IHRSA Asks 7 Questions
Name: Dana Chapman
Title: Owner
Club: Evolution Health & Fitness
Location: Haskell, NJ
IHRSA Member Since: 2005
How did you get started in the fitness industry?
After graduating from high school in 1994, my first full-time job was working at a small health club. It was welcoming and friendly, and it became my second home. I started teaching classes, fell in love with fitness, and decided to go to college to study exercise physiology. After college, I worked in graphic design, which is my other passion, but the fitness industry kept pulling me back because the work was so fulfilling. At the same time, I became frustrated. I had ideas for improving member service and the employee culture in the clubs at which I worked, but as a part-time instructor, I felt unheard by club management. I actually got fired from a few gyms because I was too feisty!
How did you become a health club owner?
It took me over three years to develop my club. While I had freelanced in graphic design, I hadn’t hired or managed employees before. It was important for me to take my time and develop my business skills and education. I worked with consultants and went to Texas and studied with a business mentor. Evolution Health & Fitness opened in February of this year. I've been inspired by the concept of personal evolution for years, in part through my long battle with body dysmorphic disorder, which means that I saw myself much differently than others did. So the club’s name really means something to me.
How would you describe your club?
It is a fresh "boutique gym" model that offers fun fitness programs and nutritional services with a highly personalized touch – and in a smaller, more intimate social setting. It’s functional and dynamic, but warm and inviting. It’s a place of encouragement and inspiration. To help members realize their personal goals, we work one-on-one. We set them on personalized tracks that continually assess their progress, using an exciting combination of traditional methods, technology and my own program called EvoLogic™ - a wellness philosophy derived from the fundamentals our bodies require as living beings. (We need to eat. We are designed to move.)
What sets your club apart from the competition?
I’ve worked for our competition. They say they care about their members, but in reality, they don’t. Our tagline is: “A coed gym that actually gives a %$#@!” It’s a way to poke fun at other gyms and get people’s attention at the same time. I’ve also created an employee culture of which I’m very proud. My staff and I have a great deal of respect for one another, in part because I never ask them to do anything I’m not willing to do myself. Happy employees make for happy members!
What is your day-to-day role at your club?
I oversee all operations, do a lot of sales and marketing, and develop and implement new workshops and programs. I also teach group fitness classes because that’s what I enjoy the most.
What is the biggest challenge you face as a health club operator?
The biggest challenge is communicating the message of who we are and why we’re doing what we’re doing. I want people to understand that we’re not like every other gym. To help with our exposure, we recently created a television commercial that will air in local markets.
What’s next for you and your club?
I’m talking to my landlord about adding a second location. My goal is to expand my club and business model to touch more people’s lives. I want to be a part of the solution to this country’s health care crisis. I dream big!
Log on to www.everybodyevolves.com for more information and to read Dana’s blog.
