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Personal Trainer since 2019
Hey, it’s me, Raph – the co-founder of ILift Personal Training.
We started ILift back in 2022. Back then, it was just called ilift fitness – no fancy branding, no polished systems – just an idea: to create a small studio space where I could run personal training sessions and maybe a few group classes. I was feeling a little lost at the time. Personal training was all I really knew, and I was trying to find a new path that felt right
We set up shop with what we had—a humble budget, a semi-furnished space, and a lot of help from my life partner and co-founder, Lesley. Truth be told, I was embarrassed by how the studio looked. I remember thinking, “If I can just help my clients get real results, then maybe they won’t notice the uncovered floors, the limited equipment, the lack of polish.” Still, I had to swallow a few tough comments from people about how poorly equipped it seemed. Those moments stung.
At the start, the idea was simple: run one-on-one personal training during off-peak hours, and small group sessions when demand was higher—in the mornings and evenings. Towards the end of 2022, we started to bring in semi-private sessions. That was when we finally had a bit more cash to reinvest—some new equipment, rubber tiles for the floors, little upgrades that made a big difference. We also brought in our first trainer to help with group sessions and take on a few clients.
But we were inexperienced. We didn’t have proper structures in place, and it led to some conflict. That experience forced us to take a hard look at what we were building and rethink everything—from our trainer agreements to our bigger vision for ILift.
Then came a turning point.
In mid-2023, we took a trip to Singapore. That’s when we got to see how Personal Training studios were really run—not commercial gyms, but real service-driven training spaces. Around the same time, we connected with a mentor from Kuala Lumpur who ran a personal training business with a model similar to what we were envisioning. He taught us so much. If it weren’t for him, we might not have had the courage to take that leap.
By the end of 2023, we went all-in on personal training. We scrapped the group classes, refined our coaching systems, and focused on what mattered most: the individual client in front of us. Since then, we’ve been lucky to bring on coaches who share our passion—not just for fitness, but for changing lives.
Soon after , we started to have a different insight when it comes to fitness. We realized that most of the fitness world is obsessed with six-packs, transformations, and looking a certain way. And while that has its place, we kept coming back to one thing: what happens after that? What about people in their 40s, 50s, 60s who want to move better, live independently, and feel strong—not just look strong?
This mission became personal.
My grandfather passed away from heart failure. In the years before he passed, he was barely moving, barely eating. I truly believe that years of inactivity and muscle loss played a big part in his decline.
And I watched Lesley’s uncle—a man who was once the rock of his family—slowly lose his ability to move. Parkinson’s crept in, and inactivity before his diagnosis made it worse. A fall in his own home left him needing assisted living. I often wonder: what if he had a stronger base of strength and movement? Would he still be independent today?
These experiences shaped the mission that now drives ILift:
We believe that fitness isn’t just about aesthetics. It’s about freedom.
The freedom to move.
The freedom to stay strong as you age.
The freedom to say yes to things that others might assume you’re too old for.
We’re now in 2025. ILift has grown—not just in numbers, but in purpose. Our work is rooted in helping our clients gain strength, independence, and freedom through a holistic approach to fitness and health. We’re proud to serve middle-aged and older adults who want more out of life. Those who want to defy the “I’m too old for this” mindset.
To everyone who’s walked through our doors, supported our journey, or just believed in us when our walls were still bare—thank you.
At this point in our journey , I feel like we’re only getting started.
And I hope I’ll get to write the next chapter of this story again a few years from now.
— Raph
Co-founder, ILift Personal Training