Welcome back to The Business of Wellness Podcast with host, Jaclyn London, RD! Today, Jaclyn sits down with Katia Pryce the CEO and founder of DanceBody. Katia shares her journey of starting and growing her dance fitness business, starting as a performer and realizing that people would pay her to work out with them, leading her to start Dance Body in 2013. She initially rented studio space and focused on building a community of dancers and fitness enthusiasts. As the business grew, she developed a structured formula for the classes optimized for scale, and hired performers who understood the dedication and commitment required. The business evolved before the pandemic, with a shift to digital streaming and a focus on building a hybrid model of in-person and online classes. Katia emphasizes the importance of community and creating a unique brand identity; the importance of being intentionality in business, and the struggle of saying no to specific opportunities so that you can focus on what matters. She shares her decision to focus on digital expansion rather than opening a new brick-and-mortar studio and emphasizes the value of organic brand awareness. Katia also highlights the need for a balanced approach to fitness, debunking the myth of low-impact workouts and emphasizing the importance of cardiovascular training and strength-building as we age.

Listen to this episode if you’re interested in:

• Starting a business based a creative passion.
• Learning how to build a strong community as the secret ingredient for the growth and sustainability of a business.
• Adapting to changing customer behaviors and preferences is essential for business evolution.
• How focusing on a specific niche and delivering exceptional value in that area can differentiate a brand.
• Why being intentional in business and saying no to tempting opportunities is crucial for success.
• Driving organic brand awareness through Instagram & YouTube
• Why a hybrid approach to a fitness business model is important, and the types of training that are most effective for long-term health & longevity— including cardiovascular fitness & stregnth-training— as we age.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction and personal journey

05:05 - Developing a product, scaling a business, and building brandy equity & loyalty in the fitness space

08:16 - The rise of boutique fitness and the value of community

13:57 - Shifts in the wellness industry over the past decade

20:07 - Boutique fitness trends over the last decade & what's new & next for brands

30:01- The power of saying “no”

34:22 - Organic brand awareness

45:12 - Establishing a strong omnichannel business model in fitness

52:16 - Digital expansion & the future of fitness

Thanks for listening to this episode of The Business of Wellness with Jaclyn London, RD.

🎙️Subscribe to The Business of Wellness on Apple Podcasts & leave a 5-star rating & review

🎙️Hire me to consult before you invest in or get to work on that better-for-you product

🎙️Follow me on Instagram: @jaclynlondonrd

**Advice provided on this podcast should not replace medical advivce provided by your physician.

Key words: dance fitness, entrepreneurship, community, hybrid model, digital streaming, brand identity, intentionality, saying no, digital expansion, organic brand awareness, balanced fitness, cardiovascular training, strength-building

In this episode of The Business of Wellness Podcast, host Jaclyn London, MS, RD, takes a deep dive into the world of Gen Z, exploring how nutrition myths in media and marketing uniquely affect this dynamic consumer demographic. Join Jaclyn as she uncovers the truths about Gen Z’s approach to food, health, and wellness, and provides actionable strategies for dietitians and health professionals to better connect with and support this generation.

Discover why Gen Z is the most informed generation yet, and how their digital-native status influences their food and health decisions. Learn about the common misconceptions surrounding their concerns for sustainability, diet culture, and reliance on influencers. Jaclyn shares key insights on the importance of clinical effectiveness, the role of healthcare provider recommendations, and the renewed interest in offline connections for optimizing mental health.

This episode is packed with valuable information for anyone looking to understand and engage with Gen Z consumers, from dietitians and wellness enthusiasts to industry insiders. Tune in to learn how you can leverage these insights to make a meaningful impact on Gen Z’s health and well-being.

Key Topics:

• Understanding Gen Z’s demographics and characteristics

• The impact of digital-native status on food and health decisions

• Debunking myths about Gen Z’s nutrition and health behaviors

• Strategies for dietitians to connect with Gen Z

• The importance of offline connections and mental health optimization

Thanks for listening to this episode of The Business of Wellness with Jaclyn London, RD.

Follow Us:

• 🎙️Subscribe to The Business of Wellness on Apple Podcasts & leave a 5-star rating & review

• 🎙️Hire me to consult before you invest in or get to work on that better-for-you product

• 🎙️Follow me on Instagram: @jaclynlondonrd

Additional resources:

• Ketchum PR Gen Z Food Report

• McKinsey’s Future of Wellness

• MyFitnessPal: 2% of Nutrition Information on TikTok is Accurate

• McKinsey’s What’s New in Consumer Wellness

• Ketchum PR Gen Z RD Report

Optimize your understanding of Gen Z’s unique food and health behaviors with Jaclyn London, MS, RD, on The Business of Wellness Podcast & share your feedback on the episode by following the show & leaving a review.

Welcome back to The Business of Wellness! This week, host Jaclyn London, RD, sits down with renowned New York City-based cardiologist, internal medicine and concierge medicine physician, Dr. Erica Jones, MD, for an in-depth, behind-the-scenes, honest conversation about obesity medications and the alarming rise in the rate of cancer diagnoses among young adults.

Why GLP-1’s, why now? Dr. Jones explains the cardiovascular benefits that make GLP-1 medications a desirable tool in modern medical practic; the benefits vs. risks of taking these medications for weight-loss and management; the ideal population who will benefit from taking GLP-1’s; how these medications are altering patients' food tastes and eating patterns, and how permanent they are; the most common (and uncommon) side effects of GLP-1 medications, their severity, and Dr. Jones’ tips for predicting & understanding patient tolerance. Then, we get into the long-term considerations for use of GLP-1’s, including a critical discussion on the rapid & widespread adoption of GLP-1’s, long-term risks of using these medications (what we know and what we don’t know yet…), and the need for comprehensive evaluation and medical nutrition therapy. We also dive into the media coverage about obesity medications: How is the celebrity endorsement of GLP-1’s impacting everyday patients? Dr. Jones shares her perspective on that, and in what ways the media portrayal of GLP-1’s has influenced interest and/or the cultural discourse about weight-loss. Jaclyn shares her perspective on the efficacy of Medical Nutrition therapy as a part of the clinical picture for patients adopting GLP-1’s as an intervention for obesity, and they conclude on this topic by sharing considerations for long-term use– including what the packaging insert says vs. what’s happening in real life physicians’ offices. Next, Jaclyn & Dr. Jones dive into the concerning data from the American Cancer Society about the rising rates of cancer diagnosis in young people; Princess Catherine of Wales’ cancer diagnosis at the age of 42; the contributing factors that may be playing a role in this concerning statistic; new modalities for screening; lifestyle related risk factors for specific types of cancers; new & emerging technologies for cancer treatment; balancing what’s new and available to us as screening tools with creating & cultivating feelings overwhelm, anxiety & fear; the pros and cons of full-body MRI screenings, and Dr. Jones’ most effective strategies for determining what interventions are right for most.

Tune in for a comprehensive and enlightening episode that discusses a medical practitioner’s real-life experience with prescribing GLP-1 medications and all of the myriad complexities & questions that accompany this treatment modality, plus a thoughtful discussion on the emerging cancer trends affecting younger adults today.

Thanks for listening to this episode of The Business of Wellness with Jaclyn London, RD.

Follow Us:

• 🎙️Subscribe to The Business of Wellness on Apple Podcasts & leave a 5-star rating & review

• 🎙️Hire me to consult before you invest in or get to work on that better-for-you product

• 🎙️Follow me on Instagram: @jaclynlondonrd

**Advice provided on this podcast should not replace medical advice provided by your physician.