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FITNESS, HEALTH, WELLNESS

features

Tough times 2024: Life lessons

Industry leaders share insights into the moments that changed them in HCM’s Tough Times series. We round up their life lessons

Published in Health Club Management 2024 issue 12
Gravir says if you decide to open a club, you should believe it will provide secure employment for a long time / photo: SATS
Gravir says if you decide to open a club, you should believe it will provide secure employment for a long time / photo: SATS

In HCM HOT 2025 we look back at the life lessons industry leaders have shared with us over the past year.

You can read Tough Times 2024 in the digital edition here or see below for links to the original articles.

Victor Brick
CEO, Brick Bodies and John W Brick Mental Health Foundation
photo: BRICK BODIES

"In that moment, I changed my mindset from being an impossibility thinker to a possibility thinker"

Read the full article in the digital edition of HCM 1 2024 here

Read the full article online here

Huw Edwards
CEO, UK Active
photo: carmen valino

"It was a hugely challenging taking on a project of unparalleled size against a backdrop of collective distrust and even hostility"

Read the full article in the digital edition of HCM 2 2024 here

Read the full article online here

Sondré Gravir
CEO, SATS
photo: SATS / Anita Arntzen

"I tried to play the role of this theoretical version of a leader I’d made up, but I ended up behaving more like a cartoon character"

Read the full article in the digital edition of HCM 3 2024 here

Read the full article online here

Steve Schwartz
CEO, Midtown Athletic Clubs
photo: Midtown Athletics Club

"I thought, if I’m going down, I’m going to burn all the way!"

Read the full article in the digital edition of HCM 4 2024 here

Read the full article online here

Sarah Luna
Partner and chair, Formerly president, Xponential Fitness
photo: Xponential Fitness

"Either get on and do the job you’ve signed up for and deal with the good, the bad and the ugly, or get out of the way"

Read the full article in the digital edition of HCM 5 2024 here

Read the full article online here

Neil Randall
CEO, Urban Gym Group
photo: Urban Gym Group

"The rejections were a small part of my career, but taught me resilience and accountability"

Read the full article in the digital edition of HCM 6 2024 here

Read the full article online here

Jonathan Fisher
CEO, Holmes Place
photo: holmes place brands

"My body was telling me that if I continued to do what I was doing the way I was doing it, I’d be dead within 10 years"

Read the full article in the digital edition of HCM 7 2024 here

Read the full article online here

Ty Menzies
CEO, Lift Brands
photo: Lift Brands

"I thought it was going to be a walk in the park, but it almost broke me"

Read the full article in the digital edition of HCM 8 2024 here

Read the full article online here

Marc Diaper
Formerly CEO, Gymbox
photo: GymBox / JON PAYNE PHOTO

"It feels like the one that got away and in hindsight I should have found a way to make it work"

Read the full article in the digital edition of HCM 9 2024 here

Read the full article online here

Liz Clark
CEO, HFA
photo: IHRSA / STEPHEN GOSLING

"It was all about staying alive"

Read the full article in the digital edition of HCM 10 2024 here

Read the full article online here

Hagen Wingertszahn
Joint CEO, RSG Group
photo: RSG GROUP

"I had to make a name for myself again and prove myself. It felt as though I was basically starting from scratch"

Read the full article in the digital edition of HCM 11 2024 here

Read the full article online here

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features

Tough times 2024: Life lessons

Industry leaders share insights into the moments that changed them in HCM’s Tough Times series. We round up their life lessons

Published in Health Club Management 2024 issue 12
Gravir says if you decide to open a club, you should believe it will provide secure employment for a long time / photo: SATS
Gravir says if you decide to open a club, you should believe it will provide secure employment for a long time / photo: SATS

In HCM HOT 2025 we look back at the life lessons industry leaders have shared with us over the past year.

You can read Tough Times 2024 in the digital edition here or see below for links to the original articles.

Victor Brick
CEO, Brick Bodies and John W Brick Mental Health Foundation
photo: BRICK BODIES

"In that moment, I changed my mindset from being an impossibility thinker to a possibility thinker"

Read the full article in the digital edition of HCM 1 2024 here

Read the full article online here

Huw Edwards
CEO, UK Active
photo: carmen valino

"It was a hugely challenging taking on a project of unparalleled size against a backdrop of collective distrust and even hostility"

Read the full article in the digital edition of HCM 2 2024 here

Read the full article online here

Sondré Gravir
CEO, SATS
photo: SATS / Anita Arntzen

"I tried to play the role of this theoretical version of a leader I’d made up, but I ended up behaving more like a cartoon character"

Read the full article in the digital edition of HCM 3 2024 here

Read the full article online here

Steve Schwartz
CEO, Midtown Athletic Clubs
photo: Midtown Athletics Club

"I thought, if I’m going down, I’m going to burn all the way!"

Read the full article in the digital edition of HCM 4 2024 here

Read the full article online here

Sarah Luna
Partner and chair, Formerly president, Xponential Fitness
photo: Xponential Fitness

"Either get on and do the job you’ve signed up for and deal with the good, the bad and the ugly, or get out of the way"

Read the full article in the digital edition of HCM 5 2024 here

Read the full article online here

Neil Randall
CEO, Urban Gym Group
photo: Urban Gym Group

"The rejections were a small part of my career, but taught me resilience and accountability"

Read the full article in the digital edition of HCM 6 2024 here

Read the full article online here

Jonathan Fisher
CEO, Holmes Place
photo: holmes place brands

"My body was telling me that if I continued to do what I was doing the way I was doing it, I’d be dead within 10 years"

Read the full article in the digital edition of HCM 7 2024 here

Read the full article online here

Ty Menzies
CEO, Lift Brands
photo: Lift Brands

"I thought it was going to be a walk in the park, but it almost broke me"

Read the full article in the digital edition of HCM 8 2024 here

Read the full article online here

Marc Diaper
Formerly CEO, Gymbox
photo: GymBox / JON PAYNE PHOTO

"It feels like the one that got away and in hindsight I should have found a way to make it work"

Read the full article in the digital edition of HCM 9 2024 here

Read the full article online here

Liz Clark
CEO, HFA
photo: IHRSA / STEPHEN GOSLING

"It was all about staying alive"

Read the full article in the digital edition of HCM 10 2024 here

Read the full article online here

Hagen Wingertszahn
Joint CEO, RSG Group
photo: RSG GROUP

"I had to make a name for myself again and prove myself. It felt as though I was basically starting from scratch"

Read the full article in the digital edition of HCM 11 2024 here

Read the full article online here

https://www.leisureopportunities.co.uk/images/2025/878599_745357.jpg
From getting sacked to risking it all, industry leaders share their learnings from tough times
Latest News

Private investment company Franchise Equity Partners has acquired Bravo Fit, the Planet Fitness ...

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Midtown Athletic Club has launched a new community tennis initiative honouring the legacy ...

Latest News
Fitness First UK has raised the bar with its latest refurbishment, in Highbury, London, as ...
Latest News
TLee Spas and Wellness has revealed the design for a wellness destination concept for AI ...
Latest News

Urban Gym Group has entered the Irish market with the acquisition of Iconic ...

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Total Fitness has released new research revealing how the expectations and motivations of ...

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Wattbike has announced a new integration with EGYM, which enables the bikes to contribute to ...
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Strength training has moved from the margins to the mainstream.
Opinion: Building smarter strength spaces for today’s operators
Featured supplier news
Featured supplier news: Introducing a new era of Nautilus Leverage
Strength training has never been more important for member retention, facility differentiation and long-term commercial success.
Featured supplier news
Featured supplier news: Legends never die: four legends, four philosophies of life
Panatta brought together four of the most influential figures in bodybuilding history on the stage of RiminiWellness 2026: Phil Heath, Lee Haney, Ronnie Coleman and Hany Rambod.
Company profiles
Company profile: Active IQ
The UK’s leading Ofqual-recognised awarding organisation for the physical activity sector, Active IQ offers over ...
Company profiles
Company profile: Gladstone Software
Gladstone’s software is built to streamline operations, reduce admin burden, and boost engagement. Operators can ...
Supplier Showcases
Supplier Showcase - From nightclub to health club
Supplier Showcases
Supplier Showcase - Future-proofing
Catalogue Gallery
Click on a catalogue to view it online
Featured press releases
GLL press release: Families flock to 'Better' Leisure Centres for weekend of free fun
Heralding the launch of the Commonwealth Games Last weekend’s ‘Team England National Sports Weekend’ (18 and 19 July) held at ‘Better’ leisure centres across the UK was a ‘hit’, with customers of all ages arriving in their legions to try out a selection o
Featured press releases
CET CryoSpas press release: CET CryoSpas and Specialist Pools Services Ltd partner to bring automated Ice Bath Management to the commercial leisure sector
New partnership between CET CryoSpas and Specialist Pools Services Ltd aims to reduce maintenance, improve operational efficiency and help operators meet growing demand for cold water immersion.
Directory
Spa and beauty equipment
Oakworks Inc: Spa and beauty equipment
Water experiences and hydrotherapy solutions
Aquaform s.r.l.: Water experiences and hydrotherapy solutions
Hot tubs
MSpa International Ltd: Hot tubs
Industrial washing machines
Miele Company Limited: Industrial washing machines
Lockers
Crown Sports Lockers: Lockers
Property & Tenders
Stratford, East London.
Lee Valley Regional Park Authority
Property & Tenders
Y Felinheli, LL56 4QN
Newmark
Property & Tenders
Diary dates
21-24 Sep 2026
The Langham Huntington Pasadena , Pasadena, United States
Diary dates
28-29 Sep 2026
Grand Ballroom, METT Singapore, Singapore
Diary dates
06-08 Oct 2026
Messe Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
Diary dates
22-22 Oct 2026
QEII Conference Centre, London,
Diary dates
29-31 Oct 2026
Impact Exhibition & Convention Center Bangkok,Thailand, Bangkok, Thailand
Diary dates
29-31 Oct 2026
IMPACT Exhibition Center, Bangkok, Thailand , Bangkok, Thailand
Diary dates
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The Kromhouthal , Amsterdam, Netherlands
Diary dates
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Koelnmesse Exhibition Centre, Cologne, Germany
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