IDEA Health & World Active: The Future of Fitness Professionals With Amy Boone Thompson
Release Date: 11/21/2024
Inside FIBO: The World’s Largest Health, Fitness, & Wellness Exhibition With Florian Brauer
Fitness + Technology
In this episode of the Fitness + Technology Podcast, Bryan O’Rourke sits down with Florian Brauer, Senior Global Brand Manager for FIBO—the world’s largest exhibition platform for health, fitness, and wellness. Florian oversees FIBO’s global brand strategy, shaping its international identity and managing a growing portfolio of regional events, including FIBO Arabia. He also cultivates partnerships with industry organizations, federations, and thought leaders worldwide. As a central figure behind one of the industry’s most influential gatherings, Florian plays a key role in...
info_outline
Cutting Through The AI Hype Cycle In Fitness With Chris Sullivan
Fitness + Technology
In this episode of the Fitness + Technology Podcast, Bryan O’Rourke sits down with Chris Sullivan, recently CIO of Self Esteem Brands and now Lead Principal Advisor at Brillect. Together, they explore the realities of scaling technology in complex, franchise-driven environments. Drawing on his background in retail and digital innovation, Chris shares insights on navigating growth, overcoming operational challenges, and cutting through the noise of AI hype to uncover real business value. Now advising organizations through Brillect, he delivers strategic insights grounded in experience,...
info_outline
Gamification That Pays: Inside the Referral + Loyalty Tactics Fueling Growth LIVE From HFA Show 2026
Fitness + Technology
In this episode of the Fitness + Technology Podcast, Bryan O’Rourke presents “Gamification That Pays: Inside the Referral + Loyalty Tactics Fueling Growth,” a panel discussion recorded live at the HFA Show in San Diego. Bryan is joined by Heather Malstaff, Director of Sales & Operations at Extraordinary Brands; Martin Johns, Owner and General Manager of Raintree Athletic Club; and Amie Boring, Technical Solutions Consultant at Chuze Fitness. Together, they examine how referral programs, loyalty strategies, and gamified campaigns are being leveraged to shape member behavior and...
info_outline
Operate Fit: Building Better Systems For Nonprofits With Jim Paro
Fitness + Technology
In this episode of the Fitness + Technology Podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes Jim Paro, Founder of Operate Fit, to the show. Operate Fit is a platform designed to help community-focused organizations modernize how they manage their operations. By replacing paper forms, scattered spreadsheets, and manual processes with centralized digital workflows, the platform helps facilities save time, reduce operational risk, and maintain compliance. In this conversation, Jim joins Bryan to discuss the operational challenges many facilities face today, why digitizing workflows is becoming essential...
info_outline
Perkville: Driving Loyalty & Retention Innovation With Sunil Saha
Fitness + Technology
In this episode of the Fitness + Technology Podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes Sunil Saha back to the show. Sunil is the Co-Founder and CEO of Perkville, a customer rewards and referral platform that integrates with e-commerce, point-of-sale, membership, and scheduling systems to deliver a seamless experience that drives engagement, referrals, and long-term loyalty. In this conversation, Sunil joins Bryan to explore member engagement strategies, gamification, system integration, and the evolving role of technology in strengthening customer relationships across the fitness industry. RSVP...
info_outline
The Research Behind The Fitness Membership Divide With Melissa Rodriguez
Fitness + Technology
In this episode of the Fitness + Technology Podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes Melissa Rodriguez, a market research leader in the fitness industry. Melissa has worked with organizations including HFA and Mindbody and has conducted numerous independent research initiatives. She recently founded her own firm, Datagonist, where she combines practitioner experience with research leadership to deliver strategic insights to the industry. Datagonist focuses on market dynamics and consumer behavior across the fitness and wellness landscape, providing data-driven insights that help operators,...
info_outline
FitnessKPI Webinar: Adopting Proven AI Management Tools In Your Gym Operation With Pablo Viñaspre
Fitness + Technology
In this episode of the Fitness + Technology Podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke presents his webinar, “Adopting Proven AI Management Tools in Your Gym Operation,” alongside Pablo Viñaspre of FitnessKPI. This in-depth session explores how fitness operators can implement practical AI solutions to streamline staff workflows, personalize member experiences, optimize marketing and sales performance, and improve retention and profitability. Bryan and Pablo break down which AI tools are delivering measurable results today, how to integrate them into existing systems, and how to responsibly scale AI...
info_outline
Agentic AI And The Future Of Fitness: A Conversation With Steffie Bryant
Fitness + Technology
In this episode of the Fitness + Technology Podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes Steffie Bryant to the show. Steffie brings a strong background in gym operations, sales, and currently serves as President of Keepme.ai, an AI-powered sales and marketing CRM platform designed specifically for the fitness industry. Since its launch in April 2019, Keepme.ai has expanded globally, supporting hundreds of fitness clubs in driving member acquisition, engagement, and retention. In this conversation, Bryan and Steffie explore the evolution of artificial intelligence, with a particular focus on agentic...
info_outline
FitnessKPI Webinar: Strategies For Implementing Data Solutions For Gym Chains With Pablo Viñaspre
Fitness + Technology
In this episode of the Fitness + Technology Podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke shares his recent webinar, “Strategies For Implementing Data Solutions For Gym Chains,” presented alongside Pablo Viñaspre, Founder and CEO of FitnessKPI. This in-depth session examines proven strategies for successfully implementing data solutions across multi-site gym operations. Bryan and Pablo discuss how operators can adopt and scale analytics to improve member retention, enhance pricing strategies, and uncover new revenue opportunities. Designed for multi-site executives and industry leaders, this...
info_outline
Capital, Strategy, & Innovation In Fitness With Pete Moore
Fitness + Technology
In this episode of the Fitness + Technology Podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes back strategic advisor Pete Moore, Managing Partner at Integrity Square. Pete and his firm specialize in supporting passionate entrepreneurs, high-growth companies, and experienced executives by connecting them with the right sources of capital. At Integrity Square, Pete leads efforts in the health, active lifestyle, and outdoor sectors. During this insightful conversation, Bryan and Pete explore business strategy with a focus on mergers and acquisitions, private equity, and the current dynamics of the capital...
info_outlineThis week, on the Fitness + Technology podcast, host Bryan O’Rourke welcomes Amy Boone Thompson to the show. Amy is the Owner & CEO of IDEA Health & Fitness Association, the world's leading organization of fitness and wellness professionals and has been for more than 40 years. She is also Chairman for World Active, a global initiative meant to set up an open and transparent platform for the fitness and physical activity sector to get “more people, more active, more often”. Today, Amy joins Bryan to talk about her organizations, the future role of fitness professionals, and other interesting insights.
One Powerful Quote:
15:54: “Be authentically you always."
4-10 Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed:
3:02: Bryan opens the show by asking why Amy acquired IDEA and her envisioned future for the organization.
6:44: Amy highlights what’s happening at World Active and the challenges with her role.
10:45: Amy shares her views on technology and its influence on fitness professionals.
15:47: Bryan wraps up the show with Amy imparting her final pearls of wisdom to the listeners.
Bullet List of Resources:
Guest Contact Information:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/amybthompson/
https://www.bryankorourke.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryankorourke/