Ep 323 - 1Rebel: Reimagining Boutique Fitness | Co-founder James Balfour

On this week’s episode of the Escape Your Limits podcast, our guest is James Balfour, founder of the  iconic, trailblazing, boutique fitness brand, 1Rebel. When the brand entered the market in 2014, it reimagined fitness, offering an endorphin-rich, community drive experience that combined beautifully quirky, high-end environments with quality programming, instruction and community. This was arguably the start of the boutique fitness revolution. In this podcast, James Balfour gives a very candid account of the brand’s pandemic survival strategy, its strategic pivots to remain relevant, strong and sustainable through changing market conditions and a glimpse at the brand’s future ambitions. James’ also talks about his personal experience of the pandemic. As an eternal optimist, he always believed the storm would eventually pass, which it did, but at what cost? James talks about the collateral damage and harsh lessons learned about the importance of family and friendship. In this podcast, James talks very frankly and honestly about: Adapting the 1Rebel business model in response to COVID. Evolution of boutique fitness. Experience driven marketing. Values vs. marketing messages. Creating community-driven environments that promote unity.  Nurturing and supporting freelance instructors. Adapting the model in response to changes in consumer behaviours. Growth strategies, franchising and international expansion. The impact of emerging technology on the fitness industry. Fitness trend predictions. Personal lessons from the pandemic. To learn more about 1Rebel, click here. ====================================================== Subscribe to our YouTube channel and turn on your notifications so you never miss a new video when it’s published: https://www.youtube.com/user/EscapeFitness Shop gym equipment: https://escapefitness.com/shop View our full catalog:  https://escapefitness.com/support/catalog https://escapefitness.com/support/catalogue  ====================================================== Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Escapefitness Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/escapefitness Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/escapefitness LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/escapefitness/    

Om Podcasten

ESCAPE YOUR LIMITS: Inside the minds of fitness industry influencers. Find out what drives, fuels and motivates the leaders in health and fitness. Each episode of Escape Your Limits reveals the mental, physical and emotional ingredients involved in standing out above everybody else. Discover why successful people keep going when most people stop, and what keeps them going day after day. It’s not about shortcuts for dreamers; these people prove that constant hard work fueled by the right frame of mind is what makes dreams a reality. Join Matthew Januszek, co-founder of Escape Fitness, as he delves into the mindset of leadership and success. L.I.F.T.S: Every week, our intrepid hosts Matthew Januszek of Escape Fitness and Mo Iqbal of SweatWorks will discuss the breaking fitness industry news, providing their own perspective on the headlines whilst provoking thoughts and conversations. All delivered in a quick-fix, approximately 30-minute podcast.