Today we’d like to introduce you to Oliver.
Oliver, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Back in high school and college, I wanted to be a Physical Therapist and Strength Coach for an NBA team. I really wanted to be the guy who ran out on the floor kneeling down next to the injured player. I wanted to be the go-to guy for helping that player get back to performing at a high level.
I wasn’t the smartest kid in school so I had to do a lot of extra work to stay even to the competition.
Add on top of that the need for money, I had to make a decision.
I went back to my old PT office, Sports Med Irvine, which was part of a big box gym called Sports Club LA in Irvine.
PJ Bunce, the personal trainer manager, gave me a chance and threw me on the training floor.
I was a sponge.
I was mentored by Leslie Davis…I learned a lot about relationship building and rapport from her.
I shadowed all the top trainers and broke down what they did well.
Then I dove into all the continuing education I could that was similar to the physical therapy world.
That was my niche.
Personal training with a physical therapy flare.
Fast forward through a 10 year career at Sports Club Irvine…
…clients became mentors and great friends
…gym goers pushed me to bet on myself
…next step was to be a independent trainer for 7 years.
I learned how to train by myself, market to new clients, but most importantly I figured the importance of time management.
June of 2020 I took all that I learned and signed my first lease at a brick and mortar.
That was 5 years ago.
Now I’m working to build a team of trainers and to be the go-to fitness studio for adults over 40 in Orange County.
Our entire team is buzzing…we have 5 trainers, a registered dietitian and 2 admins on board.
We have lofty goals and laser focus.
Wouldn’t want to do anything else.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It never is a smooth road. There has always been some fire to put out, whether large or small.
But the beauty is to find the lesson within it.
For instance, opening up a brick and mortar studio is difficult. You need to have money in place and typically you need to have collateral. But what makes it super challenging is all the city coding, permitting and zoning ordinances. Things start to pop up randomly just when you think you have it under control.
If it were just signing documents to open your doors, that would be easy and everyone could essentially do it. But it’s the determination of oneself that gets it done.
Small fires are small, but if there are 15 of them in a row, never giving you time to breathe, it’s a big problem.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Thrive Training in Irvine is an adults over 40 fitness studio. We blend strength training and physical therapy in our workouts so our members can lose weight, gain energy and live a more active lifestyle.
We’re on the corner of Main and MacArthur next to John Wayne Airport.
We have small group personal training and 1/1 training.
The maximum amount of people in our classes is 8 people, this way we can keep a watchful eye on every person in our gym. Often times people pack in 15-20 people in a workout. We found it best for our demographic to keep it small so we can teach, walk beside them and make sure they’re intentional with every exercise.
Most people come to us because they’re looking for guidance in how to workout – last time they worked out was in college…15 years ago.
Most people are anxious and unsure of what to expect – we keep it simple in our system so all you have to do is show up to our doors and we’ll take care of the rest.
Most people go through “yo-yo fitness” – they start at a gym, then stop, then start at another gym, then stop. Not only do you waste time, it’s exhausting and defeating.
Our community is the glue that keeps it all together.
We never judge because everyone is going through their own journey.
There will be ups and downs in your workouts, thats reality.
But what truly sets us apart is our ability to meet you where you are and push you just the right way so you can stay consistent and reach your goals. We have members who never thought they’d walk for a prolonged period of time, but they completed a 10K with a group of Thrive members. One member had to use a golf cart at their work because her knee’s couldn’t take the walking…not only does she walk at work but she has been consistently working out 2x/week for the past 4 months.
One of the biggest things I’ve learned is that although I want to help everyone in Orange County, we just dont fit the mold of every single person.
But the people we do connect with…
…the people who are searching for a small gym with a big heart
…the people who are scared and unsure of how to workout
…the people who are finally taking care of themselves after years of taking care of others
…these are the people we love working with and we know we can positively change your life.
The first step is to text “LAVOYAGE” to 949-696-5615…we’ll take care of the rest.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
This is the simplest way I can put it…
We want good people in here so we can all lift each other up.
You dont have to be strong…
You dont have to know everything about fitness and where you’re going…
You just have to be a good person.
My filter is…I want aunties and uncles for my 2 girls in here…that’s all.
We all take care of each other.
Pricing:
- First workout is FREE!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ThriveTrainingIrvine.com
- Instagram: @ThriveTrainingIrvine
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThriveTrainingIrvine
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/28786901/admin/dashboard/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thrivetraininginirvine8309
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/thrive-training-in-irvine-irvine?osq=Thrive+Training+in+Irvine
