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ED ITO R’ S LE T TER

Going mainstream peaking at the HCM Summit in late 2024, industry expert Oli Patrick said the health and fitness industry has an opportunity to lead the world in wellbeing and prevention and called on the sector to step up and deliver the expertise and support consumers need (www.HCMmag.com/OliP24). The last 12 months has seen this call to action playing out in all parts of the sector, with a range of preventative health offerings coming to market as operators’ ambitions widen into wellness. Services in areas such as mindfulness, sleep, nutrition, mental health and longevity are not new, but in 2025 we saw them go mainstream, driven by competition and demand for deeper engagement with prevention. In many cases, these services are being offered at an affordable price for the first time, with health clubs’ accessible local delivery making it easier for people to maintain their health regime on a day-to-day basis. As the sober-curious movement gains momentum and more people get engaged with exercise and wellness lifestyles, they’re discovering the joys of living in a healthy body – more energy and focus, better sleep, greater clarity of thought and less ill health – and developing into a new group of super-users. The US market jumped to 31 per cent penetration as a result, with 96 million consumers working out, while the UK market beat pre-pandemic numbers for the first time and EuropeActive confirmed its goal of a million members in Europe by 2030 is still on track. In the public sector, the growth of health interventions has been notable, as operators have raised their game to find new ways to deliver everything from stroke recovery to balance training, with partnerships forming between operators and medics; such as at Hillbrow in East Sussex (p53). 2025 was the year when GLP-1s impacted the sector, with muscle mass loss and weight loss reversal on cessation both established by research, driving more

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Momentum has continued in the market over the last 12 months, with wellness modalities going mainstream and collaborations bringing new energy to the sector, as performance ramps up

Wellness went mainstream across the sector in 2025

2025 was the year when GLP-1s impacted the sector, with some operators selling the drugs to members consumers into clubs. We also saw training courses for PTs coming on stream to enable them to support members on GLP-1s and some operators starting to sell the drugs to members as part of support packages. Collaborations have been a major trend, with HCM launching a Collabs news section in October to reflect the sheer volume of deals being struck, from Hyrox and Everlast (p31) to Solidcore and Whoop (p42). These partnerships are unleashing amazing energy and enabling the sector to partner more closely with consumer brands, with all the benefits this brings. ● Liz Terry, editor lizterry@leisuremedia.com

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46 HCM Life Lessons

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2026 CONTENTS p05 / Editor’s letter The last year has been defined by wellness and health interventions, says HCM editor, Liz Terry

p12 / Most read Find out which news stories HCM readers have been most drawn to over the last 12 months

p24 / Editors’ picks Our editors have selected the stories that defined the market, month by month, in 2025

p50 / Interviews HCM’s in-depth profiles of industry leaders

p62 / Life Lessons From getting sacked to risking it all, industry leaders share their learnings from tough times

p96 / HCM People Enjoy HCM’s conversations with entrepreneurs

38 HCM profile interviews

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28 HCM editors’ picks

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14 HCM most read stories

Issue 12 2025 Volume 31 Number 345

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To subscribe to HCM in print (Health Club Management): log on to www.leisuresubs.com, email subs@leisuremedia.com or call +44 (0)1462 471930. Annual subscriptions: UK £45, Europe £57, rest of world £80, students (UK) £22. Style: HCM follows an editorial house style which precludes the use of marketing devices in body text and headlines when it comes to company names and registered trademarks. CamelCase and logical capitals are allowed. Contact the editor for more details – lizterry@leisuremedia.com. Copyright details: HCM (Health Club Management) is published 12 times a year by Leisure Media, PO Box 424, Hitchin, SG5 9GF, UK. The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the publisher. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recorded or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright holder, Cybertrek Ltd 2026.

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PEOPLE 2023

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2026 LIFE LESSONS CONTENTS p46 / Dan Summerson MD of Everlast Gyms

p50 / Pip Black Co-founder, Frame

p54 / Tony de Leede Entrepreneur

p58 / Chuck Runyon Co-founder, Purpose Brands

HOT 2026 ©Cybertrek 2023

p62 / Terrence the Teacher p66 / Elaine Jobson CEO, Jetts

p68 / Marjolijn Meijer Entrepreneur and co-founder, Urban Gym Group

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©Cybertrek 2023 HOT 2026

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PHOTO: EVERLAST GYMS

It’s difficult to get to a good position without having made a few bad calls

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Because of the lessons I learned with TRIB3, Everlast Gyms has the strongest version of me

DAN SUMMERSON Dan Summerson, MD of Everlast Gyms, reflects on powerful learnings from the early days of TRIB3, the boutique gym business he co-founded with Kevin Yates. He talks to Kath Hudson

n 2013, Kev Yates and I – we’d met as gym instructors at Fitness First when we were only 20 – set out to create a boutique brand in the north of England. At that time there were Barry’s and 1Rebel, but no one was really doing it outside London and there was an assumption it wouldn’t work elsewhere. Coming from the north we thought diﬀerently – we knew there were aﬄuent people there and so we co-founded TRIB3. We brought in two investors as silent partners and had enough money to build three clubs. The first was in Sheffield and went really well – it was in a good location and has always been the strongest performer.

I wanted to open the next two sites in Manchester and Leeds, but the consensus was to get critical mass in Sheffield with two more locations. My gut feeling was that Sheffield wasn’t big enough for three gyms and that the proposed locations didn’t have the right footfall or traffic. There’s more flexibility with big box gyms, whereas with boutiques you have to be more selective in terms of location, because of the higher price point. However, it was an exciting time and there were other people involved in the decision-making and so I agreed with the consensus for the good of the relationships within the business. ©Cybertrek 2026 HOT 2026

PHOTO: EVERLAST GYMS

Summerson is leading the rollout of the Everlast Gyms brand

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I’m now more measured about opening new sites – making sure everything is running smoothly at the existing sites before starting on the next one

PHOTO: EVERLAST GYMS

These second two sites in Sheffield never worked as well as the first and this put the business on the back foot. We were growing too quickly and never fully recovered from opening these two sites in the wrong locations. A few years down the line this led to us having to sell a controlling stake – which was bought by Holmes Place – and ultimately exit the business. I’m not allocating blame, or saying I wasn’t part of the decision making – of course I was – but I did go against my better judgement and looking back I realise I should have been more vocal about expressing my reservations.

Everlast Gyms is building world class health clubs

HOT 2026 ©Cybertrek 2026

It’s something I regret, and that Kev and I have talked about since we left. If we’d got it right in the beginning, I think we would still be operating TRIB3, instead of just being shareholders.

A more measured approach The whole TRIB3 situation changed me massively as a person. I realised I should have gone with my own judgements – it was one of those situations where the needs of the business should have come before the relationships. A lot of the time life is gut instinct. It’s the feeling that you get from those environments,

The aim is steady growth in the right locations

regardless of all the stats. You get reports saying that a location is going to be outstanding, but for me it’s just as important to look around – at the traffic and the people and get a feel for the place. In the fitness industry there’s often the desire to expand, but I’m more measured now about opening new sites and being more selective. I like to make sure that all operational aspects are running smoothly at the existing sites before starting on the next one. Looking back to TRIB3, we should have gone more slowly and made sure the business was prepared for change. We were rushing to expand too quickly. These are lessons I’ve continued to be inspired by ever since – the experience taught me about attention to detail: get the team and the processes in a row and don’t move until everything is right. Get the right locations, encourage your team to put all the facts and opinions on the table before a decision is made and don’t expand too fast. TRIB3 was a stepping stone that got me where I am today, so I don’t look at the experience negatively. It’s difficult to get to a good position without having made a few bad calls and anybody who says they’ve never made a mistake is probably lying. Because of the lessons I learned with TRIB3, Everlast Gyms has the strongest version of me. I’m proud of what we’re accomplishing at Everlast and excited about where we’re heading next. l ©Cybertrek 2026 HOT 2026

TO U G H T I M E S 2 02 5

I’ve given my business everything, and it’s sucked half of my soul out of me, but I can’t imagine life without it

PIP

BLACK Co-founder, Frame

PHOTO: FRAME

Pip Black and Joan Murphy co-founded group exercise concept, Frame, in 2008. Taking on investment, they expanded to eight London studios, then when the pandemic killed footfall they bought it back to save it. Black talks to Kath Hudson about the heart-wrenching decisions needed to make their muchloved business sustainable again

HOT 2026 ©Cybertrek 2026

oan and I bought our business back in 2022 via a pre-pack administration deal. It felt as though we were back in start-up mode, 14 years after we originally launched and it was humbling to have to pare back the costs and take everything into our own hands – writing emails and cleaning toilets – and put in all the hours and the grit again. It was slightly easier the second time around, as we had the learnings of the first time, but harder in the sense that we were at a different life stage. Having been growth-focused since 2009, the hardest thing of all was making the tough decision to shutter two of the eight sites, when expansion plans had been to increase the footprint nationally. We've always had a goal of opening more sites and of more sites equaling more success, so having to close studios felt as though we were going backwards. For ambitious self-starters, it was a knock to our confidence. It was an incredibly tough decision to close our Farringdon location – which had received no rent discount over the whole COVID period, at a time when our private equity investors, were being very unsupportive – as well as closing the strongest performing central London location in Fitzrovia. The Fitzrovia studio was a fitness destination: 12,000sq ft, with a great fit-out and a fantastic vibe and before COVID it had made profits of over £500k a year. Although we tried our hardest to keep it going, we weren't able to negotiate the right sort of deal with the landlord. It was a big site, with really high rent compared to the others, including downstairs space

When you genuinely think something is right, the pain is worth it. Don’t give up too easily, there will always be difficulties that we let out as a café. In 2022 there was very low footfall in central London and it got to the point that we decided it was untenable to keep it open.

A big family Joan and I have great relationships with all the crew – we’re like a big family – so there was huge guilt and a feeling that we had failed the team and ©Cybertrek 2026 HOT 2026

PHOTO: FRAME / MORGAN WHITE

Two of the eight Frame sites had to close during COVID

TO U G H T I M E S 2 02 5

Sometimes it feels like the end, but we can move forward if we’re surrounded by the right people the customers who had stuck by us through the pandemic. While dealing with those emotions, we had to navigate these decisions and make the team feel secure and that we were in control of the situation. There's so much that goes on when closing a site and it needs to be carefully project managed. We had created a community and a responsibility comes with that. There are also so many different stakeholders who need to be communicated with in a subtly different way and a load of tasks on the operational side, such as informing the utilities and moving the equipment.

Resilience building As founders, the business was an intrinsic part of both of our lives, so neither Joan or I could just go home and forget about it. It consumed us. We practiced what we preach and used all sorts of different techniques, such as meditation, breathwork and yoga, to bring down the adrenals and cortisol. I turned towards spirituality and nature for guidance. A lot of that has filtered down to Frame and we started offering workshops and themed classes, journaling, manifestation and restore and release yoga. We now have quite a significant offering around mindfulness and wellbeing. One of my learnings from this experience is that no matter how hard something is at the time, you can come through it and it does build resilience. It’s definitely something I try and teach my team, who are slightly younger and maybe haven't had so many tough experiences. Sometimes we can be in situations where it feels like the end, but if we're surrounded by the right people we can move forwards and leave things in the past. Although tough, it was the right decision to close Fitzrovia. We've been able to create a sustainable business again and everything was so slow to come back to central London that we wouldn't be here anymore if we’d held onto the site. 70

HOT 2026 ©Cybertrek 2026

Three years later it’s still empty, which is ironic, given the landlord wouldn’t reduce the rent, so maybe the next part of the story is that we get it back! We learned so much through this experience, and at the same time launched our On Demand offering which has become a significant area of growth.

The pain is worth it This wasn’t the first time we’ve had to fight for our business. Joan and I set up Frame when we were in our mid-20s, in two Shoreditch railway arches. A week before we launched, we were told the road would be shut for six months and no one would be able to access the space.

Frame now has a significant offering around mindfulness

PHOTO: FRAME / HANNAH MILES

Studios offers pre- and post-natal classes, supporting all life stages

PHOTO: FRAME / DAN WEILL

We hadn't even started the business so maybe the wisest idea would have been to have bankrupted the company and opened up as a different one six months later, but we’re not those people and we wanted to pay back the contractors who had done the fit-out. So we hired the space out for all sorts of random occasions, and spent a lot of very late nights and early mornings running events in these arches until the road was opened and we were able to start trading. At the time it was horrible. We had no money and were sleeping on friends’ couches. It's not nice being a young female looking after a property that’s being used by hundreds of people and has a toilet that doesn’t work. But we got through it and that gave me the resilience I needed to be a business owner. And the business works. I’ve always believed in it and when you genuinely think something is right, then the pain is worth it. Don't give up too easily, there will always be difficulties. I've given my business everything, and it's sucked half of my soul out of me, but I can't imagine my life without Frame. We have tremendous goodwill and an amazing community of more than 250,000 Framers. l More: www.hcmmag.com/wellverse ©Cybertrek 2026 HOT 2026

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If you’re not living on the edge, you’re taking up too much space

PHOTO: TONY DE LEEDE

TONY DE LEEDE Entrepreneur Tony De Leede launched a stamp trading business at the age of 12, opened a surfboard shop at 16 and ran a fashion business with his mum before moving into the fitness industry in 1982. He talks to Kath Hudson 72

HOT 2026 ©Cybertrek 2026

y biggest life lesson was way back in the beginning, in the early 1980s, when I first got into the fitness industry. It taught me the importance of marketing, promotion, selling and doing things a little differently: putting the sizzle on the steak. I invested a lot of money in a women-only aerobics club in Atlanta, Georgia. It was 10,000sq ft with the biggest aerobics room in the city, accommodating more than 100 people. It had magnificent locker rooms, two whirlpools, the best aerobics teachers brought in from Australia and all our classes were pre-choreographed to give

Surf and wellness retreat Komune first launched in 2011

PHOTO: DANIEL TJONGARI PHOTOGRAPHY

De Leede has been launching wellness businesses since 1982

©Cybertrek 2026 HOT 2026

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I decided to double down by opening a second club. It was a risk, but I knew the product was good.

I say that if you can’t dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bullshit, and I’m not sure which one I used, but I managed to convince a car dealership to give me a car as the prize for the winner. 74

HOT 2026 ©Cybertrek 2026

PHOTO: DANIEL TJONGARI PHOTOGRAPHY

Brilliance and bullshit

Retreat guests can enjoy wellness in the outdoors

PHOTO: DANIEL TJONGARI PHOTOGRAPHY

consistency. It was also in a great location. I thought ‘build it and they will come’. Guess what. They didn’t. We gave free classes for the first 10 days and were packed and then after that we were empty. Even though it was self-funded, fortunately money wasn’t a problem. I’d already made a lot of money from a family-run fashion business and property investments, so I decided to double down by opening a second club. It was a risk, but I knew the product was good. I found a site that was a quarter of the size, in a better location and built it for a 10th of the price. We kept the fit-out simple and ran consistently good classes. That club had far lower expenses and took off a lot more quickly, but I still needed to do something to promote the first club. So I decided to make a statement. I was good friends with a nightclub owner who was opening a new club in Atlanta and I approached him to run an aerobics competition, which at that point had never been done in the world. Olivia Newton John had just released the hit song Let’s Get Physical so we held a competition to find Atlanta’s most physical woman. The idea took off.

Komune has retreats in Bali and on Australia’s Gold Coast

Tony de Leede cv 1982: Launched Australian Body Works, which was sold to LA Fitness in 2000

1989: Started Cardio Theatre Holdings which was sold to Precor in 2002

1996: Designed, built and staffed the

first ever Olympic Village Health Club for the Atlanta Olympic Games

2000: Acted as Olympic Village

manager at the Sydney Olympics

2000: Worked with Fitness First CEO,

2000: Launched Gwinganna eco retreat on the Gold Coast with Hugh Jackman as an investor

2010: Left Fitness First and launched Fit ‘n’ Fast gyms

PHOTO: NELBALI PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO: DANIEL TJONGARI PHOTOGRAPHY

Mike Balfour, to negotiate the purchase of Healthland Australia Group. Became partner and MD of Fitness First Australia. On his watch the group had 37 per cent EBITDA – 42 per cent on mature clubs

2011: Opened Komune surf retreat, yoga and wellness resorts in Bali

2015: Launched HIIT concept Qmax Instructors can run their own retreats at Komune

2016: Launched two digital content brands Move123 and Mind123 as well as YogaBar

2021: Launched wellness centre, Club W 2023: Launched Wello Works in

Sydney, followed by a site in Atlanta

Other investments include Somadome meditation pods, the O2 Breathing and Meditation Chair, media businesses, restaurants, a nightclub in Mexico, a micro brewery and small airline.

©Cybertrek 2026 HOT 2026

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PHOTO: DANIEL TJONGARI PHOTOGRAPHY

The place was packed, we had to run the competition over two nights and it got a lot of publicity in the press and on TV. It really put us on the map. I subsequently gave away five more cars in other competitions. The lesson I learned is the importance of promotion and needing to do something different. Just building a great facility isn’t enough. Those two clubs developed into a successful 23-site chain, Australian Body Works, with a membership of 50,000, before I sold it to LA Fitness in 2000. Thirty years later, having launched multiple fitness businesses, I’m putting the same lessons into practice. The co-working and wellness business I’m running with my daughter – Wello Works – which is having a slow start because the concept is new. Wellness and co-working are growing trends, but we’re the first to put them together. Now, as then, we’re having to promote and sell.

Komune in Bali has a focus on healthy food and fun

At the ripe old age of 72, I’m not slowing down and still teach the occasional Bodycombat class

Know when to quit Sometimes businesses don’t work out and it’s a gut call about whether or not to keep backing them. My advice is if you’re going to fail, fail fast. Take the hit, lick your wounds and move on. If something doesn’t go right, pivot and head in another direction, or restructure, or let it go and look around to see what else is out there. My view is that if you’re not living on the edge, you’re taking up too much space. I’ve lived on the edge all my life, although not quite as close now as I did 20 years ago. I’ve always risked things and I’ve had some failures, but I’m resilient and thankfully I’ve had a hell of a lot more winners than losers, including the Australian Bodyworks business. 76

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I grew Fitness First Australia from 11 clubs to 88. My Gwinganna retreat [which has actor Hugh Jackman as an investor] continues to do incredibly well, as does my surf resort in Bali – Komune – and I’m launching another destination retreat venue on the Gold Coast. At the ripe old age of 72, I’m not slowing down and still teach the occasional Bodycombat class, but I don’t play golf, don’t enjoy watching the cricket too much and don’t go fishing. Business is what I enjoy – talking to people and meeting people. I’ve promised my wife I won’t invest in too many more businesses – other than our own stuff, of course… but maybe occasionally… l

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PHOTO: ANYTIME FITNESS

The friction started to weaken our culture, for the only time in our history

CHUCK RUNYON Chuck Runyon and Dave Mortensen took a risk buying out a partner in the early days of Anytime Fitness. Runyon talks to Kath Hudson about how that led to him and Mortensen creating the company culture that turbocharged expansion

HOT 2026 ©Cybertrek 2026

nytime Fitness began in 2002 with myself, Dave Mortensen and a third partner. The three of us already ran two successful businesses together in the health and fitness space and we all had young kids. Our families were friends too, so we spent a lot of our time together, both at work and in our spare time. The Anytime Fitness business started to scale in 2007 and 2008 and we soon realised we had different ideas on the way forward through that growth. At that point we were on the cusp of 1,000 locations around the world and had just signed a master franchise agreement for Australia. Although it was the great recession and the banking system was collapsing, it

Purpose Brands has 7,500 locations in 50 countries

PHOTO: ANYTIME FITNESS / MICHAEL HAUG

was a great opportunity to find lease locations and negotiate with landlords, so we were growing faster. It was definitely a buyer’s market and there was a clear opportunity to keep reinvesting to provide services, products and support to our franchises to help them run successful studios. We took the support of our franchisees very seriously, because they are often investing their life savings, or risking their kids’ college fund. Unfortunately the tension started to trickle down – a common theme for so many startups as they begin to scale.

Locking arms This friction started to weaken our culture, for the only time in our 22-year history, because there wasn’t alignment at the top. Dave and I wanted to keep investing in the business and our stakeholders, so in December 2009, we bought out our third partner. It was an emotionally difficult time to say goodbye to a long-term collaborator, as well as a huge financial risk. Dave and I had to

Our culture acts like gravity. It attracts good people and keeps them there personally guarantee the loan and give away more equity during a risky global economic situation. We decided not to sell any of our shares, but to complete the buyout and double down. With young families – I have four kids and Dave has five – it felt like a huge risk. However, it brought the two of us closer together; we both felt as though we were locking arms for the long game. Although we knew the next few years were going to be challenging to pay back the high interest loan, we both felt blessed to have healthy kids and healthy families, so what really mattered was already solid. We also believed that if the business ©Cybertrek 2026 HOT 2026

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PHOTO: ANYTIME FITNESS

went south, we would figure it out. For whatever reason, we do have a high amount of confidence in ourselves (probably too much at times), and we knew we’d be much stronger as a partnership.

Purpose, people, profits and play Dave and I then set out to become a best-in-class partnership and created a list of rules for the business. Number one, that we were always serving something bigger than ourselves: we were serving the vision and the purpose of the company to grow, so we said we would never let our egos get in the way. The vision was bigger than either of us individually. Number two, we’d always try to have healthy conflict, meaning we trusted each other enough to challenge each other’s ideas to make the idea better. Number three, the stakeholders – our members and our franchisees – were served first. Providing our employees with incredible opportunities and an incredible culture for growth. We also said we’d have a great deal of fun. Those became the founding principles of the newly-structured company: purpose, people, profits and play. It cemented the vision in our minds, and every decision from then on has been run through that filter: Is it serving the organisation? Is it growing the brand? Does it help members? This philosophy was the driving force behind the creation of Self Esteem Brands and the development of its seven brands. It also led us to a place where we could merge with Orangetheory to create Purpose Brands.

Having fun is a founding principle of the company

Friends forever It took courage and confidence to sign that personal guarantee. If an event like COVID happened back then, we’d likely not be talking to HCM today, but we felt even stronger together after the buyout, because we were so aligned, which built confidence in our team. We then had to work our butts off for the next two years to get to a place where we could refinance. As well as strengthening the partnership between Dave and me, it heightened our risk tolerance and showed belief in our team, the brand and where we were going. We got a bit more savvy in the world of finance, private equity and lending and that led to even better

Dave and I have known each other for 35 years. There are not many friendships or partnerships that last that long

PHOTO: ANYTIME FITNESS

Runyon and Mortensen are proud of the early risks they took

PHOTO: ANYTIME FITNESS

Both members and franchisees are a top priority

decisions in 2014, when we sold a minority percentage to Roark Capital. The company culture thrived: we were awarded the ‘best place to work’ in Minnesota a few years in a row and it helped us win the talent war. We could hire really smart people and empower them to unlock their potential to help drive the business. We have an incredible team and our culture acts like gravity. It attracts good people and keeps them there. The merger with Orangetheory Fitness and the subsequent creation of Purpose Brands would never have happened if we didn’t have a shared purpose and shared values. Dave Long and his management team are also consumer- and franchisee-driven. They care about their employees. That’s what brought us together and that’s what’s going to keep us successful. Fast forward to today: Dave Mortensen and I have moved back to be supportive board members at Purpose Brands, the new company formed by the merger with Orangetheory Fitness. Now our time together is spent on hobbies, such as golf and boating. Our kids are all grown up, but our families still have this bond. They saw the very modest beginnings and now they get to see where the brands are today – 7,500 locations in 50 countries. We’re very proud of that and love those big numbers, which have come through thinking about one community at a time.

The merger with Orangetheory Fitness would never have happened if we didn’t have a shared purpose and shared values Dave and I have known each other for 35 years. There are not many friendships or partnerships that last that long, especially when you mix the two together. And we’re deeply proud of ourselves for taking the risk and doing what was right for growth; it’s why we’re here today. l ©Cybertrek 2026 HOT 2026

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TERRENCE THE TEACHER Born in South Africa, Terrence started his career working for Reg Parks launching Gold’s Gym in South Africa. In 2014, he suffered two cardiac arrests, prompting him to study mindfulness and meditation. He talks to Magali Robathan

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PHOTO: TERRENCE THE TEACHER

Terrence grew up in an orphanage in South Africa

’m a wellbeing expert – a qualified clinical hypnotherapist, NLP practitioner and mindfulness coach. I started my career as a personal trainer and Pilates teacher, so when I sit down with someone, I bring that knowledge and experience to help them raise themselves to the next level. We work together to use what they have and edit that to create the best version of themselves. I grew up in an orphanage in South Africa, and landed in a permanent foster house at the age of eight. It wasn't a good situation, and at 16, I realised that I had to walk away from my foster family if I wanted to survive. I had no parents or financial backing, so I just had to find a job – any job. I worked in various part-time roles, before landing a position at a bank. One day at the bank, I got talking to one of the clients. He said, I'm bringing a gym group called Gold's Gym to South Africa. Come and help me launch it. That's when my life changed – I went into the fitness industry, fell in love with it, and never looked back.

PHOTO: TERRENCE THE TEACHER

Terrence is an NLP practitioner and hypnotherapist

I’d lost my sincerity and my authenticity and forgotten to take care of myself

Terrence teaches people how to master their own minds

One day when I was working in the gym, this guy called Reg Parks – an ex-Mr Universe – approached me. He said he’d been watching me, he liked the way I trained my clients, and he wanted to work with me. I studied the Women on Weights strength training programme, and started getting really good results with the women I worked with. Someone asked me, why is it that you get better results than other trainers that do the same as you do? I realised it was because I listened to my clients and took their emotions into consideration. If it was the time of the month when they weren’t feeling strong I might focus on flexibility rather than weight training. If my client had just had a fight with someone, instead of doing a workout that would increase their blood pressure further, I’d do exercises to bring it down. By taking emotions into consideration, the body responded better. I then met a model who was also a ballet dancer – he had an amazing way of moving and

holding himself that just made you notice him. I was used to seeing fit people, but his physique, the transverse muscles, his core – were totally different. He told me it came from doing Pilates, so I decided that I needed to study and teach Pilates. In 2000, I came to the UK – initially just for a holiday – and very soon I had people interested in working with me. That’s where my career in the UK began. I became very interested in the mind, and that motivated me to qualify as an NLP practitioner and clinical hypnotherapist.

PHOTO: TERRENCE THE TEACHER

Meeting Reg Parks

Celebrity clients I began to do well in my career, training quite a few well-known individuals – I was being flown in private jets to Mustique and getting caught up in that whole lifestyle. In 2013/2014 I developed two hypnotherapy apps, and in 2014 they went to number one on Apple and Google. I had this big celebration and there was a feature on me in The Sunday Times Style magazine. ©Cybertrek 2026 HOT 2026

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Terrence teaches at his friend Christian Laboutin’s hotel

Someone said, ‘you’ve made it’ and I remember just thinking something was off. I’d lost my sincerity and my authenticity and forgotten to take care of myself.

Cardiac arrests Shortly after my app went to number one, I had two cardiac arrests – my heart stopped for 20 minutes. During my recovery, I realised that something needed to change. A friend of mine said, have you ever thought of meditation and mindfulness? I was initially resistant, but I became more and more interested. I was lucky enough to meet Jon Kabat-Zinn (author and professor credited with popularising mindfulness-based stress reduction) at a function – we sat down together for 10 minutes or so and when I got up I knew this was something I had to learn. I studied meditation and I believe it saved my life. Since practising meditation my heart rate has come down. I’m calmer, more content, more in control. I feel a though my brain has got more information to share with me that was almost cut off by my stress and my anxiety. I can hear myself now. I knew I had to share what I’d learned with the world. Gradually, I started creating a programme using everything I’d learned using my meditation training and as a clinical hypnotherapist, personal trainer and NLP coach. 84

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The Brain Edit is a practical, easy to understand programme that helps people to take control of their mental wellbeing. It consists of three pillars: mindful meditation, which is the foundation of the programme; the Triple Three Technique, which is a method I’ve developed to help people navigate daily challenges in their lives; and mental exercises to help people achieve their goals. This life has challenged me and I’ve had to learn certain tools to survive and thrive. I want to share what I’ve learned to help others thrive.

Working with Christian Louboutin Christian Louboutin is one of my closest friends. I’ve also worked with him as a coach, fitness trainer and Pilates teacher. He opened his hotel, Vermelho, in Melides in Portugal in 2023 (www.hcmmag.com/louboutin and www.vermelhohotel.com). After a couple of years, the marketing company that works with him suggested running retreats at the hotel and he immediately thought of me. I’ve done retreats before, and they’re wonderful, but often the people there go home afterwards and they’re like, ‘now what?’ I really wanted this one to be different.

PHOTO: DANIEL TJONGARI PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO: TERRENCE THE TEACHER

Shortly after my app went to number one, I had two cardiac arrests. During my recovery, I realised that something needed to change

PHOTO: VERMELHO / RICARDO JUNQUEIRA

The Brain Edit retreats run twice a year at Vermelho, in Portugal

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Power of fitness background My background has had a huge impact on the way I work today. Why do people go to a personal trainer? Because they don’t know where to start. We give them a simple programme of achievable exercises that gets harder as they get stronger. We go on that journey with them and support them as they progress. It’s just the same with mental wellbeing. The brain works like a muscle – it learns through repetition. What I learned as a personal trainer about the 86

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PHOTO: TERRENCE THE TEACHER

I decided I’d take the Brain Edit to the retreat, so people can learn principles and techniques that change their lives in the longer term. The three night retreat takes place twice a year and promises to help guests harness the power of their mind and cultivate lasting change in their lives. Called the Brain Edit Meditation and Mindfulness Retreat, it launched in 2024. The most recent one took place from 23-26 November 2025. The retreat format includes lectures, guided meditations, breathwork and one-to-one sessions, as well as group yoga sessions and exclusive use of the hotel facilities, which include a pool and the Sanctuaire spa, which specialises in ancestral care.

The three-day retreat cultivates mindfulness and meditation

I feel as though my brain has got more information to share with me that was cut off by my stress and my anxiety. I can hear myself now basic principles of how to create a habit has really come into my wider work in wellness now, because it's precisely how I’m able to help people to adjust their relationship with their thoughts and their mind to create enduring change. l

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TO U G H T I M E S 2 02 5

You have two lives. The second begins when you realise you only have one

ELAINE JOBSON When Jetts CEO, Elaine Jobson, received a shock cancer diagnosis she looked for templates from other leaders about how to share the news with her team. Unable to find one, she created

JETTS

her own. She shares her story.

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Jobson leads the team at Jetts Australia

Full disclosure I decided to be open. Once I knew what my treatment plan looked like, I began sharing the news one-on-one. Some of my team cried, some were silent and others reassured me with words of strength. Each reaction reminded me of the depth of compassion in our people. Eventually, I told the wider team in a huddle. That was tough, laying something so personal out in the open, but it was also a relief. They deserved to know why I’d be arriving late after daily radiation and why I’d be stepping back from certain activities, such as travel. Their response was nothing short of incredible. They showed me an abundance of care and support, giving me cards and gifts. One who had experienced their own cancer journey bought me a beautiful merino blanket, as he had found one useful during his cold hospital visits. Their compassion floored me. Then came the board. I told our chair on the golf course (yes, cliché!) and he was reassuringly pragmatic, treating me as he always had with respect and friendship. However, when I shared the news with the rest of the board at the end of a meeting, I broke down. Their shocked faces mirrored my own emotions and for the first time, I let the weight of it all show. But they were an incredible support to me, each individually reaching out with practical suggestions on how we could all get through this together. ©Cybertrek 2026 HOT 2026

JETTS

hey were the hardest words I've ever spoken as a leader. Harder than delivering bad news about the business. Harder than making the tough calls that impacted people's careers. Because this time, the bad news was me. Taking care of our people and our customers has always been one of the most rewarding parts of my life. Growing a company, seeing others succeed, and knowing you’ve played a part in impacting lives, that’s what drives me. Leadership has always felt a natural fit for me. Not in a controlling way, but as a space where I feel most myself. So when I was recently diagnosed with cancer, I’ll admit, for a moment, I lost my footing. My first thoughts went straight to my daughter, then my family, and then to my Jetts family. How could I take care of everyone when I wasn’t sure I could even take care of myself? It was a humbling moment. I’ve faced challenges, setbacks, and obstacles in business and in life, but never with my health. Having worked in the fitness industry for more than 30 years, I had always taken my health for granted. Perhaps that’s human nature: we don’t truly value something until it’s threatened. As a leader, you face an immediate dilemma: Who do I tell? How much do I share? How do I protect my team without overwhelming them?

TO U G H T I M E S 2 02 5 The rainbow stage set the scene for sharing

I knew it was only a matter of time before the news would spread beyond the walls of our team and I didn’t want whispers or confusion, I wanted to own my story.

Sharing the news So at our annual Jetts Gathering event, I shared my news from the stage. I chose to close with it, standing in front of a giant rainbow on the screen behind me.

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Jobson and her team did an MBO of the business from FLG in 2022

I drew on a philosophy from Steve Jobs, that life is like a rainbow: we are born, we burn brightly across the sky, and eventually, the arc falls. None of us can control when our arc falls, but we can choose how brightly we burn while we’re here – that we must build something wonderful. Jobs found this knowledge to be motivating, not depressing. In that moment, surrounded by my Jetts family, I felt calm. Accepted. At peace. It was time to allow myself to receive the same support I’ve always given others and to focus on my own healing. When I stepped off the stage, something happened that I didn't expect. People came up to me and shared their own stories. One had just been diagnosed herself. Another had lost his father to cancer only months ago. Another had been quietly fighting it for years. In that moment, I realised something profound: we are all simply humans, doing our best, carrying our own battles, often unseen. The theme of this year’s gathering was ‘18 and unstoppable, driven by purpose – united by impact’. It turned out to be the perfect description of the intense emotions in the room and trust me, they were already running high from our incredible keynotes earlier in the day.

PHOTO: DANIEL TJONGARI PHOTOGRAPHY

JETTS

I realised something profound: we’re all simply humans, doing our best, carrying our own battles, often unseen

Jobson and her team are on an expansion trajectory

JETTS

The journey from diagnosis to sharing my story has been one of the hardest of my life. But I wouldn’t change a thing. I recently heard a saying: “You have two lives. The second begins when you realise you only have one.” For me, this feels like a double rainbow. A chance to begin again, to burn brighter than ever before.

Gratitude and excitement As I write this from my chemo infusion chair at the Sunshine Coast Private Hospital, I can say that I feel nothing but gratitude for my family, my team, my friends, and every moment that has made up my rainbow so far. And I feel excited for this new chapter: more aware, more grateful and more determined than ever to burn brightly in the sky. The promise I made from the stage to our people was this... - I am still here. - I'm still your leader, and I'm more determined than ever. - We have a brand that changes people's lives for the better, and mine is no exception. - We have a team who are driven by purpose. - We are 18 and unstoppable.

It was time to allow myself to receive the same support I’ve always given others and to focus on my own healing So yes, I have cancer, but I'm still the same leader, business mentor, friend, wife, mother, daughter and aunty. But ultimately, I'm human. And I believe that true leadership is not about hiding our weaknesses, but allowing others to hold us up when we need it most. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of my rainbow so far and to those I've yet to meet. Because I'm not done yet. I'm a double rainbow kind of girl! l ©Cybertrek 2026 HOT 2026

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Meijer lost her brother to a sudden heart attack in 2019

URBAN GYM GROUP

I’ve learned that sometimes life gets very dark, but that the sun always shines again 92

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Marjolijn Meijer The entrepreneur and co-founder of the Urban Gym Group tells Kath Hudson how personal loss inspired her to

establish Renessence, one of Europe’s first wellbeing clubs

was a bit of a golden girl, both at work and at home. I come from a loving family with one brother. My ex-partner and I started a business together and had a son and a daughter. Everything was perfect. But when I was 48, my partner decided he didn't want to continue with our marriage and family; he wanted a different future and my life was turned upside down. My daughter, who was 13, was having a difficult time and struggling with her mental health, while my 16-year-old son was rebelling. I was alone and my heart was broken. Then my brother suddenly died of a heart attack while playing tennis. He was 48 – we were only 13 months apart – he was my buddy and we were very close. That was in 2019, so COVID followed shortly after. Compared to the grief in my personal life, the pandemic was easy. We lost money, but that's nothing compared to the loss of loved ones.

Focus on what you can influence Stephen Covey's book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People became my bible during this difficult period. One of the chapters is about the circle of influence – there are things in life you can influence and others you cannot and you choose where to put your energy. It taught me to let go of the things I couldn't influence and focus on the things I could.

I couldn't bring my brother back, but there were problems in the company that I could solve, so together with my business partner, Jordy Kool, we rolled up our sleeves and got to work. For me, work is a kind of remedy; I love the company and our industry so much. It gives me freedom and fills me with passion. Although the pandemic was intense, it gave Jordy and me valuable time with our teams that we will never have again. We had 10 months to discuss strategy and restructure the entire business. We got to know the teams better – from the shop floor, to the head office.

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GY M

GR OU

URBAN GYM GROUP

I realised something profound: we’re all simply humans, doing our best, carrying our own battles, often unseen

Renessence has a focus on interventions that calm the nervous system

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Ultimately, we promoted three women who had been working behind the scenes to key positions. I sought a lot of help during this period: talk therapy, retreats, breathwork, bodywork and massage. I was open to everything and learned a lot about myself by going through different layers of trauma. I realised that some of the pain I was feeling was caused by events from the distant past and was able to let that go. It felt like peeling back the layers of an onion. This period also inspired the launch of our wellness concept, Renessence. We had a fitness club in Amsterdam's financial district that was hit hard by COVID when people stopped going to the office, so we decided to do something different with the space. I was inspired by various social wellness concepts in the US and wanted to create a place for wellness and relaxation. Somewhere people could be completely themselves. We were early adopters of the modalities for a long life. In addition to treatments, yoga,

PHOTO: DANIEL TJONGARI PHOTOGRAPHY

The group’s brands include Gymbox, TRIB3 and TrainMore

sdf

URBAN GYM GROUP

Renessence was inspired by social wellness concepts in the US

meditation and breathwork, we offer cryotherapy, infrared saunas, flotation tanks, ice baths, infusions and oxygen-hydroxy therapy. Although we had to invest a lot in this location, it has turned out beautifully and is a place people love to come. In 2026, we’ll take it to the next level by expanding our range of services. There’s an increasing need for mental health support and interventions that calm the nervous system. We’re going to focus on these even more.

The sun will shine again I’ve learned that sometimes it gets very dark, but that the sun will shine again. When my brother died, I thought I couldn't sink any lower, that I was in a terrible situation, but the sun came out again. Sometimes you can't imagine it, but it does happen. If you find yourself in a terrible situation, there will be a tiny light far away, try to see it. Maybe it's a flower, maybe a bird, but it will be there.

I sought a lot of help: talk therapy, retreats, breathwork, bodywork and massage and this inspired the launch of our wellness concept, Renessence My outlook on life changed completely during that period. I became stronger and my heart grew a little tougher. It also made me realise how important it is to really live in the moment and taught me how to enjoy my life. I’m now more involved with all aspects of my life and, although I love my work, I make more room for my family, my friends and my new love. And what I’m most proud of is that my son and daughter are doing fantastically well. My son is going to study business administration soon and my daughter is studying fashion in Paris. I can look in the mirror and sincerely say, ‘I’m an intensely happy woman.’ l ©Cybertrek 2026 HOT 2026

PEOPLE 2023

HOT

2026 PEOPLE A look back at some of the leading fitness, health and wellness industry movers and shakers interviewed by the HCM team over the past year

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CONTENTS p98 / Angela Rippon CBE

p109 / Brittany LeBoeuf

Founder Let’s Dance!

Research scientist Orangetheory

p104 / Gilly McArthur

p109 / Julie Russell

Outdoor professional and artist

p104 / Davina Deniszczyc Charity and medical director Nuffield Health

p105 / Mark Braithwaite CEO Kore Sandwell

Past chair CLOA

p110 / Andy Mackie Operations director Devon Leisure

p110 / Katy Richardson

p105 / Lukasz Dojka & James Cotton

COO Extraordinary Brands

Founder and chair and CEO Xtreme Fitness

p111 / Rhys Jones

p106 / James Crew

CEO Plymouth Active

CEO Arma

p106 / David Tewksbury CEO Chelsea Piers

p107 / Madeleine Jago Founder Seven Lion Yards

p107 / Jamie Waring Co-founder 432

p108 / Lucy Findlay-Beale

p111 / Natalie Davies-Lane Commercial manager Move Southwark

p112 / Lafina Diamandis Founder Deia Health

p112 / Heather McKee Behaviour change specialist Myzone

p113 / Ryan & Brittany Brown

Event director Elevate

Founders Higher Order

p108 / Sarah Luna

p113 / Jack Gibson

CEO Pilates Addiction

Founder Fitness Worx

PEOPLE 2025 HCM PEOPLE

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES / DAVE BENETT COLLECTION

Dance gives you superpowers

Rippon’s plan came together after appearing on Strictly come Dancing with Kai Widdrington 98

HCM people The World Health Organization is monitoring what we’re doing with a view to introducing it to other countries

Angela Rippon CBE Founder, Let’s Dance! How did Let’s Dance! come about? I’ve had a lifelong love of dance, inspired by dance classes at the age of five. I’ve been on the board of English National Ballet and chair for four years, I’m an ambassador for the Royal Academy of Dance and the Silver Swans and then in 2023 I took part in Strictly Come Dancing. Many people said I inspired them and I wanted to do something with that momentum. The opportunity came when I was being interviewed on the Today programme, after Professor Chris Whitty [England’s chief medical officer]. While I was waiting I could hear him saying on-air we should all take more responsibility for our own health in order to help the National Health Service. So the first words I said in my interview were: “I don’t know if Professor Chris Whitty’s still listening, but this is one pensioner who’s going to try and do her bit to help the National Health Service.” I rang him afterwards and told him my plans to get all the dance organisations together to get people active and asked if he would back me. He said, “absolutely” and has never stopped supporting me. I contacted all the dance organisations I knew, asking if they’d work with me on a project to get the UK dancing to get fit and save the NHS money and they all said yes. The idea snowballed, with one contact leading

to another. Over the last nine months I’ve spoken to more than 200 organisations – including the National Association of Teachers of Dance, the Imperial Society, the British Sport Council, the Royal Academy, as well as the NHS and government ministers. Lots of charities have come on board, including the Richmond Group of Charities, Age UK, Parkinson’s UK, Alzheimer’s Society and a number of mental health charities. The Together Consortium and The Sport and Recreation Alliance are helping with the admin and 21X has designed the website and is running it free of charge. No one has said no to working with me! Even organisations who’ve refused to work together in the past. It’s been brilliant to take all of the great work out of individual silos and work collectively.

PEOPLE 2025

PHOTO: LET’S DANCE / BIG BRUMMIE BHANGRATHONBBX

The Big Brummie Bhangrathon was part of this year’s National Dance Day

What has been the general response from the UK government and the National Health Service? I’ve had amazing meetings with health secretary, Wes Streeting, who is very approachable and his minister Stephen Kinnock, who looks after social services, and they are both fully supportive. I’ve also had an incredibly important meeting with NHS England, which has resulted in Let’s Dance! being recognised as part of the NHS’s 10-year programme to get the nation fit and healthy. There are plans to involve all of the 1.3 million employees in the NHS in the Let’s Dance! campaign and promote the use of dance in providing non-medical interventions for some medical conditions, such as obesity, stress and depression, via social prescribing. A video talking about the initiative and the difference it can make to certain medical conditions has gone out to 55,000 GPs via the medical information site, Red Whale. Data from the Institute of Social Prescribing shows that prescribing a physical activity for patients instead of a prescription could save the UK’s health service around £1.4bn a year. 100

What does Let’s Dance! involve? A National Dance Day where we encourage everyone involved with dance to open their doors and invite members of the public to give dance a go at no charge. This year the date was 2 March and so many people got involved – The Eden Project in Cornwall gave us one of its biomes for a group of dance teachers to organise a day of dance. The Blackpool Winter Gardens hosted free Latin and ballroom classes all day and 200 Bhangra dancers in Birmingham opened up what they’re doing to the public. This is in addition to what individuals were doing everywhere. At least 50,000 dance teachers, companies and organisations were engaged. We’d also love it if more gyms and health clubs got involved with the movement on an ongoing basis, by putting on dance-related activities and inviting people in to sample them for free. It would be wonderful if every gym in the country recognised dance alongside all other forms of exercise. There’s been a great deal of press coverage surrounding the movement. The Sun newspaper has been running a series of features on the benefits of dance; every BBC local radio station is supporting those wanting airtime to promote their activities

Rippon has galvanised the dance community to create a national movement

This is one pensioner who’s going to try and do her bit to help the National Health Service ahead of National Dance Day, and The One Show has been airing a series of films highlighting the health, fitness and social benefits of dance.

How will this go forward? We’re planning the National Dance Day for three years from 2025 to 2027, but we hope the legacy will be that people will want to keep dancing once they’ve experienced how fun and social it is and how it impacts their fitness. The World Health Organization is monitoring what we’re doing with a view to introducing it to other countries. All I’ve done is bring together all that is already happening and make it a national consortium. It already existed, but I’ve just created a situation where everyone can come together and get a national profile collectively.

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PHOTO CAMERA PRESS:/NICKY JOHNSON

What are the benefits of dancing? It’s an exercise that takes you from cradle to old age. Babies dance automatically when they hear music because the hippocampus takes over. And you can still do it when you’re 90. You can do it if you’re in a wheelchair, if you’re sitting down, or if you’re immobile. Chelsea and Westminster

Hospital takes dance programmes into the ICU where people can only move an eyelid. There is lots of evidence to show that dance helps people with Parkinson’s, as well as supporting stroke rehabilitation and helping with diabetes, obesity, cancer, osteoporosis and mental health. The statistics around cancer are just staggering. There is now research to show dance can help to reduce pain and increase the rate of recovery, especially with breast, colon and prostate cancer. It also positively prevents recurrence. Dance is a superpower! We’ve commissioned a research project into the value of dance for care home residents. Teachers from The Royal Academy of Dance, People Dancing and the Keep Fit Association will be running programmes in 21 homes to evaluate the effect regular dancing can have on strength, flexibility and general health. Findings will be shared with Professor Martin Green of Care England to share to all care homes around the UK. Every year in the UK an average of 1.6 million people over the age of 60 have a fall and end up in hospital, which costs the NHS £4bn a year. Many of those people lose their mobility and then their independence, which costs a further billion to social services. Dance could help these statistics by improving core strength, balance and mobility. I say dance is an investment in your pension plan. Regular dance will allow people to get to their 60s and 70s without concerns about their mobility. The reason I can still do the splits at the age of 80 is because all my life I’ve looked after my flexibility, my core strength, and my balance. Added to this, it’s fun! I defy anybody to come to dance without a smile on their face. l To get involved with Let’s Dance – National Dance Day, go to www.hcmmag.com/letsdance or www.lets-dance.co.uk 102

PHOTO: DANCE FOR LIFE

No one has said no to working with me! Even organisations who have refused to work together in the past. It’s been brilliant to take all of the great work out of individual silos and work collectively.

PHOTO: MAXINE NONSUCH

PEOPLE 2025

National Dance Day allows the public to try a class free of charge

People of all ages, from kids to pensioners, can benefit from dance

Rippon has had a long and successful career

About: Angela Rippon

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK / LORNA ROBERTS

The UK’s most famous Angela started her journalism career aged 17, as a young reporter on Devon newspaper, Western Morning News, before moving to radio and television, presenting the news on BBC South West. She became the first female to be given a permanent role presenting national news in 1975, when she joined the BBC’s Nine o’Clock News. Having earned a reputation for being a serious newsreader, she took the nation by surprise in 1976 when she joined comedians Morecombe and Wise on their TV Christmas Show for some iconic high kicks during a dance routine. During the course of her career she has presented a wide range of TV programmes, including Top Gear, Come Dancing, the Eurovision Song Contest, TV-am, The One Show and Rip-Off Britain. In 2023 she progressed to week nine of the BBC’s dance competition, Strictly Come Dancing – at the age of 79 – with dance partner, Kai Widdrington, who is working with her on Let’s Dance! – and delighted the nation by performing the splits with ease.

It’s diﬃcult not to have a smile on your face when you take part in dance

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PEOPLE 2025

Gilly McArthur Outdoor professional and artist

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JAMESKIRBY.ME.UK

There’s a pulling back to how we really should be living – a bit more floating and a little less striving

Davina Deniszczyc Charity and medical director Nuffield Health

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NUFFIELD HEALTH

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We hope we can help people return to work, as we know exercise improves quality of life, wellbeing and longevity

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CEO Kore Sandwell

We’ve seen a 112 per cent growth in membership and our social value is in excess of £12.5m

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(L-R) Lukasz Dojka, founder and chair, James Cotton, CEO, Xtreme Fitness

XTREME FITNESS

There isn’t another franchise model in Eastern Europe, so we’re looking to occupy that space

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PEOPLE 2025

James Crew CEO Arma

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SHAWNA ROGERS

Arma will blend jiu jitsu with the conventional world of health and fitness, adding gym and recovery

David Tewksbury CEO Chelsea Piers

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CHELSE PIERS

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We believe our fitness club model could work in any densely-populated city in the US or internationally

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Madeleine Jago

SEVEN LION YARD

Founder Seven Lion Yards

The body isn’t built to operate under stress for a prolonged period of time and unresolved, negative emotions are not good for health

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Jamie Waring Co-founder 432

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432

This is about doing something for your health which is extremely pleasurable

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PEOPLE 2025

Lucy Findlay-Beale Event director Elevate

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India’s fitness and wellbeing industry is at an inflection point

Sarah Luna CEO Pilates Addiction

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My goal isn’t to take over or take down Club Pilates but to run alongside it

PILATES ADDICTION

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One great thing about a group fitness class is not having phones and being immersed in the experience

ORANGETHEORY

Brittany LeBoeuf Research scientist Orangetheory

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Julie Russell

SPORT ENGLAND

Past chair CLOA

We’re a movement for change so the system works better for everyone

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PEOPLE 2025

Andy Mackie Operations director Mid Devon Leisure

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MID DEVON LEISURE

We’re fortunate because the council sees leisure as the jewel in its crown and is very supportive

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COO Extraodinary Brands

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EXTRAORDINARY BRANDS

Katy Richardson

Many franchisees feel they weren’t prioritised by the last franchisor, so we have to build trust by following through on our promises

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Rhys Jones

PLYMOUTH ACTIVE

CEO Plymouth Active

When you want to work with the NHS, you need to create trust and don’t ask them for money, because the door will shut

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Natalie Davies-Lane

MOVE SOUTHWARK

Commercial manager Move Southwark

Our ambition is for Southwark to become one of the healthiest boroughs in London

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PEOPLE 2025

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Lafina Diamandis Founder Deia Health

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Our lifestyles can give us 80 per cent control over whether or not we develop an illness

Heather McKee Behaviour change specialist Myzone

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MYZONE

112

When people start to see themselves as an exerciser they experience an identity shift that drives motivation

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Ryan & Brittany Brown Founders Higher Order

HIGHER ORDER

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If you really want to rewrite a chronic disease it’s about focusing on the building blocks of health

Jack Gibson

FITNESS WORX

Founder Fitness Worx

We take time to explain the benefits of our programmes and help members see it as a small investment with a long-term pay-off

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