French fitness enthusiast Eric Guilleminault developed his competitive edge in college as an intern for a trainer prepping college players for the NFL combine.
“This allowed me to pay for my own training and expand my professional ambitions,” said the 36-year-old local Scottsdale gym owner. Since he was a college athlete himself, it was this athleticism that inspired his current place in the fitness industry.
Growing up, Guilleminault had always considered himself ecologically minded.
“As I was writing my business plan for the gym,” he said, “I discovered green technology. It was surprising to me that this technology was available, and yet puzzling that the large corporate chain gyms were not using this equipment in their facilities.” This was enough for Guilleminault to create Arizona’s first eco-friendly gym, Off The Grid Fitness.
In order to make his gym “green,” the majority of Guilleminault’s cardio equipment is energy neutral or energy creating. He also set up a recycling system in the lot where his facility is located for neighboring businesses to use. It was these functions that inspired the name of his fitness center.
“Off The Grid has a dual meaning,” he said. “It means getting off the electric grid as well as how we adhere to community values that are not found in the large corporate facilities.”
Guilleminault doesn’t want to compete with other gyms, he wants to encourage that keeping our planet in good shape is just as important as keeping our bodies in good shape.
“They don’t have to be afraid of new technology,” he said. “I hope they learn that being eco-friendly and having a great customer experience can go hand-in-hand.”
Even though Guilleminault has only one facility, he doesn’t let that stand in the way of the impact his single gym can make.
“The goal is to grow while keeping our customer centric and eco-friendly values; to have a longer lasting impact on the fitness industry,” Guilleminault said. “Consumers will need to make it clear that they want eco-friendly products at their gym. If this is important to you, vote with your wallet, and to go to eco-friendly gyms.”
