Interview with Daniel Newman of Pocket PT

Recently I caught up with Daniel Newman from Pocket PT. Pocket PT is a web-based service that combines exercise instruction with online support from certified Personal trainers.

I fired off some questions to Daniel to find out more about how this new company came to exist. This is what Daniel had to say.

Question 1: What was the 'light bulb' moment when Pocket PT was conceived

'As a Personal Trainer (PT) I wanted to shatter the glass ceiling of 20-30 sessions a week and £20,000 per annum, so myself and a friend that had just sold a business to Virgin came up with the idea of doing downloadable content for all the pocket video devices that were coming out. It was only as we started designing the website that the download service would sit on, that the health club operators features came together. From there it was like tugging on a strand of thread, the whole strategy pretty much fell together. What would the correct online service do for retention, and sales? Even the biggest clubs are massively limited in terms of their marketing grasp no matter how far it reaches and 7 out of 10 people would use a PT if they could afford, it but only 1 in 10 can.'

Question 2: What is the 'big cause' that your company is embarking on?

'Our cause is 'bringing gyms into the digital present'.

Health clubs have only just got their relationship with software started since the recent wave of retention tools. It amazes me that fitness staff are still writing programmes on paper instead of printing them off from a terminal and linking that member to their online programme so that the member can record progress, read articles, meet PTs, watch videos etc.

We can already place the gym brand onto the mobile handset in a way that the user regularly interacts with - making the health club membership a daily part of that person's digital life, next to the messaging, Facebook, shopping, banking and music apps'.

I believe a good online product can support sales, retention, PT revenue, as well as produce direct revenue and enable new marketing partnerships.'

Question 3: What 3-5 words describe your company?

'Do not accept yesterday's limits.'

Question 4: Fast-forward three years. What is your company's legacy so far?

1 'Pocket Innovation leads a new 'online' fitness sector serving, gyms, retailers, PTs, training providers and direct customers. Mobile phones are being sold with the value add of - 'comes with your own Pocket PT tailored workout', as this is a strong unique selling point USP) compared to tired and non-user specific content such as music and video that the customer can get anywhere.'

2 'We operate a bespoke variation of Pocket PT technology for 3-4 international gyms which each have unique USPs and brand offerings.'

3 'We have introduced one product that directly impacts sales, retention, PT revenue and secondary spend.'

Question 5: If your company closed today (hypothetically), how would it be missed?

'Technology is expensive to develop. It is far more beneficial for chains to have us operate a bespoke service for them under their brand than it is to build from scratch. So we would be missed because it would take another company two years to build something that we can deliver now! While the iPhone is exploding onto new networks and the App' store is changing the way people consume digital products.'

Why consumers love low-cost (budget) gyms

I was in London last night at a Leisure Property Forum event to present my thoughts on the low-cost (budget) gym trend that is now gaining momentum in the UK. This presentation looks at some of the key 'drivers' of the trend and also case studies the growth of McFit in Germany. My thanks to Niels Gronau, a member of the Deloite Corporate Finance team at Deloitte in Germany, who helped with background data on McFit.

John Treharne, CEO of The Gym Group was also there to discuss the company's strategy. John was fresh from this week's opening of their new Manchester club, which means they now have five clubs open, with Leicester due to open in the first quarter of 2010. The Gym Group has an ambition to open a further 10-15 clubs during 2010.

I hope you enjoy the presentation (click on the "menu" button for options to download the file or embed on a website/blog). Please leave a comment.

Why consumers love low-cost (budget) gyms

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Quick look inside the UK’s latest low-cost (budget) gym at Vauxhall, London

I was in London this week so took the opportunity to pop along to The Gym Group's latest (opened August 2009) low-cost (budget) gym to open in south London. The company has secured space in the St George Wharf development which comprises luxury apartments and commercial businesses.

The gym is on a single floor with a small mezzanine level and has a light and open feel due to the high ceilings and skylights. The facility offer is consistently simple with around 170 pieces of Matrix equipment, changing rooms and sunbeds (not in use when I visited as they were waiting on a treatment license). It was disappointing to see three broken pieces of strength and CV equipment, but then I don't see the usage data to understand how hard the equipment is being worked.

What do gym members think?

I chatted to a few members and it was interesting that they were new to clubs. This does not mean that they have never use gyms before, just that none had recently left a club to join the new Vauxhall club. They were attracted by the convenience to work, home, the price (£14.99 per month) and that there was no contract to sign.

How about this for an entrance!

The video shows the new entry/exit system the company is using at Vauxhall. Why this approach? The club operates 24-hours and is unstaffed at night. Members enter a pin-code and then enter the 2-door chamber. It didn't pass the friendly test with my wife, but is clinically efficient. This just shows how various companies can have a different interpretation on delivering a 'budget gym' experience. For example, the entry system used at Vauxhall would not go down well with Dutch consumers who would expect a much more personable and friendly welcome.

Property Strategy

I am very impressed with the property strategy the company is adopting. The sites seem to be very carefully considered and I can begin to see a consistent 'look' and 'feel' across clubs. This approach of selecting new locations and only developing building shells is certainly slower than acquiring clubs, but will certainly pay future dividends.

What do you think of the UK's budget gyms?

Have you visited any UK budget gyms recently? Are you a member? If so, I would love to know what you think.

(picture shows the St George Wharf development)

(note for The Gym Group: I did ask the member permission to film them entering club)

Interview with Theo Hendriks, CEO of Sports & Leisure Group

This is another of the 'choose a question' interviews that I filmed while at the IHRSA European Convention in Dublin.

This interview is with Theo Hendriks, CEO of the Sports & Leisure Group in Holland. While in Dublin, Theo received the Annual European Club Leadership Award. This goes to an individual whose leadership has advanced their company and the club industry at large.

During this interview, Theo talks about selling some of his clubs to pay down debt, the trends impacting his business and his future plans.

This is a lovely interview as it is very future-looking and he gets very excited about his plans to drive across the United States and Canada.

Some of the questions asked:

1 What are the key trends driving your business?

2 Why is the budget club trend so big in Holland?

3 How will your business be different one year from now?

4 Can the business now run smoothly without you?

5 What would colleagues say is your best skill/ability in business?

6 What advice can you offer to someone setting up a business in 2010?

So this is how you encourage people to take the stairs

This is so clever – changing peoples behaviour through fun

Posted via email from Strategic Leisure Insight from Ray Algar

Six minute video interview with Dag Lee, Chairman Taipan Invest

I've just returned from the IHRSA Convention held in Dublin. While there, I took the opportunity to grab a few people and ask them their views on business. However, there was a little twist. I prepared 50 questions on cards and they had to call out a number and then give me an immediate response to the question - not so easy, when someone is pointing a video camera in your face!

This first interview is with Dag Lee, who is now the Chairman of Taipan Invest. Dag is also a non-executive board member at Actic, a private equity owned fitness chain operating in Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland and Germany. Dag's former role was CEO at SATS, the Nordic health club group.

Dag had some tough questions. Here is the result:

Question themes:

Dag talks about the SATS 'Core Model' which is the SATS corporate 'bible' which all employees are taken through, 'MySATS' (a member induction programme), and finally, the best business idea he never implemented.

Apologies for the video 'shake' at the start.

Short interview with Rasmus Ingerslev, CEO, Wexer

This is another of the 'choose a question' interviews that I conducted at the recent IHRSA European Convention in Dublin.

This interview focuses on Rasmus Ingerslev, CEO of Wexer, an online health and fitness community that launched in early 2009. Rasmus is a very interesting guy who founded Fitness dk, a leading chain of Danish health clubs, which he left to develop Wexer. Rasmus is also a former elite athlete, having represented Denmark in Karate. In this interview Rasmus discusses how he has brought the discipline required to compete as an international athlete into the world of business.

Interview themes: The web (internet) trends, competition, ambition and personal drive.

Sport Conference Athen

Recently I returned from the Sport Conference held in Athens where I was asked to deliver two presentations for Greek health club managers and owners.

Leading up to the conference, I worked with Panos Bazos on two key presentation themes. Panos is a leading leisure consultant to Greek club owners, working with Holmes Place and other brands.

The presentation below looks at the low-cost trend and how it is disrupting established industries, including health and fitness.

Please note that the slides are in Greek, but the pictures should tell the story (if I have done my job properly).

Click on the grey button to advance the slides. This presentation can also be downloaded as a PDF (click on the menu button).

Please leave me a comment.

How Low Cost Propositions Are Changing Industries

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What does my brand stand for? Sport Conference Athens

This is the presentation that I delivered on day two of the conference.

It is a complex message to get over even when English is a person's first language. Imagine how challenging this is when it is being simultaneously translated. However, I was very impressed with the Greek translator, who quickly understood the core message.

Click on the grey arrows to advance the slides. To download the presentation as a PDF, click on the menu button.

What Does My Brand Stand For?

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