Video Case Study: The Montana Athletic Club

Download the full case study and learn how Doug Mahlum, owner and operator of the Montana Athletic Club, used digital fitness solutions to solve instructor shortages.

A laptop displays a video call with a smiling woman on the left and a man with a bicycle in the background on the right. A play button icon is overlaid in the center of the screen.

Solve Instructor Shortages
Learn how Doug runs seven facilities with limited instructor availability in small Montana communities.
Increase Member Satisfaction
Discover how eliminating canceled classes and offering flexible scheduling keep 20,000 member engaged.
Reduce Labor Costs
See how 1,800 annual virtual classes delivered measurable savings while expanding member options across multiple locations.

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Solve Instructor Shortages
Learn how Doug runs seven facilities with limited instructor availability in small Montana communities.
Increase Member Satisfaction
Discover how eliminating canceled classes and offering flexible scheduling keep 20,000 member engaged.
Reduce Labor Costs
See how 1,800 annual virtual classes delivered measurable savings while expanding member options across multiple locations.

More than 20,000 members to engage
Played more than 1,200 classes in a single year
Expanded offerings across 24 niche and classic categories

The Challenges

Staffing and Studio Challenges Doug Needed to Fix

Doug Mahlum needed to solve a problem you might know all too well: too many instructor cancellations, too many empty studio hours, and members who expect more variety than your local talent pool can support. His seven Montana clubs needed a reliable way to deliver high-quality classes every day.

The Solution

How Fitness On Demand Expanded Classes Without New Hires

For Doug, the solution started with a simple shift: if he couldn’t find an instructor locally, he would bring one in on screen. With Fitness On Demand, his team could offer premium, instructor-led experiences without adding headcount, and still deliver classes that felt memorable rather than like a compromise.

The Operational Results

Once Fitness On Demand was fully embedded, Doug saw clear operational impact: more classes delivered, higher perceived value, and lower reliance on instructor attendance. In a single year, members took roughly 1,200 Fitness On Demand classes across three studios.

For an operator, that number matters. Doug doesn’t pay instructor rates for those 1,200 sessions. If you multiply your average Group X cost per class by that volume, the payroll savings become obvious—without eliminating live instructors or degrading the member experience and community.

A woman with a ponytail and a gym bag uses a touchscreen panel on a wall, selecting from exercise or class options. In the background, people are doing yoga or stretching in a dimly lit studio.