Escape Your Limits Podcast: Hear fitness CEO success stories

New for 2018, the Escape Your Limits podcast is for entrepreneurs, business owners and influencers to listen and learn from the most successful people in the industry and beyond.

With insightful interviews from the pioneers of personal training, bodybuilding businessmen and masters of movement, here’s an overview of the first five episodes:

Angel Banos, CEO, SoCal Group, Gold’s Gym

It was 1986 when fitness buff Angel Banos first walked into Gold’s Gym in Venice, California. Inspired by the pure passion he saw among the trainers and gym-goers, Angel contacted his younger brother, Willy, and the two decided to open up a Gold’s Gym of their own. Eleven Gold’s Gyms later, they are well-respected names within the fitness world. If there’s anyone who knows how to build a thriving fitness facility with a competitive edge, it’s Angel. This episode includes:

• What factors and family members helped form Angel’s work ethic from an early age and how this has benefitted him lifelong
• What led Angel to sell his successful shoe business and transition into the fitness industry, and how can you make the jump to achieve your dreams

Richard Earney, National Program Director, Midtown Athletics Club

Midtown’s mission is to inspire people through movement, community and personal attention. Richard has been part of that mission since 2014. With 24 years in the industry, he believes in the power of his team. Together, they steer innovation in programing that improves brand awareness, revenues and retention. This episode includes:

• How understanding the importance of experience shaped what is one of the most unique clubs in the United States
• The secrets behind having one of the highest retention rates in the world

David Cooper, Co-founder, Gymbox

Gymbox, an upbeat boutique fitness facility scattered across eight trendy locations in the heart of London, is the ‘antidote to boring gyms’ – reinventing the fitness scene since 2003. In this episode, Matt delves into the creative mind of co-founder David Cooper who, with the help of his amazing team, has brought ‘the world’s most dangerous workout’ Flatline to the market. This episode includes:

• How Gymbox created a laser targeted brand that wins member loyalty and love
• Immersive experience and why gyms of the future cannot overlook it

James Balfour, Co-founder, 1Rebel

For James, the journey in the fitness world started young when his father founded Fitness First in the early ’90s. James later teamed with business partner Giles Dean to run a chain of fitness clubs along with his father, called Jatomi Fitness. With a mission to offer a more unique experience and make London’s fitness scene more social, James and Giles took a leap of faith and set up their own boutique studio –1Rebel. Matt and James have a frank discussion about the vision behind 1Rebel and how they have gone from strength to strength to become one of London’s most popular fitness hot spots. This episode includes:

• What it’s like to grow up with a high-profile entrepreneur in the fitness industry while trying to find your own direction
• Lessons to avoid overzealous growth, loss of brand traction, market pressures and property deal dangers, and how to adapt to market changes for longevity

Michol Dalcourt, Inventor & Director, Team ViPR and The Institute of Motion

Recognized for its frequent appearance in strongman competitions, the well-known ViPR stands for Vitality, Performance and Reconditioning. Invented by Michol in the early ’00s, the tool has become a staple all over the world, claiming to bridge the gap between movement and strength training. As an internationally recognized leader, Michol is fascinated by human movement and performance. He and Matt talk about what it takes to become the voice of an industry and how you can reach your potential. This episode includes:

• How Michol went from a chubby shy kid to delving into research about how the body crafts its own design to become the voice of an industry
• Education, physiology, biomechanics and training principles around bodybuilding and workout experimentation gave Michol a new level of insight to redefine his identity – you also can use these as you age to continuously improve your abilities

The Escape Your Limits podcast can be found on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/escape-your-limits/id1321349827?mt=2