Sports & Health

Revolutionizing the Fitness Industry with Joey Gonzalez

April 24, 2024

Revolutionizing the Fitness Industry with Joey Gonzalez

Joey Gonzalez, CEO of Barry’s Bootcamp, discusses his rise to the CEO role and where Barry’s fits in the fitness industry landscape.

Joey Gonzalez is the CEO of Barry’s Bootcamp, one of the hottest studios in the fitness industry. Joey and I recently had the chance to talk about everything from the nitty gritty of running one of the largest fitness studios in the world to his journey at Barry’s, going from a customer to the CEO over the span of just a few years.  

Joey’s career journey

Despite the fact that Joey is the CEO of one of the most prominent fitness companies in the world, he does not have the career path of a traditional CEO. Joey started his career as an actor, and his journey at Barry’s began simply as a customer. After much hesitation, Joey joined Barry’s and went to a class, and then another, and then before long, he was doing two classes per day. Soon thereafter, Barry Jay, the founder of Barry’s Bootcamp, approached Joey and asked him if he wanted to be a trainer, to which he eagerly agreed. From the time he became an instructor, he has worn practically every single hat in the company, working his way up to the prestigious role of CEO.

Selecting locations for in-person studios

As with any business, location is key in the fitness studio industry, and Joey knows this. Before a lease is signed for any new location, Joey himself goes to the location to scout the area and approve the signing of the lease. The areas that Joey is targeting to expand, he classifies as either dense urban walking, dense urban driving, urban driving, or suburban. He is looking for high traffic areas in both established and up-and-coming cities and surrounding areas. As of  now (and for the foreseeable future), Joey is staying clear of central business districts, as they are the one area that has not recovered from effects of the COVID-19 pandemic for the Barry’s studios.

Barry’s competitive landscape

An untrained eye might think that Barry’s has all sorts of competitors, from Planet Fitness to Orangetheory and Equinox. However, those familiar with the boutique fitness industry understand that Barry’s fits into a very specific, niche market. Joey and his team have crafted a premium experience, with a premium price point, meaning that the pool of competitors for Barry’s is smaller than you might think. Joey says that some of his biggest competitors are SoulCycle and Reformer Pilates.Gyms like Equinox don’t pose much of a threat to Barry’s, as the vast majority of Barry’s customers actually keep their gym memberships.

Want more?

I enjoy talking with fascinating people like Joey almost every week on the Walker Webcast. To view our list of upcoming guests, be sure to check out the Walker Webcast today!

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