C O M P A N Y I N S I G H T
In Partnership With:
International Fitness Holdings -
benefiting Canada’s lifestyles Despite Alberta falling on hard times during this recession, the health and wellbeing company continues to attract new members and grow its footprint. We find out how this has happened Written by Leila Hawkins Produced by Quiyonni Borja
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he Canadian province of Alberta is going through one of the worst recessions in its history. Yet against these odds fitness group International Fitness Holdings is not only riding it out, it’s prospering with new sites and a growing customer base. Catering to all lifestyles International Fitness Holdings operates three separate fitness clubs, each with very distinct identities. World Health Calgary specializes in its industry-leading personal training program, offering free trials to guests and with a large proportion of their members signed up to it. Spa Lady is its women’s only fitness club, with zumba, hatha yoga, barre and cycle classes among others, at competitive prices. Bankers Hall Club is the high-end executive health club, with nutrition coaches, massage therapists and squash courts in addition to personal training and group exercise classes. With these different operations the group can cater to all adults (18-81+), of all fitness levels, shapes and sizes. Each club has several sites, and Scott Wildeman, Senior Vice President of Operations, explains that three are in downtown while the rest are also in locations convenient for people to visit to and from work. “The no 1 factor in exercise endurance is making it a habit” he says, “and it will only become
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a habit if it’s able to fit in to somebody’s life.” The very ethos of the company is that it’s not just intent on making a profit, it also wants to improve people’s lifestyles. “Our focus is on building the habit of exercise vs. just selling a membership,” he says. “We’re focused on results but also the behavioral change of coming to the club on a weekly basis. We understand that to be successful we also have to work synergistically with things outside of the club like wearable technologies, so we can actually keep people active when they’re not in the gym. We don’t need people coming to the five days a week, once or twice is great, and as long as they’re active outside the gym we’re all happy.” This isn’t a practice that’s naturally ingrained into people’s lives here, he says. “Changing exercise behavior is very difficult. Most people will relapse, so we focus on how to get them back on if they fall off.” Overcoming the great recession Wildeman oversees all the group’s personal training programs, group fitness classes, therapies and nutrition, as well as the company’s human resources. He started working here part time while training to become a Physical Education teacher for schools, but then decided to stay on full time as a personal trainer. “I loved it so much. I pretty much am [still] a teacher, I just teach grown-ups,” he says. Wildeman is part of a dedicated management team who are steering through one of the worst
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recessiona Alberta has ever experienced. The region’s main industry is oil, and since 2015 prices have plunged dramatically causing tens of thousands of job losses. This collapse hit the exact areas where International Fitness Holdings have sites. As Wildeman explains, “it’s been localized in Alberta, and primarily localized in Calgary, and
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in Calgary primarily downtown. We’ve seen less volume in terms of new membership sales and higher cancellations than in the past, so our member volumes have changed, and then the amount of people taking part in programs such as personal training has also changed.” Yet in spite of the downturn of the local economy, in 2016, during
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the worst part of the recession the company opened three new clubs. This was thanks to the new measures it’s put in place. “We have new pricing structures so we’re trying to make our services more affordable for people on a consistent basis. We are trying to have member-friendly options like freezing memberships for a period of time. We’ve implemented a number
of policies that way, and we try to add value to each membership to focus on people getting their money’s worth.” Because of this the company is ready should it happen again. “The recession, everybody is saying it’s not going to bounce back, it’s going to be a slow climb, so we have to be prepared to thrive in the current environment, not just survive.”
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In fact the group is on the upswing, looking to expand into further locations as well as internally, with new programs and products which will be disclosed in the near future. Increasing competition Even though the region’s economy is depressed, the market is becoming increasingly competitive. “We are in Calgary and Edmonton, so between the two cities there’s probably 2.5 million people that are available for
fitness services. There’s a good demand in the industry, about 16 percent of people seek out fitness services. However in the last few years we’ve seen many competitors enter our market both in national chains and boutique studios,” he says. These include the large national brand GoodLife Fitness, which is fast expanding, and the smaller chain Gold’s Gym. Wildeman also cites boutique studios, municipal recreation centers and branches
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of YMCA as competitors. Another reason International Fitness Holdings has succeeded despite these challenges is having an everpresent awareness of being in a sector that keeps transforming. “We have to accept and embrace change – that’s the one constant in the fitness industry. The industry is fairly young and there are always new things and fads and ways to do things. We have to always be looking into the future and not being afraid of change.” Coping with the recession and changing people’s lifestyle habits may be challenges, but Wildeman says they’re very good at handling them. “Getting people to come back every week is our major focus and point of differentiation.”
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7222 Edgemont Blvd NW Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T3A 2X7 Tel. +1-866-278-4131 ifhinc.ca