| After a few tumultuous years for WeightWatchers, the company is looking to get back to its roots and to differentiate itself in the booming telehealth business. A big part of the plan is to embrace the community culture that was once at the core of the brand’s popularity. WeightWatchers’ founder, Jean Nidetch, held her first weight-loss support group meeting in her home in 1962. She and her friends found that it was easier to diet with shared practical tips and moral support. These days, GLP-1 use is often surrounded by a culture of secrecy. Some patients won’t admit they’re taking the drugs. Others don’t want to talk about the gastrointestinal side effects. And although many people qualify for a weight-loss prescription, a 15-minute visit with their doctor doesn’t leave much time for questions. WeightWatchers sees an opportunity. The company has embraced weight-loss drugs and plans to expand into menopause treatment and work with wearable data monitors. But the company’s coaches and medical professionals also have years of experience in nutrition and exercise. Currently, WeightWatchers has 20,000 monthly in-person and digital meetings, and that number is expected to grow, Chief Experience Officer Julie Rice said at Bloomberg’s headquarters in New York on Tuesday. Members can expect to find more tailored meetings, even ones tied to partnerships with gyms or wellness centers, though Rice and Chief Executive Officer Tara Comonte did not offer specifics. Rice, who was hired as chief experience officer in August, had founded the fitness company SoulCycle, which attracted a cult-like following, before creating the GLP-1 support group Peoplehood. Comonte sits on the board of Peloton, the fitness social media app Strava and the fertility company Kindbody. WeightWatchers meetings stand out, Rice said, because members can go to any gathering and instantly find people they relate to in some way. But communities can also be built for certain age groups or interests, like running, Comonte said. “Not everybody wants to come to a weekly meeting,” Rice said. “Maybe people want to come to a big talk with an author where they’re learning something. Maybe people want to come to a sound bath where they can learn to relax and make good choices in food.” The digital community is also expected to grow within the next six months, Rice added. And the company wants to appeal to all age groups. “We need to create different opportunities for younger people to enter our universe in a way that feels welcoming to them, that doesn't feel like your mother’s brand,” Rice said. – Jessica Nix | 
