We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Nicole Zapoli a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Nicole, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How did you get your first job in the field that you practice in today?
When I was around 16-17 years old I was reached out to by one of my former gymnastics academies I had trained at while in competitive artistic gymnastics. They were looking for a coach and director for their cheer and gymnastics programs and wanted to me as their coach! Right around that same time I was also reached out to by a private school to come on board as their national competitive cheer director for both their Junior High JV and High School Varsity squads as well as a young couple who had just started their own gymnastics school as they were also looking for a gymnastics coach and cheer director. Around this exact same time I had also been working to start my own mobile gym offering both in home private training and cheer, gymnastics, and dance at private schools, daycares, etc. with goals of eventually expanding my client base online. Around this time I also auditioned for the NFL Houston Texans Cheerleaders and made the team! I had unique opportunities continually presenting themselves to me in the coaching, cheer, gymnastics, and fitness worlds and it was mostly flattering and also, at times, a bit overwhelming. I was a hard worker, super disciplined, ambitious, caring, passionate about what I did/do and helping others achieve success of their own through those avenues, but at the same time I was also working hard to overcome my quietness, shyness, being a people pleaser, and a perfectionist. Speaking, even coaching something I had trained my entire life and loved helping others do so much, in front of multiple students at once would give me so much anxiety. The more I persisted and consistently showed up while pushing through, facing my anxious feelings the better I became at learning how to deal with my anxiety, the more confident I became with speaking in front of multiple students at a time, and the better coach I grew to be.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
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 NCA 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!
This year I launched my own NZ Fitness curated menu powered by Territory Foods for all your meal prep needs, including home delivery nationwide! Looking forward to launching my next online product featuring body composition measurement, custom nutrition plans, and more, plus a few more new and exciting things in the making to be launched this Spring 2025!
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.
If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?
YES! Doing what I do is my lifelong dream and what I knew I wanted to do since I was a little girl.
Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?
Other than training/knowledge, the most helpful thing for me succeeding in my field has been surrounding myself with amazing, talented, hard working, ambitious, disciplined, intelligent, fun, funny, energetic, supportive people!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.nicolezapoli.com
- Instagram: @nicolezapoli
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicolezapoli
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nicolezapoli
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/nz-fitness-san-diego
Image Credits
Kurtis Fraser
Michael Fraser
Hank Ford
Paul Smith
Clarkebourne Creative
Assault Fitness
Carlsbad Kickboxing Club
Allen Vexler
Dan Goodman
Picture Flicks