HALO Talks

Eric Epstein is a seasoned private equity professional with over 30 years of experience. He began his career at the prestigious Blackstone Group in New York City, where he honed his skills for a few years before moving on to work with various private credit funds. Afterward, Eric joined the private equity group at Cerberus Capital and spent a decade working in their New York and Los Angeles offices. Currently, he operates as an independent sponsor. Eric has built strong relationships with family offices and institutional capital partners who support him in pursuing transactions primarily within the HALO (Health, Active Lifestyle, Outdoor) sector, and he is well-known for his involvement in such endeavors.  Eric shares his insights and experiences, emphasizing the benefits and professionalism of private equity. He highlights the complexities involved in the industry, including the relationships between landlords, franchisees, equity groups, and debt groups. He also discusses his own experience closing a deal j

Kristin Peterson is one of the three Founders of Volee that specializes in high-end, pickleball accessories. Their site states, "Volée is a Newport Beach based brand founded by three best friends inspired by their passion for court sports, style, fun and community. The retro vibe of California adds a sporty sophistication to the brand, making Volée’s elevated, multifunctional and fashionable bags and accessories stand out." Alongside Co-Founders Ashley Rose and Kasey Martin, the idea was sparked when they played pickleball for the first time and immediately fell in love with the sport. Realizing the competition in the clothing industry, they decided to focus on accessories instead. Together, they came up with the idea of designing a high-end, well constructed, pickleball bag for women that looks good both on and off the court.  "The bags are packed with impressive features that make them stand out. From the hook on the crossbody that prevents placing the bag on the ground to the lined sunglass case, there are

Live from the floor of the March 2023 IHRSA Trade Show in San Diego, host Pete Moore welcomes Ahmed AbouElezz, the founder of FITT Finder. Ahmed shares his entrepreneurial journey, beginning with arriving in the United States with only $3,000 in his bank account and working as a nightclub bouncer. He recounts sleeping in his car in San Francisco and strategically parking near a popular cafe frequented by startup investors. He reveals how he would act like he was ordering coffee and do some networking!  "The shocking thing is if you want a table inside of a restaurant, you will get it in less than 5 seconds on OpenTable. If you want a flight from LA to Austin, you will get it in 5 seconds from Kayak or Travelocity. . . Even jobs, you can find them immediately on Indeed. But guess what? When you search for 'yoga class near me' on Google, what you get is not a yoga class. It's not even close," states AbouElezz. Ahmed also shares his vision for the platform to show nearby studios making it easier for users to mak

Live from the floor of the March 2023 IHRSA Trade Show in San Diego, host Pete Moore welcomes Taylor Watkins, founder of Digital Revenue Systems. They discuss topics such as ancillary revenue via in-club ads, using local businesses to create an ad network, concerns around in-club advertising, and more. Digital Revenue Systems tailor their programs accordingly based on a club's goals and preferences, whether it be advertising, communication improvement, or employee engagement.  They emphasize promoting the club's services and encouraging early sign-ups for things like camps and events. They also suggest the unique idea of a rewards network created by the operator to incentivize members. They also discuss obtaining local sponsorships, leveraging internal relationships, and gathering information about members' workplaces for effective hyper-local advertising.  Taylor states, "One of the biggest concerns we always get right when we start talking about this to club owners is, 'Oh man, I really don't want advertisi

Live from the floor of the March 2023 IHRSA Trade Show in San Diego, host Pete Moore welcomes special guest Paul Amoruso, Founder & CEO of bodQR. Paul discusses how his team solved an initial frustration for themselves, and then quickly realized they could sell the solution to other businesses in the space. The development of their software took years of iteration and testing different positionings and features. They rolled the app out in waves to different target markets and believe there is a great opportunity in the HALO sector, especially for providers who want to deeply understand their members.  "The access for a member or a prospect is very simple. They scan a QR code with their smartphone if they're in a facility, or they could click a link if they're following it from an email or a website. They would take a minute to provide a little bit of information in our web app and maybe another minute to register . . . and they'd instantly be delivered a comprehensive body analysis along the lines of what

Live from the floor of the March 2023 IHRSA Trade Show in San Diego, Pete Moore sat with Yvette and Neal McGaffin, Co-Founders of Reform RX to discuss the challenges and opportunities in the connected Pilates space, what it's like to get involved with manufacturing, and more!  They delve into strategies for the HALO sector during COVID, highlighting that partnerships with gyms and studios may be a more effective approach versus trying to go direct-to-consumer initially. They also emphasize the importance of considering various options when developing a business strategy. The couple also discusses their (very winding!) four year journey of research and development to roll out the "Porsche" of the Pilates industry. Neal states, "QR codes! This is the (one) of the features that will stand you out from competitors. Scanning a QR code and allowing members to bring metrics to your users. . . .and for them to take away what they've done in your class" is a game changer for studio owners. Finally Neal and Yvette also

Live from the floor of the March 2023 IHRSA Trade Show in San Diego, Pete Moore sat with long-time fitness industry veteran Jarrod Saracco, Founder of the Health Club Doctor, to discuss the challenges and opportunities in the industry. This wide-ranging conversation touched on a ton including the importance of finding qualified and committed employees, and what are some of the key metrics to be aware of around unit economics.  Jarrod also offered some great advice on understanding the marketplace and the needs of your customers before building your business. If you're looking for the next big idea, you don't want to miss his tips on how to stay ahead of the game! On recruiting, he states, "One of the biggest problems in the industry, and I think in the world right now, is finding qualified employees. It's disappeared . . . some people don't want a real job. They don't want to come to work. That's a big problem." And because Jarrod has served in nearly every position one can have in a fitness club, he's keyed

Garret Marshall has been in the fitness industry for 20 years, starting way back (kind of "falling into it") in 2003. His first job was teaching swimming lessons to kids at Lifetime Fitness where he stayed for five and a half years. Prior to that, he was heavily involved in athletics growing up and playing hockey after school.  Over the years he had "every job you can think of" in the health club world. Garrett's currently President of Fitness Streaming for Xponential Fitness. He and Pete discuss how Xponential is investing in R&D to build out various digital platforms and making it a part of their revenue mix. They also chat about the history of personal training revenue and how digital platforms may only bring in / appeal to a smaller percentage of members. (Perhaps, at least initially.)  Marshall shares his insights on the importance of aligning bricks and mortar with online programming and connectivity for fitness businesses to succeed. Recounting the state of the industry years ago, he says, "I still

Jason Crowe has had a varied career in healthcare, spending the first 15 years in what he calls "reactive healthcare" in various roles. Feeling a desire to make a difference in the healthcare system, he transitioned to the HALO sector (Health, Active Lifestyle, Outdoor), joining Precision Nutrition as part of the business development and partnership program for four successful years. Crowe's experience in both reactive and preventive healthcare has made him a seasoned professional with unique insights into the healthcare industry. Jason is currently Co-Founder and Partner at the SageHouse, a consulting agency to fitness and wellness founders and leadership teams, which also could potentially provide investment capital to help the industry continue to positively impact people's lives around the world.  "We're really big fans of what we call infrastructure companies. The idea of building a brand is great . . . and something that we're super excited about is organizations that can come in and power the back end

Aaron De Jong has always been passionate about fitness. He pursued a degree in Physical Education and Exercise Physiology and worked at his school's athletic training center and therapy clinic. It was during this time that he noticed athletes struggling with basic core exercises and experiencing injuries as a result of improper training. Aaron has since made it his mission to educate athletes (and the general public!) on proper exercise techniques and the importance of incorporating foundational exercises into their routine. Host Pete Moore and Aaron discuss his new venture Movr, an evidence-based movement health solution for health and wellness platforms that adds value to your technology and improves the lives of your people. De Jong suggests that club operators or insurance companies consider offering small monetary rewards for individuals taking quick tests to gather rudimentary information that can guide individuals towards proper healthcare and potentially life-changing results. He emphasizes the impor

Felipe Azenha is a former Peace Corps volunteer who discovered the benefits of using cinder blocks as fitness equipment during the pandemic lockdown. He and his friend started doing these (very unique!) workouts around their area and, with more people joining, they formed a crew and called their workouts "CinderFit." Word quickly got around and news spread. Today, Felipe continues to lead the CinderFit movement, helping people stay fit using unconventional means. What initially started as a hobby turned into an early stage business after engaging industrial designers to create a cinderblock design that looks like furniture. "The cinder block will be in every home gym in the United States within the next 10 years and beyond," states Azenha confidently. He believes the tool can replace dumbbells and kettlebells. They've certainly gained some market validation by solving personal frustrations during the pandemic when fitness equipment was incredibly difficult to come by. They've been successful in driving sales

Just as Kenny Rosenzweig thought he had found the perfect formula for success with CLMBR's very aggressive launch and subsequent expansion, an unexpected twist forced him to shift gears in a way he never could have predicted. What happened next will leave you wondering what's next for this innovative entrepreneur . . . and for CLMBR, the fantastic company he's now overseeing as COO. Kenny brings a wealth of experience from both the boutique fitness and equipment industries to the table. As a Co-Founder of Rowgatta, a (now closed due to COVID,) rowing-based fitness studio in New York City, Kenny saw firsthand the power of community and results-driven workouts. As part of the CLMBR team in Denver, he is helping to shape the future of connected fitness and bringing the benefits of vertical climbing to a wider audience. With its focus on providing a full-body, low-impact workout, Kenny is dedicated to making fitness accessible and enjoyable for everyone, from professional athletes to those just starting their f

From struggling to justify the expense of two gym memberships, to attempting to revolutionize the fitness industry, Borislava Baeva's unexpected twist on a traditional model is changing the game. But what surprises lie ahead for this innovator and her growing platform? Changing the way "things have always been done" is--putting it mildly--a challenge for any entrepreneur. Baeva is a finance expert turned fitness entrepreneur and the creator of MyStrongCircle. As a former Director of Financial Planning at Life Fitness, Borislava knows the in's and out's of the HALO (Health, Active Lifestyle, Outdoor) sector. Her love for yoga and cycling, along with her frustration over juggling multiple memberships, inspired her to create MyStrongCircle – a platform that allows users to bundle their favorite fitness studio memberships for a more personalized experience. Borislava is passionate about making fitness and wellness accessible to everyone, and she's driven to expand MyStrongCircle into major markets across the U

If you own a boutique or big box fitness club in a mall, you're good to go, right? Everything will be perfect moving forward, right? Maybe not so much, according to Francine Miley, Founder of WELLthmanager, head of Partnerships & Business Developments for Honeycomb, and real estate veteran specific to the HALO sector.  In our latest episode, we'll explore the direction of retail, the advantages of incorporating wellness, the hurdles faced by landlords and tenants, the incredibly important power of partnerships, and more. Don't miss out on key insights from this industry leader that could transform your business! "It is truly about curation. And I know that word is overutilized, but it really is! If you're curating a community and bringing different services, classes, modalities, you need to be weighing that out and ensuring that you're giving that whole holistic approach," states Miley. Drawing from her experience in marketing, brand development, and strategy, Francine has worked closely with real esta

Our guest for this episode is Brendan Sullivan, co-founder of ZAMA Health, a sports psychology SaaS platform for the athletic community which provides access to digital tools and clinical support to help improve physical and mental health outcomes. Sullivan shares his passion for mental wellness and how ZAMA can help improve exercise adherence and member engagement outcomes. He also discusses the importance of addressing emotional and mental health issues to improve engagement and retention in the fitness industry. He states, "Over 80% of the reason people actually work out now is their mental health . . . ranking above weight loss and physique. It's really becoming more about community and mental health than it is about just fitness. For most companies, it's very difficult to build a medical practice, and it's not their core business. It's highly regulated. And so rather than them trying to develop themselves, we see ourselves as this add-on to any of these organizations."  Pete and Brendan also bring up the

What if everything you thought you knew about happiness was wrong? Follow the journey of a former private equity professional who discovered the shocking truth behind proactive health and how to truly find meaning in life. But, as he navigates this new path, he's faced with difficult questions and challenges that leave him with no easy answers. In this episode, Pete and Ted discuss:  Recognizing the significance of proactive health measures and the benefits of acting preventatively. The difficulties in establishing incentives that encourage healthier ways of living. Grassroots initiatives focused on nurturing wholesome habits within communities. The connection between mental health, sleep, and relationship-building in cultivating proactive well-being. Cultural and policy hurdles that impede lifestyle changes for better health. Teddy Daiell helps CEOs and investors with buy-side deal sourcing, growth strategy, and strategic finance. After honing his strategy and private equity expertise at Bain, Charlesba

From former NFL quarterback to business leader, Christian Ponder's journey took an unexpected turn when he realized the lack of community for athletes in their post-sport lives. With his new venture The Post, he's created a space where athletes can thrive once again. And--perhaps not coincidentally--he finds that the same soft skills that made them successful on the field are now driving their success in the business world. What led Christian to this idea (that's quickly picking up steam across all sectors of the business / recruiting world?) Listen to learn more.  Ponder joins host, Pete Moore, to share his insights on the correlation between athletic mentality and success in business. After playing in the NFL for the Minnesota Vikings and San Francisco 49ers, Christian transitioned to the world of finance and now runs The Post, a leadership network exclusive to athletes with many cues learned from the highly respected YPO organization. He's passionate about helping fellow athletes leverage their unique q

Perhaps you've heard that The Little Gym is "only about sports and games," and that it does not foster social development, or that it does not promote cognitive development? Nancy Bigley will be here to bust these myths and share the truth about the franchisors comprehensive, holistic approach to development! Nancy is a highly experienced, dedicated franchising expert who brings her passion for health and wellness to her current role as the CEO of The Little Gym. She has over 30 years of "in the trenches" experience in various franchise industries. Her love for fitness and wellness led her to join Unleashed Brands, the parent company of The Little Gym, where she now focuses on helping children develop physically, cognitively, and socially. Nancy aims to create a lasting impact on the lives of children from as young as four months old. The Value of The Little Gym The Little Gym offers an affordable option for parents seeking a comprehensive growth experience for their children, with programs typically priced

At the height of her career in Manhattan advertising, Francesca Sipma began to feel burnt out and unfulfilled. She had no idea this restlessness would eventually end up being the catalyst for an unexpected journey: Her discovery of an immensely powerful practice, one that would lead her to leave her career and start her own business, Mastry. Through this groundbreaking modality, she now works with top companies like Deloitte and Google to help empower employees to reach their highest potential. What transformative effect does this practice have? And why is it so revolutionary? Through her extensive study over the years, Sipma became a breathwork expert, which can be thought of as an experiential therapy that helps break psychological patterns and release subconscious blocks. Francesca has since trained over 80 breathwork coaches worldwide and founded Mastry, a company that focuses on self-mastery and mental clarity.  "Mastry allows you to tap into altered states of consciousness, expand different areas of

Rachel Begun, a respected nutritionist and dietitian, has a wealth of experience in the food and nutrition industry. With her Master's in Nutrition Education and background in PR, Rachel has developed a unique skill set that blends science-based nutrition knowledge with powerful communication strategies. Her expertise has led her to work with global food service manufacturers, food and wine retailers, and natural food brand startups. In recent years, she has transitioned into executive coaching, focusing on helping founders and executives build strong company cultures and effective leadership. Begun found herself at a crossroads when two female entrepreneurs she was working with asked her to be their coach. Although initially hesitant due to lack of coaching experience, she became very intrigued by the impact her powerful questions had on the way founders viewed their own businesses. This set her on a path of self-discovery, led to many coaching certifications thereafter and now her current focus is on helpi