Prologue 1:The story of fitDEGREE: Nick Dennis' Version

What We Cover In This Episode: Where Nick got the idea to connect fitness partners with an app, and the lessons he learned about launching a startup from a previous venture [1:49] The way he and his partner pivoted to find a new story to tell, based on a gap in the industry they saw that needed to be filled [4:53] When Nick realized that they were onto something big by changing their focus to fitness studios [6:56] What the fitDEGREE rollout plan looked like, and why they waited so long before beginning to advertise the product [9:13] How getting feedback from customers and being client-centric has been key to the growth of the company, plus why Nick feels that strategy will be the future of software companies [11:31] What Nick and his mentors are planning to do to move fitDEGREE forward as a company, and community for its members [13:20] Why he looks at the role of leadership a bit differently than most people do [14:48] What inspires Nick right now, and the characteristics he looks for in his mentors [15:52] His best advice for someone looking to follow in his footsteps [17:57] Quotes: "We kind of had to get results or pivot and create a new story, and we decided to pivot and take a look at what we had learned." [Nick, 4:54] "It sounds really simple [to just have] a payment platform and this idea of memberships, class packs and things like that, but as studio owners know, it's not just that. There are a lot of nitty gritty details that go into managing the business, especially at a high level of efficiency." [Nick, 8:57] "The easiest way to get lots of feedback is to turn your clients into a community, and have them work and collaborate together." [Nick, 12:18] "The typical entrepreneur might look at what other verticals they can go into and what type of businesses can use their management platform, but I would rather go deeper into the fitness studio space." [Nick, 13:38] "I think you look for a mentor to be hands on in the area of the business you're trying to grow in. Hopefully, they're your mentor for a long time, but also a part of mentorship is outgrowing them." [Nick, 16:57] Links & Resources Mentioned: [email protected]  https://candyfunhouse.ca/products/100-grand-bar