Aug 9, 2026
JJ Creegan has helped build three of the biggest names in fitness — Planet Fitness, UFIT, and Orange Theory — and now works as a fractional COO/CEO helping emerging brands scale. In this episode, he and Eric dig into the K-shaped fitness economy, why the industry is "data rich but knowledge poor," and the exact visit-frequency formula that predicts member retention. They also cover the state of boutique fitness, the Pilates consolidation wave coming, and why the walls between fitness, medicine, and wellness are finally coming down.
Key Takeaways:
- 📊 Only 25% of the U.S. population holds a fitness membership — 75% of adults aren't engaging in fitness at all
- 💰 JJ's retention rule from his time at UFIT: getting a member to 10 visits in their first 60 days increased year-long retention odds by 50%
- 🚫 "You can't ever save a cancellation. You can only prevent it."
- 🔥 "Loyalty is fake. It does not exist in today's world. It's about relevancy."
- 🧗 If JJ had a blank check, he'd open a rock-climbing gym that integrates recovery and wellness — not a traditional gym
- 🏋️ Jet Set Pilates just signed its 400th license agreement and is set to open 150+ units this year
- 🩸 JJ's personal fight to get proactive bloodwork (testosterone) despite pushback from his own doctor
- 😴 The single biggest health upgrade in his last 5 years: being in bed before 9:30 PM for 7–7.5 hours of sleep
OUR SPONSORS:
🔗 Perfect Gym: https://www.perfectgym.com/en
🔗 EGYM: https://egym.com/
Connect with JJ Creegan:
🌐 JJCreegan.com
📸 Instagram
💼 LinkedIn