Hitting it big in the fitness industry takes
chutzpah and persistence, but the only things guaranteed to keep you on top are
results and happy clients.
Orangetheory® Fitness (OTF) has all four in spades. Founder Ellen Latham’s signature
workout sparked the business in 2010, which has exploded into hundreds of
studios worldwide.
But her journey wasn’t all wine and roses. Latham’s
jagged path demanded her to push through adversity, the dominant creed in each OTF
workout.
Demand for her story sparked Push: A Guide to Living an
All Out Life: The Story of Orangetheory® Fitness. Latham’s book is not
only a marketing tool but a guidebook for pushing past fear in and out of the
studio.
Was your book written with the intention of
becoming a marketing tool for OTF? If not, why did you write it?
When you find
something that works, you want to share it! That was the premise behind PUSH
and writing the book. The OTF workout is not only effective; it is unique and
versatile.
The basic
foundations of the workout are applicable to every aspect of life. We have
found that the same thought process pushing you through a challenging workout
is also how you work through difficult life situations.
The ability
to focus your energy and PUSH through life’s adversities is one of the
indispensable values that this workout embodies. Our fans, members, and even
staff have found success transitioning OTF principles off the treadmill into
everyday life.
This powerful
holistic approach keeps us focused on overall client wellbeing. Through the
book, we wanted to communicate the history of the workout, how OTF came to be,
and the fundamental pillars of our dynamic studio.
How are you using the book to promote OTF? What has
been the reaction so far?
So far, we
have received great reaction from our clients and community. I think this book
gives the reader an intimate and transparent view of the company in general.
This is not a
glamourous success story; I experienced hardship and defeat in the process of
constructing one of the most exciting fitness brands in the world. That passion
is evident in the workout and the support clients receive in and out of the
studio.
Our goal is
to use the book to supplement our client’s connections with their OTF studio
and to engage more people in a workout we know works.
Discuss the sales of the book so far. What has
worked; what hasn't worked?
Overall, the
book world is new territory for us! It has been an educational and exciting
ride. The book has been well received both in and out of the fitness industry.
We think it demonstrates a very unique ‘insider’ perspective of the studio, the
team that established it, and the passion that went into developing the
workout.
In terms of
reflecting on what has, and in some cases hasn’t, worked, I think overall the
team would agree it has been a very positive experience. Public speaking
energizes me, so harnessing my industry connections created a lot of buzz for
that venture.
When I speak,
I go deeper into detail so audiences feel they are getting a special scoop on
the brand and the OTF story. The book helps cement the relationship, becoming a
go-to guide for fitness and life.
Do you have other book projects in mind? What are
they and how do you anticipate marketing them?
We are always
looking for ways to strengthen the brand and engage our clients. Since the
principles of OTF apply to so many aspects of life, it’s exciting to plug into
that potential.
Any other thoughts on how you use your book as a
marketing tool?
Using the
book purely as a marketing tool was never our intention. The brand, the
principles behind it, and client results stand alone as a story. My
entrepreneurial journey and how I share it gives audiences a truly transparent
view of the company. The book just ties it all together so people can learn how
to get comfortable being uncomfortable. It’s the only way to move powerfully
through life – on or off the treadmill.
Orangetheory
Fitness is the energizing group personal training, interval
fitness concept that is sweeping the nation. Backed
by the science of excess post-exercise oxygen consumption
(EPOC), Orangetheory Fitness is a 60-minute workout
broken into intervals of cardiovascular and strength training.
Participants burn from 500 to 1000 calories per 60-minute training session
(individual results vary), using a variety of equipment including treadmills,
rowing machines, TRX suspension training™ and free weights. Learn more at www.orangetheoryfitness.com.
