Trends Transforming The Health Club Industry #IHRSA2013

Macro trends are reinventing the health club industry. This is the subject of my presentation at IHRSA2013 this year. Its always exciting to attend and present at IHRSA. I am so very honored and thankful to the professionals with IHRSA for giving me the chance to contribute.

When I say that the health club industry is being transformed, what I mean is that the same trends which have impacted retail, restaurants, transportation, hospitality and others are having very similar impacts on the club business. First, demographics are shifting; aging boomers and rising millennials are combining to impact consumer tastes and needs. Second, technology is creating the ability to perform services and deliver goods in ways that were unavailable only a few years ago. Third, the world is shrinking and global ism is creating a new realm of competition and opportunity. The convergence of these forces is reshaping our businesses and will for years to come.

What is the end result ? Who knows exactly, but during my talk on Thursday March 21st from 1:30 - 3:00 I'll share what I see the future as being. Hopefully you can attend. If you can't I'll be sharing the content here and via my slideshare account.

About the author:

Bryan O’Rourke is a health club industry expert, technologist, financier, shareholder and executive in several fitness companies. He works for Fitmarc, which delivers Les Mills programs to over 700 facilities in the US. He advises successful global brands, serves as a member of the GGFA Think Tank and serves as CEO of the Fitness Industry Technology Council. To learn more contact Bryan here today .

The New Enterprise Requires A Progressive Technology Platform

Believe me, all industries and institutions, and in particular the health club, fitness and wellness business, are going through tremendous change, whether one wants to admit to it or not. History tells us that transformative times are met in two ways: as an exciting opportunity for advancement or as a threatening force to the status quo. What people think about change is usually aligned with how much they benefit from the way things are not the way they could be.

When I say that the fitness, wellness and health club industry is wrestling with "Digital Darwinism" "the evolution of consumer behavior when society and technology evolve faster than our ability to adapt", I'm addressing that pull between the future and the past and today I think a lot of that tension lies in misunderstandings around technology. With obesity so rampant and preventable chronic illnesses so pervasive, our modus operandi must change to achieve a brighter future . Achieving this future requires doing things in very different ways . Understanding how to recreate the enterprise around technology platforms is a major part of what needs to happen to make things better.

Other progressive industries are changing the way things are done and learning from them is a good means of exploring the path to this future I refer to. Watch the brief clip below with Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts, who is creating the ultimate Social Enterprise using salesforce.com, incorporating social and mobile elements across the entire organization, and connecting with employees and customers in a whole new way. Your business is your customer experience and platforms enable organizations to deliver on that experience. As Angela summarizes to CEO's who remain skeptical , that failing to adopt her approach she doesn't know where business models would be in 5 years. She's right . As the historian and author Daniel Boorstin said, the greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance - it is the illusion of knowledge. We have a lot to learn but its there for those who want to find out how. Watch !

About the author:

Bryan O’Rourke is a health club industry expert, technologist, financier, and shareholder and executive in several fitness and health club companies. He consults with numerous global brands, serves as a member of the GGFA Think Tank is Chair of the Medical Fitness Association’s Education Committee and a partner in the Flywheel Group - an expert in salesforce.com development and implementation. To learn more contact Bryan here today .