How Athlo Founder Matthew Mansell Plans to Become the Next Fitness Unicorn
Nov 21, 2022
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In a post-COVID world of hybrid everything, Athlo founder Matthew Mansell has launched a new platform that leverages hybrid work schedules, along with a thriving sharing economy, to become the next fitness unicorn.Athlo, available for download on the App Store or Google Play, allows members of participating London fitness centers to sell their unused days or classes to other platform users. In this way, users can get the most out of memberships on their days in the city, while getting some cash back on work-from-home days when their memberships are basically worthless.
Just as Airbnb disrupted the travel industry, Mansell believes Athlo will do the same for the fitness industry, explaining, “The world that we live in now, or post-pandemic, is this hybrid model where people are still working from home a couple of days a week, and they’re traveling into major cities two-three days a week.” As such, he explains, “It may not make sense for someone to hold a gym membership, because they’ve got another solution at home. We’ve got a really strong value proposition for users: the flexibility, variety, and that hybrid model. We allow our partnered operators’ members to sell the days that they aren’t using their gym membership, or their package holders to sell the classes that they’re not using. So, you’re making money back when you’re not using it and users gain access to other fitness facilities and classes on Athlo at preferential rates.”
Athlo: Hitting the Digital and In-Person Sweet Spots
As Mansell indicates, the pandemic saw many fitness buffs turn away from brick-and-mortar gyms in favor of at-home solutions. But as the pandemic recedes, and digital fitness giants like Peloton shrink, it’s become clear that people want to get back to in-person training — no apps required.
Matthew Mansell believes the Athlo app could provide the answer. It will bridge the gap between those who prefer the convenience of digital workouts while still craving the community that grows in a real-world fitness facility.
“My gut feeling is twofold here,” Mansell said. “One is: Digital fitness is here to stay. The trends show that. At the same time, the data indicates people are returning to brick-and-mortar gyms, brick-and-mortar studios for the element of community and in-person training. You can’t replicate that. It’s irreplaceable. But I don’t think digital fitness is going anywhere, and I think anyone who is totally dismissive of that is probably burying their heads in the sand.”
The Hybrid Future of Fitness
Just as CEOs are luring work-from-home employees back to the office with promises of free lunches and extra entertainment, Mansell believes that a platform like Athlo can bridge the gap between digital- and live-fitness enthusiasts.
Rather than pitting the two choices against one another, he has a vision of a world in which they work together to strengthen both options.
He said, “I think [digital fitness] lowers the barrier to entry for people who are intimidated by going to the gym, or trying a new class or experience … Personally I think that the two, brick-and-mortars and digital [artificial reality/virtual reality], can come together to bring the industry forward. We are all trying to achieve the same goal here by encouraging more people to be more active. Let’s work together and make sure that this is mutually beneficial.”
For now, Athlo does not offer the option of taking online fitness classes. So, how does Mansell believe his platform can bring digital and in-person fitness enthusiasts together? He said, “I envision Athlo being that middleman making sure that the relationship between the two of them remains beneficial. I don’t see why everyone can’t coexist in the same ecosystem — and everyone benefits.”