Anthony Geisler (credits: unknown)
Anthony Geisler has built a career turning niche fitness concepts into global phenomena. From LA Boxing to Club Pilates, the serial entrepreneur has repeatedly demonstrated an ability to spot emerging trends and scale them across thousands of locations worldwide.
Now, with his latest venture Sequel Brands, Geisler is making a different kind of bet: that the future of boutique fitness lies not just in community and specialized workouts, but in measurable, science-backed interventions that target specific aspects of human performance and recovery.
A Portfolio of Performance Technologies
Sequel Brands officially launched this month with four distinct wellness concepts that read more like medical device companies than traditional fitness studios. Each targets a different aspect of physical optimization, backed by FDA-cleared technologies or established scientific protocols.
Pilates Addiction, led by CEO Sarah Luna (formerly of Club Pilates), aims to establish what the company calls “the new gold standard in Pilates” by blending classical principles with modern athletic programming. The brand recently opened its first studio in West Hollywood and plans to expand to at least 100 locations within the next 18 months, focusing initially on Los Angeles and New York City.
Beem Light Sauna, headed by Ryan Junk (former COO of Xponential Fitness), offers what the company describes as passive wellness through full-spectrum light therapy. The concept combines red, infrared, blue, and green light treatments with sauna experiences designed for cellular renewal and recovery. Beem already operates over 50 studios nationwide.
iFlex Stretch Studios, led by Verdine Baker (former president of StretchLab), focuses on functional recovery through assisted stretching services grounded in kinesiology and mobility science. The brand currently operates four locations with a fifth opening soon.
Perhaps the most technologically ambitious is BODY20, with Lindsay Junk (former president of YogaSix) as CEO. The concept uses FDA-cleared electro-muscle stimulation (EMS) suits to deliver full-body strength training workouts in just 20 minutes. BODY20 already has more than 70 locations.
Riding the Wellness Technology Wave
The timing of Sequel’s launch aligns with broader technological shifts in the fitness industry. Over 60% of Americans now use some form of fitness technology regularly, from wearable devices to nutrition tracking apps. This quantified approach to health has created consumer expectations for measurable, data-driven fitness experiences.
Biohacking has emerged as “one of the biggest fitness industry trends taking over the internet,” particularly among younger generations who seek “science-backed health” approaches. The practice involves optimizing biology through various techniques to improve health, performance, and longevity.
Meanwhile, boutique fitness studios offering “personalized classes and niche experiences” continue experiencing “explosive growth”, with the sector valued at approximately $51.6 billion and growing annually at 7.6%.
Beyond Traditional Franchising
What distinguishes Sequel from traditional fitness franchising is its positioning as what Geisler calls a “cultural movement rooted in impact.” The company’s mission extends beyond individual studio operations to broader conversations about health, wellness, and preventive care.
This vision will be showcased at the upcoming Athletech Innovation Summit in New York City this June, where Geisler will host a fireside chat with human biologist and longevity expert Gary Brecka and healthcare reform advocate Calley Means. The conversation will focus on wellness, policy, and the role fitness can play in shaping a healthier future.
According to the company’s announcement, Geisler assembled this particular group because “these conversations matter and they’re the right people to help lead them.”
The Science-First Approach
Each of Sequel’s concepts emphasizes measurable outcomes over traditional fitness metrics. Rather than focusing solely on calories burned or weights lifted, the brands target specific physiological improvements: cellular renewal through light therapy, functional mobility through evidence-based stretching protocols, and muscle activation through electrical stimulation.
This approach reflects broader industry trends toward what fitness professionals call functional fitness – training that focuses on movements mimicking everyday activities rather than isolated exercises. Functional fitness “delivers real results” and has become a top fitness industry trend, with popular workouts like CrossFit and boot camps contributing to its rise.
Experienced Leadership
Sequel’s executive team brings extensive experience from the boutique fitness industry’s most successful brands. The leadership roster reads like a who’s who of fitness franchising, with each executive having previously scaled major boutique concepts under Geisler’s leadership at Xponential Fitness.
This deep bench of industry experience suggests Sequel’s ambitions extend well beyond its initial four concepts. The company has indicated that additional brands and initiatives are in development, with at least one more “category-defining concept” planned for future announcement.
Market Positioning
Millennials and Gen Z represent the primary demographics driving boutique fitness growth, with these consumers “willing to splurge on boutique studios to access their favorite fitness training” despite higher price points compared to traditional gyms.
This willingness to pay premium prices for specialized experiences has created space for technologically sophisticated fitness concepts. Over the past two years, “nearly 72% of boutique fitness attendees have increased their spending considerably on their boutique classes”.
Successful boutique fitness studios “thrive by fostering a strong sense of community and providing personalized experiences” – precisely the combination Sequel appears designed to deliver through its science-backed approach.
The Regulatory Landscape
Sequel’s use of FDA-cleared devices and therapeutic protocols places it in an interesting regulatory position. While traditional gyms operate in largely unregulated space, concepts incorporating medical devices must navigate more complex compliance requirements.
The company’s emphasis on FDA-cleared technologies and evidence-based protocols suggests an awareness of this regulatory environment and a commitment to meeting appropriate safety and efficacy standards.
Industry Context
Sequel’s launch comes as the broader fitness industry continues evolving in response to post-pandemic consumer preferences. The global fitness industry is valued at approximately $257 billion in 2025, with projections reaching $434.74 billion by 2028.
According to Mariana Tek’s 2024 boutique fitness trends report, “Pilates, Spin, and Yoga continue to dominate the boutique fitness space,” while there’s also “room for growth in modalities like HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) and Barre”.
The report also highlights growing consumer interest in hybrid fitness offerings that combine in-studio and virtual experiences, as well as wellness integration that incorporates holistic health services beyond traditional exercise.
Looking Forward
As Sequel Brands prepares for expansion across multiple concepts, the venture represents a test case for whether science-backed, technology-enhanced fitness experiences can scale at the same pace as traditional boutique concepts.
The company’s approach of housing multiple wellness technologies under a single platform allows for rapid testing and scaling of innovations while maintaining the community-focused aspects that have driven boutique fitness success.
With flagship studios established in major U.S. cities and aggressive expansion plans already underway, Sequel Brands appears positioned to capitalize on the convergence of consumer wellness spending, technological advancement, and the ongoing boutique fitness boom.
Whether this combination of science, technology, and community can redefine industry standards remains to be seen. But with Geisler’s track record of identifying and scaling emerging fitness trends, Sequel Brands represents one of the most closely watched launches in the boutique fitness space.