Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and fitness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Luis Vargas, Founder of World Record Fitness, located in The Woodlands, TX, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

My purpose is to inspire people to age well and healthy by helping them realize their own personal potential that they may not even know they have. In my late 30s, I had a severe spine illness that required major spine surgery (fusion) that prevented me from lifting weights ever again. So, I developed a unique spine-friendly strength & conditioning fitness program that allowed me to achieve 20x fitness Guinness World Records in my 50s (as recent as January 2022) and be in the best shape of my life at 55 years old.

I made this program available through a digital app called World Record Fitness which provides a comprehensive fitness program on the go. The program is bodyweight-only; therefore can be done anywhere and anytime as it does not require special equipment or a large space. The program works for almost everyone, but my target is mostly busy people that have little time, motivation, fitness knowledge, or space to dedicate a few minutes of the day to their physical and mental wellbeing.

My World Record Fitness program only requires 30 minutes 5 days a week. It uses different training methods depending on the personal needs of the client and was already proven effective in a corporate setting while on my last corporate job with my teams in Africa, Milan, London, and Houston (see testimonials on my website) during the COVID pandemic.

Tell us about yourself

I spent more than 25 years in corporate America and realized how difficult it is for many people to maintain a healthy lifestyle while dealing with family and busy corporate careers. I also noticed that many people started losing “hope” and giving up on what many think is the natural life progression that after your late 40s and 50s, health and body functionality starts to degrade.

I refused to accept that fact and set out to demonstrate that we can actually be in the best shape of our lives in our 50s and beyond. So, at 50, I beat my first two world records in front of a live audience at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, and since then, I have beaten 18 more records, again in Vegas, Africa, Texas, and Massachusetts, with the latest, at a Guinness World Records event in January 2022, where I beat eight records in three days!

I also have an MBA, am a certified personal trainer and strength & conditioning coach, life coach, a world-traveled snowboarder, experienced skydiver with more than 500 jumps and a 3rd-degree black belt in TaeKwondo, and last but not least, a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) working as a volunteer to advocate and protect the wellbeing of abused and neglected children in foster care.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I am a new business owner since my app was launched in August 2022, but so far, I would say, it has been to able to be consistent and faithful to my belief that we can realize our best potential later in life and prove through 5 years of fitness record-braking that the impossible is possible if we truly believe in it and work hard to get it.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

I would say there is uncertainty and the fact that I am on my own. No corporate salary comes every two weeks to pay the bills and keep my family thriving.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Really know and understand the business and industry you are in.
  2. Ensure that your product is relevant, familiar, and unique.
  3. Amazing results require amazing efforts. Never give up, and be consistent and disciplined in your approach to success. It may take time, but it will come if you follow these three simple tips.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Yes, a tip I learned while beating all those world records. I did not beat those world records because I am the strongest person on earth, nor because of my faithful discipline and consistency. I beat them because I was willing to endure more pain than anyone else, trying to do them by going beyond what my body felt my limits were. Every time I train, and on every record attempt, my body basically tells me I am done at about 60%-70% of the effort. It is my will and focuses on the rewards that take me through that extra 30%-40% of effort and pain. Remember, in anything you do, when you think you can’t take it anymore, you usually have 30%-40% more in you until you are really done.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.worldrecordfitness.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/worldrecordfitness
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/worldrecordsfitness/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luisavargas/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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