|
Only have a minute? Listen instead |
David Norec, a McAllen native, spoke with determination Wednesday morning as he explained the inspiration and goals for his small business, Fit Lit, which focuses on promoting healthy habits through exercise and literature.
The proud Rio Grande Valley resident was among two Texas small business owners selected to participate in the semi-final round of Verizon’s Small Business Super Pitch competition in partnership with soccer star Carli Lloyd.
The competition along with Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Program were started by Verizon in 2021 in an effort to help support small businesses nationwide with funding as well as expert coaching, networking, training on digital skills including leveraging AI, social media marketing, financial planning and other skills.
On Monday, Norec, 49, stood in front of judges in Houston and pitched his business.
For Norec, Fit Lit is more than just an entrepreneurial dream, but it is also a reminder of the family members that inspired his journey.
Like many families in the Valley, diabetes impacted the lives of Norec and his family leaving a devastating heartache after three of his siblings died due to diabetic complications.
Growing up without a father, Norec’s older brother, Henry, had become a father figure to him.
He recalled his brother being a very active person who spent a lot of time outdoors and even played collegiate soccer.
“By the time of his passing he had already undergone a leg amputation. He was in a wheelchair,” Norec said. “To see somebody who was so mobile and active and always doing that, to (then) be in a position where he couldn’t really move around that was just so hard to see.”
Henry died in 2013.
The following year Norec’s sister, Mary, who was a teacher, died after struggling with her diabetes.
He recalled his sister having undergone a partial foot amputation and having to use a wheelchair. Despite her condition, however, she had to continue working in order to afford her medications, something that weighed heavily on her, according to Norec.
He recalled having dinner with her a week before she died where she expressed how devastated and worried she was about how she would afford new medications prescribed by her doctor that were expected to cost over $400 a month.
After having lost two of his siblings Norec prayed to God asking “if you want me to do something different with my life, put it in my heart right now,” he said.
And then the light bulb above his head shone brightly with the idea of writing a children’s book.
Pulling from his experience and being a native of the Valley where chronic conditions like obesity and diabetes are prevalent, Norec wrote “The Adventures of Exo and Cy” an interactive children’s book that includes exercises for kids to follow throughout the story while raising awareness on unhealthy habits.
The book includes 11 exercises and a QR code that takes readers to a video where a personal trainer will lead them through the exercise.
Norec explained that the best way to improve healthy living is by teaching younger generations the importance of exercise.
“I know it’s too late for my brother, I know it’s too late for my sister, but it’s not too late for the next generation,” Norec said during his pitch presentation.
Since his book was published, Norec has sold over 5,000 copies and visited more than 75 schools across Texas.
He has taken his business and story to various pitch competitions and won the 2023 National Dell Pitch Competition as well as applying for grants along the way.
He’s also been featured on the Dr. Phil primetime show and in Texas Monthly.
Norec explained the goal is to make Fit Lit nationwide.
He added that he was grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in Verizon’s competition where he took various courses and learned from each person he met.
Although he did not move onto to the final round, Norec explained that the experience has been an award in itself not only learning from entrepreneurs like Precious Willams but also getting to meet other small business owners who he described became like family to him.
During his four day trip to Houston, where the semi-finals took place, Norec and the other participants were given tickets to watch the local World Cup Match.
“Going to the World Cup match, what I noticed is my goodness, what a blessing it is to be in a competitive atmosphere but there’s no hate there. Everybody’s just having a wonderful time, you know, cheering on with each other, no booing,” Norec said. “This is what community really should be like and I’m just so excited to go back home and … bring that to the RGV.”
That’s exactly what he intends to do.
Norec has been working with cities across the Valley to implement his new addition to Fit Lit — Trail Tales — where he and his team set up aluminum signs displaying the pages from his book along a park trail for residents to follow.
Each sign includes the same QR codes from the books so residents can complete the exercises along the trial.
As of right now he’s had the opportunity to place the signs in a Harlingen park and a park in Pharr and is currently looking for another host city.
He is currently talking with the city of San Antonio and a city in Tennessee to establish a Trial Tale park in those areas as well.
But the dream doesn’t stop there.
In the near future he hopes to introduce the “Extra Mile Walk” a relay type walk stretching from McAllen to South Padre Island that will raise awareness for things like diabetes, mental health, autism and other conditions.
“Each mile will stand for something different,” Norec said, adding that he would be walking for his siblings that died including his sister Carmen who died in 2024 also due to diabetic complications.
Norec also proudly spoke of his daughter Hannah Summer who is studying at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Podiatry to help the community in her own way.
When she was younger, Summer would help her aunt Mary clean her toes as she was unable to.
The father daughter duo actually graduated with a master’s degree last year.
“We want to give back,” Norec said. “We’ve seen our family devastated by this disease too much and so we want to give back anyway that we can.”