Meet Daniel Ward

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

Hi Daniel, what do you attribute your success to?
I think there’s many important factors behind the success of Inward Fitness and the brand and even my own individual ventures in performance coaching and speaking. For this though, I’ll focus on one.

Many people and organizations have led with ‘what’ they do with a thought process of being about or selling ‘what’ their service or product does for someone. Some people and organizations have led with ‘how’ their service benefits others or ‘how’ their product solves a problem in the market. Not many lead with ‘why’ which relays a completely different message and it’s what I and my team have focused on for over 20 years in the fitness and wellness industry and what I focus on when delivering a speech and/or providing performance coaching.

When leading with ‘why’ you have to take into consideration ‘why’ you do what you do. Why do you believe in what you do? What’s that deeper connection regardless of the type of business you’re in. People don’t want to buy or come to us for what we do, they come to us for why we do it. Our clients and members believe in our collective and individual why and feel amazing about the decision to work with us: to train to achieve their goals and enhance their life, to hire us for an event, to build their organizations wellness program around us, to trust their athletes with us, and to develop integral leadership and enhance their performance. We are simply driven by a belief in ‘why’ we do what we do.

It’s more challenging to lead from ‘why’ (hence Inward Fitness) but far more rewarding and sustainable.
If you want to build true success for a business or brand and encourage a genuine following and loyalty, start with why.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
This question reminds me of a a post that I just saw which read:
“Maybe you don’t notice your progress because you’re always raising your bar.”

As I continue to move further and further into my next phase of ‘work’ with speaking, coaching and facilitating workshops, the above statement completely resonates with me. I’m a true entrepreneur at heart and love developing a new service that people truly need, have been asking for or feel is relevant.

The truth around this effort is deeply personal and not just another business venture. I sincerely believe I have a calling to influence and inspire people in a way that drives them to take action to be better, to successfully navigate the threshold of opportunity in front of them and to live into their full potential. I’m here to influence, inspire and impact.

I’ve had a huge amount of enthusiastic support as I step into this, and I’m incredibly grateful. I’m especially excited to reach more people; specifically those who are looking for that next level. Those who want more, who are craving deeper alignment, greater impact, and the tools to truly expand. This is for the ones who know there’s more out there and are ready to step into it fully – with clarity, confidence, and community.

What sets me apart in this venture? This is a calling for me. Plain and simple. I’m able to read people well, listen, coach and challenge to pull the best out.

In September 2024, I was fortunate enough to be invited to attend a gathering for the General Assembly at the United Nations in New York.. Being in that room opened my eyes to a whole new perspective and illuminated the vastness of what people in the world are doing, their passion and belief in themselves and their effort and strangely – with no ego. There’s no way I can put it into words to do it justice. The feeling when you’re in the room is irreplaceable and indescribable. I knew right then and there I was in that room for a reason and that I’ll be back.

While at the UN in New York, I was also presented with the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award which still, and always will, bring a smile to my face as a speechless reaction and a knowing I’m destined for more.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’d like to visit Colorado State University and reminisce with former teammates and other student athletes and then spend a couple days in Estes Park or Vail to get away and soak in the altitude and beauty! Then we would fishing off in Denver at great restaurants like Ambli, Sunday Vinyl and of course throw in some killer workouts and hikes and splurge on amazing deserts!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’ll take this time to shoutout my team at Inward! This is the best team we’ve had to date and it shows. I feel it, the team feels it and our clients feel it. There’s a lot that happens behind the scenes, especially by Bridgette, and our team as a whole. We don’t get to see each other everyday like a normal office setting but we’re strong, reliable, innovative and we have fun!

I’ll also take time to shoutout my parents. Regardless of how I grew up or the challenges we faced, they loved me and provided for me the best they could. And for that I’m grateful because it’s made me the person I am today.

Website: www.inward-fitness.com and www.danielsward.com

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-sterling-ward/

Image Credits
Colorado State University
Avery Martin
9News