November 2021 Club of the Month, presented by ABC Fitness Solutions:
Amped Fitness, est. 2015
Customers today value a personalized approach to service. Amped Fitness, with nine locations throughout Florida, is delivering on that expectation by offering tailored, personalized programs to help clients meet their goals. Here, Travis LaBazzo, the CEO of Amped Fitness, shares why they avoid a cookie-cutter approach and other keys to success.
Tell me about Amped Fitness and what makes it stand out from others.
Amped Fitness gives the most value in the HVLP category, and the energy you feel walking through the door is unmatched. Our culture makes everyone feel welcome and motivated.
Tell me about your personal training offering and what makes it unique?
Our personal training department was designed to help guide clients in and outside of the club. We want to make sure our clients feel in control, whether they are with us or not. Professional boundaries paired with personal empathy creates lifelong relationships.
Why is it important to move toward more personalized training programs?
I don’t know of any other way to do it, nor would I want to. People want to be heard and feel like someone is actually listening. Giving cookie-cutter programs is anything but that. If you want more clients today, then you need to learn how to listen to their needs and personalize the member experience.
What do your new personal offerings look like and how does it help differentiate Amped Fitness?
Honestly, I could go on and on but I’ll try to keep it short. We offer top of the line equipment that functions better than it looks. We have open space to do functional training, and lighting that creates a unique vibe and high energy. We also offer proprietary group classes with heart rate monitors, basketball, tanning, HydroMassage, guest privileges, saunas, child care and more. All of this is for $9.99 or $19.99. We wanted to create a zero-pressure environment for our future members, so we built our gyms to sell themselves.
What’s a trend you’re seeing in the fitness industry that other operators should keep on their radar?
A trend I’m seeing is companies or programs that create passes — similar to insurance — to give members access to multiple gyms by circumventing the membership. I despise companies that piggyback on what the fitness community has worked so hard to build. Eliminate the acceptance of these and it will help all of us.
What’s been the biggest learning lesson from the COVID-19 pandemic?
I’ve learned countless lessons. Far too many to list but I’ll say this: I’ve always been grateful to live in the United States but I’m extremely grateful to live in Florida.
If you could give one piece of advice to other gym operators, what would it be?
Don’t live in fear of making a mistake or getting complacent. Both will lead to the same outcome and it’s inevitable. Fear of failure stops growth and being complacent accepts it. The normal thought process in most people automatically selects the path of least resistance. My advice is don’t be normal and don’t pick easy. I hear a lot of people say, “man you’re crazy” and my reply is always the same, “damn right I am.” Be the anomaly and prove yourself right versus trying to prove everyone wrong.
Created in partnership with ABC Fitness Solutions. Visit abcfitness.com for more information on how they can help your fitness business.
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Rachel Zabonick-Chonko is the editor-in-chief of Club Solutions Magazine. She can be reached at rachel@peakemedia.com.
I love the piece of advice given by Travis,
Thank you,
Darren Darden