# Zumba: Beto Perez & Alberto Perlman (January, 2017)

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2017-12-04
- Length: 40m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-12-04-zumba-beto-perez-alberto-perlman-january-2017

## Summary

Beto Perez and Alberto Perlman, co-founders of Zumba, recount how a music mix-up in Colombia led to a fitness phenomenon, eventually partnering with Alberto Aguillon to scale the brand in the US. They detail the struggle to secure initial funding after 9/11, the creative workaround of using phonetic scripts for Beto’s infomercial, and the pivotal launch of the Zumba Instructor Network which generated immediate revenue. The episode highlights their strategic pivot to licensing music from major artists like Pitbull, turning Zumba into a global marketing platform for Latin and pop music while maintaining a grassroots community focus.

## Chapters

- [0:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-12-04-zumba-beto-perez-alberto-perlman-january-2017#t=48) Introduction: Beto Perez and the Zumba Origin Story
- [3:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-12-04-zumba-beto-perez-alberto-perlman-january-2017#t=215) Beto’s Journey from Colombia to Miami and First Audition
- [7:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-12-04-zumba-beto-perez-alberto-perlman-january-2017#t=424) Alberto Perlman Joins and the Dotcom Bubble Collapse
- [11:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-12-04-zumba-beto-perez-alberto-perlman-january-2017#t=671) Creating the Infomercial and Naming the Brand Zumba
- [18:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-12-04-zumba-beto-perez-alberto-perlman-january-2017#t=1123) Phonetic Scripting and the Kellogg’s Partnership
- [22:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-12-04-zumba-beto-perez-alberto-perlman-january-2017#t=1344) The Zumba Instructor Network Launch and First Revenue
- [27:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-12-04-zumba-beto-perez-alberto-perlman-january-2017#t=1665) Gym Adoption and Overcoming Retail Skepticism
- [30:59](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-12-04-zumba-beto-perez-alberto-perlman-january-2017#t=1859) Licensing Music from Pitbull and Global Expansion

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Crowdfunding & preorders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/crowdfunding)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Zumba (product)
- Crunch (company)
- Fitness Quest (company)
- Kellogg's (company)
- Pitbull (other)
- 24 Hour Fitness (company)
- Equinox (company)
- Emperor of Ice Cream (product)

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- [#80 From turning down Shark Tank offers to raising $2.7 million for Nopalera with Sandra Velasquez](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-02-21-80-from-turning-down-shark-tank-offers-to-raising-2-7-million-for-nopalera-with) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
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- [Rooting for the Home Team with Paul Freedman and Bryan Carmel](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2026-05-27-rooting-for-the-home-team-with-paul-freedman-and-bryan-carmel) (Oxide and Friends)

## Citing this page

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