SOAR Blog

If you ever need a boost of inspiration about the potential of diet and exercise (specifically cycling) to overcome one’s weight challenges, you’ve got to read yesterday’s story on The Gear Junkie: “Large Fella on a Bike” (4-18-08).

In summary, Scott Cutshall went from 501 pounds to 232 pounds by strictly following a self-imposed regimen of cycling and a 1,200-calorie per day diet, and he did so in a little more than two years.

I won’t go into more details here, but major, major props to Cutshall for his shining example to all of us, weight-challenged or not.

In addition, thank you “Gear Junkie” Stephen Regenold for bringing Scott’s story to light. I loved it!!!

In spite of a brutal travel day (departing from Salt Lake City for San Diego at 6:40 a.m. and landing back in SLC at 11:55 p.m.the same day), Chip and I had a great Friday in southern California.

The purpose of our trip? Checking out ASR 2007 — the Action Sports Retailer show which attracts top manufacturers in the surf, skate, snow, swim, style, moto and youth industries and the shops/dealers (and distributors) that sell/distribute such goods. (ASR is a Nielsen Business Media show, the same company that produces Interbike and Health+Fitness Business Expo, two SOAR Communications clients.)

As California natives now living in Utah, it was fun for both Chip and me to A) soak up the wonderful early September weather in San Diego, as well as B) reconnect with our skateboarding/surfing roots.

One of my pastimes as a teenager was riding on a three-foot long wooden skateboard, what today would be considered a “long board.” Conversely, Chip learned to surf in the Pacific swells off the southern California coast.

Although we both got a real eye-full at ASR, five “new” products caught my eye at ASR.

1.    The carbon fiber surfboards from Aviso Surfboards are very cool. Certainly more expensive than a typical surfboard, but dramatically stronger, lighter and more durable.

2.     The Spinners from Skubs take the concept of those crazy spinning rims from expensive wheels/cars and bring them to the skateboard and skater worlds.

3.    Yoga Stick-e Socks from Libby’s Luxuries are a patented new look at sock for wear while practicing yoga (naturally), as well as in any other exercise or sport where going barefoot is appropriate but wearing socks would be better.

4.    The brand new Si-Boards from Si-Boards take a whole new approach to balance
boards.

5.    And finally, the AquaSkipper from Inventist, which is probably weirdest-looking personal watercraft I have ever seen in my life. (They call it a human-powered hydrofoil.) Inventist also was showing off some wheeled products at the show:

• The Wheelblazer;
•  The Swerver Ultimate Carving Streetboard;
•  And a new type of skates (no page available on the Web site).

Paul Zane Pilzer, keynote speaker at Health+Fitness Business Expo & Conference, raised an interesting question during his address. What industry are we in today?

Is it the exercise industry? The fitness industry? The health industry? The weight loss industry?

With the graying of America and the increasing living standards (both here in the U.S. and abroad), Pilzer suggested that, in fact, the companies, organizations and individuals attending H+FB were now in the “Wellness Industry.”

The Wellness Industry touches all things concerned with keeping people “well,” as opposed to the medical industry which is focused on getting people “better” when they get sick.

Pilzer claims that the Wellness industry already generates more than $500 billion in revenues per year and is on its way to topping $1 trillion annually in the near future.

I think this was a new concept for most listeners in attendance.

And although I wish he would have used a PowerPoint presentation to support his speech, I thought Pilzer was spot-on with this concept.

Often the most important thing an executive can do from time to time is to objectively analyze one’s industry, company, product/service mix, positioning, branding, messaging, etc. and ask reflectively, “Are we still on point?” In other words, “Has anything changed in the marketplace that we need to be aware of and make adjustments for?”

Pilzer’s presentation gave me great food for thought about the entire “Wellness Industry” in all of its various aspects, something I hope the other attendees experienced as well.