Corporate Executive Walks Away: Building StretchLab in Florida | David Ramos | The Owner Seat

In this episode of The Owner Seat, Albert Ramos sits down with David Ramos — President & Owner of StretchLab First Coast and a mission-driven tech executive who’s led global platforms at Aetna/CVS, Rakuten, and high-growth startups… and then chose to build a local, family-owned wellness portfolio in Northeast Florida.David has lived both sides of growth:- Boardrooms, M&A, platform scale, and AI in healthcare and insurtech- Front-line ownership inside StretchLab studios serving St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra, Atlantic Beach, and MandarinThis conversation is raw, honest, and uncomfortably relevant for any franchisee, founder, or multi-unit owner trying to balance faith, family, tech, and local unit economics without losing themselves in the process.🔍 In this episode, we cover:- How a corporate layoff and identity reset became the launchpad for StretchLab First Coast- What it really looks like to open, turn around, and scale multiple wellness studios- The operating system David uses to run both code and cash flow with intention-The 3–5 metrics he actually uses to manage his StretchLab portfolio week-to-week-How faith, calling, and pressure show up when a studio is on the edge-Were owners get punched in the mouth financially — leases, build-outs, and cash-flow gaps- How a tech/AI background changes the way he looks at unit economics for a single studio- Where AI can practically support franchise and studio operators over the next 3–5 yearsWork with Albert – Fractional CFO for Fitness, Wellness & Franchise BrandsI’m Albert Ramos, Fractional CFO and Founder of Stratego Intel Consulting.I help fitness, wellness, and franchise brands ($1M–$30M+) fix messy multi-location books, build 13-week cash visibility, and prove unit economics for every studio and territory.👉 Book a CFO Strategy CallIf you want CFO-level clarity on your numbers:https://calendly.com/albertramosjr-strategointel/youtube-podcast📘 Free Resource – Stratego CFO Playbook (Fitness & Wellness)Get the exact framework I use with owners and franchisors:13-week cash flow structureLocation-level unit economics templateCore KPI dashboard for studios & franchise systems🔗 Download the free Stratego CFO Playbook:https://forms.gle/M9QSgEz9VqiqkHVv6🎙 More from The Owner SeatThe Owner Seat is where fitness, wellness & HALO owners talk cash flow, growth, and the messy middle of operating real businesses with real stakes.🕗 New episodes every Monday & Friday at 8:00 AM CST.✅ Subscribe to the channel:/@theownerseatpodcast▶️ Binge past episodes: operator deep dives, franchise growth stories, and real P&L conversations📧 Stay in the Owner Seat (Newsletter)Get weekly breakdowns on:Fitness & wellness unit economicsMulti-location and franchise cash flowAI-powered finance workflows for operators🔗 Subscribe on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7288029005239267328Learn MoreFractional CFO services (Stratego): https://www.StrategoIntel.comConnect with Albert on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/albertramosjr