Art Rothafel

Owner / Founder

"I help entrepreneurs turn their passion into successful, lucrative BRANDS!"

My Journey...

My story is a little different than many entrepreneurs.

I didn't grow up poor.

I didn't almost die of some dreaded disease.

I didn't fight my way up from death or despair.

To the contrary, I had an awesome middle-class upbringing in New England where my family lived an active outdoor lifestyle. I grew up a pretty "normal" kid... maybe just like you.

But, there was ONE THING....

I was 12-years old when I mowed my first lawn and got paid for it. The homeowner was thrilled with the job I did and paid me a whopping three dollars!

It was a "game changer."

This was my first taste of entrepreneurship. I did a good job, made someone happy and got paid for it.

I loved that feeling!

Hooked on a Feeling

Later, as a 21-year old musician in a 9-piece band, I played all kinds of venues where people ate, drank, danced and had fun. I was playing music, making people happy and getting paid for it.

There was that feeling again.

When I moved to Los Angeles in 1978 to pursue a music career, I secured a "day job" at:

Jack LaLanne's European Health Spa

I was a trainer/janitor (you know what I mean, right?)

In just 2 months I was promoted to assistant manager where part of my responsibilities included selling memberships for commissions.

My first sale was a "lifetime membership" for a family of five. Wow... I closed the deal, helped an entire family make a great decision toward health and got paid for it.

There was that feeling again.

At this point, I began to crave that feeling like a drug. I loved the validation of doing a "good job." I loved making people happy and I especially loved making money for things I would probably do for free.

It's called PASSION!

I couldn't get enough of it. So, I read every book I could find on salesmanship, entrepreneurship and personal development. I attended all kinds of sales training events and in 1982 I landed the "perfect job" where I could merge both my sales skills and love for music:

New Skill Sets and Growth....

In 1982 I landed a job at Guitar Center in Hollywood, California.

Once again, I rose through the ranks quickly and became Vice President of Marketing for the entire chain.

At this level I honed my sales and marketing skills and learned the importance of systems, automation and scale.

During my tenure the company experienced significant growth opening multiple stores throughout the country. It was truly exciting to be a part of it.

But, with growth came all the negatives of working in a big company -- and I began to lose that feeling.

So, in 1987, I left what had become a "corporate environment" to recapture my entrepreneurial spirit and regain my passion for doing great work, helping people and getting paid for it.

I Became a Consultant...

The 90's were an exciting time as technology took hold. My marketing and sales experience allowed me to consult all kinds of companies from start-ups to Fortune 100 companies like Nike, Apple and Kelly Blue Book.

I was working for myself doing things I was passionate about. My clients were very happy. And, I was was getting paid for it.

There was that feeling again.

And, to top it off, during this same period, I married the love of my life, Gigi. And, together we raised two beautiful daughters, Chelsea and Roxanne.

Back to the "Passion!"

In 1991, I started Private Label Fitness. In the early days, our company name was MediCorp. We were a Weight-Management, Nutrition and Lifestyle business in Newport Beach, CA.

The company was specifically set-up for people truly interested in achieving their goals the "right way" -- through proper nutrition, productive exercise and positive motivation.

One of my biggest frustrations was the total lack of information, written in lay terms, available for our clients. I searched everywhere to no avail.

So, out of necessity, I recruited the help of experts and eventually wrote our widely acclaimed Reference Manual - which is now the basis of our NASM/AFAA accredited online course: ONBOARD 101.

Same Passion. New Mission...

PLF has undergone many changes since those days. Most notably we morphed from retail to manufacturing when hundreds of health professionals requested our high-quality, peer reviewed components for use with their own clients, members and patients.

That shift coupled with industry demand for our motivational / educational tools and "real world" protocol inspired a new mission.

For the last 32 years, I've dedicated myself and my company to helping serious, career-minded health professionals toward successful programming and marketing.

Click on the images below and check out the dates. You'll get a sense of how long I've been on this mission!

(for current testimonials CLICK HERE...)

Today, Tomorrow and Beyond...

Today, Private Label Fitness works with thousands of dedicated health professionals who place a huge value on their branding, marketing and educational programming.

I, personally, spend hours on the phone with entrepreneurs (I call them "health warriors") who seek advice and knowledge from my many years of marketing experience.

So, I consider myself a lucky man -- able to earn a living doing what I absolutely love.

There's that feeling again!