This HALO Talks Fast Break is a must-listen for operators looking to streamline insurance payment headaches and unlock new member revenue with Welld Health. Amy Bach is their Chief Commercial Officer. She joined Pete Moore for a rapid-fire rundown on how tech is transforming check-in reimbursement for gyms and studios nationwide.

Some takeaways:

🚦 Real-Time Reimbursement Replaces Frustrations
Remember when waiting 2 months for a payout (if it ever came) was "business as usual"? That's history. Welld integrates with member management systems and benefit providers (think OnePass, SilverSneakers), turning manual, opaque processes into real-time eligibility checks and payments. Amy explained that gyms now know instantly when a member is (or isn't) eligible, slashing reject rates to under 1% when implemented properly [02:29].

📊 A Market Too Big To Ignore
Fitness benefits are a top-three request on Medicare Advantage plans, right behind vision and hearing. But it's not just the 65+ crowd anymore . . . these programs are exploding commercially, attracting younger demos as well [03:32]. If you're not in a network, you're missing out on members whose choices are shaped by their plans.

💡 Rethinking "Cannibalization?" They're Paid Leads!
Afraid you'll lose margins? Think again. Clubs are upselling new members brought in from reimbursement programs with premium recovery, unlimited studio visits, and other extras. These aren't lost traditional members, they're qualified leads you get paid for on day one [04:29].

🚀 Operators Already Winning
Welld is now powering 60% of Planet Fitness locations and working with Crunch, EOS, Solidcore, F45, and Xponential. The only real barrier? If your software isn't robust enough to integrate, and even then, that's changing fast [05:24]

Front desk teams are thrilled. Onboarding is simple. Revenue flows faster. According to Bach: "Once we get in front of people and explain what we can do, it's a no-brainer."

**Bottom Line**

If you're still manually tracking eligibility or leaving reimbursement dollars on the table, it's time for a change. Schedule a demo and join the operators seeing real impact, both on the P&L and the member experience.

*Did this resonate? Let us know what you want us to cover next. Leave us a voice note using the tool on bottom right corner of www.halotalks.com.*

Resources:

• Welld Health: https://www.welldhealth.com/
• Amy Bach: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyleebach/
• Prospect Wizard: https://www.theprospectwizard.com
• Promotion Vault: https://www.promotionvault.com
• HigherDose: https://www.higherdose.com

Connect With Us:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehaloadvisors/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Integritysquare
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@halotalks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/integrity-square/
Website: https://www.halotalks.com

In this episode, host Pete Moore sits down with Tim Klitch, a former D1 tennis player, "Chief Fun Officer" and co-founder of Austin Pickle Ranch. Pete and Tim talk about everything from how pickleball skyrocketed from a niche sport to a 40-million-player phenomenon, the blend of social energy and accessibility that fuels its growth, and what it really takes to make money in this space.

You'll hear how Austin Pickle Ranch's beginnings from a rooftop to a 50,000-square-foot facility, the data-driven logic behind scaling courts and optimizing member experience, and why the intersection of in-person community and national brand recognition is changing the game for local clubs.

Plus, Tim provides some fantastic takeaways from his professional tennis background, lessons learned in sports investments, and what pickleball can teach us all about fun, fitness, and business. Whether you're exploring deal flow in the HALO sector or just want to understand why pickleball is attracting new investors, operators, and fans, this conversation has something for every executive with an eye for scaling and innovation.

Key themes discussed

• Pickleball's explosive growth and demographic reach
• Business models and unit economics for profitable clubs
• Open play versus membership-based facility models
• Comparison of tennis and pickleball facility efficiencies
• The impact of branding and social media reach
• Professionalization and celebrity investment in pickleball
• Social, communal, and wellness benefits of pickleball

A Few Key Takeaways

1. Pickleball's Exponential Growth and COVID Impact: Pickleball exploded from about 4 million to 40 million players in the US, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The sport was already poised for growth, but the pandemic "set it on fire," establishing pickleball as a leading social and active lifestyle activity 02:05.

2. Keys to a Profitable Pickleball Facility: To operate a sustainable, manned, for-profit pickleball club, you need scale: 12–16 courts is considered the minimum viable size to generate income and achieve operational efficiency. Larger clubs benefit from economies of scale, with costs consolidated at the front desk and across amenities 05:04.

3. Revenue Efficiency: Pickleball vs Tennis: Pickleball courts are significantly more revenue-efficient than tennis courts. The same square footage that fits a singles tennis match can host 24 pickleball players, explaining why 10% of tennis courts have been converted to pickleball annually in the US over the past three years 09:20.

4. Pickleball as an Accessible, Social Experience: Pickleball's unique value lies in its communal, open play. Austin Pickle Ranch intentionally overfills open play sessions to create built-in breaks and maximize social mixing. Members typically spend 2.5 hours per visit, reinforcing the "ultimate social engagement sport" concept 22:39.

5. Brand Awareness and the Power of Social Media: Despite being a single-location club, Austin Pickle Ranch has developed national and international brand recognition, largely due to social media and internet presence. This organic "brand bleed" has attracted visitors globally and set the stage for possible expansion 13:45.

Resources:

• Tim Klitch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-klitch-2aa0024
• Austin Pickle Ranch: https://austinpickleranch.com
• Integrity Square: https://www.integritysq.com
• Prospect Wizard: https://www.theprospectwizard.com
• Promotion Vault: https://www.promotionvault.com
• HigherDose: https://www.higherdose.com

In this episode of HALO Talks, host Pete Moore sits down with Nico Varano, CEO of SWTHZ who initially started as a franchisee and went on to help built the company into a fast-rising player in the contrast therapy and workout recovery space. Nico talks about his fairly unconventional path from finance into to the HALO sector, reveals why focus and simplicity drive SWTHZ's unit economics, and explains how a data-driven approach helps franchisees scale profitably.

With over 100 studios and private equity backing, the company is redefining the recovery sector. Listen to learn more about how the franchise's unique model is attracting operators who want to roll up their sleeves and build real community, and to get insider insights on how to thrive in this fast-evolving segment of the HALO sector.

On building a competitive moat in the space, Varano states, "We want to be focused on being the best at one thing . . . which is contrast therapy. When people think about sauna and plunge, SWTHZ should be the first thing that comes to their mind."

Key themes discussed

• Franchisee to franchisor journey and leadership evolution
• Traits and selection of successful franchisees
• Focus on contrast therapy specialization
• Importance of proven unit economics before franchising
• Data-driven approach to operational improvements
• Community building and plus-one session strategy
• Optimizing studio size, suite count, and hours

A Few Key Takeaways

1. From Franchisee to Franchisor. In-the-Trenches Leadership: Nico started initially as a SWTHZ member and then a franchisee, rapidly growing his portfolio to five studios and eventually stepping in as CEO. He has kept his hand in operations, signing leases and personal guarantees. This dual franchisee/franchisor perspective creates a unique level of authenticity and alignment with operators 05:12.

2. Hyper-Focused Modality Drives Brand and Economics: SWTHZ stands out by focusing on mastering contrast therapy (saunas and cold plunges) while competitors dilute their platforms with too many modalities. This tight focus builds a competitive moat, streamlines operations, and fosters brand clarity, ensuring customers immediately associate the brand with contrast therapy 07:22.

3. Relentless Data-Driven Optimization of Unit Economics: Nico and his team are obsessed with the numbers: every dollar of additional daily profit directly impacts franchisee success and brand reinvestment. The ongoing, data-heavy approach means constant refinement of unit economics, build-out costs, and suite count per location to ensure payback periods of under 3–3.5 years . . . a huge key to scaling 08:23.

4. Community Through Private Wellness. The Plus One Effect: Despite the private suite model, SWTHZ successfully builds community: 16% of sessions now include a "plus one," up from 7% earlier in the year. Whether it's date night, book clubs, or friends catching up, the company is quickly becoming a new social and wellness "third place," offering an alternative to cafes or group fitness hangouts 15:47.

5. Operator-Minded Partners Willing to Roll Up Their Sleeves: The most successful franchisees are present, engaged, and solution-oriented who are prepared to do everything from P&L analysis to cleaning a suite if necessary. Culture fit, passion, and operational grit matter more than a polished resume. "Own it, fix it, finish it" is the operating mantra 21:05.

Resources:

• SWTHZ: https://sweathouz.com/
• Nico Varano: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicovarano/
• Integrity Square: https://www.integritysq.com
• Prospect Wizard: https://www.theprospectwizard.com
• Promotion Vault: https://www.promotionvault.com
• HigherDose: https://www.higherdose.com

In this episode, host Pete Moore sits down with Carrie Bacon, a classically trained acupuncturist and co-founder of 180 Degrees Bathhouse in Kansas City. With decades of experience in acupuncture, bodywork, and holistic wellness (sparked by her own journey to recovery) Carrie talks about the intersection of contrast therapy, sauna culture, and acupuncture in building healthier communities. She shares her vision for micro bathhouses as hyper-local hubs combating the epidemic of loneliness and chronic health issues through social wellness, and her perspective on why mainstream medicine is poised for a return to more holistic modalities.

If you're interested in scaling your HALO-sector venture, or leveraging new trends in recovery and community health, this episode is packed with a ton of takeaways.

When it comes to the loneliness crisis, Bacon states, "Isolation was recently deemed a health epidemic. Loneliness is a health epidemic. And, being able to put bathhouses, which gives you access to that application of contrast therapy, you go into the sauna, you have your sweat, you take a moment of pause to allow your body to settle down and calm down, and then you rinse off and you step into a beautifully designed cold water basin."

Key themes discussed

• Integration of contrast therapies for holistic wellness
• Acupuncture's role and mainstream adoption challenges
• Importance of personalized, non-prescriptive wellness protocols
• Foundations: Building strong health habits over optimization
• Social wellness and combating loneliness via community spaces
• Micro-bathhouse model for underserved markets
• Scaling wellness businesses: capital, education, and community

A Few Key Takeaways

1. Reshaping Recovery-Move Beyond Protocols to Daily Practice: Carrie emphasizes the importance of integrating modalities like sauna, cold plunge, and acupuncture into daily routines rather than obsessing over rigid optimization protocols. She explains that "some of these modalities are just meant to be interwoven as daily practices, not necessarily only for recovery optimization." This habitual approach can create a stronger foundation of health and reduce the need for constant targeted recovery 06:17.

2. Reframing Wellness Facilities-The Micro Bathhouse Model: Bacon lays out her vision for 180 Degrees Bathhouse—a micro, 1,600 sq ft venue designed to bring thermic wellness to underserved markets. Rather than chasing massive, urban flagship bathhouses, she's pioneering a right-sized, community-driven model to increase adoption in areas where the concept is virtually unknown 16:08.

3. Acupuncture's U.S. Potential-A Resurgence is Coming: Despite skepticism and slow mainstream acceptance in the U.S., Carrie forecasts a renaissance for acupuncture as the U.S. healthcare mindset shifts towards "healthspan over lifespan" and more holistic, root-cause approaches. She says the field is poised for a return to "thousands of years of medical discipline before we started looking at the system so microscopically" 10:18.

4. Loneliness as a Wellness Crisis, and Bathhouses as the Solution: Both Carrie and Pete underscore the declared national epidemic of loneliness. Carrie positions the bathhouse as a "community center," tackling isolation and enabling organic, meaningful social connections. The micro model creates a "third space" where you can be with a group or on your own, but never truly alone 17:18.

5. Bathhouse Modalities Provide Metabolic and Mental Benefits: Bacon highlights the scientifically supported impacts of sauna and cold plunge: increased metabolic flexibility, better glucose/insulin control, and cardiovascular benefits all while building self-mastery. These accessible, self-directed practices are particularly relevant for addressing major public health issues such as obesity and diabetes 24:00.

Resources:

• Carrie Bacon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carrie-bacon-53141168
• Integrity Square: https://www.integritysq.com
• Prospect Wizard: https://www.theprospectwizard.com
• Promotion Vault: https://www.promotionvault.com
• HigherDose: https://www.higherdose.com

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Munir Ghesani, Chief Medical Director at United Theranostics, to explore the cutting edge of personalized cancer treatment and the business of scaling innovative healthcare delivery. Dr. Ghesani discusses his three decades long path in New York's academic medicine scene to leading a fast-growing outpatient theranostics group, detailing why he left academia, what makes theranostics uniquely effective for patients, and how United Theranostics is building a national footprint through a decentralized, community-based model.

We'll unpack how their patient-first strategy is shaking up referral dynamics, why community settings are the future of cancer care, and what it takes to recruit medical talent and manage rapid clinical expansion. Plus, Dr. Ghesani reveals the business challenges of clinical trials, payer dynamics, and how a rigorous approach to risk keeps innovation on track. Whether you're in healthcare, investing, or looking to build a next-gen medical services brand, this episode connects patient outcomes, operational strategy, and smart growth in healthcare.

Key themes discussed

• Transition from academia to private theranostics practice
• Personalized, patient-centered cancer treatment models
• Patient access and geographic convenience
• Clinical trials and innovation in care delivery
• Recruitment and training for high-growth clinic expansion
• Collaborative physician partnerships vs. pure referral
• Regulation, quality control, and risk management in trials
  
  

A Few Key Takeaways

1.Theranostics-Personalized, Precision Medicine: Theranostics is revolutionizing patient care by merging diagnostics and therapeutics to deliver highly personalized treatment plans, particularly in oncology. Unlike traditional, one-size-fits-all treatments, theranostics involves tailored scanning to target therapies specifically to affected areas, ensuring treatments are both targeted and trackable for efficacy 05:07 06:02.

2. Outpatient Model Drives Access and Community Impact: The majority of cancer care occurs outside of major academic centers, with about 80% delivered in community settings. United Theranostics focuses on suburban locations, making advanced treatments more accessible and convenient for patients who would otherwise travel significant distances to academic hubs 08:42 14:13.

3. Dual Audience Strategy: Physicians & Patients: United Theranostics balances building awareness and trust among both referring physicians and patients. While most referrals come from medical professionals, growing patient awareness is generating direct demand, reinforcing the need for strong brand positioning, serving as both a partner to doctors and a recognized consumer brand in its space 10:05.

4. Scaling Without Compromising Quality: With ambitions for 50 clinics in every state within seven years, United Theranostics is scaling through greenfield development and a strong recruitment pipeline from academic institutions. The company prioritizes training, regulatory compliance, and quality control, resisting the urge to rapidly acquire or retrofit existing practices 14:29 15:25.

5. Clinical Trials as a Competitive Advantage: Clinical trial partnerships are fueling United Theranostics' growth and reputation, drawing patients locally and nationally for cutting-edge, not-yet-FDA-approved treatments (covered by drug companies). The organization's comfort with complexity and strong academic roots allow it to handle demanding cases, setting it apart from less equipped competitors 18:28 19:58.

Resources:

• Dr. Munir Ghesani: https://www.linkedin.com/in/munir-ghesani-md-facnm-facr-fsnmmi-19b29728
• United Theranostics: https://www.unitedtheranostics.com/
• Integrity Square: https://www.integritysq.com
• Prospect Wizard: https://www.theprospectwizard.com
• Promotion Vault: https://www.promotionvault.com
• HigherDose: https://www.higherdose.com

It's Thursday and that means a 2 Minute Financial Drill! Now that we're slowly creeping into the fall and the pending restart of the HALO Academy in a new format (more on that later) keep an eye out for these.

This one is clipped from Pete Moore's panel with Brian Smith at Piper Sandler at this past Athletech News ATN Summit in NYC.

● PureGym US, Crunch area developers, and Planet Fitness area developers are the three strategic buyers actively circling independent clubs right now.

● These buyers are contractually obligated, through franchise development milestones, to open in a market whether or not an independent operator agrees to sell.

● Irrational development, i.e. overclubbing a market, is described as the biggest risk to profitability for independent operators and investors alike.

● If a strategic buyer reaches out, engaging is recommended over ignoring the outreach, since they will build around an operator who doesn't transact.