We took different paths to Orangetheory Fitness, but a love of fitness and a humble appreciation of the Orangetheory workout and business opportunity brought those paths to an exciting intersection.
In 2013, Paul, who as an investment banker covered health and wellness businesses, watched the early, explosive growth of studio fitness. When he discovered Orangetheory, at the time a brand with less than 30 locations, he scheduled a meeting with Dave Long, CEO and co-founder of the company, to pitch his investment banking services. Instead of securing a client, Paul secured a second career and shortly thereafter contacted Orangetheory about purchasing the master franchise rights to his home market of Los Angeles.
Around the same time, Brendon took his first Orangetheory class fresh off a 2012 Superbowl win with the Baltimore Ravens. Brendon has spent most of his life among the ranks of elite athletes, culminating in 13 years in the NFL. Despite a lifetime of coaching and training at the highest levels, Brendon was not only impressed by the effectiveness of the Orangetheory class, but also by the accessibility of the workout and its results for a very broad range of members.
In 2014, Paul and Brendon launched West Coast Fitness to develop Orangetheory studios in Los Angeles. Today, the company owns 20 studios and oversees an additional 14 in two markets, Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area.