We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Debbie and Donna Lim a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Debbie and Donna thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

Their journey from hardship to hope is a source of inspiration and empowerment for others. The Lim Twins, born to Asian immigrants in Detroit, Michigan, where they faced strict and complex family dynamics. They experienced foster care, homelessness, and other challenges at an early age of 15, but they never gave up on their dreams. This is their story.

They started with a few ideas and this was before cell phones, or any type of social media was around.  Debbie loved to make clothes from scratch, using newspapers as patterns and sewing them by hand. She called her brand “La Shong Designer Wear” and sold them in two malls. Donna helped her sister by modeling her clothes and promoting their business. They did over 200 fashion shows together. Some of Debbie’s clothes even appeared in a movie and a dance show, where the twins also danced on regularly. Donna had a knack for business and both of them had some college degrees, but they learned most of their skills from their own curiosity and drive. They believed that anything was possible with hard work and learning.
Both Donna and Debbie started teaching fitness at a very young age.  By 1989, Donna started Fitness Motivators and Debbie joined in on this venture a few years later.   Although her competitors said it would not work – Donna was the first to design an aerobics and weight training combination exercise program. many decades later, they are still teaching fitness. They offered fitness classes in several communities and corporations – raising the bar on what a quality fitness program should be, and touching the lives of over 10,000 clients and fitness professionals. The also had a successful fitness DVD “Z-Box Fitness” in 2012-2013 and produced it in Detroit. They are known as “The Lim Twins” in the fitness industry.

With Debbie’s creative side and Donna’s business side, they both work together in promoting Debbie’s art and photography.  Debbie\s art and photos have been in a few galleries, art shows and solo shows. Her next solo show is coming up for the city of Novi, for the month of March, 2024.  Debbie concentrates on wildlife and “Feng Shui Art” (Feng shui is an ancient Chinese art of the arrangement of things in our space to achieve harmony, positive energy, and balance).

Regardless of where they came from, both continue to keep a positive attitude and they believe that anything is possible with determination and resilience. Never give up, no matter what your age is! You need to stay focused in everything that you do. The desire to achieve, with hard work is the key.

Debbie and Donna, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Throughout their lives, Donna and Debbie had unique qualities of helping others and genuinely caring hearts. It is surprising how both of them kept so positive even when they would be beaten so badly from their step-father where they could not move, endless brainwashing of how “fat, stupid, ugly, etc.” they were, to having a childhood full of torture and pain, being locked up in closets for many days or hours, to not being truly happy, and struggling with the demons in their heads. Most people would have turned to drugs or alcohol, but Donna and Debbie persevered and was determine to not allow things that were out of their control to dictate there lives. They did not want to be a statistic, but women to make a positive impact in people’s lives.

It took them the determination to succeed in anything they did. If they did not know a subject, they will learn more about it on their own. Nowadays we all have the internet and social media. We could learn from YouTube videos. Back then you had to depend on yourself and only the material that was in front of you. If you failed once, you pick up and try again.

Debbie and Donna love to share their passions for fitness and art with others. They have online fitness classes that you can join from anywhere, or you can meet them in person in Novi, MI, starting in the spring. Debbie as the artist and Donna as her partner, wants to expand their reach and showcase Debbie’s work in different states.

The twins are always driven and determined to pursue their dreams. But the best thing about them is their bond. They cherish being twins and having each other more than anything else.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Donna and Debbie are well-known and respected in the fitness world. They have been helping people get fit and healthy for over 43 years, and they have worked with more than 10,000 clients. They had an award-winning local cable fitness show for 16 years. Before the pandemic, they are now offering fitness classes on their own virtually and in person, (they had a loyal team of group fitness instructors who had been with them for over two decades).  Many of their class participants have been with them for more than 20 years.

Having a good reputation is essential in any field you are in. You need to be reliable, knowledgeable, curious and focused. Donna and Debbie also apply this to their art/photos promotion. They know that not everyone will like their fitness style or their art, but the important thing is to stay focused and do your best at whatever you do.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Donna and Debbie are resilient people who faced many hardships in their lives. They suffered from physical, mental, and emotional pain because of their abusive childhood. But they never gave up on themselves or their dreams. They always bounced back with optimism and courage. They worked hard to overcome their challenges and to heal their wounds. They kept their eyes on the positive aspects of life.

Please note:  Sometimes life is very hard, but if you try to keep your goal in focus, that will be a great start.  There will be a few setbacks, it happens to all of us and it is okay to let go and work on that emotion, but make sure you quickly come back to your reality and get back on track!  Debbie and Donna learned from their youth and what they know now… a lot of the things we used to waste our time on, we thought were important… it was not. They learned that your choices you make in your life will be the only thing you can work on and change if needed. You can not or should not expect others to change for you.

You have a journey, a goal, and a new Chapter of your life to work on…. those are your choices and make those choices matter!

The Lim Twins will continue on their journey with fitness, art/photography, and wellness. They are planning to start a Channel “Hanging on a Lim”, where they will concentrate on the everyday lives of Asian Identical Twins, who happens to be funny, interesting, and probably old enough to be your mother or grandmother, ( let’s keep it at “sisterhood from another mother”).  A Hollywood producer had them sign a non-compete agreement a few years ago for this same reason… so why not do it now on our own??!

See ya around and keep your head held high.  This is the only life we’ve got, so make sure your choices in life matter!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://debbielim.com and https://fitnessmotivators.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_debbielim_ and
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/artbydebbielim and https://www.facebook.com/fitnessmotivatorsLLC
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/LimTwins