Founder of Fitt Insider: Anthony Vennare

Anthony, a former Marine, shares his journey from a focus on fitness to a broader concern for health, triggered by his father's struggle with brain cancer. Following his service, he needed to support his family and turned his passion for fitness into a means of income. This led him to co-found Fitt Insider, one of the best media companies in the space of fitness, which started as a newsletter. Anthony and his brother built Fitt Insider initially as a side project. They began by sharing their unique perspective on the fitness industry through a monthly newsletter, which rapidly grew in popularity. The company's offering expanded to include a podcast and a free jobs board, all centered on providing valuable, actionable content to fitness industry professionals. Their commitment to consistency and value creation has resulted in a deeply engaged community that trusts and relies on Fitt Insider. He also shares his thoughts on the future of gyms and wearables. According to him, the key to successful gyms is creating a community that engages people in functional, accessible workouts. On wearables, while acknowledging the potential of such technology, he emphasizes its need to connect with people's lives in meaningful, affordable ways. Anthony advocates for focusing on helping average individuals who are struggling rather than catering to a small, high-performing, or affluent audience. Timestamps: 00:00:00 - 00:01:23: Anthony discusses his motivation behind joining the Marines and his experiences serving, particularly about how his father's illness drastically altered his life trajectory. 00:01:59 - 00:02:40: Anthony talks about his transition from military life back to civilian life, focusing on the impact of his father's illness on his decisions, and his early experiences in fitness and personal training. 00:04:05 - 00:07:49: Anthony chronicles his journey starting a gym with his brother, including the challenges they faced, the success they enjoyed, and the key lessons they learned that later helped shape their business approach. 00:12:34:08 - The evolution of the newsletters, how it was primarily referral-based and its organic growth over time. 00:16:24:01 - An in-depth explanation on how they curate their content, the importance of timing, and the value they bring by providing a deeper dive into topics rather than breaking the news first. 00:19:16:08 - 00:19:33:16 - Building Consistency and Showing Up 00:22:01:00 - 00:22:17:02 - the challenges of hiring and the subsequent launch of a job board 00:32:15:07 - 00:32:38:01 - Investing in Founders: 00:33:16:27 - 00:33:32:25 - Backing Teams Doing Good Stuff 00:35:08:27 - 00:35:32:12 - The Future of Wearables and Data Measurement 00:37:46:21 - 00:38:25:28 - The Value and Future of Wearables 00:38:43:03 - 00:39:01:04 - Future Plans and Expansion 00:40:13:01 - 00:40:59:21 - Building a Venture Media Flywheel