If you haven’t been to the Club Industry Show in a while—or ever—this year is the year to go. Look at everything that is instore for you while there, Oct. 9-11 at the Hilton Chicago in Chicago. (Not registered yet? Go here to be there.)
Keynote Laughs and Learnings
One of the big highlights of this year’s show is expected to be the keynote by Scott Dikkers, co-founder of satirical website The Onion. He promises an address full of some laughs as well as insights. At 9 am on Oct. 10 in the Grand Ballroom (second floor), Dikkers will reveal how being committed to a unique vision, embracing your company’s values and principles, and standing firm in the face of challenges helped The Onion develop a loyal fan base and create brand awareness—and how you can do the same for your fitness business. Make sure to get their early (8 a.m. to be exact) so you can partake in the Club Community Breakfast in the Grand Ballroom prior to his presentation. The Club Community Breakfast is sponsored by ASF Payment Solutions.
Conference Program
Today’s Club Industry Show is all about the conference program, so we start that program at 8:30 am on Oct. 9 with seven tracks: Leadership, Personal Training, Sales and Marketing, Programming, Retention, Technology and Trends, and Healthcare & Fitness Integration.
On Oct. 9, most of the tracks offer a lunch and learn option. Please note that the lunch and learns are a separate fee, so you must sign up in advance to attend these.Lunch is limited to the first 50 registrants.
The healthcare conversation continues on Oct. 10-11 in a new summit: the Healthcare & Fitness Integration Summit. This unique event allows the medical community and the health club community to see how partnerships between the two industries can lead to healthier communities and more revenue for health clubs and physicians. Make sure to bring the physicians who are members of your club to the event so you can start developing partnerships with them that will benefit you both. Check out the agenda here.
HFIS sponsors are ABC Financial Services, Complete Medical Services, Human Touch, Kinetisense Inc., Styku LLC, TMI Salt Pure Corp. and Welld Health.
Networking Events
Networking is the second biggest strength of the Club Industry Show, as borne out by the five events on tap. And one of the best parts of these events is that anyone registered for the show (even just for the exhibit hall) has free access to all of these events.
The annual Welcome Reception occurs from 5:15 pm to 7 p.m. in the Normandie Lounge on the second floor. It is sponsored by Life Fitness, so come and enjoy the company of old and new friends along with some food and drinks.
The previously mentioned Club Community Breakfast occurs the next morning at 8 a.m. in the Grand Ballroom on the second floor (followed by the keynote in the same room).
Later that afternoon from 4 pm to 5:30 p.m., join vendors and other attendees on the exhibit hall floor for some drinks in the Show Floor Happy Hour, which is sponsored by Sports & Fitness Insurance.
Later that same day, you have yet another opportunity to network after you return from dinner. Join us again in the Normandie Lounge from 8:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. for our Networking Nightcap.
Women and men who can get up early enough are encouraged to join the Sisterhood Stride 5K Run/Walk at 6:30 a.m. on Oct. 11. Make sure to register first by going here. And then join the group in the Great Hall Foyer on the lobby level a little before 6:30 a.m. to network with new people while you walk (or run) along Lakeshore Drive. This event is put on by Women in Fitness Association (WIFA) and SCW Fitness in support of increasing leadership roles of women in fitness.
Exhibit Hall Happenings
Of course, the exhibit hall is a must-see space if you have plans to do some purchasing in the next few months. The space offers a more intimate setting allowing you to really talk with vendors and get one-on-one attention.
And this year, the space includes some new items, including a Nutrition Pavilion full of nutrition-related companies.
It also includes the Cigna Health Improvement Tour, which is happening at booth 721 during exhibit hall hours on Oct. 10-11. Across the country, Cigna's Health Improvement Tour brings mobile clinics for biometric screenings to communities where people can learn their blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and body mass index (BMI), which Cigna calls the Core Four. Health coaches will be on site to check your numbers—because sometimes people in the fitness industry also need a little health help.
One other special part of the exhibit hall is the Demo Stage in SCW’s booth 908. Stop by to watch or participate in a variety of group programming demonstrations. Here is the schedule:
Thursday, October 10
12:50pm - Midtown with Karen Prorok
1:10pm - Myzone Bootcamp: Get in the Zone! with Amanda Fitzpatrick
1:30pm - Birt Strength Systems with Curtis Shirley
4:10pm - Club Vibe with Leah Reid
4:30pm - Lady Strong Fitness with Brittney Welk
4:50pm - Aqua Explosion with Connie Martin
Friday, October 11
6:30am-7:15am - Sisterhood Stride (Hilton Chicago Lobby)
12:10pm - coreXyoga with Michelle Rae Sobi
12:30pm - Savvier: Barre Moves with Kia Williams
12:50pm - Savvier: Let the Beat Drop with Kia Williams
1:10p - GIRLBOSS Supa Dupa Fly with Kymberlee Kaye
1:30pm -Turf on the Go with Jenn Keenan-Stryska and Angelique Hughes
Register today for the Club Industry Show, Oct. 9-11 at the Hilton Chicago by going here.