Work Out World, the New Jersey-based fitness brand with 11 locations, officially rebranded and changed its name to “Jersey Strong” in early August 2017. The New Jersey gym coined the term “Jersey Strong” over 10 years ago. More recently the phrase gained popularity and became the state’s unofficial anthem after Hurricane Sandy.

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The gym began to pass out bumper stickers and design shirts with the slogan. “Jersey Strong” became the rallying cry of New Jersey after Sandy, and Work Out World even started the “Jersey Strong Foundation,” which worked with recovery organizations like Habitat for Humanity and still raises money for local foodbanks and the Monmouth County Long-Term Recovery Group.

On its website the gym boasts, “We believe so much in Keeping Jersey Strong that we changed our name to it.” Work Out World and “Jersey Strong” became so intertwined that CEO Stephen S. Roma and his group committed fully and embraced their mantra as the new name.

“I’m extremely excited because this announcement represents why we do what we do, why we get up in the morning and why our business even matters in the first place. We believe so much in keeping Jersey Strong that we’ve actually decided to change our name to it. Yes, we’re a gym, but it’s so much more than that,” Roma said in a release.

Roma and his family have called Point Pleasant home for a quarter century and they, like many of their members, were greatly affected by Hurricane Sandy. “Jersey Strong” resonated so deeply with their family and their members that they felt confident in adopting it as the new name of their business.

Time will tell if the Jersey Strong rebrand is a success or failure, but considering the unique and advantageous circumstances that preceded it, our money is on… success. (The majority of Splendor’s team also happens to be active Jersey Strong gym members!) Any business that is treading water or growing stagnant should ask themselves why that’s the case. And if the business has changed focus, mission or offerings, a rebrand, including a new name, may be in order.