Alumni Spotlight: When Sports Science Meets Entrepreneurship with Marta Galvez Lopez ('18)

Marta Galvez Lopez (’18)

We often work very hard for our future, or at least I always have done so. I studied extremely hard so I could get into the university I wanted and during university, aiming to start with internships so I could find a job as soon as I graduated. After four years of hard work, I convinced myself that a corporate job was the right path. I completed my bachelor in Behavioural and Social Science at IE University in Madrid and then moved to Switzerland to work at Roche Diagnostics in Marketing and UX. But life has a way to change things around. During this time, I discovered a studio called Velocity in Zug and decided to audition. This experience has slightly changed how I view success and what I want to do in the future.

My background in Sports Science has been incredibly beneficial in becoming a successful spinning coach, helping clients achieve their fitness goals. It was not until recently that Mr. Newman attended one of my classes and it was a full circle moment. After two years as a spinning instructor, I recently became a Xformer Pilates coach at Velocity as well.

Excitingly, I am about to open my own fitness studio in Zug called Stage 12 located in Untermüli (you can also find us on instagram @joinstage12). We will start by offering functional circuit training and yoga as well as 1:1 holistic health coaching (as I am a certified coach) and eventually incorporate running clubs, Pilates, and various community-building activities. This step is both terrifying and exhilarating, filled with fear but also with excitement for the new possibilities and the many lessons ahead.

I still do not know if this will be the right decision and it is often that I think of pursuing an international corporate career. Maybe I will once I finish my masters in Strategic Marketing. Nevertheless, all the experiences gathered from ISZL guide me towards helping others and, for now, this has lead me to focus on health and fitness.

My time at ISZL was short but undeniably one of the highlights of my life. I first arrived in Switzerland in August 2016. Those initial months were quite challenging. Though I had already experienced studying abroad as an exchange student in the USA, I was familiar with American culture. Switzerland, however, was a complete change of environment for me.

Adding to this challenge was my recovery from an ACL injury and surgery. Watching others participate in sports while I was confined to physiotherapy sessions was tough. The school’s education system was also new to me; I was enrolled in the bilingual IB program, which was a stark contrast to the Spanish system I was accustomed to, where memorising often trumped understanding. Economics class, in particular, was a significant struggle yet ultimately one of my biggest blessings. Not only did I learn theoretical concepts, but I also applied them to real world scenarios.

The growth and learning I experienced during the class made me feel proud and rewarded. I enjoyed every class and the unwavering encouragement and commitment from my teachers; like observing Ms. Koch unrivalled blend of efficiency and joy in teaching math and Mr. Koch’s excitement was palpable as he shared his experiences and insights from past trips to Kokrobite. He led our personal development trip to Ghana, where we built school playgrounds, aquaponics systems, and cisterns. His enthusiasm and commitment were truly inspiring. It was his attitude that motivated me and fellow alumni to start a project to provide clean water to the community. Throughout this exciting endeavour, he was always there to guide and cheer us on.

However, it was the Sports Science class that truly captivated me. While I chose not to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Sports Science, that class ignited my passion for the fitness industry. I went on to study Behavioural and Social Science, focusing more on Marketing and UX, with elements that could be applied to behavioural change in fitness.