How Devan Gonzalez Transformed Challenges into Fitness Success

Devin's journey is one of perseverance , passion and purpose and , if you're anything like me , you'll walk away feeling truly inspired . So buckle up and get ready for an incredible ride with entrepreneur Devin Gonzalez . Welcome to Journey with Jake .

This is a podcast about adventure and how , through our adventures , we can overcome the challenges of life that come our way . While I expect you will learn some things about different adventures , this show will entertain you . Each episode will feature different guests or guests as they share experiences and stories from the different adventures they have been on .

Not only will you be entertained , but you'll also hear the failures and trials each guest faces and what they have done or are doing to overcome the hardships that come their way . My goal is to take each of us on a journey through the experiences of my guests , with the hope that you'll be entertained and inspired to overcome your day-to-day challenges .

After all , it's not all about the destination as it is about the journey . Hey everyone , welcome back to this bonus episode of Journey with Jake . I'm your host , jake Bushman , and it was an absolute honor to have Devin Gonzalez on the show with me .

We'll be back to our regular Thursday episode soon , starting with Jorge Salas-Guevara this week , but in the meantime , sit back and enjoy this special bonus episode with Devin . I've got Devin Gonzalez with me here today . Devin , welcome to .

But before we dive into all that , I want to know just a little bit about your background , kind of maybe where you're from , where you grew up , that sort of thing .

I just realized this earlier when I was talking to someone that I had a rule with my parents that they didn't make my other brothers do and that was essentially with sports . I had to try a sport at least one time and if I didn't like it then I didn't have to do it after that . But it wasn't like you go try it and play one time .

It was a season I had to try . I've done everything , from like tennis to , you know , fencing , to martial arts , you know the whole nine . I remember even with like fencing , my mom was I won a little trophy in the competition and I was like I hate this and she was like you got first place .

I was like I hate it , I tried it , I don't want to do it again , don't make me do this Right , but I mean that was one of those things where they made me try everything and that led into me .

Getting into martial arts , you know , even though I didn't like it in the beginning , I got coached and , you know , ended up loving it , became a martial arts instructor at the age of 13 . And that was really the initial ball rolling for me of finding my passion , or my calling card , unbeknownst to me at the time .

That led me into getting into personal training , switching my college major from business management to kinesiology .

Going into opening up my own personal training company , where I mean , I was a solopreneur but still it is a company helping launch a prep school for middle-aged basketball athletes , and then eventually opening up my own personal , you know , gym bootcamp style . It's called Strive , love and Fitness and we just launched the franchise model of that last year .

In the midst of all that , you know , I just launched my my book Money Muscle Mindset as well , which was Amazon bestseller .

and like you said you , you had to stick with something , you couldn't just quit . I'm guessing that wasn't that way for your brothers , right ? Your younger brothers didn't have to , didn't have that same rule that they had to follow .

And then my youngest brother was definitely the baby of the family , you know , since I was already doing martial arts and stuff , they didn't make him do too many sports and you know he gravitated towards the martial arts already and they're like look , you found , you found what you like , that's fine . Well , you're , we're cool with it .

And that was because , you know , they were getting my middle brother to do it and they convinced me that I needed to be the role model you know , show him that , you know he needs to go , whether he wants to or not .

And so I , you know , put my big brother pants on and I was like , okay , like you know , we're going today , like we got to do it , you know . In that , you know , is when I really started to really like it .

But I mean , the two main sports I think I liked was martial arts and competing in martial arts and then rugby was probably my two favorite , both tough sports Got to be tough to be in .

I didn't like I mean , as a kid you either do or you don't I didn't really like the fighting aspect of it , like I didn't like getting punched in the face Not that I do now , but it was one of those things where I was always the younger kid in the older kid class , right , and so I was too old to be the young kid class and I was too young to be

in the older one . But you know , you naturally get moved up , just get punked on and , you know , beat up a little bit in that older group class . So I think for me it was my dad saw , you know what was happening and taking advice from your parents , you always , you know , view it a little bit differently than an outside source .

So he hired one of , like , my favorite coaches at the gym and he also brought in some of my friends that were he was a police officer , so some friends that were you know SWAT and you know military and stuff to you know coach me . You know , even though he was saying the same stuff he , you stuff it was different when someone else said it .

So my coach , who's a boxing coach and a jujitsu coach , at the studio he would literally be on top of me telling me all these different things , more than just the technique and how to do things , but sending me quotes or sending me different mindset reframes , and I didn't know it at the time .

But it was starting to turn that light bulb on and it was flickering and then all of a sudden I went for a belt ceremony like a testing he . I remember he whispered , you know , in my ear one of the quotes that he said . It was the Teddy Roosevelt you know one about . You know how no one on the outside can really judge the person that's in the ring .

And I , all of a sudden he was like what are you going to be ? And I was like , all of a sudden I was like , all right , let's do it . You know he's like you've already been knocked out , you've already been hurt . He's like what , either you're going to fight and you get hurt , or you don't fight and you still get hurt .

He's like you might as well just fight . And I was like , yeah know , eight to . I was probably . I think I was 13 at times . The other kid was probably 15 . It looked like two UFC fighters that just finished their fight . Afterwards that blood gushing and everything , and it was just like all of a sudden I was like , oh man , there's my self-confidence .

Cause I feel like for me I love hearing that's why I'm glad I have you on the show today , cause I love hearing about mindset and things like that and I think it's taken me a while later in life to kind of really realize you know , hey , the importance of of these quotes and these things you know , to kind of get my mind in the right place .

So I think that's pretty neat that you kind of were were getting fed that at such a young age . Maybe you didn't know what it was , maybe it was just kind of , but it was it did something for you .

And later in life , diving into , into fitness and diving into mindset and all these other things , even into the entrepreneurial space , all that stuff now started to make sense on reframing and looking at it from a different perspective and all these aspects , and it's like oh , wow , like that's .

They knew what they were trying to do and they knew they're going to achieve it . It was almost like a mental , like psychology , you know , twist on it .

stuff like that , right , and it was one of those things where that was a testament to what they're saying . But it's just naturally one of the things that I'm able to communicate and get on someone's level and view things from their perspective and make it make sense to them .

Because it's like majority of the time I've been in your shoes to a degree , right , so it's like relating it in a way . But at 13 , I was teaching three-year-old to five-year-olds the little we used to call them little ninjas . You know , all the way up to you know grown adults .

Like I was running like the cardio kickboxing class with grown adults at the age of 13 . And I mean I was a little bit more mature for my age , but still it's a 13 year old . Like you know , they're not 18 , 19 , 21 . Like majority of people could be like , okay , like there's a kid teaching me right now .

The demand for respect in that initial authority was already kind of set when I would walk on the floor and not take excuses and so forth from grown adults . It's like you're here to get better yourself , like we're going to do it , like I don't care if you cry , I don't care if you , whatever you're like we're going to do it .

Like you know , you kind of when you have kids that are younger or whatever you kind of can see , okay , yeah , I'm the older kid , I'm the teenager here , they're just the , you know , five or six year old . But when you've got an adult in there , you know that's going to be a little bit intimidating , it sounds like that didn't , didn't phase

you .

So there's months that you know I would be assisting the class and so one , the people are getting used to me , I'm getting used to teaching adults and so forth , just correcting form and motivating and so forth , from like not behind the scenes , but you know , from the side a little bit .

And then all of a sudden I needed it was the main coach wasn't there , he was sick or something . So I had to step in for that one class and I was like , okay , it wasn't like anything different than I was already doing . You know , it's just , it's my time , right , and I've been in the shoes where I didn't want to work out .

I've been in the shoes where I was you know it didn't want to do some of the exercises because it was painful . So it's like not being a drill sergeant but also not being I've never been one of those like fluffy , like raw , raw kind of trainers .

I think , as weird as it is , a lot of people resonate with that more than that like Energizer , bunny trainer , that's just , you know , motivating and pumping you up in your ear nonstop . It's like you came here for a reason , like I'm going to help you achieve what you want .

Like I'm not going to yell at you , I'm not going to scream at you , but at the end of the day , you're not going to make excuses either . We're going to get through this together .

I did not want to do it and I remember messaging him partway through it my leg was hurting or something . I was kind of like , oh man , I'm just not . And he messaged me back immediately and was like , hey , you went out there to do these miles , get the miles in . I love that . I still appreciate that about him , that he was able to do that with me .

And he's great about mindset too . That's why , again , I'm excited to talk to you about that . So how do you think you made ? Or I guess maybe why or how ? I guess both why fitness , why a career with fitness ?

And I remember being 12 or it was the 11 or 12 . It was a year before I could go to the gym , right , and I really wanted to go to the gym but I wasn't old enough yet , and so I was taking down notes and I was watching the videos and taking notes and then working out with what equipment I did have at my house or my uncle's house .

Finally I was able to go to the gym and I was that annoying kid that was going around and asking every buff guy or even girl , like I didn't care gender , I was like . I was like yo , you have muscles , I'm trying to get those Right . And so I'd walk around that , hey , what does that do ?

And then sometimes they would kind of try to brush you off , and then I would just watch and then like be doing the movements , like feeling like my muscle , and then trying to figure out what it's doing , and then they would realize I'm serious . So then they would , you know , usually like , oh , you're serious , like yeah , so then they're like , okay , cool .

And then they would tell me what it did . I would write it wasn't the muscle group of the day that led me into , you know , building my self-confidence even more on a physical standpoint , you know , from strength , but just appearance and everything .

And then getting into personal training was one of those transitions from martial arts instructor , because this martial arts studio didn't align with my college schedule . So it was like , obviously I not going to quit college , so I had to make that decision .

And I was like , okay , well , I did a different job , worked at retail for less than a year , and I was like this is not me . And then the gym I was working at or work out at , they had a hiring sign and I applied for it and I called and it was a VP of the area and he was like how serious are you about this ?

He's like meet me at the gym in 30 minutes . And I was like , damn , I live 30 minutes away . And so I just threw on my professional looking clothes , didn't even have a suit or anything Showed up and I was like sorry for the appearance . I live 30 minutes away , so he's like awesome . He's like did a little interview .

He's like show me how bad you want it If you show up to Costa Mesa tomorrow , we're opening a new location . Be there at 6 am . I was like you got it . Didn't even know where Costa Mesa was Right , and I was like I'll be there at 6 am . Get home , tell my dad . I was like I got the job . He's like where I was like Costa Mesa .

He's like you know where that is . And I was like no , he's pretty much near San Diego . And I was like I have to be there at 6 AM . And he was like , well , you're , you better be leaving early . And so I showed up 6 AM . The VP was super impressed . He was like you know , you can work out today , do your thing , but yeah , you start tomorrow at 8 .

At the gym , you know I'll see you there . I was like all right , cool Doing that . And seeing people and teaching people just about general fitness that I knew I wasn't certified or anything like that .

And so just seeing their initial like self-belief and self-confidence and then pride of the results that they get , you know , it was one of those almost natural highs is the best way I can put it Seeing like you can't get it from anything else .

Going to college , I chose business management because that's like pretty much like an undecided major , and then realized that there was a study called kinesiology , which was the study of human movement , and I was like this is super interesting , I can learn this , I don't have to sit through accounting anymore . I was like switch , you know .

And then that led me to . Even though I was doing kinesiology , I still saw personal training as like a college job and I was like you know what ? Like this fits around my schedule , it's perfect . But you know , I need a career . So my parents say I needed a career . So I was trying to become a firefighter through that whole time .

And then it was like actual time to , you know , got EMT certified and everything . And I was like do I really want to become an EMT to ? Or you're like , and you already built up a business , you know , and not officially yet , but you could be something serious with this .

And I was like I thought about it for a couple of days and I was like , yeah , I can't do a firefighter Like . It's just not me Like , and though full in on , you know , went private and did my own thing for personal training , grew up the clientele and you know that's when I really got my you know dive into the cold water and learning entrepreneurship .

There's a lot of business acumen that has to go into this and that's something I struggle with . I mean , you got to be a salesman somewhat to get people to want to work with you . Tell me a little bit about that . How did you I mean , how did you get these clienteles ?

Was it just from the people that you met working at the gym and just kind of spread the word that way ? How did you do it ?

I I I'm big on understanding things and really diving in , so , like YouTube , university is huge for me and Google , and then I'll buy textbooks and not be in school . That's just who I am . I don't like reading fiction . I'd rather learn about people that are successful and figure out how they did it , and so I was watching a lot of sales .

I never got traditional sales training . I would watch people that I aspired to be , watch their sales videos , buy books and everything that , and just take notes , try stuff . It didn't work , try something else didn't work , try it again . All of a sudden you start to find your way with things .

But then when I did take that full leap in , it was all due to a disagreement between me and the owner of the gym that he wanted to move me for to a different location , which I needed to be a you know , primarily a Spanish speaker and my Spanish is okay , but not to the degree of being able to sell and personal train . So I was like you know what ?

I quit , I'm not doing this . And he said wait , wait , wait . And I was like no , no , no , I quit . Even if you put that on the table and put that as a threat . I was like this was just the push I needed . And so I remember quitting and calling my girlfriend who's now my wife at the time and I was like you know , I quit . She said quit what ?

And I was like I quit my job . And she's like so what are you going to do ? And I was like well , I'm going to personal train , that I'm going to start my own personal training business . And she said how are you going to and she's like you know stand in front of the grocery store and sell personal training before I go to work for someone else again .

And then she already knew she's seen my work ethic and it was one of those things where it wasn't a matter of if I was going to build a business or be successful , it's just when . So that's my whole thing is like if I want something , it's not a matter of , if it's just a matter of when it'll be achieved .

There's all kinds of things and I know something that says on your on your profile , and it's kind of has to do with this , but it says breaking limits , building legacies , inspiring greatness .

So I feel like breaking limits is a big part of what you did , where you're just like I'm not going to work for anybody else again , I'm just going to do this , and you just you broke that limit . Talk to me a little bit about breaking limits , because I feel like that's what you did .

Maybe I'm not reading that right , but that's what I feel like you did .

So , even like my book , the first chapter and the last chapter are about mindset and it's to symbolize if you can believe in something , if you know you can do it and you have that self-confidence in yourself , anything is possible . But the moment that you stop believing in yourself , it becomes impossible .

With that drive or that self-belief , that self-confidence , it's built through repetition you telling yourself you're going to go to the gym today and you don't feel like it later in the day , but you still go either way and that .

So you start to believe that anything you tell yourself , anything that you say you're going to do , you do , because every time you've done it in the past it happens , let's say , for business . And you know , for any of those things , those limiting beliefs , majority of the time it all starts from external sources .

You know your parents telling you that you need to get a job . You know someone saying that you shouldn't start a podcast or your podcast isn't going to be a huge thing , and it's like you could take that in and take it at face value and believe that . Or you could be like , okay , you know , just watch right .

For my thing is like I like taking the path least traveled . You know , being a trainer , how many trainers say they're going to open a gym ? Almost every single one of them at one point . And then it's like actually opening a gym , right .

And now , from the ones that actually opened a gym , it's like how many of them have actually taken it and franchised it into a successful franchise , right ?

So it's like taking that next level and taking the hard path , because it does have an impact on more lives and that's my biggest core value , but also not just taking the easy right out for me and just settling when I know I could achieve more .

So tell me a little bit about that whole getting your own gym and then the franchising thing and tell and it's strive 11 , right , is that the name ?

I was either going to buy into a franchise or do something . I didn't have the idea or concept of Strive 11 yet and I was like you know what , I'll figure this out by myself .

That was the frustration of five years , of not working out time and time again and getting back up , dusting myself off and then going to the next one , and so I ended up training who's now my business partner . I did . I helped him out for a body building competition and it was one of those things where it was just helping him out .

I didn't you know , he didn't pay me as a client or anything like that . It was just , you know , I knew him in the gym and just wanted to help him out . I told him I was like you know what ? I in the gym and just wanted to help him out . I told him I was like you know what , I'll help you out free of charge , as long as you know everyone else .

I've watched you ask other people and get turned down that are actually in the bodybuilding scene and I was like we'll all work with you , but the moment you start seeing results , they're going to come in and ask you to basically coach you . I was like the moment that you allow that , I was like I'm out . I was like I'm out .

I was like I'm not being one of 10 cooks in the kitchen just because they want the recognition of you stepping on stage . I was like I can care less . I was like but at the same time , I'm not going to do this for free and help you out . And then you didn't flip it on me and so he was like okay , I'm with it .

He's like that makes a hundred percent sense . So that was really a test of his loyalty and his word as well , as it was a demonstration of his work ethic , because I wasn't training him like a normal client , but I would text him what to do for the day and he had a normal job at . He worked at a hospital .

He would show up at 8 PM at night and I would be there training clients and I would see him looking at his phone , seeing what he has to do and then getting it done . He would look exhausted before the workout even started , yet he still just did what he needed to do and I was like , oh , that's awesome , he did his show and everything .

And a little while later I found out that he was starting to do personal training and working for a bootcamp who's now one of our competitors , and I was like I reached out and I was like , look , I was like you're trying to do what I already did . I'm trying to take the next level and I would rather do this with someone that I am aligned with .

And you and I get along well . You're a super good dude . Pitch them the vision to these bootcamps in between our sessions , because clients don't typically pay for , you know , everyday training , but they need that coaching and the majority of them won't follow . You know an email or a text , like you know he did .

So it was like , okay , go to a group class , go to a bootcamp , do something in between . And they would do it . And over the years I always heard the same complaints the class times didn't work out . You know the class times are over , always overbooked , the membership is crazy expensive and I get hit with these .

You know late fees if I don't show up to the class , because you know my mom died , whatever the case is like . There was just you know , same things and I was like it's weird that these different models all run the same and but yet they're . You know they promote that they do different things .

But I'm looking at them , they all do the same thing , just different logo , different paint . And I was like all right . So then I started , you know , one day , with my ADHD brain , just let it run . All of a sudden that was like the initial , you know , 1.0 version of Stripe . So our model essentially is a bootcamp style model .

We have no class times , so you can come in during our operating hours just like a big box gym , like an LA Fitness 24 hour fitness , something like that . But once you walk in the doors you get the same energy , the same environment like you would in these bootcamp classes .

The difference as well is that the 11 , even though majority of people think there's some metaphor or analogy behind the 11 , it's because we have 11 stations .

The stations change every single day depending on the muscle split , and then the muscle splits also change every day of the week as well , so that you're not doing , let's say , monday is not always chest and back , it always switches up , because people do get in routines and I want to make sure that people get a full body's workout every single time .

You know they accomplish their weekly workouts . Each station could be made easier or harder depending on the person's fitness level . So it's like you get the flexibility of a big box gym so you fit busy schedules , you get that energy and that motivation in . You know coaching from the trainers and everything like a bootcamp .

Yet you get the customization of having a personal trainer . So we've been able to broaden the demographic from a traditional bootcamp demographic to a full spectrum from 13 to seven .

Your schedule is the dictator of this , not our schedule . So our bottle can be our workout . Same membership . You can do a 30 minute version today , a 47 minute version tomorrow , you know , all the way upwards of a 75 minute version . And the difference is we have a warm-up station , which is usually two exercises , not timed or anything .

Once you're done with the warm-up , you hop in . The trainers will put you into one of the 11 stations . All the 11 stations are going off a singular timer that rotates every roughly two minutes , a little over two minutes , with a 30-second rest in between . So you're not waiting on anyone , no one's waiting on you , and it just keeps the flow moving .

You can do one round , which is 30 minutes . You can do up to two rounds , which is an hour , and then , once you're done with your rounds or any combinations of the rounds . Then you go to the ab station or cool down station , just like the warmup , not timed . Two exercises , stretch out and you're on your way , and 75 minutes if everything is complete .

Next day you come in . You're like I only got 30 minutes Cool . Just do a light stretch . When you're ready , hop in on the next station and then do one round . You're in , you're out .

But when you see somebody who's coming in who may be struggling with their fitness , and then you see them making that change and you see them developing and you see them progressing you said that gave you like a dopamine hit or whatever . Give me a couple of examples of that and why that's so impactful to you .

I mean , we're not doing the work , right ? Right , they're doing the work , but giving them the information and the guidance and the motivation to basically transform their life and they'll forever remember that . And you can .

You know , you could remember back to one of your grade school teachers and that just stood out from the rest , being able to be that for someone else , it . There is no other feeling like it and knowing that now that person has an indirect ripple effect on , let's say , anywhere from one to 10 more people that I've watched them do that transformation .

They're now trying to better themselves , so we had an indirect impact on their lives and , same thing , it's the spider web of it , right , that is . It's one of the most rewarding feelings seeing someone so excited to tell you .

It's almost like a little kid coming home and showing their parents you know , I got an A plus and then putting it on a fridge , right , and so seeing a client come in and show us their before and

after and be like , hey , can I show you something real quick and show us the picture , like , dude , like that's so awesome , right , and like seeing them light up , it's like there's no better feeling than that . That's one of those things where I knew that personal training I could only do that with my schedule .

I was already overbooked and it was like the only way to really spread that . It was like to create a model or create a gym where I can continue doing it at scale . And now , even with our franchisees , even though I might not be the owner of that actual location the whole product and the whole service , everything about it that is changing people's lives .

I'm having an indirect impact on their lives as well .

So I mean , I still go to , like you know , our corporate one , and every now and then I just did this past weekend I did the outing , which is , you know , we did a hike and it was like just to get people outside the gym and do something together , like I actually did the hike with them , as much as like just training on the floor .

I'm not doing that as much because I have so many different assets and things that I'm doing , but I also get that same rewarding feeling when I'm talking to , let's say , our coaches at our locations and teaching them how to overcome objections and how to learn how to sell , and watching them all of a sudden come in and they haven't ever sold a single thing and

be like dude , I just sold five supplements and I'm like awesome , but run me through it , why did it work this time ? Why didn't it work before ? And then having them explain it and while they're explaining it , I'm watching the light bulb go on in their head because they're they know the answer that .

And then also , even from the franchisee side , my , I'm a I'm a people person and I just need to be able to interact with someone to a degree . Things like this , you know , is still giving me that you know , that same feeling .

So , even though I'm not directly on the floor , everything that I am doing is still interacting with people and trying to leave that imprint on anyone that I can when coming across them in conversation .

And all of a sudden things started taking a dip and I was like what's going on , like ? And he was like I don't know , I'm trying to figure it out and I didn't want to bother you . And I was like well , one bother me , because now I have to take more time , wait to fix this . I was like , but it's , these are easy things .

Like I don't like what I don't get what you don't get . And he was like I didn't know we were , that's what we did . And I was like , thinking back , I was like okay , well , it's common sense . And I didn't tell him that . But then I realized it's only common sense . Common sense is only common to the person that knows it .

That was one of the big things that I had to realize that I can't just expect things to be done a certain way if I haven't created a system or a process to do it , because someone that's never done it before doesn't know how to do it , necessarily Going from a solopreneur running a personal training business to me and my business partner , bootstrapping the first

location with no employees to then having employees and now scaling that to a full team . We have VAs and we have franchisees and they have employees and so forth . It's like now having to manage and learn people on a psychological basis differently to be able to explain it to them so that they can explain it to other people who explain this to other people .

Understanding all those things and still knowing that I don't know everything and having the humility to ask for help . And that's I mean . I'm a part of business networks , I have a franchise advisor and other resources that I do lean on because I know I don't know everything .

You're , you know , breaking limits , inspiring greatness , kind of like . We talked about One thing the middle of that that says it says building legacies . First of all , what is building legacies to you ? And then , how is this relationship with your , with your wife , and I believe you have a , maybe a daughter . I'm not sure if I got that right .

At the end of the day , your legacy is the impact of the lessons and the interactions that you've had with people At your eulogy , the things that people say about you . That's what your legacy is Right . It's not . You know he had the most pull ups . You know , let's say , for David Goggins , you know he broke the pull up record and that's his legacy .

Now , that was maybe one aspect of it . But what happens when the next person breaks it ? Is his legacy gone , right ? It's not . The legacy is everyone that he's inspired from that one action and you know every interaction that he's had with someone . So when you're creating your legacy , it's like what are you leaving here ?

Not not necessarily physically or financially , but what are you leaving back for the rest of the people , right , for your kids , for your wife , you know , for you know our husband depending , you know . And it's like you're also your employees , your team , your , you know customers , just your general circle . That's your legacy .

So every day , even though you may not want to have that , that conversation with someone , someone may want to talk to you but you just don't feel like talking with them . Maybe they're trying to reach out to you , but you just don't feel like talking with them .

Maybe they're trying to reach out to you because you're their shoulder , you're someone that they can , you know , trust , or they look up to you and it's like you may be exhausted , but it's just someone that might be reaching out for help and you're the go-to . That's , that's your legacy .

I've learned over time that you know you need to be present where you are , when you are , meaning that when I'm at home with my daughter and with my wife , like I'm at home with them , like I'm not working , I'm not calling people unless I work from home , and it's still during those hours Like I set time aside for them , right .

And one of the big things that I learned recently , or kind of came to realization recently , was that as an entrepreneur , you build things for your family , right ? You're , you're building a life and you do these things for your life , for them .

But if you don't communicate with them and you're not present with them , you start to lose them in the process of what you're trying to build for them , right . So at the end of the day they look back and they're like we would have rather had you .

That's not to say you can't put in the grind and you can't do all these things , but you need to let them feel included , right .

So even for my wife , for example , she doesn't need to know every fire or every obstacle that we , you know , face , but every now and then I'll , you know , throw her one of the problems , even though I may have the answer already . I just give it to her just to be a soundboard and , you know , let her hear and have her know that I can vent to her .

Then , you know , she'll throw out her opinion and you know all that . Oh , that's awesome . And now she feels like she's a part of it , right , because at the end of the day , this should feel like you guys are growing this together , even though they may not be physically doing any of the things or stressed out about all the stresses of a business .

As far as my daughter , I mean , she's only three , so it's not like , you know , she understands a ton , but she does understand .

Like you know , I have to go to work right now , but then I'm gonna come back so we can play Right and later note that you know I've talked to a bunch of people about this as well and kind of establishing that where it's like hey , dad is going to be super busy for the next , you know , couple of weeks , but then everything like the goal is this right ,

and that's why I'm going to be really busy for in letting them in on what the game plan is . Otherwise , there's two lives to you . There's the entrepreneur and then there's the family person and it's like they need to be blended or else the family is never going to feel like they're a part of the business and that's a part of that side of your life .

You're on two different roads and they're not crossing at all . They're not . You know , there's kind of run in separate ways . So I appreciate you sharing that . I think that's that's really important as we wrap up here . I know you've got a book as well . You mentioned the book .

Tell us a little bit about the book and then where can people find you if they want to look you up and see what , what you got going on with strive 11 and all those good things ?

What can you negotiate ? How do you find your client avatar ? What is an avatar ? Everything that I wish I would have been able to find and get to how to build a gym and make it a reality , what do you need to look up ? You know how do you do these things .

At the end of each chapter , there is a QR code Now , majority of people would make that like lead magnets where people scan it and you have to input your information . I wanted everything to be a straight give .

So when you scan that QR code , it'll take you to a landing page for that one chapter , where you'll get a video of me explaining it more in depth almost have a video podcast and then there's downloadable templates to align with in scripts , to align with what was in the chapter , and then where you can connect with me .

I mean , all my social medias are pretty much the same . You know Devin Gonzalez , but if you can , you can go to my website . You know Devin D-E-V-A-N Gonzalez , g-o-n-z-a-l-e-zcom , and all my social media is the book , the . You know the Strive 11 . Everything is right there , as like a hub of one place .

You know and you know taking those things and scaling them . So in terms of general adventure , I mean trying to scale it , to be , you know , one of the top dogs in the fitness industry is my adventure .

And Devin is spelled D-E-V-A-N , gonzalez spelled G-O-N-Z-A-L-E-Z . And , of course , a big thank you to all of you for tuning into this bonus episode . I'll be back on Thursday with Jorge Salas Guevara talking about the incredible trips he plans . Who knows , maybe you'll want to be part of one , so be sure to tune in .

Just remember , it's not always about the destination as it is about the journey . Take care , everybody .