January 8, 2017

Meet Daniel Schwab of Thrill Athletics

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniel Schwab.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I’ve been in the fitness industry since 1995. I began as a personal trainer and worked my way up to eventually running such clubs as World Gym and Equinox. In the fitness industry, there’s a running joke among members that they are our ideal customers – they pay us and they never come. Can you imagine someone buying travel or eating at a restaurant saying something like that? That’s the unique challenge with fitness – when you buy a television or a car, you have a television or a car. When you join a gym, all you get is an intangible opportunity to get fit. And it’s amazing how many people lie to themselves and to us. They tell us how much they love working out and the only reason they stopped was because of time or money. But of course, if they truly enjoyed exercise they’d find the money and make the time. It’s because working out is just that – “work.”

I founded Thrill on the premise that we spend our childhood playing sports with friends. We have fun competing. We never feel like it’s work because it’s genuinely fun. My goal with Thrill is to provide the convenience and results of a gym married to the emotional experience of playing a sport with friends. Our Athletes make excuses to other people why they don’t have time or money to go shopping or out to eat, not vice versa.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Our biggest challenge is getting potential customers to overcome their preconceptions of joining a gym. Most look for the lowest cos membership possible because they really don’t like to work out and privately think they won’t use it enough to justify the value. We have to convince them to allow us the opportunity to show them that they can have fun and be successful. That fitness can actually be entertainment.

Thrill Athletics – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We are known for our CrossFit, yoga, barre and especially our cycling. We have both the hardest and most fun cycling program in the world. And definitely the most original.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Our believe our success is when an Athletes tells us we have changed their lives and that they are addicted to Thrill.

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