We had the good fortune of connecting with First Step Fitness and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi First Step Fitness, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Here at FSF, we believe in taking risks! There really are no bad ideas in our minds. The fun part about owning your own business is you can run with any idea you come up with as long as it makes sense for the business .its all about trial and error. You never know what is going to work and what’s not, so you might as well try!
What should our readers know about your business?
Our gym started back in 2009 by a couple, Mike & Amanda Matuz. They had a vision to make fitness accessible and fun to the Long Beach community. Through the years they were able to create a community that was supportive and welcomed everyone. As their family grew they looked for a new family to take over. In 2019, after a few years of learning the ropes and managing FSF, Javi & Courtney Torres were able to full fill that role and take over FSF. Javi & Courtney wanted to continue the legacy and be able to make fitness fun while educating the everyday athlete how to live a balanced and sustainable lifestyle.
The year the Torres family took over was a very challenging year as they transitioned from managers, to learning how to run a business while continuing to train classes / clients full time. Once they felt like they finally figured things out, the pandemic hit and they had to shut down for 3 months. They didn’t let the shut down stop them from continuing to build a community and bring movement and fun into people’s lives during such a dark time. They immediately moved their classes online and began posting “at home” workouts on social media to keep their clients engaged. Once they re-opened they moved all their equipment outside and began running their classes outside for 9 months! They fought through extreme wind, rain, and even poor air quality from fires. FSF fought hard to be a positive and safe space for people. Although 2020-2021 was a tough year FSF brought in so many new clients that are still a part of the gym today.
We believe we’ve found the perfect recipe for a successful gym. Build a supportive community, keep classes small and personal, adapt your training for all fitness levels, and host events and parties where all our clients can meet and make connections. We want everyone to truly feel like part of the family, and we believe that’s what we’ve created, and that’s what sets us a part from other gyms!
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
There are so many iconic spots in Long Beach it’s hard to choose! We would definitely have to start at either Ballast Point or The Boathouse for good food with a view! We would of course have to do some shopping, eating and drinking along historic 2nd street. We would most likely either go to Riley’s if there’s a sporting game on or Open Sesame! Then walk along the beach with some coffee from Philz Coffee! Retro row on 4th street would be a go to easy day with some great shopping and we would probably have a late lunch at Lola’s or Sociallist, two of our favorite restaurants. Our last stop would be the aquarium and a nice walk along Shoreline Village!
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
We truly believe all our current and past clients deserve a shoutout. They’re been the ones that have believed in us and trusted us from day one. The ones that rep us online, through merchandise, by bringing a friend to an event or class, those are the ones that deserve a shoutout. Having an idea for a gym and having “all the right pieces” don’t matter if you don’t have people behind you to support you.
Website: Www.firststepfitness.com
Instagram: @fsftrainingcenter
Image Credits
Hailey Williams- Archer Inspired Photography