Fitt Insider

This week, we're excited to bring you another edition of Startup Spotlight – a recurring series where we speak with early-stage founders working on fitness and wellness startups. We usually focus on established companies, operators, and inventors — and we'll continue bringing you those conversations most weeks. But, from time to time, we're highlight companies at the beginning of their journey. Today I'm joined by Emily Hochman, the founder and CEO of Wellory. In this episode, we talk about building the anti-diet app. How Emily was able to raise $4.2M to personalize nutrition. And the growing opportunity to create a high-touch experience for health seekers. More from Emily Emily Hochman is the Founder and CEO of Wellory, the anti-diet nutrition app on a mission to make personalized nutrition accessible for all. Hochman has been featured in Business Insider, Thrive Global, Well+Good, named Bucknell University's 13 Under 35 Innovators and Forbes 30 Under 30. More from Fitt Insider Fitt Insider is a newsletter and podcast dedicated to the business of fitness and wellness. Join industry-leading operators and investors by subscribing: http://insider.fitt.co

Today I'm joined by Avrum Elmakis, founder and CEO of CLMBR — a connected vertical climbing machine. I this episode, we talk about launching a company during a pandemic, introducing a new piece of equipment to the connected fitness category, why CLMBR plans to target the commercial sector in addition to at-home, and how the company landed investors like Jay-Z, Pitbull, and Novak Djokovic. More from Avrum Avrum Elmakis is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer at CLMBR. A serial entrepreneur, Avrum has founded and sold many successful businesses, and won EY Entrepreneur of the Year in 2013. At CLMBR, he is responsible for leading a team of design, fitness and tech visionaries in creating the world's most advanced climbing machine. He is also the owner of two Rise Nation climbing studios in Colorado and still serves as the chairman of the board of TDBBS, his business which scaled quickly into a behemoth in the pet industry. He is an avid skier and enjoys spending time with his wife and four daughters and loving the great state of Colorado. More from Fitt Insider Fitt Insider is a newsletter and podcast dedicated to the business of fitness and wellness. Join industry-leading operators and investors by subscribing: http://insider.fitt.co

Today I'm joined by John Burns, CEO of TB12. TB12 is a health and wellness company founded by Tom Brady and his personal trainer Alex Guerrero. In this episode, we talk about the company's mission to help people perform better and live pain-free. Building a business that encompasses physical locations, digital content, nutritional supplements, fitness equipment, and more. And John talks about the company's plans to develop an education and certification program for TB12 coaches. More from John John Burns is the CEO of TB12, the health and wellness company founded by 6-time Super Bowl Champion Tom Brady and co-Founder Alex Guerrero. John is responsible for leading all aspects of the company's operations and growth strategy. He has enjoyed a successful career in executive leadership and venture capital. With a strong passion for entrepreneurship and brand building, he has served as Founder, Chairman, and/or CEO of multiple consumer companies. John has a particular interest in health, wellness, sports, and fitness. He serves, or has served, on the Boards of TB12, Spartan Race, Grillos Pickles, Yasso, and EverybodyFights. John received his undergraduate degree from Boston College and his M.B.A. from Babson College. More from Fitt Insider Fitt Insider is a newsletter and podcast dedicated to the business of fitness and wellness. Join industry-leading operators and investors by subscribing: http://insider.fitt.co

Today I'm joined by Jason LaRose, CEO of Equinox Media. In this episode, we discuss the SoulCycle at-home bike and Variis by Equinox — the digital platform powering the content and connected fitness experience. We talk about the role of the instructor, music, community, and programming in producing fitness content. Then we look ahead to the return of exercising in person, and how Equinox will approach an omnichannel fitness environment. Let's get into it More about Jason Jason LaRose is the CEO of Equinox Media, a transformative on-demand platform offering access to the best brands in fitness. In his role, LaRose is responsible for leading strategy, growth and expansion for the company. LaRose joined Equinox Media following more than 20 years of experience in brand, e-commerce, omnichannel retailing, and building communities in the digital and athletic spaces. Prior to Equinox Media, LaRose was President of North America for Under Armour where he spearheaded the company's entrée into wearables and fitness tracking apps, expanded the Under Armour Connected Fitness platform, and established the global e-commerce business. In the earlier days of e-commerce and social media, LaRose served as an Associate Principal in the Consumer and Digital Practices at McKinsey & Company where he helped companies expand their brands into the digital space. LaRose also previously served as a board member at Shop.org and held numerous executive strategy and operating positions at Sears Holding Corporation and Express, LLC. LaRose holds a B.S. from the University of Michigan and an MBA from Duke University. More from Fitt Insider Fitt Insider is a weekly newsletter and podcast about the business of fitness and wellness. From product launches and funding news to game-changing innovation, Fitt Insider provides listeners with insights and analysis on this ever-evolving industry. Join your peers and colleagues from companies like Equinox, Apple, Peloton, Goldman Sachs, Nike, and ClassPass by subscribing. Website: http://insider.fitt.co

This week, we're excited to bring you another edition of Startup Spotlight – a recurring series where we speak with early-stage founders working on fitness and wellness startups. We usually focus on established companies, operators, and inventors — and we'll continue bringing you those conversations most weeks. But, from time to time, we're highlight companies at the beginning of their journey. Today I'm joined by Lola Priego. Lola is the founder of Base — where they're using at-home blood testing to improve diet, stress, sleep, and brain fog. In this episode, we talk about putting health in the consumer's hands, targeting potential customers beyond the realm of biohackers, and how Lola was able to raise $3.5M with a team of only five employees as a first-time founder. Let's get into it. More from Lola Lola is the Founder and CEO of Base, the first health tracker that uses a data science app paired with at-home testing to help people feel better. Prior to founding Base, Lola was a software engineer at Amazon, Facebook and Instagram where she was focused on improving network performance. She later went on to be the Head of Engineering at a Khosla-backed startup within the lab industry space. Through her own personal health journey, Lola realized that a major discrepancy in the healthcare system is the lack of access to data around one's health. She founded Base as a way to help people understand why they are feeling off with a data-driven approach. Base helps those users that can't sleep, are fatigued, brain fogged or are looking for the optimal personalized diet. Originally from Spain, Lola studied medicine for a year before transferring to engineering at the Technical University of Madrid. She then came to the United States to study at the Illinois Institute of Technology and received her Master's Degree in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence. In her free time, Lola started a project through the organization More than Me where she goes to Liberia and teaches girls to code with tablets that she uniquely designed to work offline. Social: https://www.instagram.com/get_base/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lolitapriego Webpage: https://get-base.com/fitt for a 20% off discount More from Fitt Insider Fitt Insider is a weekly newsletter and podcast about the business of fitness and wellness. From product launches and funding news to game-changing innovation, Fitt Insider provides listeners with insights and analysis on this ever-evolving industry. Join your peers and colleagues from companies like Equinox, Apple, Peloton, Goldman Sachs, Nike, and ClassPass by subscribing. Website: http://insider.fitt.co ### A quick reminder before we get into today's show — every Tuesday, we send a weekly newsletter filled with insights and analysts on the business of fitness and wellness. Join other decision-makers and industry operators, by subscribing at http://insider.fitt.co

Today I'm joined by Brynn Putnam. Brynn is the founder and CEO of Mirror — a connected fitness company that combines an interactive screen with on-demand workout content. In July, lululemon acquired Mirror for $500M. In this episode, we talk about Brynn's motivation for starting Mirror and the genesis of the idea. What differentiates the company from the growing number of look-a-like products. How Brynn defines community in a digital world. And what factors led lululemon to ultimately acquire the company. More from Brynn Brynn Putnam is the founder and CEO of MIRROR, the nearly invisible, interactive home gym that streams live and on-demand fitness classes in a variety of genres. For more than a decade, Brynn has been regarded as a pioneer of the fitness industry. First as a ballet dancer for the New York City Ballet, then as the founder and CEO of Refine Method, the acclaimed fitness studio in New York dubbed "Best New Workout" by New York magazine. Now, Brynn is applying her deep expertise in fitness, both as an accomplished entrepreneur and athlete, to transform the fitness industry again. Brynn graduated from Harvard University with a B.A. in Russian Literature and Culture and is based in New York City. More from Fitt Insider Fitt Insider is a weekly newsletter and podcast about the business of fitness and wellness. From product launches and funding news to game-changing innovation, Fitt Insider provides listeners with insights and analysis on this ever-evolving industry. Join your peers and colleagues from companies like Equinox, Apple, Peloton, Goldman Sachs, Nike, and ClassPass by subscribing. Website: http://insider.fitt.co

Today I'm joined by Byron Ling of Canaan Partners. In this episode, we discuss Byron's investments in companies like Mirror, Ro, Papa, and Uniform Teeth. His insights on building a consumer brand in the healthcare space. And what we should look out for as fitness, wellness, and healthcare converge. About Byron Byron is a Partner at Canaan focusing on consumer and digital health investing. His investments include Papa, Ro, Uniform Teeth, Kin Euphorics, and Bravo Sierra. He was previously an investor at Primary Venture Partners, leading investments in companies such as Mirror and K Health. Prior to venture capital, he was an early employee at Gilt Groupe, helping scale the flash sale e-commerce company from product-market fit through the growth stage. Byron holds an M.B.A. from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, and a B.S. in Economics from Case Western Reserve University. More from Fitt Insider Fitt Insider is a weekly newsletter and podcast about the business of fitness and wellness. From product launches and funding news to game-changing innovation, Fitt Insider provides listeners with insights and analysis on this ever-evolving industry. Join your peers and colleagues from companies like Equinox, Apple, Peloton, Goldman Sachs, Nike, and ClassPass by subscribing. Website: http://insider.fitt.co

Today I'm joined by Nate Raabe, the Managing Partner at Rx3 Growth Partners. In this episode, Nate tells us about partnering with Aaron Rogers to start Rx3. How the firm uses influencer investors to add value. And we learn about their investments in companies like Hydrow, Hims, Super Coffee, and CorePower Yoga. About Nate Nate is currently the managing partner at Rx3 Growth Partners, a consumer-focused influencer fund based in Orange County. Rx3 invests in both growing and established brands across the consumer space. Prior to Rx3, he was managing director of ROTH's private capital group, where he was responsible for deal sourcing, valuation analysis, and distribution for private companies. Nate also acts as CIO for his family investments and is the managing partner for A&N Ventures. Prior to ROTH, Nate was a founding member of Sapheon where he spearheaded the private companies fundraising prior to its acquisition. He is on the Board of Directors for the San Diego Sports Innovators. Nate graduated from Santa Clara University with a BA in Finance. More from Fitt Insider Fitt Insider is a weekly newsletter and podcast about the business of fitness and wellness. From product launches and funding news to game-changing innovation, Fitt Insider provides listeners with insights and analysis on this ever-evolving industry. Join your peers and colleagues from companies like Equinox, Apple, Peloton, Goldman Sachs, Nike, and ClassPass by subscribing. Website: http://insider.fitt.co

This week, we're excited to bring you another edition of Startup Spotlight – a recurring series where we speak with early-stage founders working on fitness and wellness startups. We usually focus on established companies, operators, and inventors — and we'll continue bringing you those conversations most weeks. But, from time to time, we're highlight companies at the beginning of their journey. Today I'm joined by Zaw Thet, CEO of Exer. Exer uses AI and computer vision to power its motion coaching platform. In this episode, we talk about Exer Studio, the company's Mac app that creates a leaderboard and captures workout stats for any virtual workout, without additional hardware. A partnership with Zoom that lets trainers easily layer Exer on top of their classes. And the company's B2B2C model aimed at helping trainers better engage with their clients in a remote training environment. More from Zaw Zaw Thet is a veteran entrepreneur/investor who has been at the forefront of new technology and starting companies since the age of 19. He is currently the CEO and Co-Founder of Exer, on a mission to help millions of people move, train, and play better using the power of AI. Previously, Zaw was a Founding Partner at Signia Venture Partners focused on early-stage tech investing and on creating a new model of venture capital. He helped start Signia in 2012 and led investments across 3 funds. Zaw was the founder and CEO of 4INFO, one of the first and largest mobile advertising platforms in the world. Business Week recognized him as one the "Mobile Barons" helping to shape the mobile ad industry since 2004. In 2011, Zaw was selected as one of ten entrepreneurs to serve on the United Nations Foundation's inaugural Global Entrepreneurs Council, where he is now an Emeritus Member of the board. Zaw studied Political and Computer Science at Stanford, where he was a President's Scholar. He received his MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he was a Soros Fellow. Exer: http://www.exerstudio.com & http://www.exer.ai/ @movewithexer @zawthet More from Fitt Insider Fitt Insider is a weekly newsletter and podcast about the business of fitness and wellness. From product launches and funding news to game-changing innovation, Fitt Insider provides listeners with insights and analysis on this ever-evolving industry. Join your peers and colleagues from companies like Equinox, Apple, Peloton, Goldman Sachs, Nike, and ClassPass by subscribing. Website: http://insider.fitt.co

Today, I'm joined by Deepen Parikh, a partner at Courtside Ventures. Courtside is an early-stage venture firm focused on fitness and wellness, sports and media, and gaming. In this episode, Deepen tells us about Courtside's new $75M fund, the firm's thesis as it related to fitness: including the reinvented gym, human performance, community, and personalized data. And we get into how he thinks about the team, business model, and market when evaluating an investment opportunity. A quick announcement that we touch on this in the episode: Anthony & I are excited to be partnering with Courtside — where we'll be working as advisors to the firm. So if you're building a company in health, fitness, wellness, or sports categories, we'd love to hear from you. Send us an email: insider@fitt.co More from Deepen Deepen Parikh is a Partner at Courtside Ventures, a leading VC fund focused on early-stage companies across sports/digital media, fitness/wellness and gaming. Since launching Courtside Ventures in 2016, they've invested in 45+ companies, including Freeletics, Future.fit, Gainful, Silofit, Paceline, The Athletic, StockX, The Drone Racing League, Religion of Sports, Beam (acq by Microsoft), 100 Thieves, RecoverX, among several others. He leads the funds investment focus across fitness, and wellness along with select investment in sports and digital media. Sitting at the intersection of the rapidly growing entrepreneurial ecosystem and the broader sports technology industry, he was recognized as a 2018 Sports Business Journal Forty Under 40 recipient. Previously, Deepen was a Partner at Interplay Ventures, an early-stage technology incubator and investor, where he was part of launching/building 15+ companies and investing in another 6 companies. Deepen started his career as an Associate at UBS Financial Services and earned his BA in Economics from the University of Maryland, College Park. He currently resides in New York City with his wife, Rakhi (who works at Major League Soccer) and his daughter Prem. More on Courtside Courtside Ventures is a leading early-stage VC fund, backed by several professional sports team owners, public media companies, global family offices and strategic individuals and athletes. They focus on investing across sports/digital media, fitness/wellness and gaming. Across Fund I and Fund II (which they are in the process of closing), they've invested in 45+ companies, including The Athletic, StockX, The Drone Racing League, Religion of Sports, Beam (acq by Microsoft), Rebel (acq by Salesforce), Freeletics, 100 Thieves, Players Lounge, RecoverX, Future.fit, Gainful, Silofit, Paceline, among several others. More from Fitt Insider Fitt Insider is a weekly newsletter and podcast about the business of fitness and wellness. From product launches and funding news to game-changing innovation, Fitt Insider provides listeners with insights and analysis on this ever-evolving industry. Join your peers and colleagues from companies like Equinox, Apple, Peloton, Goldman Sachs, Nike, and ClassPass by subscribing. Website: http://insider.fitt.co