Fitness Business Podcast: Leadership, Innovation, and Profit

What are millions of fitness bookings telling us about the future of gyms, studios, and wellness? In this episode, JT sits down with Jeff Bladt to unpack the inaugural ClassPass 2026 Industry Impact Report and explore the trends shaping modern fitness behavior. They discuss why consumers increasingly want variety and discovery, how Pilates and HYROX-style training continue to surge, why recovery services are exploding in popularity, and how studios can better monetize unused class capacity. If you operate a gym, studio, or wellness business, this episode offers valuable insight into where the industry is heading next. Download the ClassPass report: https://www.patreon.com/FitnessBusinessPodcast/posts/2026-classpass-160103135 You'll learn: - Why variety is becoming essential to fitness retention - The behavior patterns of long-term ClassPass users - The continued rise of Pilates and hot fitness formats - Why recovery and wellness services are growing rapidly - How ClassPass helps studios fill unused inventory - What gym operators can learn from ClassPass onboarding and reviews - The future of the ClassPass and EGYM relationship Timestamps: (00:00) Why JT wanted to unpack the ClassPass Industry Impact Report (02:32) Why the report data is so significant for the industry (05:10) The biggest takeaway: variety and discovery matter (08:11) Why users are trying 10+ studios on average (12:24) How ClassPass reduces onboarding friction for new exercisers (17:42) Why Pilates and hot fitness formats are booming (24:03) What happened to boutique cycling after the pandemic (28:06) The rise of recovery, stretching, and wellness ecosystems (37:01) How ClassPass helps studios monetize unused capacity (49:48) The future of the ClassPass and EGYM partnership Take the Next Step: - Become an FBP Insider (7 days free) https://fbpinsiders.fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/ - Free live online events for fitness leaders https://fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/onlineevents - Have a say in Season 7! https://fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/season-7/ Our guest, Jeff Bladt: - Website: https://classpass.com/ - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bladt/  Our Merch Sponsor: Mountainside Fitness: Website: https://mountainsidefitness.com/  REX Roundtables: Website: www.REXRoundtables.comEmail: [email protected] Supplier's Pitch: Alantheus Thompson, Groe Solutions LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alantheus  Company Website: https://www.groe.solutions Company Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/groe.solutions/ Company LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/groesolutions  Thank you to the partners who support The Fitness Business Podcast:  BeBalanced Centers: Provides natural hormone balancing for weight loss and symptom relief. https://www.bebalancedcenters.com/ Instinctive Insights: Provides profit-driven marketing and data science services to increase customer acquisition. https://www.instinctiveinsights.com/ Eleiko: Manufactures and sells premium strength and weightlifting equipment. https://eleiko.com/en-usNetGym: Provides automated staff operations and sub-request management for fitness studios. https://www.netgym.comEGYM: Provides smart, connected fitness technology and equipment for gyms. https://egym.com/us About Our Guest: Jeff Bladt is Senior Vice President of Pricing and Marketplace at Playlist, the parent company of ClassPass, where he leads global marketplace strategy, pricing, and partner economics. He focuses on optimizing supply-demand dynamics, driving incremental revenue for partners, and enhancing user engagement through data-driven innovation. Bladt plays a key role in scaling ClassPass as a leading wellness marketplace, helping connect millions of users with fitness and wellness experiences worldwide. Please note: We only recommend products we care about (affiliate links support our free content). Thank you for your support!

Running a successful fitness business requires more than just hard work. It requires financial clarity. In this episode, JT speaks with Billy Hofacker, CEO of Fit Profit Solutions, about the numbers that actually drive profit, performance, and long term success. If you've been guessing your way through your finances, this episode will give you a clear starting point. You'll learn: - The biggest financial mistakes gym owners make - The core numbers every fitness business must track - Why revenue alone is misleading - How to project cash flow and avoid financial stress - What "net owner economic benefit" really means Timestamps (00:00) The two languages of business: owner vs accountant (03:10) Why gym owners struggle financially despite working hard (07:45) The biggest financial mistake in the fitness industry (12:20) Why revenue can be misleading without context (18:05) The 4 core numbers every gym owner must track (26:40) Why tracking daily numbers changes behavior (34:15) Cash flow vs profit and why they are different (42:50) Understanding profit margin in a gym business (50:30) When to hire and intentionally lower profit margin (58:10) Where to start if you don't know your numbers Take the Next Step: - Become an FBP Insider (7 days free) https://fbpinsiders.fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/ - Free live online events for fitness leaders https://fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/onlineevents - Have a say in Season 7! https://fitnessbusinesspodcast.com/season-7/ Our guest, Billy Hofacker: - Website: https://www.yourfitnessmoneycoach.com - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billy-hofacker-1641aa14/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billyhofacker/ - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/billyhofacker/  REX Roundtables: Website: www.REXRoundtables.comEmail: [email protected] Supplier's Pitch: Danny Orlick, NetGym NetGym Website: https://netgym.com/partners/fbp/ NetGym LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thenetgym NetGym Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenetgym/ NetGym Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/THEnetgym LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielorlick/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dannyorlick_netgym/  Thank you to the partners who support The Fitness Business Podcast:  Groe Solutions: Provides AI and computer vision software for gym member retention. https://www.groe.solutions Budderfly: Provides comprehensive, no-cost energy efficiency as a service for businesses. https://www.budderfly.com/ Gym TV (Club Com): Provides custom digital entertainment, music, and signage for fitness clubs.https://www.clubcom.com/ Simple Again (Performance Food Centers): Helps businesses open smoothie and juice bars with clean ingredients. https://www.performancefoodcenters.com Power Plate: Sells whole-body and targeted vibration plate machines for fitness and wellness.https://www.powerplate.com/ About Our Guest: Billy Hofacker, a 25-year fitness pro and BJJ black belt, built and sold Total Body Boot Camp on Long Island. Now, he helps Fit Pros win with money through his book Fitness Profits and top 1.5% podcast Your Fitness Money Coach. A Distinguished Toastmaster and sought-after speaker, Billy presents for top organizations like Perform Better. Please note: We only recommend products we care about (affiliate links support our free content). Thank you for your support!