Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Elyse Valdes. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Elyse , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Being a business owner can be really hard sometimes. It’s rewarding, but most business owners we’ve spoken sometimes think about what it would have been like to have had a regular job instead. Have you ever wondered that yourself? Maybe you can talk to us about a time when you felt this way?
I am extremely happy and grateful to be a business owner, but I’d be lying if I said I never thought of going the conventional route. When I was in college at Florida International University, I struggled with deciding my career path. I always knew my true passion, but I was afraid of what others might think. What if the business fails? What if people talk badly about me? What if I wasn’t successful?
I looked fear in the face and leaped. At 21 years old, I opened up my own business, Fitventures LLC. It’s been almost 3 years since, and I couldn’t be more proud of the progress I’ve made and the community I’ve built. Working a 9 am-5 pm job was never for me. I realize now that God has given me a unique gift to uplift others through movement. Even though my career path turned out very different from most, I’m confident it’s the right path for me.
Elyse , 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?
Elyse Valdes is a Certified Personal Trainer and fitness entrepreneur best known for her fun, energetic workouts, contagious energy, and daily motivation. When the global pandemic hit, she motivated her online community to keep moving and prioritize their overall health by providing live community workouts. What started as a weekly meetup via IG quickly grew into a community of strong, like-minded empowered women. Elyse strives to help others become the best version of themselves: mind, body, soul. She inspires her community to live a healthy balanced lifestyle by sharing her knowledge on exercise and nutrition.
Born and raised in Miami, Florida, Elyse grew up with a very active lifestyle centered around constant outdoor activity and adventure. She also participated in many team sports, such as track, pole vaulting, and cheerleading. It was a culmination of all these moments that sparked her love for fitness. At 22, Elyse graduated with her communications/marketing degree from Florida International University and began working full-time on expanding her business, Fitventures.
Fitness Trainer, Elyse Valdes, offers personal training, group fitness, community workout events, content creation, and fitness modeling. Elyse designs each workout with your unique goals in mind and caters to all fitness levels. Her electric teaching style will leave you feeling strong, energized, and empowered from the inside out!
Elyse designed a 30-day workout program, “Beach Bum Plan,” and has hosted workout events for Swim Week 2022, Virginia Tech University, and Florida International University. She has also worked with reputable brands such as Adidas, Fabletics, TLF, and RSP Nutrition. Elyse expresses, “I hope to inspire others to feel strong and confident in their skin through exercise, fueling foods, self-care, and community.”
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
I created a platform on IG to share the things I love like challenging workouts, delicious recipes, and my travels/daily adventures. Over quarantine, I hosted live workouts on my IG which brought so many like-minded empowering people together. I realized the impact I was making and was committed to showing up daily, for others, and myself. I feel so blessed to have a platform where I can inspire and connect with other people, but I will say building an audience on social media hasn’t always been a smooth ride. It’s easy to fall into the mindset of comparison, especially when you are only seeing the highlight reels of other people’s lives/businesses.
I would tell anyone who is just starting to focus on the community you are creating and the impact you are making. At the end of the day, what truly matters to me is helping others. Staying true to myself and my values, and being consistent, has allowed me to build trust with my community.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
Having reputable credentials as a NASM Certified Personal Trainer and Performance Enhancement Specialist is something I’m extremely proud of. As a fitness coach, you should provide your clients with workouts that are safe but effective, and specific to their unique goals. Sharing my client’s transformations and hearing their testimonies motivate others to want to do the same for themselves. I’m a strong believer that consistency is key in anything you do. As a personal trainer, I consistently show up for my clients. Every time a client trains with me, in person, or online, they KNOW they are about to get in a fun workout that makes them feel strong and accomplished. This has allowed me to build their trust and create meaningful relationships.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.fitventureswithe.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fitventures_with_e/
- Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/elyse-valdes-394863233
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyKfWYG-ogLmNhXqquEX2Pw
- Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fitventures_with_e?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc Linktree: https://linktr.ee/fitventures_with_e Email: [email protected]
Image Credits
Photography by Tatiana Torres and Alessandro Martino