Meet Damien Evans | Personal Trainer, Group Fitness Instructor and Franchise Owner of Eat the Frog Fitness

We had the good fortune of connecting with Damien Evans and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Damien, how do you think about risk?
Risk: to expose (someone or something valued) to danger, harm, or loss. A risk can be small, like a $5 bet on a sports game. A risk can be large, like selling everything you own except what can fit in your car and drive to a place where you know almost no one. With no job lined up or no real place to live. I’ve taken both of these risks. In my experience, it seems the bigger the risk the more exciting the journey, and the larger your potential reward becomes. As a no named kid from a small town, who lived out in the middle of the forests in Oregon. There are not a whole lot of options presented to you. There is no exposure of the big city living potential. No real consciousness of what kind of money there is to be made, or what kind of impact one person can make on the world. These visions were not even in my realm of possibility growing up. Most of my friends back home work very hard and physically demanding jobs, while living very honest and simple lives. You get married in your early 20’s, have a handful of kids by your late 20’s and you grow old and the process repeats. When I graduated college from Oregon State University, with an Exercise Sports Science Fitness and Nutrition bachelors degree, I had a decision to make. Should I stay in my small hometown and open up my own gym and enjoy out the rest of my days as a small business owner, with the small network of people I had always known? Or should I take a risk, and a leap of faith into the unknown? Moving as far south, down the west coast as I possibly could, this risk was one of the best things I could have ever decided to do. Although I do truly miss friends and family back home, I had to know if I was meant for something else. I challenged the only reality that I have ever known, to explore if there was something more. That risk led to me helping thousands of people here in Southern California. I was able to help these community members become healthier, more fit, more independent, stronger and more caring humans that support the ones around them and accomplish things they never dreamed they possibly could. Five years later, I was approached with proposition. Leave a six-figure paying job that I absolutely loved, with a team who was more of a family than a bunch of co-workers. Leave what I had worked so hard over the past half decade to build, and risk it all for an opportunity to start a business from the ground up. This was an opportunity to reach more lives and give more to the community that I live in, and to have ownership and responsibilities I could have never dreamed of when I was living back in a town of 4,000 people with 2 stop lights. But this proposition, came with a risk. Take a pay cut of half my pay check for potentially multiple years. Understand the possibilities that I could lose it all. A short term sacrifice for a possible long term exponential gain. It was the largest risk decision I have had to make since I packed up my car in Oregon and drove south down the I-5 that half decade ago. Making the change from one established amazing Fit Family, to growing something completely new, this risk was one of the best things I could have ever decided to do. So how do I think about risk? I think this life we live is not meant to be boring and mundane. We are meant to move and make moves. Change and growth comes from getting uncomfortable. If you aren’t growing, you are either staying the same or you are shrinking. Surround yourself with good, kind hearted people who care about others. Take the things that you excel at, and help those around you that struggle. Risk a life of service to others, and you will reap the benefits. These benefits could come in the form of success, fame, fortune. These benefits could come in the form of lessons learned, wisdom earned and experience in which creates a better person. There is no success without failures. There is no happiness without times of pain. But without risk, you’re doomed to stay the same. And that to me, is the one risk I’m not willing to take.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
If you asked me how to describe myself, I would most definitely describe a person who is athletic and lives mostly in the kinesthetic world . I’ve always been gifted in the art of movement. I have always excelled in most things physical. What I would also tell you is that creativity is something that I have struggled with the most. This is just not something I’ve ever pursued, this is not something I’ve ever had much skill at. But the one thing I am most proud of when it comes to creativity is I was able to launch my own health, fitness and wellness podcast. Where some people are great with the knowledge that it takes to do something like this, I started at ground zero. I had no idea what needed to be done to launch a podcast but I put the foot work in and researched for months. I researched the equipment needed, the software needed, the platforms used to release episodes, literally months of researching how to create and launch and build a successful podcast. It’s called “Livin’ the Dream Podcast” with Coach Damien Evans and it was just a vision in my head for so long. And while it is still brand new, I do feel like there isn’t another podcast out there like it. We have mini episodes (MINIsodes), where you can follow along with weekly challenges. We have masterclass episodes that dive deep into health, fitness and wellness topics that help our Dream Team community live their own dream lives as they deserve. Check out the “Livin’ the Dream Podcast” on apple podcast, spotify or youtube. My goal is to help each person that I come into contact with, realize that they are much stronger than they think they are. In all of us, there is more strength, more capability and more potential that is just waiting to be unlocked. Exposure and education is something that I wasn’t given early on in life, but once I obtained it, it was like the entire world went from this small, closed tunnel visioned reality, to a vast huge scene of unlimited possibilities. With this podcast and with our team at Eat the Frog Fitness, it is my dream and my goal to give that exposure and education to our Fit Family and to our community to be stronger, happier and healthier humans. Because a healthy person, builds a happy community and a happy community creates change and love.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
San Diego! The worlds finest city! The first thing I would do with my friend that was visiting is I would take them down to Ocean Beach to Wonderland Bar where we would have dinner, drinks and do a full restaurant toast at sunset. After that we would explore the Sunset Cliffs enjoying the view of the sun setting. We would have to hit some of the amazing hikes the next day. Potato Chip rock for the photo of course but also Torrey Pines hike because it has a special place in my heart. We would rent bikes and ride the board walk of Mission Beach, where I explored my first 3 times I visited San Diego before I actually moved here. And we would definitely stop by and hang out on the rooftop of El Prez in PB. Every day we would get our workout on in Scripps Ranch at Eat the Frog Fitness. One of the days we would definitely go surfing at Powerhouse Park in Del Mar and stop off at the Brigantine for some of the best shaker margaritas and tacos you’ll find anywhere while you can watch from the balcony the dogs playing at dog beach. We would have one fancy dinner at the restaurant I go to for all big special occasions and that is Pacific Coast Grill in Cardiff. The outdoor patio is literally right on the beach and you enjoy some of the best seafood in the city all while listening to the waves crashing in front of you. On the way to the airport we would stop by C-Level restaurant and grab some of the most beautiful presented appetizers and meals you’ll find along with a breath taking view of the bay and Coronado Island. This would just be a taste of this beautiful place.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Without a doubt, my shoutout would be to the regional team at Orangetheory Fitness San Diego. Owner and regional developer Pete Selner was a huge mentor to me when I first moved to San Diego. Allen Blunt who hired and trained me to become the fitness professional that I am today and is a person who has the most pure intentions to help others. And Kevin Taylor who not only had the business mind that helped build an small empire, but also was a great friend whenever I was in need. My story would not be what it is today without being led by these impactful, kind hearted men. And of course I have to shout out my partner in crime who has been with me for most of my journey down here in San Diego. Jamie Martinez has been a huge part of helping me grow as a person and being strong where I struggle. She is one of the hardest workers that I have ever known, and she is the shining example of what it means to be an altruistic human being.

Website: linktr.ee/coachdamien_sd

Instagram: @coachdamien_sd and @damienrayevans

Facebook: facebook.com/coachdamienSD

Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCS6VuPgtVsdBpDj5oN3YQTg

Other: Podcast 🎙Livin’ the Dream Podcast Links🎙 Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/livin-the-dream/id1546290282 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4epZSXDOHa2EZluF4OEtrS?si=piaCt-1MRbKH2YEW-bcNVQ Youtube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrzJbc0nawGgMP-oSBUXIF_IUpHHGJI9R Eat the Frog Fitness IG: @eatthefrog_scripps

Image Credits
Eat the Frog Fitness (Franchise Owner, Fitness Leader) Lululemon (Ambassador) Dirt Food (Ambassador)