We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Curtis Rigg. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Curtis below.
Curtis, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
When I was a young kid I had a tragic accident that resulted in nearly losing my arm. I had fallen from a tree, which lead to a compound fracture of my humerus that broke through the artery on its way out. Thus, leaving only a fraction of skin holding the two halves of my arm together.
Doctors insisted on amputation, but we refused.
The doctors continued to warn us that if they do not amputate, that I would have only half a functioning arm regardless.
Now you can only imagine what goes on in a seven year old’s mind when they hear these things.
We still refused
The only reason I am able to type these interview questions with two hands right now instead of one, is because of movement and proper strength training.
Because of this accident in my life and refusing to give in or give up; I have developed an intense passion for the adaptability and resilience of the human body through movement.
Is it perfect? no, of course not. However, aside from the scars; this experience left me with an intense desire to change the lives of as many individuals as I possibly can.
I wake up every morning with extreme gratitude, not only that I was able to overcome this trauma I am describing to you, but because I get to help thousands of individuals everyday and give them hope.
I have also overcome 2 knee surgeries, I fractured my distal tibia and fibula completely in half, leaving my ankle entirely made of metal.
But I am here to prove to people that these things can be overcome, whether that be through getting one of my own clients to see their true potential, or me dunking a basketball at only 5’7” after all of these injuries.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am a Personal Trainer/Strength & Conditioning coach in Nashville, TN. Because of all of the injuries I have overcome in my own journey I am most passionate about working with individuals who come in with their own limitations- whatever that may be, and showing them their true potential and just how possible it is to put those limitations behind them. I began in Reading, Pennsylvania. All my life I was convinced I wanted to go to Physical Therapy school. I had received all of the certifications you could imagine and started banking up physical therapy technician experience, and for 3 years worked as a Senior Exercise Physiologist in Philadelphia. I hired a ton of mentors, read 100s of books, took courses, seminars, etc. And at the age of 25 I had to make a tough decision on whether to actually pursue my doctorate, or, start my own business. After long thought, I decided to take the leap and give my notice at work without much plan, but from this moment I’ve never looked back.
I built my first Personal Training business in PA, which grew very rapidly. And as quickly as it grew I had to make another tough decision of not being 100% satisfied with the location and where I lived. Im obsessed with the pursuit of making a large impact, and I knew my small hometown wasn’t the place that would be an option at, which led me to a second extremely difficult decision of packing up and starting completely over in Nashville, TN.
Long story short, I bought a business that wasn’t doing so well, completely revamped it, and now I am blessed to be training a ton of high caliber pro athletes, high achieving entrepreneurs, getting requests from famous artists, etc. and have a full staff of amazing, passionate trainers that share the same values as I do in helping people succeed. In just under 2 years we’ve nearly tripled the business and now talks of expansion/second location are being discussed.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
In reflection, resilience, adaptability, and a strong understanding of your industry were crucial in my entrepreneurial journey. My advice for those starting out is to cultivate resilience by learning from setbacks, stay adaptable in the face of change, and continually deepen your knowledge of the industry to make informed decisions. I’m a big believer in having 100% belief in yourself and becoming the best in the world at what you do. Through this journey you’re going to have people doubt you and tell you things aren’t possible, but if you believe in yourself and a master of your craft all of that is simply just noise in the background.
How would you spend the next decade if you somehow knew that it was your last?
Building a team and finding the right people who share the same fire as you is definitely a difficult task. This is my next important step in my expansion/ second location adventures. It is also not the easiest of economies to navigate through so making sure I am not growing too fast, without all of the necessary pieces in place is a tough game, but its a work in progress!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.innateperformance.com
- Instagram: Curtisrigg
Image Credits
Ryan Givens
