Fitness Industry Intelligence
The Career Network for Health, Fitness & Performance
After eight and a half years with Self-Made Training Facility, Marc Rodriguez is stepping into a new chapter. He officially closed the door on his time as CEO and franchise owner to focus entirely on Manifest Fitness Institute, an educational institution and private training facility he built to address gaps he experienced firsthand as a trainer. Rodriguez’s path through the fitness industry has been anything but conventional, moving from military veteran to independent contractor, then climbing through roles as director of education, facility manager, vice president, franchise owner, and eventually CEO—all within those eight years.
Manifest Fitness Institute is Rodriguez’s vision for what fitness education and business development should look like. With headquarters in Dallas and seven locations across the United States already interested in franchising come July, Rodriguez is creating a model that prioritizes human-to-human interaction, hands-on learning, and real-world application over data dumps and online certifications that get forgotten a week after completion.
Manifest Fitness Institute performs as an educational institution with a private training facility—not a gym. This distinction matters because it allows Rodriguez to partner with any gym he chooses, providing trainer education without forcing facilities to develop their own programs. The facility currently houses 50 trainers, with capacity for 60, and Rodriguez expects to hit that cap by March as six more trainers join by February 1st.
The curriculum covers everything from lead generation and sales to fulfillment, retention, business systems, marketing, and leadership. Rodriguez teaches trainers how to establish an LLC, handle taxes, create budgets, and build sustainable businesses. All three adult learning styles—auditory, visual, and kinesthetic—are addressed through in-person instruction, though some online components will supplement the core in-house education model. The emphasis on practical application stems from Rodriguez’s belief that the online certification world produces trainers who can’t translate textbook knowledge into fundamental client interactions.
Manifest has secured partnerships with NASM, Coach360, Lionel University, Rex Leadership Roundtables, TRX, Everfit, Align Smart, and American Red Cross for CPR education.
Rodriguez pushes professionalism because he’s seen the alternative. He tracks retention data meticulously—nine trainers have been with him for five years, four for four years, seven for three years, and 43 for a year or more. These numbers tell a different story than the revolving door most facilities experience. The difference comes down to creating an environment where trainers can grow, feel seen, and build legitimate careers.
Rodriguez wants trainers who geek out on hypertrophy, proper supplementation with hormonal balance, and periodization—trainers who understand the nuance between training themselves and training others. He believes education should be compelling, that earning $25,000 to $40,000 a month should be as rewarding as it is feasible, and that continuing education matters. The industry rewards hype and attention, but Rodriguez is betting on sustainability.
He’s upfront about his tough-love philosophy. If you’re not doing well, he’ll tell you. But he’ll also tell you how to fix it. He expects trainers to take responsibility, to actually post on social media consistently, and to do the work required to generate leads. The trainers who vibe with his standards stay. Those who don’t leave sometimes returning after realizing other facilities don’t offer the same level of support and structure that Marc does.His care, thoughtfulness, and desire to see others succeed make Marc the perfect person to lead this new endeavor.
Education in fitness has become something people rush through to get to the “real work” of training clients, or something that they skip all together. Rodriguez sees this backward. The certification is the foundation, the starting point for a career built on expertise and results. Manifest Fitness Institute makes learning beneficial outside of the book by connecting it directly to earning potential and professional growth. When trainers understand proper programming, body composition analysis, and client communication, they build practices that succeed.
The fitness industry glorifies the grind while burning people out and churning staff at an alarming rate. Rodriguez offers an alternative: build your business on solid ground with real knowledge, charge what you’re worth, and create a career that pays the bills without sacrificing professionalism. In July, franchising will test whether this model scales, but if his retention numbers mean anything, trainers are hungry for a space that values their education and their bank accounts. Sometimes, keeping it straight and honest is exactly what the industry needs.
About Elisa Edelstein
Elisa is a curious and versatile writer, carving her niche in the health and wellness industry since 2015. Her lens is rooted in real world experience as a personal trainer and competitive bodybuilder and extended out of the gym and on to the page as a writer where she is able to combine her passions for empowering others, promoting wellness, and the power of the written word.
I’ve always been the person who takes health very seriously. I get eight hours of sleep most nights, work out consistently, eat organic produce, and have healthy, good relationships. From the outside, I am a healthy person, but I was curious whether a different story was being told from the inside.
Superpower reached out to me to try the comprehensive blood test, and I jumped at the chance to find out what my blood had to say about my overall health. The experience was straightforward, simple in its execution, and left me with a lot to think about.
The experience was really easy to execute. I signed up for my test online, then Superpower sent me a bunch of reminders before my appointment. Fast for twelve hours. Don’t work out too hard the day before. Drink water. All the prep work to make sure the results would be accurate and not skewed by what I ate that morning or how hard I trained the day before.
Quest Diagnostics did my blood draw. It was a clean office, had professional staff, and I was in and out in ten minutes. If you don’t want to go anywhere, Superpower will send someone to your house instead. They told me to expect results in about a week, but mine came back within a couple of days.
I scored a 92 out of 100, which is a pretty excellent score. I wasn’t super surprised to see some of my flagged items—family health history and a need to boost my Vitamin D—but one or two stood out as things I would never have known without the test’s insight.
Superpower laid everything out in a way that made sense. Each flagged marker came with an explanation and an action plan. They have a concierge team you can message with questions. You can buy the supplements they recommend straight from them, so you’re not stuck researching brands or wondering if you’re getting the right thing.
I was also pleasantly surprised by the accuracy of the AI chatbot. I’d mentioned chronic pain and migraines during intake, and I ended up having an in-depth conversation with the bot about my results and how they might connect to my migraines. We had a conversation about what I could do to help reduce them based on my specific markers. I asked about natural fixes too, things that weren’t supplements, and got solid answers I could use right away.
You can add other panels if you want—hormones, immune system, energy. Whatever you’re curious about. And you know what you’re paying upfront. No surprise bills, no insurance hassles. Just transparent pricing and clear information.
This whole experience got me thinking about fitness professionals and how much deeper they could go with clients if they understood blood work. Most trainers look at what they can see—weight, body fat percentage, how someone moves, how they perform. Those things matter, but the whole picture is incomplete.
What if your client can’t lose weight no matter how dialed in their nutrition is? Maybe their thyroid is off. What if someone’s constantly exhausted even though they’re sleeping enough? Could be iron deficiency, could be B12, could be a dozen other things. A trainer who knows how to read labs can spot these patterns and either address them or get the client proper medical help.
Most certifications barely touch this stuff. You learn basic anatomy and nutrition, maybe some physiology. But reading actual blood panels and knowing what to do with that information is rare. And that’s precisely what sets some coaches apart. You become someone who can look at the whole picture instead of just what happens in the gym.
There’s also a safety piece here. If someone’s iron is tanked and you’re pushing them through high-intensity training, you’re setting them up for problems. Knowing when to back off, when to refer out, when something needs medical attention instead of another training session is a professional responsibility, and it builds trust.
For coaches building their businesses, this creates another way to serve clients. People want someone who gets the whole picture, who can help them make sense of their health data, and turn it into something actionable. If you can talk intelligently about someone’s labs and help them connect those results to their training and nutrition, you’re a resource they’ll keep coming back to.
It’s important to note that you should only ever work within the scope of your practice. If your skill set doesn’t allow you to make these types of decisions with your clients, include their health professional and work together to help your clients’ health progress.
I’m looking forward to my retest in six months to see if the action plan provided makes a difference in my biomarkers and in how I feel. I may try some other tests in the meantime, too. I love the accessibility, the transparency, and the ability to take my internal and external health matters into my own hands to make improvements. No doctor’s visits, unexpected bills, or wait time.
For trainers, there’s an opportunity to increase revenue and give your clients better, more thorough care. You stop guessing what might help a client and start working with data that shows you exactly where they need support. Some people respond to that kind of precision. It makes the coaching relationship tighter and usually gets better results than shooting in the dark.
About Elisa Edelstein
Elisa is a curious and versatile writer, carving her niche in the health and wellness industry since 2015. Her lens is rooted in real world experience as a personal trainer and competitive bodybuilder and extended out of the gym and on to the page as a writer where she is able to combine her passions for empowering others, promoting wellness, and the power of the written word.
When Brooke Vass signed up for Career Lab in August 2025, she thought she was attending a networking event. Mentors she respected had encouraged her to go, and she saw it as an opportunitynity to meet people learn about thening herself in the fitness industry. What she got was something entirely different—a day that would reshape her career in ways she hadn’t anticipated.
Eight months later, Brooke is presenting at major industry conferences, authoring courses, and collaborating with leaders she once looked up to from a distance. Career Lab returns to Santa Monica, California, on January 17th, 2026, and Brooke’s story shows exactly why it matters.
Brooke came to Career Lab for guidance on how to build her career in fitness and wellness. She wanted to understand how to expand her professional presence and navigate the industry with more confidence. Every piece of it—the breakout rooms, the flow of conversations, the way the day moved—felt deliberate and thoughtful.
What struck her most was how much care went into creating the experience. The organizers invested in people. Brooke left feeling seen, supported, and genuinely excited about where her career could go. That feeling laid the groundwork for everything that came after.
Brooke built real connections at Career Lab—the kind that lead to follow-up after the event. These were conversations built on mentorship, collaboration, and potential for the future.
She finally worked up the confidence to approach leaders she’d admired for years. Talking directly with Christine Conti and Tricia Murphy-Madden became one of the defining moments of the experience. Christine went on to connect Brooke with leadership opportunities through her company and her work with various associations. Those conversations opened doors to level up her career and make moves towards her future.
Career Lab proved something important to her: when you build relationships rooted in authenticity and mutual respect, they create real pathways. Casting opportunities emerged alongside future potential roles, and revenue streams. Brooke walked away with a clearer sense of how to conduct business and build her career intentionally.
The personal growth hit just as hard as the professional wins. Career Lab helped Brooke step into a different version of herself—one with more self-belief and clearer direction. She gained clarity on where she wanted to go and how she wanted to show up in the fitness space. One of her biggest realizations came from being surrounded by people who encouraged thoughtful questions and honest dialogue. She was ready to lead, to present, to contribute at a higher level. The experience gave her the confidence to claim that space.
Eight months later, the proof is everywhere. Brooke is presenting at HFA, TEX-FIT, and the Southeast Collegiate Fitness Expo in 2026. She’s co-teaching a new course with Christine Conti called “Future Proof Fitness: Engaging Gen Z and Gen Alpha with Purpose, Platforms, and Personalization.” She became a course author for Fit Fix Now and published “Beginner Barre Blueprint,” based on her YouTube channel, Barre by Brooke.
Career Lab provided her with the connections that enabled her to take action and move closer to her dream career. It helped her achieve her goal of presenting and sharing her knowledge with others in the fitness industry, something she had long looked forward to.
When asked what she’d tell someone sitting on the fence about joining Career Lab, Brooke said, “I would tell them to do it, without hesitation. Career Lab is an investment in yourself, your career, and your future, and the return is truly invaluable.” She’d tell anyone to attend, no matter where they are in their wellness career. The event creates something rare—a space where learning, connection, and personal growth happen at the same time.
For anyone curious about joining, her story shows what’s possible. One day at Career Lab can shift your entire path if you show up ready to engage, learn, and build real relationships. It creates an environment where you can recognize you’re ready to step forward and claim your place in the industry.
Brooke walked into Career Lab looking for guidance and walked out with a completely different career trajectory. She left with specific people to call, clear next steps to take, and the confidence to pursue opportunities she might have talked herself out of before. That kind of tangible result makes Career Lab a special event for trainers and coaches specifically.
Career Lab comes back to Santa Monica on January 17th, 2026. For fitness professionals ready to invest in themselves, this is the kind of day that can change everything. Brooke is living proof. When you show up prepared to fully engage, one event can rewrite your whole story.
About Elisa Edelstein
Elisa is a curious and versatile writer, carving her niche in the health and wellness industry since 2015. Her lens is rooted in real world experience as a personal trainer and competitive bodybuilder and extended out of the gym and on to the page as a writer where she is able to combine her passions for empowering others, promoting wellness, and the power of the written word.
While attending The League basketball game in Los Angeles, I watched Dr. Casey Woods work through a line of players and attendees seeking relief. The basketball league brings together teams from brands like Sweet Sweat, LRG, and Cookies, creating an atmosphere where competition and community come together for an epic night of fun. When I noticed the adjustment table with no line, I seized the opportunity—my body was lighting up like a Christmas tree that day, the familiar pattern of tension that typically precedes my migraines.
After getting off Dr. Casey’s table, the relief was immediate. My pain had vanished. I needed to understand more about what he’d done and how he approached care, so I made the trip down to Wood Chiropractic in Redondo Beach.
Walking into Wood Chiropractic, the space immediately stood out. The clinic is gorgeous, thoughtfully designed, with a holistic care team on-site offering a wide range of services. But what really mattered was the hour I spent with Dr. Casey, who approached my chronic issues with a level of care and understanding that made me feel valid and seen in my journey with chronic pain.
He began with massage-style soft-tissue work that helped my body relax and prepare for the adjustment. Despite much of my tension living in my hip complex—stemming from a sports-related coccyx injury in high school that left my tailbone out of place for over a decade—Dr. Casey operated in a highly professional manner, and I never felt an ounce of discomfort, even when working around sensitive areas affected by that old injury.
Following the soft-tissue work, he performed an adjustment, then moved into muscle testing in the on-site gym. This is where things got interesting. He identified which muscles were over-firing and which were underperforming, essentially mapping out the compensatory patterns my body had developed over years of working around that misaligned tailbone. Rather than just treating symptoms, he put together a comprehensive plan for strengthening and mobilizing different parts of my body to address the root cause of my chronic pain.
Dr. Casey’s journey to opening his own practice led him to a position where he could support athletes and everyday people in need of relief and help. He bounced around in high school, always playing volleyball but never settling long enough to commit fully. After getting an opportunity to play collegiately, his freshman year took an unexpected turn when his 15-year-old sister got pregnant, and Casey dropped out of college to help raise his niece.
“I dropped out of college, helped my sister raise my niece for a little bit, and then once she was kind of on her feet and ready to take on that role after a few years, I just kind of was in the workforce,” he explained. But volleyball had stayed with him as a side pursuit—coaching at different high schools and clubs, even starting his own club at 23.
His coaching eventually led him to work with one of the nation’s best clubs. The owner also served as head coach for USC’s men’s volleyball program, and Casey asked if he could observe and learn. “Anytime I had an afternoon off, I would just go sit in the Galen Center. I would just soak up as much information as I could. And I was like, you guys get paid to do this? This is amazing.”
That realization prompted him to return to school at 28, earning his bachelor’s in kinesiology while playing collegiately. But his NCAA mentors warned him off pursuing college coaching, saying things like “You do not want this life. You’ve got to move all over the country. You’re not going to make any money.” He pivoted to a contract playing professionally in Sweden, but tore his patellar tendon at nationals his senior year. At 31, facing the reality that his body might not want to compete at that level anymore, he found himself back at the drawing board.
His aunt, a chiropractor in Westwood, suggested he pursue his doctorate. Casey knew almost nothing about chiropractic care—she’d adjusted him once or twice when he was 13. But he went to an interview at the Los Angeles Chiropractic College anyway. “The woman who I interviewed with, it was her 40th year of instruction. I was the last interview of her 40-year career, and she was incredibly intelligent, and I loved what she was about as a medical practitioner.”
That conversation sold him on the program. What sealed the deal was learning that LACC runs the most evidence-based chiropractic program in the nation, which aligned perfectly with his kinesiology background and years working as a trainer and coach. He finished at 35 and opened Wood Chiropractic six months later.
“I’m not gonna go be an associate somewhere,” he said. “I kind of looked at medicine as if I was going to the doctor, what would I want them to provide for me. And so for me, I want this to basically be a one-stop shop, right? Unless you need surgery or prescription medication, I want to be able to provide you with whatever you need.”
He built his practice by drawing on practitioners he’d worked with over the years—PT concepts for injury prevention and rehab, soft-tissue techniques from various therapists, and the chiropractic focus on the nervous system and joints. “I don’t want my patients to have to go to three different people to accomplish one goal,” he explained.
His advice for anyone trying to build a career helping others? “Surrounding yourself by a lot of different practitioners and just trying to take as much as you can from each individual. Not everything is going to be quality, but at least you’re gaining a lot of perspective.” He also emphasized learning from people outside the medical field—real estate professionals, investors, and tech professionals—to understand how to build and scale a business.
The difference between treating symptoms and addressing root causes often comes down to time and attention. Dr. Casey spent an hour with me, mapping out patterns my body had developed over more than a decade of compensation. That coccyx injury from high school had created a cascade of issues—my body constantly trying to protect and work around that misalignment, leading to tension that radiates everywhere and triggers migraines.
What struck me most was his practical approach to care. He didn’t try to sell me on endless appointments or promise miracle cures. He gave me a plan—specific exercises, mobilization work, and things I could do on my own to support the adjustments and soft-tissue work we did together. That hour at Wood Chiropractic shifted how I think about managing chronic pain.
About Elisa Edelstein
Elisa is a curious and versatile writer, carving her niche in the health and wellness industry since 2015. Her lens is rooted in real world experience as a personal trainer and competitive bodybuilder and extended out of the gym and on to the page as a writer where she is able to combine her passions for empowering others, promoting wellness, and the power of the written word.
Your strength gains are climbing. Your body composition is shifting. You’ve committed to a goal that demands early mornings, meal prep, and unwavering discipline. You’re doing the hard work, seeing results, and expecting the people closest to you to celebrate these wins. Instead, you’re met with silence, subtle jabs, or outright resistance.
This reaction may catch you off guard, leaving you questioning whether your progress is somehow wrong. The truth is that your success can trigger discomfort in others, and that discomfort has nothing to do with you.
Relationships function as mirrors, reflecting what lives inside each person—every reaction, opinion, and feeling filters through individual experience and perception. Don Miguel Ruiz captures this concept perfectly in The Four Agreements: “Don’t Take Anything Personally. Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering.” This wisdom applies directly to the fitness journey, where personal transformation can unexpectedly strain relationships.
Watching someone commit to significant physical change creates an internal reckoning for observers. Your dedication to training, your discipline with nutrition, your willingness to pursue challenging goals like bodybuilding or HYROX competitions—these choices don’t exist in isolation. They create a contrast that forces others to examine their own choices, habits, and priorities. That examination can feel threatening.
The mirror effect is in full operation. Someone sees your progress and immediately compares it to their current situation. They might notice their own stagnant routine, abandoned goals, or unfulfilled intentions. These observations may not be conscious judgments you’ve made about them, but they’re realizations emerging from within. You didn’t create their discomfort. You simply made different choices that highlight the gap between where they are and where they wish they were.
This dynamic explains why support sometimes evaporates precisely when you’d expect it to grow stronger. Friends who once joined you for casual workouts might decline invitations now that your training has intensified. Family members might criticize your meal choices or suggest you’re “obsessed.” Partners might express concern that feels less like care and more like control. These responses stem from their internal struggle with what your transformation represents to them, not from any actual problem with your choices.
The discomfort manifests differently depending on the relationship. Some people withdraw, creating distance to avoid facing their own feelings. Others become critical, pointing out potential dangers or suggesting your approach is extreme. A few might even attempt sabotage, whether consciously or unconsciously, by offering foods that don’t align with your goals or scheduling conflicts during your training time.
The lack of external validation stings, especially from people whose opinions you value or people you love. You want your partner to recognize how hard you’ve worked. You want your friends to celebrate your PRs. You want your family to understand why this matters. When that recognition doesn’t come, the temptation to slow down or hide your progress can feel overwhelming. Resisting that temptation becomes part of the work.
Your success belongs to you. The opinions others hold about your journey are beyond your control and, frankly, beyond your concern. People will judge. They’ll form opinions based on their own fears, insecurities, and limitations. These judgments reveal everything about them and nothing about you. If you’re happy with your choices, proud of your courage, and satisfied with your growth, nobody else can diminish that accomplishment. Their discomfort doesn’t diminish your achievement.
Building resilience against these reactions starts with clarity about your “why.” Understanding what drives your commitment creates an internal foundation that external opinions can’t shake. You may be chasing a specific performance goal, proving something to yourself, or enjoying the process of becoming stronger. Whatever the reason, keeping it front and center helps you stay grounded when support wavers.
Finding your people matters, too. Seek out communities where ambition is expected, and applause is shared. Join training groups, online forums, or local clubs where everyone understands the commitment required for significant progress. These connections won’t replace existing relationships, but they provide a space where your goals are normalized and understood, your dedication is matched, and your success is celebrated without hesitation. You deserve to be surrounded by people who understand the work you’re doing.
Setting boundaries is also essential when others’ discomfort bleeds into your relationship with them. You don’t owe anyone explanations for your training schedule, detailed nutrition breakdowns, or justification for your goals. A simple “this is important to me” should suffice. If someone continues to criticize or undermine your choices, limiting what you share with them protects your progress and your peace. Some relationships may shift or fade as you grow, and that’s acceptable. The right people will adjust. The wrong ones will reveal themselves and make way for better relationships.
Growth exposes the gap between who we are and who we’re becoming, and that gap makes some people uncomfortable enough to respond with resistance instead of support. Their reaction stems from their internal struggles, shaped by their choices, regrets, and unfulfilled aspirations. You can’t control how others process your transformation, but you can control how much weight you give their opinions.
The mirror they see when they look at you reflects their own image at them, not a judgment you’ve cast. Your job remains to keep moving forward, keep choosing yourself, and keep building the life that makes you proud. The right people will either grow with you or show up to celebrate once they’ve done their own internal work. Until then, your progress speaks loudly enough on its own.
About Elisa Edelstein
Elisa is a curious and versatile writer, carving her niche in the health and wellness industry since 2015. Her lens is rooted in real world experience as a personal trainer and competitive bodybuilder and extended out of the gym and on to the page as a writer where she is able to combine her passions for empowering others, promoting wellness, and the power of the written word.
Shawn Ray’s career began at 17 with a barbell and a dream that would span nearly four decades. His competitive years delivered consistent excellence—12 consecutive top-five finishes at Mr. Olympia, multiple Arnold Classic victories, and a reputation as the “giant killer” who routinely defeated competitors significantly larger than himself. What sets Ray apart isn’t just the trophies he collected during his 14-year professional career. It’s what happened after he stepped off the stage in 2001.
Since retiring from competition, Ray has built something bigger than any single physique could contain. He’s become a show promoter, television personality, author, and global ambassador who’s attended every Mr. Olympia since 1988 and every Arnold Classic since 1989. That’s 36 years of unbroken attendance, a record that speaks to something deeper than professional obligation.
Ray turned pro three years after graduating high school in 1984, earning his professional card by winning Mr. California and the NPC National Overall Championship in 1987. His first Mr. Olympia appearance came in 1988, where he placed 13th. Two years later, he jumped to third place at the drug-tested 1990 Mr. Olympia, a moment of redemption after the controversy surrounding that year’s Arnold Classic.
The 1990 Arnold Classic marked a turning point. Ray won the contest, but five competitors, including himself, failed the drug test, and the results were overturned weeks later. He redeemed himself with a third-place finish at the drug-tested Olympia that same year, proving his physique could hold up under any circumstances. The 1991 Arnold Classic saw Ray return to win again, though NPC bodybuilding competitions would never be drug-tested after 1990.
His consistency over the following years became legendary. He finished second at the Olympia twice, third three times, and maintained his top-five streak for 12 consecutive years—a record that still stands. Despite giving up five to six inches in height and 50 to 60 pounds to some competitors, Ray’s conditioning and presentation earned him the nickname “giant killer.” He also achieved more cover shots on Flex Magazine than Arnold Schwarzenegger—a distinction that speaks to his marketability and the respect he commanded within the industry.
Retirement in 2001 didn’t dim the lights for Ray. Where many bodybuilders fade into obscurity once they leave the stage, he deliberately chose a different path. His Shawn Ray Hawaiian Classic has run for nine consecutive years, providing a platform for emerging talent. He’s traveled to China, Russia, Europe, Australia, and Canada, hosting bodybuilding clinics and serving as an MC at competitions worldwide.
Marketing himself without the magazine coverage that once amplified his career required different skills. He became the editor, photographer, and brand representative all at once. Building his Instagram following to just shy of a million people while contending against athletes who are competing today.
His current sponsorships with nutrition company Mutant and gym manufacturer Panada prove that staying relevant doesn’t require being the biggest or the most shredded. Ray maintained his health, avoided serious injury, and built a brand that has followed him off the stage and into new eras of his legacy.
Ray views the current state of bodybuilding with a mixture of appreciation and concern. The sport has exploded from two divisions in his era to 11 today, with the federation awarding professional cards at a pace he finds troubling. While his generation might see four professional cards awarded at a major show, today’s athletes can earn pro status by placing first, second, or even third in their division, with some weekends producing as many as 70 new professionals.
“It’s watered down,” Ray explains. “The goal used to be becoming the best athlete in the world. Now the goal is just getting a pro card.” The reverence that once surrounded professional status has diminished. Athletes who compete for a year or less can earn pro cards, creating what Ray calls a “participation sport” rather than the elite competition he remembers.
Despite his concerns, Ray remains excited about certain athletes. He admires Keon Pearson, the reigning three-time 212 champion who competes in the weight class Ray helped develop for smaller bodybuilders. Samson Dauda from England, who won the Mr. Olympia a year ago, brings a combination of mass and presentation that reminds Ray of Lee Haney mixed with Chris Bumstead’s aesthetics.
He also loves continuing his legacy through the Shawn Ray Hawaiian Classic, where he gives competitors a chance to step on stage and share everything they’ve worked so hard to achieve.
Ray’s success stems from a simple principle: he never handed control of his career to anyone else. No coach determined which shows he’d enter. No posing “guru” selected his posing music or the color of his trunks. As the son of a janitor, Ray understood early that bodybuilding was expensive and that success wouldn’t rub off from being around great athletes.
“I’m the product,” Ray says. “I’m responsible for my appearances, my flights, my hotels, my salary, my sponsorships, and who I am as a person.” That independence shaped every decision throughout his career and continues to guide him today. He watched other athletes hand over their careers to coaches and managers, losing control of their image, their schedule, and their earning potential in the process.
Ray’s advice to current competitors centers on the principle that one needs to learn the business from day one and maintain control. The moment you give that control to someone else, you’ll spend your career looking for someone to help you, to take care of you, to make decisions you should be making yourself.
Ray will share these insights and more at Career Lab by Coach360 on January 17th, 2026, in Santa Monica, California. The event provides fitness professionals with direct access to industry leaders who’ve navigated the challenges of building sustainable careers in health and wellness.
Shawn Ray’s 38-year unbroken attendance streak at the Mr. Olympia tells something essential about success in any field. Showing up matters, and staying involved creates opportunities beyond our imagination. The relationships built over decades create opportunities that talent alone never could. Ray turned bodybuilding into a platform for education, mentorship, and global influence by refusing to disappear when his competitive days ended.
The pro card, the trophies, the magazine covers opened doors. What Ray did once he walked through them determined whether those doors stayed open. His commitment to remaining relevant while teaching the next generation ensures that his legacy reaches far past any placement he earned on stage.
About Elisa Edelstein
Elisa is a curious and versatile writer, carving her niche in the health and wellness industry since 2015. Her lens is rooted in real world experience as a personal trainer and competitive bodybuilder and extended out of the gym and on to the page as a writer where she is able to combine her passions for empowering others, promoting wellness, and the power of the written word.
The pre-game ritual has become as essential to live music as the show itself. For decades, fans have created their own traditions to prepare for concerts—ways to shift energy, connect with friends, and step into the experience ahead. Hannah Ritchie and Kait Tomkosky discovered something different back in 2018, a practice that would eventually reshape how hundreds of people approach show nights. What started as their personal ritual has grown into The Conscious Pre-Game, offering music fans an alternative that prioritizes connection, presence, and a touch of magic.
The duo didn’t set out to build a business. They stumbled onto cacao while searching for something that would let them keep attending shows without the muddled feeling that came with their previous pre-game habits. What they found changed everything. A ceremonial-grade drink that left them feeling playful, giggly, and free. That discovery in the jam band scene sparked a journey that would eventually put them on tour with their favorite band and allow them to lead ceremonies for communities across the country.
Hannah and Kait’s relationship with cacao started as a practical solution. They wanted to step back from certain party habits but had no interest in abandoning the music scene that meant so much to them. Some friends had stopped going to shows entirely to avoid the temptation, but that path didn’t feel right. They needed something different.
Cacao showed up as that alternative. The first time they used it before a show, the night felt more vibrant, more connected, and more present. They started experimenting with it outside of concerts, using it during personal moments when they needed clarity or wanted to celebrate milestones. The plant medicine became a tool for manifestation, emotional processing, and marking life’s transitions.
The business emerged without a formal plan. One night, while camping in Vail, CO, for a Trey Anastasio Band show, they sat around a campfire talking about their dream of combining meditation with the music scene. It seemed abstract and impractical then. But they kept following what felt authentic, kept sharing their cacao ritual with curious friends, and the path revealed itself organically. Looking back, they recognize the importance of following joy even when the destination isn’t clear.
The Conscious Pre-Game creates space for people to connect with themselves and their community before live music. Each ceremony involves drinking ceremonial-grade cacao together, followed by guided meditation and group connection. The format is casual and accessible, designed for people who may have never tried anything like this before.
Hannah and Kait lead these sessions primarily within the Goose community—a jam band fanbase they know intimately because they come from that world themselves. This shared foundation matters. When everyone in the circle already has a common thread of loving the same music and lifestyle, the connections deepen faster. Participants can show up as their authentic selves without pretense.
The ceremonies unfold differently for each person. Some people arrive seeking a quiet moment to calm pre-show anxiety. Others use the space to meet fellow fans and build friendships that extend through tours and festivals. A few gain unexpected clarity about situations in their lives. The flexibility allows each participant to take what they need from the experience.
The impact reached the bands themselves. Hannah and Kait have led private ceremonies for touring musicians, creating a rare moment of stillness amid the chaos of constant travel and performance. Sometimes a band member reconnects with themselves during that pause. Other times, the group checks in with each other’s well-being. And occasionally, the ceremony simply grounds everyone’s energy before they take the stage.
I have been lucky enough to experience two Conscious Pre-Games with Hannah and Kait before Goose shows. I can speak to the connected, euphoric, and magical feeling described here. My first cacao experience was at my second Goose show at Red Rocks, where I was new to the community. The experience left me with a sense of belonging, a profound feeling of excitement, a new consciousness practice for my daily life, and a distinct connection with Goose and the music that was played. The experience left me in awe of the magical properties of cacao, community, and the power of vulnerability. I am so grateful to Hannah and Kait for curating such a meaningful experience and an alternative way to enjoy something I already love so much.
Certain moments crystallize why a project matters. For Hannah and Kait, that moment arrived at Viva El Gonzo, the inaugural festival thrown by Goose, in Mexico this year. They walked onto the festival grounds and saw “The Conscious Pre-Game” listed on the official wellness schedule. Something they used to do alone in hotel rooms had become a recognized part of the festival experience.
Over 100 people attended that ceremony. Hannah and Kait held back tears as the crowd gathered. Then the members of Goose walked in and sat down next to them for the ceremony. The full circle of that experience—serving as a bridge between fans and the band they all love—captured exactly what they’d been building.
The growth has been organic and sometimes surprising. They’ve created a life they never predicted, following a ritual that felt right even when it seemed weird. That journey has become part of their message: follow what feels authentic, even if you can’t see where it leads. Trust that life can exceed your expectations.
Their offerings have expanded to include virtual group sessions and upcoming one-on-one consultations. They’re hosting an incredible three-day conscious weekend as a virtual retreat from November 14th to 16th, 2025. The weekend experience includes cacao ceremonies, breathwork, yoga, and a guest speaker. This event is open to the public, as are the virtual cacao ceremonies. Hannah and Kait described the experience as “ a virtual retreat-like experience and an opportunity to dive into the ritual that we do in our conscious pre-games even deeper!” It is not to be missed.
The online ceremonies provide a deeper dive into cacao as a daily practice for manifestation, emotional processing, and marking life transitions. Participants connect via Zoom from their own homes, building relationships that carry over into the show space when they eventually meet in person. Starting in 2026, the individual sessions will offer personalized rituals tailored to whatever someone is moving through—confusion, loss, integration, milestone moments.
Hannah and Kait didn’t plan to build a business around drinking ceremonial cacao before concerts. They just followed what felt right, even when it seemed different or impractical. That willingness to trust their instincts—to believe life could surprise them—opened doors to a life they couldn’t have dreamt possible.
The Conscious Pre-Game offers something the music scene has been missing: a way to prepare for shows that honors excitement and intention. Cacao provides an alternative to substances that numb or disconnect, creating a pathway to feeling more present, more playful, more alive. For anyone curious about showing up differently to the experiences they love, Hannah and Kait’s work stands as proof that trusting your instincts and following your authenticity can lead to life-changing endeavors for yourself and all those around you.
About Elisa Edelstein
Elisa is a curious and versatile writer, carving her niche in the health and wellness industry since 2015. Her lens is rooted in real world experience as a personal trainer and competitive bodybuilder and extended out of the gym and on to the page as a writer where she is able to combine her passions for empowering others, promoting wellness, and the power of the written word.
The fitness industry struggles with high staff turnover, burnout, and wage competition. Meanwhile, Life Time has senior leaders who have been working together for over 40 years. This remarkable stability reveals something special about the company culture, especially in a field where change happens quickly.
Life Time began as a small Minnesota club in 1992 by Bahram Akradi and has grown to over 180 clubs nationwide and three in Canada. While expanding, it has maintained its original vision and adapted to its members’ evolving needs. Its success comes from prioritizing people and service rather than focusing solely on facilities or equipment. Originally Life Time Fitness, its evolution led to dropping Fitness from the company’s name in 2017 to better represent the healthy way of life ethos of its clubs, athletic events and digital footprint, leveling up at every opportunity to serve its memberbase.
The mission statement came in 1997, when Life Time’s leadership team, including founder Bahram Akradi, Efonda Sproles, and 15 others, spent a weekend retreat defining their purpose. They created this mission statement: “To provide entertaining, educational, friendly, and inviting experiences of uncompromising quality that empower everyone to live a healthy and happy life.”
For Life Time, these words actively shape daily operations. Efonda Sproles, who has worked alongside Bahram for 41 years, recites this mission statement daily. The team views it as an ongoing pursuit rather than an achievement with a finish line.
This mission influences everything from club design to staff training. Life Time has grown without losing its identity by staying anchored to these core values. It has expanded its vision and offerings while maintaining its foundational purpose and passion.
The quality and care for this mission have led Life Time to be the premier healthy lifestyle brand nationwide. Known for the luxury experience, the athletic country club is on the higher end in terms of cost, which has led Life Time to obsess over the tiniest hospitality details for its clients. Creating desirability is everything! It’s demonstrated from the moment a member checks in down to the choice of equipment — every choice makes a difference in crafting the Life Time experience.
Life Time approaches fitness differently by focusing first on people. As Efonda explains, “We’re not in the fitness business. We’re in the people business.” This perspective influences their hiring practices and member interactions. The success comes from focusing solely on the member experience. The obsessive commitment to this fact allows sales to happen organically, as they have no salespeople, and ensure the member experience is top-tier.
The company distinguishes between service and hospitality. Service skills can be taught – checking members in, following protocols, and maintaining facilities. Hospitality, however, requires something innate – a genuine desire to care for others that can’t be trained. Life Time specifically seeks people with this natural inclination.
This hospitality focus leads to unexpected comparisons. When investors ask about competitors, Life Time doesn’t mention other gyms – they reference luxury brands unparalleled in their hospitality, like Disney and Ritz-Carlton. Similarly, the hiring approach reflects this philosophy. Instead of traditional interviews, Efonda uses what he calls the “three C’s” – coffee, culture, and connection. Through casual conversations, he identifies candidates who genuinely embody Life Time’s values and will contribute to the hospitality-focused environment.
Life Time continues expanding its wellness offerings with MIORA Performance + Longevity, focusing on preventative health. This initiative shows its commitment to anticipating industry developments and taking proactive steps rather than reacting to the latest wellness trends.
MIORA offers personalized services all based on the proprietary Metabolic Code developed by Life Time’s Chief Science Officer James LaValle. Offerings may include hormone therapy, peptides, and individualized health planning. Instead of relying on prescriptions, members receive a comprehensive plan provided by medical providers and registered dietitians. This approach helps address potential health issues before they develop and/or works to reverse or alter current diagnosis.
The service provides depth typically found during executive physicals, but makes it accessible to members. By combining wellness expertise with fitness knowledge, Life Time creates wellness programs that offer the next level of wellness to its members who take health seriously.
Life Time offers fitness professionals solid career paths with multiple income streams, schedule flexibility, and comprehensive benefits, including medical and dental insurance, at 30 hours weekly. This environment allows trainers to build sustainable careers, not just jobs. These opportunities are currently live on Marketplace by Coach360.
Professional growth comes naturally with access to every Life Time location, continuing education, and certification reimbursement. Trainers work with premium equipment, have ample training space, and benefit from valuable brand partnerships that enhance their credentials.
The company supports its team members with the same dedication they show members. This creates positive momentum with well-supported employees who deliver exceptional experiences and retain members while attracting talent. Many trainers find Life Time becomes their career home rather than a temporary position.
Members frequently share stories about how Life Time changed their families and their lives, not just their physical fitness. These personal accounts confirm that the company fulfills its mission of supporting healthy, happy living. My personal fitness story began in Life Time almost two decades ago, and I can confidently say I may not have found my space in the health and wellness industry without walking through those doors.
Life Time builds communities where meaningful connections form alongside health routines. Its ongoing expansion, including new locations in Idaho and its integrated living and workspace concepts, brings this approach to wellness to more people. For fitness professionals looking to align their skills with meaningful work, Life Time offers the chance to contribute to something that genuinely improves lives daily.
About Elisa Edelstein
Elisa is a curious and versatile writer, carving her niche in the health and wellness industry since 2015. Her lens is rooted in real world experience as a personal trainer and competitive bodybuilder and extended out of the gym and on to the page as a writer where she is able to combine her passions for empowering others, promoting wellness, and the power of the written word.
Walking into InBody’s Cerritos headquarters feels different from most corporate visits. There’s an energy here that comes from people who genuinely believe in what they’re building. The facility buzzes with quiet confidence, where teams collaborate on technology that has become essential in hospitals, fitness centers, and research facilities across 80 countries.
Brian Galman, Director of Sales, led me through an on-site visit at InBody, sharing the proud work of a group dedicated to solving real problems in healthcare and fitness. While they display prominent user names on plaques in one of the meeting rooms, you’d never know from their humility just how big of a deal InBody really is.
InBody emerged from frustration with existing bioelectrical impedance analysis technology in the 1990s. Dr. Kichul Cha, a mechanical engineer turned entrepreneur, saw the limitations in available devices and decided to build something better. Traditional BIA technology treated the human body as a single cylinder using one frequency, creating significant accuracy issues. Most devices relied on empirical estimations based on age and gender, which worked for some but failed for others, particularly those who didn’t fit standard body type assumptions.
What started as a mission to perfect body composition analysis has grown into a spectrum of health technology instruments changing how we engage with health. Body composition analysis serves as the foundation, but InBody’s vision extends beyond measuring muscle, fat, and water percentages. The company has developed an entire array of health monitoring and assessment tools.
Rather than making assumptions about users, InBody devices analyze each person’s unique composition. This technology has been validated against gold-standard methods and refined through decades of research and development, creating the bedrock for their expanding product portfolio. But the body composition assessment would just be the beginning of the InBody story.
Brian explained the three core principles that guide all of InBody’s innovations: educate, empower, and engage. The education component addresses widespread misunderstanding of health technology. Empowerment comes through actionable data that helps people make informed decisions about their health. People need actionable items that guide them, as the information alone isn’t enough to create change. Engagement happens when healthcare providers and fitness professionals use InBody results to create meaningful conversations with patients and clients.
Whether using the foundational InBody Body Composition Analyzer, Blood Pressure Monitor, Fall Risk Assessment (coming soon), or Body Water Analyzer, InBody leaves no stone unturned in its revolutionary products.
Meeting with Brian gave me clear insight as to how InBody tackles the future of health and fitness tech. His background spans twelve years with the company, giving him deep insight into how the technology has evolved and where the industry is heading. He’s watched InBody grow from a small biotech startup to a multinational corporation, yet it remains stable in its desire to innovate and bring the best technology to the people.
InBody is commited to the future of health monitoring and it’s demonstrated through the constant innovation for new technology that improves the industry’s health outcomes. These innovations include commercial-grade blood pressure monitors designed for high-volume clinical settings, alongside home-use versions that maintain professional-level precision. The InGrip demonstrates the venture into muscle quality assessment, measuring parameters correlated with longevity.
InBody Touch brings intuitive interface design to health screening, while the up and coming Fall Risk Assessment technology addresses critical safety concerns for aging populations. Wearables for health tracking create important touchpoints for continuous health monitoring throughout day-to-day living.
What distinguishes InBody is its approach to building interconnected health solutions. Each device contributes to a broader understanding of human health metrics. Whether through body composition fundamentals, or specialized assessments like muscle quality and fall risk. The company has positioned itself as a leader, capturing data across multiple health dimensions and creating an overall picture that single-purpose devices or companies cannot compete with.
Tech companies typically measure success through funding rounds, acquisition news, and social media momentum. InBody takes a different approach, focusing on creating a breadth of technology that assists people in improving their health outcomes across a myriad of sectors. Their Cerritos headquarters reflects this mindset, as seen by the teams’ concentration on developing and refining interconnected solutions that create comprehensive wellness assessments.
InBody’s journey shows how building on strong foundations enables expansion into new frontiers. Dr. Cha built InBody with the care of what Brian calls “his third child”. This long-term vision enables deep investment into research and development that produces breakthrough technology. InBody’s measured approach to expanding health technology exemplifies the value of staying true to core principles while pushing forward into the greater expansion of tools for a healthier future.
About Elisa Edelstein
Elisa is a curious and versatile writer, carving her niche in the health and wellness industry since 2015. Her lens is rooted in real world experience as a personal trainer and competitive bodybuilder and extended out of the gym and on to the page as a writer where she is able to combine her passions for empowering others, promoting wellness, and the power of the written word.
Last August, over 100 fitness professionals gathered in Anaheim for Career Lab—trainers, studio owners, IFBB pros, college students, and personal brands all showed up to learn, connect, and grow. The energy was electric. Attendees left with new job leads, revenue strategies, business partnerships, and actionable plans to level up their careers. The feedback was clear in that people wanted more of what worked, new voices to learn from, and deeper opportunities to build real relationships.
Career Lab 2026 is answering to that feedback with a bigger, bolder, and even more connected event. On January 17th, we’re bringing the event to Santa Monica with a completely redesigned experience. Sponsored by Sudor and Linear Bar, this year’s lineup features fresh programming, new expert speakers, and expanded networking opportunities. We’re kicking things off differently too—instead of the opening workout that got everyone moving last year, we’re starting with a cacao ceremony led by Hannah and Kait (the Cacao Girls) to set intention for the day ahead.
The real measure of Career Lab’s impact came in the months after Anaheim, when attendees started sharing their wins. Nikki Galladay, a trainer, IFBB Wellness Pro, and entrepreneur, summed up the experience: “Still buzzing from Career Lab LIVE — not from the energy in the room, but from how real and aligned everything felt. You pulled together something really special, and I’m so glad I got to be a part of it.”
Alli Felsenthal, a running coach, owner, and podcaster, felt the same charge: “What an amazing day. The energy in that room was electric, and it’s clear you created something special. I left feeling inspired and connected—to the speakers and the entire community you brought together.”
Those connections turned into tangible career shifts. Several attendees landed new opportunities after meeting studio owners during networking breaks. Others formed partnerships that opened up new revenue streams they hadn’t considered before. Brooke Vass, a fitness trainer, described the lasting effect: “Thank you so much for such a powerful and inspiring event. I’m still feeling the energy from Career Lab. I’m incredibly grateful to have been part of a space filled with such amazing leaders and mentors. It lit a fire in me and made me even more excited for what’s ahead.”
The professional development aspect hit home too. Shaina Partlow, a wellness coach, walked away with pages of notes: “Thank you so much for an amazing event. I left so inspired and excited to keep working and growing in the fitness industry. I took ten pages of notes, and I’ve already been going through and reviewing everything I wrote down. I had so many takeaways.”
And, it’s the perfect opportunity to gain continuing education credits that keep certifications current. Career Lab delivered the event, and attendees with NASM, ACE, AFAA, ISSA, and NCSF certifications walked away with CECs and transferable knowledge to up their careers. The combination of learning, networking, and practical application made the investment worthwhile on multiple levels.
Career Lab 2026 takes everything that worked in Anaheim and expands it. The day’s structure blends strategy, community, and movement so you don’t sit through lecture after lecture. You’ll learn, build, and stay active throughout the experience.
The event breaks down into three core components. Breakouts put you in small, focused groups where you can ask questions, share ideas, and get tailored guidance from experts who understand your specific challenges. Amazing keynotes and speakers will also join us to share their expertise and knowledge, including Luke Milton from Training Mate, and eight time Figure Olympian, Wendy Fortino.
The Move & Mingle sessions keep the energy high. You’ll move, connect, and build relationships with other fitness professionals during group workouts designed for community and fun. These movement breaks create natural opportunities for conversation and collaboration that conference-style seating arrangements never could.
The cacao ceremony opening sets a different tone this year. Hannah and Kait will guide attendees through an intentional practice to ground everyone before diving into the day’s learning and networking. This way the day kicks off with clarity about what you want and why you’re showing up and allows you to connect with other participants.
Career Lab works for trainers, group instructors, studio owners, online coaches, wellness professionals, new and aspiring fitpros, anyone who needs CECs, and anyone craving clarity about their next career move. Whether you’re established and looking to scale or just starting and trying to figure out your path, the programming meets you where you are.
Career development happens in small moments like a conversation during a coffee break that leads to a job offer, a workshop insight that reframes your pricing strategy, a connection with someone who becomes a business partner. Career Lab creates the conditions for these moments to multiply. The Santa Monica event on January 17th brings together professionals who are serious about growth and willing to invest a day to make it happen.
The testimonials from Anaheim show real shifts in how people approached their careers after the event. Coaches who felt stuck found direction. Entrepreneurs who struggled alone found community. Professionals who wondered if they were on the right track found validation and new possibilities. That’s the value of showing up, being present, and opening yourself to what can happen when you’re surrounded by people who share your commitment to this industry. Join us in Santa Monica. Let’s see what happens next!
Ready to level up your career? Join us in Santa Monica on January 17th for Career Lab 2025. Get hands-on workshops, expert breakouts, and connections that can change your trajectory. Spaces are limited—secure your spot today and invest in your future.
About Elisa Edelstein
Elisa is a curious and versatile writer, carving her niche in the health and wellness industry since 2015. Her lens is rooted in real world experience as a personal trainer and competitive bodybuilder and extended out of the gym and on to the page as a writer where she is able to combine her passions for empowering others, promoting wellness, and the power of the written word.
Powering the Business of Health, Fitness, and Wellness Coaching
