This past March, I walked onto the stage at the HFA show in San Diego, California, to deliver a session on culture and leadership and I had a moment. Not because I was nervous, but because I remembered another moment many years earlier.
I remembered being a young professional walking the trade show floor at what was then the IHRSA convention, absorbing everything I possibly could. I remember listening to industry leaders speak, scribbling notes and imagining what it might be like one day to lead organizations of my own. Back then, I was simply trying to learn the business.
Fast forward nearly 28 years, and there I was standing on that same stage, sharing lessons from a career built inside the industry that shaped me. It was a full-circle moment, and it reminded me just how far this industry has come.
An Industry Moving Faster Than Ever
The conversations at HFA this year made one thing very clear: Our industry is evolving faster than ever.
Operators are focused on:
- Data and analytics
- AI
- Retention platforms
- Member engagement tools
- Wearables and biometric insights
- Automation and operational efficiency
Technology is changing how we understand and serve our members. Today, operators can track engagement patterns, identify early signs of attrition, personalize communication and optimize operations across multiple locations. And that’s exciting.
According to the HFA Global Report, the health club industry now serves over 200 million members worldwide — a number that continues to grow as people prioritize their health more than ever before. And with that growth comes opportunity.
Technology gives us tools to run smarter businesses, deliver more personalized experiences and create more efficient operations. In many ways, data has become a bit of a “gym flex” in our industry.
Members want insights into their bodies, their workouts and their progress. Operators want insights into retention, engagement and performance. Technology helps us deliver both.
But as exciting as all that innovation is, there’s something we must never forget.
This is a human serving human business.
Our members are not just data points. They’re people walking into our clubs with goals, insecurities, hopes and challenges. Some are trying to lose weight. Some are rebuilding confidence. Some are simply looking for a place where they feel supported. Our responsibility is to meet them there.
Digitize the Systems. Humanize the Experience.
Technology absolutely belongs in the future of our industry. We should digitize our systems, leverage data, and embrace AI where it helps us operate more efficiently and make smarter decisions. But we must do it without losing the human experience.
I often say it this way: Digitize the systems, humanize the experience.
Technology should help us:
- Streamline operations.
- Create consistency across clubs.
- Identify member needs earlier.
- Empower our teams with insights.
- Improve communication and engagement.
But technology should never replace the moments that truly matter. The moments when someone greets a member by name, asks about their goals, celebrates progress, notices when someone hasn’t been in for a while or encourages them to keep going. Those moments create loyalty, build community and create the experiences members remember.
Culture Still Wins
During my HFA presentation, I shared a leadership framework that has guided much of my career.
I call it S.C.A.L.E., and it reflects the principles that help organizations grow while protecting the culture that makes them successful.
- Standards – Clear expectations for what excellence looks like.
- Culture in Action – Values that show up through everyday behaviors.
- Address Misalignment – Leaders who protect the culture when behaviors drift.
- Lead by Example – Leaders who model the standards they expect.
- Enable Systems – Technology and tools that support the culture.
Technology plays an important role in that final piece of enabling systems. But systems only work when they’re supported by strong leadership and strong culture. Culture determines how teams show up for members every single day, and it always starts with leadership.
The Future of Fitness
There is no doubt that the future of fitness will include more technology.AI will help us better understand members, digital platforms will allow us to personalize programming and communication, and data will help us identify retention risks before they become cancellations. But the operators who truly stand out will be the ones who never lose sight of the human experience. Because members don’t stay because of technology. They stay because they feel welcomed, supported, encouraged and connected — and those feelings comes from people.
My Challenge to Our Industry
As we continue to innovate and evolve, I would challenge every operator and leader to ask themselves one simple question: Are we using technology to replace connection or to strengthen it?
If we digitize everything but lose the human experience, we risk losing the very thing that makes this industry special. But if we use technology to support our teams, empower our coaches and deepen relationships with our members, we will create clubs that feel more personal and more impactful than ever before.
The Opportunity Ahead
After nearly three decades in this industry, I remain incredibly optimistic about where we’re headed. Fitness has never been more relevant. People are more aware of their health than ever before. Communities are looking for places where they can feel stronger — physically, mentally and socially. Our clubs can deliver that, but only if we remember who we are.
We’re not simply operators of facilities. We’re builders of communities, creators of experiences, and above all else, we are people serving people. If we continue to embrace innovation while protecting that truth, the future of our industry will be incredibly bright. And I, for one, can’t wait to see what the next generation of leaders will build.
