Ellen Latham, Creator of Orangetheory Fitness — Glambition Radio Episode 161 with Ali Brown

You’ve seen the ‘orange splat’ that’s pervaded nearly every corner in America… and now also the world. But did you know the Orangetheory concept was created by Florida fitness trainer Ellen Latham while she was a single mom in her 40s? I’m thrilled for you to meet the founder of this global fitness phenomenon on this week’s #GlambitionRadio!
Orangetheory Fitness has grown to 1,100+ studios across the U.S. and in more than 23 countries—in just 8 YEARS. Last year the company reached $1 BILLION in systemwide sales. The Orangetheory Workout is now conducted in eight different languages, with 800,000 members worldwide. Impressive, to say the least.
But what I wanted to know was, how did Ellen go from training clients out of her home to suddenly collaborating with expert partners* to franchise the concept worldwide? (*The same guys who grew Massage Envy and European Wax Center to astounding franchise growth.)
On today’s episode of #GlambitionRadio, Ellen walks us through the moment she unexpectedly got fired from her spa fitness club job, and then, step by step, leveraged her skills to build a fitness business of her own. And then, *the single serendipitous moment* that determined her future as Orangetheory!
What I love most about Ellen is not only her clear passion and dedication to improving people’s lives, but how seamlessly she and her partners worked—and still work— together to consistently build out Orangetheory Fitness.
Pay attention: This woman DOES THE WORK.
On the show, we also discuss:
*What makes the Orangetheory workout so different than other fitness classes (the key is its individual heartrate-monitored training that’s designed to stimulate metabolism and increase energy)
*What Ellen’s football coach father taught her about building off your strengths versus obsessing on what you don’t have, and how his advice continues to guide her strategic business decisions
*What Ellen’s 3 P’s are behind the phenomenal growth of Orangetheory—people, program, and process—and what they each mean to her.
*Why she and her partners decided to HALT growth of the entire company one year in order to tune things up (it had to do with making sure they were partnering with the right franchisees; this was really interesting and showed how much they cared about the long-term success of the business)
*Why Ellen is still VERY involved with the business on a daily basis (even though she could have easily ‘cashed in and checked out’ by now)
*What Ellen has to say about all the copycat fitness franchises popping up now around America (her answer is exactly why Orangetheory is thriving)
On the show Ellen and I also discuss why you should believe in your potential (and why you need to also attach action to your potential), the importance of having the right support systems all around you, and why her photo is posted inside every school in Niagra Falls, N.Y. :)
I know you’re going to get a lot out of today’s show. Head over to iTunes and listen to this episode of Glambition Radio now (or download it for later).
Xo Ali
P.S. I would love your review! If you enjoy what I share in this episode, please leave a review and comment on iTunes. I would really appreciate it. Thanks!