Sara Kooperman , JD Group Training , Programming & Certification
“ I am honored to be again working side-by-side with the Gold ’ s Gym Franchisee Association . The Think Tank has been an exceptional way to assist both long-standing members and new owners and managers who are joining the Gold ’ s Gym family . Supplying industry information and insights is an extremely fulfilling way to serve our industry and support the leaders who work so hard to maintain our gyms . The pandemic has left us hardened but also hopeful that
Reintroducing : The we can continue to provide exercise as medicine to our communities and our country . Thank you GGFA for including me in your worthy cause !”
The Association is celebrating 10 years of the GGFA Think Tank ! This elite panel of experts was introduced in early 2011 as a platform for GGFA members to have access to people who are considered a resource for expertise in their field . The panel members have been chosen to fill a need for the education and insights they provide .
“ I love participating in the GGFA Think Tank . One of the things I have learned in my involvement is that every time I go out and teach something , I ’ ve learned to have very much of a student ’ s mind at the same time , because of how much I learn from Gold ’ s Gym franchisees in return and how it keeps informing me , and when I get to go out and teach elsewhere . A big part of the Think Tank for me is not that I am the authority on anything . You bring in concepts and ideas and oftentimes , you think you are going to teach something , and you end up learning a lot ! So any contribution I can make is enjoyable and it ’ s always good to see my Gold ’ s Gym family .”
By serving , panel members support the GGFA with educational articles , blogs and presentations at virtual or face to face events . Most recently , our current members were all speakers for the first GGFA Virtual Experience , held last August .
Bryan O ’ Rourke Technology , Trends , Marketing , and Mergers and Acquisitions
You will see and hear more from them in 2021 ! We appreciate their commitment to serve the GGFA and the franchisees .
“ Serving on the GGFA Think Tank has been a great honor . Sharing insights and support with the Gold ’ s Gym franchisee community is extremely rewarding . The relationships I have built in making the effort to be a part of the Gold ’ s Gym franchisee community are some of the most important in my life and career .”
With a focus on a fresh start in the new year with enthusiasm and optimism for franchisees , we are excited to announce the GGFA Think Tank Panel for 2021 ! Dr . Paul Bedford is our newest member and we invite you to read the short message from him . Sara , Blair and Bryan have served for many years .
A message from our newest GGFA Think Tank Member , Dr . Paul Bedford : To start with a quote from a German philosopher as my first contribution to The Voice seems a bit contrived , but I wanted to share the full Friedrich Nietzsche sentence that is often only partially quoted , “ Out of life ’ s school of war — what doesn ’ t kill me , makes me stronger .” Out of life ’ s school of war , is the perfect description of 2020 . The battle that we fight now and will for some time to come .
It ’ s only a surprise to non-fitness people how resilient we are . We toil away each day , through the discomfort of exercise , knowing that the results we desire will not
Paul Bedford , PhD Retention & Customer Loyalty be achieved today , but sometime in the future . We understand that these results are not even guaranteed , but we toil away anyway . Fitness people have mental toughness in abundance , not the toughness that we see displayed by special forces , but the toughness displayed by doctors and nurses working everyday to save lives .
“ I am delighted to be asked to serve on the GGFA Think Tank Panel , particularly at such a challenging time for the fitness industry . Now more than ever before clubs need to hold onto their members . I hope that my contributions will assist all GGFA members to survive and thrive .”
We know our efforts will be rewarded but often unrecognized by the wider population , but we know what we have done , what it takes and what we still need to do to finish .
We are evolving , with new situations , new boundaries , new opportunities and “ Out of life ’ s school of war — what doesn ’ t kill us , makes us stronger , Gold ’ s Strong ”.