Some might say she was a natural fit to open one of Oakdale’s newest businesses.
While it came as a bit of a surprise to her father and fellow business owner Jose Guzman, Ingrid Guzman feels she’s been properly prepared for this latest endeavor.
Ingrid is the owner, as well as the front person, for the recently opened Oakdale Fit Nutrition at 1275 E. F St., Suite 5, Oakdale. Current hours for the business are Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The 19-year-old business owner first began in the nutrition shake industry working for her parents as a young teen.
“I started at the age of 14 and I saw how my parents were doing their business,” the business owner said.
Her father Jose Guzman shared the family has multiple locations, including Manteca and Ripon, with another soon to open.
“Our Ripon customers have been telling us to come to Oakdale for years,” Jose said, noting that the idea early on was tempting; but time and staffing proved to be the struggle.
“She took on the role of I’m going to be a business owner,” Jose said of his oldest daughter.
The proud father of three children stated that Ingrid approached him and his wife with the notion of opening/owning the Oakdale location after overhearing a conversation between the couple.
“People love her,” he said of his daughter. “She’s very nice and easy to talk to.”
Those are attributes which are important in a nutritional shake business that requires a person to focus on the needs and/or desires of its clientele.
Like his daughter, Jose began in the business joining his mother just shortly after completing high school. A fit which seemed natural as he enjoyed working out, as well as advising people on how to not just care for their body but fuel it with proper nutrition.
“Most smoothies have tons of sugar and they’re lacking nutrients,” he said. “Our meal replacements have to have every essential nutrient, vitamin, mineral, protein and fiber. It also has a pro-biotic. It has everything your body would need to process it as a meal.”
“People are most surprised that it’s only 240 calories or less than 240 calories,” Ingrid stated. “They think it’s a lot of sugar. It keeps you full, like a meal. People were getting healthier and started getting more active, so then I started to do that too.”
The 19-year-old entrepreneur shared that friends and customers that come in are always so grateful for the opportunity to get healthy again. That fact prompted the decision for her to start her own Fit Nutrition business.
“I was super nervous opening my own,” she admitted of the biggest challenge since opening the business. “Even though I’ve worked at their businesses before, it’s different when people come to you. I didn’t know if people were going to take me serious because I’m so young, but it’s going really well.”
The friendliness and community support, coupled with the teen’s outgoing personality, seem to be the perfect combination to help her overcome this temporary obstacle. Ingrid shared there has been a semi-regular stream of customers coming in since first opening the business in late August.
“My favorite thing is when people come back after a week and say that it makes them feel good,” Ingrid said of the shake’s overall effects, “because I can do something for them.”
Fit Nutrition Oakdale offers a variety of flavors as well as choices to help its clientele with its specific needs, be it food allergies, diabetes or dietary restrictions. There is also a three step process for those looking to get the optimum benefit from what is offered. Customers can also text in their orders once familiar with the menu, and the process.
“I’m so appreciative of the community for coming in and supporting me. I’m really happy to be here,” Ingrid said.
For additional information or to send through an order, text it to (209) 346-0473.
