Industry news,
delivered every Tuesday.

September 15, 2020

Issue No. 96: Walden Pond 2.0

The antithesis of the wellness culture, simplicity, stillness, and space just might be the self-care habits we can least afford to live without.

September 8, 2020

Issue No. 95: The Gym is Dead. Long Live the Gym.

Digital and at-home fitness proponents say the gym is dead. Gym and boutique studio faithful say nothing can replace the in-person experience. Is COVID the end of the gym as we know it?

September 1, 2020

Issue No. 94: Amazon’s Halo looks like Whoop

Like Apple and Google, Amazon wants a piece of the healthcare pie. From Apple Watch to Fitbit and now Halo, wearables will play an important role in big tech’s vision for reinventing a trillion-dollar industry.

August 25, 2020

Issue No. 93: Meat vs. “Meat”

As the pandemic persists, plant-based meat is gaining momentum. More than ever, consumers are eating up protein alternatives. At the same time, investors are doubling down on the space.

August 18, 2020

Issue No. 92: Will Apple Acquire Peloton?

With $193B in the coffers and a market cap approaching $2T, Apple could easily acquire Peloton. But they probably won’t. Here’s why.

August 11, 2020

Issue No. 91: Peak Burnout

As the pandemic persists, burnout has set in. With no end in sight, we’re woefully unprepared for what comes next.

August 4, 2020

Issue No. 90: The Metaverse of Fitness

As it turns out, the future of exercise looks more like Fortnite than fitness as we know it.

July 28, 2020

Issue No. 89: The New Normal

Fitness and wellness companies are navigating the new normal in real time while preparing for a future that blends physical and digital experiences.

July 21, 2020

Issue No. 88: Can CrossFit Be Saved?

The prospect of a cleaned-up CrossFit could legitimize one of the largest, fastest-growing, and most impassioned communities in fitness.

July 14, 2020

Issue No. 87: Why Mirror Sold

An exploration of lululemon's acquisition of Mirror, including lulu's ambitions, Mirror’s motivation for selling, and how Nike, Peloton, and COVID-19 sealed the deal.

July 7, 2020

Issue No. 86: The Trillion-Dollar Question

From optimizing health and preventing disease to weight management, “what should I eat?” is a trillion-dollar question.

June 30, 2020

Issue No. 85: How Fitness Creators Make Money

Increasingly, fitness creators are cutting out the middleman by building digital, direct-to-consumer offerings.

June 25, 2020

Issue No. 84: Psychedelic Wellness

Psychedelics are moving into the mainstream and could reshape the future of healthcare and wellness.

June 16, 2020

Issue No. 83: The Next Wave of Men’s Wellness

A new wave of men’s wellness is focused on fertility tech, skincare, emotional fitness, and even makeup.

June 9, 2020

Issue No. 82: Ending Addiction

A new study estimates that another 75,000 people could die “deaths of despair” from suicide or substance abuse related to the coronavirus pandemic.

June 2, 2020

Issue No. 81: The Rise of the Fitness Creator

As consumer habits shift, and new digital tools emerge, the rise of the fitness creator could be more disruptive to the industry than Peloton.

May 26, 2020

Issue No. 80: Parks and Rec

More than ever, local parks, trails, and bike lanes have become a respite from an isolated, sedentary existence.

May 19, 2020

Issue No. 79: And Then What?

Like the rest of the economy—and the country at large—gym owners are weighing the pros and cons of returning to business as usual.

May 12, 2020

Issue No. 78: The High-Performance Lifestyle

A new vertical within fitness and wellness has emerged. Say hello to the high-performance lifestyle.

May 5, 2020

Insider No. 77: The Wellness Dilemma

In the midst of a pandemic, public health is suffering, but the wellness economy is getting stronger.

April 28, 2020

Insider No. 76: Apple Takes Aim at Fitness

Word leaked that Apple is working on a secretive new fitness app. We explore this development in the context of Apple’s broader ambitions and the evolving fitness landscape

April 21, 2020

Insider No. 75: Erasing Stigmas

By erasing stigmas and increasing access, a new wellness playbook is empowering people to take care of themselves on their own terms.

April 14, 2020

Insider No. 74: The Kids Aren’t Alright

With schools closed and kids stuck at home, childhood obesity is expected to surge, worsening a problem of epidemic proportions.

April 7, 2020

Insider No. 73: A Tipping Point

From wearables to mental health and fundamental changes to our healthcare system, here’s how COVID-19 is impacting the broader wellness landscape.