IHRSA 2017 in 60 Seconds

Is it possible to capture all the excitement from IHRSA 2017 in one minute? No, not really, but we're going to try.

We've posted dozens of dynamic videos capturing the action from IHRSA 2017 in Los Angeles and will be posting even more over the next few weeks. Our video editors are taking a deep dive into the hours and hours of great footage from interviews the IHRSA Live team conducted with globe-spanning IHRSA members, and will be creating a series of short videos that can be easily shared on social media.

IHRSA members are making the world a better place every day and we intend to tell their stories. Our goal is to find the most insightful, and delightful, moments from IHRSA 2017 and share them with the world. You can help by sharing your favorites with your social networks. Thanks!

The Top Social Media Moments of IHRSA 2017

Board of Directos da Ihrsa com amigos queridos. Muitos aprendizados e troca de experiencia. Esta semana em LA temos ainda o Trade Show #ihrsa2017. O centro de convencao fica no LALive que é um grande centro de entretenimento. Demais mesmo. Vale a pena conhecer.

A post shared by Gustavo Borges (@gustavo.borges) on Mar 8, 2017 at 3:48pm PST

IHRSA Board Selfie

IHRSA's Board of Directors kicked off IHRSA 2017 week with a board meeting, and got silly during the portrait shoot.

Two Keynotes Streamed on Facebook Live

For the first time, we streamed two of our keynote speakers—Martin Lindstrom and Johnny Earle (above)—on Facebook Live, reaching thousands of people who couldn't watch the presentations in LA. 

26.2 miles done!!! On the @gosportsart ecopowered treadmill at 8% incline entire way in (4:17). 4141 watts generated; $4141 raised so far for the @make_a_wish_la charity campaign. Most might not want to go on the treadmill for this long but when it's for a cause, the mind can do it. // 📷@itshalo #wattsforwishes #lamarathon #training

A post shared by Nadia Ruiz (@irongirlnadia) on Mar 9, 2017 at 5:38pm PST

A Trade Show Marathon

Nadia Ruiz ran 26.2 miles on a treadmill at the SportsArt booth, raising more than $4,000 for the Make a Wish LA campaign. 

Johnny Cupcakes Retweet

The official Johnny Cupcakes Twitter account showed IHRSA some love by re-tweeting us to its 92,600 followers.  

Cool to see @tamrajudge and @eddiejudge outside the #IHRSA2017 Live studio!

A post shared by IHRSA (@ihrsa) on Mar 10, 2017 at 10:58am PST

The Real Housewives of IHRSA

You never know who you'll see at the convention! In 2015 Gronk worked out in the Life Fitness booth. This year Tamra and Eddie Judge, as seen on Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Orange County," were here promoting Cut Fitness and Woodway Treadmills.

Snapchat Filter Success

We created two official event Snapchat filters—another first—and hundreds of you used them!

Augie's Bash to find a cure for ALS. Raised $3.4m last night. Remarkable people working incredibly hard. #ihrsa2017 #ihrsa #augiesquest #bashforaugiesquest #cureALS

A post shared by Holland-Mark (@holland_mark) on Mar 11, 2017 at 9:54am PST

$3 Million Raised at Augie's Bash

An impressive sum was raised at the BASH for Augie’s Quest, Life Fitness Co-founder Augie Nieto’s cure-driven effort focused on finding treatments and cures for ALS. 

Millennials Want to Hear Your Health Club’s Story—So Tell It

Millennials tend to get a bad rap for allegedly being entitled, self-centered, and glued to their phones. But, for the fitness industry, millennial consumers may be the key to untapped business growth.

Millennials Prioritize Wellness and Experiences

“Millennials and Gen Y consumers are coming into maturity and will have more income to spend than any generation before them,” said Soraya Darabi, co-founder of Zady and impact investor, at the closing IHRSA 2017 keynote, sponsored by Daxko / CSI Software. “They’re thinking more wisely about spending and they’re spending on experiences over things—good news for this crowd in particular.”

For millennials, wellness is a daily pursuit—they eat healthy as a lifestyle choice, use apps to track their fitness data, and are willing to shell out for wellness (while holding back on fashion and entertainment spending). 

“Millennials are coming into their income and want to spend every day in the clubs you create,” Darabi said. “They want to be healthy and ensure that in every moment of their day they are living their best life in terms of happiness.” 

To Attract Millennials, Tell Your Brand’s Story

Clearly, millennials are already open to the services your club provides—but winning them over takes some digital finesse.

Millennials spend about six hours a day online, Darabi said, but due to the prevalence of ad blockers, simply purchasing display ads to promote your club won’t cut it. Instead, tell your brand’s story in a way that resonates with millennial consumers.

You can leverage your club’s unique story by telling it in promotional materials, on your website, in conversation on social media, and through your brick-and-mortar club. By becoming a storyteller, your brand will stop interrupting and start having conversations with millennial consumers.  

“I’m asking you to think like an ‘intra-preneur’—as someone within your organization willing to recreate the storyline as if it’s day one,” she said. “By thinking like a brand new company, it’ll rejuvenate you to tell your story like never before in a way that resonates with customers most.”

IHRSA 2017 Day 3 in Photos

Rasmus Ingerslev Leads Annual Meeting

Outgoing IHRSA Board Chair Rasmus Ingerslev kicked off day three by leading IHRSA's Annual Meeting.

FITNESS SF Wins Community Service Award

FITNESS SF, an IHRSA member for more than 16 years, won The Outstanding Community Service Award, which is presented to an IHRSA member that has made a longstanding commitment to making a difference in, and beyond, their community.

Johnny “Cupcakes” Inspires Brand Loyalty

Johnny Earle, branding expert and founder of Johnny Cupcakes, shared tips for viral business success in his keynote presentation, sponsored by Matrix Fitness.

Trade Show Day 2

There's never a dull moment on the Trade Show floor!

Johnny Earle VIP Session 

Johnny "Cupcakes" Earle spoke to ILC members during a VIP session following his keynote presentation. 

Cool to see @tamrajudge and @eddiejudge outside the #IHRSA2017 Live studio!

A post shared by IHRSA (@ihrsa) on Mar 10, 2017 at 10:58am PST

Spotted at IHRSA Live

Real Housewife of Orange County Tamra Judge and her husband Eddie posed for a photo outside of the IHRSA Live studio.

21st Annual Financial Panel

Rick Caro, president of Management Vision, Inc., and former IHRSA board president, and other expert panelists shared their insights during the 20th Annual IHRSA Financial Panel.

5 Gym Branding Tips from Johnny “Cupcakes” Earle at IHRSA 2017

Johnny “Cupcakes” Earle doesn’t own a gym, but if he did he’d have a gift shop filled with products that he designed. His gym would also serve delicious, healthy food, play good music, and offer a number of events to help build a community.

(Sounds like a great business plan, if you ask us.)

Earle explained how his business, Johnny Cupcakes, grew from a "joke" to a multi-million dollar, highly exclusive t-shirt brand driven by a community of world-wide collectors in his Friday, March 10 IHRSA 2017 keynote presentation, sponsored by Matrix Fitness. In addition to sharing details about his road to business success, Earle suggested several actionable tips for health club owners. Here are our favorites: 

1. Humor and design matter. “Humor and good design are very inviting elements to a brand new customer—especially millennials. If they’re looking at a gym with the same typography as TGI Friday’s, they might not want to go to that gym.”

2. Create a seasonal marketing/promotions schedule. “Whatever type of business you have, you can always utilize the different seasons and pop culture and sports as new ways to reach out to past, present, and potential customers. You can raffle off tickets at your gym for a baseball game and have a new prize every month for existing members and new members, you can have events—there are so many things you can do.”

3. Generate word-of-mouth marketing. “Try new things to give bloggers and writers a reason to write about what you’re doing. If you’re doing the same thing you’ve been doing for years, why would someone write about your business? If you take some of your marketing budget to do new experiences, it’s advertising because people do the talking for you.”

4. Tell your story. “You don’t have to have a stuffy, simple mission statement. You can have a mission statement, but give [potential members] your history. Let someone who’s signing up for your sports club know you’re a person, too.” 

5. Never stop creating new experiences. “People thrive off new experiences—they yearn for it. Whether they’re going out to eat or to a sports club or to the movies, they’re looking for the most unique experience that they can have. Their time is valuable. Why would they support a business that’s been doing the same thing for years? If you want new results, you have to do new things.”

FITNESS SF Receives the Outstanding Community Service Award

The Outstanding Community Service Award is presented to an IHRSA member that has made a longstanding commitment to making a difference in, and beyond, their community. FITNESS SF is the recipient of this year’s Outstanding Community Service Award.

FITNESS SF, an IHRSA member for more than 16 years, has seven clubs in the Bay Area. The group has been deeply involved in the San Francisco community for over 26 years. Among some examples of their commitment to the community are partnerships with Lighthouse for the Blind, Zero Breast Cancer, and the Salvation Army.

“We are honored to be recognized as the 2017 recipient of the IHRSA Outstanding Community Service Award,” said Zsolt Jackovics, president of FITNESS SF. “We are trying to redefine the meaning of corporate philanthropy by forming true partnerships with the charitable organizations in our community that provide critical support for those in need.”

IHRSA Welcomes the Newest Members to the IHRSA Board of Directors

IHRSA proudly welcomes Carrie Kepple, Alan Leach, Bryan O’Rourke, and Brad Wilkins as newly elected members of the IHRSA Board of Directors. The board-elect will serve a four-year term from July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2021. 

 

Carrie Kepple is a 10-year industry veteran of international club business, currently serving as the manager of a Les Mills facility in Newmarket, New Zealand. She has expanded Les Mills business operations in New Zealand—opening, reopening, and managing three clubs across the country. As an international trainer and presenter, Kepple has also served as a global sales training consultant for Les Mills and as the national director for 62 corporate-owned clubs offering Gold’s Gym Group Exercise (GGX).

Most recently, Kepple launched a new coaching business called LIFESTYLES-Mindful Wellness, and she enjoys being a distributor for Kyäni nutritional supplements—demonstrating how proper nutrition can be paired with daily exercise to produce lasting health benefits.

Alan Leach currently serves as general manager, sales trainer, and head of sales and marketing for the West Wood Club, based in Dublin, Ireland. He uses his 32 years of health club and sales management experience to serve more than 33,000 health club members at West Wood Club and Crunch Fitness locations in Ireland and Bosnia.

Leach has been an avid supporter of the industry for years. At the start of his career, he grew an individual club’s membership from 700 to 3,100—establishing the club as one of the most profitable facilities in Europe. He continues to promote physical activity and the global industry as a regular speaker at countless events for fitness professionals.

Bryan O’Rourke is the founder and CEO of Integerus, LLC; the chief security officer (CSO) and principal of Fitness Marketing Systems, LLC; the CSO and partner in the Flywheel Group, LLC; the president of the Fitness Industry Technology Council (FITC); and the owner and CSO of a chain of Gold’s Gyms based in Houston, Texas. He is also a former chairman of the Medical Fitness Association’s education committee.

O’Rourke is an industry innovator and technology expert, who serves and consults with leading fitness and health clubs brands around the world. As a highly regarded speaker and author, he has spoken on four continents, addressing how health club businesses and wellness professionals are improving the world’s health one step at a time. He was recently named to ACE's industry advisory council and contributes to the GGFA's think tank.

Brad Wilkins is the senior vice president of Cooper Aerobics Enterprises, Inc., and oversees the Cooper Fitness Center and the Cooper Spa in Dallas, Texas. Wilkins joined Cooper Fitness Center as an intern in 1996 and since then, has taken on roles as a fitness trainer, fitness director, and general manager. Most recently, in 2015, he was named the chief operating officer of Cooper Wellness Strategies.

IHRSA 2017 Day 2 in Photos (and Videos)

Exercise Classes

Hats off to the motivated attendees who worked out in one of the early morning exercise programs! Today’s classes included STOTT PILATES Matwork Interval Training, Suples Fit Circuit, and #poweryour Functional Training Workout.

TRX Wins Associate Member of the Year

TRX, a leading producer of functional training programs, education, and equipment for the industry was selected as the 2017 Associate Member of the Year Award.

"We're thrilled to be selected as IHRSA's Associate Member of the Year. This will be one of the great highlights of 2017 for TRX. Since my first 10'x10' booth in 2005 through today, IHRSA has played a pivotal role in our history and success as a company," said Randy Hetrick, founder and CEO of TRX.

#IHRSA2017 attendees want Congress to #PassPHIT

A post shared by IHRSA (@ihrsa) on Mar 9, 2017 at 9:34am PST

Joe Moore Urges Congress to #PassPHIT

“If exercise was a pill everybody would take it, right?” asked IHRSA President and CEO Joe Moore at Thursday's keynote address, which was streamed on Facebook Live. “If we could pass PHIT—if exercise was tax-deductible—just about everybody would be exercising more, and that’s what we want.”

Martin Lindstrom Touts Small Data

Martin Lindstrom, author, change agent, and brand futurist from Denmark, told attendees that small data defines the future during his keynote presentation, sponsored by Technogym.

If you haven't been to the Trade Show are you even at #IHRSA2017? 🤔

A post shared by IHRSA (@ihrsa) on Mar 9, 2017 at 2:08pm PST

The Trade Show Opens

There's never a dull moment on the Trade Show floor! Here's just a small sampling of the latest and greatest from more than 370 exhibitors.

IGNITE!

Thanks to all of those who spoke at IGNITE!, a 75-minute event where a succession of speakers each presented for five minutes, sharing their personal and professional insights on a host of wide-ranging topics that can be informative, innovative, humorous, or just plain fun. Above, Matt Wright, senior director of fitness for Healthtrax Fitness & Wellness, presents "Mean Tweets: Fitness Industry Edition."

IHRSA Live Behind-the-Scenes

The IHRSA Live team hard at work interviewing CEOs and other industry leaders in our studio in the LA Convention Center lobby.

Westergaard Shows Fitness Industry Leaders the Importance of ‘Branding Now’

“So maybe there are similarities between branding and fitness,” said Nick Westergaard, chief brand strategist at Brand Driven Digital during the 20^th Annual IHRSA Industry Leadership Council Summit, sponsored by ABC Financial.

If we delve deeper into the connections between branding and fitness, it is evident that they are both big goals for many people. However, in order to get in shape or build better brands, all of us must effectively utilize to-do lists and the resources available to us to be successful—which is often tougher than we think.

Continue reading "Westergaard Shows Fitness Industry Leaders the Importance of ‘Branding Now.’"

Click to read more ...

IHRSA 2017 Keynote Broadcast on Facebook Live

IHRSA broadcast today’s IHRSA 2017 keynote presentation on Facebook Live because we had a very important message to get out—#PassPHIT. 

“If exercise was a pill everybody would take it, right?” asked IHRSA President and CEO Joe Moore. “If we could pass PHIT—if exercise was tax-deductible—just about everybody would be exercising more, and that’s what we want.”

The PHIT Act, which stands for Personal Health Investment Today, would expand the definition of a medical expense to include physical activity and allow consumers to use pre-tax accounts like Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and Flexible Savings Accounts (FSA) to pay for qualified fitness expenses. Currently, the IRS code only allows these accounts to be used for medical expenses.

#IHRSA2017 attendees want Congress to #PassPHIT

A post shared by IHRSA (@ihrsa) on Mar 9, 2017 at 9:34am PST

PHIT was introduced in Congress on March 1 and is the fitness industry's top legislative priority. To help keep the momentum going, Moore and the IHRSA Board asked the packed keynote crowd to hold up #PassPHIT panels and yell loud enough for Congress to hear. Attendees were also urged to ask Congress to pass PHIT.

To help you explain how the PHIT Act will benefit your community, and America's Health, IHRSA has created the following #PassPHIT resources for download:

• Why America Should Get PHIT!
• Background Information on PHIT
• PHIT Facts - Why Passing PHIT Makes Sense
• Infographic on PHIT
• The Case for Exercise
• Get PHIT! Toolkit to engange Health Club Members, Fitness Consumers

After Moore’s #PassPHIT message, Martin Lindstrom, author, change agent, and brand futurist, took the stage for his keynote presentation, sponsored by Technogym. Lindstrom spoke about the importance of small data and shared some consumer insights that club owners can use to benefit their businesses.

“In the future there will be both big and small data,” he said. “The way to stand out from the crowd is to be the best at picking up those seemingly insignificant observations.” 

Watch Moore’s speech about PHIT and Lindstrom’s keynote address on Facebook.