We recently had the chance to connect with Kyle Kobernus and have shared our conversation below.
Kyle, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What’s more important to you—intelligence, energy, or integrity?
Integrity. Honesty, strong moral and ethical principles along with trustworthiness is very rare in the world today, so I have grown to appreciate integrity more and more.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Kyle Kobernus, owner of Ignite Strength and Conditioning. Ignite Strength and Conditioning started August of 2021 in Carlsbad, CA. I started Ignite Strength and Conditioning with the mission of creating a positive culture with great workouts, smart programming, and where everyone who trains at Ignite always has their fitness and athletic goals in mind. I was blessed to have a little bit of a following when I started Ignite, and with that grew a family. It was quite the journey of blood, sweat and tears starting a business from the ground up, but the members of Ignite helped grow this amazing culture and it has made my job so rewarding.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who taught you the most about work?
My Dad. Growing up he would work two jobs and nearly 15-16 hour days. He taught me to have a great work ethic and know that hard, consistent work brings success. We always quoted that “Only the great ones do the right thing when no one is looking.” So I always try to instill that into myself and the people I coach.
As a high performing baseball player growing up, I saw that consistently working on my game along with my training brought success and better opportunities. My dad was a huge part of giving me the information and resources that I needed so I can get the best out of my abilities. He taught me the belief that good things will come to those who work for it.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
To fight. Playing baseball for a huge part of my life, it teaches you how to overcome adversity and deal with failure. There have been more times where I have suffered or failed than I can count, but I made sure to never give up. These experiences have taught me how to learn from failure and better yourself as a person and learn how to treat others better. If you’re not failing, you’re not trying.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
When it comes to fitness and my coaching philosophy, I keep the programs and training at Ignite Strength and Conditioning simple and effective. Complicated, risky workouts are not the way to go. Whenever designing training programs, you have to make sure the risk does not outweigh the reward. As cool or unique some workouts or exercises might be on social media, it does not mean it will benefit you or that it is safe to do.
Another value that is very important to me is caring. One thing I pride myself in as a coach and business owner is that I care more. I care about my members and clients more than the competition. There are so many trainers and coaches out there that are just in this profession for attention or money. When you truly care about your members, they will know and they will stay committed to you.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I truly think I am doing what I was born to do. I have learned what to do and not do being in this industry for so long, and it has taught me how to act and how to treat others.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ignitesandc.com
- Instagram: ignite.s.and.c
- Facebook: Ignite Strength and Conditioning
Image Credits
-Sarah Penner
-Matt Ewert
