We recently had the chance to connect with Jon Cruz and have shared our conversation below.
Jon, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
True joy for me isn’t tied to numbers or milestones — it’s when I’m with my family, laughing about nothing. Those are the moments that reset everything.
As an entrepreneur, it’s easy to live in constant motion — solving problems, chasing growth, carrying the weight of what you’ve built. Over time, that noise starts to bury the simple things that actually make you feel alive.
Every now and then, though, something breaks through — a joke at the dinner table, my girls being goofy, a laugh with my wife that reminds me why we started any of this in the first place. That’s joy. That’s the real ROI — the return on what truly matters.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Jon Cruz, co-founder of HIIT Logic — a Central Oregon-based fitness brand built on one simple idea: health should be personal, powerful, and community-driven.
Our mission has always been bigger than workouts. HIIT Logic was born from the belief that training should prepare you not just for the gym, but for life. Every class we design is rooted in what we call the ‘HIIT Logic 7’ — the seven foundational movements every human needs to move well, live strong, and stay healthy for the long haul.
What makes us unique isn’t just our programming — it’s our people. We’ve built an ecosystem that blends small-town community with big-picture purpose. From youth athletes chasing dreams to parents rediscovering their strength, to local business owners and first responders who train side by side — HIIT Logic has become the place where effort meets belonging.
Right now, we’re expanding through affiliate partnerships in communities like Prineville and Sisters, Oregon, creating opportunities for passionate local leaders to bring our model of fitness and connection to their own towns.
At the end of the day, HIIT Logic is about building stronger humans and stronger communities. We’re not just another gym — we’re a movement built for life.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
The moment that changed how I see the world was when my daughters were born. Before that, everything revolved around the grind—revenue, growth, and chasing what I thought success looked like.
But the truth is, they never cared about net revenue or projections. They just knew whether Dad was around. That perspective changed everything for me. It made me realize that building a life worth living isn’t about the size of the paycheck, it’s about the moments you can’t put a price on.
Now, I measure success by impact—on my family, my community, and the people I get to lead through HIIT Logic. My girls reminded me there’s nothing more valuable than showing up.
Do you remember a time someone truly listened to you?
I’m not sure anyone ever really has. People hear the noise — the energy, the drive, the ideas — but rarely the quiet underneath it. I’ve spent most of my life feeling unheard, but somewhere along the way, I realized maybe I wasn’t meant to be listened to… maybe I was meant to inspire.
Because even if no one ever truly sat down and saw the full picture of me, I’ve watched people move because of something I said or built. I’ve seen them chase their own thing a little harder. That’s its own kind of being heard — when your actions speak so loud that people start writing their own stories because of them.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
The biggest lie in the fitness industry is that it’s supposed to be “look at me.”
Everywhere you scroll, it’s someone flexing, someone talking about themselves, someone trying to prove how much they know or how hard they work. But no one’s listening—because that’s not where the magic lives.
The truth is, the real power is in “look at we.”
It’s in the athletes grinding through 6AM sessions before their day. It’s in the members who show up after long days because they want to feel better, live longer, and lead stronger. It’s in the community that keeps showing up for each other.
Once you understand it’s bigger than you, your business practices start to fall in place—your culture changes, your message sharpens, and your impact grows.
At HIIT Logic, the secret sauce isn’t the coach on camera, it’s the people in the room. The sweat, the laughter, the accountability—that’s what’s worth showing.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: When do you feel most at peace?
For me, peace doesn’t come from quiet — it comes from presence. It’s when Katie’s next to me, the girls are laughing in the background, and for a second, the world slows down just enough to remind me what it’s all for.
I spend so much of my life building — businesses, teams, athletes, communities — but real peace is in those small, unplanned moments. Watching Ana and Ava play, hearing Katie’s laugh cut through the noise of the day… that’s when everything makes sense again.
It’s not about escape. It’s about alignment. When my purpose, my people, and my heart all line up — that’s peace.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.hiitlogic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiitlogic
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hiitlogic
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