Fitness + Technology

This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes Dr. Cedric Bryant to the show. As Chief Executive Officer & President, Dr. Cedric Bryant leads ACE with a focus on science-backed education to support health and exercise professionals, utilizing emerging fitness technology, championing inclusivity and diversity, and sharing quality information to help all people develop long-term healthy habits and keep people moving. Today, Dr. Cedrick joins Bryan to talk about his background, his views on the changes in professional education and training, and what he envisions happening in the future. One Powerful Quote: 14:43: “What gets measured is what gets the attention.” 4-10 Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 2:15: Bryan opens the interview by highlighting Cedrick’s background and his upbringing into the industry.  8:27: Cedrick shares his views on the change in professional education and training.  13:06: Cedrick extrapolates on the friction in these sys

This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes Dave Wright to the show. Dave is the Founder of MYZONE, a cloud based and wearable technology fitness tracker that consists of a heart rate monitor chest strap and monitoring system that displays real time heart rate, calories, MEPs, and EFFORT to a watch, tv, or monitor whilst simultaneously creating an online logbook of all physical activity that can be viewed from anywhere in the world. He is also the owner of Creative Fitness Marketing (CFM), a global company with offices in the UK, Australia, and North America that has served the international fitness community for over 30 years and a member of the board for ukactive. Today, Bryan visits with Dave to discuss some interesting observations about ukactive, trends in the industry/direct to consumer fitness, and his advice as a serial entrepreneur.  One Powerful Quote: 29:39: “Whose providing these new trends?” 4-10 Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 3

This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, Bryan O’Rourke shares his presentation live from Beyond Activ in New York. Beyond Activ is a leadership, investment, and business development event for owners, managers, and investors of health, wellness, fitness, and hospitality brands. Bryan was invited to present and host a panel on franchise innovation and growth with Emily Seaman, Head of Marketing from Momence, Bradford Smith, Chief Development Officer from PureGym, Eric Keller, VP of Support at Self Esteem Brands, and Justin Vartanian, Senior VP of International Division at Planet Fitness. You can access Bryan's presentation deck here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vSI72UFIcTKyT8G7yZ8jskOJaEknXvc6/view Recap of presentation is as follows: Key Drivers of Future Growth and Innovation (GII): Globalism, Demographics, Values, Technologies, and Economics are identified as the five mega-trend drivers of GII. Customer Spending and Attitudes: Younger generations (Gen Z and Millennials) are spending more on he

This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes Adam Alfia to the show. Adam is the Founder of Real Time Feedback, which is a customer engagement platform that allows customers to directly interact with businesses in real time. Customers submit discreet feedbacks that are sent in real time to a businesses owners and managers. The business can respond using the in-app 2 way chat feature to work with the customer to resolve any complaints. Once the issue has been resolved, the business can send the customer a link to give a positive review of the business. Today, Adam joins Bryan to talk about his business and his insights in managing the customer experience. One Powerful Quote: 17:04: “Build it as if you are talking to a 3 year old.” 4-10 Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 3:08: Bryan opens the show by asking Adam how customers have changed in a more digital world. 10:54: Adam speaks on the barriers in adopting customer engagement platforms. 16:18: B

This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, Bryan O’Rourke welcomes back the infamous Sal Pellegrino to the show. Sal has worked in the fitness and wellness industry in a variety of roles, from club owner to equipment sales professional, to industry trend spotter and advisor in leading organizations. He is currently the Executive Director for FISA, which provides valuable research and unique events for the commercial and not-for-profit fitness industry. Today, Sal joins Bryan to recap his experience at CanFitPro, FISA, and latest trends in the industry.  One Powerful Quote: 14:13: “We have to continue to share our collective wisdom.” 4-10 Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 2:11: Bryan opens the show with Sal sharing his experience at CanFitPro. 4:53: Sal talks about FISA. 8:20: Sal shares his insights on the top trends happening in the industry. 12:49: Bryan asks Sal how operators can benefit from these trends.  14:44: Bryan inquires with Sal about the resistance in operato

This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, Bryan O’Rourke shares his panel discussion, The Download On Digital, from 2024 IDEA World live from Los Angeles. He is joined by fitness technology gurus Garrett Marshall, Eric Posner, Jeffrey Scott, Mike G. Hansen, and Deb/Debbie/Deborah Praver (Eble) as they take a deep dive into the latest trends, innovations, and how technology is revolutionizing the fitness industry. The panel also answers questions from the audience highlighting key topics in digitization, retention, hybrid experiences, strategies, content creation, and AI.  One Powerful Quote: 37:18: “You’re not gonna get what you don’t ask for." 4-10 Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 3:12: Bryan opens the panel discussion with Garrett Marshall and Jeffrey Scott discussing wearable technologies and fitness apps reshaping the role of group fitness/trainers and the opportunities/challenges presented for these experiences.  11:03: Garrett Marshall speaks on the impact of virt

This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes Brandon Bean to the show. Brandon is the Co-Founder of Lumin Fitness, a smart movement platform with a cutting-edge operating system design to leverage the latest advances in computer vision, digital displays, and machine learning to deliver personalized, interactive fitness experiences. Today, Brandon joins Bryan to talk about his business and key trends happening in the space. One Powerful Quote: 15:55: “Data is dopamine.” 4-10 Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 3:33: Bryan asks Brandon’s opinion on the latest trends in machine learning, personalization, and technology. 5:52: Brandon talks about his business, Lumin Fitness. 9:40: Brandon articulates how he conceptualized Lumin’s business model. 17:01: Bryan inquires with Brandon on pricing strategy. 18:26: Bryan and Brandon discuss globalization of the major fitness brands and the implications on their business strategy. 23:01: Bryan wraps up the sho

This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes Chris Edwards to the show. Chris is the Founder & CEO of TriCore Wellness which focuses on the integration of technology, health data, and professional coaching. TriCore Wellness seeks to develop and provide comprehensive wellness solutions for individuals, employees, and businesses. Today, Chris joins Bryan to talk about his business and truly define what wellness means.  One Powerful Quote: 2:53: “Wellness is essentially living optimally without limitations.” 4-10 Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 2:46: Bryan opens the show by asking Chris how he defines the term wellness.  4:12: Chris highlights the key trends in the wellness industry space. 5:49: Bryan inquires with Chris about how to deploy these solutions. 6:54: Chris talks about the repercussions in some of the recent medical interventions happening today in wellness.  8:07: Bryan and Chris talk about the implications in integrative care an

This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes Alan Thompson to the show. Alan is the founder and CEO of GroeFit, a gym member management software powered by computer vision technology. GroeFit leverages cutting-edge AI to provide gym staff with real-time insights, transforming big box gyms into supportive communities that recognize and nurture every member’s fitness journey. Today, Alan joins Bryan to talk about GroeFit and why automated engagement is table-stakes for organizations.  One Powerful Quote: 13:38: “Get good at marketing, really good at marketing.” 4-10 Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 2:10: Bryan opens the show with Alan sharing his journey to launching GroeFit.  5:17: Alan talks about personalization and how GroeFit delivers personalized experiences.  8:28: Alan explains why automated engagement and personalization are table-stakes for large organizations.  11:50: Alan shares his insights and pearls of wisdom to the listeners.  15:

This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes Steven Webster to the show. Steven is the CEO of ASENSEI which captures sports apparel and knowledge into software so that fitness equipment, training apps, and connected fitness products can coach and correct customer's movement in real-time. ASENSEI aims to strengthen engagement by turning solo practice into instructional learning, locks in brand loyalty by connecting coaching to clothing, and increase retention by showing customers measurable progress along a learning path. Today, he joins Bryan to talk about his business and the digital landscape of personalized training. One Powerful Quote: 8:51: “Challenges are just hooks for opportunities.”  4-10 Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 3:03: Bryan opens the show by asking Steven about the digital landscape in digital wellness. 6:40: Steven shares his views on the innovator’s dilemma.  9:24: Steven comments on the risk reward dynamic in business valua

This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes Federico Imparatta to the show. Federico is the founder of Ataraxy, a digital product agency, which helps lead strategic development and execution of digital solutions that drive business growth. His team's technical expertise is in software & hardware development, product development, and design to deliver high-quality digital products with the overarching goal of empowering entrepreneurs to thrive in the digital era. Today, he joins Bryan to talk about his business and the reality of developing digital fitness products. One Powerful Quote: 35:07: “Don’t ever fall in love with the idea.” 4-10 Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 3:18: Bryan opens the show by asking Federico about developing digital fitness products.  7:44: Federico talks about the managing expectations when crafting digital solutions.  11:38: Bryan and Federico discuss how today's business thinking is influencing the development of

This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes Tessa Thomas to the show. Tessa is the Co-Founder of Pipeline Solutions, a purpose-built automation and analytics platform for boutique fitness studio owners and operators. Today, she joins Bryan to talk about her business, automation and coding, and keeping the human touch in a digitized world.  One Powerful Quote: 21:51: “It’s really still about people.”  4-10 Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 2:40: Bryan opens the show by asking Tessa about her background. 5:30: Tessa shares her observations about the startup world.  9:01: Tessa tells the story of what led to starting Pipeline Solutions and its benefits for operators.  15:16: Bryan and Tessa talk about coding and automation. 21:42: Bryan wraps up the show with Tessa imparting her pearls of wisdom to the listeners.  Bullet List of Resources: https://www.pipeline-solutions.co https://www.linkedin.com/in/tessat/ Guest Contact Information: https://www.

This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes Spencer Honeyman to the show. Spencer is an entrepreneurial business executive with a proven track record of successfully bringing innovative technology to market. He is the Chief Commercial Officer for Vi, an enterprise AI SaaS solution for health industry leaders to supercharge engagement and retention. Today, Spencer joins Bryan to talk about Vi enterprise and the various use case applications of their tools.  One Powerful Quote: 25:37: “Resilience, what happens when you get punched in the mouth?” 4-10 Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 3:31: Bryan opens the show by asking Spencer to share his story.  5:53: Bryan asks Spencer what Vi does and how they execute on their principles.  12:05: Bryan and Spencer talk about the marketing funnel and understanding how to make better business decisions.  15:38: Bryan and Spencer discuss their general thoughts on AI, predictive analytics, machine learning, and

This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes Dan Uyemura to the show. Dan currently is a partner and coach at Torrance CrossFit and CEO of PushPress, a business management and billing platform for boutique gyms. With almost 20 years of seasoned web application development fused with a lifetime of entrepreneurial efforts, he has worked on a number of projects in software, technology, and the fitness space. Today, Dan joins Bryan to talk about his story, how operators should use tech, local marketing and boutique gym trends, and overall advice to entrepreneurs.  One Powerful Quote: 24:05: “Ideas are cheap, and execution means everything.”  4-10 Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 3:19: Bryan opens the show by asking Dan about his background.  6:58: Dan talks about the challenges of appropriate technology adoption in the industry space.  9:02: Dan shares the value proposition of PushPress.  11:23: Bryan and Dan discuss implementing technology in mark

This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes Erika Levy to the show. Erika is the founder of The Barre Fusions Method that teaches fitness instructors how to create classes that fuse ballet barre with other formats and streamline class design. She is certified in numerous yoga and active aging certifications and currently teaches Barre Fusions at Gold’s Gym in Camas, Washington and West Coast Fitness in Portland, Oregon. Today, Erika joins Bryan to talk about her business and trends in group fitness programming.  One Powerful Quote: 19:38: “I think there’s a lot of opportunity to monetize your content and to create online experiences that are an extension of the in-person experience.” 4-10 Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 2:38: Bryan opens the show by asking Erika about her background in the fitness space.  4:20: Erika talks about launching her Barre Fusions concept.  8:16: Erika explains how Barre Fusions aligns with distributing group fitness

This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, Bryan O’Rourke welcomes Edward Navan to the show. Ed is the Co-Founder of REGYMEN Fitness and founded The Covery Wellness Spa. He has spent his career in every capacity in the industry from personal trainer, vendor rep, national account buyer, and now company owner. While he loves fitness, Edward sees the the biggest opportunity in the growing recovery and wellness sector where he believes the next decade will see a merging of the fitness and spa worlds. Today, Ed joins Bryan to share his thoughts on the fitness industry and the yet to be defined recovery and optimization space. One Powerful Quote: 19:45: “No man is an island.”  4-10 Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 2:40: Bryan opens the show by asking what interested Edward in getting involved in recovery wellness.  5:41: Edward shares some of his favorite therapies in recovery wellness. 9:02: Bryan inquires with Edward how the fitness market has integrated with recovery wellne

This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, Bryan O’Rourke welcomes Angela Moscaritolo to the show. Angela is the Senior Analyst for Fitness and Smart Home at PCMag. She has been with PCMag for over ten years and has written over 6,000 articles and reviews. She spent eight years as a reporter covering consumer tech news before becoming an analyst in 2020. Before joining PCMag, Angela was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. She earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University and started her career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Angela is also a yoga teacher and has been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. Today, Angela joins Bryan to discuss her impressions on what’s happening with the latest wearable technology. One Powerful Quote: 34:51: “It’s not about you. Really, it’s about your client and their needs.” 4-10 Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 3:24: Bryan opens

This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, Bryan O’Rourke welcomes Jeff Dilts to the show. Jeff is the VP of Global Marketing & Product Innovation at Core Health & Fitness. With a highly respect background in product development, Jeff joins Bryan to share his insights on the trends in commercial fitness equipment.  If you’re interested in learning more about VertiMax’s 2023 Summit, please visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/vertimax-summit-2023-tampa-fl-registration-486879247937 One Powerful Quote: 32:01: “From an operator’s standpoint, you have to constantly being listening.” 4-10 Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 4:10: Jeff shares his insights on the commercial fitness space. 6:18: Bryan and Jeff talk about technology integration with indoor cycling.  11:43: Jeff further articulates on technology integration with other cardio equipment.  15:13: Bryan and Jeff recognize the history of StairMaster and what’s trending in cardio equipment. 20:07: Jeff explains the

This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, Bryan O’Rourke welcomes back Rick Mayo to the show. Rick Mayo is an accomplished fitness business entrepreneur and founder and CEO of the Alloy Personal Training Franchise system. Not only has Rick experienced success as a fitness entrepreneur, he has also delivered keynotes on personal training and fitness business trends to audiences around the world. He has also been an advisor to organizations like the Gold’s Gym Franchise Association and the American Council on Exercise, among others. Rick’s views have been featured in numerous reports and articles in addition to several books and many podcasts on fitness business trends around the world. Today, Bryan joins Rick to discuss the state of the fitness industry with specifics on generational dynamics, new tech, and the experience economy.   One Powerful Quote: 32:39: “The greatest business models haven’t been invented yet.” 4-10 Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 2:11: Rick introd

This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, Bryan O’Rourke welcomes John Sanei to the show. John is a keynote speaker, futurist, advisor, and best selling author helping individuals and organizations prepare for the uncertain future and transforming our awareness to perceive new possibilities and embrace change. Today, John joins Bryan in a fascinating conversation on new perspectives to unlock innovative solutions in an ever-evolving world. One Powerful Quote: 2:57: “You cannot solve a problem from the same awareness that created it." 4-10 Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 2:18: Bryan opens the show by asking John to synthesize how we should be preparing for the future.  8:46: John articulates on the implications of commoditizing in all industries. 15:32: Bryan inquires with John about how leaders should change and reform their businesses.  22:19: John shares his recommendations on books and podcasts.  25:33: Bryan wraps up the show with John imparting his final pearls of