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.
