Coach Ceevan shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Coach, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
What I am being called to do now is to continue expanding the ways I fulfill my purpose: being a positive light, spirit, role model, and influence for families and children by impacting them through meaningful play and creating a healthy outlet/platform for them to learn the importance of movement, exercise, and fitness through use of gymnastics, creative programs, creative content, music, imagination, and empowering my staff. I am thankful to of learned and loved this purpose through my role models, my parents Susi and Yacov Sherman who are the founders of the My Gym Company since 1983.
I have pursued this purpose in multiple ways. One of which was working towards officially becoming owner of my fathers original location in Thousand Oaks, CA in 2019, at the same time creating an online platform through YouTube, and sharing original children’s songs of mine on all music platforms to inspire children and families globally.
I never feared stepping fully into my purpose; I simply needed to focus on one thing at a time. Now after 15 years of My Gym experience, finding/building a strong team, and refining these efforts, I am ready to open my second location, My Gym Agoura Hills, and continue to bring my purpose to life more fully by creating a positive impact for families in a new community.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Ceevan Sherman(Coach Ceevan), and I am passionate about inspiring children and families through movement, creativity, and meaningful play. I currently own My Gym in Thousand Oaks, a children’s fitness and development center, a company that was started by parents in 1983. We offer age appropriate classes for children 3 months to 10 years old with programs that combine gymnastics, music, and imaginative play to create the foundation for children to build confidence, coordination, and a lifelong love of movement.
Beyond our physical location, and inspired in a Covid era where operating indoors for classes was limited, I expanded our reach through my YouTube channel and my music on Spotify, sharing programs and inspiration with families worldwide.
I am currently opening up my second location in Agoura Hills, CA and then I plan to open a third in Camarillo while continuing my YouTube efforts and pursuing a network show, all with the goal of scaling my purpose and inspiring families and children everywhere.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who taught you the most about work?
The person who taught me the most about work, hard work, and work ethic was my father, Yacov Sherman. I started working under him in My Gym Thousand Oaks around the age of 21, and over the years, I witnessed firsthand his dedication, heart, and soul poured into the gym for the kids and families. He showed me by example the importance of being purpose-driven rather than money-driven, and how impactful work comes from commitment, consistency, and passion.
At the same time, I learned the physical and emotional demands that come with such dedication. My father’s tireless work inspired me, but it also taught me the importance of building a team to carry the vision. This became especially clear during COVID, when I had to manage and teach everything myself for two years. That experience reinforced the need to develop a strong staff, delegate effectively, and create multiple locations, so the impact can scale.
Empowering a staff to have the same passion and belief in what we do is the most rewarding thing of all.
What’s something you changed your mind about after failing hard?
Something that has changed my mind about failing hard is realizing that anything I do that is purpose-driven and aligned with why I’m here on Earth is never truly a failure. Early in my journey as a business owner, COVID hit just as I took over My Gym, threatening everything I had worked for. I pivoted by offering Zoom classes, which inspired my YouTube channel. Over four years, I gained over 13 million views and 20,000 subscribers, yet I never monetized the channel financially. At first, I could have seen this as a failure, but I realized the impact I created, helping families stay active, adding value to memberships, being a role model, and leaving something meaningful for my kids—far outweighs financial outcomes. That experience taught me that as long as the work I do aligns with my purpose, it is never wasted, and it is never a failure.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
My closest friends would say the things that really matter to me are family, community, health and wellness, purpose, and peace. Family has always been central to my life, and the love and upbringing I received growing up inspires everything I do. Being involved in the community around my gyms has shown me the importance of connection and having a strong circle. I also prioritize my own health and wellness, practicing daily exercise, healthy eating, natural medicine, and activities like Tai Chi/meditation to care for my body and mind. My purpose drives me every day to wake up and make an impact, and I also deeply value peace and quiet at home, taking time off from work to maintain balance, joy, and fulfillment in my life.”
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace knowing that I’ve given my all each day across all areas of my life: my purpose, my health, my family, and my spiritual growth. There’s a deep sense of fulfillment in knowing that I am actively living my purpose and using my gifts, and that I am making the most of the energy and time I’ve been given. While I hold myself to high standards and sometimes push myself harder than I should, true peace comes from recognizing that I am showing up fully and filling all my ‘buckets.’ That mindset helps me rest, reflect, and continue moving forward with focus and gratitude.”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mygym.com/thousandoaks
- Instagram: @mygymthousandoaks
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mygymthousandoaks/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/my-gym-thousand-oaks?osq=my+gym
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@coachceevan
- Other: Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/artist/55e3bcDCdrDkpAkaqKaovs?si=8W-MJzkyR7i2oitEFAaSJw
