Episode #576: Bringing Together Health, Wellness, and Tech-Kisaco's Connected Conference
HALO Talks: Elevating Wellness
Release Date: 11/25/2025
HALO Talks: Elevating Wellness
In this new episode of HALO Talks, host Pete Moore sits down with David Appel from KORB Health to dive into the rapidly evolving world of GLP-1s, fitness, and clinical care integration. Pulling from his experience as a longtime coach-turned-operator, Appel talks about the genesis of KORB and how they're working to bridge the gap between telehealth, health clubs, and innovative weight loss solutions. They bring up marketing strategies that connect with new demographics, the challenges and opportunities of GLP-1 programming, and the importance of education for both fitness...
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Welcome to another episode of HALO Talks! On today's Fast Break, host Pete Moore catches up with Erika Wasser, Co-Founder of Prospr. This is Erika's second appearance on the pod, her first being back in 2020. (Link below to the full episode.) Wasser has been on a mission to streamline club and studio operations for years, tackling the challenge of consolidating disparate tools into one seamless platform. She shares some exciting updates about how Prospr has evolved into an enterprise-level solution, now integrating with major platforms like Awardco, Mariana Tek, and Mindbody, with more on the...
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In this episode of HALO Talks, host Pete Moore reconnects with longtime friend and real estate industry veteran Jeff Roseman, Vice Chairman at Newmark and previous guest. (Podcast #151. Link below.) Together, they dive into the surging demand for fitness and wellness tenants in New York City, discussing how the HALO space has helped revitalize the retail and office markets. Jeff shares insider perspectives on landlord-tenant dynamics, the nuances of leasing deals—including the New York-centric "good guy clause"—and the importance of understanding market economics. The...
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In this Fast Break, HALO sector veteran Jay Shoates put forward some powerful ideas on building fitness businesses that serve both professionals and the local community, as well as the importance of always learning and adapting. Some key takeaways: Agility in Business: The HALO sector isn’t one-size-fits-all. Jay emphasized the importance of being agile, exploring different roles from facility operations to consulting to ensure full utilization and holistic contribution to the industry. Community Connection: Success isn’t defined by facility size, but by the value you provide and your...
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On this episode of HALO Talks, host Pete Moore sits down with Hunter Ziesing, founder of Longevity Health, to dive into the rapidly chaing volving world of preventive health and personal wellness data. Bringing decades of experience from Wall Street, athletic pursuits, and nonprofit work, Hunter shares his inspiration for moving into longevity and healthspan solutions after seeing friends and family struggle with preventable health issues. He discusses Longevity Health’s mission: Democratizing access to clinical-grade health data and AI-driven recommendations. . . basically what elite...
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On this episode of HALO Talks, host Pete Moore sits down with Chris Rotondi, franchisee of a Serotonin Center in Greenwich, Connecticut. From his early days as the 13th employee at Shift4 to his foray into the HALO (Health, Active Lifestyle, Outdoor) space, Chris talks about his entrepreneurial path and passion for biohacking, longevity, and helping others transform their lives. Listen now as Pete and Chris discuss the hard truths behind starting and scaling a HALO business, the importance of authentic local marketing, and the unique advantages (and sometimes challenges!) of joining...
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On this episode of HALO Talks-FastBreak, host Pete Moore welcomes University of Georgia student and public health major Ethan Bezner for a transparent conversation about tackling today's greatest health issues—loneliness, obesity, and diabetes. Bezner shares his motivations about why he dove into research around early onset type 2 diabetes, exploring risk factors like sedentary lifestyles, processed foods, and our evolving relationship with fitness. The conversation steers into into the reality of the public health system as Ethan recounts stories from his time as a clinic...
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Welcome to this episode of HALO Talks, where host Pete Moore sits down with Bryce Berry, a New York native whose career led him from Westchester County to the mountains of Salt Lake City, and eventually to building a powerhouse presence in the Gold's Gym franchise network. Bryce shares his entrepreneurial path, starting with the unexpected lessons learned from running Dairy Queen stores, before moving into the health club industry and launching some of the largest and most successful Gold's Gym locations in Colorado, Wyoming, and Washington. From the intricacies of site selection and gym...
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On this episode of HALO Talks, host Pete Moore welcomes Dr. Joey Munoz, a leader in the world of fitness and nutrition, straight from Tampa by way of Miami. Joey shares his transformation from an overweight teenager to earning a Ph.D in nutritional sciences, and explains how education and mentorship shaped his evidence-based approach to health. They dive into the evolving landscape of the HALO sector, discuss the confusion that many face around nutrition labels, and stress the importance of taking ownership of your health through education rather than relying on the latest "hacks,"...
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Welcome to HALO Talks! In this episode, host Pete Moore sits down with Hewitt Tomlin, the entrepreneur behind Teambuildr—a software platform that's changing the game on how strength coaches and personal trainers deliver programming. Starting with a simple idea in college, Hewitt has built Teambuildr into a leading solution for gyms, coaches, and athletes, empowering thousands with better tools for training and performance. Together, they dive into the rapidly-evolving landscape of fitness technology, discussing the rise of strength training in gyms, the impact of AI on coaching,...
info_outlineIn 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 leaders—from 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 you’re looking for fresh ideas, strategic partnerships, and inspiration for 2026 and beyond, this episode is a great guide to why you should be at next year’s Connected event in LA on Feb 18-20!
Gobis states, "At Kisako, and especially at our Connected event, we focus on content all of which is based in hours and hours of research with the industry and most importantly the primary market. The gyms, boutiques, wellness clubs, hotels, spas, longevity clinics we spoke to . . . are based on the key challenges that they are experiencing in the industry, and what we're trying to do over the year is find potential solutions to these key challenges."
Key themes discussed
- Evolution of the Connected Health & Fitness Conference.
- Integrating the health, wellness, fitness, and technology sectors.
- Senior-level industry attendance and networking opportunities.
- Science-backed, actionable conference content and research.
- Partnerships between operators, brands, and healthcare providers.
- Dedicated focus on women’s health and longevity.
- Emphasis on community, member experience, and practical takeaways.
A Few Key Takeaways:
1.Evolution and Focus of the Connected Event: Rika explained how the Connected Health & Fitness event has evolved over seven years, expanding beyond just connected fitness to now fully encompass health, wellness, fitness, and tech. The goal is to create an ecosystem that enables operators to deliver science-backed, holistic, and tech-enabled solutions for the industry.
2. High-Level Attendees and Diverse Ecosystem: One of the distinctive aspects of the event is its seniority of attendees—50-60% are C-level executives. The audience isn’t limited to traditional fitness operators but also includes hotels, spas, healthcare providers (like Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic), insurance, pharma, and big brands like Nike and Adidas. This diversity encourages powerful partnerships and networking across adjacent industries.
3. Research-Driven, Actionable Content: The programming is based on extensive industry research, focusing on real, current challenges faced by operators, boutiques, hotels, and clinics. The format emphasizes rapid-fire, specific sessions (typically 20-30 minutes) driven by data and science, not just generic panel discussions. Rika personally ensures all sessions deliver tangible ROI and actionable takeaways.
4. Special Emphasis on Emerging Topics: Women’s Health & Longevity: A unique aspect of the 2026 event is a multi-hour Women’s Health Symposium—a significant step up from the usual short panels—tackling issues like hormones, fertility, training around the menstrual cycle, and case studies from operators leading in this space. There’s also a significant focus on longevity and how fitness operators can position themselves as preventive health “hubs” in partnership with healthcare.
5. Opportunities for Hands-On Learning, Networking & Fun: Attendees will have access to workshops, a workout room, media lounge for podcasts, workout/recovery pop-ups, and the chance to try the latest in equipment and wellness experiences. Rika guarantees not just actionable business insights, but meaningful connections and enjoyable experiences that can reshape attendees’ strategic plans for 2026 and beyond.
Resources:
- Reka Gobis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/r%C3%A9ka-g%C3%B3bis-business-management-and-marketing
- Connected Fitness: https://connectedhealthandfitness.com/events/connected-health-fitness-summit-2026
- Integrity Square: https://www.integritysq.com
- Prospect Wizard: https://www.theprospectwizard.com
- Promotion Vault: https://www.promotionvault.com
- HigherDose: https://www.higherdose.com