The $27 Billion Gym Opportunity Hiding in Plain Sight with Melissa Rodriguez (S6 E6)

The $27 Billion Gym Opportunity Hiding in Plain Sight with Melissa Rodriguez (S6 E6)

What if your next wave of growth isn't coming from new leads, but from people who already know and trust your brand? In the final episode of Season 6, Justin Tamsett sits down with researcher Melissa Rodriguez to unpack two major industry reports: The Fitness Membership Divide and The Exercise Ecosystem. Together, they explore why former members represent a $27 billion opportunity, why nearly half plan to return to a gym, and how today's consumers are blending gym, studio, home, and digital fitness experiences. Melissa shares the data behind the rise of the omni-exerciser, the growing demand for wellness and recovery services, and the practical strategies fitness businesses can implement to increase retention, engagement, and revenue. Take the Next Step: - Become an FBP Insider (7 days free) https://fbpinsiders.fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/ [https://fbpinsiders.fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/]- Free live online events for fitness leaders https://fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/onlineevents [https://fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/onlineevents]- Have a say in Season 7! https://fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/season-7/ [https://fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/season-7/]- The Fitness Membership Divide Report https://www.patreon.com/FitnessBusinessPodcast/posts/fitness-divide-162118509 [https://www.patreon.com/FitnessBusinessPodcast/posts/fitness-divide-162118509] - The Exercise Ecosystem Report https://www.patreon.com/FitnessBusinessPodcast/posts/exercise-report-162117763/ [https://www.patreon.com/FitnessBusinessPodcast/posts/exercise-report-162117763/] Timestamps (00:00) Former Member Retention Opportunity (01:35) Free Fitness Industry Reports (03:48) Fitness Consumer Research Insights (06:23) Why Gym Members Cancel (09:30) Fitness Membership Trends (12:25) Gym vs Home Workout Trends (13:13) Omni-Exerciser Consumer Behavior (14:38) Recovery Services and Wellness Revenue (17:46) Fitness Consumer Spending Habits (21:18) Gym Growth Strategy Ideas (26:27) AI-Powered Gym Business Planning Our guest, Melissa Rodriguez - Website: https://datagonist.kit.com/datagonist [https://datagonist.kit.com/datagonist] - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissarodriguezmba/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissarodriguezmba/] Merch Sponsor REX Roundtables: - Website: www.REXRoundtables.com [http://www.rexroundtables.com]- Email: Eddie@REXRoundtables.com [Eddie@REXRoundtables.com] Thank you to the partners who support The Fitness Business Podcast: Solution One Partners: Provides marketing, loyalty, and CRM solutions for the fitness industry. https://solutiononepartners.com/ [https://solutiononepartners.com/]Arsenal Strength: Manufactures professional strength gym equipment and offers custom gym design. https://www.myarsenalstrength.com/ [https://www.myarsenalstrength.com/]Power Systems: Sells a wide range of fitness, strength, and conditioning equipment. https://www.power-systems.com/ [https://www.power-systems.com/] BlkBox Fitness: Designs and manufactures gym equipment and creates bespoke training facilities. https://www.blkboxfitness.com [https://www.blkboxfitness.com] Replify: Replify provides AI-driven receptionist and sales automation for fitness businesses. https://www.replify.ai/ [https://www.replify.ai/] About Our Guest: Melissa Rodriguez is the founder of Datagonist, a research firm specializing in consumer behavior and market trends across the fitness and wellness industry. With more than 13 years leading research initiatives at the Health & Fitness Association (formerly IHRSA) and experience conducting market research at Mindbody, Melissa brings a unique blend of industry expertise and analytical rigor. Before moving into research, she worked as a personal trainer in commercial gyms, boutique studios, and community fitness settings, giving her firsthand insight into the realities of club operations. Today, she helps fitness businesses, technology companies, and industry stakeholders make smarter decisions through data-driven research and consumer insights. Please note: We only recommend products we care about (affiliate links support our free content). Thank you for your support!

What 10,000 Fitness Consumers Want From Your Gym: Les Mills Reports on Strength Training Confidence Gaps, Onboarding Importance, and Gym Culture & "Vibe" (S6 E5)

Strength training has never been more popular, yet millions of people still feel unsure about where to begin. In this episode of the Fitness Business Podcast, JT sits down with Ryan Hogan to unpack the findings from the latest Les Mills Global Fitness Report. Drawing on feedback from 10,000 fitness consumers worldwide, Ryan shares what gym owners need to know about the growing strength training confidence gap, the importance of onboarding, the role of club culture and "vibe," and why human connection may be the industry's greatest competitive advantage in an increasingly digital world. Take the Next Step: - Become an FBP Insider (7 days free) https://fbpinsiders.fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/ [https://fbpinsiders.fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/] - Free live online events for fitness leaders https://fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/onlineevents [https://fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/onlineevents] - Have a say in Season 7! https://fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/season-7/ [https://fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/season-7/] - Les Mills Report: https://www.patreon.com/FitnessBusinessPodcast/posts/les-mills-2026-161197132 [https://www.patreon.com/FitnessBusinessPodcast/posts/les-mills-2026-161197132] Timestamps (00:00) What 10,000 fitness consumers told us (04:26) The three biggest trends gym owners need to know (05:38) Why members are intimidated by strength training (08:21) The onboarding gap costing gyms members (11:05) What creates a great gym vibe? (13:45) Why group fitness spaces need to evolve (16:06) Mental health is changing the fitness industry (17:49) Why exercise feels like a chore (20:14) The motivation business mindset (21:42) The one investment every gym should make (24:12) Les Mills x HYROX explained Our guest, Ryan Hogan: - Website: https://www.lesmills.com.au/ [https://www.lesmills.com.au/] - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanedwardhogan/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanedwardhogan/] REX Roundtables: - Website: www.REXRoundtables.com [http://www.rexroundtables.com]- Email: Eddie@REXRoundtables.com [Eddie@REXRoundtables.com] Thank you to the partners who support The Fitness Business Podcast: - ABC Fitness Solutions: Simplifies operations, amplifies marketing and sales efforts, and enables a dynamic member experience. https://abcfitness.com/ [https://abcfitness.com/] - Lionel University: Provides online degree and certificate programs in Exercise Science and fitness education. https://www.lionel.edu/ [https://www.lionel.edu/] - Atlantis Strength: Designs and manufactures professional strength equipment for gyms and athletes. https://atlantisstrength.com/ [https://atlantisstrength.com/] - HireBob AI: Provides AI employees for fitness businesses for sales, support, and retention. https://hirebob.ai/ [https://hirebob.ai/] About Our Guest: Ryan Hogan is the CEO of Les Mills Asia Pacific and a senior and strategic executive with a proven background leading businesses in the global fitness industry. Ryan is recognised as an experienced leader who specialises in driving organisational culture, change management, strategy. Please note: We only recommend products we care about (affiliate links support our free content). Thank you for your support!

Why Gym Members Really Quit and How to Keep Them Longer | Dr. Heather McKee (S6 E4)

Motivation is often treated as the solution to retention, but according to behavior change expert Dr. Heather McKee, motivation may be one of the least reliable things fitness professionals can build around. In this episode, JT sits down with Heather to unpack why more access, more information, and more data are not creating better long term habits. Together they explore the science of behavior change, why traditional goal setting often backfires, and how operators can create systems that help people keep showing up long after motivation fades. If you want members to stay longer and create habits that survive real life, this conversation is packed with practical insights. Timestamps (00:00) Why this may be one of the most important retention conversations yet (04:03) Why motivation is failing members (08:31) Should gyms stop asking about goals? (13:04) The five whys exercise every coach should use (17:51) Why 10 out of 10 goals backfire (24:06) Drowning in data but starving for clarity (31:55) Why willpower is not the answer (38:27) Exercise vs movement and why language matters (47:22) The psychology behind streaks and habits (58:30) No failure in the first 90 days Take the Next Step: - Become an FBP Insider (7 days free) https://fbpinsiders.fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/ [https://fbpinsiders.fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/]- Free live online events for fitness leaders https://fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/onlineevents [https://fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/onlineevents]- Have a say in Season 7! https://fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/season-7/ [https://fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/season-7/] Our guest, Dr. Heather McKee: - Website: https://www.drheathermckee.co.uk/ [https://www.drheathermckee.co.uk/] - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drheathermckee/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/drheathermckee/] Our Merch Sponsor: Cowboys Fit: https://cowboysfit.com/ [https://cowboysfit.com/] REX Roundtables: Website: www.REXRoundtables.com [http://www.rexroundtables.com]Email: Eddie@REXRoundtables.com [Eddie@REXRoundtables.com] Thank you to the partners who support The Fitness Business Podcast: - Les Mills USA: Creates pre-choreographed group fitness classes and offers home workouts. https://www.lesmills.com/us/ [https://www.lesmills.com/us/]- Referrizer: Provides automated marketing, referral, lead, and reputation management for local businesses. https://referrizer.com/ [https://referrizer.com/]- Energy Lounger: Sells the EnergyLounger, a full-body red and near-infrared light therapy device. http://www.energylounger.com/ [http://www.energylounger.com/]- Real Leader Fitness: Manufactures and sells commercial fitness and gym equipment. https://www.realleaderfitness.com/ [https://www.realleaderfitness.com/]- The Covery: Offers wellness, hormone replacement, weight loss, and aesthetic treatments. https://www.thecovery.com/ [https://www.thecovery.com/]About Our Guest: Dr Heather McKee is a behaviour change specialist and keynote speaker, and Motivation Science Advisor to Myzone. With over a decade in health psychology, she helps fitness businesses improve member retention by turning motivation into habits that last. She has worked with 100+ global organisations including lululemon, Decathlon, and Rolls Royce. Heather specialises in designing behaviour-led experiences that keep people coming back, and her work has been featured in Time, Vogue, and The Huffington Post. Please note: We only recommend products we care about (affiliate links support our free content). Thank you for your support!

Inside the ClassPass 2026 Industry Impact Report with Jeff Bladt (S6 E3)

What are millions of fitness bookings telling us about the future of gyms, studios, and wellness? In this episode, JT sits down with Jeff Bladt to unpack the inaugural ClassPass 2026 Industry Impact Report and explore the trends shaping modern fitness behavior. They discuss why consumers increasingly want variety and discovery, how Pilates and HYROX-style training continue to surge, why recovery services are exploding in popularity, and how studios can better monetize unused class capacity. If you operate a gym, studio, or wellness business, this episode offers valuable insight into where the industry is heading next. Download the ClassPass report: https://www.patreon.com/FitnessBusinessPodcast/posts/2026-classpass-160103135 You'll learn: - Why variety is becoming essential to fitness retention - The behavior patterns of long-term ClassPass users - The continued rise of Pilates and hot fitness formats - Why recovery and wellness services are growing rapidly - How ClassPass helps studios fill unused inventory - What gym operators can learn from ClassPass onboarding and reviews - The future of the ClassPass and EGYM relationship Timestamps: (00:00) Why JT wanted to unpack the ClassPass Industry Impact Report (02:32) Why the report data is so significant for the industry (05:10) The biggest takeaway: variety and discovery matter (08:11) Why users are trying 10+ studios on average (12:24) How ClassPass reduces onboarding friction for new exercisers (17:42) Why Pilates and hot fitness formats are booming (24:03) What happened to boutique cycling after the pandemic (28:06) The rise of recovery, stretching, and wellness ecosystems (37:01) How ClassPass helps studios monetize unused capacity (49:48) The future of the ClassPass and EGYM partnership Take the Next Step: - Become an FBP Insider (7 days free) https://fbpinsiders.fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/ [https://fbpinsiders.fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/]- Free live online events for fitness leaders https://fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/onlineevents [https://fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/onlineevents]- Have a say in Season 7! https://fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/season-7/ [https://fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/season-7/] Our guest, Jeff Bladt: - Website: https://classpass.com/ [https://classpass.com/] - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bladt/ [http://www.linkedin.com/in/bladt/] Our Merch Sponsor: Mountainside Fitness: Website: https://mountainsidefitness.com/ [https://mountainsidefitness.com/] REX Roundtables: Website: www.REXRoundtables.com [http://www.rexroundtables.com]Email: Eddie@REXRoundtables.com [Eddie@REXRoundtables.com] Supplier's Pitch: Alantheus Thompson, Groe Solutions LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alantheus [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alantheus] Company Website: https://www.groe.solutions [https://www.groe.solutions] Company Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/groe.solutions/ [https://www.instagram.com/groe.solutions/] Company LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/groesolutions [https://www.linkedin.com/company/groesolutions] Thank you to the partners who support The Fitness Business Podcast: BeBalanced Centers: Provides natural hormone balancing for weight loss and symptom relief. https://www.bebalancedcenters.com/ [https://www.bebalancedcenters.com/]Instinctive Insights: Provides profit-driven marketing and data science services to increase customer acquisition. https://www.instinctiveinsights.com/ [https://www.instinctiveinsights.com/]Eleiko: Manufactures and sells premium strength and weightlifting equipment. https://eleiko.com/en-us [https://eleiko.com/en-us]NetGym: Provides automated staff operations and sub-request management for fitness studios. https://www.netgym.com [https://www.netgym.com]EGYM: Provides smart, connected fitness technology and equipment for gyms. https://egym.com/us [https://egym.com/us]About Our Guest: Jeff Bladt is Senior Vice President of Pricing and Marketplace at Playlist, the parent company of ClassPass, where he leads global marketplace strategy, pricing, and partner economics. He focuses on optimizing supply-demand dynamics, driving incremental revenue for partners, and enhancing user engagement through data-driven innovation. Bladt plays a key role in scaling ClassPass as a leading wellness marketplace, helping connect millions of users with fitness and wellness experiences worldwide. Please note: We only recommend products we care about (affiliate links support our free content). Thank you for your support!

The Numbers That Drive Profit in Your Gym with Billy Hofacker (S6 E2)

Running a successful fitness business requires more than just hard work. It requires financial clarity. In this episode, JT speaks with Billy Hofacker, CEO of Fit Profit Solutions, about the numbers that actually drive profit, performance, and long term success. If you've been guessing your way through your finances, this episode will give you a clear starting point. You'll learn: - The biggest financial mistakes gym owners make - The core numbers every fitness business must track - Why revenue alone is misleading - How to project cash flow and avoid financial stress - What "net owner economic benefit" really means Timestamps (00:00) The two languages of business: owner vs accountant (03:10) Why gym owners struggle financially despite working hard (07:45) The biggest financial mistake in the fitness industry (12:20) Why revenue can be misleading without context (18:05) The 4 core numbers every gym owner must track (26:40) Why tracking daily numbers changes behavior (34:15) Cash flow vs profit and why they are different (42:50) Understanding profit margin in a gym business (50:30) When to hire and intentionally lower profit margin (58:10) Where to start if you don't know your numbers Take the Next Step: - Become an FBP Insider (7 days free) https://fbpinsiders.fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/ [https://fbpinsiders.fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/]- Free live online events for fitness leaders https://fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/onlineevents [https://fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/onlineevents]- Have a say in Season 7! https://fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/season-7/ [https://fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/season-7/] Our guest, Billy Hofacker: - Website: https://www.yourfitnessmoneycoach.com [https://www.yourfitnessmoneycoach.com] - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billy-hofacker-1641aa14/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/billy-hofacker-1641aa14/] - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billyhofacker/ [https://www.instagram.com/billyhofacker/] - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/billyhofacker/ [https://www.facebook.com/billyhofacker/] REX Roundtables: Website: www.REXRoundtables.com [http://www.rexroundtables.com]Email: Eddie@REXRoundtables.com [Eddie@REXRoundtables.com] Supplier's Pitch: Danny Orlick, NetGym NetGym Website: https://netgym.com/partners/fbp/ [https://netgym.com/partners/fbp/]NetGym LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thenetgym [https://www.linkedin.com/company/thenetgym] NetGym Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenetgym/ [https://www.instagram.com/thenetgym/] NetGym Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/THEnetgym [https://www.facebook.com/THEnetgym] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielorlick/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielorlick/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dannyorlick_netgym/ [https://www.instagram.com/dannyorlick_netgym/] Thank you to the partners who support The Fitness Business Podcast: * Groe Solutions: Provides AI and computer vision software for gym member retention. https://www.groe.solutions [https://www.groe.solutions] * Budderfly: Provides comprehensive, no-cost energy efficiency as a service for businesses. https://www.budderfly.com/ [https://www.budderfly.com/] * Gym TV (Club Com): Provides custom digital entertainment, music, and signage for fitness clubs.https://www.clubcom.com/ [https://www.clubcom.com/] * Simple Again (Performance Food Centers): Helps businesses open smoothie and juice bars with clean ingredients. https://www.performancefoodcenters.com [https://www.performancefoodcenters.com] * Power Plate: Sells whole-body and targeted vibration plate machines for fitness and wellness.https://www.powerplate.com/ [https://www.powerplate.com/] About Our Guest: Billy Hofacker, a 25-year fitness pro and BJJ black belt, built and sold Total Body Boot Camp on Long Island. Now, he helps Fit Pros win with money through his book Fitness Profits and top 1.5% podcast Your Fitness Money Coach. A Distinguished Toastmaster and sought-after speaker, Billy presents for top organizations like Perform Better. Please note: We only recommend products we care about (affiliate links support our free content). Thank you for your support!