Episode #500: Navigating Private Equity and Corporate Growth with Pete Moore

HALO Talks: Elevating Wellness

In today's special episode (big #500!) host Pete Moore hands the mic to industry veteran Al Noshirvani and dives into a wealth of topics currently affecting the HALO (Health, Active Lifestyle, Outdoor) sector. Listen for insightful stories about overcoming business challenges, from employee and landlord issues to the complexities of deal funding, and aligning management teams.

Pete shares his personal and professional experiences and Al (who has been "in the room" on some deal closings) praises Pete's innovative, out-of-the-box, deal-closing abilities and delves into how to maintain optimism and transparency in business transactions. Pete continues and discusses the pressures of public markets on companies like F45 and Peloton, and the high debt burdens imposed by private equity.

He goes on to explore the need for gyms to adapt to emerging trends, such as family fitness and workout recovery, and lays out his vision for the future of the HALO space among societal health concerns. Finally, Moore hits hard on the (ever present, ultimately harmful, and yet still ongoing) "race to the bottom" in gym membership pricing, and his optimistic views on expanding activities like pickleball.

On "irrational development" Pete states, "There's enough private equity out there so that you don't have to subject yourself to running a public company in the spotlight. Just keep it private, and run it methodically . . . I think the push to go public can cause people to get over their skis. And then when you do that, you crash hard. So that's gonna be an unfortunate black eye in the industry."

Key themes discussed

• Entrepreneurship driven by personal frustration, innovation.
• Understanding movie, discipline, and successful private equity.
• Club shirts, logo on, opportunity for growth.
• Public markets demand consistent performance from businesses.
• Private equity, F45 went public, financial pressures.
• Poor balance sheets affect good businesses. Be aware.
• Fair and transparent transactions for mutual satisfaction.
• Negotiating partnership deals with fair equity impact.
• Independent sponsors lack committed capital, seek funding.
• Negatives controls are positive; consent needed.

A few key takeaways:

1. Pete dives into the intricacies of handling various obstacles in business deals, from employee issues and landlord disputes to the complexities of securing funding. He underscores the importance of maintaining optimism, transparency, and fostering fair and collaborative agreements for all parties involved.

2. Moore shares his personal fitness journey, highlighting the benefits of early workout to kickstart the day. Additionally, he discusses the importance of focusing on workout recovery, emphasizing the need for health clubs to integrate recovery programs to enhance member satisfaction and performance.

3. Moore and Noshirvani delve into the psyche of entrepreneurs, pointing out that personal frustrations often drive the inception of new companies. They compare different rounds of investment to experiments, where deliberate growth strategies are crucial. Moore shares his experience and tips on dealing with entrepreneurs as an investment banker, stressing the criticality of addressing potential background check issues and managing confidentiality towards the end of a deal.

4. The podcast offers a thorough examination of the fitness industry's growth and challenges. Pete discusses the pressure on companies like F45 and Peloton upon going public, given their low franchisee financials compared to competitors. He also touches on the increasing involvement of private equity leading to high debt burdens on companies. The episode suggests that managing expectations is vital, regardless of whether a company is privately held or publicly traded.

5. Moore expresses optimism about the future, highlighting the potential amidst societal health concerns and the expansion of varied fitness activities. He emphasizes the need for health clubs to cater to family fitness, address the obesity crisis, and adapt to emerging activities like pickleball. Moore advises health clubs to customize programs based on individual needs and cautions against irrational development within the industry.

Click here to download transcript.

Resources:

• Pete Moore: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peteymo/
• Integrity Square: http://www.integritysq.com
• Health & Fitness Association: http://www.healthandfitness.org
• Prospect Wizard: http://www.theprospectwizard.com
• Promotion Vault: http://www.promotionvault.com
• HigherDose: http://www.higherdose.com

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