Meet Nicole Zapoli | Business Owner/Fitness and Wellness Coach

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

Hi Nicole, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
The most important factor behind my success and the success of my brand is keeping my own mental and physical health top priority. There are many more things I could list here, but it really all stems from this one simple thing.

What should our readers know about your business?
My mobile gym and digital online fitness business helps the community and the world by offering more convenient solutions for busy, ambitious, health conscious individuals who have full lives and schedules, but still highly value their health and fitness as well as overall quality of life and longevity.

My business is designed to bring fitness and wellness to my clients in the convenience of their own homes, gym of choice, outdoor location (park/beach), and also while traveling.

My program is designed to build strength, overall work capacity, and increase lean body mass so that my clients have the ability to live their strongest, healthiest, happiest lives possible.

My mission is to support, guide, educate, inspire, both physically and mentally.

My goal is to create as strong, healthy, happy, consistent, and committed clients as possible. In addition to this initial task at hand I desire to create culture within the community that centers around lifelong wellness and a high quality of life. I continue to passionately work on providing a sustainable system that can be implemented by anyone regardless of current fitness levels for the duration of their life.

My top priority is creating a training protocol that revolves around safety via optimal body mechanics, technique, and building a solid movement foundation. I want my clients progressing across all domains as they continue building their base strength and overall conditioning.

My program design is derived from over 30+ years of experience in coaching and training including artistic and rhythmic gymnastics, CrossFit Gymnastics, OPEX Fitness, Conjugate Tactical, Westside Barbell (powerlifting), Waxman’s Gym (Olympic weightlifting), and US Olympic strength and conditioning training and coaching methodologies.

From as early as eight years old I knew I wanted to own my own gym business, be a coach, entrepreneur, and most importantly, knew I wanted to help people when I grew up. As a young girl, I loved how empowering, fun, and awesome it was to feel and BE strong, healthy, and happy. I knew from then on I would be spreading my love and passion for fitness for the rest of my life!

Originally from Richmond-Sugar Land-Surfside Beach, Texas, I began my lifelong fitness journey with dance at the age of two, gymnastics at four, and was competing in artistic gymnastics by the age of six. I later switched to rhythmic gymnastics.

By the age of fourteen I had received the opportunity to train at the United States Olympic Training Center and was a 4-time Texas State Champion in rhythmic gymnastics, 4-time Junior Olympian, and a member of the US Junior Olympic Academic Team.

Following rhythmic gymnastics I cheered competitively for three years becoming a three time All American cheerleader. I went on to dance and cheer professionally for the NFL Houston Texans and the NBA Houston Rockets along with various other professional dance companies specializing in modern/contemporary and hip hop/street jazz.

I started my first business when I was 19 years old, a mobile gym business, offering in-home personal training as well as cheer, dance, and gymnastics coaching programs at private schools, day cares, and after school community programs.

A few years later in 2009 I discovered CrossFit and eventually decided to become a CrossFit Trainer as well as a CrossFit Gymnastics Trainer. Soon after that I was invited to intern and eventually join the CrossFit Gymnastics Seminar Team. For the past 13 years I have had the opportunity to travel the world and teach gymnastics in the functional fitness and CrossFit world both as part of CFG as well as within my own business and brand, NZ Fitness. I have now booked, organized, planned, prepped, taught, coached, & led more than 130+ NZ Fitness gymnastics workshops worldwide, as well as another 40+ CrossFit Gymnastics Seminars worldwide.

I have had the opportunity to be part of so many fitness community events locally to worldwide representing several fitness companies as an athlete, ambassador, business owner, seminar coach, etc.

The amount of willingness and dedication to my own personal growth and pushing past my comfort zone this has taken me is beyond all comprehension. I am proud of myself for having the courage to say yes to new life opportunities.

The honor to receive and say yes to new, amazing life opportunities to level up always far outweighs fear!

I eventually opened my own CrossFit affiliate when I was 29 years old and was brought on as a co-owner of another already established CrossFit affiliate when I was 34 years old.

In 2016, my seventh entrepreneurial venture and business baby, NZ Fitness LLC was born; offering remote online coaching + custom programming, personal training, virtual personal training, gymnastics workshops, mobile custom nutrition app, and nutrition coaching support. You can also find NZ Fitness in-person training located throughout the county of San Diego; in-home and outdoor, resort and boutique gyms, CrossFit affiliates, and more!

My lifelong fitness journey has allowed and continues to allow me endless opportunities to create, grow, learn, build, and evolve as a person, mom, athlete, business owner, and entrepreneur. I am forever grateful for the many people, experiences, adventures, and beyond that have shaped me into who I am today.

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?
My favorite spots in my area:
Super chill beach days, workouts, and surfing in Cardiff by the Sea, Del Mar, Solana Beach, Leucadia
Dinner at sunset in Del Mar at Monarch Ocean Pub, Ki’s in Cardiff, Pacific Coast Grill in Cardiff, Waverly in Cardiff
Lunches at Fish 101 in Cardiff and Leucadia, Con Pane at Liberty Station
Breakfasts at Pipes in Cardiff, Ki’s in Cardiff, Fig Tree Cafe in Pacific Beach
Spa and health day and/or staycation at Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa in Rancho Santa Fe
Kayaking, jet skiing, paddle boarding in the Carlsbad Lagoon, Mission Bay, San Diego Bay
Beach walks and/or hiking in Torrey Pines, Cabrillo, Mt. Woodson
Sunset beach yoga on Sunset Cliffs in Point Loma
Bike rides through Coronado
SeaWorld, The Zoo, Birch Aquarium, Balboa Park

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
SO many people, athletes, coaches, and business owners/entrepreneurs, throughout the entire gymnastics, cheer, dance, CrossFit, weightlifting, powerlifting, tactical, strength and conditioning, and financial business worlds have supported, inspired, and encouraged me to continue to follow my dreams and goals, to continue to dream new dreams and set new goals, and to continue to push on, rise above, and overcome while remaining steadfast and consistent through grit, resiliency, joyfulness, and gratitude.

Website: https://www.nicolezapoli.com

Instagram: @nicolezapoli @_nz_fitness

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicolezapoli

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/nz-fitness-san-diego

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nicolezapoli

Image Credits
Michael Frazier
Picture Flicks
Dan Goodman
Paul Smith
Hank Ford
Kurtis Frasier
Barbell Shrugged