HALO Talks Fast Break: Behind the Numbers-Health Club Multiples and Market Transformations
HALO Talks: Elevating Wellness
Release Date: 07/24/2025
Episode #580: Building Bozemanās Fitness Mecca-Steve Roderickās Journey with The Ridge Athletic Club
HALO Talks: Elevating Wellness
On this episode of HALO Talks, host Pete Moore welcomes industry veteran Steve Roderick, the man behind Bozeman, Montanaās Ridge Athletic. Steve began his career in the HALO sector serendipitouslyāthanks to a chance encounter in a Wyoming barāRoderick talks about how his love for athletics fueled his vision to elevate community health and wellness. From building the Ridge from the ground up to navigating the constantly evolving landscape of Bozeman, he reflects on the importance of creating a multi-generational, welcoming environment, his strategies for growth, and the value of...
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Episode #579: From SoulCycle to Satire-Johnny Hilbrant on Creating PE Guy and Viral Success
HALO Talks: Elevating Wellness
On this episode of HALO Talks, host Pete Moore sits down with Johnny HilbrantāSoulCycle instructor turned viral sensation, also known as āPE Guy.ā From his roots riding and teaching at Soul in Chicago and Boston, Johnny talks about his journey from fitness enthusiast to comedic creator, blending his knack for improv and sharp observational humor to lampoon a familiar character . . . the "private equity bro" you inevitably get cornered by at a wedding or some other event. The conversation gets into how Johnny developed his PE Guy persona, why the character resonates so widely (with both...
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Episode #578: Lessons in Effective Communication and Brand Equity for Private Equity Firms with Scott Markman
HALO Talks: Elevating Wellness
Welcome to another episode of HALO Talks! Host Pete Moore sits down with branding expert and MonoGram Group founder Scott Markman for a wide-ranging conversation on private equity, marketing, and the art of standing out in a competitive landscape. From Scott's early days building powerhouse brands in PEālike Antares Capitalāto the inside stories and lessons learned from working with over 100 PE firms, youāll get a front-row seat to how branding and storytelling have evolved in finance and beyond. Pete and Scott riff on everything from the importance of humanizing private equity...
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Episode #577: Driving Employee Wellness Participation-Rich Novelliās Platform for Small Business Success
HALO Talks: Elevating Wellness
In this episode of HALO Talks, host Pete Moore catches up with good friend and industry veteran Rich Novelli, marking his second appearance on the show. With over 40 years in the HALO space, Rich shares how heās now turning his focus from traditional health clubs to the rapidly-growing world of corporate wellness. He discusses how his new platform, Alegria Wellness, leverages tech and personalized coaching to drive higher employee participationāespecially in small and underserved businesses. Novelli explains why simply offering discounted gym memberships just isnāt enough, how...
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Episode #576: Bringing Together Health, Wellness, and Tech-Kisaco's Connected Conference
HALO Talks: Elevating Wellness
In this episode of HALO Talks, host Pete Moore sits down with Reka Gobis from Kisaco Research. They discuss how their Connected Health & Fitness Conference is evolving to bring together industry leadersāfrom boutique gyms and major brands like Nike and Adidas, to healthcare giants like Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic. They discuss the importance of creating actionable, science-backed insights and meaningful connections in an intimate setting, all designed to help operators deliver tech-enabled solutions and drive real change in the HALO sector. If youāre looking for fresh ideas,...
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Episode #575: Scaling Planet Fitness-Lessons in Execution and Growth from CJ Bouchard
HALO Talks: Elevating Wellness
In this episode of HALO Talks, industry veteran CJ Bouchard opens up to host Pete Moore about the realities of entrepreneurship in the fitness industry, sharing candid stories of risk, resilience, and what it really means to build from the ground up. From betting his savings on a fledgling franchise in North Carolina and initially making daily two-hour commutes, to pivoting and learning tough lessons about club size, site selection, and market expansion, CJ reveals how grit, adaptability, and a clear mission have fueled Excel Fitnessās phenomenal growth. Planet Fitness (NYSE:PLNT) is one of...
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Episode #574: Elevate Fitness Evolution-Real Estate, Recovery, and Community Impact With Tom Muller
HALO Talks: Elevating Wellness
In this episode of HALO Talks, host Pete Moore sits down with long-time friend and industry veteran Tom Muller, owner of Elevate Fitness in Syracuse, NY. With roots that stretch back to the Gold's Gym days, Tom shares his journey through decades of shifting trends, club expansions, and the pivotal decision to rebrand and tech-enable his business for the modern member experience. From innovative fitness programming and thriving tennis and swim programs to the impact of major local investments like Micron and Amazon, Tom reveals the strategies that have kept Elevate thriving in a stable,...
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HALO Talks Fast Break: Pickleball Consulting, Court Installs, and Industry Trends With Kaitlin Miller from Court Kings
HALO Talks: Elevating Wellness
Excited to share highlights from this weekās HALO Talks FastBreak featuring Kaitlin Miller from Court Kings. A level 5 player herself, Kaitlin and Pete dive deep into the rapid growth of pickleball and how Court Kings innovative court solutions are shaping the industryāespecially for health and fitness facilities. 3 key takeaways: Booming Demand: Pickleball courts in NYC (especially at ) are booked solid from open to closeāsometimes with waitlists to join! If your facility hasnāt added pickleball yet, now is the time. Turnkey Court Solutions: Court Kings was recently named the...
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Episode #573: How LightStim Revolutionized LED Beds and the Med Spa Industry with Steve Marchese
HALO Talks: Elevating Wellness
Welcome to another episode of HALO Talks! In todayās episode, Integrity Square Founder and host Pete Moore sits down with Steve Marchese, the founder of LightStim, to dig into the transformative power of LED light technology and its growing role in med spas and wellness centers across the country. Steve shares the LightStim origin story, which was born out of a personal mission to help his own son combat dangerously high blood pressure when traditional medicine offered no solutions. What started as a family "Hail Mary" turned into years of rigorous innovation, FDA collaboration,...
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Episode #572: Building Hone Fitness-Jim Solomonās Urban Strategy and Lessons from Torontoās Fitness Scene
HALO Talks: Elevating Wellness
Welcome to HALO Talks, where we dive into the entrepreneurial journeys and strategic insights shaping the HALO sector! (Health, Active Lifestyle, Outdoors.) In this episode, host Pete Moore sits down with longtime friend and industry veteran Jim Solomon, founder of Hone Fitness. Broadcasting on location from Toronto, Jim shares his story of more than 26 years in the fitness space, from his early days as a senior associate at Goldās Gym to building and selling clubs in Torontoās unique urban neighborhoods. They talk candidly about the āpuzzleā that is site selection in metropolitan...
info_outlineIn today's šššš¢ š§š®š¹šøš šššØš©š½š§ššš we're excited to bring you another portion of our panel discussion at the recent Athletech News Innovators Summit held in NYC, July 2025.
Integrity Square Founder Pete Moore had the pleasure of moderating a panel with Mark Federico (CEO of Crunch Fitness CR Fitness Holdings, LLC) and Terry Blachek (Orangetheory Fitness) for a deep dive into the real-world challengesāand strategiesāof scaling fitness franchises.
- M&A Is More Than Just Numbers: At its core, M&A is (also!) about āmultiples and add-backsā šāunderstanding valuation drivers and how projecting future growth (and dealing with the inevitable aftershocks) can make or break a deal.
- The HALO Sector Has Transformed: Once dominated by just a few big players, the space is now segmented with unique opportunities (and risks) for each vertical. Brands like EoS, Vasa, and Fitness Connection may look new, but actually. . . many are evolutions of legacy Gold's clubs.
- Valuations: Investor sentiment is extremely strong right now, with leading brands commanding impressive multiples (EoS at 13x, Crunch corporate at 18x.) A diverse club portfolio across states also usually means higher valuation and more investor interest.
We encourage everyone to work hard to understand the bigger picture that's literally happening right now in health club M&Aābeyond just the financials.š”
Want to learn more? (You should. Otherwise you're playing checkers while the rest of the industry plays chess.)
Give us 10 hours of your time at the next HALO Academy starting Sept 8, 2025. Register at https://www.thehaloacademy.com now for $495 and earn a $100 gift card from our friends at Promotion Vault. Testimonials at https://www.thehaloacademy.com/testimonials
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