I have covered fitness industry hiring from enough angles to recognize when an operator has genuinely solved a problem versus when they have branded a process and called it a solution. Efonda Sproles, SVP Chief Scout at Life Time, is the former. He has spent more than 40 years in this industry building a talent function that runs on relationships, not requisitions — and the results inside one of the most demanding fitness brands in the country are the proof.

Coach360 sat down for a conversation with Efonda Sproles, SVP Chief Scout, Life Time

After more than forty years in this industry, one thing has not changed. Most fitness companies are still hiring the same way. Post the role. Wait for applications. Pick the person who interviews best. The opportunity — the top fitness professionals who would elevate your team — are not applying. They are already working somewhere else, books full, with no reason to look around. That’s the gap Life Time’s scouting closes.

What Is Scouting?

Scouting is not the standard recruiting model. It is a proactive discipline that truly drives a higher ROI for the club members and the shareholders: finding, engaging, and securing top talent through a process called the three C’s — Coffee, Culture, Connection. It identifies the best talent and gets them interested regardless of whether they are looking for the next opportunity or not.

Standard recruiting hires the person who interviews best. Scouting turns that process inside out — starting immediately with the best talent. These are high performers who elevate culture, drive results, and create standout member experiences. Scouting is intentional, targeted, and relational. It is the art and science of finding outstanding talent where others are not looking.

Why Scouting Matters at Life Time

Life Time is not simply a health club company. We are a luxury lifestyle brand built on experiences. The people delivering those experiences at every touchpoint — our DPTs, Dynamic Personal Trainers, Group Fitness and Pilates professionals across the almost 200 clubs — they are the brand. What they do on the floor each day with our members is built on trust, and what the member will remember long after they walk out the door.

That context is why we treat scouting as a strategic function, not just a hiring process. Every person we bring in has the potential to touch thousands of member visits over the course of a year. One great hire can shift the energy of an entire team. One wrong hire costs more than the role. The cost usually shows up in retention and member satisfaction long before anyone connects it back to the original decision.

From Volume to Value

As companies scale, the pull toward volume is real: more candidates, faster pipelines, higher fill rates. Those metrics are productive — and one way of looking at it. What they can miss is the difference between someone who can do the job and someone who elevates the people around them while doing the job.

Scouting is built on trust, identifying great talent and relationships. We invest time in learning markets, building connections with people and engaging with talent — sometimes immediately and sometimes long before there is an open position. The search is not for someone just looking to fill a seat. We are looking for leaders: coaches who are career-minded and genuinely care about the people in front of them, who build up the people they lead rather than just managing them, and performers who bring a standard to their work that elevates others around them. That kind of hire is not typically found through an application process. It is found through relationships, trust, and connections built over time.

The 3C’s and 3P’s: A Relationship-Driven Framework

At its core, scouting is about connection. What I call the 3C’s: Coffee, Culture, Connection. That foundation leads directly to the 3P’s: Passion, Purpose, Profession. When those elements are present in a person, the conversation shifts. You are no longer discussing a job. You are discussing what they want to build and grow — and whether this is the right culture fit. Life Time is not for everyone. Our mission statement is our Northstar.

Our scouts operate as strategic partners embedded in markets and connected to communities. At a minimum, they have five years of experience with Life Time and are equipped to have a real career conversation with you around making a change and what it looks like. They know who does and who doesn’t succeed at taking care of our members. If our scouts don’t believe that Life Time is going to be a great long-term fit for you, they are not going to plug you into the job to fill their number. Our scouts seek out those situations in which it works best for both.

Talent and experience is what separates this approach from a cold outreach. Our scouts build the connection long before urgency exists. When we do call, it’s authentic. It feels like the start of a long-term personal relationship — not an interview or interrogation.

Retention and the Long Game: Calibrating a Path

Scouting is an end-to-end approach to a career. It does not end at the hire. The people we bring in need to see a path forward inside the company. This is our superpower. We can promise you growth — in the number of clubs being built each year, yearly anniversary discussions with your direct report, succession conversations, and team member calibration. You will have every opportunity to grow and be the best you, at Life Time.

When we bring someone into Life Time through scouting, onboarding is the beginning. We work with them on career clarity and personality profile assessments. We give them a visible path and connect on a regular basis. Some of our strongest leaders today came through scouting years ago and have grown into roles they did not know were possible when they started.

That kind of retention is intentional. It is the result of taking the long view from the beginning.

The Future of Scouting

Talent is everywhere and all around us. I believe you must have a story to tell that captures the heart of people. Once you do that, you can lead them. Life Time has a unique story from our beginning. We were founded by an immigrant who came from the bottom to the top. He is self-made, the American dream. And he is still guiding us today. I have been blessed to have been with him since 1984.

Scouting is not about me, or how great I am. It’s about our amazing brand and story that resonates with people who want to be a part of us as team members or members. Scouting will belong to those who can execute on their team member and customer brand promise. The talent is always working. The question is whether your organization is building the relationships to find it.