The Business of Working Out with Justin Hu, President of Rep Fitness
WRITTEN BY MICHAEL SILVERMAN // BUSINESS & INNOVATION EDITOR
PHOTOGRAPHED BY ESTHER LEE LEACH
Michael Silverman: Justin, you became President of Rep Fitness this past October after previously spending time as an executive at large consumer facing organizations like LifeTime Fitness and Target. What got you excited about joining Rep Fitness and what made you willing to double down on this industry during a global pandemic and all the uncertainty that comes with it?
Justin Hu: I am passionate about fitness so it was an easy decision for me to join a growing consumer brand like Rep. To your point, while the pandemic has clearly impacted and will fundamentally change how many industries operate, I think we’ve seen the growing importance of fitness, both to one’s physical and mental well-being. I believe the pandemic has changed how people think about fitness, as less of something that needs to be scheduled (i.e. when can I find 1.5+ hours in the day to go to the gym), and more about fitting it as part of their day (i.e. I’ll quickly go get a lift in between meetings).
MS: When you were with LifeTime, you ran the Experience, Insights, and e-Commerce team. What’s your opinion on where digital technologies are taking the fitness industry and how do you think the next 10 years will change the way people think about going to the gym and consuming products in this space? How does Rep Fitness fit in as a purveyor of mostly analog products?
JH: Wow, if I could forecast ten years, let alone one, I’m pretty sure I’d be doing it from my private island estate somewhere! For example, I don’t think anyone could have forecasted a ten times plus increase in valuation for Peloton over the last year, and if they did, I assume they are now doing it from their private island estate somewhere! But using a sample size of one, I was a hard-core gym-user (4-5x a week) and always preferred getting out of the house to work out. Well, I now have my Rep Squat Rack where I can do everything I could at the gym but in the comfort of my home and I’m certain I’ll never go back to a gym!
Regarding the question about digital, clearly, the way we consume content, fitness-related and otherwise, has and continues to change. But just as it’s hard to replace the joy of reading a hard-cover book, I don’t think you can replace the feeling of getting under a barbell and lifting whatever weight is challenging for you and the sense of accomplishment that brings. That being said, as a company built on innovative products, we have to keep in mind what and how we can plug into digital in a meaningful way, and not simply because others are doing it.
MS: So many fitness equipment purveyors seem to have been sold out of their most popular items for much of this year. How did the pandemic change consumer buying patterns and what has that done to supply chains in the industry? Do you see these changes continuing longer-term?
JH: I think the pandemic certainly caused a surge in panic buying but even after that, I believe we are seeing a fundamental change in behavior. Similar to my personal experience, I think many people are eschewing the gym long-term to have easier access to workout equipment in the comfort of their own home. Further, if you run the math of investing in home gym equipment vis-a-vis a gym membership (and considering the number of times you actually go), it makes a lot of financial sense as well! While I believe gyms will continue to be frequented long-term, I think home-gyms will become more common-place.
MS: As you think about the future for Rep Fitness, what does the split continue to look like for at-home vs commercial sales, and how does that inform your marketing and promotional strategy? Is there any industry data in particular that you key into for this?
JH: Rep aspires to be the world’s leading home gym provider so that will continue to be our focus. While our products are more than durable enough to be used in commercial environments, the company has focused on innovation, high-quality, and high-value products and we believe those factors resonate especially well with consumers.
MS: You’re a relatively new resident of Colorado, having arrived in the summer of 2019 - what are your impressions of the business environment here generally and the health, wellness, and fitness industry more specifically? Does the area provide the access to talent, resources, and infrastructure to continue to scale a thriving business like Rep Fitness?
JH: I’ve been really impressed with the entrepreneurial nature of the business environment in Denver. While there aren’t as many Fortune 100 companies here (at least compared to Minnesota where we were prior to Denver), the number of smaller, rapidly growing companies is great to see and of course, my family loves the outdoor and fitness-focused culture of Colorado! I think having access to talent that essentially “self-select” Colorado because of the outdoor and fitness focus is fantastic for us as an organization because we're in a market where we can attract highly skilled workers (engineering, marketing, IT, etc.) who also bring extensive fitness experience to the business. That being said, we just opened up a large distribution facility in PA so we certainly have to keep a broader mindset about hiring as we continue to grow in Denver and beyond!
MS: We live in exceedingly turbulent times with rapidly changing market conditions. What advice do you have for operators in the fitness space or beyond who are attempting to navigate these uncertainties and sift through the noise to keep executing?
JH: I think you said it - it’s the ability to sift through all the noise to focus on what’s important for your business - for Rep, it’s our people, our product, and our brand!
Rep Fitness: @repfitnessequipment
Writer: Michael Silverman: @silvermangrams
Photographer: Esther Lee Leach: @estherleeleach