This could be uber
disruptive for our industry
The way
we were…
Ten years ago to the month, the front cover of the spring 2005 Network
magazine was graced by Network Pilates instructor trainer Zosha
Piotrowski and her fellow trainers.
Inside, Amanda Vogel and Jim Labadie offered their tips for
“scoring valuable exposure as a fitness expert, with everything from
widely popular magazines to your local TV station.”
Elsewhere, legend of the Australian group exercise scene, Michelle
Dean, introduced readers to her take on capoeira-inspired group ex
workouts:
“As seen in popular films such as ‘Oceans 12’ and ‘Meet the Fockers’,
capoeira is increasing in popularity as a mainstream fitness workout.
Renowned international fitness presenter, Scott Cole, predicts that,
due to its strength, power and grace, capoeira is fast becoming the
newest craze in fitness. …Brazilian capoeira master, Mestre Boneco,
and I have devised a form of capoeira that combines aerobics, hip hop
and capoeira.”
1 thing I’ve learnt…
Kathy McKenzie, CEO at FIRE UP Coaching,
networkdiploma.com.au
“One thing I’ve learnt is the importance of a
growth mindset. Getting stuck in a fixed mindset
limits your ability to capitalise on opportunities,
to innovate, and to shift gears quickly when you
need to. A growth mindset means being willing
to expand your perspective and accept that
every situation is an opportunity to learn. For me
it was through a few major business mistakes
that I recognised that being flexible was indeed
one of the greatest competitive advantages I
could foster. I have had my business for 16 years
and know that I wouldn’t rely on the technology
I was using in 1998, so why would I use the
same thinking? With change happening at such
an accelerated pace these days, the only way
to prosper is to keep learning, keep reframing
the negatives to positives, and to refocus
continually to pay attention to what you want
and deserve to achieve.”
The fitness industry has always used
technological advancements to improve
the services it provides to its customers.
One example of this is the near universal
adoption of Customer Relationship
Management (CRM) software that
enables fitness facilities to manage
interactions with current and future
members more efficiently. Another
is the use of direct billing companies
to manage membership dues. For many it would be hard to
imagine operating without these systems in place. However,
there are emerging technologies that have the potential to be
very disruptive to the traditional way we do business.
So, what is a disruptive technology? According to the
Harvard Business School it can be defined as “technology that
helps create a new market by displacing early technology or the
traditional way of doing things”.
Let me give an example of a disruptive technology that
has the potential to change the way the fitness industry does
business – just like Uber has done to the taxi industry. When my
daughter moved to Los Angeles last year, in order to help her
settle in, I organised her membership at a 24-hour full service
club that offers everything from Les Mills and Pilates classes to
indoor cycling and personal training.
Recently I caught up with her and as we were driving through
Santa Monica she said, ‘Hey Dad, see that Soul Cycle studio
over there – they do amazing classes, and just down the road
there’s a Pilates studio I go to once a week, and over there’s a
functional training studio that does great circuits.’ Over the next
five minutes she pointed out a number of studios and clubs she
had worked out