Today we’d like to introduce you to Marty Reichenthal.
Marty, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My journey with Orangetheory Fitness began after a 30-year career with a national restaurant company, but I wasn’t looking for Orangetheory Fitness – it found me. I began to develop some health issues in my 40s, and decided to commit to eating more nutritious foods and exercising regularly. I first encountered Orangetheory Fitness while in Tampa, Florida, on a business trip, and ended up signing up to take a class the next day. I was immediately hooked on the program and purchased a package of workouts to use when I traveled. My passion and excitement for Orangetheory Fitness continued to grow.
Despite being close to retirement, I decided to pursue my new-found passion with Orangetheory Fitness. After visiting several locations around the country and speaking with several owners, my wife and I decided to purchase the franchise rights in the Houston area. Shortly after that, one of my former team members, Jim Potesta, decided to move to Houston and partner with me to develop the Orangetheory Fitness brand in Houston.
We opened our first location in December 2013 on San Felipe in Tanglewood near Voss, and currently have 13 studios open throughout the Houston area in Cinco Ranch, Cypress-Towne Lake, Kingwood, Pearland, San Felipe, Sawyer Heights, Spring, Sugar Land, The Woodlands, Town and Country, Vintage Park, Webster and West University, with more studio openings on the horizon.
Has it been a smooth road?
One of our biggest obstacles, in the beginning, was finding the location for our first studio. This process took nearly six months until we found a commercial developer willing to take a chance on a new concept in the city. Not only was the San Felipe studio the first location in Houston, but it was also the first location to open in Texas.
After securing our first location, our next big obstacle was learning the foundation of the business and how to properly market Orangetheory Fitness to consumers. Jim and I are business experts; we know the systems, customer service, and general management practices, but we quickly realized we needed to invest in a public relations agency to assist in the marketing, social media and public relations components of the business.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Orangetheory Fitness is a one-of-a-kind group fitness workout broken into intervals of cardio and strength training. Backed by the science of post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), Orangetheory Fitness uses heart-rate monitors so class participants can see their heart rate and calorie burn in real time. Led by personal trainers, participants use a variety of equipment including treadmills, rowing machines, TRX suspension training and free weights, burning an average of 500 – 1,000 calories in each class, not including the after-burn, which lasts up to 36 hours post-workout.
Orangetheory Fitness is a 60-minute, five zone heart-rate-monitored interval training concept that has helped tens of thousands of members throughout the world lose weight, get toned and meet their overall fitness goals in a short amount of time.
I am extremely proud of the 120 employees at Orangetheory Fitness in Houston who believe in our mission and go to work each day to help contribute to the overall success of our members and the success of our business.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
It’s hard to believe that just four years ago, no one heard of Orangetheory Fitness in Houston. We started from scratch and have made a huge impact on our residents’ overall health and fitness. Today, we have nearly 10,000 members in all of our studios throughout Houston. This city is constantly growing, innovating and thriving. At Orangetheory Fitness, we say that our heartbeat is to deliver proven fitness results for a healthier world. I am proud of the hundreds of success stories that our program has played a part in.
Houston is one of the most generous and community-driven cities in our country, and that fits perfectly with the Orangetheory Fitness mentality. Our Houston studios strive to not only impact the lives of our members, but also the rest of our community. We have raised funds and resources for multiple organizations in the Houston area, including the American Heart Association, Augie’s Quest, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Houston, Direct Hope, and most recently for Mayor Turner’s Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund and Houston Habitat for Humanity’s Hurricane Harvey relief efforts.
On a national scale, the Orangetheory Fitness community came together and raised over $100,000 to help with Hurricane Harvey relief efforts. We are thankful that we were able to help our city and our employees who were affected by the hurricane to get back on their feet.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.orangetheoryhouston.com
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