Sqwod Daily
Tuesday, 20 October 2026 · Weekday
PureGym has paid £235 million for a Swiss fitness business, while RockSalt Pilates appoints a franchise veteran to lead an 84-location rollout.
In today's episode
- 01 Signal
PureGym buys Swiss fitness business for £235m
PureGym has acquired a Swiss fitness business in a deal worth £235 million.
- 02 Signal
Alexander Sosa opens his 20th Sports Club with €5m investment in Hamburg
Entrepreneur Alexander Sosa opened his 20th Sports Club location in Hamburg-Poppenbüttel in October 2026, celebrating with around 400 guests. The new 5,000-square-metre fitness and wellness facility was converted from a former electronics store at a cost of around five million euros. The project shows that large-scale conversion of retail space into fitness facilities remains a viable route for operators looking to expand in established urban areas.
- 03 Build
Jazzercise Founder Judi Sheppard Missett to Enter HFA Hall of Fame in 2027
The Health & Fitness Association will induct Judi Sheppard Missett, founder and executive chair of Jazzercise, into its Hall of Fame on March 10, 2027, during the opening night of The HFA Show 2027 in Las Vegas. Missett built Jazzercise from a class of 15 women into a global dance fitness company over more than five decades. HFA Interim President and CEO Greta Wagner said Missett changed how millions of people experience fitness and created entrepreneurship opportunities for generations of women.
- 04 Move
RockSalt Pilates Hires Franchise Veteran as COO With 84 Locations in Development
Music-driven Pilates brand RockSalt Pilates has appointed Stephanie Knepp, a franchise veteran, as its new chief operating officer. The brand has 84 locations in development, including sites in the UAE. Studio owners considering franchise growth can watch how an experienced franchise operator shapes a scaled rollout at a boutique concept.
Do this today
Sqwod recs
- Try: Before hiring for a senior operations role, write a one-page document listing the three biggest process problems in your business: it gives any new hire a clear brief and saves onboarding time.
- Gear: Apple Watch Series 12: our verdict and the best price. · Sponsored
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