Fueling Champions
by Jill Lane

Mom of 3, Jill Lane, has spent over 15 years consulting, coaching and teaching functional nutrition and exercise physiology. Her passion for helping pro athletes, sports families and high achievers attain max strength, quick recovery, heightened energy, sharp focus and optimal body fat for peak performance has become the cornerstone of her business.

Some of her current and past clients include coaches and players from the NFL, NBA and MLB as well as aspiring MMA and Olympic athletes.

As a former High School All-American, Olympic Development Team Member, Collegiate and Semi-Pro athlete herself, Jill has a clear understanding of what competitive athletes require to achieve and sustain their personal best.

Her mission to support the next generation of student athlete leaders (as well as those who lead them on a daily basis) comes full circle in her Fueling Champions^® programs.

What I love about Jill’s work is that she’s really fostering positive leaders in the world who can inspire their communities at home and globally. And the fact that she’s doing all this as a mom of 3 shows us all that nothing need stand in the way of our vision. She give us some pro-tips on being a mom-preneur that you’ll really enjoy. Read more…

1. Tell us about your business – what’s your mission; your soul’s purpose and why you created your wellness business or service?

I teach professional athletes, student athletes and sports minded families how to maximize their potential using science and experience-based fueling tools that serve both the physical demands of training and competition as well as the mental aspects associated with achieving success which includes building a solid self identity outside of their sport.

I spent the first half of my career working with people who had difficult metabolic challenges, many non-athletes who needed to overcome thyroid issues, digestive problems, sleep disorders and lack of energy and focus.  I was a personal trainer back then and I learned really quickly that we can’t exercise enough to compensate for a bad diet.

Most people think athletes by nature are the healthiest people on the block, and often they are amazing physical specimens, but frequently they are a train wreck underneath, and that’s where I come in.  I was blessed to be trained very early in my career by some of the best in functional nutrition and exercise science, which has allowed me to survey the whole athlete so we can maximize their health and athletic potential.  Athletes are people first; if the basics aren’t working correctly (they are not sleeping well or not pooping right) forget about all the fancy sports nutrition stuff, it won’t work in the long run.

2. Tell us about your journey and your story….what got you to this point today?

I don’t want anyone else to get “I wish I would have known this sooner-itis?”

I started playing competitive soccer in first grade.  I was blessed to have a long competitive soccer career that allowed me to get a full soccer scholarship…but while I competed at a high level – it came at a cost to my health.

After I had learned the foundation of exercise science and nutrition along with what it takes to have a well oiled physical and mental game all I could say to my self was “I wish I would have know this sooner!” By that time, my student athlete career was over and my current state of health prevented me from pursuing playing further. Over the years, I started to notice my Pro-Athlete clients say it too when we first meet. I had an “I am putting an end to this” moment.

I developed Fueling Champions^® to help parents of student athletes access accurate and safe information regarding how to fuel the mental and physical aspects of their athletes’ game. It is designed to be a one-stop-shop for sports families – everything from recipes to what to do if your athletes says “I don’t want to play anymore!” because an athlete’s journey always has hurdles along with successes, parents should be prepared for both.

3. How are you changing the face of healthcare and/or the wellness industry? How do you create, innovate or break the rules in healthcare?

When I first started working with athletes, no one was looking at the entire health spectrum of the athlete (digestion, sleep, stress level…).  This inside out approach it was what grew my business; we weren’t just helping athletes win SuperBowls, we were helping athletes and their spouses who had been told they couldn’t have babies have healthy children.  It is very humbling to be part of that experience.

4. What personal and professional legacy or impact do you want to leave on the world?

Within my student athlete brand Fueling Champions^® we are actively fueling the next generation of leaders both physically and mentally through our live events and online training camp, often along with the people that surround and support them like parents, siblings, and coaches.  That alone is something we know will outlive us, and we take that responsibility and opportunity very seriously, as we know it not only impacts their performance and health, but also their confidence, identity and character today and in the future.

5. In your opinion, what is the most significant factor in healing or overall wellness?

Wow, that is a big question that can be different person to person and family to family.  If I could give two I’d say it’s a combo of 1) Loving yourself…regardless of size, symptoms, illness, syndromes, accomplishments etc. and 2) Truly understand the power of our freedom to choose (food, exercise, who we hang around with, emotional responses…), and then exercising that right accordingly to serve our health and that of those around us.

6. What do you wish people realized when it comes to their health or about the wellness industry?

We are personally responsible for our health; there is more then one way to achieve it, which takes consistency, grace (for the moments we go off the rails) and sometime just plain hard work (those dumbbells aren’t going to lift themselves). It’s no one else’s responsibility, job or cause (not even our doctors or our spouses) so let’s roll up our sleeves and get after it!

7. How long did it take you to reach important milestones in your wellness business?
   And, what has really helped you move the needle in making your vision a reality?

Being a business owner has been a series of milestones for me because there is always something to learn about management of time, resources, emotions, talent etc.  I am not sure who to attribute this quote to but “Hire your weakness” and Jim Rohn’s “You are the average of the five people you hang around most” have also been at the crux of most of the milestone and needle moving decisions I’ve made in my business.

8. Tell us about the start-up scares: Was there a moment where you ever seriously contemplated giving up?

I had postpartum start-up scares.  About 10 years into my business going live, I got married and had 3 kids in the span of 5 years… being a mom-preneur was a whole new emotional and resource management paradox that I was not prepared for! About two years into that phase I started investing in coaches.  That was a huge step for this “I’ll do it myself” entrepreneur.

9. Did you ever fail or make a substantial mistake in business or organization? Any serious challenges? How did you overcome and resolve it?

All the hurdles have been amazing lessons, so I don’t look at them as failures, just part of the life of a business owner.  That being said I have chased some ‘side gigs’ to pad the bank account.  While they did help from a financial standpoint, they also delayed my own projects and stunted business growth that ended up costing me more money and frustration in the long run.

10. What action has the most impact that you’ve taken to reach your goal/s?

Hard work. Specifically sitting down to do the (sometimes hard) work, even when (and especially when) I’m not in the mood. The book The War of Art is a great read if you want to sharpen this discipline in your life and business.

11. What would you tell your younger/earlier self about following your dreams?

It’s ok to mess up, learn from it and move on stronger. Believe in the gifts you were given, and the way in which you choose to serve with them.

12. What’s the best piece of business or personal advice YOU’VE ever received?

The Jim Rohn quote above was pivotal to me understanding how the people in my immediate environment affect me, and how I can affect the environment of others.

13. What’s the #1 piece of advice you would give a new Wellness professional who really wants to make an impact in healthcare and people’s lives?

Be prepared to roll up your sleeves and work at your craft and your business.  I recently heard that we all should have 3 key people in our corner, The Encourager, The Cheer Leader and The Speed Bump. Identify who those people are in your life, honor their contribution to your path and thank them.

14. What does a typical work day look like for you?

Three months ago I committed to early morning exercise (and I don’t do mornings!), but as an intentional move to manage my time resource more wisely I train 3-4 mornings per week at 5:00AM. As a mom of 3 kids under 10 years of age the rest of the morning is spent getting them off to school by 8:00AM.  I don’t check email or text messages until that happens.  After that I have some quite time to myself for about an hour with a cup of tea. I generally reserve Monday for planning and continuing education, Tuesday through Thursday for client, business and partner relations and Friday for wrap up, where needed.

15. Stevie Wonder or The Beatles? (this, I personally must know.) 

Stevie Wonder! Some of my earliest childhood memories are of me sitting on our olive green shag carpet while my mom danced around me.  So give me something I can dance to!

In addition to being a mom of 3, Jill Lane has spent over 15 years consulting, coaching and teaching functional nutrition and exercise physiology. Her passion for helping pro athletes, sports families and high achievers attain max strength, quick recovery, heightened energy, sharp focus and optimal body fat for peak performance has become the cornerstone of her business. Some of her current and past clients include coaches and players from the NFL, NBAand MLB as well as aspiring MMA and Olympic athletes. As a former High School All-American, Olympic Development Team Member, Collegiate and Semi-Pro athlete herself, Jill has a clear understanding of what competitive athletes require to achieve and sustain their personal best.

Her mission to support the next generation of student athlete leaders (as well as those who lead them on a daily basis) comes full circle in her event, program and academy called Fueling Champions^®. Fueling Champions follows Jill’s proprietary 3-step process, FEED, LEAD, SUCCEED so families of student athletes can achieve healthy success, together.

Learn more at www.FuelingChampions.org