REVL SG founder on rising the health chain to 13 shops in 3 yrs

REVL Singapore is banking on community-driven health to face out within the crowded wellness scene

Singapore’s health scene has skilled important development over the previous couple of years—it’s even projected to generate US$185 million in income this 12 months.

From worldwide gymnasium chains and spin studios to CrossFit gyms and boutique ideas, the market has solely grow to be more and more crowded and aggressive.

But, Ollie Wang, the 30-year-old founding father of REVL Singapore (REVL SG), nonetheless noticed a niche within the scene. Many health ideas will not be precisely accessible for complete inexperienced persons, whereas extra seasoned gym-goers typically discovered themselves with out clear pathways for long-term development.

Furthermore, many additionally battle to seek out lasting motivation and group in conventional gymnasium environments, the place exercises typically finish as quickly because the timer stops.

With REVL SG, Ollie needed to create a community-driven expertise, catering to various health ranges. The boutique health studio provides cardio- and strength-based group courses, with three problem ranges designed to go well with totally different skills.

The idea appears to have taken off in Singapore—since its launch in 2022, REVL SG has grown to 13 shops. We spoke to Ollie to seek out out extra about his journey of discovering a distinct segment in Singapore’s aggressive health house, and why community-driven health might outline the following chapter in well being and wellness.

Bringing an Australian model to Singapore

Ollie has all the time been drawn to health. He labored part-time as a private coach in 2017 whereas managing his college research.

His curiosity solely deepened throughout a summer season faculty stint in London in 2019, the place he educated at a boutique studio that boasted over 500 members.

There, the way in which the studio fostered group struck him: Past delivering good exercises, the enterprise made positive its members felt like they honestly “belonged.” “Perhaps at some point,” he thought, “I’d prefer to create a group round health that was really impactful.”

After returning to Singapore, Ollie started his final-year challenge (FYP) at Singapore Administration College, the place he was tasked with figuring out a market hole for his enterprise course. It was there that his concept started to take form, and he determined to completely decide to bringing it to life.

Ollie started exploring choices within the health trade: begin his personal model, or usher in an abroad idea. He finally determined to usher in a international model, believing it might carry stronger model fairness than constructing one solely from scratch.

That’s when he stumbled upon REVL, then a younger Australian model with simply three international studios. After talking with its founders, Ben Woolford and Josh Mildren, he was satisfied by their ethos of “individuals first, health second”—their deal with group aligned very carefully together with his personal.

“They had been real individuals who needed sustainable development,” Ollie recalled. After graduating from college in 2021, he signed on because the enterprise’s Singapore accomplice, and by Jan 2022, opened the very first REVL SG studio at Metropolis Corridor (which can be the model’s eleventh worldwide).

A special method to coaching

REVL SG provides 13-week programmes for its members, every designed round particular objectives, equivalent to energy or conditioning. Each session is coach-led. They supply stay demonstrations and directions, and likewise guarantee correct method.

However past simply being a spot the place individuals can practice arduous, REVL SG retains its calendar contemporary with occasions, from internet hosting month-to-month run golf equipment to turf video games, attracting sturdy turnout from the group.

For Ollie, the enterprise was by no means meant to be simply one other boutique health studio. He typically compares it to a co-curricular exercise for adults—a spot the place individuals can’t simply attain their health objectives, but additionally really feel a part of one thing greater than themselves.

Some occasions even have a charitable focus. One of the crucial memorable was the Make-A-Want fundraisers, the place the group got here collectively to boost over S$153,000, granting life-changing needs for kids with vital sicknesses.

Proceeds from numerous occasions held by REVL SG went to assist Make-A-Want. This features a 5KM group run, and Tekan the Trainers, an occasion the place members donated to see their coaches carry out difficult workouts.

Aside from this, REVL SG additionally hosts its annual Movember 24-Hour Problem, a check of endurance the place members attempt to preserve a rowing machine and a stationary bike operational for a full day. For each 5KM on the rower/ bike, the enterprise donates S$1 for males’s well being causes. Over 2023 and 2024, REVL SG has raised over S$25,000.

Subsequent month, the studio will probably be internet hosting a neighborhood version of Battle Most cancers—a worldwide occasion mixing athletic competitors with most cancers consciousness. Registrations and donations are open, and the occasion has already drawn greater than 700 contributors and raised S$150,000.

Development regardless of a rocky begin

Although REVL Singapore has since grown to 13 shops, the early days had been removed from straightforward.

The primary six months had been notably difficult. Opening its first outlet throughout the COVID-19 pandemic meant strict laws and diminished footfall, however REVL SG managed to tug via—and even increase.

By 2023, Ollie had opened 5 shops and went on to take the function of Grasp Franchisor, taking cost of REVL’s development throughout Singapore.

He bought off his possession of the Metropolis Corridor outlet to deal with scaling REVL SG, which has since been increasing by three to 4 shops yearly.

A lot of this development comes from throughout the group. Former members who had educated with REVL SG, drawn by the tradition, have gone on to open their very own franchises.

Once we hit double digits, it was a pinch-me second. I couldn’t consider we’d grown to 13 shops in simply three years.

Ollie Wang, founding father of REVL Singapore

Ollie is selective in granting franchise rights, guaranteeing every operator is deeply aligned with REVL’s mission. With a lean HQ of simply 4, Ollie and his core crew deal with guaranteeing the requirements of the studios.

A cultural shift in health

With health manufacturers closing left and proper lately, questions concerning the model’s longevity are pure—however Ollie continues to be banking on group.

For a lot of within the health house, it has grow to be an integral a part of the expertise. The rise of restoration areas—ice baths, saunas, and compression remedy—is one other signal of this shift, as members more and more search holistic assist for efficiency, restoration, and general well-being.

These areas permit individuals not solely to coach tougher but additionally to attach and unwind collectively, reinforcing the social facet of health.

Trying forward, Ollie expects demand within the health house to develop, notably as extra individuals present curiosity in an energetic life-style.

He defined that curiosity stays particularly sturdy amongst Gen Z. “Gen Z is embracing health greater than the era earlier than. As a substitute of late nights out, they’re coaching, competing, and recovering for Hyrox and different occasions. It’s grow to be a life-style shift.”

Authorities well being campaigns have additional nudged Singaporeans towards energetic residing, and Ollie sees parallels with Australia, the place health has lengthy been embedded within the tradition. “I believe we’ll see even individuals of their 50s coaching often within the years forward,” he predicted.

Consistent with these tendencies, Ollie hopes to proceed internet hosting extra large-scale health and charity occasions, bringing the group collectively whereas selling health.

Ollie mirrored: “Actual success is when members come collectively not simply to coach, however to face behind one another and rally for one thing greater. When individuals unite round a trigger, the influence goes far past the partitions of a studio.” 

• Discover out extra about REVL SG right here.
• Learn extra tales we’ve written on Singaporean companies right here.

Featured Picture Credit score: REVL Singapore