Born and raised a New Yorker, Ashley Camerini is the CEO of Manhattan, New York based Rumble where she combined her background in investment banking and private equity with her passion for health and wellness.
Formerly the EVP, Ashley oversees all of the Rumble locations and has been instrumental in working on the studio reopening’s, Rumble TV and now – a partnership with Variis by Equinox.
Rumble is a group fitness company – who has approximately 70% female-based customers! – and has locations all across the US. Rumble was founded in January 2017 and is a 45-minute, 10-round, full-body cardio and strength workout crafted around specially designed water-filled, teardrop-style boxing bags. In November 2019, Rumble launched its second concept, Rumble Training, utilizing the same fundamental principles as Rumble Boxing, but swapping out the bags for custom treadmills.
Earlier this year, they launched RumbleTV to bring the Rumble experience home with a daily schedule of live shadowboxing, HIIT and strength workouts. Rumble also launched on the Variis by Equinox platform and is bringing its one-of-a-kind fitness experience to your home.
We chatted with Ashley on the brand, their pivot and why wellness is most important, especially during the pandemic.
Tell us about your day to day.
Ashley Camerini: About half of my day right now is spent in the production studio in New York where we are building what I am calling Rumble TV 2.0, which is expected to launch in early 2021. We are elevating our current Rumble TV product to include on demand content and expand beyond our initial three modalities — Boxing, HIIT and Strength. The remainder of my day is spent working with the team on our key initiatives to ensure we are all aligned and working toward the ultimate goal — delivering the best fitness experience possible to our clients.
How did the brand pivot during the pandemic?
Ashley Camerini: When our studios were shut down in March, we quickly built the internal infrastructure to launch Rumble TV and bring the Rumble experience to our community digitally, in a way that would be just as effective and fun without the use of any equipment. It was crucial in my mind to be able to provide our clients — many of whom were used to coming to Rumble several times a week — a physical and mental outlet that was familiar to them during the shutdown.
We have since also re-imagined our New York studio experience to include audio-led classes that allow clients to utilize our water-filled boxing bags (that you can’t find in a traditional gym!) and get back to that feel-good feeling of hitting a bag.
What was the transition from your previous role to being CEO?
Ashley Camerini: I was lucky to have joined Rumble just 6 months after the first studio opened and have been working alongside the Founders as we expanded to 13 locations and built the team over the last 3 and a half years. My role has always been focused on cross-functional management so the transition to CEO has been an exciting new challenge but one that leverages a lot of what I have learned over the prior years.
Why is being a female CEO so important, especially in a male dominated industry?
Ashley Camerini: To inspire future generations to believe that with hard work and passion you can become a leader in your industry, whether you are female or male. I have only had one female boss in my career and having her in my path definitely inspired me to believe that it is possible to be a high-performing achiever as a female and also have a family. I hope to play a part in that dream for future generations.
I see that more of your customers are female, what is the percentage?
Ashley Camerini: Approximately 70% of our clients are female across our locations and our digital offering. Boxing, which is an incredible full-body workout, has historically been predominantly male.
Why is health, and especially wellness, so important at any age?
Ashley Camerini: Your health and wellness are at the core of your being. When you feel your best mentally and physically, you can show up for those who rely on you – whether that be your family, friends or coworkers – as the best version of yourself. Re-focusing on self-care is actually one of the most selfless things that you can do because its results span far beyond just you.
What are some ways to stay “sane” after a crazy work day?
Ashley Camerini: There is no better way for me to relax my body and mind from any work day — crazy or not! — than a warm bath with epsom salts and a candle. It has been my routine since I started working, and I could never live in an apartment that didn’t have a bathtub because of it!
What is your favorite (work) advice you ever received?
Ashley Camerini:
- Be curious. Ask questions about everything and anything. If there is something that you don’t know or you only understand 10%, don’t be afraid to be vulnerable and ask the question. The chance that you learn something valuable definitely outweighs any potential downside.
- Listen. Listen to your employees, your clients and your advisors. Go into every conversation with an open mind no matter how firm you are in your beliefs. Sometimes you will hold true to those beliefs (perhaps even stronger than before!), but sometimes you might just hear something unexpected that shifts your view.