| CBI Interview | Mary Nanfelt
The chief analyst for IBISWorld’s comprehensive new report, Gym, Health & Fitness Clubs in the U.S., is very bullish on the industry’s prospects
By Jon Feld
CBI: For starters, please tell us something about IBISWorld. MARY NANFELT: We’re the world’s largest independent publisher of U.S. industry research, with a team of expert analysts who cover 700 different market segments. Each IBISWorld industry report is presented in an objective, easy-to-understand format that provides hard-to-find answers to top market-research questions. Our clients use our reports to understand an industry’s market size and their
competition; for benchmarking and forecasting; to draft business plans and pitch books; and for business valuations, litigation support, and due diligence. Our reports appeal to finance professionals, management consultants, business brokers, entre- preneurs, libraries, and anyone else who’s in need of industry research.
CBI: Why did you choose to become an analyst for “the gym, health, and fitness clubs segment,” as you refer to it?
MN: I’ve covered a wide array of industries, including food and recreation, for IBISWorld. In doing so, I wound up spending many hours in fitness centers. In addition, when I was in high school and college, I trained for lacrosse and cross-country.
CBI: You’ve just produced the newest edition of Gym, Health & Fitness Clubs in the U.S., a 32-page report. How long has IBISWorld been producing this study, and why? Can you explain, briefly, how the research was conducted? What were the basic parameters?
MN: We’ve produced this report since 2008 because this is an industry that’s composed of thousands of businesses across the country that make a significant contribution to the nation’s GDP. For this edition, we compiled data from sources such as IHRSA, the U.S. Economic Census, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the National Sporting Goods Association. Our goal was to evaluate the industry’s performance over the past five years, forecast its performance for the next five, and identify overarching themes.
CBI: In the report, you observe that, although the industry wasn’t “recession- proof” in 2008 and ’09, it remained healthier than other sectors, and many in this industry would agree. How do you explain this resiliency?
MN: Although some consumers continue to view club memberships as a “luxury,” others have become more health-conscious and, for them, exercise and remaining healthy have become true priorities—a virtual necessity. Therefore, when the reces- sion began, many Americans were still willing to spend money on gyms because it was important to their everyday well-being. At the same time, many smaller facilities with fewer amenities opened during this period, permitting price-sensitive shoppers to continue using a gym without putting substantial pressure on their pocketbooks.
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ihrsa.org |
Highlights » Research parameters » Industry resilience » Demographic drivers » Continued consolidation
Mary Nanfelt earned a bach- elor’s degree in economics and business administration from Wheaton College, in Wheaton, Illinois, in 2008, and subsequently became a program coordinator at the Mercatus Center, a think tank at George Mason University, in Washington, D.C. There, she was responsible for analyzing government legislation and designing economic seminars for congressional staff. In 2010, she became an industry research analyst at IBISWorld in Los Angeles. As the world’s largest independent publisher of U.S. industry research, the company covers more than 700 different market seg- ments. At IBISWorld, Nanfelt researches and writes eco- nomic reports that analyze and forecast industry statistics, provide corporate data, and assess market trends. In October 2011, she produced Gym, Health & Fitness Clubs in the U.S., the IBISWorld report that offers information on current performance and market share, as well as an industry outlook. —|
APRIL 2012 | Club Business Internat ional 35
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