elements™ Fargo will feature forward-thinking technology and advances, from Smart Workouts to dynamic Group Exercise class series. elements™ exclusively features SmartCard exercise system with European-designed “smart” machines, which greet each member by name, remember her settings, track her performance, and tell her where to go next. The touch screen and card practically become a personal trainer for the client.

An opening in Fargo propels elements™ into the cooler climates of the world, with the promise of creating a whole new bevy of winter beauties. The sentiment shared by all involved in the opening is that fitness knows no bounds, and that the elements™ lifestyle is desired by women of all areas and climates. A franchise in Fargo is yet another success story for the Miami based company. The elements™ team is excited about the new venture, “We are proud to introduce elements™ to the residents of the Northwest States. This opening proves that the elements™ message of health and vitality is universal and our business plan and franchise offerings can be successful anywhere.”

Residents of Fargo will soon be belly dancing to Brazilian beats, relaxing during candle light yoga, or stepping to the samba. For Fargo residents, the elements™ are about to get a whole lot more inviting.

Visit us on the web at: www.elementsforwomen.com

About elements™
elements™ is an international premium fitness and lifestyle brand for women. The company offers membership-based fitness, diet and weight loss services throughout a network of wholly-owned, as well as franchised health clubs and online services. elements™ has appeared in Investor’s Business Daily, South Florida Business Journal, The Miami Herald, Forbes Magazine online and Club Business International among others. The brand features technologically advanced Smart Workouts, dynamic Group Workout series and a robust online diet program, BalanceD™. Over 45 locations are now under development in the U.S., as well as international expansion to Bombay, Dubai, Australia, Canada and London.

“Toronto is a great city for elements… it has many similarities to New York, and a full service brand like elements can really be developed to its fullest – we are planning a real showcase location with some great
surprises here. This is the first of several planned Canadian clubs, we are quite excited about it. The buzz we have been receiving from Canadian fitness professionals tells me we are on to something really good”

The elements fitness brand differs from other health club providers with its balanced approach to a healthy lifestyle: body, beauty and mind. Relying on expert guidance and support, elements™ creates a platform for women to come together in an environment of health and wellness. The brand also features an online magazine and media channel, elements living, a full-service interactive diet program, BalanceD™, and a full retail line.

Miami-based elements currently has 12 US locations with a total of 55 franchised locations under planned development. The company has been adding health club locations in signature markets such as Chicago, Atlanta, and New York since its inception in 2004. The company, following its “clustering-based” philosophy to growth, has now begun active franchising campaigns in Canada and also Latin America.

For more information about business opportunities with elements, please call 305.535.1525 or agarcia@elementsforwomen.com, or visit www.elementsforwomen.com

About elements™:
elements™ is an international premium fitness and lifestyle brand for women. The company offers membership-based fitness, diet and weight loss services throughout a network of wholly-owned, as well as franchised health clubs and online services. elements™ has appeared in Investor’s Business Daily, South Florida Business Journal, The Miami Herald, Forbes Magazine online and Club Business International among others. The brand features technologically advanced Smart Workouts, dynamic Group Workout series and a robust online diet program, BalanceD™. Over 65 locations are now under development in the U.S., as well as international expansion to Bombay, Dubai, Australia, Canada and London.

In reality, there are few industries as dynamic and energized as the fitness industry… It sounds cliche, but by being a health club owner you really are doing good for others and your community, and enjoying powerful re-occurring revenue streams to boot!

At no time is the energy and growth of fitness franchises more evident than at the international trade shows, such as IHRSA (the International Health Racquet and Sportclub Association).

The elements team is gathering in San Francisco for the next 10 days as part of this event … along with a collection of 15,000+ executives and fitness club owners from around the world – this convention is a who’s who of the industry, and is not to be missed for serious fitness club owners. elements uses the show as a tremendous opportunity for our teams to network, collaborate, and focus.

We will be using the time to meet and strategize with current elements club owners, introduce new franchisees to the industry, collaborate with other executives and policy leaders in key government initiatives, and teach at various workshops and lectures.

Involvement in the overall industry, including leadership on the national and governmental levels, is such an important responsibility for a franchisor. I always caution prospects when they are searching for the ideal concept to franchise, to make sure their franchisor has the clout within their given industry to help them out, in case a situation arose. One of the great things about being a part of a brand, is the fact that all of our clubs are represented, regardless of their attendance at the event.

What a great and unique experience to design an entire television network from scratch… that is essentially what our team was challenged with in December, once elements made the decision to launch our “elements living television” network in mid-2009.

So, how do you go about creating a TV network? First, it begins with developing a concept. In our case, we are intent on creating an entertainment experience within our health clubs… a reflection and an extension of the “living” elements brand. The idea for the network began several years ago, after several of our staffers were speaking about how boring the music was in their (non-elements!) gyms. Of course, as our brand continues to grow worldwide, we are always looking for ways to better communicate with members and prospects, and to deliver the message of wellness. Although it seemed like a daunting prospect, a network delivered via web, would allow us to create a uniquely branded experience for each and every elements member, worldwide. After doing research into the feasibility, we quickly realized that we could find major national brands such as Nike and Estee Lauder to underwrite many of the ongoing production costs (keeping the content and music fresh was a major initial concern, making it cost effective for our franchisees was the other). After many months of explorative work, a production partner was selected, and the foundation for the soon-to-be launched “elements living tv” was laid.

The network, debuting this spring, will include well selected music videos, clips and segments from our Fitness Advisory Board, healthy lifestyle tips, and motivational messages – The multi-channel network is slated to include music videos (on seven uniquely created playlist stations. Creating the music selections turned out to be a full time project onto itself… how do you properly represent the musical tastes of an diverse audience of women nationwide? The solution was to hire a music engineer as well as develop a system allowing local elements clubs to customize the music according to the time of day, day of week, and the preference of members… allowing a fully customizable platform within the network! Look for a special sneak peek of the music station coming very soon….

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Miami, FL – 2/22/2009 – Upscale fitness and lifestyle brand elements for women has announced the launch of “elements living TV” – a multi channel fitness television and broadcast network.

elements living TV will be a healthy lifestyle-oriented network featuring entertainment and uniquely branded “elements” content. The channels will offer well-selected music videos, showcase female emerging recording artists, fitness and diet short clips, and “teaser” segments featuring elements All-Star FitnessAdvisory Board members. Club members will have the ability to view longer versions of content on the on-demand portion of the network, from cardio machines at the clubs or from home via online streaming.
The network will also help to spread the word about other important and great elements initiatives, such as showcasing emerging female recording artists, and spreading the word about the brands charitable efforts through the elements foundation.

The channel and network is fully sponsored by advertisers such as Nike Women and Lancome, and will be a free amenity to elements members and guests. The network will broadcast inside of elements clubs, as well as on-demand to a worldwide audience online.

“elements living TV network is one of our most exciting and ambitious achievements to date, remarked Chris Palumbo, elements brand founder. elements is more than just a fitness chain, we are a complete lifestyle brand. In addition to our award-winning elements clubs, we have developed many popular consumer portals. elements living TV is the next progression of our online magazine and media channel (www.elementsliving.tv). The multi-channel network will allow us to offer an unparalleled entertainment and fitness experience within the clubs. The network adds tremendous value, as it will continually reinforce elements as a overall wellness brand, and promote amenities and services within the clubs.”

“We have developed a large amount of content over the past four years, and the on-demand lifestyle channels will allow members and guest to watch shows on their cardio machines, or at home. Imagine how progressive it is to have a guest walk in to an elements club and be surrounded by well selected music, announcements, tips, motivation, education, and fun. The member can further customize her experience through the on-demand portion of the network.

The elements fitness brand differs from other health club providers with its balanced approach to a healthy lifestyle: body, beauty and mind. Relying on expert guidance and support, elements™ creates a platform for women to come together in an environment of health and wellness. The brand also features an online magazine and media channel, elements living, a full-service interactive diet program, BalanceD™, and a full retail line.

For more information on the network, including business and sponsorship opportunities, click here

Many first-time business owners do not know that, in commercial real estate, it is normal for a professional landlord to pay “TI” (tenant improvement) money as an incentive to attract popular national tenants to their center. The more favored a brand is, the more “TI” money the landlords are willing to pay to attract that brand to their center.

This makes good sense for landlords, the best “anchor” tenants quickly define the image of the Plaza, and the ultimate long-term success. Many landlords do not want to re-invent the wheel here, so they will follow the lead of other successful landlords and plazas nationally. Owners of great brands can offset a larger portion of their initial startup and construction expenses through a landlord contribution. elements has been very popular with landlords since the beginning. Our clubs have great curb appeal for a plaza, and attract one of the top buying demographics (upper income women, age 30-65) to the plazas on a repeat basis. As a result, elements and our startup team has always had excellent results with landlord negotiations. (we help to negotiate all leases on behalf of our franchisees)

I have said many times that we believe this is one of the best times in history to open a business in the US. Economic trends have converged to make this an excellent time to negotiate a lease, as landlords are sweetening their deals to attract key tenants to sign leases. We are seeing “TI” amounts double what they were last year, and long free rent periods, typically one year or more. Wow… what an exciting thought for any business owner -being provided a “turn-key” space, and a full year of no rent expense.

I heard one time that the definition of luck is luck is when preparedness meets opportunity. Successful entrepreneurs will think themselves very luck to be able to launch their businesses this year.

I was speaking to a well-respected executive from the franchise industry today. I really enjoyed our call, and I thought I would share some of the conversation with you – it really shows the process of buying a franchise from the other side of things…..

In business, you can either let or make things happen. Successful people make things happen, and are confident in the decisions and choices that they make (both in business and in life). This conversation became especially relevant because, as the end of the year approaches, many aspiring entrepreneurs will be following their dream of owning a businesses a reality this year. And other will not… they will blame the economy, the holidays, their jobs, family, or a whole host of other factors which will cause them to procrastinate their decision making until next month.

Why is January a better month to make a decision than December? What will change between now and then? If an entrepreneur is at the point where they have collected all the information, it is very unlikely that anything will materially change within the next months. In fact, going through the notes and checklists they have developed along the process should confirm they have all the information you need to make a sound decision.

In business, it is important to identify what it is that holds you back. If it is the fear of the unknown – recognize that this is entirely normal, as with any big decision. There will always be reasons not to buy, not to invest, or not to grow, but if you are serious and have a passion for businesses, it is important to look for reasons to buy as well.

From our seat, many prospective franchisees do not realize that delaying their decision without good reasons sending the wrong message to the franchisors, who are evaluating you as a potential Developer. Franchisors (your partners) are looking for passion for the model and business savvy which includes decisiveness.

As an entrepreneur, you want to be in the position of having options. In other words, you want to be awarded the franchise and have the option of saying No. Delaying in decisions often removes that option for the candidate. As December approaches, elements will be announcing several great new club locations, and new Regional Developers – we are proud that our new partners understand that success comes from within, and possess the drive and determination that come hand-in-hand with success.

]]> http://www.chrispalumbo.com/2008/11/28/happen/feed/ 0 http://www.chrispalumbo.com/2008/11/21/gym-atlanta-elements/ http://www.chrispalumbo.com/2008/11/21/gym-atlanta-elements/#comments Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:33:21 +0000 elements http://chrispalumbo.com/?p=354 We gave congratulations this week to our three Atlanta gyms, for winning the prestigious “Best of Atlanta” award. It was notable to mention that this was the second “Best of” award elements had won in two weeks. To me, this is notable because it shows that consumers and members are really expressing their loyalty and affinity for elements. We get countless requests each week from potential members across the country (and sometimes world) requesting or inquiring about club locations. This growing database is becoming a major asset to the brand, especially since prospects receive our “elements living” magazine free of charge, where they can interact with our fitness experts, keep tuned-in to the latest fitness and lifestyle tips and trends, create a customized diet, and download video workouts. This “element experience” is being enhanced again next year with the addition of a full supplement line and robust online store. Consumers are able to “experience elements living” at home, and also at their Award-winning local elements club… what a concept!

We were very pleased to read today that elements for women was named “Best of Alpharetta.” Our growing presence in Southern markets such as Atlanta has really started to create a buzz. Consumers are frequently seeking the best health club, the newest innovations, or the best franchise to join. With our stylish clubs, convenience locations, and exclusive features such as smartcard workouts and customized coaching, it was really no surprise that our clubs are really gaining popularity… it is however, a very nice surprise to read the growing number of customer feedback, testimonials, stories and awards we are beginning to receive.

Elements Diet & Fitness Receives 2008 Best of Alpharetta Award

U.S. Local Business Association’s Award Plaque Honors the Achievement

WASHINGTON D.C., November 19, 2008 — Elements Diet & Fitness has been selected for the 2008 Best of Alpharetta Award in the Health Clubs & Gyms category by the U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA).

The USLBA “Best of Local Business” Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USLBA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.

Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2008 USLBA Award Program focused on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USLBA and data provided by third parties.

Although much of the retail news these days is filled with doom and gloom scenarios, there is at least one industry which is gearing for a real surge in business …. lucky for us, it is the fitness industry

Fitness, weight loss and wellness see a real spike in sales for a 70 day period, beginning in early January. Savvy fitness retailers, such as elements for women, are learning how to extend this season earlier, with cleverly designed Holiday promotions, encouraging sales, membership reservations, and spikes in referral traffic in conjunction with the Holiday shopping season. I would love to be able to tell you exactly what strategy we are employing (however that is a secret reserved for our franchisees at this moment)!

We began the launch and integration of this pre-New Years/Holiday campaign work with our franchisees and partners in Atlanta this week, where we ran into a surprise guest, at the club….

elements for women is fast becoming recognized for the curb appeal in our clubs – we enjoy the prestige of being the only upscale fitness brand for women, a very unique market position which is not lost for a minute on me. One of the reasons for our intensive training programs and methodical staff development is to keep the experience inside the clubs consistent with their upscale appearance.

I very much enjoy reading feedback from new members and prospective franchisees who tour through our clubs – it is nice to know that we are creating winning experiences, and setting a new standard. elements uniquely features an internal club design team, ensuring that each club represents the brand well, and is also value-engineered to ensure that our clubs open on budget.