Carlos Garcia
Many people look for excuses when it comes to health and fitness. To help erase excuses for being the best you can be, Versa Gym recently rolled out the first versatile mobile fitness operation for private clients in Collier and Lee counties.
“There’s no excuse anymore. There’s no excuse because of COVID. There’s no excuse because of time or travel,” says fitness coach Carlos Garcia, who co-launched Versa Gym in the Naples area this fall with local investor Blake Cathey.
“Versa Gym is a mobile gym that is very versatile to serve a variety of needs,” Garcia says. “You can work out at the beach, home or even work.”
Versa Gym saves clients time and offers them convenience by coming to their driveways, backyards, garages or businesses in a 5-by-8-foot trailer. But don’t be initially surprised by its size. The black box opens out and expands, transforming in less than 15 minutes into a multi-station fitness center perfect for one-on-one training sessions or group classes for up to 12 individuals.
“They are literally getting a gym brought into their driveway,” Garcia says. “Everything is built into the trailer. The doors unfold and everything comes out, ‘Transformer’ wise.”
Workouts are tailor-made to meet the individual goals of clients, whether they need rehabilitation or desire to lose weight, bulk up or tone.
“It’s an outdoor version of what you would find in a real gym,” Garcia says. “It’s more than enough equipment that they will need.”
The trailer even has coolers with water and sports drinks, as well as prepackaged healthy meals available for purchase from a registered dietician. The personal trainers also can supply nutrition guidance, meal plans and meal preparation advice.
Garcia is a personal trainer who has hired a team of fitness coaches to meet the growing needs of the community. “Basically, we do everything for the client,” he says.
Executive clients can train in the morning when the weather is cooler and drier, but the trailer also can fit under a large tent to provide protection from the sun or elements, if desirable, for workouts any time of day. Sessions are 30 minutes or an hour.
The shutdowns and new regulations the COVID-19 pandemic forced on traditional gyms have attracted many customers to the Versa Gym concept. Bringing the gym to your driveway eliminates the risk of being surrounded by others in an enclosed gym.
“Cleanliness and sanitation play a vital role in how we operate,” says Garcia, noting that the Versa Gym is thoroughly sanitized before and after each client with an advanced cleaning system.
When asked why he invested in this venture with Garcia, Cathey said it was Garcia’s vision and knowledge that sealed the deal. “Carlos came to me with passion, a clear vision and a very detailed business plan,” Cathey says. “He has a really committed and sophisticated clientele that is now going to get one of the best personal training services one can offer.”
Cathey is with Accanito Capital Group and is no stranger to investing in businesses. “While we traditionally focus on investing in multimillion-dollar software and technology companies, Versa Gym has a very special appeal to it. Not only is it a first-of-its-kind, cutting-edge business, but it is also a way for us to continue investing locally,” he says. This year, Accanito Capital has invested in many small to mid-sized businesses with the intention of giving back and empowering young entrepreneurs to scale to an enterprise level.
You may recognize Garcia from last year’s “Paradise Hotel” TV reality dating show. The unscripted program, similar to “The Bachelor,” gave the Southwest Florida resident an opportunity to show off his chiseled physique and opened a lot of doors for him. He has more proposals on the table for other reality and fitness shows.
Garcia has honed his fitness craft working with clients since he was 18. “I’ve learned so much in the five or six years I’ve been doing it by working with every kind of client,” he says. “I have worked with people of all age ranges.”
Garcia instantly fell in love with fitness when he started working out in junior high school. “My family members and close friends saw me rapidly change from a chubby, introverted kid to the extroverted captain of the football team many looked to for leadership,” he said. “It didn’t take long for me to start helping my parents and friends on their fitness journeys and, to my surprise, they all saw results!”
This early success propelled Garcia to set his sights on a personal and professional path to help others achieve the best version of themselves when it comes to health and fitness. Versa Gym is helping him achieve his goals. He knows Versa Gym can help you achieve your goals, too.
For more information, go to VersaGymSWFL.com.
