Welcome back to HALO Talks! In this episode, we're joined once again by Adam Sedlack, CEO of UFC Gym, for another conversation that explores the evolution of the brand since his last appearance in May, 2019. (Link below.) Adam takes us behind the scenes on navigating the challenges of COVID-19, transitioning to a franchise-focused, asset-light business model, and expanding globally, with UFC Gyms now operating in 48 countries and growing.

You'll hear firsthand how strategic decisions protected both the UFC brand and its franchisees, why careful franchisee selection and capitalization are crucial, and how UFC Gym's new concepts, like boutique jiu-jitsu studios, are shaping the industry's future. Plus, Adam shares very candid advice for fitness entrepreneurs, his thoughts on brand partnerships, and what true community means inside—and outside—the gym doors. Whether you're a franchise veteran or just starting out, this episode is packed with a ton of takeaways.

Key themes discussed

• UFC Gym's global franchising strategy and expansion
• Navigating COVID-19 financial challenges without bankruptcy
• Franchisee support, training, and operational infrastructure
• Introducing UFC Gym Jiu Jitsu boutique model
• Importance of franchisee passion and capitalization
• Opportunities for gym conversions and management partnerships
• Synergies and potential for brand sponsorships in clubs

A Few Key Takeaways

1.Asset-Light, Franchise-Focused Strategy Post-COVID: The organization shifted from owning corporate gyms, creating significant rent and debt liabilities, toward an asset-light, franchise-centric model. Assets were sold to well-capitalized franchisees, and proceeds were used to pay off debt, allowing the company to emerge stronger post-pandemic 06:07.

2. Disciplined Franchisee Selection: Success in franchising is not just about expansion but about choosing the right partners. The best franchisees are both properly capitalized and deeply passionate about the brand and its mission. A lack of either capital or passion is a deal-breaker, and sometimes it's about connecting people who have both qualities 20:39.

3. Global Expansion & Diversified Models: The brand is now developing in 48 countries, opening nearly one new gym every week, and is on track to increase that pace. Performance is especially strong in larger 30,000-40,000 square foot models. Additionally, they've launched a low-capital UFC Gym Jiu Jitsu studio to serve smaller markets and new owner-operator franchisees, expanding their reach and appeal 06:23.

4. Operational Infrastructure and Automation: To scale effectively, automation, robust systems, and support infrastructure are essential. The company leverages tools like Club Connect, comprehensive CRMs, and AI to support franchisees, enabling even average teams to perform at high levels by following well-crafted operational manuals 17:41.

5. Potential and Practice of Facility Conversions: There is growing opportunity in converting existing, often underperforming, fitness facilities (sometimes with landlords becoming franchisees) into refreshed UFC Gym-branded locations. The model is flexible, allowing for such conversions and even management partnerships where the UFC Gym team operates facilities on behalf of landlord-owners 26:24.

Resources:

• Adam Sedlack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamsedlack
• UFC Gym: https://www.ufcgym.com
• Adam's first HALO Talks: https://www.halotalks.com/adam-sedlack-president-ufc-gym (May 2019)
• Integrity Square: https://www.integritysq.com
• Prospect Wizard: https://www.theprospectwizard.com
• Promotion Vault: https://www.promotionvault.com
• HigherDose: https://www.higherdose.com

On this episode of HALO Talks, we welcome Nick Ovenden of GreatLIFE, an organization that has redefined community recreation in the Sioux Falls, South Dakota area. What began as a sort of "accidental" golf course acquisition has evolved into a network of six golf courses, 19 fitness centers, and a bowling alley, serving over 40,000 members within a 90-mile radius. Nick joins us to discuss the unique business model that blends fitness, golf, and family activities under one membership, fostering inclusivity and long-term member engagement.

Pete and Nick also dive into how their employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) is shaping company culture and succession planning, the impact of combining recreational offerings on attrition, and GreatLIFE'S commitment to building community through partnerships and transparency.

When it comes to the recovery trends that were brought up in discussion, Nick states, "If you have not gotten on the workout recovery train yet, your time and your stop is now. You got to get these products in there before these workout recovery and spas end up saturating your market."

Key themes discussed

• Combining golf, fitness, and bowling for family experiences
• Membership structure: simplicity and inclusivity
• Community partnerships and local business integration
• Reducing attrition through varied activity options
• Transparency in financials and business education
• Board-driven decision-making post-ESOP transition

A Few Key Takeaways

1.Unique Multi-Activity Membership Model: GreatLIFE combines golf courses, fitness centers, and a bowling alley under a single membership structure. Members can choose between single, couple, or family plans and select either a Fitness Plus or Golf and Fitness Plus membership, aiming to keep things simple and all-encompassing. This approach fosters a stronger sense of community and encourages member retention by offering a broad range of activities for various interests and life stages.

2. Intentional Face-to-Face Member Onboarding: The organization has deliberately chosen not to use online sign-ups. Instead, all memberships are started in person to ensure that team members can fully explain their offerings and guide new members to the option best suited to their needs. This helps reduce attrition by keeping members engaged with new activities as their interests change. 09:04.

3. Low Attrition Rates Driven by Diverse Offerings: With multiple activities available like fitness, golf, pickleball, bowling, and group classes, members are less likely to leave since there is always something appealing. As a result, their annual member attrition rate is relatively low (about 30%), and staff turnover is also below industry averages 09:45.

4. Community Over Competition: GreatLIFE maintains close, non-competitive relationships with other local golf courses and fitness entities. Rather than trying to compete directly, they work together and even refer potential members elsewhere if their own services do not match a visitor's needs. This bolsters the overall community and reputation, benefiting everyone. 07:16.

5. Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) as a Succession Strategy: A key differentiator is the adoption of an ESOP for succession planning. This structure allows employees to gradually gain ownership stakes in the company, fostering long-term commitment and a sense of shared responsibility. The move also helps preserve the company's culture, aligning incentives and making employees more invested in the company's success. 10:55

Resources:

• Nick Ovenden: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-ovenden-8b047349
• GreatLIFE Golf & Fitness: https://joingreatlife.com
• Integrity Square: https://www.integritysq.com
• Prospect Wizard: https://www.theprospectwizard.com
• Promotion Vault: https://www.promotionvault.com
• HigherDose: https://www.higherdose.com

Welcome to HALO Talks NYC! In this episode, in this episodes, host Pete Moore sits down with Vancouver-based fitness entrepreneurs Trevor Linden and Carl Ulmer to explore the fantastic growth behind Club 16 and She's Fit health clubs in British Columbia. From the early days of innovating women's-only fitness spaces to strategic brand evolution and ambitious expansion plans, Trevor and Carl share candid insights on adaptation, leadership, and building a values-driven organization.

They discuss how professional athletics translate to business, the increasing importance of inclusivity and wellness amenities, and what it takes to maintain a winning team culture in a rapidly changing industry. Whether you're a fitness operator, entrepreneur, or just curious how sports savvy shapes business success, this episode offers invaluable lessons and inspiration.

On building fitness communities for all ages, Trevor states, "One of the best things I saw was that we had a group of, I think they're 75 years old, they go for coffee at Tim Hortons and they come in for a workout and it was a, it was exactly what we wanted to see is that is, is bringing fitness to, making it accessible for people."

Key themes discussed

• Evolution of women's-only fitness models
• Brand alignment and personal reputation
• Transition from defense to offense post-COVID
• Facility upgrades and equipment trends
• Diversity's impact on fitness offerings
• Maintaining independence vs. partnering with private equity
• Staff culture and leadership development

A Few Key Takeaways

1. Legacy of Adaptability and Innovation: Carl explained how his stepdad, Chuck Lawson, shifted from operating Gold's Gyms to pioneering women's-only fitness in British Columbia, launching Just Ladies Fitness, and later transitioning to the value-priced She's Fit brand when he noticed market trends shifting. Chuck exemplified never resting on success and continually adapting the business to meet evolving needs, which became a fundamental company value.

2. Authenticity in Leadership and Brand Alignment: Trevor described his careful assessment before putting his name on Club 16, emphasizing the importance of personal brand integrity and shared values with business partners. He insisted on active partnership rather than just lending his name for royalty, making sure his values and the company's vision matched.

3. Women's-Only Fitness is Booming: There is significant evidence of increasing demand and success in women's-only fitness spaces. Carl cited strong performance and expansion plans for She's Fit, attributing it to demographic diversity and a trend towards women seeking strength training and safer, private workout environments. Their locations are often at or over capacity, and new growth is a "no brainer."

4. Focus on Team and Culture Over Name Recognition: Both Trevor and Carl stressed that a brand name does not make a company successful; rather, it's the team and culture. They credit their deep bench of long-tenured employees, investing in people, and maintaining company values as key drivers of ongoing success, not just Linden's celebrity.

5. Growth Ambitions Are Grounded in Operational Discipline: The company has ambitious plans: aiming for 3 new She's Fit and 2 Club 16 locations annually starting in 2027, reaching about 41 locations by 2030. Despite increasing competition—including from private equity—they maintain operational independence, strong financials, and a preference for slow, quality-focused growth over rapid expansion for its own sake.

Resources:

• Trevor Linden Fitness: https://www.trevorlindenfitness.com
• Integrity Square: https://www.integritysq.com
• Prospect Wizard: https://www.theprospectwizard.com
• Promotion Vault: https://www.promotionvault.com
• HigherDose: https://www.higherdose.com

On this episode of HALO Talks, Pete Moore sits down with internationally renowned marketing expert John Dwyer, also known as JD, for a deep dive into proven direct response marketing strategies that deliver real ROI . . . no vague brand-building promises. Hailing from Australia and celebrated for his practical, results-oriented approach, Jack shares stories from his decades-long career, including how a simple contest formula brought hundreds of qualified leads to gyms at a fraction of the usual cost, and why creative incentives like vacation vouchers trump discounting your own services.

With anecdotes spanning from licensing Disney characters to orchestrating a bank campaign featuring Jerry Seinfeld, Dwyer reveals the nuts and bolts of incentive-based marketing, the mindset shifts needed to outpace the competition, the power of persistent idea generation, and the importance of a strong call to action. Whether you're running a gym, leading a fitness franchise, or simply want to sharpen your marketing acumen, this episode is packed with insights and actionable takeaways from one of the industry's most persistent and inventive minds.

On viral gym incentives, Jack says, "Instead of giving up the first month membership, which of course every gym does, they replace that by saying, join my fitness center and I will give you a free vacation to Disney World, New York, Orlando, call the hotspots, and we give these vacation vouchers to them for $50."

Key themes discussed

• Direct response marketing vs. traditional advertising
• Incentive-based marketing to drive gym memberships
• Cost-effective lead generation strategies
• Using contests and giveaways for engagement
• Leveraging licensing and brand equity
• Importance of a strong call to action (CTA)
• Adapting marketing for small and medium businesses

A Few Key Takeaways

1. Direct Response Marketing Over Traditional Branding: John emphasized a fundamental difference between his approach and that of traditional ad agencies: Instead of building brand love in hopes customers will eventually try the product, his strategy is to get people to try the product first so they fall in love with the brand later. Measurability and ROI are central, and "face on the side of a bus" advertising is dismissed for most businesses unless they're global giants like Coca-Cola or Nike (01:04).

2. Leveraging Incentives—"Happy Meal Toys" for Grown-Ups: A key to successful direct response marketing, especially in the fitness sector, is offering incentives unrelated to price discounting. Dwyer discusses "Happy Meal toy" strategies—low-cost incentives (e.g., vacation vouchers) with high-perceived value—that drive response and differentiate offers without eroding core business value (07:24).

3. Facebook Contests for Lead Generation: John shared a proven contest model for gyms and fitness centers: Run Facebook contests where prospects can win a 6- or 12-month membership. The vast majority who don't win remain red-hot leads for follow-up offers. Reported costs per lead are dramatically lower ($1–$5) than those from typical lead generation companies, with much higher volume and exclusivity of leads (04:03).

4. Powerful Call to Action is Critical: Five key elements to effective direct response are: (1) Identify the problem, (2) Aggravate it, (3) Provide a solution, (4) Offer proof (testimonials), and (5) End with a strong call to action (CTA). Dwyer noted most campaigns fail due to a weak CTA, underscoring the importance of an irresistible, incentive-based close (22:15).

5. Borrowing Equity from Big Brands & Trends: A recurring theme with John is "borrowing" the equity of established brands or cultural trends via licensing (e.g., Disney, Ninja Turtles) or celebrity endorsement (e.g., Jerry Seinfeld for a bank's ad campaign). This shortcut to consumer attention and trust can be particularly powerful for smaller enterprises when deployed wisely (13:28).

• John Dwyer: https://theinstituteofwow.com/about
• Integrity Square: https://www.integritysq.com
• Prospect Wizard: https://www.theprospectwizard.com
• Promotion Vault: https://www.promotionvault.com
• HigherDose: https://www.higherdose.com

Welcome back to HALO Talks. In this episode, host Pete Moore sits down with Alexander Tsiaras, founder of StoryMD and a pioneering force at the intersection of digital health and patient empowerment. From his roots as a DARPA programmer developing virtual surgery for astronauts and soldiers (!!) to raising over $55 million in grants and private capital, Alexander has dedicated his career to transforming healthcare data into a powerful, patient-centered narrative.

Together, they discuss the fractured landscape of medical records, the journey of building an AI agent that acts as your personalized primary care, and the impact of making complex medical data accessible and actionable. Tsiaras shares how this technology helped his wife during her cancer treatment and why turning data into stories is the key to thriving, not just surviving.

Whether you're an elite athlete, working through a health challenge, or passionate about wellness innovation, this conversation will change the way you think about your own healthcare journey.

When it comes to the frangmentation that goes on "behind the scenes" Tsiaras states, "Everything is fragmented and the individual has to actually cobble it all together. And the whole point is that all of these big electronic medical records and all the technologies . . .are all about billing and administration. No one is actually empowering a great athlete or a patient . . . They're going through the same thing, fragmentation, where they have to cobble all the information together for themselves."

Key themes discussed

• Fragmentation of patient medical records and healthcare data
• Empowering patients to own and understand their health journey
• Storytelling approach to personal medical information
• Use of HL7 coding for comprehensive data integration
• AI agent as personalized primary care in your pocket
• Monetization and responsible use of patient health data
• Strategic partnerships for scaling and commercialization

A Few Key Takeaways

1. The Power of Personal Health Storytelling: Alexander emphasizes that understanding individual health requires more than statistics, it requires personal storytelling. By converting a patient's data into a narrative, users gain actionable insights and a stronger sense of agency over their wellness journey 01:19.

2. Fragmentation of Medical Records is a Major Issue: Through a personal example involving his wife's cancer treatment, Tsiaras highlights the fragmentation of patient data across multiple institutions and systems, which leads to a confusing and inefficient patient journey 02:05.

3. StoryMD Empowers Patients with Their Own Data: The digital platform is fully patient-focused. It enables individuals to import records from over 85,000 medical institutions, incorporate wearable and clinical data, and use an AI agent to interpret this data into a narrative that is understandable and actionable—all focused on the patient's unique journey 05:09.

4. Monetization Through Responsible Use of Data: While the import and basic interpretation of data is free, Alexander describes a model where the value comes from the quality and responsible monetization of anonymized data, with a focus on benefitting patients rather than exploiting their information 05:42.

5. The Future of Primary Care May Be in Your Pocket: StoryMD is evolving into a platform where an AI agent acts as a pocket-sized primary care resource, reviewing comprehensive and personalized health data to provide real-time, individualized advice, meeting a growing need as traditional primary care accessibility declines 15:20.

Resources:

• Alexander Tsiaras: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandertsiaras/
• StoryMD: https://storymd.com/
• Integrity Square: https://www.integritysq.com
• Prospect Wizard: https://www.theprospectwizard.com
• Promotion Vault: https://www.promotionvault.com
• HigherDose: https://www.higherdose.com

In this episode of HALO Talks, Pete Moore sits down with Tony Saxby, founder of W.O.L.F Fitness ("Workout Live Fierce") to explore his lifelong path in the HALO space. (Health, Active Lifestyle, Outdoors.) From humble beginnings as a teenage personal trainer at a local YMCA, through years of law enforcement, to building and scaling a unique community-centered gym franchise (that has attracted the attention of Dave Bautista), Saxby shares his philosophy for creating spaces that go far beyond four walls and equipment.

Discover how W.O.L.F differentiates itself from big-box competitors like Planet Fitness and Crunch by prioritizing community, elevated amenities, and grassroots engagement, and why Tony believes finding the right franchise partners is the key to sustainable success. Whether you're interested in entrepreneurship, fitness, or learning what it takes to build a genuine community, this episode promises valuable insights from the frontlines of gym innovation.

When Saxby opines on the truth about some franchise ownership situations, he pulls no punches. "One, they're often hyper-unaffordable for the regular person, you need like an investment group. Two, they're not really a gym. Their job is marketing. Their job is reselling you equipment every three to five years at full market while they're getting it for a lot less. That was something that we would never sign, my wife and I."

Key themes discussed

• Building community-centric gyms over traditional gym models
• Challenges and lessons in franchising and selective growth
• Differentiating W.O.L.F gyms from competitors on amenities and size
• Importance of grassroots, local marketing and B2B partnerships
• Flexible pricing structure based on regional real estate
• Franchisee empowerment and fit for the W.O.L.F brand
• Upgrading tech and CRM systems for scaling operations

A Few Key Takeaways

1.Community First, Gym Second: Tony emphasized that the W.O.L.F franchise is focused on building genuine community connections before building gyms. They prioritize engaging in grassroots efforts, fostering relationships with local businesses, and hosting regular open houses to embed themselves in neighborhoods. 14:09

2. Unique Franchise Approach and Accessibility: Unlike many fitness franchises, W.O.L.F aims for affordability and accessibility for regular individuals, not just large investment groups. Saxby's goal is to find "100 cool people" to run gyms defined by core values like honor, integrity, community, and commitment, rather than simply expanding numbers. 04:16

3. Selective Franchise Growth: Tony also talked about the hard lessons learned from early franchise expansion, admitting that saying yes to everyone led to some early failures. The brand has since become highly selective, investing in vetting and strong systems to ensure only the right people join. 05:19

4. Differentiation in the Market: W.O.L.F distinguishes itself from brands like Planet Fitness and Crunch not by undercutting prices, but by capping memberships for a better member experience, offering premium amenities (like red light therapy, cold plunge, and soon hyperbaric chambers), and (wisely!) resisting the race to the bottom on pricing.

5. Adaptability and Member Loyalty: The story came full circle with Saxby sharing examples of strong member loyalty, such as community support during COVID and gratitude over continual gym improvements. These reinforce W.O.L.F's commitment to being more than just a gym. It's very much a valued piece of members' daily lives. 21:54

Resources:

• Tony Saxby: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-saxby-b120982a3
• W.O.L.F. Fitness: https://www.wolfgyms.com
• Integrity Square: https://www.integritysq.com
• Prospect Wizard: https://www.theprospectwizard.com
• Promotion Vault: https://www.promotionvault.com
• HigherDose: https://www.higherdose.com