Hardware Podcasts

Zumba: Beto Perez & Alberto Perlman

How I Built This · 2 Jan 2017 · 37m

What this episode covers

Beto Perez, who accidentally created Zumba in Colombia by improvising a dance class with Latin music, and Alberto Perlman, a former tech entrepreneur, explain how they built Zumba from a scrappy Miami startup into a global fitness brand. They discuss the early struggles of self-funding, the pivot from selling VHS infomercials to licensing the brand, and the critical decision to launch the Zumba Instructor Network subscription service when cash was nearly depleted. The episode highlights how the 2008 financial crisis fueled growth as people sought affordable joy and income, and how strategic partnerships with artists like Pitbull transformed Zumba into a powerful music promotion platform.

Most relevant to

founders before launch, early-stage companies and companies scaling up

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Fitness Quest, Crunch, 24 Hour Fitness, Kellogg's, Metro PCS
Products
Zumba, Roomba Size, Total Gym
Also
Pitbull, VHS

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