Ep 323 - 1Rebel: Reimagining Boutique Fitness | Co-founder James Balfour

On this week’s episode of the Escape Your Limits podcast, our guest is James Balfour, founder of the  iconic, trailblazing, boutique fitness brand, 1Rebel. When the brand entered the market in 2014, it reimagined fitness, offering an endorphin-rich, community drive experience that combined beautifully quirky, high-end environments with quality programming, instruction and community. This was arguably the start of the boutique fitness revolution. In this podcast, James Balfour gives a very candid account of the brand’s pandemic survival strategy, its strategic pivots to remain relevant, strong and sustainable through changing market conditions and a glimpse at the brand’s future ambitions. James’ also talks about his personal experience of the pandemic. As an eternal optimist, he always believed the storm would eventually pass, which it did, but at what cost? James talks about the collateral damage and harsh lessons learned about the importance of family and friendship. In this podcast, James talks very frankly and honestly about: Adapting the 1Rebel business model in response to COVID. Evolution of boutique fitness. Experience driven marketing. Values vs. marketing messages. Creating community-driven environments that promote unity.  Nurturing and supporting freelance instructors. Adapting the model in response to changes in consumer behaviours. Growth strategies, franchising and international expansion. The impact of emerging technology on the fitness industry. Fitness trend predictions. Personal lessons from the pandemic. To learn more about 1Rebel, click here. ====================================================== Subscribe to our YouTube channel and turn on your notifications so you never miss a new video when it’s published: https://www.youtube.com/user/EscapeFitness Shop gym equipment: https://escapefitness.com/shop View our full catalog:  https://escapefitness.com/support/catalog https://escapefitness.com/support/catalogue  ====================================================== Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Escapefitness Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/escapefitness Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/escapefitness LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/escapefitness/