When I was thinking of rejoining the industry after a few years of owning a sports performance facility and coaching collegiate baseball, I knew that I wanted to go to a company that had huge upside potential. In looking around the industry, the big players had not changed since I left, other than the consolidation that had occurred at the top of the food chain. I had heard that technology was coming along quickly and that companies were still looking to integrate all of the technology into one deliverable that would take the industry by storm. I caught wind of a small player that would be making some big moves and it intrigued me to learn more.
During my first contacts at SportsArt, I could tell that something was different. The pet-friendly headquarters, daily apple deliveries, and hip office looked more like a tech startup than a fitness and wellness company. I learned of some new products that were in the pipeline that was nothing like what they had produced in the past. Once again, the excitement was building but with the same hesitation that all sales professionals have when new products are going to be launched. I decided to take the plunge, sight unseen of any new products other than an ad that showed the sexy and sleek lines of a new treadmill.
BOOM! Then IHRSA Hit!
What happens now?
Now that the show is over and we all go back to our own worlds, I have a flood of leads to follow up on and many calls to make from those who had heard about the new products at IHRSA 2017. From the attendance at our sustainability conference to the amount of traffic through our booth, I would say that ECO is a huge touchpoint this year. Why not? It helps an operator tell a story that the commodity market does not. It tells how a club/school. YMCA decided to break the mold of the status quo and embark on what the fastest growing population of gym goers (Millennials!) wants, which is sustainable, eco-friendly products, that can propel us into a greener time in the industry.
