Boutique fitness owners scroll through social media and see a parade of success stories, pristine studios, and polished brands. Meanwhile, they sit in their offices, wondering why their reality feels so different from what everyone else seems to be experiencing. After spending two years driving to 42 cities across the United States, Zack Schares discovered something that changed his entire perspective on the industry: most owners are struggling with the same issues, but they’re convinced they’re failing alone.

This October, Schares is bringing together 40 carefully selected boutique fitness studio owners in Cleveland, Ohio, for an event that throws conventional industry gatherings out the window. The ZAXFIT Owners Summit promises something rare in a world of massive conferences and sales-heavy presentations, providing real solutions delivered by people who’ve lived through the challenges they’re addressing.

The Man Behind the Mission

Zack Schares has spent over 15 years in the fitness industry, with New York City serving as his launching pad since 2010. His early exposure to major boutique fitness brands taught him how to build culture and grow communities, but it also showed him where these businesses often lose their way. After expanding internationally through Europe and Mexico, Schares witnessed how fitness spaces could serve as genuine community hubs when leadership stayed grounded in local culture rather than chasing online validation.

The pattern became impossible to ignore. Owners were disconnected from their teams, studios looked perfect online while struggling internally, and leaders were burning out from constant comparison to social media highlights. Schares recognized that while the industry had rushed to embrace digital marketing and virtual offerings, very few people were paying attention to what actually happened inside the four walls of these studios.

This realization sparked an unprecedented commitment. In 2024, Schares launched Tour Year One, physically visiting 38 cities to meet with studio owners face-to-face. He taught public classes, attended budget meetings, and engaged in deep conversations about where owners were struggling. What he discovered challenged many assumptions about the industry’s health.

A Different Kind of Gathering

The ZAXFIT Owners Summit represents everything Schares learned during his nationwide tour. Set for October 20-23, 2025, in Cleveland, the event deliberately caps attendance at 40 participants to ensure every voice can be heard. Unlike typical industry conferences that pack thousands of attendees into ballrooms, this gathering prioritizes meaningful connections.

Schares personally selected each of the nine speakers based on his direct experience working with them. These are proven business owners who want to see real change across the fitness industry. 

The application process requires potential attendees to write extensively about their motivations for attending. Schares reviews each submission personally, looking for owners ready to engage in honest conversations about their challenges and growth. This curation process ensures that the group dynamic supports vulnerability and genuine problem-solving.

Cleveland was chosen strategically as a centrally located city that removes the typical distractions of major metropolitan areas. The intimate setting allows for focused discussions without the pressure to maintain appearances that often accompanies industry events in fitness capitals like Los Angeles or New York.

Final Thoughts

The fitness industry has become skilled at creating beautiful facades while overlooking the human struggles that occur behind the scenes. Schares’ approach challenges this dynamic by creating space for owners to admit their difficulties without judgment and find practical solutions through shared experiences. The Summit represents a return to authentic leadership development in an industry that has often prioritized aesthetics over substance.

Perhaps the most telling aspect of this event is what Schares isn’t promising. There are no guarantees of overnight business transformation or magic formulas for instant success. Instead, he’s offering something potentially more valuable: the realization that struggling doesn’t mean failing, and that sustainable success comes from connecting with the person running the business, not just optimizing the business itself.

About Elisa Edelstein
Elisa is a curious and versatile writer, carving her niche in the health and wellness industry since 2015. Her lens is rooted in real world experience as a personal trainer and competitive bodybuilder and extended out of the gym and on to the page as a writer where she is able to combine her passions for empowering others, promoting wellness, and the power of the written word.