New Orangetheory President Lauren Cody Eyes Longevity, Global Expansion

Ahead of her appearance at the ATN Innovation Summit this June, Cody sat down with Athletech News to discuss her plan to turn Orangetheory Fitness into the next “world-class franchise brand”

These are exciting times for Orangetheory Fitness. Fresh off one of the industry’s biggest merger deals in recent memory, the highly popular group fitness brand named restaurant and healthcare executive Lauren Cody as its new president in January. 

A former C-suite exec at brands including McDonald’s, Burger King and Panera Bread, Cody has her sights set on turning Orangetheory into the next “world-class franchise brand.” 

To do so, Cody plans to highlight the longevity benefits of Orangetheory’s workouts while pursuing international expansion and optimizing franchise operations at home in the United States.  

In an exclusive interview with Athletech News, Cody discussed how Orangetheory plans to reach longevity-minded consumers, scale globally and maintain a leadership position in boutique fitness.

The following conversation has been lightly edited for clarity and length.

Athletech News: You joined Orangetheory a few months ago. What drew you to the brand? 

Lauren Cody: I spent around 25 years with brands like McDonald’s, Burger King and Panera Bread, as well as Domino’s and Swensons Drive-In on the board side. So I have a lot of experience in customer-facing, multi-site franchise businesses.

After the pandemic, I really became interested in helping people live better, for longer. I spent time at AlerisLife, which is a fitness and rehab company for older adults. Orangetheory’s purpose is to help people live longer, more vibrant lives, so the overlap there was significant. I also believe my skills and experience can help Orangetheory grow as a global powerhouse in studio fitness. I’m delighted to be here. 

ATN: What are your early priorities as president? 

LC: I have two big goals for the brand: one is to become our members’ partner in longevity. People are looking to have their healthspan better match their lifespan. We’re all living longer, but what we’ve seen from our parents and our grandparents is that the quality of life doesn’t always match. We’re here to close that gap to help our members live longer, more vibrant lives. 

The second big goal is to become a world-class franchise. Today, Orangetheory is a world-class product with an incredibly strong brand and franchise system. There are things we’ll do in terms of brand clarity, executional excellence, innovation and four-wall economics that will help us all grow into a world-class franchise. 

ATN: Where does a workout like Orangetheory fit in people’s overall quest for longevity?

LC: I call the Orangetheory the “multivitamin of workouts.” The two biggest determinants of lifespan and healthspan are cardiorespiratory health and strength, measured by grip strength. Orangetheory builds both because we offer a blend of cardio, power and strength in every single workout. It doesn’t matter what our members do outside of Orangetheory – they might do yoga, Pilates or free weights – but if they’re coming to Orangetheory at least two to three times a week, they’re going to achieve the longevity benefits they seek. They’re also going to see results within a couple months in terms of building strength, burning fat, and feeling great and looking great.

Orangetheory has been innovating within our modalities – cardio, power and strength – for over 15 years, and we’ll continue to do that. There will be a few “secret pilots” going on this year, and we’ll measure those results. There’s going to be some exciting innovation in the future. 

ATN: On the franchising side, what are your goals for domestic and international expansion? 

LC: Consumers across the world are looking for a match between healthspan and lifespan, so Orangetheory is globally appealing. We already exist in 24 markets with around 200 studios outside of the U.S. We have an immense opportunity to build our presence internationally where we already exist, but also in territories where we don’t. Without putting a firm number on it, we believe the size of our international presence should be multiples of what we’re at now. 

On the domestic side, we have about 1,300 studios today. We’re very eager to continue growing, and we see some greenfield opportunities to expand. We’re also looking to grow same-studio sales, which is a key part of our strategy in becoming a world-class franchise. If our franchisees succeed, we succeed.

ATN: Orangetheory unveiled a major brand refresh strategy last fall. Where are you in implementing that plan, and what could it mean for OTF moving forward? 

LC: It’s an umbrella strategy, so there are elements we can build on over time. We’re very inclusive – we have members from 15 to 78, and probably even older than that, so want to make sure we’re always giving our most enthusiastic members what they want, when they want it and how they want it. We’re looking at what messages, and through which channels, are going to be the most helpful to consumers as they think about making a decision around their fitness journey. 

But what’s more important than a marketing campaign is what happens inside our studios, including how our managers, coaches and sales associates understand what’s really important to leads and members when it comes to their fitness journey. Results are the biggest driver of choice for the studio fitness industry. People want to burn fat and build muscle. And when we look at our most common member, that person also wants longevity benefits – they’re happy to put the time in now to get the payoff later in life. We keep that in mind as we think about any brand strategy we execute. 

ATN: Looking ahead, what trends in fitness and wellness are you most excited about right now? 

LC: There are two trends I think are extremely exciting. One is the next generation of strength. There are some new equipment on the marketplace and different ways of focusing on and understanding building strength. This is extremely exciting, and it’s something I’m watching closely because it’s so relevant to Orangetheory and what we do in our studios today. 

The other trend is recovery, and what it means for people’s health and wellness. Whether you’re stretching, using a Hyperice device, cold plunging or whatever else you’re doing, that recovery piece is important in the merging of fitness with broader health and wellness. This fits in very well with Orangetheory being the multivitamin of workouts. 

ATN: Is there anything the industry needs to improve upon?

LC: Every industry has fads, so fitness isn’t unique. But I do think that when there’s innovation in the marketplace, it should be science-backed, and messages to consumers should be accurate. Sometimes, the messaging in fitness creates confusion. I think that’s something the industry needs to be watchful about. 

Another area where the industry can keep improving is inclusiveness. I’ve been a fitness enthusiast since I was 17 or 18, and I’ve seen the industry improve quite a bit in terms of making everyone feel welcome. But I think there’s still a ways to go. While we now have 25% of the U.S. population with a fitness membership, there’s still a barrier for people in terms of the intimidation factor. Continuing on the journey of inclusiveness is important.

Want to hear more from Cody and other top fitness and wellness executives? The ATN Innovation Summit 2025, a can’t-miss two-day event featuring immersive content, a wellness lounge, cutting-edge expo hall and ample networking opportunities, comes to New York City this June 17-18. To get your tickets or learn more, click here.