This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke announces the Innovation Award Winners for Most Innovating Fitness Pro, Fitness Facility, and Fitness Supplier! Bryan is joined by the Accenture Team who selected the winners as they discuss each unique candidate and how they demonstrated using new, innovative technology solutions to serve others in unique and better ways. Accenture is a global professional services company with leading capabilities in digital, cloud, and securi...
Apr 01, 2022•29 min•Season 1Ep. 128
This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes Annette Franz to the show. Annette Franz has 30 years of experience helping companies understand their employees and customers, identifying what drives retention, satisfaction, engagement, the overall experience, and designing customer experience strategies to deliver a better experience for all constituents. She is the Founder & CEO of CX Journey, a global customer experience consulting firm that specializes in lay...
Feb 16, 2022•24 min•Season 1Ep. 127
This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes Marcel Boots to the show. Marcel is the Digital Fitness & Innovation Director at Basic-Fit, one of the fastest growing European market leaders in fitness with more than 1000 clubs and over 2 million members. Today, Marcel discusses with Bryan about Basic-Fit’s successful operation and how they have automated their business with an omni channel experience that is one of the best in the industry. One Powerful Quote: 2...
Jan 27, 2022•31 min•Season 1Ep. 126
This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O'Rourke invites listeners to participate in FIT-C’s 2022 Fitness Technology Innovation Awards. This award will be going to the most innovative and technologically progressive fitness professional, supplier, and facility in response to overcoming and innovating as a result of the pandemic. We encourage our members to apply and nominate those who have demonstrated new solutions to serve their clients in unique and better ways. Winners wil...
Jan 20, 2022•5 min•Season 1Ep. 125
This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes Carrie Kepple Styles to the show. Bryan and Carrie have known each other for over 15 years, most notably working together on the IHRSA Board of Directors. Carrie is part of an elite group of senior leaders, working with clubs all over the world including Gold’s Gym International and Les Mills. Her experience is in club operations where she most recently developed Styles Studios, a new, pioneering fitness brand that offe...
Aug 26, 2021•37 min•Season 1Ep. 124
This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes Mark Notton, Senior Director of IM Category Management at Samsung. As the leader of Samsung's mobile product and commercial operations in Europe, Mark’s position is at the forefront of cutting-edge innovation and product strategy. He joins Bryan today in a discussion on this and why Samsung is pursuing these endeavors to better serve their customers. The IHRSA convention in October: http://hub.ihrsa.org/ihrsa-2021-reque...
Aug 20, 2021•25 min•Season 1Ep. 123
This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes Leon Rudge, Director of Digital Experience at Life Fitness, to the show. Today, Bryan and Leon share their thoughts together on innovation with the challenges and opportunities that encompass them particularly in delivering value and discarding assumptions on what technology means. The IHRSA convention in October: http://hub.ihrsa.org/ihrsa-2021-request IHRSA SMART Summit in November: https://www.ihrsa.org/improve-your-...
Aug 06, 2021•43 min•Season 1Ep. 122
This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes Elisabeth Bohlmann to the show. Elisabeth is the VP of Client Strategy for December Labs where she drives expansion strategy and accompanies up-and-coming startups and enterprise companies as a product strategist towards scalable and continuous growth. As an executive in emerging technologies, Liz joins Bryan in a conversation around the challenges of successfully developing technologies in business. Bryan mentions the ...
Jul 19, 2021•34 min•Season 1Ep. 121
This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes founders Ben Brand & Chris Windram of Quoox to the show. Ben has over 25-years as a facility owner & trainer, and Chris has over 25-years experience in architecting leading cloud-based CRM and business management systems. Ben and Chris have consolidated their expertise to develop a product that would meet the needs of training gym and studio owners both for now and the future. Quoox is designed to meet the needs...
Jun 17, 2021•38 min•Season 1Ep. 120
This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes colleague and newest FITC member Annie Fältman to the show. Annie is the owner of 360 Träningscenter in Sweden. Within the last year, technology has always played an important role in their clubs with memberships, onboarding, and stay connected through the member journey. They recently joined FIT-C to get the inspiration they need to keep staying relevant and to be part of a great network of best practice. Today, Annie ...
Jun 09, 2021•22 min•Season 1Ep. 119
This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes Nick Hahn to the show. Nick is the VP of Product for ASF Payment Solutions and Club OS. ASF Payment Solutions is a technology company that provides software, complete payment solutions, and customer support to the fitness industry. By offering integrated software services, as well as flexible payment options, ASF gives clients the ability to generate more revenue through member engagement and grow their business. ASF an...
May 08, 2021•26 min•Season 1Ep. 118
This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O'Rourke welcomes Mike Kelly to the show. Mike is the Director of Distribution Partnerships at Atmosphere TV. Atmosphere is a streaming TV service for businesses that offers original, audio-optional TV channels that fill the void for businesses in a world dominated by linear cable TV. With Atmosphere TV, businesses can run their own marketing promotions and house ads by utilizing a simple digital signage feature and keep the content fres...
Apr 29, 2021•19 min•Season 1Ep. 117
This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes back Tom Johnston to the show. Tom is currently the CEO of TJ Coaching & Consulting which helps leaders align business strategy with people strategy to build high performance teams, increase employee engagement, and grow revenue. Today, Tom joins Bryan in a conversation around human capital and aligning organizational leadership with people’s strategy. One Powerful Quote: 8:09: “Even the term leader is probably beco...
Apr 17, 2021•41 min•Season 1Ep. 116
This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O'Rourke welcomes Ian Mullane to the show. Ian is the Chairman and CEO of KeepMe AI, an AI-powered sales and marketing CRM platform for the fitness industry. Today, Bryan and Ian discuss the latest publication, The Fitness Future: Rules of Engagement as overarching trends reshape the way modern consumers approach to health and fitness, along with six essential rules that operators must abide by to not only survive, but thrive, in the fit...
Mar 10, 2021•28 min•Season 1Ep. 115
This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O'Rourke welcomes Paul Bowman to the show. Paul is the CEO of Wexer, which combines leading content and technology to make world-class exercise accessible to more people by providing a convenient and non-intimidating way to exercise. Today, Bryan and Paul discuss interesting subjects that are quite to germane to what is happening today. One Powerful Quote: 32:02: “You have to own your own platform… listen to the members, and listen to th...
Feb 27, 2021•35 min•Season 1Ep. 114
This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O'Rourke welcomes Natalia Karbasova to the show. Natalia is the founder of the FitTech Summit, the leading conference in Europe devoted to fitness technology, wellbeing, and active lifestyle attracting many high-ranking industry executives, investors, and startups. Today, Bryan and Natalia discuss cutting edge technology that she is involved in and what’s to come from these emerging platforms. One Powerful Quote: 30:03: “I believe this i...
Feb 05, 2021•34 min•Season 1Ep. 113
As mentioned in the podcast, we encourage listeners to submit their nominees to the 2020 Fitness Technology Innovation Award. We encourage everyone to apply and nominate those who have demonstrated new solutions to serve their clients in unique and better ways. You can do so here: http://www.fittechcouncil.org/fits-innovation-award-2020 This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O'Rourke welcomes Shay Amir, Founder & CEO of Spivi. Spivi is an interactive fitness tracking and ...
Jan 21, 2021•31 min•Season 1Ep. 112
This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, Bryan O'Rourke welcomes strategic adviser Pete Moore to the show. Pete is the managing partner at Integrity Square, which specializes in advising passionate entrepreneurs, fast-growing companies, and seasoned executives with the right sources of capital where Pete advises the health, active lifestyle, and outdoor sector of the firm. Today, Bryan and Pete share their insights on the financial market and what firms are doing in the industry now. As a...
Dec 30, 2020•21 min•Season 1Ep. 111
This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, Bryan O'Rourke shares his interview with corporate finance and strategic adviser, Rohit Kulkarni. Rohit is the Head Internet Analyst at MKM Partners, which specializes in researching and investing in capital markets. Today, Bryan recaps his thoughts on broad questions in the marketplace on big tech and other dynamics to consider in our industry as we approach the new year. One Powerful Quote: 35:59: “I think there may be some pricing power in certa...
Dec 21, 2020•41 min•Season 1Ep. 110
This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O'Rourke welcomes Michele Meleski to the show. Michele is the VP of Fitness, Racquet, and Recreation at ClubCorp which operates over 200 clubs and serves over 430,000 members. Her history in the space includes other notable executive positions at The Bay Club Company, Wellbridge, World Gym, and VillaSport Athletic Club & Spa. Today, Bryan and Michelle discuss trends in leisure and lifestyle operations, the impact of technology, and s...
Dec 10, 2020•24 min•Season 1Ep. 109
This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O'Rourke invites listeners to participate in FIT-C’s inaugural 2020 Fitness Technology Innovation Award. This award will be going to the most innovative and technologically progressive fitness professional, supplier, and facility in response to overcoming and innovating as a result of the pandemic. We encourage everyone to apply and nominate those who have demonstrated new solutions to serve their clients in unique and better ways. Winne...
Dec 04, 2020•5 min
This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O'Rourke welcomes Brent Darden to the show. Brent’s history in the health club and fitness space began as a personal trainer and working in corporate wellness, most notably as the GM for the Cooper Institute and Telos Fitness Center in Dallas, Texas. He has served as the Chairman of the Board for IHRSA and is Chairman for REX Roundtables. He recently was appointed the Interim President & CEO of IHRSA. Bryan and Brent touch upon some ...
Nov 11, 2020•22 min•Season 1Ep. 107
This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O'Rourke welcomes back friend and advocate, Emma Barry. The two revisit Emma’s views on the boutique studio space as she and Bryan discuss digital and technology ahead of their upcoming webinar series. Emma has lead key senior roles including Director of Group Fitness for Equinox and as a founder for group fitness exercise for Les Mills International. Emma is currently the Chief Creative Soul at Good Soul Hunting which helps health and f...
Nov 10, 2020•39 min•Season 1Ep. 106
This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes Mike Studer to the show. Mike is a clinical specialist in neurological physical therapy and a certified exercise expert in aging adult geriatrics. He has served as the vice-president of the Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy of the APTA and has been the chair and vice-chair of several special interest groups at the national level in each of the Academies of Neurologic and Geriatric PT, including balance and falls, s...
Aug 31, 2020•22 min•Season 1Ep. 105
This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes the iconic and highly respected Sal Pellegrino to the show. Sal is the Senior Strategic Account Manager at Precor where he oversees, directs, and manages key strategic commercial club accounts. With a background in physical education, he 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 to leading organizations. ...
Aug 27, 2020•25 min•Season 1Ep. 104
This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes well known and highly regarded Adam Zeitsiff to the show. Adam is currently the President & CEO of Gold’s Gym International where he oversees the global icon with more than 650 locations serving 3+ million people across six continents in 29 countries. With a background in technology, Adam shares his views on the challenges his organization faces and in advance of participating in the Fitness Industry Technology Coun...
Aug 06, 2020•18 min•Season 1Ep. 103
This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes long time colleague and friend Daron Allen to the show. Daron has been in the club business for over 25 years, notably with his positions as GM for The Health & Fitness Connection and VP/Executive Director for Osteopathic Health System of Texas. He currently is the CEO of Visual Fitness Planner which specializes in point of sale and customer relationship management support for personal training. This episode focuses...
Jul 15, 2020•30 min•Season 1Ep. 102
This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes friend and FIT-C board member Dr. Ted Vickey to the show. Ted is an educator and advisor with over 25 years of experience and has played key roles as Executive Director for The White House, Senior Advisor for Fitness Technology for American Council on Exercise, and Committee Chair for the United States Golf Association. His doctoral background is in physical activity and social networking from National University of Ire...
Jul 07, 2020•21 min•Season 1Ep. 101
This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes long time friend and fitness aficionado Dan McDonogh to the show. Dan is a fitness leader with over 20 years experience and has played key roles as Program Director and Senior Manager for Group Training & Athletic Performance for several global brands including Les Mills International, TRX, and Under Armour, respectively. He currently works as the Director of Performance Programming for GoodLife Fitness where he con...
Jun 24, 2020•23 min•Season 1Ep. 100
This week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes long time friend and colleague Tim Keightley to the show. Tim heads up fitness operations and sales as a VP for Texas Family Fitness. His experience track record ranges from creating the largest personal training business in Europe to elevating some of the most successful health club operations in the US as fitness director for Fitness First UK, VP of sales & business development for Les Mills US, and VP of fitness ...
Jun 07, 2020•32 min•Season 1Ep. 99
