Meet Erika Riccobono | Certified Holistic Health Coach| Certified Personal Trainer

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

Hi Erika, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
This is an interesting question since I was never intending to start a business. There were a lot of pivotal points in my journey that lead me to where I am at today. My journey started around 2008. I enrolled in a Holistic nutrition school at some point after I had my baby because I was experiencing a lot of after affects in my body and I could not get the care I needed from doctors. I then decided to take matters in my own hands and learn more about my body and food. I stayed home with my kids and the studying and learning helped me keep my mind occupied in a positive way. I ended up becoming a certified holistic health coach and utilizing my holistic teachings in my life and for my family. The nutrition naturally flowed into my personal fitness journey when I felt like I needed to get my external physique feeling as good as my internal. I ended up becoming a NASM certified personal trainer and decided to try and see how to step outside of being a stay-at-home mom.

I started by learning my craft at a local gym. I found mentors in my field, and I just kept learning and practicing until I was really good. I realized I was pretty good at helping people with eating and found that I had a knack for helping people lose weight with training while addressing other issues with my holistic nutrition practices. The COVID shutdown at the gym pushed me into starting my own business. We were on and off with shutdowns and I just made a decision that I wasn’t going to go back to the big gym after the last shut down. Once I made that decision, I needed to find a private gym to take clients. I found one I liked and took my 1st client soon after. Online clients followed next and now I do both virtual and in person personal training and it has been so rewarding. I am always learning, and I am always going to grow from where I started. So maybe that is my thought process, to grow and never stay in the same place.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I think my experience with nutrition and my ability to customize programs sets me apart from others. I like to use my holistic practices integrated within my programming to help people combat issues like inflammation and low energy. I like to combine that with a customized training program where I take all personal needs into consideration so my client can feel comfortable and confident while training.

I get especially fired up when female clients come in to see me and they feel at their lowest and almost defeated. These are my most exciting clients because I know I can make a difference in their life just by analyzing their diet and coming up with a game plan as to how to start making some positive impactful changes. I already lived that life, I know what that truly feels like, so I can Identify that pretty fast.

My journey into my business was slow and difficult but rewarding. When I 1st made the move to step out into the “working world” it made a big wave in my personal life. I had to work a little harder to keep up with all my “stay at home duties” and still work. I enjoyed working and impacting my clients lives, so no matter how difficult it was I kept at it. One event lead to the next and I ended up becoming an independent trainer. It was difficult and it still is, trying to balance my work and home life, but I love the challenge of growing my business. A few lessons I learned along the way was “pay attention” and “manifest what you want, “don’t be afraid to work a little harder”. I seemed to always have met a person that lead me to another person that lead me on my journey. I kept getting nudged along this journey through my interaction with people. I am constantly getting nudges and people get placed in front of me to this day. I can only pay attention, be positive, learn and follow my instincts. I think that has lead me down the right path.

I created the brand Enhanced Nutrition and Fitness to highlight the holistic practices that are implemented in the programs created for the clients. The brand implements simple holistic solutions to help alleviate such things as inflammation, low energy, and weight loss. Everything is done from the perspective of health and wellness.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would take her to my Pinetop cabin and do one day of hiking, another day of riding some horses and another day of exploring and shopping. I would take her to Darbys’ for breakfast and have her try the breakfast burrito.

I would take her to Scottsdale for a spa day at the Fairmont Princess Spa filled with massages and facials, then have dinner at Chelsea’s Kitchen. I would have her try the Branzino Fish with the little side sauce made with cilantro and pinenuts.

I would take her to Downtown Gilbert and take her to Postino and have a glass of wine have her try all of the little bruschetta boards. My favorite one is the bruschetta with fig, prosciutto and mascarpone

Then we can go grab ice cream at the Ice cream parlor few doors down and then head across the street to Dirks Bently Bar to go listen to music and maybe dance and let loose a little bit.

Definitely have to have one night of San Tan Flats. I would suggest the filet with the baked potatoe and the bonfire smores for dessert. The live music is fun to listen to and it’s outdoors and just fun.

I would take her shopping one day at the little boutiques in oldtown Scottsdale and having lunch at a little Spanish restaurant that is close by to have tapas and wine.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

Shoutout to My Family for love and support in starting my business
Shoutout to Patricia Rose who encouraged me to obtain my certification as a trainer
Shoutout to Valerie Vitale who has mentored me and gave me the confidence to start my business
Shoutout to Mikaela Clark who has mentored me on my business and how to start

Instagram: erikaaforlife

Facebook: Erika Riccobono

Image Credits
Portrait photo credit to Trudgephoto photography