By Spencer Feingold

Blink Fitness credits its high-quality facilities and client-centric atmosphere for its success in revamping the image of a low-cost gym, the company’s CEO told Cheddar on Thursday.

“People come in and they can't believe what they are getting for $15 a month,” said Blink CEO Todd Magazine, adding that the gyms have “changed the paradigm” around "you get what you pay for."

Since opening in 2011, Blink has expanded to over 100 gyms across the country. The company was founded by the luxury fitness company, Equinox, as a low cost independent brand. Magazine previously served as the executive vice president of new business at Equinox and was promoted to CEO of Blink in 2018.

In 2018, the gym was included in Inc. Magazine's annual 5,000 list, which ranks the fasted growing companies in the U.S. Blink had a three-year growth rate of 208 percent and took in $99.3 million in revenue in 2017, according to Inc.

Blink credits its “mood above muscle” philosophy as a major part of its success.

“We focus less on the six-pack abs and the big muscles and spend much more energy focused on how fitness makes you feel,” Magazine said. “It is a much more inclusive way of talking to people.”

The company also uses real clients ー “people of all different shapes and sizes,” as Magazine said ー in all its advertisements.

Blink recently launched a free app for members that offers personalized fitness plans, healthy recipes, and basic wellness tips.

“If you typed in 'healthy recipes' in Google, you’ll get 4 million searches but you have no idea which is right for you,” Magazine said. “We try to serve up the things that are really about what your objectives are.”

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