Why I'm Betting My Cork Ball Business on Fitness Writing

Last week, I started personal trainer and nutritionist certifications. Today, I launched 'rawlogy labs,' my new fitness newsletter. Here's why.

There are certain things that have shaped you since you were young, and at some point you have to stop treating them like hobbies and start treating them like who you are.

For me, that's fitness and writing.

I love doing anything fitness-related—it's how I connect with people, how I think through problems, how I feel most like myself. It's been a lifelong obsession that I've carried through every career pivot, every life change, every challenge.

And writing? Words flow from my head onto paper or a screen the way a musician experiments with their instrument. I've always enjoyed it and always found clarity through putting thoughts into words.

Today, I'm betting my business that these two passions can become something bigger than I ever imagined.

How I built the foundation for something bigger

Six years ago, I created Rawlogy Cork Massage Balls to solve my own problem.

Plantar fasciitis and back pain were killing my marathon training. A yoga teacher showed me self-massage with a lacrosse ball—life-changing, but too heavy for backpacking. So I experimented with cork balls: light, firm, perfect.

I started sharing them with people who had similar problems (like long-distance backpackers), and Rawlogy was born.

After six years of talking to customers and observing how mobility, fitness, nutrition, age, hormones, and mood are directly correlated, that's when I realized something huge: Rawlogy’s cork ball products were just the tip of the iceberg.

So, I’ve decided to pursue a personal trainer and nutritionist certification at 44, while betting my entire business on this transformation - from selling cork balls to helping people reclaim their physical confidence.

And, instead of keeping this process private until I “figure it out,” I’m sharing everything as it happens.

The big bet

This probably sounds completely crazy:

I'm transforming Rawlogy from an e-commerce company into a coaching platform, anchored by writing that documents the entire journey.

But hear me out… most fitness advice assumes you have unlimited time, perfect conditions, and the metabolism of a 22-year-old.

But when you’re juggling career, family, relationships, and the reality that your body doesn’t work the same way it did at 25, you need strategies that actually fit your life.

I’m not here to give you a generic workout plan. I’m here to help you integrate fitness into your identity, not just your schedule. And here’s why I’m willing to put Rawlogy on the line for this:

Because I've spent six years learning something that most fitness businesses miss: People don't buy products. They buy transformation. People buy the feeling of becoming who they're meant to be.

And the only way to sell transformation is to share the real story of what transformation looks like.

What this means for rawlogy

The rawlogy labs Substack is now my focal point.

• You will begin seeing changes on our shop website and Instagram

• You’ll also see me active on Substack Notes, Threads, and LinkedIn

Instead of just selling mobility tools, I'm building a platform for reclaiming physical confidence.

Instead of just fulfilling orders, I'm creating content that bridges the gap between "I know I should exercise" and "I have a sustainable system that actually works for my life."

Instead of being the Cork Ball Guy, I'm becoming the person who helps people integrate fitness into their identity, not just their schedule.

The community I'm building

The rawlogy labs Substack is for people who understand that feeling strong in your body changes how you show up everywhere else, and who refuse to accept that midlife physical decline is inevitable. It isn't for people who want quick fixes or magic solutions.

It's for those who see physical confidence as inseparable from overall confidence.

Those who want to treat fitness and nutrition like the foundation for everything else they want to build.

It’s for individuals who want to feel as strong in their bodies as they do in other areas of their lives.

Individuals who understand that physical strength and mental resilience are the same conversation.

And for people who are ready to approach fitness with the same intentionality they bring to everything else that matters.

My promise to you

I'll tell you what others won't.

Real-time transformation: You get to see the actual process of someone pursuing a dream, learning new skills, and rebuilding a business from the ground up. The insights, mistakes, and breakthroughs happen in real time.

Honest perspective on midlife fitness: Strong but stiff. Fit but fragile. I’m dealing with the same physical realities you are - bodies that don’t bounce back like they used to, competing priorities, and the challenge of maintaining fitness while juggling everything else.

Practical solutions that work: I’m testing everything on myself first. What you get are strategies that have been refined through actual experience, not theoretical advice from someone who’s never dealt with your specific challenges.

Parting words

The Rawlogy guy was always about more than cork balls. Now it's time to show you what that "more" actually looks like.

This newsletter documents that journey. The real story of what it looks like to start over at 44, learn in public, and build something that matters. I invite you to ride along to see where this takes us.

Ready to roll together? Join rawlogy labs for the real story—what works, what doesn’t, and strategies you can actually use.