How to attract the aging population (what are we doing wrong!) with Jill Healy Quintard 💯

Age is energy. It's not to do with the way you look. It's like the way you feel. But age is energy. You don't need to be going, well, I'm 40, I'm 50, I'm 60, I'm 70, whatever. I have this amazing energy and my energy is gonna keep me going. I'm not talking about me, but people who do have that.

Welcome back to the Marketing Muscle Up Podcast Show. I'm your host Richard Toutounji. Almost forgot my name there. And in today's episode, we are gonna be talking to somebody who has been in this fitness industry a very long time and who has been consistently pushing the boundaries to ensure that people who need to hear the message of health and fitness is getting to that. Now, what we're talking about here, we're talking about an aging population. We're talking about people who maybe have never grown up with exercise. But these people are now faced with, do they wanna live a life of, you know, hospital beds, or do they actually want to grow their, their health and their wellness? And so my guest today is Jill Healy Quintard. Welcome to the show. And I wanted to touch on a lot of these points. How are you, first of all, Jill?

I'm really good, actually. I'm in Sydney and it's really hot and it's quite a beautiful day. Good.

Good to hear. And Jill and me have been talking for a while because there's a lot of things that Jill has a lot of knowledge on, but just a quick bio on Jill if you never met Jill before. So Jill, her passion is human movement and music. Okay. And music. So dance, acting, teaching, creating, presenting. At the moment, I think I'm reading this correct, you're living a nomad van lifestyle. Okay. Traveling around Australia. And at the moment you're streaming classes and coaching while you're in Ayers Rock and all these cool, amazing places. Now, quite recently we caught up at the 2022 AusActive Awards where you took out 2 awards, one being Pilates Professional of the Year, and one wasn't enough for you. You took out the second one, which is the Yoga Business of the Year. Congratulations on that, first of all. You've got a book out as well. Oh,

a second one on the

way. Second one on the way. And the book is Yoga Pilates Fusion: A Mind, Body, and Balance Practice, published in 2019. You're all about high vibration awareness, high vibe community, and your business Body and Balance You've been pushing this messaging for a while now, and I want to bring you on the show talking about a couple things, Jill, specifically about aging population. Where do you think that's going? Are we doing enough for— is the fitness industry doing enough to handle this? So that's probably my first question, Jill. What's your thoughts on—

That's an interesting one. Okay. So the fitness industry has always been for me a very— I've always been on the— in, in other industries because I'm also massage and teaching and also yoga. Um, the fitness industry to me has always made— and this is what I hear from a lot of people— people feel as though I can't keep up with this because that's not me. It's not— not fitness is just too much for me. Um, the fitness industry is changing, and I love that it's But it's taken a very long time to actually realize that must be mind and body integration, and without mind and body integration, people will not become the whole person or the whole and have those whole needs met. So the fitness industry needs to focus more on that integration in order to bring about a healthier and a well and a balanced. Okay.

Quick question then. How do we, let's say you're talking to a personal trainer who's been, they're doing what they've been doing, what they've been taught. They may not have been taught much mind activities. Obviously we're hearing that a lot more now in the space, but how do we, how would we quickly add in this element of mind-body except if you haven't been doing it? What are ways we can all help out with this?

So I'm offering training courses, and this is one of them, is to actually— for all trainers to actually understand this side of basically, if you know yin and yang, is to actually have your movement, your full-on movement, your full-on exercise, your full-on hardcore, and then bring it down. I don't know if I can add this, but my daughter is absolutely manic when it comes to body. She— her body looks amazing. She works out every day at One of those studios that do hardcore. She said to me every time she said to the trainer, "You should do what my mum's always done and do some relaxation at the end," and he has said to her, "Show me." And this is what all these people have suddenly come around and going, "Wow, this feels so good." So I've been doing the relax recovery for a very, very, very long time—over 40 years.

Relax, relax recovery. So you're basically saying what I'm hearing here. Is towards the end of the session, is that a piece that they can put into every client moving forward? Is that what you're saying, Jill?

Every single one. Every client I've had in my 40-odd years, that's what I do.

Okay, great.

And I know that it actually brings about a sense of balance. Plus I add intention. So with you, see your intention, say it, feel it, make it happen. It's a very positive thing.

All right. Take us through this. little activity if we can. So let's say we finish the session. How many minutes do you need to give to allocate this in your training sessions, Jill?

I do 5 to 10.

5 to 10 minutes. Yep. Okay. And that's in a 60-minute session, 5 to 10 minutes.

In a 60-minute session, it goes towards the end. And seriously, and no kidding, even last night, one of the guys went, oh God, I'm glad we're there. So it's really brings people down. They, they start to recover, they feel good. Plus, as I say, I do the positive intention. So that's how I do it. So I tell people to think about, to go through their body with breath. It's breathwork as well.

Mm-hmm.

Breathwork, breathing in, take deep breath, but in through the nose, out through the nose, which actually brings it back into the focus inside the body. And then they start to cool down, heart rates drop, all of that happens. And then they come to this beautiful balance. They feel relaxed. Every muscle feels really like it's like Some people don't wake up. They lie there, lie there, lie there, lie there. That's how it is. It's always been like that with me.

I'm feeling better already, Jill.

Yeah, look, it's amazing. It's just that letting go and just relaxing.

And do you have to have music with it, Jill? No music? What's your conditions?

I do, because music is my thing. And I was very lucky. There's an incredible musician who actually gave me his music that I use. So I have this on my website, if I can mention that. But I have a free 10-minute one on my website if anyone wants to look at it. But It's there and a lot of people do and it works. And that's what I call it, the game changer. And that's what I'm telling OzActive. I said, this is the game changer. You will find that once people start doing this and just add this for a few minutes at the end of their class, makes a huge, huge difference.

So good. Your website's bodyandbalance.com.au and you could find that free 10-minute.

Yeah, it's got a thing called freebies or giveaways or something like that and it's on there. With the beautiful music.

Yeah. Amazing. Okay. Very good. Very good. Very good. So, okay, let's— so, so basically your concept is, uh, mind-body mindset, which is great. I think that's awesome. And, um, talk about, um, the fitness industry now that we're progressing into that. Um, you've given a really good insightful tip there that anybody can start to take action and implement that into their training sessions or their classes, whatever they may be.

Yeah.

What do you think about aging population where it's at the moment? You know, I think there's a huge advantage here, and I think for people that have been in doing exercising for a long time and people that are going, okay, you know, there's so much competition around, like, you know, I know you see it, Jill, and maybe it's an open-loaded question, but here, but But tell, tell me from your viewpoint where you see the opportunity in aging population over the next 10 years.

Oh, the opportunity to actually help people to age in a positive way. It's, it's healthy aging. Um, why would anyone want to end up in a hospital? Why does anyone want to take medication? Why does anyone want to put any poison in their bodies? Basically, you can use movement medicine as medicine, and you can do many alternative things that do not need this. And keeping people out of hospitals to me is very important, particularly situations now. But, um, and I think, um, one of the things that's a big problem in our society is people expect people to get old and be on medication.

Wow. So people expect people to get old and be on medication?

Yeah.

Right. This is, yeah, really, really interesting. And—

Well, can I just add to this? Because my mother, uh, 92, she actually died at 92, but And I won't even say why because that's controversial. But she— they kept saying, where's her medication? I said, she doesn't have medication. She's not sick. And this is the thing. People are expected to be sick as they get older. So my thing is about wellness, about keeping people well. So people are going to die. There's always going to be something. Of course, we all go. But to keep well as long as possible and to live a productive life.

Keep well. Love it. I love the wellness space. That's why we deal with wellness studios, not just fitness, because I think it is the full progression. So tell me about then, from your viewpoint, active aging, where do you see, like, what are the good, like, give me 2 or 3 good things that are happening and tell me 2 or 3 things that could be improved or opportunities that you're seeing as well that you just sort of seeing. It's like, why aren't people getting involved in this?

Right. I'll tell you what I find. When you find ads for old—

I love asking, by the way. I just, I just, I know Jill's— Jill, we could do a Joe Rogan podcast here for hours and hours. And I told Jill at the start of this podcast, listen, Jill, we've got to be tight with time here.

Yeah.

But, but, but, but yeah, I'm very interested in that. So yeah, tell me, Jill, tell me.

What I was going to say is that the images that are put up are images that people go, I don't know, do I really want to look like, you know, they look like old people. They're not old people. If you put people, so if you look on, just for instance, on Instagram, there's a whole lot. Maya,

is that your doggy that just came in the shot? Is it?

Did you see her?

No, no, I just hear it. Okay.

What was I gonna say? If you look on— there are many of them around. There's some amazing, absolutely incredible women around who are strong, and they're in their 60s and 70s, and they look incredible. And these are the people that they should be showing rather than these people that are sort of, yeah, yeah, I just got in that room, I'm not sure if I can do that. You know, this sort of look doesn't encourage people to actually exercise. Because it's making people feel diminished already before they've started.

So I've just Googled stock images, old people. Okay. And I'm trying to find what you're talking about here because you are saying that to attract aging population, we need to have images that are focused on them being well. That's what you're saying. And at the moment there's— so when people are trying to hit that market,

Yeah.

They're just putting— is it— are they putting just like people just that— just like, what do you— what do we need to change?

In a chair in a nursing home. Yeah, that's not a good look. It doesn't— I mean, look, it happens, I know, but this is what makes people not well. This is what keeps people in a state of unwellness, you know.

So really selecting the right images. Yeah. And I've just got something like I want to say, like I always see this Over 40s, right? Over 50s. Like, maybe as you get older, you realise it's not that old.

No.

I just hit 40. I'm not in a wheelchair. Yeah. But have we, you know, as progression has, like, we are living longer. Okay.

Yeah. Yeah.

So, do we need to look— do we need to give a new category of age of what ageing population means? Like, how do we How do we know that, oh, I'm trying to target an over-40s person, I'm trying to target an over-50s person, I'm trying to target an over-70s person. What's the age, Jill? How do we know?

Yeah, I find that really interesting. I would like to have that age is energy. It's not to do with the way you look or the way you— it's like the way you feel. But age is energy. You don't need to be going, well, I'm 40, I'm 50, I'm 60, I'm 70, whatever. I have this amazing energy and my energy is going to keep me going. I'm not talking about me, but people who do have that.

Yeah.

So look, as I was an aerobic champion in the '80s, okay, I had a whole lot of women with me then. They all followed me. I used to have hundreds of followers back in the days before they had any of the other stuff, but hundreds of followers. And those women are now coming back to me going, oh my God, I've seen you on Facebook. You're still looking like you did back in those days. How do you do this? Can we join you? And so somehow I want people to know that you can just keep going. You don't have to just stop just because you had a baby or because you hit menopause or whatever.

Yeah, I like that. Age is energy. I think that's a really good way to summarize it. You're saying don't use the super old, like use the people that are inspiring. That, I think that's a great concept there. And what about mainstream Brands out there? Are we doing enough?

You mean Fitness First, so the stuff that you're talking about?

Oh, I'm talking about Fitness First. I'm talking about a BFT. I'm talking about F45. I'm talking about, are we all doing enough to cater for this, Jill?

Not really. As I say, you mentioned one of the ones my daughter goes to. No, not definitely not. for it. The expectation is if you can't do it, you're too old, regardless. So it's not geared— it's geared for 25-year-olds.

Okay. So does that mean then we're missing out? Does that mean there's enough other individuals, personal trainers or smaller studios, independents that are geared towards that? Or You know, is there, is there more opportunity that people— I mean, I think if you can just maybe explain a little bit clearer on, I mean, how many people are we talking about here? Like, what are you seeing?

Ageism. Okay. It does occur in the fitness industry too.

Ageism, you said? Yep.

Yeah. Ageism. Um, and there are personal trainers who just don't know what to do with women that are, you know, menopausal or whatever, you know? So then they just don't even bother. So, um, you know, I've heard this from many, many different women, but when you think personal trainer, you're thinking male or female, I'm not sure, or both. Uh, but even the females, uh, if it's not the males, even the females are not— don't know what to do, even though they're women and they've— they have their menstrual cycle, they know that they're going to change and all of that sort of thing. I've written many articles on this because the women these days are starting to through menopause from as young as 37. So, you know, it needs to be— I don't— I'm not just focusing totally on menopause, but the fact is, of the fact that our bodies change, our hormone levels change. Dealing with hormones is actually really amazing because you can actually balance your hormones through movement. Again, back to that. So, um, but young people need to know this. And as one of my friends who used to be on my videos. She's only just turned 40. She said to me, even at her age, she's finding the ageism is occurring, um, and that the young ones just think they know everything and, and they don't understand anything. And she said, and I know that I'm at the— on the precipice of menopause now. So, you know, there's this sort of stuff happening. Um, she's a trainer, by the way, but she was talking about other trainers that— in where she works.

I think, um, also too, just touching on clientele, and we are a marketing sort of show, I mean, like, you've got people— I always look at exercise as a need versus a want. Um, at 20, 25, 30, is exercise a need? Probably not. It's probably a want. But when you look at an aging population, is exercise a need? If they're educated about it, I think it's much more of a need than a want.

That's very much it.

They're a really good client. It's a must.

It's a must.

Exactly. So I think it's a huge marketing opportunity. It's a huge growth opportunity. That's why I want to bring in the show because I just really think that overall, yeah, there's so much. Because I hear a lot about competition, things getting tighter, there's people opening up, but really this area is just huge and it's really untapped if I think so in Australia. What I'm seeing, it's really untapped. Nobody's really, really paid attention to this. I

was gonna say, a little bit slow on the rest of the world because in Europe it's a lot bigger that there's, the ageism side of it doesn't exist. I've found it living and working in France. It's very much here, very much here. People are so judgmental. No, anyway, I shouldn't say that, but a lot are, particularly where I live, the northern beaches of Sydney. Which is, which is apparently the healthiest in all of Australia and the lowest obesity in all of Australia.

Is that because you're— is that because you live over there, Jewel? Is you've, you've made it more healthy and fit or what?

Oh yes, because I've trained them all. Yes. No, it actually has been a statistic that's been reported.

Jewel, I want to change gears a little bit here. Um, I want to talk about longevity in the industry as a fitness professional. Can you take us through how you've been able to stay in the industry long-term? A lot of people, they go in and go out of the industry. Maybe they didn't have enough, they couldn't get enough money or they couldn't get their career going or they didn't find the right opportunities. I want to kind of speak to anybody who's thinking about maybe leaving, maybe going somewhere else. How did you stay in the industry and maybe how long you've been in the industry for and how long do you stay in the industry in the times that You're thinking, I'm not interested kind of thing. Take us through that.

Okay. So I'm really grateful. I've actually never lost interest. That's to start with. But because I've also had a lot of variety. So I started out and this is very— I'll try and do it quickly. But I trained as a school teacher and I was just in my first bit of teaching with children with disabilities. And the person who ran the center of the place, an organization, a big organization actually, said, said that no one's allowed to get pregnant or you're out. Well, I got pregnant and I was told I had to go. And so I was like already a dancer. So I'd been in— I actually was in a dance company when I was in my late teens as well. And, um, and I went to uni and studied, studied teaching. But, uh, what was I gonna say? Yeah, so there I was with a baby and young and looking pretty good. And I went, I know what I can do. I can start teaching exercise because I can dance. And I think I taught what was even before aerobics. I was teaching what Jane Fonda ended up doing as well. I know that sounds a bit of a boast, but it's totally what happened. I just went out and taught my mixture of movement and stuff and had heaps of classes. So that's where I got locked in. I loved it. I loved the passion. I loved the energy. I love the heart rate increase. I love the vibration increase. I love the fact that every endorphin in the body gets stimulated, your serotonin, your oxytocin, all of that. Love it. And I would find, and I know this for a fact, 15 minutes into exercise like that, you're actually, you won't be killing yourself. I mean, as in killing yourself suicidal because your depression would lift. Knew that, got me in. And I'm to the point now where if I don't exercise at least 15 minutes every single day, I actually start to you know, go down. So this is what's kept me there. But also what's kept me there is my honesty and my integrity. And I have never ever squashed or hurt anybody, as in the sense of badmouthing, whatever. And I've just opened my heart and I've looked at what's around and I go, oh, this is wonderful. Oh, I might try this. So I have tried a lot of different things.

Yep.

I've trained as a Zumba instructor as well, did that for a while, but sort of got over that. And, um, yeah. So just keeping the variety, making a community. I made a community of women and I do these gatherings that I mentioned, Wise Women Gatherings, because when we get to this age, we're wise. And

I like the name, by the way. Wise Women Gatherings.

Wise Women Gatherings. Yes.

When you get this age, you're wise. I like that.

Secret women's business.

I mean, that's a positive name, not a negative name. I think that's so good because Like calling your program, Everybody Had Their Different Version of COVID but I don't know about this happening in COVID, but you now are a nomadic van lifestyle. Was that a COVID decision or you said, hey, stuff it, let's go around Australia, let's do the business around Australia? Tell me how that's been going.

It's pretty amazing how it happened. So my husband's French. In 2019, we were away for 4 months and I was Zooming with my clients then. We were in Asia and in Europe. And I was actually Zooming before everybody even knew what Zooming was, you know, because Zooming hit really in 2020. Anyway, we came back to Australia and COVID hit.

Yep.

And I just pivoted back straight into Zooming and continued. And I've still got some of those clients who I've still never seen face to face that are still Zooming with me. Anyway, so that's how that happened because that lifestyle, the way of being able to work, which is what we've all changed our way of working, My husband, who is French, which I mentioned, had never seen Australia. We've been together 33 years and he had never seen Australia because we would go every year to France. We went there to live. Our daughter went to school there, all this sort of stuff.

So, outback Australia he's never seen?

Never seen. Either had I. You know, something like that.

Like most people, I think, in Australia have not seen outback Australia.

Yeah, because we all want to go overseas. So due to our individual choices in life right then, we said we're not going to Europe. We let's buy a caravan, which is what he bought. And now he just bought it. And we went to Brisbane and picked it up in Brisbane actually. And a there's another one. A off-road caravan.

Mm-hmm.

And a Prada.

Yeah.

And a Prado.

Prada is the handbag. Yes. Don't get them confused, Jill. You need the right one to tow the caravan. All right?

That's it.

The bag won't do it.

So anyway, he bought the caravan. Didier, this is my husband. He's very— he's really good. He thinks things through. And when he says to me, he always says thinking because of his accent. He said, I've been thinking. And I go, what have you bought? I already know he's done it.

Yep.

I've ordered a caravan. I said, okay. He said, this is it, let's take the job, let's rent the house, and let's go. And that's what we did. And I must say, mind-blowing. Australia is incredible. And he used to say to me, oh, there's no villages, there's no this, there's no that. He used to say that ages ago. We have found incredible villages, incredible people, but we've also found thousands of kilometers, nothing. So it's been incredible. But we've had to depend on a Telstra dongle.

Yep.

And Wi-Fi. When you see a Telstra tower, you can put your phone up against it. And I don't know if you know this, but every Telstra telephone box is free. So I've been able to communicate by going in and ringing people on mobiles and everything. So Telstra, you can even do it in Sydney, I've discovered. So Telstra is free. we would choose these amazing places and Uluru was incredible. I had the rock in the background and running my class. Wow. And just doing that. And so what I'm offering to people, and this is, I mean, the ages I do have actually are all different. I actually have people that are in their 30s and 40s, 50s, 60s and older. But the older, I must say, are a little bit hesitant of using Zoom. But once they get on, they love it.

They're good.

So being able to continue to do that, see Australia, meet people, dance with people— I've danced in the moonlight, there's a beautiful song about that— and in the red earth, and, and meet Indigenous people, incredible people, because we've got incredible people in this land, learning about plant magic and healing through everything but big pharma drugs. Like healing, people are healing each other, they're healing each other out on the land. It's incredible. Anyway, see, that's been amazing. But now we're going into a farm sit. So we look after cows and chooks and things like that for 2 months.

Right. So they'll be in the back of your videos when you Zoom to your clients.

Yep, definitely. And so what I'm going to do is also finish my book. And my beautiful mentor woman who helps me with the book, she's coming down to stay with us. She's going to push that book out there, which is about Unlimited possibilities and empowerment. So that's the story now. So we'll see what happens.

Again, you've been in the business of fitness for a long period of time, means financially charging somebody for a class or whatever it may be in this period that you've been doing. Tell me about the good and the bad of running a business in the fitness industry. I believe you're a sole trader, is that correct, Jill, or a company? Can you take us through that? situation? Because I'm really trying to talk to somebody who is in your situation, who's possibly a sole trader, who's won some great awards, but they're going, how do I collaborate? And so forth. Can you just take us through that? You've been talking about that before off air.

Yeah. See, that's one of the things that I regret that I haven't collaborated with enough people because I think the more people you have together, particularly if you're like-minded and you're on the same page, it's really good to actually promote that. And also, all of you bring in different people because we all have different ways and we all know different people. And so winning these awards has actually helped me to now have people are reaching out to me. Um, money-wise, it's quite interesting because I for a long time wouldn't put any prices up, keeping it all very, you know, like this. Put my prices up and actually is better. And I did read that too. But putting the prices up and people realizing your value. And if they don't want you, they'll find cheap because there's plenty of cheap around. There's free.

Now you're talking my language, Jill. Put your prices up and to state the value that you have that you're giving people.

Yeah. I mean, it's incredible. Now, the stating the value, I do have 3 price brackets that people can choose and they do get a lot of value for that. And one of the things I've always done, talking about being in longevity is that I give, and sometimes too much, that it, that has burnt me out a little bit as well. But I love helping people. I love working with people. I love seeing results. So, um, yeah, so raising prices is now the time, I think, to be doing it. Mm-hmm. Um, even though we're in a recession, we've got interest rates. I mean, you know, like, even if you don't have thousands of people, you have genuine people. So people will find a way. And I do let people— I'm keeping myself open for new people coming into my life, and it seems to be they're coming, but the right people, because there's a lot of wrong ones out there too. And I don't want to meet the wrong ones. I don't want to meet those ones that will take advantage because I do give.

I think that's a good lesson. I think as anybody in the fitness industry, we are givers, we're healers, we're wanting to share. We want people to get results. And yes, you're always going to have an open heart if you're authentic in this industry. But what you're saying is just be cautious as well and continue running your business so you can stay in this amazing industry for a long period

of

time. Love it, Jill. Well, I learned a lot because I do— I'm a huge believer of— well, there's a few things you said. Number one, price rise on the value that you have, and you can do that in the form of marketing. Number 2, the active aging population. Let's get really serious about marketing to them and connecting with them better.

ProAge.

Sorry, Jill, you just cut out.

ProAge.

ProAge. ProAge. Yep. So connecting with them better, which is called ProAge. And finally, make sure you have a bit of variety in your In your business, in your life, and that reflects on your clients as well. They can enjoy the variety that you have if it's doing your classes in Ayers Rock or at a farm, whatever it may be, but continue with this concept of movement to live a very blissful life. Very good, Jill. Well, congratulations on your awards as well. You've got— what's your final thoughts, Jill?

People, if they're thinking, no, I don't want to, I want to be face-to-face and be with humans. Yes. Just that the fact that you can create a community on a Zoom because all the people can see each other and they actually all have chats when the class finishes, which I find that it's amazing. So still have that community. And people say to me that I still have the energy and the warmth comes across. So I think if people realize that Zoom isn't something that's just cold and negative, that it's a very positive thing as well and very convenient for people who are living busy lives.

I love that. And also convenient for people who can't physically get out of the house or they just can't get there, I think. And I want to congratulate you, Jill, On embracing the technology and pushing the boundaries in telling, letting everybody know that, hey, this is good. There's so much growth still. And I think that's— you're doing a great job.

Yeah. Great.

You're doing a great job of that. And I think you're going to get busier and busier with the rate of people needing to know, yep, we can stay in this industry for a longevity of time. You're definitely powering along at the front there and showing people that can be done on that. So congratulations on both of your awards and look forward to connecting with you. And if you do happen to see Jill at an event, she'll always be open for a conversation. So thank you, Jill.

Yes, you know that.

Thank you, Jill, for being amazing in the industry. Really appreciate you.

Thanks, Richard. I'd like to talk to you as well.