Celebrating! 11th IHRSA European Congress …and Jasmin Kirstein, of My Sportlady

Jasmin KirsteinBy Patricia Amend

We’re grateful whenever we hear unsolicited, unexpected, honest feedback on an IHRSA event because it lets us know how we’re doing. The goal, of course, is to provide value to an IHRSA membership and help IHRSA members succeed.

It’s especially gratifying because literally thousands of person-hours go into each event—many late at night or on weekends—to create it and make it work smoothly.

So, we were pleased to receive comments from Jasmin Kirstein about the 11^th Annual IHRSA European Congress, which took place in October in Milan, and attracted more than 500 individuals from 35 countries—some from as far away as South Africa and New Zealand.

If you know Jasmin, who’s the owner of My Sportlady in Munich, Germany, then you know how forthright, enthusiastic, creative, and dedicated she is. If Jasmin says it, you know she means it. So, we ‘d like to share Jasmin’s impressions of the Congress in case you couldn’t make it to Milan and are considering attending the 12^th Congress next November 1-4 in Vienna.

Here, in Jasmin’s own words:

Jasmin Kirstein at My Sportlady“Overall, I remember Milan as an extraordinary city with a wonderful program. Our hotel rooms were stylish and very big with balconies. The food at the welcome party was delicious, as well as at lunchtime—great pasta, of course!

“We had a glamorous welcome-to-Italy reception with free drinks, and we especially liked the Aperol Spritz, which is made with prosecco sparkling wine, some mineral water, with a slice of orange.

“Technogym was also kind enough to organize a bus trip to the Museum of Design. There, Nerio Alessandri, Technogym’s founder and an industrial designer himself, praised IHRSA, gave us a warm welcome, and showed us great films about his products. Joe Moore, IHRSA’s president and CEO, gave a spontaneous speech full of spirit, which made the event delightful. 

“As for the sessions, the ones I liked most included one on leadership, ‘The Art of Engaging People,’ with Santiago Alvarez de Mon, a professor in the Department of Managing People in Organizations at the IESE Business School in Barcelona. His main messages: Whenever you talk with your employees, make the most of it. Choose the right time, and be completely ‘present.’ Use the time you have with them well.

“There were also some good talks about social media, which is of great interest for many Europeans. America is a few steps ahead of Europe in this respect, and so we wanted to learn. It’s an important subject now and for the future.

“In addition, professor Simon Bolton, the director of the Centre for Competitive Creative Design at Cranfield University in the U.K., spoke about effective product and brand development. He said that you could create your own space in the crowd by focusing on a unique niche and becoming an expert in that area. He also emphasized that, to be successful, you have to stand for something, and you have to understand the motivation, aspirations, and intentions of your customers.

“And, of course, we enjoyed the sites of Milan . . .

“The ride to the Duomo, the cathedral of Milan, was only about 20 minutes from our hotel. When I saw it, I was startled—it was so huge and awesome, and it’s the place where Napoleon was crowned the king of Italy in 1805. Imagine! It’s hundreds of years old and took centuries to build! I also got a ticket for La Scala, the world-famous opera house for only €60 on the same evening. It was incredible!  

“And, of course, I look forward to venturing to Vienna for the 12^th European Congress later this year. I look forward to meeting a mixture of charismatic people, such as the founders of big brands and big companies, and university professors who impart some basic business education, as well as messages about life, in general. And, of course, I love sharing and networking with other IHRSA members.

“I envision seeing the sites of Vienna, too, and helping to celebrate the 150^th birthday of Gustav Klimt, the famous Austrian painter who lived much of his life in Vienna.

“In my opinion the connection between fitness, art, and food is a very interesting one!

“People love to experience things that they will remember for the rest of their lives. I remember so much from Milan, now, and I look forward to creating more memories in Vienna! “