Meet Rick Martinez | Owner/Operator 9Round Kickboxing Fitness

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

Hi Rick, what matters most to you?
Of the Core Values I use to drive my vision of being the Premier Fitness studio for sustaining a healthy lifestyle in the Lake Houston Community, the one that matters the most is to Always Treat Everyone with Respect and Dignity. As a minority raised from a modest family background, I grew up with other minorities and saw first hand the varying privileges of poor, middle and upper class families. Working harder, to get an education at schools where I was bussed to and being around peers that had much more, was a common way of life. I had to prove myself to fit in, I had to be just as smart, just as witty, and just as likeable as everyone else.

In those early years, I met great friends, teachers, and bosses that believed in me and always treated me with Respect and Dignity even if I didn’t look like the majority of others. I was exposed to people from all slices of life, different cultures, religions, belief systems, and lifestyles. That is why I carry that value now deep in my core. Everyone, no matter be they customers or prospects, friends or acquaintances, allies or competitors, rich or poor, gay or straight, married or single, sheltered or unsheltered, Everyone deserves Respect and Dignity because we are all human.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I graduated high school and worked my way through a community college to get basic courses out of the way. After my part-time jobs in retail I had quick success and I began managing retail stores in the Houston area, my studies to a back seat.

After 8 years of managing retails stores I took a leap of faith and got out of management so I could finish my studies while I worked an entry-level position of a local bank. Similarly however, once I was there I had quick success and was promoted into management of teams in various departments so again, my education took a back seat.

After 10 years in management at the bank, I began to realize that if I were going to go any further up the corporate ladder, I need to finish my studies to earn my Bachelors of Science in Business Management. I decided to keep my role at the bank and pursue my studies at night after work. Fast forward a few years later, I was able to complete my studies and earn my degree. A few years later I was able to work my way to a promotional role as a Vice President at the bank overseeing a global team in 5 different cities.

After 20 years at the bank, I started looking forward to fulfilling a lifetime dream of owning my own business. I spent the next two years researching businesses and matching my passion, with my faith, and my experience, and I landed in the world of fitness. In December 2018, I closed a deal buying two local gyms in Humble, 9Round Kickboxing Fitness and began living out my dream.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Well, it would of course start with a 30 minute full-body kickboxing workout at my studio. After that, lunch in midtown Houston at one of the many cool haute spots to choose from for amazing cuisine. Maybe a relaxing walk at Hermain Park around the museums or Zoo. The evening may include some dancing and mingling with friends at a 90’s & 2000’s music spot.
Houston has many hidden gems as well as the touristy spots. I’m sure Kemah, Nasa, Galveston would be on the list. Maybe even Old Town Springs and Old Humble downtown on Main Street to visit the museum and learn about Humble and the history of what is now Exxon Oil . I’m very proud of the Lake Houston Areas so I’d be sure to visit all the small businesses in the area that I partner with for wellness or just as a patron.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My success is a sum of many people that believed in me and inspired me to go further than my parent’s generation and to aim for the stars! Starting with my mom, to my high school English teacher to one of my first managers in a retail shop in a mall. They saw talent and nurtured it in me. I worked hard work, earning an honest living back when minimum wage was a $3.35 an hour and earning a good raise meant a .50 cents pay increase after a year! Talk about knowing and appreciating the value of the dollar.

After college, I continued to meet people in my corporate life that encouraged and pushed me to go the next level – again always treating me with respect and dignity as I moved from entry-level positions to Vice President of a major bank. Corporate life is where I had a real opportunity to do philanthropic work. I got involved in and spearheaded department initiatives to give back to the community within various underprivileged neighborhoods. That is why today, as a small business owner, it is important and fulfilling to me to volunteer and give back locally.

Website: https://www.9round.com/locations/tx/humble/atascosita

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nineround_humble_atascocita_/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/9round6304Fm1960RdEHumbleTX