU Venture Partners. Prior to co-founding CAVU in 2015, Brett was the founder of Thematic Capital Partners, a private investment vehicle focused on private/public equity investments in the consumer sector. Before entering into the consumer investing space, Brett worked at Scout Capital Management for 5 years, a long-short hedge fund focusing on special situations with over $9B in AUM based in NYC. He is a graduate of Boston College, with a concentration in Finance, and was a Division I Student Athlete. In 2017, Brett was elected to Boston College's prestigious "40 under 40 list" and was named a “Consumer Catalyst” by Forbes as one of the top dealmakers and influencers in the consumer space. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his 3 kids and wife and rooting for all professional Cleveland sports teams, hoping one day to see the Cleveland Indians win a World Series!   More from Fitt Insider    Fitt Insider is a newsletter and podcast dedicated to the business of fitness and wellness.  Join industry-leading operators and investors by subscribing: http://insider.fitt.co

This week, we’re excited to bring you another edition of Startup Spotlight – a series where we speak with early-stage founders working on fitness and wellness startups.   Today I’m joined by Wilfred Valenta, CEO of Silofit.    Silofit is a network of private, on-demand fitness spaces.    In this episode, we discuss innovative approaches to brick and mortar fitness. Wilfred shares his vision for a decentralized gym — spanning real estate, software, and services. And we talk about why the company is focused on helping fitness professionals grow their business.    More from Wilfred   Wilfred is the CEO & Co-founder of Silofit, a platform for fitness and wellness professionals to run their physical and digital business completely from end to end. The company offers private workout space at 40% less compared to standard gyms, an app to help sell content and find leads, and supporting education and certification. Silofit is venture-backed by Whitecap VP, Courtside VC, Alate Partners, and famed football player Ndamukong Suh. Currently operating 8 spaces across 2 cities, the company is set to demonstrate significant growth as it enters the U.S. market in 2021. More from Fitt Insider    Fitt Insider is a newsletter and podcast dedicated to the business of fitness and wellness.  Join industry-leading operators and investors by subscribing: http://insider.fitt.co

Today I’m joined by Brian Kirkbride.    Brian is the co-founder and co-CEO of FitLab — an integrated holding company of Performance Lifestyle brands.    In this episode, we talk about FitLab’s evolution from venture studio to holding company. How they’ve partnered with brands like XPT, McGregor Fast, and Freeletics. Then Brian and I discuss the future of the fitness space, including digital options, the in-person experience, and community.    More from Brian   Brian Kirkbride is the co-Founder and co-CEO of FitLab, the fitness and sport lifestyle company whose brands include Electric, Freeletics, McGregor FAST and XPT.    Brian has spent nearly two decades building and scaling companies in sport, fitness and wellness. At Nike, Brian oversaw business development and partnerships, and was founder & GM of the Nike+ Lab and the Nike+ Accelerator. Brian was previously COO of Kalologie, a retail wellness company, as well as a venture capitalist at Highland Capital Partners. Brian received an undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt and a MBA from Harvard Business School.   More from Fitt Insider    Fitt Insider is a newsletter and podcast dedicated to the business of fitness and wellness.  Join industry-leading operators and investors by subscribing: http://insider.fitt.co