Podcast appearances and mentions of doug levine

A LOT has happened since Crunch's early days!  Humble Beginnings & Early Growth: Crunch started in 1989 with Doug Levine, Roger Harvey (Crunch's first COO), and a powerhouse team, quickly making waves in the highly competitive NYC fitness scene. Big Deals & Bumpy Roads: Bally Total Fitness bought Crunch in 2001 for $90 million, but soon faced challenges. A few years later, Angelo Gordon (with Pete Moore himself on the deal side) acquired the company for half that price—$45 million. Growing Pains: Membership dropped from 92,000 to 72,000, forcing Crunch into bankruptcy in 2009. This time was all about resetting, restructuring, and prepping for the future. A Decade of Determination: Crunch worked hard to dial in their business model, launching a successful franchise program and slowly but steadily building momentum. Skyrocketing Success: By 2019, TPG Growth snagged Crunch to accelerate its franchising efforts, which paid off. Fast-forward to today: Leonard Green has acquired Crunch for a stunning $1.5 billion. The company now boasts 500 locations and 3 million members! One solid takeaway? Spotting potential in a struggling business—and having the patience, grit, and right partners to see it through—can lead to incredible success. Crunch isn't just surviving, they're thriving. With blue-chip private equity backing and a proven growth strategy, the future looks bright.  RESOURCES: Crunch Fitness: https://www.crunchfitness.com Sale of Crunch to TPG: https://www.tpg.com/news-and-insights/tpg-backed-crunch-fitness-announces-strategic-investment-from-leonard-green-partners Doug Levine's Live HALO Talks in NYC: https://youtu.be/h-qDEAS5LsM?si=kh0GclOgGmwXMxhS 

In this first-ever "HALO Talks Live" episode held at Sid's Gym in NYC on October 17 2024 to a packed house, we dove deep into everything from fitness innovation, building a brand from the ground up, deciding to 'break the mold' of the fitness space, guerilla marketing, and a ton more with legendary Crunch Fitness founder Doug Levine. Host Pete Moore and Doug explored Crunch's creative, unorthodox beginnings, from viral marketing campaigns to avant-garde classes like aerial yoga and others.  Sue Hitzmann, visionary creator of the world famous MELT Method (and also a Crunch veteran from the early days & HALO Talks alum!) started us off and discussed the importance of fascia health for true body wellness, emphasizing proactive self-care, how 'recovery' has changed over the years, the importance of proper trainer education, why facilities should strongly consider getting their instructors up to speed on the methodology, and more.  Levine was the driving force behind Crunch Fitness, and he transformed the fitness industry by fostering a unique sense of community. Under his leadership and working side by side with Roger Harvey--Crunch's first COO of 12 years--Crunch defied the stereotype of a massive, impersonal corporation. Instead, it became a closely-knit environment where instructors bonded, attended each other's classes, and learned collectively. Doug ensured that the instructors felt valued and well-compensated, emphasizing personal investment in their growth. His vision extended beyond group exercise to personal training, establishing a comprehensive, supportive, and thriving fitness community. Doug not only built a successful brand but literally revolutionized the health club experience. On the early days of advertising Levine recalls, "So nobody knows this, but . . . Time Warner didn't like running people's local ads. Local ads, when they introduced it into New York, were largely Midas muffler shops, Jiffy Lubes, etc. They were franchises that had ads produced by corporate and they could afford. But our deal with Time Warner was that--because they loved the creativity of Crunch's ads--we would get almost all of their unsold inventory. So basically, we would spend $10,000 a month and get a half a million worth of ads, or or whatever their unsold inventory was for many, many years!"  We also want to acknowledge Sid Raman (another HALO Talks alum!) from Xpriential on his patented treadmill, which blends cutting-edge technology with incredible, immersive exercise experiences. These treadmills are game-changing and do not exist anywhere else in the world (yet!) Whether it's franchising insights, AI's role in fitness, branding, risk-taking, the evolution of wellness trends and more. . . this one runs the gamut!  Key themes discussed Sue Hitzmann--MELT Founder--explores fascia's role in pain. Self-treatment technique for physical and emotional health. Medication masks symptoms; addressing root causes critical. In a key move, Crunch evolved to a recurring, monthly membership. Evaluating on-brand, trendy group exercise programs. New, innovative 'boutique fitness trends' attract interest. Cool, diverse brand, universal language, special plac and community. Building a brand from scratch is incredibly complex! A few key takeaways:  1. Innovation and Creativity in Fitness: Doug emphasized the importance of unique and creative fitness programs, such as Crunch's iconic drag queen and aerial yoga classes, which helped set the brand apart and establish new trends in the industry. The organization's ability to leverage creativity instead of relying solely on traditional KPI's was crucial to its early success. 2. Embracing New Advertising Methods: Doug shared an inspiring story about utilizing creative local TV advertising to market Crunch, leveraging free resources from advertising professionals who were members and huge fans of the brand. This strategy was a part of Crunch's PR-driven marketing approach that insisted on standing out without high costs, demonstrating the power of ingenuity in growing a brand from scratch.  3. Importance of Fascia Health: Sue Hitzmann discussed how fascia health impacts overall bodily function, joint stability, and mobility—highlighting that repetitive movements can lead to problems in the fascia, causing joint issues and inflammation. She argued against merely masking symptoms with medication, stressing the need for proper self-care to address the root causes of pain. 4. Experiential Fitness Technology: Sid Raman introduced an innovative treadmill simulator that combines hardware, software, and AI to offer immersive movement experiences through virtual reality. This "experiential" fitness equipment provides diverse, entertaining activities suitable for all ages, showcasing the future of tech-enhanced workouts. 5. Franchising and Community Building: Doug and Pete discussed the challenges and rewards of growing Crunch through franchising. Despite the potential for dilution, maintaining an inclusive community and vibrant culture at each location remains vital. The conversation underscored the importance of early franchisee buy-in and mentorship for successful brand expansion, 'transferring' the original company's DNA into new franchises. Resources:  Doug Levine: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-levine  Crunch Fitness: http://www.crunch.com Roger Harvey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roger-harvey-926528117/ Roger Harvey HALO Talks: https://www.halotalks.com/episode-363-roger-s-harvey-wearelvel5-corp-founder-awareness-coach/  Sid's Gym: http://www.sidsgym.com Xpriential: https://www.xpriential.com  Sid Rahman HALO Talks: https://www.halotalks.com/episode-481-sid-raman-unveils-next-level-treadmill-technology/  MELT Method: http://www.meltmethod.com  Sue Hitzmann: https://www.suehitzmann.com  Sue Hitzmann HALO Talks: https://www.halotalks.com/episode-372-sue-hitzmann-melt-method-founder/      Prospect Wizard: http://www.theprospectwizard.com Promotion Vault: http://www.promotionvault.com HigherDose: http://www.higherdose.com  Connect With Us:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehaloadvisors/?hl=en  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Integritysquare  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@halotalks  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/integrity-square/  Website: https://www.halotalks.com

Send us a Text Message.In this episode, serial entrepreneur Doug Levine joins us for some gin and tonics and a ton of laughs, as he shares his wild ride through the world of business. Picture this: fresh out of college and working for a private equity firm in San Francisco, Doug stumbles upon some gym concepts and decides to pump iron on a whole new level. He heads back to his NYC roots and opens his first Crunch gym in 1989, eventually flexing his business muscles to sell it for a whopping $90 million in 2001.Not one to rest on his laurels (or his abs), Doug pulled a classic New Yorker move and headed straight to the 305. In 2006, he co-founded Frida Baby, because why not pivot from fitness to baby products? While hunting for warehouse space in Wynwood, Doug had yet another lightbulb moment and realized there was some serious green to be made in commercial real estate. Enter Big Move Properties, founded in 2015. Join us as Doug shares his entrepreneurial escapades, complete with the kind of stories that pair perfectly with a gin and tonic. Cheers!Looking to dive deeper into the Miami commercial real estate scene? Well, you've stumbled upon our favorite topic of conversation. So, whether you're a curious beachcomber or a seasoned investor, drop us a line at info@gridlineproperties.com or dial us up at 305.507.7098. Or if you're feeling social, you can stalk us on LinkedIn and connect with us there. Let's make some waves in the 305 real estate world together! Ben Hoffman's bio & LinkedIn ( linkedin.com/in/ben-hoffman-818a0949/ ) Felipe Azenha's bio & LinkedIn ( linkedin.com/in/felipeazenha/ ) We extend our sincere gratitude to Büro coworking space for generously granting us the opportunity to record all our podcasts at any of their 8 convenient locations across South Florida.

The Me-Suite host, Donna Peters, shares a montage of Season 2 guests when they answer the fan-favorite question, "What advice do you have for things we should start doing differently on Monday?"This wraps up a terrific 2020 which brought us finalist rankings for Best Business podcast and People Choice Award for 2020…and delivered ~100 episodes that help us live our lives with a Me-Suite mindset: with more purpose, planning and power.Thank you, thank you,  listeners.  May 2021 be your best year yet.And thank you Season 2 guests for bringing your amazing, authentic selves into The Me-Suite: Mac Hardcastle, Andy Parker, Donna Cryer, Dr. Kara Nance, Bill Flynn, Dr. Doug Levine, Lakshmi Natarajan, Dr. Kyra Bobinet, Isil Cayirli Ketenci, Prem Tumkosit, Julien Emery, Court Wakefield, Pietro Mangione, Chris Moses, Mike Vichich, Cass McCrory, Jason Anderson, Lisa Finkelstein, Alan Slavik, Katie Adkins, Tina Gilbert, Mike Malinchockwww.the-me-suite.comFB: @mesuiteLinkedIn: Donna PetersTwitter: @DonnaPetersCMeOThe Me-Suite podcast theme song by Moshun

Christian Maitre and Jay Bradley go into how crucial addiction services like the the Alcohol and Drug Council of Tompkins County have adjusted to increased need and reduced funding, and explore the recent #OpenTheBooks protest at Ithaca College. Also, Jay speaks to Doug Levine of the on the State Theatre on the Save Your Seat campaign and concert. Hosted by Skylar Eagle Music in the pieces on Addiction and Save Your Seat by Podington Bear. Originally aired on November 15, 2020. Ithaca Now is WICB's news program covering news, issues, and culture in the Ithaca area. For more local news, visit wicb.org/news.

Your host, Donna Peters, sits down with author and physician, Dr. Doug Levine.  The topic is Hope--the why, what and how of Hope.  Dr. Doug teaches us that the future is malleable, and we can proactively influence change with the optimism of Hope.  Self-motivation and finding the spark are just the beginning of the wise reflections shared in this powerful 20 minutes.Dr. Doug is a physician scientist and gastroenterologist.  Most recently, he has become a published fiction writer.  His latest work can be found in the anthology, Hope, published by the Association of Rhode Island Authors under the pseudonym, Abraham Simon.Dr. Doug's core values are: The Golden Rule, Be in Service, Do Things as Well as You Canwww.the-me-suite.comFB: @mesuiteLinkedIn: Donna PetersTwitter: @DonnaPetersCMeO*The Me-Suite podcast theme song by @Moshun

This Week's Guests - JOana Meneses - BodyRoots Founder and BodyRootsAzores / LiquidRoots Retreats Leader,and self proclaimed Karaoke Queen is an 18 year full-time Fitness Pro. She combines movement in ways that make you forget you're working. Jo, will be sharing her journey from the Azores to Canada and to NY through comedy and how she arrived at a career in Fitness and running her own business. Roger Harvey - CEO of Switch Playground USA Roger is the former COO of Crunch Fitness. He was there for 13 years and helped build the brand along with founder Doug Levine and a dedicated, loyal team of talented people. Roger will share some insights on the fitness industry and discuss his current work at Switch (@switchplaygroundnyc)

Alexis sits down with Dane Wigington, George Barnes, and Dr. Doug Levine about the phenomenon of geoengineering: the facts, the figures, and the fiction at play. According to researcher and solar energy expert, Dane Wigington, there is no natural weather anymore!  So what is going on?  By best estimates, Geoengineering, the artificial manipulation of our global climate […] The post Geoengineering and the Global Assault appeared first on Higher Journeys.

According to researcher and solar energy expert, Dane Wigington, there is no natural weather anymore!  So what is going on?  By best estimates, Geoengineering, the artificial manipulation of our global climate has been happening for sixty plus years and has created a total disruption of our weather system. In this candid and sobering discussion, done on-location at […]

Doug Levine in studio at the end of the show I get in some good punches but gets me in a Choke hold and I have to tap out. Robert Burton comedian / actor / voiceover master & Former Military. He tells us about starting in comedy, shares multiple voices Charlie Sheene Sponge Bob,Joe Pesci. and crazy sound thru the show and joins in all the fun. And shares some tips for Doug in MMA

This week on the (Let's Be Frank) Show we spoke with the Legend Jackie Mason the ultimate comedian. I was excited to have him call in as he answers questions about President Obama and talks about getting started in comedy. Jackie gives me an unexpected compliment about my interviewing skills. My Guest in Studio this week Comedian Gwiggy and an old friend Doug Levine an old friend from NY