Meet Danielle Almeyda

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Danielle Almeyda a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Danielle, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?

I grew up in a family of entrepreneurs and as a competitive athlete. My parents have raised my siblings and I to work hard, and to love people, and constantly reinforced to us that we should always give our best.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I’m a mom, coach, and small business owner who believes movement has the power to change lives — body, mind, and soul. I run Original Strength Institute in Fuquay-Varina, NC, where we help people rediscover how strong, capable, and wonderfully made they really are.

What makes what I do so special is that it’s not just about fitness, it’s about restoration. We see people come in feeling broken, tired, or unsure where to start, and through simple, intentional movement (what we call Pressing RESET), they begin to feel hope again. They start to move with ease, breathe deeper, and carry themselves differently and that change often spills into every other part of life.

Faith is the foundation of everything we do. I truly believe God designed us to move, connect, and live in community, and our gym is a place where that comes to life. We pray for one another, we celebrate wins big and small, and we do life together both inside and outside the gym walls.

Right now, we’re growing in some really exciting ways… over the last year we’ve made undergone a huge space expansion, launching new programs for moms and seniors, and are working on ways to bring our Pressing RESET message to even more people through online courses and community events.

At the end of the day, my biggest hope is that people walk away from what we do feeling seen (and loved), capable, and reminded that they were made on purpose and for a purpose.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Looking back, I’d say the three qualities that have shaped my journey most are: faith, perseverance, and people skills, and I’m still learning more about all three every day.

Faith has been the anchor. Running a business, leading a team, raising a family… it all comes with seasons of uncertainty. My faith has taught me to keep showing up, to trust the process, and to remember that this work isn’t just mine… it’s part of something bigger. For anyone early in their journey, I’d say: stay rooted. Know who you are, and whose you are. That perspective changes everything.

Perseverance is the quiet skill that doesn’t get enough credit. There are a lot of hard days in entrepreneurship and leadership, but I’ve learned that consistency beats intensity every time. You don’t need to have it all figured out, you just need to keep moving forward. Little by little, you’ll look back and see how far you’ve come.

And finally, people skills…. learning how to connect, create relationships, communicate, and care well for others, have been everything. You can have the best systems or training programs in the world, but if you don’t truly care about people, none of it sticks. I’ve learned that leadership is less about being in charge and more about lifting others up. If you focus on serving people, success tends to follow naturally.

My advice? Start with small steps: pray often, stay curious, and surround yourself with people who make you better. You don’t need to be perfect—you just need to keep showing up with purpose and heart.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

I’m always looking to connect with people and organizations who share a heart for helping others move better, live healthier, and feel more whole—whether that’s through fitness, faith, education, or community outreach.

At Original Strength Institute, our local gym here in Fuquay-Varina, collaboration is what makes everything work. We love partnering with other small businesses, churches, and community leaders to host events, wellness programs, and service projects that bring people together and strengthen our town. Whether it’s a First Friday downtown, a charity workout, or a community pickleball night, we believe movement is a beautiful way to build connection.

On the education side, through Original Strength Systems, we teach coaches, trainers, and healthcare professionals around the world how to restore movement and resilience through our Pressing RESET method. We’re always excited to collaborate with gyms, schools, and wellness organizations who want to bring this life-changing approach to their people, whether through courses, workshops, or speaking opportunities.

If someone’s reading this and feels like our missions align—or even if they just have a good idea and a heart for serving others—I’d love to connect. The best way to reach me is on Instagram (@daninicolea) or through our websites: originalstrength.net
and os-institute.com or Osi-online.com.
.

At the end of the day, I believe when good people work together for a good purpose, God multiplies the impact in ways we can’t even imagine.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://originalstrengthinstitute.com
• Instagram: daninicolea
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DaniNicoleAlmeyda/

Image Credits

Dani Almeyda