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David ‘Patch’ Patchell-Evans The chairperson of IHRSA’s board of directors wants to unite the world through fitness so everyone can enjoy a GoodLife  Read Full Issue
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Nutrition Attraction Clubs are shaking up their café offerings and reaping healthy profits with smoothies, nutraceuticals, and supplements. David “Patch” Patchell-Evans is the CEO and owner of GoodLife Fitness, a Canadian club company with 200 facilities, some 8,000 employees, and more than 550,000 members. It’s the largest Canadian chain, as well as the largest chain owned by a single individual in the entire world. GoodLife has been repeatedly honored as one of Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies (2003-2008) and as the recipient of its Consumers Choice Award (2001-2009). Patchell-Evans has been named Most Innovative CEO of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, and International Entrepreneur of the Year. The Canadian Medical Association awarded him its Medal of Honor for his strong support of autism research. His second book, The Real Sexy, Smart and Strong: 30 Tips to Boost Confidence, Get Fit and Feel Great, Inside and Out, has just been published, with all proceeds benefiting the Kilee Patchell-Evans Autism Research Group, named for his daughter. Patchell-Evans currently serves as the chairperson of IHRSA’s board of directors. 
CBI: First, congratulations on your election as the chairperson of IHRSA’s board of directors. What about serving in this demanding capacity appealed to you? David "Patch" Patchell-Evans: For me, it represented a chance to demonstrate some leadership and to give something back to the industry. I learned many of the things that I needed to know to make my company grow from IHRSA. I also learned from the association’s attitude—that of sharing—and from its educational process, and I still do. There’s always more to learn. Highlights
CBI: What, in your opinion, is the greatest opportunity that IHRSA currently enjoys?
DP: I’m excited by the opportunity that IHRSA has to encourage people who are new to the industry to focus on education. They have to figure out what they need to learn, and learn it quickly. If they don’t, it’s going to limit their potential for growth. The same holds true for industry veterans, such as myself. We have to keep in touch with what’s new to remain at the top of our game. As far as I’m concerned, we can, conceivably, learn just as much from a 25-year-old who’s been on the fitness floor for five years, as we can from another owner who operates 50 clubs. CBI: The position of IHRSA chairperson is an important and rather powerful one. What would you like to accomplish in the role? DP: Well, it might seem rather grandiose, but what I’d really like to do is unite the world through fitness. For a moment, just think of fitness, if you would, as the biggest sport in the world. If that’s a reasonable premise, then IHRSA is perfectly positioned to serve as the leader, and to break down barriers—in the same way the Olympic Games have united the world through competitive sports. One of my other, more pragmatic goals is to significantly increase the association’s membership base. I’d like to see much greater representation from even more countries. Every IHRSA member needs to be spreading the word about the association’s value, needs to be inviting at least one nonmember to an IHRSA event. When we assist one another, we also, at the same time, help make IHRSA stronger and more successful. Beyond that, I want to make the convention and trade show stronger and better, and intend to use CBI and our other publications to remind members about the value of IHRSA’s many resources. There are many fitness-industry-related associations, organizations, and groups in the world, and IHRSA should serve as the uniting force. CBI: What do you think is the greatest challenge facing IHRSA today? How do you see the association changing over the next two to five years? DP: The opportunity that we enjoy is to create a common vision and, then, use every method at our disposal to realize it. We have to remain what we’ve always been—a community of people passionate about, and committed to, health and fitness. For instance, when I opened my first club in 1979, I refused to let people smoke—that seemed like a somewhat radical move at the time, but it was simply the right thing to do. I could have lost members, but my belief and my actions definitely helped to set me, and my business, apart. It was an example of the risks and rewards of leadership. I can attest that it’s possible to make the world a better place, and also to make money, at the same time. CBI: How do you feel the recession has affected our industry? DP: In a way, I think the recession has actually reinforced the public’s trust in, its belief in, the value of our product. More and more people have come to realize that, given the increased uncertainty of life, one of the few things that they can still control is their own body. As a result, most of the clubs that I’m familiar with are reporting higher usage—either because members have more time, or because they’re anxious to maintain that control. I don’t regard the recession as a huge issue for clubs. Canada, typically, has had a higher unemployment rate than the U.S., and, in some areas, it’s now close to 20%. But, in these markets, the clubs that are doing the right things are doing very well. The good news is that people are still buying memberships and holding on to them. Eventually, when the economy turns around, they’ll buy more memberships. CBI: What’s your philosophy, your strategy, for dealing with the current economic environment? What sort of advice would you offer to other club owners? DP: The best way to deal with the recession is to take care of your employees and members and to focus on education. Read CBI avidly, attend industry conventions and trade shows, and make use of IHRSA’s many other educational resources. Stay on top of the statistics and new ideas, trends, and developments. The only way to be successful in times like these is to be smarter than your competitors and to spend your money more wisely. And the only way to do that is to be smarter than them; you have to know what works and what doesn’t work. How do you do that? You need to talk to people not just from your own community, or state, or, even, country, but from throughout the world. You have to discover what’s working, and not working, for them. Today, we live in a global marketplace, and the “next big thing” can come from anywhere. The only venue that facilitates that sort of communication, those rewarding personal connections, is IHRSA’s Annual International Convention and Trade Show. The theme of next year’s meeting, IHRSA 2010, is “The Future Is You.” And it is! The whole point of going there is to get smarter—by listening to the best and learning from everyone else. CBI: How has GoodLife Fitness been affected by the recession, and how are other operators doing? Is there a possible upside to the economic downturn? DP: Actually, 2009 has been our best year ever—everything is up 20% to 25%. Other operators have told me that business is okay, or complained that they can’t get credit, but, of course, there are some who are definitely hurting. There are some others, however, who are doing extremely well, but they’re not telling anybody—they don’t want to tip off their competitors. Right now, the amount of money available for the development of new clubs is limited. Ironically, that gives existing operations something of a honeymoon! It’s harder for a competitor to open up a new club down the street. So now’s the time for club owners to add some new equipment, freshen up the place with some paint, and give members a reason to go, “Wow!” CBI: Speaking about doing well…In August, you acquired the 23 facilities of Nubody’s Fitness Centres, which brings GoodLife to within a whisker of the 200 clubs you plan to have by the end of the year. Why did Dean Hartman, the founder of Nubody’s, sell it to you, and what was it about his business that made you want to buy? DP: Dean and I have very similar values He opened his first club four years after I did. In the 26 years since then, he’s done unbelievably well in his market, which has a fairly small population. By virtue of having competed with him in the Atlantic provinces for the past few years, I knew he focused on employees and members in much the same way that we do. Dean had reached a point in his life where he wanted to make a change, so the acquisition made a great deal of sense for both of us. Prior to the purchase, our members had access to eight clubs in Atlantic Canada, but, now, along with a ninth GoodLife club that we’re adding, they’ll have 32. And we’ll probably open another 15 facilities over the next three years. CBI: GoodLife is one of the few club companies in the world that, the economy notwithstanding, is continuing to expand aggressively. What does the future hold? DP: Well, we’re at 200 clubs now, and are planning for another 200 low-price clubs, as well as an additional 200-300 24-hour clubs. That will bring our total to 600-700 clubs—ones operating under our brand—by 2012. We’ve already confirmed locations for many of these facilities. CBI: In addition to being a successful club owner, you’re also an established author, and have just published a new book: The Real Sexy, Smart and Strong: 30 Tips to Boost Confidence, Get Fit and Feel Great, Inside and Out. Tell us about it. DP: People often place limitations on themselves. My book is about becoming aware of the potential that you actually have—not what someone else thinks—and how the benefits of fitness can help you achieve it. The possibilities, and the results, are based on the individual, not on norms or statistical averages. For example, I have arthritis, so I’ve chosen to focus on those muscles that I can make strong—not on those I can’t. The book’s takeaway is that you can become the “real sexy, smart, and strong” person that you’re capable of being. CBI: You’ve earmarked the profits from this book to the Kilee Patchell-Evans Autism Research Group, which is named for one of your two daughters. What are your hopes for it? DP: That’s right, all of the proceeds will be directed to autism research. My goal? It’s to sell one million copies. People who have read the book are excited, and a number of big names—Ken Foster, Jack Canfield, John Asaraf, Harley Pasternak, and Dr. John Ratey—have lent their support. I’m hopeful that this book will change a lot of lives. Anyone who wants to help out, by ordering a copy, can go to www.davidpatchellevans.com, which will direct them to Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble in the U.S., or to Chapters Indigo in Canada. The proceeds from another book that I’m involved with, Karen Dubrofsky’s Cooking with Canada’s Best, is expected to raise $1 million for autism research. CBI: Any final thoughts? DP: I have three main passions right now. With GoodLife, I’d like to make it possible for all Canadians to become more fit, and some of my competitors will help me to achieve that goal. I’m also determined to find a cure for autism. And, with the help of IHRSA, I’d like to unite the world through fitness—that would be a wonderful thing, wouldn’t it? - Patricia Amend; pamend@aol.com |
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International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association |
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