Equinox: An Interesting & Important Player In The Evolving US Health Club Market

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Ironically I was working on an article regarding Equinox Fitness in the past few days when I got the call from Los Angeles Business Journal reporter @AlexaHyland . Alexa wanted to know my thoughts regarding Equinox's recent acquisition of of The Sports Club Company's four properties located in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Orange County and New York's Rockefeller Center for a reported $130 Million. Alexa asked some good questions and I don't want to spoil her important story which I'll share with readers later. I did, however, want to opine on Equinox in general and ask the question : can Equinox grow 4 concepts simultaneously ?

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Health Club Certification - What Could It Really Mean ?

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Do you think that raising the bar for health clubs by requiring minimum standards could help improve physican referrals and enable us to be seen as a more credible industry in general ? That's my question and its interesting as I travel around the country speaking with leaders in the health club industry that I rarely come across people informed on the subject of a general minimum standard, despite the fact that the most powerful organizations in our business have been wrestling with the matter for years now. (You can read IHRSA's position here).

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Visiting With CEO Guitarist Joe Moore And The Leadership Of IHRSA

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Upon the advice of many, including my partner and friend Robert Dyer, Sal Pellegrino and others, to learn more about the pulse of the health club industry, I headed up to Boston this week to sit down with the President and CEO of IHRSA, Joe Moore. Representing thousands of health clubs around the world and being the voice of the health club industry in general is no small job. However, in speaking with people like Joe Moore, Pam O'Donnell (pictured above with Joe and I), Meredith Poppler, Helen Durkin and others, I continue to discover a lot more about the thinking behind the organization that I'd like to share and of course hear back from you on. I also understand the importance of why people like you and I need to do more for this organization in order to help it succeed.

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Mobile Isn't A Trend. Its A New Era. Are You Ready ?

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I've written a lot about mobile trends and what they are going to mean to your life and your business, particulary in the fitness and health club business. Watch the video below and ask yourself these questions: Is your website mobile friendly ? Can your customers easily take action with your business using their mobile devices ? Do you deliver a unique mobile experience for your customers ? Is mobile part of your marketing strategy ? I didn't think so; but don't feel badly because you're not alone. Mobile isn't a trend, its a new era in customer experience and its going to change everything. Mobile is one part of a huge revolution that's underway in every industry and the health club business and fitness industry in general are no exception.
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What Digital Darwinism Means To The Health Club Industry

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Going through my morning content over tea I came across this from Brian Solis:

“Digital Darwinism is the evolution of consumer behavior when society & technology evolve faster than your ability to embrace it.”

I love Brian, but what do you ask is he talking about ? I think I know.

Conveying to leaders in the health club industry, or leaders from many businesses and industries for that matter, that: 1) change is coming very fast and 2) the future will entail new business models and ways of doing things that will be very different from the past, often falls on deaf ears. While its lonely being the voice of a revolution amidst the monarchy, what Brian Solis is saying is true and Digital Darwinism is an important concept to explore. Here's why.

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