Meet Zach Colls | Doctor of Physical Therapy & Sports Performance / Strength Coach

We had the good fortune of connecting with Zach Colls and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Zach, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
Risk vs. Reward – that is the staple starting point to ask yourself when starting your own business. It’s an inevitable risk to go off on your own / starting your own business, as you do not get the comfort of a weekly/biweekly/monthly paycheck from your employer despite your performance (generally speaking). With this being said, what better motivation is there then to go all-in on yourself. I often say, ‘you’re either all-in, or you’re out.’ There is no half-assing when it comes to working for yourself and wanting the results/goals you desire. From moving from Virginia to Miami to go to the University of Miami for my doctorate degree without knowing a single person in Florida, to working nearly full-time during school, to going off to work on the private side with John Wall in the NBA, to starting my business now here in Miami alongside my business partner, it’s all been risk vs. reward. The risk of moving from where I was comfortable growing up in Virginia to moving to Miami to go to my dream school where tuition was over triple versus staying in-state, allowed me to make endless connections, learn how to function truly independently without any family around, and ultimately work in the field of sports with professional athletes on a daily basis. Leaving to work privately alongside the NBA with John came with another risk of leaving a business I had recently started in Miami and basically living out of suitcase for 1.5 years bouncing state to state at times daily on flights. And now, the risk of starting a business which we are actively expanding comes with the risk of inconsistent income at times, work-life balance as you can easily get caught up in working 24/7, expenses, working with insurance companies, etc. With this being said, we have built our dream facility and are working with the professional athletes of every sport, collegiate athletes, Olympic athlete, youth sports, and of course everyday workers and elderly. Lastly, I took it upon myself to start my online platform in 2020 around when COVID started and have sacrificed endless hours to grow/expand it between working with brands, online training, online rehab and free daily content. Risk has taught me to be self-sufficient, a relentless work ethic and the drive to get 1% better in some regard, every single day.

What should our readers know about your business?
I co-own a physical therapy practice and gym here in Miami. We have a large focus on sports performance as many know, but also work with everyone anywhere from youth to elderly. I’m simply proud of what we have built in a short time bringing NBA, NFL, professional tennis, Olympic sports, collegiate athletes, youth sports, etc. to Miami Lakes. Furthermore, moving here from Virginia not knowing a single person in any part of Florida to now running what we have now still is a dream come to true and beyond what I imagined when I got into this field. Relentless work ethic and staying driven has allowed me to get where I am today. Working nearly full-time between personal training, being a graduate assistant and helping in the athletic training room at the University of Miami while being a full time doctorate student taught me time management and how to optimize nearly every moment from the second I wake up til I go to bed. With this being said, it was not easy by any means, as sleep was (and often still is) minimal (3-5 hours) with waking up somewhere between 4-5 AM and not sleeping til usually 12 PM. When work is done in our facility, I’m still on the clock nonstop with online work and completing insurance documentation at home. Making connections throughout Miami and online with brands/other creators, keeping an end-goal in mind and maintaining a solid work-life balance with my family, girlfriend and friends has allowed me to excel and continue to push forward. Furthermore, never getting complacent has also allowed me to keep driving to get better every single day. I have ultimately learned how to optimize time management, the importance of working together as a team, staying loyal, the importance to balance personal life with work and to always strive to make improvements, keep learning and get better. Despite what we have in-person and what I’ve built online, am looking to continue to expand and optimize every aspect of my life.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I personally like to show friends all what Miami has to offer versus what everyone thinks is just South Beach and only partying. I of course like to take them to South Beach, enjoy a beach day and do a nice brunch and walk down Lincoln Road. I like to show them where I went to school in Coral Gables at the University of Miami, as the campus is unlike any other I have been on. In that area, I tell everyone Shadow Wagyu is a MUST, as there is simply no better steak in Miami. From there, I like to show friends Coconut Grove and check out Regatta and the restaurants/bars throughout. I lived in Downtown for 5 years, so showing them all throughout Downtown, Edgewater and Midtown is also nice to get a feel of those areas, and possibly catch a Heat game as well. Between walking along Bayside/Bayfront park, Edgewater water views and the Midtown shopping/food/bar area – so many options of things to do. A Brickell is another must, as everyone knows about it and there are endless options of things to do between restaurants, shopping and bars. Exploring Wynwood is another must, as there is not really anything like it and seeing the art throughout is awesome to see. A Miami brunch is also a must in one of the previously mentioned areas. Lastly, I like to show them our facility in Miami Lakes where I spend most of my time working throughout the week.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My family has meant the world when it comes to my journey. From nonstop sacrifice of time to help me travel with sports all throughout elementary to high school, to raising me well, to supporting me on my move to Miami and with every step I’ve taken since, my family has been there for me the entire time. My business partner, Stefan, has also been huge and along my side through this journey. We had every single class together for 3 straight years (basically 4 since we had full-time summer classes as well), both worked within the NBA, and have started our business here in Miami which we are currently working to expand. My girlfriend, Emily, also deserves the world of credit for sticking through long distance and often visiting when I was with the NBA and constantly dealing with my chaotic/nonstop work schedule.

Website: https://movementlabtraining.com/pages/physical-therapy

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.zachcolls/profilecard/?igsh=MTc1bDc0Mmg0eTlobg==

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zach.colls?

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.zachcolls

Other: TikTok:

https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.zachcolls?_t=8seer7sppTm&_r=1

Image Credits
Miguel Rodriguez
KeShawn Ennis