Fitness Classes Get A Social Upgrade With The Launch Of Roeme

The fitness world is full of apps, smart devices, and new boutique studios. As young investment banking professionals in Atlanta, Allie Stolte and Jackson Ford tried out a lot of them. They loved running clubs, and they quickly found themselves incorporating more fitness classes into their routines. That’s when they noticed something big missing in the fitness industry: A true social experience.

That led the two to create Roeme, a community-driven app for those looking to update their fitness regimes. Roeme allows users to connect with friends, classmates, and instructors to build a community outside of the workout class in a fun and streamlined manner.

Just after the app officially launched, the Roeme team gave us a few minutes and answered our questions about how the business got started and how they hope to change the fitness industry. Here is our Q&A:

QUESTION: Take us back to the launch of Roeme. What was missing in the fitness market that you wanted to solve for?

ANSWER: The cofounders of Roeme, Allie Stolte and Jackson Ford, have always been active, both playing sports throughout their lives. After graduating college, both were living in ATL and discovered an incredible camaraderie around running. There were numerous running clubs and apps that provided invaluable support and motivation for maintaining a consistent running routine.

Once incorporating yoga, pilates and strength training into their regimen, both quickly recognized the incredible sense of community that boutique fitness studios fostered among their members. Yet, existing fitness class bookings apps lacked crucial community features that made attending these studios so appealing. Recognizing a gap, they believed that integrating community and social elements into a booking platform could not only simplify the booking and discovery process for users but also help attract more people, including their friends, to attend these classes.

Their vision materialized into Roeme, an app designed to facilitate community-building while offering flexible and affordable options for booking fitness classes. Through Roeme, users can connect with friends, classmates, instructors, and favorite businesses, simplifying the booking process while cultivating community.

Their concept resonated with boutique fitness studios and gyms, who recognized the need for a flexible, community-oriented solution to both attract and retain clients. Today, Roeme teams up with a growing network of over 20 boutique fitness studios in ATL.

Roeme is purposefully designed to serve as both a convenient and flexible booking platform for fitness classes and a vibrant community hub – akin to a Strava for the boutique fitness industry.

Q: When did you officially get Roeme off the ground?

We started building community around Roeme in September 2023 with our first event Beer + Yoga at Monday Night Garage. We launched the beta version of the app in February 2024, which is now live on the app store.

Q: How do you pick the classes that are available on the app?

Our integration with Mindbody allows us to pull in a studio's full class schedule. We’re excited about the opportunity to expand our integration partners and studio partners down the line. Today, Roeme lists hundreds of classes in ATL!

Q: What was the hardest part about getting a consumer-facing app off the ground?

The most challenging aspect of launching a consumer-facing app is enticing users to book their initial class on Roeme. Even with all the right elements in place—premium brands, accessible pricing, flexibility, and convenience— we are competing against an individuals’ busy schedule, so motivating individuals to take that first step can be challenging, especially if it’s their first time a studio! However, our passionate fitness community and firsthand experience of the mental and physical benefits of movement drive us to encourage everyone to try their first class.

To address this challenge, we've expanded Roeme's event and meetup calendar, tapping into an emerging trend among people like us who are seeking to integrate their social lives with their pursuit of fitness and wellness. By offering a diverse range of events, from mocktails + pilates to barre + happy hour, we aim to create a platform where users can not only discover new fitness experiences but also forge meaningful connections with like-minded individuals. This approach solidifies Roeme's role as a vibrant community hub for the boutique fitness industry, providing innovative ways for users to engage with each other and stay active.

Q: Who do you consider to be your target customers?

Our target customers are individuals who are passionate about healthy lifestyles, interested in trying new studios or class modalities (e.g., strength training, yoga, lagree), and seek a convenient, flexible booking solution to accommodate their busy schedules.

Q: Why is Atlanta the right place to launch this type of app?

Being Atlanta natives, we have an intimate understanding of the local culture, needs, and preferences. Furthermore, our personal networks and connections strengthen our ability to penetrate the market effectively. Not to mention, ATL is a very active city!

To our fellow Atlantans, check us out! Roeme is an affordable, flexible solution for booking workout classes. Also, we host frequent fitness and wellness pop-ups at local studios and gyms in neighborhoods around town. Follow us @getroeme on Instagram for information on our upcoming pop-ups and events.

Q: Tell us a bit more about the Roeme team!

Our team consists of two dedicated individuals who share a passion for fitness and community!

Allie Stolte and Jackson Ford, the co-founders of Roeme, first crossed paths in Atlanta while both working in the mergers & acquisitions division of Citizens Bank, specifically on the software & healthcare teams. Our friendship developed from our mutual enthusiasm for staying active and healthy lifestyles. During this time, Allie & Jackson were both training for races, and we found ourselves constantly exchanging tips, ranging from training to smoothie recipes.

It was during one of these conversations that the idea for our app began to take shape. We wondered why there wasn't an app akin to Strava for the boutique fitness industry, one that not only facilitated bookings but also fostered a sense of community among users. After delving into market research, we discovered a significant gap in the market that presented a massive, compelling opportunity. We envisioned a bookings app that prioritized community engagement and served as a strategic tool for businesses, rather than a discount only platform.

Driven by our shared vision and passion for healthy lifestyles, we embarked on the journey to create Roeme, a community fitness platform that empowers studios and provides an affordable, flexible and convenient class booking solution for users.