Full Transcript for Work in Progress ft. Sean Lopez

came to a point where I was like, Okay, maybe if my parents don't pay, and I pay, maybe I'll be a little bit more motivated. That didn't work out it like, it was like, Oh, damn, I'm still not going to school. Maybe I should withdraw before I get an S Maybe schools just not my thing. So at that time, I was like, You know what, let me just try to find a steady job or secure job, right? 00:03:03.740 --> 00:03:05.569 Where I don't necessarily need school. 00:03:05.780 --> 00:03:17.389 The reason why I wanted to interview you is because you have such an arc in your story, right? Why was it that you weren't motivated at school? Do you have any idea? 00:03:17.930 --> 00:04:25.310 I don't know, man, maybe it's because like, everything I wanted to do, you know, someone, maybe someone's parents, someone someone's mom or dad is gonna be saying, oh, you can't make money off doing that, right. So, like, for the longest time, I actually wanted to be like a producer. Be Like for real? Like, make music make beats man, because that was my passion. Like I said earlier, like, I love music. I loved hip hop. That was my hobby. I had some equipment and record but I wanted to go to school to like, know how to make beats. I thought that would be cool, right? But if you were to talk to some other people about they'd be like, oh, what career can you get in that? So if me, I was given options. Oh, you have to be a nurse. You have to be you know, an engineer. You have to you know, that's the direction that parents will tend to like push you towards. Dude, I tried the nursing thing man. I went the CNA route certified nursing assistant. Okay, so for those of y'all who don't know, that's the dirty work at the nursing homes or at the hospitals who are where you got to clean but right you got to clean booty, right? Well, that was it for me. Like I was certified right? I did this did. 00:04:25.670 --> 00:04:30.170 Point being med CNA the nursing lifestyle was not for me, dude. 00:04:31.189 --> 00:04:41.120 I couldn't I couldn't keep a professional face when cleaning diapers especially for adults. I got kids now you know I get it, but not my thing. Not my thing. 00:04:37.370 --> 00:05:37.910 Yeah, okay. The first quote unquote legit job that I got leaving college and actually dealt with CPS so Child Protective Services kids and under crisis kids who run away stuff like that. I was working at a teen shelter home. My job was pretty much like was to be a mentor, right? The reason why I gravitated towards this job was Because I was highly involved in a youth ministry, right? In that youth ministry, I held leadership role helping youth, mentoring youth, so on and so on. So, and I was very passionate with what I did in the youth ministry. So I wanted to find something where I was like, dang, can't I just find a job like this? Right? Where I can like literally just care for people. And other than being a nurse? Can I find a job where I can help mentor people and put them on the right path? You know, so that's how I gravitated towards that mentorship job with the CPS kids. And I did that for quite some time as well. 00:05:37.970 --> 00:05:41.870 Got it. So then how did you transition into massage? 00:05:41.930 --> 00:06:03.709 So in actuality, it came from working with the CPS kids first, right? I did that first. And then eventually, that's when I was like, Okay, I'm gonna try the medical field and do that whole CNA thing. The idea was to get my foot in the door of that hospital, and then eventually do the rehab program for PT. Okay, now, that was the goal. 00:06:03.769 --> 00:06:09.319 So you had always wanted to go into more of the physical therapy realm? 00:06:09.589 --> 00:06:15.410 In the health field, yeah. In the health, medical field, whatever you want to call it. I always want to go that direction. 00:06:15.529 --> 00:06:26.360 Okay. So you tried out CNA. It didn't work out for you. How did you decide that, like physical therapy was the area you wanted to do? 00:06:26.480 --> 00:06:39.050 When I was working as a CNA at this time, I was also hitting the gym a lot, right? And that's when I started observing these personal trainers, right? I see that they have a very flexible schedule. 00:06:35.540 --> 00:06:41.750 They're working out, but then they're also making money from their passions from the hobby. 00:06:41.899 --> 00:07:37.730 So that started feeding my thoughts like, dang, maybe I want to be that maybe I want to be a trainer. Maybe I want to be a personal trainer. Fast forward. Eventually I left a CNA thing. And I ended up getting a job at a gym, not as a trainer, but just at the at the gym, mainly just to get a free membership. And then what most big gyms do, what they typically do is they'll discount your certification if you go through them. So I saw I saw a class available. I was like, oh man to have a class available to be a trainer. So I decided to take that. Once I became a certified personal trainer that kind of sparked everything from where I'm at right now. I became a personal trainer like right after I completed my P90x program. Shout out. Yeah. Shout out Tony Horton, man. So. So anyway, I completed my P90x and became a certified trainer. And now in my head, I was inspired. 00:07:33.740 --> 00:07:45.680 I was like, Yo, I'm, I'm ready to drop these bio workouts on my clients. Right? So at the gym, you get your clientele first through the salespeople, right? 00:07:45.769 --> 00:07:53.300 For whatever reason, all the clients that they brought me are all like your senior citizens. 00:07:48.769 --> 00:07:57.980 So I was like, dang, I can't I can't do my P90x exercises. I can't do all these plyometrics. 00:07:58.250 --> 00:08:26.540 So naturally, you know, I had to change my thinking. So most of the senior citizens, they, they were, you know, maybe they had surgery, or they're having issues coming up and down stairs or picking something up from the floor. So I had to change my workouts, my workouts was was

literally, alright, we're gonna do a sit to stand, sit on the chair, stand up, something like that. Right. All right, we're gonna go ahead and you see that box? Let's step up. All right down. So that's the kind of workouts that I started doing. 00:08:24.019 --> 00:08:52.399 It became more like corrective more rehabilitative. So now, to answer the question about PT, having that mindset, I was like, dang, I need to, I want to learn more about this. I want to learn more about the muscles. I don't want to just do bro science, right? I want to, I want to, like be legit and real. I wanted to add science to the workouts right? So that's when I went from personal training to I was like, Maybe I should attend physical therapy. 00:08:53.000 --> 00:08:58.279 Okay, so you have this spark. So how do you actually pursue it? 00:08:58.549 --> 00:09:25.730 I wanted to enroll into this physical therapy program. I remember I had to cut my hours at the gym. I didn't completely cut it, but I cut my hours at the gym. And then I started focusing with physical therapy school, there's actually an assistant program so not not quite PT, not like doctor but PTA. So this PTA program. Long story short, man, I went through about half the program, okay. 00:09:22.279 --> 00:09:29.330 Unfortunately, things didn't work out. I was probably out of school for like, maybe 10 years. 00:09:29.360 --> 00:09:51.889 10 ish years. This was probably the first time ever I was motivated to go to school. So I came into school and I tried doing everything I tried doing all the dang notes, and I don't even know how to be a good student man. I'm one of those people who have looked what I highlighted and the whole papers highlighted those guys, right. 00:09:46.970 --> 00:11:20.389 So I fell short. I fell short by literally like three points, right? No, so I was Yeah, I was devastated. Because at this time, insecurities really kicked it out. As in my approaching my late 20s. Now, I'm approaching my late 20s Everybody's getting locked down their careers, right? Yeah. And I'm like, Oh, snap, right, like, what do I have going on in my life? You know, my parents are talking to me about oh, you know, all your friends getting good jobs bla bla, and I'm over here like, dang. Like, what am I going to do? So? Yo, actually, side note, when I failed, I actually spoke to the program director and I was like, Yo, I promise you I know this stuff. Yeah, test me test me right now. So I had a whole like conversation in like a back office with this program director. She's asking me questions, blah, blah. I'm answering them, you know, but she's like, unfortunately, Sean, I'm sorry. I can't do it. I can't let you pass. I'm sorry, this program is not for you. But she said something that really pissed me off. And I think that sparked a whole nother fire in me. But she was like, son, I think you need to get checked. I said, Oh, what do you mean get checked? I think you need to get yourself checked for a learning disability. I was like, a Hold on. What do you what do you mean? I don't know if she was being offensive about it or what? But she was just like, get checked for learning disability, maybe we'll accommodate you, blah, blah, blah. So now in my head, I was like, Damn, what am I gonna do? Can I do chiropractic, then that's another like two plus years, a lot of money and the material. 00:11:20.600 --> 00:11:51.950 According to my program director, I don't, I don't have a learning disability. So I can't go that direction. You know, that's, that's how I was thinking, the way I was looking at it. I was like, I have the skills and knowledge that I learned from being a trainer, I have these knowledge that I learned from being a student in physical therapy. So my thing was like, Yo, I can't let this go to waste, right. So my next option was like, Alright, let me go massage. But let me not focus on the luxury side of massage. 00:11:48.259 --> 00:12:01.490 You know, a lot of people focus on when they think of massage, they think of more, you know, the relaxation and treating yourself but I wanted to really focus more so on like, the rehabilitation side of things. 00:12:01.490 --> 00:12:04.970 So, the you know, what Mamba mentality means? Have you heard that term? 00:12:05.019 --> 00:12:05.830 Like Kobe? 00:12:05.860 --> 00:12:09.309 Yeah. Kobe, right. 00:12:05.860 --> 00:12:29.409 110% give it your all. Yeah, focused, determined, right? So I went to massage school with a complete different mindset, ya know, friends, gives a damn about focus, yo, I don't care about your massage treatments, man. Just I'm just here to pass. 00:12:25.059 --> 00:12:48.970 So my mindset dude was straight up Mamba mentality. Right. So, you know, every every program has like a boarding exam. I freaking got one of the highest scores in that school. Right? I got such a high score, that they put my freakin picture on the hallway. Like straight up, they put my face on the hallway. They use it as motivation for them. 00:12:48.970 --> 00:12:52.450 Like, can you beat this score? 00:12:48.970 --> 00:12:53.379 And I was like, hell yeah, Mamba mentality, baby. 00:12:54.100 --> 00:12:57.519 So you got your license. And then what did you do after that? 00:12:57.759 --> 00:13:35.169 Bear with me with this whole story, man, when I was going to school in for massage, I stopped personal training, and then started working at a clinic. This would be a Cairo clinic, because some Chiropractic Clinics will allow massage therapists to work under their license. So that was my thing. I was like, Alright, I'm going to put myself out there in the industry, put myself out there in the field, getting hands on experience, so on and so on. So by the time I'm done with school, I'm already working a job. Now the thing is, on the side, I was already formulating my own business plan. Like this is what I want to do. This is what I want to treat. This is how much I'm gonna charge, so on and so on. 00:13:36.070 -->

00:13:39.639 So you always had that idea that you would be a business owner? 00:13:40.960 --> 00:14:15.250 No, I wouldn't say that. Oh, I definitely would not say that. So what sparked that interest? Oh, I'll tell you what sparked that interest. They, it was around my wedding time, I was working for a clinic. And I wanted to ask off, so I mentioned it to my my work. Hey, can I request off on this weekend? I'm gonna get married and a honeymoon. Oh, yeah, you can get off on on these two days, but you're gonna have to come back in my head. I was like, bro, getting married. I got a honeymoon, dude. I've been at this clinic for like, how long now? Like, come on, man. 00:14:11.710 --> 00:14:21.669 And they were just like, oh, you know, we're gonna be understaffed, you know. So that's simple decision. That's when I was like, Man, like, forget all these small jobs and stuff like that. 00:14:21.730 --> 00:14:25.330 Not being able to own your time was kind of the driving factor for you. 00:14:25.360 --> 00:14:26.320 Hmm, absolutely. 00:14:26.350 --> 00:14:30.190 So tell me about how you started Glory. 00:14:30.460 --> 00:14:41.350 Alright, so I've had my fair share of working at multiple clinics, right. And I've seen how multiple clinics ran, right? Oh, you want to massage her 30 minutes right here make you feel good for you on your neck and your back. 00:14:41.350 --> 00:14:43.899 That's typically how they do it. 00:14:41.350 --> 00:14:47.350 And this is where my personal training background comes in. 00:14:43.899 --> 00:15:05.440 Right? With glory. Most of the clients I see I already immediately put them on a treatment plan. And I think that's the big key that separates me apart from the typical massage place, and even like some chiropractic offices with me I already give the clients like an end goal in mind. Yeah. What's your goal? 00:15:05.440 --> 00:15:21.879 Oh, you want, you want this X amount of range of motion, or you want to perform and do this better? All right, this is what it's going to take to get you there. I really look at the body almost like a, like a system, like a car, you know, you don't look just look at the core of the whole thing. You break it down into like, segments, right? 00:15:22.330 --> 00:15:25.179 Awesome. 00:15:22.330 --> 00:15:25.179 That sounds just very holistic. 00:15:25.240 --> 00:15:40.840 Oh for sure, I'm definitely holistic. So again, I'm licensed in massage, background and personal training. And a lot of my treatments, I actually combined the two, the clients who I treat, they're not just lying on the table, and I'm just pressing down on muscles. Lots of times, it's actually a two way street. 00:15:38.409 --> 00:15:51.730 If it's your shoulder that's bugging you, I'm actually going to have you do some shoulder movement as well. You know, like, I'm literally helping you through the process. It's not just me doing everything. So treatment with me is it's actually very active. 00:15:52.019 --> 00:15:54.809 Is that why

you call it manual movement therapy? 00:15:54.840 --> 00:16:00.509 Exactly. You're not in pain. Because of a tight muscle, you're not in pain. 00:15:58.169 --> 00:16:24.870 Because your pecs are tighter, you're tight hips, or you haven't stretched out, you're in pain, because somewhere along your body, a joint is not moving the way it should. Yeah, it might be like the muscles are locked up or someone's arm. But we got to get these joints moving, you really do have to integrate a little bit of everything. You have to integrate massage, like working on the muscle, you have to integrate movement, and you have to integrate strengthening. If you want true rehab. 00:16:25.110 --> 00:16:37.950 Wow, yeah, no, I'm just thinking about how I need a massage right now. Um, so tell us a little bit more about how you built your business and how you leverage social media to scale it. 00:16:38.309 --> 00:16:59.190 First of all, my business has literally been built solely on social media, like all my clientele straight, okay, off of social media, like specifically Instagram, right? I work on a 24 hour fitness, right? So what I used to do is, go on social media, go on your Instagram, go to the location, type in 24 Hour Fitness, and just look at all the check ins. 00:16:59.399 --> 00:17:43.230 So I would literally scroll. And again, I was new at the time I was new at my career. So always willing to offer dirt cheap, or even free services, I was willing to do that. So I was scrolling. And if I see someone who looks like they can need work like a someone posted a selfie of a bodybuilder, hey, I'd like to offer my services, so on and so on, you know, I'd say something like that. Shoot, if you can find an influencer and they respond even even better. Every feature that social media has, I was trying to utilize it in any way of form. I know a lot of people look at social media, and they're like, they don't think much of it. It was until I started getting clients out of it. That's when I was like, Wait a minute. There's definitely some power in social media. 00:17:43.440 --> 00:17:49.799 Yeah, so you've expanded beyond and then you actually started your own practice. 00:17:49.829 --> 00:18:13.529 Yeah, so I do have a physical location. Now. I had my own spot for about a year, but just this past summer, I actually moved into a gym, we're actually building out a Wellness Recovery area in this gym. Okay, and then there's Jim, it's me doing my thing. And then there's actually a physical therapist that's going to be on site as well. Plus other fitness trainers. So I just feel like it's a good. 00:18:13.000 --> 00:18:20.289 It combines all the things nasically from the start of your career. 00:18:20.289 --> 00:18:22.960 Yeah, exactly. 00:18:20.289 --> 00:18:24.549 Exactly. And everything like it makes referring very easy. 00:18:24.730 --> 00:18:33.069 You also teach right? It's kind of ironic. Tell me more about that 00:18:33.279 --> 00:18:41.349 I'm now a Licensed Massage instructor. Right. So it's crazy, because I didn't even want to be an instructor. 00:18:41.380 --> 00:20:14.710 It was one of my mentors, who was an instructor when I was going to school. She's the one who reached out to me, and was like, hey, I really think you'd be a good instructor at this school, you should give it a shot. And I was like, Man, I don't like to teach I hate school. Know why, you know, and she said, you're already teaching because on my social media, I do post a lot of educational stuff for both therapists and and for non therapists, you know, just tips and techniques on how you can help yourself. What started it is, she kind of gave me the idea of hosting a workshop for therapists at the school. And I was like, All right, yeah, I'll do that. So I did that I did a workshop for for therapist, and I showed them techniques, like my specific techniques and stuff like that. And it turned out to be a good success. And then that's when I was like, Yeah, I think I can do this. So what I'm trying to do is actually I'm trying to create community, a lot of people are asking me, dude, why do you post so much on social media? And it's free? Why are you releasing such free content? You could be charging people for that. I tell them this, there's therapists that need to hear this stuff. Yeah, there's a lot of bad therapists out there. They need to know this stuff. Right. So that's kind of why like, it's gonna benefit me at least that's what I feel. Maybe people are going to want to come and work for me in the future. Maybe people will refer clients to me because they know how open and giving I don't know. But I just feel like it's much better to be open about, especially when it comes to knowledge and tips like that, to just build community, rather than keep everything to yourself. 00:20:14.710 --> 00:20:34.390 Yeah, it's interesting how that whole theme of community has been just a common thread in your career, because you started out as someone who worked in CPS and you were kind of like, like a big brother and building community there, you worked in the ministry, started training people. 00:20:34.450 --> 00:20:57.190 That's a huge thing that draws me to what I do. I want to be in a work environment in a work field that you are highly passionate of. And I see that with this what I'm doing right now, like, I'm highly passionate with what I do, I believe in what I do. And that's the reason why I don't want to work at another clinic or and stuff like that. It's because I believe, I believe what I got here, right? So I'm passionate about it, and I'm willing to help out other therapists. 00:20:57.490 --> 00:21:02.019 Whenever you have that vision in your head, man, like, yeah, it's like, go for it. 00:21:03.160 --> 00:21:06.549 So looking back, what would you tell your 20 year old self? 00:21:07.390 --> 00:21:31.690 Dude, you're 20 years old man. You know, take this time to, to discover yourself and you know, take risk. While you can explore your passions, explore your hobbies, for sure. You know, in a big scale of things, like if we're looking at the life spectrum, the 20 is nothing compared to the complete lifespan, right? So yeah, patients bad patients is the game. 00:21:32.410 --> 00:21:45.910 I love how you just go for it, Sean, and how like, when we started this conversation, it started out with your parents told you that you couldn't make money off of your passions, and you have proved every single person wrong. 00:21:45.940 --> 00:21:52.299 So don't quote me on the money thing. As entrepreneurs, you're gonna go through ups and downs for sure. 00:21:52.539 --> 00:21:58.480 But stick through it for sure, man, but definitely, you could definitely make money off off passions. 00:21:58.990 --> 00:22:03.609 Alright, so for our last question, if you had to sum up your career in three words, what would that be? 00:22:03.940 --> 00:22:17.079 Three words. Three individual words like? Well, we'll just say work in progress. 00:22:12.670 --> 00:22:48.700 And the reason why I say that is it may seem good at one point, right? And then at one point, it may just go downhill, right? And I think this is also what I'm, I'm still learning as like a new business owner and all that, like, you have to be able to adapt. You have to start thinking creatively. You know, like, what may work one time may not necessarily always work so yeah, you're gonna go through ups and downs. Just don't stay down, man. That's it. I will Yeah, work in progress. Just because I know it's so easy for for entrepreneurs to be easily discouraged. 00:22:49.500 --> 00:22:51.809 Love it. 00:22:49.500 --> 00:22:56.099 Well, thank you so much, Sean, for joining us on Career Slay. I know your story is going to have a lot of impact. 00:22:56.130 --> 00:22:57.180 Thanks for having me. 00:23:07.980 --> 00:23:16.470 The Career Slay podcast is a co production of Career Slay and Wild Reply produced by Michael Burke. Stay tuned for some great conversations on slaying the fear in career.