Ellen Latham

Ellen Latham, the visionary creator and co-founder of Orangetheory Fitness, shares her journey from being a spa director to revolutionizing fitness with her heart rate-based workout program. She discusses the challenges of starting a franchise from scratch and emphasizes the importance of intuition and resilience, particularly for older entrepreneurs. Ellen also highlights her passion for inclusivity in fitness and the evolution of Orangetheory from a single studio to a global brand, driven by community and personal growth.

Ellen Latham, fitness entrepreneur who founded Orangetheory and created the heart‑rate based Orange Zone. She tells the origin story from being fired to building a workout that combines interval cardio, strength and rowing. She describes listening to members, designing tiers for accessibility, finding the ideal partnership mix, and protecting quality while scaling globally.