business
High-Intensity Entrepreneur
Scott
Marcus adds
Orangetheory
Fitness studios to
his portfolio.
ALISON SCHWARTZ
SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
F
or Scott Marcus, a family
vacation in Florida led to
a passion for a new high-
intensity exercise program and
then a business that he brought
to Michigan.
Now the owner of four
Orangetheory Fitness studios in
Metro Detroit — Birmingham,
Northville, Troy and the lat-
est one, which opened in
Farmington Hills in March —
Marcus and his wife, Dana, stum-
Scott Marcus
For more information
go to OrangetheoryFitness.com
or to register for the run, go to
runtheraceway.com.
116
September 14 • 2017
bled on the increasingly popular
group interval fitness training
when vacationing in Davie, near
Fort Lauderdale.
The couple, who live in
Birmingham with their two
sons aged 13 and 10, were look-
ing for an exercise class to try
and discovered Ellen’s Ultimate
jn
Fitness Workout. The studio
offered high-intensity workouts
that combined intervals of con-
ditioning and strength training.
This is believed to lead to EPOC
(Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen
Consumption) meaning that
after workouts, calories continue
to burn for up to 36 hours, and
many enthusiasts feel more ener-
gized and toned.
“During our trip, Dana and
I enjoyed the classes so much
that we went back twice more
and then, on a trip to Phoenix,
again looking for an exercise
class, I found one of the first
Orangetheory Fitness studios,
which was created by the
founder of Ellen’s Ultimate
Fitness Workout, Ellen Latham,”
explains Marcus, a member of
Temple Israel.
Marcus’ professional journey
started as a lawyer, before mov-
ing into real estate development
where he co-founded RSM
Development and Management,
a company with a portfolio of
more than 1 million square feet.
In addition, Marcus and his
partners, Howard and David
Jacobson, own more than 2,500
apartments across Michigan.
Given the demands of his
current business ventures, he
wasn’t looking for an exercise
business. “I started following
the Orangtheory Fitness brand
from its earliest days, kept pon-
dering about the concept and
saw how fast the franchise was
growing. Every time I had the
opportunity to take a class in
other parts of the country, I did,”
Marcus said.
“I was really impressed with
the program; people who had
never been able to reach their
fitness goals before were now
able to do so.”
One notable feature of
Orangetheory classes is the heart
rate monitors, so participants
work at a pace based upon their
own maximum heart rate (target
zone) to boost metabolism and
increase energy.
Four years ago, Marcus decid-
ed to bring Orangetheory Fitness
to Michigan. He opened his first
studio in Canton, a location that
was ultimately sold, followed by
the four others he now owns. In
addition, Marcus is also the area
developer, selling the franchise
to others in Michigan. Currently,
there are 11 Orangetheory
Fitness studios in the state, with
an additional seven planned to
open by next year.
Beyond expanding
Orangtheory Fitness and his real
estate development business,
Marcus is a passionate believer
in supporting the Jewish and
wider community. He was co-
chair of ORT’s Rub-A-Dub event
held in August, co-sponsor of the
Becker-Marcus All-Star Mission,
which took 12 NEXTGen adults
to Israel, and he is on the board
of both Hebrew Free Loan and
Jewish Senior Life.
“There is a history of local
businesses and entrepreneurs
giving back to the Jewish com-
munity,” Marcus said. “It’s all
been done before; I’m not doing
anything different, but I feel like I
owe it to continue this tradition.”
Earlier this month, his
Birmingham studio donated
13 treadmills and 13 rowers to
three local nonprofit organi-
zations: Ground Up Training
System (a special needs gym in
Ferndale), the Downtown Boxing
Gym Youth Program and STEP
Central (Services to Enhance
Potential, which helps people
with disabilities obtain employ-
ment).
On Saturday, Oct. 7,
Orangetheory Fitness is organiz-
ing and sponsoring “Run the
Raceway,” which includes three
races — a 1-mile, 5K and 10K —
on the M1 Concourse racetrack
in Pontiac to benefit GenYOUth.
“I never left Michigan. I grew
up here and graduated from
the University of Michigan and
Wayne State Law School and
obviously have such a strong
affinity for our state,” he said.
“Bringing Orangetheory here
feels so much more than a busi-
ness to me; it’s a way of changing
lives for the better.” •
Alison Schwartz is vice president of pub-
lic relations for CKC Agency.