In this special debate episode of the LIFTS Podcast, hosts Matthew Januszek and Mohammed Iqbal are joined by guest co-host Jack Thomas (Fitness Business Asia) to moderate a high-level discussion on the impact of ClassPass for boutique fitness owners.

Industry voices Jeff Bladt (ClassPass/Playlist) and Rachel Hirsch (Wellness Growth Ventures, The 2% Club, and studio owner) share opposing perspectives on whether ClassPass is a powerful growth partner or a dangerous dependency. Discussion highlights include:

• The origin and evolution of ClassPass.
• How ClassPass transformed consumer behavior in fitness.
• Free trials, pricing power, and fairness for studios.
• Parallels with aggregators in travel, dining, and delivery.
• Revenue data showing both growth and risks for studio owners.
• Strategies to avoid over-reliance on ClassPass.
• How ClassPass affects women-led boutique studios.
• Industry-wide calls for better collaboration between aggregators and studios.

👉 Learn more about Jack Thomas:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/fitnessbusinessasia/

👉 Learn more about Jeff Bladt:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bladt/

👉 Learn more about Rachel Hirsch:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-hirsch-43b31265/

https://www.the2percent.club/

👉 Learn more about ClassPass:

https://classpass.com/

Support fitness industry news by sponsoring future LIFTS episodes. Contact us at [email protected] for advertising opportunities.

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0:00 Intro & Hosts

4:21 Why ClassPass Matters

5:50 The Origin Story of ClassPass

10:30 Consumer Perspective with Rachel

12:46 Free Trials Debate

19:10 ClassPass as an Aggregator

23:05 Discounting & Devaluation Issues

27:40 Revenue Data Insights

33:44 Consumer Wins vs. Studio Risks

38:22 Women in Leadership Discussion

47:51 Final Thoughts & Takeaways

54:34 Closing Remarks