What does it take to walk away from a prestigious corporate career and build a global fitness empire? In this inspiring episode of Growth Sparks, host Riza Javellana sits with Amanda Quinn, co-founder of Fitchicks Academy, to uncover the remarkable 17-year journey from teaching 7 women in a park to running a worldwide health and wellness certification business.

In this episode, you'll discover:

✨ The pivotal "aha moment" that changed everything – how an evening fitness class sparked a life-altering decision at a dining room table

💼 The strategic leap – Why Amanda and her co-founder Laura kept their corporate jobs for 18 months while building their business

📈 From 7 participants to 7 figures – The exact strategies they used to grow from a small outdoor bootcamp to a nationwide fitness business

🎯 The power of focus – Why doing ONE thing exceptionally well beats spreading yourself thin across multiple ventures

🌍 Global impact through education – The game-changing pivot to certification programs that created a ripple effect across continents

🤝 Key Takeaways:

• Don't let fear of the unknown stop you

• Build systems that can scale without you being the bottleneck

• Your business should evolve as you evolve as a person

• Confidence is the biggest transformation, not just physical results

• Stay focused on perfecting one thing before expanding to the next

Connect with Fitchicks Academy:

🌐 Website: fitchicksacademy.com

📱 Instagram: @fitchicksacademy

🎥 YouTube: Fitchicks Academy

🎙️ Podcast: Fitchicks Chat

In this inspiring episode of Growth Sparks, host Riza Javellana sits down with Daniela Vidal, founder of Flips & Friends, a gymnastics studio with two Miami locations dedicated to helping children develop body awareness, confidence, and lifelong healthy habits through movement.

Daniela shares her journey from rediscovering her passion for gymnastics at 17 to building a thriving business by age 28—investing her entire life savings into her first studio. She opens up about the challenges of scaling to a second location, finding and retaining great coaches, and learning to balance fun with structured learning in a safe environment.

Throughout the conversation, Daniela offers powerful insights on:

• How gymnastics builds mind-body connection and self-confidence in children

• The importance of showing up consistently, even on the hardest days

• Why parents should empower their kids to advocate for themselves

• Navigating the ups and downs of entrepreneurship while staying true to your values

This episode is a must-listen for parents, wellness entrepreneurs, and anyone who believes in the power of movement to transform lives. Daniela's vulnerability and wisdom remind us that perfection isn't the goal—showing up and trying your best is what matters most.

In this episode of Growth Sparks, host Riza Javellana sits with Garrett Marshall, founder and CEO of Wellbuilt Ventures, to explore what it really takes to scale a fitness and wellness business in today's rapidly evolving landscape.

Garrett shares his 22 years of industry experience working on both the vendor and operator sides, including time with the world's largest retail fitness operators. He reveals why most wellness businesses are missing a critical growth function, and how focusing on just a few key initiatives per quarter can be the difference between stagnation and explosive growth.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Why the "boring stuff" drives the biggest business impact

• The growth function framework that unifies marketing, sales, product, and customer experience

• How to get departmental buy-in and eliminate conflict

• Strategic planning systems that actually work

• Why passion matters more than paychecks

Perfect for Health and wellness entrepreneurs, fitness business owners, gym operators, digital health founders, and anyone scaling a wellness business from $10-30M in revenue.

Check out more of what Garrett does at garrettmarshall.com or wellbuilt.ventures.

Don't forget to like and subscribe for more Growth Sparks!

Finding Your Authentic Path with Deb Heneghan

In this inspiring episode of Growth Sparks, host Riza Javellana sits down with Deb Heneghan—author, coach, speaker and founder of Embrace Your Power—to explore the journey from corporate success to authentic living.

Key Topics include:

🔹 The Bold Transition - After 30+ years in tech, Deb shares how she left the corporate world to pursue her passion for helping others discover self-love and authenticity

🔹 Your Life's Compass Framework - Deb's unique 4-program approach from discovering who you are today, breaking free from limiting beliefs to embodying your authentic truth

🔹 The Two Voices - Understanding the battle between the ego voice and the soul voice

🔹 Closer Than You Think - Insights from Deb's book about finding peace after losing loved ones

Perfect for entrepreneurs, wellness practitioners, and anyone feeling called to make a bold life change but struggling with fear and self-doubt. Learn more about Deb on her website EmbraceYourPower.com or GetRealLiveYourStory.com.

From Homeless to Healing: Building a Natural Products Business | Chanell Solace of Cosheao

In this powerful episode of Growth Sparks, host Riza Javellana sits down with Chanell Solace, founder of Cosheao, who shares her incredible journey from years of living on the streets to creating a thriving natural skincare business.

What You'll Learn:

• How adversity can fuel entrepreneurship and resilience

• The truth about natural soap making (spoiler: it's NOT like baking a cake)

• Why ingredient transparency matters in skincare products

• Practical strategies for growing a home-based wellness business

After experiencing homelessness, Chanell discovered natural living in Portland and Hawaii and developed a passion for plant-based remedies. Years later, when her daughter developed severe skin sensitivities, she began making her own soap during COVID—launching what would become Cosheao, a vegan, fragrance-free soap company built on environmental consciousness and healing. Learn more about Chanell and her products at Cosheao.com

In this episode of Growth Sparks, host Riza Javellana sits down with Wendy Stern, founder of the Center for Somatic Grieving and the Grief Support Network. Wendy shares her personal journey from yoga therapist to grief support leader, following the profound loss of her son. She explains the concept of somatic grieving—how grief and trauma are stored in the body, and how mindful movement, breath, and community can help process and heal from loss.

Wendy discusses the importance of group support, the unique ways grief manifests physically and emotionally, and how safe spaces allow people to move through their grief at their own pace. She also shares insights on training facilitators, running retreats, and the evolution of her work to fit both her mission and her life.

Whether you’re grieving, supporting someone who is, or interested in learning about somatic approaches to healing, this conversation offers compassion, practical tools, and hope. For more information or to connect with Wendy, visit centerforsomaticgrieving.com or find her on Instagram @centerforsomaticgrieving.

Join host Riza Javellana on Growth Sparks as she chats with Ashley Johnston, founder of Knoxville Movement Collective (KMC). Discover how Ashley transformed her passion for outdoor activity and community into a thriving nonprofit that offers free events like running, cycling, hiking, and more to bring people together in Knoxville. Ashley shares the story behind KMC’s rapid growth, the importance of building a supportive team, and the challenges of maintaining free, accessible programming. Learn about KMC’s mission to foster a healthier, more connected community, their partnerships with local organizations, and their vision for expanding to new cities.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, wellness enthusiast, or someone seeking inspiration to start your own movement, this episode is packed with insights on leadership, community-building, and making a positive impact.

Tune in for actionable advice and a celebration of the power of getting outside together.

Don't forget to like and subscribe if you enjoyed this episode!

In this episode of Growth Sparks, host Riza Javellana sits with Jodi Scott, co-founder and CEO of Green Goo, to explore how plant-based first aid can deliver real efficacy without compromising integrity or sustainability.

Jodi unpacks the origins of Green Goo as a family-run business, the time-honored infusion methods behind their products, and why process matters just as much as ingredients. Jodi shares powerful stories from customers, lessons from scaling into retail, and her belief that true wellness starts with leadership, transparency, and care.

The conversation also explores:

• How word-of-mouth and real customer outcomes fueled early growth

• Lessons learned scaling into major retail without having all the answers

• Why education is Green Goo’s biggest growth lever

• How direct-to-consumer channels help preserve sustainability and quality

• The evolution of Green Goo into skin repair, baby care, tattoo care, and holistic wellness extensions

If you’re curious about natural wellness, building a values-driven brand, or rethinking what “first aid” can look like, this conversation will expand how you think about health, business, and impact.