Reflections from the 2025 Connected: Health & Fitness Conference
Grateful to attend the Connected: Health & Fitness conference last week. It was chock-a-block with innovation and learning—this conference opened my eyes to new ideas and forward-thinking strategies. Grateful for the incredible speakers, thought-provoking discussions, and the chance to connect with industry leaders (and friends!)
A few key takeaways:
1. Los Angeles
LA is an incredible city and I must go back immediately 😃
2. Fitness and Community
The fitness industry is evolving with technology, especially AI, not to replace humans but to enhance experiences. Personalization, gamification, and building a supportive community were emphasized as major trends. Fitness studios can benefit from integrating technology, loyalty programs, and impact-driven initiatives like fundraising to strengthen relationships.
3. The Rise of the ‘Third Space’
Unlike family or colleagues, your ‘workout community’ is chosen. Creating a "third space" where people choose their community is key to building loyalty and increasing attendance. Men are increasingly joining boutique fitness classes, seeking consistency and lower-impact routines, while women continue to prioritize community, variety and age-specific programming.
4. Critical Trends in Boutique Fitness
I saw how the boutique fitness industry is evolving toward hyper-customization, experiential wellness, and a focus on mental health. Clients want a tailored journey, luxury experiences, and social connection. Revenue can be generated by understanding clients' needs, offering personalized services, and introducing unique wellness experiences like mental health add-ons.
5. The Modern Consumer
In various shapes and forms we discussed who the modern fitness and wellness consumer is. What do they expect? What do they want? Consumers today prioritize wellness and are demanding a more personalized, science-backed, and high-quality fitness experience. They expect a prescriptive service, real results, and clarity amidst the overwhelming amount of content being thrown their way. With a tech-savvy mindset, they embrace wearables to track progress and crave customization. This modern consumer values unique, experience-driven offerings and is willing to invest in fitness that provides meaningful results, balancing physical health with mental well-being.
With 76% of consumers preferring to spend on experiences over products, and 53% of people currently feeling disconnected, I’d say we have a TON of opportunity to embrace!!
I also got to meet (and hug) the incredible Gabby Reece, which means I also got to hug Laird Hamilton!
Telomere Consulting provides business consulting and marketing services to studio owners in the boutique fitness and yoga space. The Telomere team helps you navigate business strategy from conception to implementation. We provide end-to-end marketing support and would love to hear from you. Click here to book your free intro call. We want you to treat your business the way you treat your body – making the right choices now to optimize its potential for a long and healthy life. Visit us here to learn more.
