Speaking Startup: A fitness business making gains in a pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic has posed an existential threat to businesses in the health and fitness sector, with various industry estimates suggesting more than one in seven gyms has closed for good since the onset of COVID-19. The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association estimated that 15% of gyms and fitness studios had shuttered through the third quarter of 2020. A December report from ClubIntel put that figure at 18%. Still, some businesses in the sector have grown as others have shuttered. In Columbia, Jennifer Mullen expanded her Adaptable Pilates and Physical Therapy studio and is looking to make her first hire. Her approach to business has been, like the name of her studio, adaptable. “Normal is always kind of adapting, you know," she said. "It has definitely evolved." Plus, there's a new startup accelerator looking to put itself on the map in Missouri. Mission Control formed last year with a focus on early-stage startups working on the future of mobility, space and food technology, among other industries. Central to the accelerator's approach is pairing startups with students from universities in Missouri.