SATS is the largest fitness chain in the Nordics, with 270+ gyms and 10,000 employees. CEO Sondre Gravir joined us to discuss how they build a strong culture and customer experience at scale and how they navigated the lockdowns. We also talk innovation, fitness trends, tech, and the role gyms play in public health.
3 takeaways from the conversation with Sondre Gravir
Engagement drives retention, and retention drives business results
SATS places a strong focus on keeping members active. Most cancellations don’t happen because people switch to a competitor, but because they stop using the service altogether. That’s why the company prioritizes group classes, structured onboarding, habit-forming features in the app, and consistent communication with members. Keeping people engaged is both a health mission and a business strategy. The more members show up, the more value they get, and the longer they stay.
Technology should support, not replace, the gym experience
While many expected home fitness and digital-only solutions to replace physical gyms, SATS is seeing the opposite trend. In-person training continues to grow, especially among younger users. The key is to use technology to make the gym experience more accessible and effective. That includes things like class bookings, habit tracking, and wearable integrations. But SATS is clear on one thing: digital fitness alone is difficult to sustain and hard to monetize. Technology is a tool, not the product.
Culture is the foundation when scaling operations
With thousands of employees across four countries, many of whom are young and in their first job, SATS invests heavily in reinforcing its values across the business. Clear expectations, simple values, and everyday routines are used to create consistency in how members are treated and how teams work together. Processes and standards help, but culture is what holds it all together. Especially in a decentralized, people-heavy business like this, shared values become the key to long-term performance.