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189: Anthony Badalian: "Why Is Fitness So Hard to Sell When Everyone Needs It?"
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Anthony Badalian, President and COO of STRIDE Fitness, joins Erik for a deep conversation about the hidden complexity of the fitness franchising business. What starts as a discussion about gyms and boutique fitness studios quickly evolves into a masterclass in leadership, hospitality, community-building, emotional intelligence, customer retention, and human behavior.
Anthony shares why fitness is far more than workouts and why the brands that survive aren’t simply selling exercise — they’re creating belonging. Together, Erik and Anthony unpack the psychology of coaching, the economics of boutique fitness, the parallels between hospitality and leadership, and the surprising role empathy and follow-up play in long-term success.
👤 About the Guest
Anthony Badalian is the President and COO at STRIDE Fitness, where he leads strategy, operations, and franchise growth for one of the hottest emerging boutique fitness brands in the country
With leadership experience across 24 Hour Fitness, Club Pilates, and Rumble Boxing, Anthony brings over two decades building high-performing teams, scalable franchise systems, and customer-centered fitness experiences. His approach blends operational discipline with hospitality, emotional intelligence, and community-first leadership.
🧭 Conversation Highlights
Why Fitness Is One of the Hardest Businesses in the World. Anthony explains the paradox at the heart of fitness: almost everyone needs it, yet very few people stay consistent long enough to transform. The real challenge isn’t convincing people fitness works — it’s helping them sustain behavior change.
Community Is the Product. The conversation explores how boutique fitness brands retain customers by creating a sense of identity, belonging, and human connection — not just workouts. Members often stay because of the people and the experience, not just the programming
Retention Is the Ultimate KPI. The pair unpacks how long-term member retention, utilization, and intentional follow-up is truly working inside a business. Metrics matter, but relationships drive the metrics.
💡 Key Takeaways
- Consistency — not intensity — is what changes lives in fitness.
- Community dramatically increases retention because people struggle to leave places where they feel connected.
- Great coaches are often defined more by personality and emotional intelligence than credentials.
- Hospitality skills transfer incredibly well into leadership and coaching.
- Follow-up is one of the most undervalued growth tools in business.
❓Questions That Mattered
- Why is fitness so difficult to sustain even when people know it works?
- What actually makes someone feel like they belong somewhere?
- How do you measure the impact of community inside a business?
- What separates a coach people tolerate from one they’ll drive across town to see?
- Why do some businesses create loyalty while others create transactions?
🗣️ Notable Quotes
“Fitness is hard. It’s the consistency that changes people’s lives.”
"People don’t just want results anymore. They want to feel connected to a community."
“The best coaches on earth aren’t always the most certified — they’re the ones who create real connection and inspire people to keep showing up"
“The fortune is in the follow-up.”
“Community is everything in boutique fitness because it keeps the experience personal."
“There are a lot of things that aren’t our fault but are still our responsibility.”
🔗 Links & Resources
- Follow Anthony Badalian on LinkedIn
- Check out STRIDE Fitness' website: stridefitness.com