I've been watching the steady growth of the Association of Fitness Studios (AFS) and was recently invited to join as a member of their Advisory Council. From the AFS press release:
NEWS RELEASE Nash, Macgowan Join AFS Advisory Council (CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, August 7, 2015) — The Association of Fitness Studios (AFS) today proudly announced the addition of fitness industry leaders Frank Nash and John Macgowan to the AFS Advisory Council.
John Macgowan is a consultant and owner of Deep Breath In, LLC - publisher of ICI/PRO, the online Indoor Cycling educational resource for Cycling Studio owners, managers and Instructors around the world. He has been leading Indoor Cycling classes since 1997 - with certifications from Schwinn, Stages, Heart Zones, ICG, Life Time Fitness and Cycling Fusion.
“We welcome John Macgowan to our Advisory Council with open arms,” said Leve. “He”™s a true indoor cycling guru, with a dedicated following. He will be a tremendous AFS resource for this segment of the studio market.”
ICI/PRO has been at the forefront of the explosion of boutique Indoor Cycling studios. Many successful studio owners can point to one of multiple interviews John has conducted, as being the "spark of inspiration" they needed to launch their new fitness business. “I love what I see AFS doing to help connect, educate and encourage independent fitness studio business owners,” said Macgowan. “There's power in numbers and all modalities of fitness will benefit from being a part of this well managed organization. As a member of the Advisory Council, I'm excited to help AFS develop the Indoor Cycling vertical within the umbrella of the greater association.”
History of AFS
Toward the end of 2011 two life long friends, one a fitness industry veteran and the other an attorney and business consultant, got together to fill a void they observed while working with colleagues and clients alike. Despite the major industry trend towards the development of freestanding fitness studios, there was a lack of support for the owners. The reality was these businesses — opened by great fitness professionals — could benefit greatly from the sharing of business ideas and best practices.
The Association of Fitness Studios (AFS) is the only membership community dedicated to the business of fitness studios. We provide studio owners and developers a wide array of business-specific products, services, and benefits that will enable them to more effectively manage and grow their businesses, building on the passion, compassion and courage they”™ve already shown. Previously, there was no such business-centric, trade association dedicated solely for fitness studios.
We created AFS to do for our members what studio trainers and instructors do for their clients — help them achieve their objectives.
Most of the challenges of studio ownership are universal. Through sharing of information, best practices and delivery of the tools necessary to enhance management efficiency, marketability, and profitability AFS is the direct link between studio owners, suppliers, fitness professionals, and consumers - connecting all segments of this vibrant industry. Welcome to the AFS community!
Mission Statement
The mission of the Association of Fitness Studios is to create a community of studio owners by equipping them with the tools necessary to enhance management efficiency, marketability, and profitability while promoting the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle through education, information, and technology.
My goal is to help AFS develop a strong & vibrant membership of all types of Cycling Studios. I'm planning an interview with AFS founder and CEO Josh Leve in the near future to help you learn more about this vital organization.
Originally posted 2015-08-11 09:13:40.
John is a member on the AFS (Association of Fitness Studios) Advisory Council.
Holding certifications from; Schwinn, Heart Zones, Team ICG and Life Time Fitness, John's held regularly scheduled cycling classes between 1998 and 2015 when he moved to Florida.
When the weather permits, you'll find him riding and leading outdoor groups by himself or with his Tandem partner (wife) Amy.
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