Meet Heather Binns | Health & Fitness Strategist

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

Hi Heather, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking

Risk is invaluable!

Since the moment of conception, risk is an inevitable part of life.  This doesn’t mean the level of risk involved in any circumstance is either determined or gauged by us, but it does have an effect on every moment of our existence.

Most people think of risk on a grander scale, versus the risk of every moment in our life.  In that the grander scheme of things, I am a big risk taker!

Part of the reason I am not afraid of taking big risks is because of the excitement it brings along with the uncertainty of the outcome.  Especially if the reward outweighs the risk.  Most often, the greater the risk, the greater the reward.

I wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t taken any major risks in life.  Many of those risks were followed by success, while others led to a newly learned lesson…what others may call loss.

Career-wise, for example, I have always been an entrepreneur by nature since I was a teenager getting paid to babysit, walk dogs, house sit, wrapping Christmas presents, and even buying candy in bulk and reselling it to other kids.

Then in my early adult years, I joined network marketing companies (aka MLMs), worked as an employee at various corporations, and even started what I called my first “real” business – Heatherswear.  I ran this Internet-based retail shop part-time while working full-time at other companies.  And this was back in the 90’s when online retail was pretty new.

Eventually I moved on from that small business and continued in the corporate world.  After about 10 years of bouncing around from company to company trying to find something that I truly enjoyed, I took one of my biggest career risks of leaving a well-paying job at an accounting firm with lots of benefits to start as a rookie in the health & fitness industry as a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) in 2006.

That risk of starting all over again in my thirties was pivotal for me and one of the best decisions I ever made in my entire life!  It’s now been 14+ years and I am the owner/founder of Renov8 Fitness, LLC in North Hollywood, California since 2008.

I started this business during a huge recession, survived the ups and downs of entrepreneurship, lost thousands of dollars buying a fitness franchise back in the day, and survived the COVID-19 pandemic that hit in 2020 while still maintaining a profitable business.

If I was never willing to take any big risks, I would not be where I am today living happy, healthy, and always striving for more!

Ultimately…without risk, there is rarely reward.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

As a Health & Fitness Strategist, I’m best known for helping people shed fat and becoming strong to uncover their athlete within. I thoroughly enjoy educating and motivating people to be their very best selves!

I’ve actually been involved in fitness since I was a child as an athlete in school, but officially began my career in 2006. I’ve been in the health & fitness industry for over 14 years and am on a mission to inspire people to shatter self-imposed glass ceilings to reach their fullest potential and unprecedented levels of fulfillment!

It hasn’t always been easy. You have to really be 100% committed, and even when you’re all in, it may not go as planned. But that’s one of the exciting parts of being an entrepreneur. In order to be successful, you have to learn from your mistakes, treat failure as opportunity, and know why you are on your current path.

Through persistence and trial & error, I successfully converted my once part-time side hustle into a full-time six-figure business. With a plan, a strong belief in my talents and a deep desire to be my own boss, I left my high-paying corporate job to realize my dream of helping others improve their lifestyle through fitness.

I am blessed to be voted one of the top five personal trainers in Los Angeles four years in a row and one of America’s PremierExperts®, and my private fitness coaching center, Renov8 Fitness, was also voted one of the top gyms in Los Angeles.

As Head Coach at Renov8 Fitness, I use my “form-perfectionist” qualities to coach a myriad of clients in North America as well as internationally via my virtual, in-person, and remote coaching programs. I also focus on business development training and strategic coaching for emerging health & fitness entrepreneurs and business owners. I help them successfully start their own business while reducing stress and saving time and money. I truly endorse the adage of making a living doing what you love day in and day out

I am also proud to be a best-selling author and Quilly Award Winner from The National Academy of Best-Selling Authors for my book Results Fitness that was published in 2012. Being on the red carpet was quite an overwhelming experience that I will never forget!

I’m a big advocate of self-care and one of the biggest aspects of that for me is being a competitive athlete. I placed 25^th in my age group at the Spartan Race World Championships in 2019, which is my most recent sports accolade. Being a competitive athlete gives me an outlet for stress relief as I put my mind on something else away from busines.  As a competitive athlete in a variety of disciplines, I’ve earned podium finishes in triathlon, trail/road races, and obstacle course racing (OCR). It takes a great amount of determination and grit, along with a driven personality to push when things get tough.

I always try to give my best effort in anything I do, and that’s confirmed by my clients often remarking on my inspiring words and actions, thoroughness, and practical yet motivating approach to both business and life. I fully embody my role in increasing education and application of health & fitness around the world.

I aim to help one million people “find their athlete within,” whether it has been buried for a while or never been found! Everybody is an athlete no matter who you are.  If you have a body, you are an athlete.  The key is figuring out what type of athlete is within you and I’m not just talking about sports.

It’s important to find out what you enjoy doing to keep yourself physically active, which tends to lead into progressing in your fitness levels. That in-turn leads to discovering new adventures that you may one day find yourself doing such as running a race, completing a triathlon, crossing the finish line of an obstacle course race, throwing a javelin, and more…the possibilities are endless.

It all starts with moving your body more in an activity you enjoy. I’m proud to be known for turning those that hate running into seasoned runners J

“Find Your Athlete Within” is the tagline of my business since I founded it in 2008, and my world movement is #FindYourAthleteWithin!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

I’m not as much of an all-nighter as I used to be, but I am a foodie and I love to dine out, enjoy great old school music, and socialize with friends!

I’d take my friend to some of my favorite restaurants and bars: Sushi Yuzu in Toluca Lake, Ayce Gogi Korean BBQ in Van Nuys, Joon Shabu Shabu in Glendale, the Local Peasant in Sherman Oaks, Tequila’s Cantina in Burbank, The Arsenal in Santa Monica, Far Bar in downtown LA, San Fernando Brewing Company in San Fernando, and A Simple Bar in Los Angeles.

We’d also do something physically active outdoors as there are so many options in LA such as our many parks and beaches, Manhattan Beach Sand Dunes, Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook Stairs, the LA Zoo, and more!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

I don’t recall one person, organization, or book that inspired me to be a risk taker as I feel it was already ingrained in my being. My parents weren’t big risk-takers either, so I think it’s just something that was a part of me. I truly desire a life full of adventure and fun!

I would love to shoutout each and every person that has helped push and/or support me along my journey, though.  Without everyone I have crossed paths with, I wouldn’t be here today!

Website: www.HeatherMBinns.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercpt

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherbinnscpt/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeatherBinnsCPT

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeatherBinns.CPT

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/renov8-fitness-north-hollywood

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/HeatherBinns

Other: www.Renov8.Fitness https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4BwrvavxpAbV5iBkc-c2SQ https://www.pinterest.com/Renov8Fitness