It’s Personal and It’s Business: Let's stop the madness

The Future of Hospitality Is Wellness Driven | With Erin Schirack

Infusing Wellness into Hospitality with Erin Schirack In this episode of Well Run, Annie Adragna sits down again with Erin Schirack, founder of HIGH SOCIETY, [https://www.wearehighsociety.com] for a conversation about what hospitality brands are getting right and wrong when it comes to wellness. The two discuss why consumers are no longer looking at wellness as a bonus amenity and instead are expecting it to be woven into the overall experience. From sleep support and calmer environments to fitness programming, recovery offerings and thoughtful food and beverage options, Erin shares why the future of hospitality is about helping people genuinely feel better, not just offering trendy activations. They also talk about where operators miss the mark by adding wellness language without fixing operational issues underneath it. Staffing, leadership, team training, execution and ownership all play a major role in whether wellness experiences feel elevated or disconnected. Throughout the episode, Erin shares practical ideas hospitality brands can implement now, including on-demand trainers, guided walks, meditation, recovery experiences, Pilates, sauna, contrast therapy and ways hotels can create experiences that attract both travelers and local communities. This conversation is especially valuable for hospitality brands, hotels and wellness-focused businesses looking to integrate fitness and wellness in a way that feels intentional, operationally sound and commercially smart. Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2532082/fan_mail/new] Oasis Consulting Firm People-first consulting for luxury health clubs, boutique studios, spas and recovery centers. We help you grow revenue, improve retention, and build teams that last. Founded by Annie Adragna, 20+ years in leadership and executive recruiting across top brands like Life Time, Equinox and Midtown Athletic Clubs. Work with us: oasisconsultingfirm.co (find ways to work together, schedule a 30-minute call with Annie and grab some free resources there) Connect: * Email: annie@oasisconsultingfirm.co * Instagram: @oasis_consulting_firm [https://www.instagram.com/annieadragna_oasisconsulting/] * LinkedIn: Annie Adragna [https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-adragna/] About Annie: Founder of Oasis Consulting Firm and host of Well Run Podcast. Consultant, strategist and executive recruiter focused on people-first operations and profitable growth.

Programming Integrity in Fitness: Education, Systems and Recovery Strategy with Nile Bratcher

Many health clubs say they personalize training. Few actually systemize it. In this episode of the Well Run Podcast, Annie sits down with Nile Bratcher, certified performance and health coach, Certified Surgical Technologist with University of Colorado Health, creator of REFORM and host of Reform – Health, Performance, Recovery with Nile. Nile shares what nearly two decades of coaching, combined with clinical surgical experience and 25 years as a B-boy and martial artist, have taught him about programming integrity. He explains why most trainers are operating as exercise pickers rather than strategic programmers, and how that gap shows up in member results, recovery outcomes and brand consistency. They also address the explosion of recovery services in health clubs. Cold plunge. Compression. Infrared. Breathwork. Nile outlines why recovery must be integrated into programming through physiological understanding rather than trend adoption. When recovery tools are used without education, risk increases and results plateau. This episode challenges club owners, general managers and training directors to rethink education as a core operational strategy.  If you lead a club, studio or wellness space and want scalable personalization, stronger retention and consistent coaching standards, this conversation will sharpen your lens. Key Topics Covered * Why cookie-cutter programming creates operational risk * The difference between exercise selection and true programming strategy * How copycat coaching erodes team standards * Building scalable personalization inside a commercial fitness model * Integrating recovery into programming with physiological precision * Auditing knowledge gaps across your coaching team * Defining non-negotiables for high-integrity training departments * Education as a retention and brand protection strategy * Preparing your club for the continued rise of recovery services Who This Episode Is For * Health club owners * Investor-backed fitness operators * General managers * Directors of personal training * Studio founders * Performance and recovery leaders If you influence hiring, compensation structure or programming standards, this one is for you. Connect with Nile Bratcher Podcast: Reform – Health, Performance, Recovery with Nile [https://open.spotify.com/show/5fRCWk4zRcBSigPV1Cj6AU?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnTnvDns4rhVc_DBSY9Z7U9h7MpnuYulUWfaWblixJsFOraxiglRZyhRDVQhY_aem_M6iyH9DkDzMDKNPGMSi8Hg] Nile on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/nile_style42/]   Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2532082/fan_mail/new] Oasis Consulting Firm People-first consulting for luxury health clubs, boutique studios, spas and recovery centers. We help you grow revenue, improve retention, and build teams that last. Founded by Annie Adragna, 20+ years in leadership and executive recruiting across top brands like Life Time, Equinox and Midtown Athletic Clubs. Work with us: oasisconsultingfirm.co (find ways to work together, schedule a 30-minute call with Annie and grab some free resources there) Connect: * Email: annie@oasisconsultingfirm.co * Instagram: @oasis_consulting_firm [https://www.instagram.com/annieadragna_oasisconsulting/] * LinkedIn: Annie Adragna [https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-adragna/] About Annie: Founder of Oasis Consulting Firm and host of Well Run Podcast. Consultant, strategist and executive recruiter focused on people-first operations and profitable growth.

It’s Personal and It’s Business: Let's stop the madness

It’s Personal and It’s Business: Why Great Fitness Leaders Stop Pretending Otherwise There’s a common belief in the fitness industry that being professional means being emotionally detached. If you care too much, lead with heart or allow your work to feel personal, you’re crossing some invisible line. This episode pushes back on that idea. No one ends up owning a club, running a studio or leading a team in this industry by accident. There’s always a reason... a moment, passion, personal experience that pulled you in and kept you here. Pretending otherwise doesn’t make you more professional; It usually just makes leadership feel colder than it needs to be. In this solo episode of Well Run, Annie explores why allowing your “why” to be personal is not only normal, but often the difference between leaders who build strong, loyal teams and those who struggle with disengagement and turnover. She shares how, earlier in her career, she believed she had to show up a certain way to be taken seriously. More guarded. More neutral. Less human. That approach may have looked polished on the surface, but it created distance and misunderstanding she never intended. This conversation is about the middle ground many leaders miss. The space where you can lead with who you really are while still holding high standards, clear expectations, and professional boundaries. You’ll hear reflections on: * Why “it’s just business” often disconnects leaders from the very reason they started * How overcorrecting toward professionalism can flatten culture and trust * What personal leadership actually looks like when it’s done with maturity and discipline * How to integrate care, accountability, and boundaries without blurring lines * Why the most successful fitness leaders allow their work to matter to them This episode is an invitation to stop forcing yourself into leadership molds that don’t fit and start leading in a way that feels aligned, grounded, and sustainable. In this industry, it’s personal and business   Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2532082/fan_mail/new] Oasis Consulting Firm People-first consulting for luxury health clubs, boutique studios, spas and recovery centers. We help you grow revenue, improve retention, and build teams that last. Founded by Annie Adragna, 20+ years in leadership and executive recruiting across top brands like Life Time, Equinox and Midtown Athletic Clubs. Work with us: oasisconsultingfirm.co (find ways to work together, schedule a 30-minute call with Annie and grab some free resources there) Connect: * Email: annie@oasisconsultingfirm.co * Instagram: @oasis_consulting_firm [https://www.instagram.com/annieadragna_oasisconsulting/] * LinkedIn: Annie Adragna [https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-adragna/] About Annie: Founder of Oasis Consulting Firm and host of Well Run Podcast. Consultant, strategist and executive recruiter focused on people-first operations and profitable growth.

The Next Evolution of Member Experience with Victor "V-Man" Verhage

Well Run Podcast In this episode of the Well Run Podcast, Annie Adragna sits down with Victor "V-Man" Verhage, a leading strategist in the recovery, wellness, and longevity space, to explore where member experience is truly headed and why personalization is no longer optional for gyms, studios, and boutique fitness brands. This conversation looks beyond trends and technology to address a growing reality in the industry: members are overwhelmed, operators are guessing, and retention suffers when experiences are not intentional. Victor shares how integrating DNA data, recovery, wellness, and training into a cohesive ecosystem helps clubs move from reactive programming to personalized journeys members can trust. Rather than adding more services or chasing the latest modality, this episode focuses on how personalization improves confidence, consistency, and results for members while helping operators create solutions they may not even realize their business needs yet. Together, Annie and Victor unpack how recovery, sleep, emotional connection, and data-informed decisions are shaping the next era of fitness and wellness, and why brands that fail to address this shift will struggle to keep members long-term. This episode is a must-listen for owners and operators who care about retention, differentiation, and building environments members never want to leave. Key Takeaways * Why personalization has become a retention necessity in fitness and boutique studios * How DNA and data can guide safer, more effective training and recovery decisions * The difference between adding recovery services and building a true wellness ecosystem * Why emotional connection and trust are central to modern member experience * How personalization helps solve problems members struggle to articulate About the Guest Victor “V-Man” Verhage is a leading strategist in the next evolution of member experience, helping fitness clubs and boutique studios integrate DNA, data, and high-ROI recovery, wellness, and longevity solutions. He champions a future where personalization drives deeper results, stronger retention, and true differentiation in a crowded market. His work empowers operators to transform their spaces into performance-driven wellness ecosystems members never want to leave. 🔗 Learn more: https://www.roiinwellness.com [https://www.roiinwellness.com] 🔗 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victor-verhage-77175014/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/victor-verhage-77175014/] Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2532082/fan_mail/new] Oasis Consulting Firm People-first consulting for luxury health clubs, boutique studios, spas and recovery centers. We help you grow revenue, improve retention, and build teams that last. Founded by Annie Adragna, 20+ years in leadership and executive recruiting across top brands like Life Time, Equinox and Midtown Athletic Clubs. Work with us: oasisconsultingfirm.co (find ways to work together, schedule a 30-minute call with Annie and grab some free resources there) Connect: * Email: annie@oasisconsultingfirm.co * Instagram: @oasis_consulting_firm [https://www.instagram.com/annieadragna_oasisconsulting/] * LinkedIn: Annie Adragna [https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-adragna/] About Annie: Founder of Oasis Consulting Firm and host of Well Run Podcast. Consultant, strategist and executive recruiter focused on people-first operations and profitable growth.

Overly Entitled Members Are a Culture Problem Not a Staff Problem

If your staff feels like members can walk all over them and leadership never steps in, this is not a staffing issue. It’s a culture issue. In this solo episode, Annie breaks down how entitlement gets baked into gym and wellness cultures, why leadership avoidance quietly erodes trust, and what actually needs to happen before staff will feel empowered to hold boundaries with confidence. This conversation is for owners and operators who want strong member experiences and teams who feel supported, respected, and safe doing their jobs. What We Cover in This Episode * Why “the customer is always right” has damaged team culture in service-based businesses * The critical difference between a member’s perception being real and their behavior being acceptable * How leadership avoidance turns into a cultural norm, not just a leadership flaw * Why staff stop enforcing standards when they don’t feel protected * How long-standing entitlement impacts trust, confidence, and retention * Why leadership has to go first before expecting staff to handle tough situations * Real-world examples from the front desk and the fitness floor * What effective education and training around tough conversations actually looks like * How to reset expectations without alienating members * Creating a true win-win-win for members, staff, and leadership Key Takeaways * Entitlement is not a personality trait. It’s a learned behavior. * Staff will not care about new expectations until they know leadership cares about them. * Culture is shaped by what leadership tolerates and what leadership models. * Training only sticks when it’s reinforced by visible leadership behavior. * Boundaries can be firm, respectful, and human at the same time. Referenced in This Episode * The New Gold Standard by Joseph A. Michelli A look at how the Ritz-Carlton empowers staff to uphold standards while treating everyone with dignity and respect. Want Support With This? Tough conversations do not have to feel combative or awkward. Annie offers training for leadership teams and staff, both in-person and virtual, designed to build confidence, consistency, and trust across the entire organization. If this episode hit close to home, send a message or reach out to start the conversation. About the Podcast Well Run is a podcast for gym owners, operators, and wellness leaders who want to build profitable businesses without sacrificing their people or their values. Short, direct conversations about leadership, culture, retention, and what it really takes to run a healthy operation. Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2532082/fan_mail/new] Oasis Consulting Firm People-first consulting for luxury health clubs, boutique studios, spas and recovery centers. We help you grow revenue, improve retention, and build teams that last. Founded by Annie Adragna, 20+ years in leadership and executive recruiting across top brands like Life Time, Equinox and Midtown Athletic Clubs. Work with us: oasisconsultingfirm.co (find ways to work together, schedule a 30-minute call with Annie and grab some free resources there) Connect: * Email: annie@oasisconsultingfirm.co * Instagram: @oasis_consulting_firm [https://www.instagram.com/annieadragna_oasisconsulting/] * LinkedIn: Annie Adragna [https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-adragna/] About Annie: Founder of Oasis Consulting Firm and host of Well Run Podcast. Consultant, strategist and executive recruiter focused on people-first operations and profitable growth.