Founded in 2013 to facilitate access to sports, Gymlib continues to grow. More than 500,000 employees (from 1000 companies) can perform more than 300 sports activities in 4000 infrastructures. And it’s not over yet! Meeting with co-founder Sébastien Bequart.
What is the principle of Gymlib?
Sébastien Bequart: Mohamed Tazi and I founded Gymlib in 2013, before Grégoire Véron joined us. Gymlib’s principle is very simple: an application that provides access to multiple things 300 activities in more than 4,000 sports infrastructures across FranceAt attractive prices because they are co-financed by companies. Through Gymlib, they can sustainably support their employees with a healthy lifestyle, while also strengthening the employer brand. Today, Gymlib supports around 1,000 companies (500,000 beneficiary employees) of all sizes, from large corporations such as Carrefour, Deloitte, Danone and GRTGaz to fast-growing SMEs and start-ups such as Qonto, PayFit, Spend, Mirakl and Deliveroo.
This broad customer base demonstrates our ability to adapt to the needs of companies of all sizes, in all sectors of activity, and for all types of employees.
Sébastien Bequart, CEO of Gymlib
In May 2022, gym It merged with the Wellpass subsidiary of the EGYM group in order to conquer the European market. This alliance will allow us to expand our offer to new countries and strengthen our position as the European leader in corporate sport.
How was this idea born?
SB: Gymlib was born out of a concrete problem that Mohamed Tazi and I experienced during our years as auditors at Deloitte. Since we were often on the move and had long days, it was difficult for us to exercise “à la carte” because gym subscriptions were not suitable for this use. This is why Gymlib was founded in 2013. As two great athletes, we thought that there was a place we could take in the French market and that others could also face this problem. We first considered a B2C model before switching to a B2B model in 2017 to guarantee more attractive prices to employees of customer companies.
If today it is an ambitious mission to (re)involve as many people as possible in sport, it is an even more ambitious mission to involve all employees in a healthy and active lifestyle and help them find a true life balance – professional/personal, body/mind. It’s an achievable pursuit, but only by combining two essential elements: time and motivation.
The Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games year will be a great catalyst for sporting activities for both individuals and companies who choose to invest sustainably in the health of their employees.
What are Gymlib’s short-term goals?
SB: The Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games year will be a great catalyst for sporting activities for both individuals and companies who choose to invest sustainably in the health of their employees. 2023 was a year of strong growth for Gymlib, we expect the same growth for 2024.
What is your business model?
SB: Gymlib follows a market economy model: It is an application that allows employees to access more than 4,000 sports and health partners at advantageous rates, thanks to the joint financing of their companies. This financing makes it possible for prices to remain attractive to employees while paying a fair price to our partners.
The subscription price is affected by three key elements:
one. Employer contribution : The employee benefits from having their Gymlib subscription funded by their employer; amount is at your discretion.
2. Prices from our partners : gym It collaborates with more than 4,000 partners in the field of sport and welfare in France, ensuring that these actors are paid a monthly fee.
3. Cost of subscription : The price is uniform and is determined by both the financial involvement of the company and the chosen formula.
The more the company chooses to contribute, the less the employee will pay!
Why did you choose to become an entrepreneur?
SB: I always knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur, but I was waiting for the real “call” to come! The opportunity presented itself and I followed my instincts, a hunch ingrained within me. It was like a flame was ignited inside me, an inner fire fueled by my passion for sports. It was instinctive and I knew this was what I had to do. The call of entrepreneurship in the sports world was so strong that I did not hesitate to embark on this business. Sports has always been my passion, and establishing my business in this field allowed me to combine my passion for sports with my desire to be an entrepreneur and turn every day into a new adventure.
Want to send a specific message?
SB: Our mission and passion is to fight against the scourge of sedentary lifestyle. We are committed to mobilizing individuals, inspiring action and making a tangible impact on people’s lives. Our aim is to mobilize individuals, encourage them to be active and thus transform their daily lives in a positive way. We believe in our ability to create significant and lasting change within the company and in the daily lives of employees.
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