Sit Down With Mirror Founder Brynn Putnam
RR: When did you get into fitness?
BP: I have spent my entire professional life in the health and wellness space, first as a professional dancer at the New York City Ballet and most recently as the founder and CEO of Refine Method, a chain of boutique fitness studios in NYC.
RR: When did you get the idea for the Mirror?
BP: In 2016, I was newly pregnant and found myself, a gym owner, with no time to work out. I tried working out at home but felt like I was sacrificing quality for convenience. I didn’t have room for a treadmill or stationary bike in my NYC apartment, nor did I like running or spinning enough to invest in a $2K+ piece of equipment. Using apps or streaming content via YouTube wasn't inspiring enough to keep me motivated, as I was scrolling through endless amounts of video and then staring at a small screen with no feedback.
At the same time, we put more “dumb” mirrors at my fitness studios, Refine Method. We polled our clients and they said the mirrors were the best thing we had done all year to improve the experience. The mirrors allowed people to see their form and self-correct, and many found it inspiring to see themselves working hard. I realized that as a former dancer I had taken for granted how integral the mirror was to any great fitness experience. Additionally, so many elements of a great at-home experience could be accomplished through using a mirror as a portal--it has a slim footprint, is a piece of beautiful home decor when not in use, and produces an immersive experience with interactive visuals and sound. Everything came together and the idea for Mirror was born.
RR: Is the Mirror available all over the world or only in the US? If I moved to Tahiti could I access it?
BP: Right now, MIRROR is only available for purchase in the continental U.S. but we’re excited to explore global expansion in the near future.
RR: Could you tell us a little bit about the Mirror's technology?
BP: MIRROR is creating a new category of in-home fitness with cutting-edge hardware, responsive software, and best-in-class content to provide a uniquely immersive, and personalized workout experience.
We create custom hardware, proprietary software, and original content so that every element of the experience is deeply aligned with the user’s needs, and can quickly respond to improve the experience as those needs evolve.
However, we believe that the Mirror technology is at its core an incredible conduit for content into the home. As a result, we're not focused on tech for tech’s sake, but rather, thinking about ways in which technology can amplify experiences for our audience. So we start with understanding the customer and their needs, and then we are incredibly disciplined in what features we add from there.
RR: Is the Mirror for everyone or just advanced fitness enthusiasts?
BP: MIRROR is made for anyone who wants a personalized workout experience with the best trainers and classes around the world, whenever and wherever they want.
We've had an incredible breadth of adoption across our audiences. We sold Mirrors in every state within a couple of months following launch and over 40% are financed, so we're reaching a broad income demographic as well.
We also average over two users per household, meaning it's truly a full-family fitness solution — with members ranging from young children to folks over 80. It’s so rewarding to see whole families experience the Mirror together.
Most of our members join the platform and take about two different types of workouts, and six months in, they're taking over five different types of workouts. People are really using it as a way to discover new types of content and expand their horizons.
RR: What do you feel are the advantages of the Mirror over an in-class studio?
BP: A unique combination of the immersive experience, the excellence of the content, and the intelligence of the software.
I believe that working out shouldn’t be a sacrifice, and everyone should have adequate access to the best workout experience. Yet, for a variety of reasons, access to high-quality fitness experiences remains a challenge. For some people, public workouts are uncomfortable, whether it's due to lack of experience, physical limitations, or a lack of confidence. For others, geography, cost or a busy schedule limit their ability to get the workout they want. For us, MIRROR stands apart from the traditional gym because it adapts to the needs of an individual user in real-time, so they’re getting a workout that’s personalized in a way that’s impossible to do in a group class of multiple students with multiple needs.
Using MIRROR’s immersive technology, members have an experience that is analogous to having a personal trainer or fitness coach in their home. And yet, with MIRROR, a personal trainer or fitness class is available on-demand, at home and at a fraction of the cost. Just as in the gym, MIRROR’s elite fitness professionals deliver expert feedback, form corrections, and encouragement in real-time. In the not-so-distant future, you'll be able to use your Mirror to meditate and other non-fitness verticals launching soon.
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