A few fit facts as we head into 2021.
Between 2015 and 2017 the wellness industry grew by 6.4 per cent to become a $4.2 trillion market. That’s nearly twice as fast as global economic growth (3.6 per cent annually, based on IMF data).
The wellness industry now represents 5.3 percent of global economic output.
Despite 2020’s massive disruption to face-to-face wellness operations, the growth rates have not dropped. Rather, engagement with online and at-home solutions have increased – and by all accounts, and common sense, does not look like it will be slowing down anytime soon. The accessibility and variety of online options has made it easier to not only reap workout and wellness benefits, but has also provided the social connection that humans naturally crave, especially after isolating for much of the year.
Today we speak to a bunch of business owners in the wellness space to hear their thoughts.
Mindfulness online
Luke Mcleod is the founder of meditation and mindfulness app Soul Alive, a service that encourages people to take a moment and reset. He launched it right before the pandemic in August 2019 but it turns out that his mode for delivery could not have been more perfect.
“My point of difference is that I host the sessions live, not only for social connection but to make people accountable to turn up” says McLeod.
“While a lot of our clients are mums, so they do tend to catch up on the sessions after the live class from time to time, people try their best to get to the live sessions so they can chat before class.”
“As I recently launched, I decided to host the classes via a private page on Instagram live. It turned out to be a great decision because it allows members to connect, follow each other and feel like they have some sort of social interaction which was so important after the year we have had”
The meditation markets revenue growth is forecast at 11,4% up to $2.08 billion in 2022 so if you are serious about your wellness it is a good one to look into.
Online Fitness
It was not an easy year for gyms anywhere in the world, with forced closures followed by restrictions making it difficult for them to stay on top of their earnings, but most adapted and went online. One who did it particularly well was Flow Athletic.
“It was a pretty scary start of the year for us, but looking back, we also made the most of what came and made some new revenue streams in the process” says Ben Lucas.
“We wanted to keep things as normal as we possibly could, both so our staff could still teach their classes, and our members can still do the ones they have signed up for, so we went onto FB Live and we had a channel for Yoga, Pilates, Strength and Spin. We even loaned out our spin bikes so our members could workout in isolation.”
“The online side went better than we could have imagined so we have now invested in Flow Athletic TV which is a more professional and polished channel. There are on-demand classes with more getting added monthly as well as some live classes too. It has been very popular already and again, was a great opportunity to diversify.”
Connected Fitness
Connected fitness has been an exciting market to watch for the last few years, with the growth in popularity of wearables, to connected concepts such as Peleton and Mirror. Australia now has a brand in the game, and their offer satisfies a need so well that they even managed to raise USD$2.5 million in the midst of a global pandemic.
Vitruvian and their new V-Form Trainer is a connected fitness device that unlocks engaging and sophsitcated resistance training programs through the use of motorised resistance. Driven by algorithmic technology, the device does away with static weight entirely. Intelligent weight loading rapidly adapts to the user’s needs and capabilities, as they lift anywhere from 7kg to 180kg across a range of curated classes and workouts. Backed by science on the efficacy and benefits of eccentric training, this makes working out not only more effective and time-efficient, but also more fun and engaging.
The V-Form Trainer is a slimline, carbon fibre platform that easily stores away under a couch or bed, perfect for anyone who wants a full home or office gym without the space usually required.
Perth-based founder Jon Gregory says “The connected fitness category is truly revolutionising the way people train, from measuring and monitoring progress to ensure results, ensuring that users have hundreds of workouts at their fingertips, connecting them with the rest of the community who is using the device and more”.
“Fit tech is an area that will continue to grow, especially if more people start choosing to do most of their workouts from home and I am thrilled to be part of this exciting category”
Unique Wellness
Infrared saunas have become popular thanks to the celebs who swear by them and constantly post their experience on instagram. However two young Aussie guys, Ed and Wyatt started wondering if they can make the experience more convenient to attend and more affordable for people, and it turned out their idea paid off because a few months after launching the brand, the pandemic hit and everyone was stuck at home!
“We were thinking that at $40-$50 per session in public or a few thousand to buy one in your own home, infrared saunas can get expensive, so we decided to come up with a solution, and that was the MiHIGH Infrared Sauna Blankets” says Ed/ Wyatt.
“They are a fraction of the price of a regular infrared sauna, can fold up in a box under your bed, and you still get all the same benefits. We actually launched last year and it went gangbusters. The business has done over $2.5M in revenue which goes to show how important wellness is to people these days”
The heat generated by infrared saunas stimulates your body at a cellular level which increases the production of white blood cells – which helps to boost your immune system and fight off infections.
Infrared heat is a lot more detoxifying than regular heat. That means instead of just sweating out water, you’re also sweating out toxins that normal saunas don’t have the power to do and it allows your body to produce an abundance of calming chemicals. You’ll step out of your blanket feeling happier, less stressed, and you’ll enjoy deep sleep.
If you’re interested in experiencing the convenience and affordability of their innovative sauna solutions, check out their offerings at https://nordicasauna.com/.