Episode #423: Ahmed AbouElezz of FITT Finder: Empowering Users to Personalize&Find Their Fitness Tribe. - a podcast by Pete Moore

Live from the floor of the March 2023 IHRSA Trade Show in San Diego, host Pete Moore welcomes Ahmed AbouElezz, the founder of FITT Finder. Ahmed shares his entrepreneurial journey, beginning with arriving in the United States with only $3,000 in his bank account and working as a nightclub bouncer. He recounts sleeping in his car in San Francisco and strategically parking near a popular cafe frequented by startup investors. He reveals how he would act like he was ordering coffee and do some networking! 

"The shocking thing is if you want a table inside of a restaurant, you will get it in less than 5 seconds on OpenTable. If you want a flight from LA to Austin, you will get it in 5 seconds from Kayak or Travelocity. . . Even jobs, you can find them immediately on Indeed. But guess what? When you search for 'yoga class near me' on Google, what you get is not a yoga class. It's not even close," states AbouElezz.

Ahmed also shares his vision for the platform to show nearby studios making it easier for users to make decisions based on their fitness preferences, as well as eventually be able to book directly. FITT Finder currently has the ability to filter based on location, date, time, budget, activity level, age, intensity, and availability.

They touch on potential collaborations, including partnering with Google to leverage their API and gain more exposure. An application like this is program like this is clearly long overdue . . . and we encourage you to reach out to Ahmed at FITT Finder to get your studio listed and to learn more. 

Some key moments: 

[00:02:17] Fitness industry lacks personalized and easy solutions for the consumer looking for nearby class listings (and more.)

[00:09:22] COVID led to unexpected success for FITT Finder.

[00:12:42] FITT Finder aggregates fitness activities and services based on location, categories, and preferences. It offers access to various channels, including live streaming and other options.

[00:13:31] Partnerships with travel companies benefit customers.

[00:19:16] Starting entrepreneurial venture without immediate revenue model.

A few key takeaways: 

1. The fitness space is much more diverse than commonly thought, with twelve different channels including classes, outdoor activities, live streaming, and more.
2. FITT Finder helps users filter their search for fitness activities and services based on specific categories such as location, date, time, budget, and activity level.
3. It also helps users find free community workouts near their location, making it easier to stay active without the need for costly memberships.
4. COVID-19 presented an ideal window of opportunity for the company to launch, and they have successfully secured partnerships with healthcare and corporate wellness benefit providers to expand their user base.
5. Being proactive and taking advantage of opportunities is key in entrepreneurship, even when faced with uncertainties such as a lack of fixed compensation or a clear revenue model. Trusting one's instincts and believing in the evolution of an idea can lead to success.

Click here to download transcript. 

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