Fitness expert, businessman, philanthropist, activist, author, everything listed represents the work of Samir Becic. A native of Kljuc, he has been living and working in the United States (U.S.) for the past 25 years, and the numerous projects he has implemented so far, based on the concept of promoting and educating about a healthy lifestyle, have brought him international recognition as well as awards. In 2023, the then-President of the U.S., Joe Biden, awarded him the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to the community through his work, while the city of Houston officially proclaimed two dates as Samir Becic Day. In addition to building a serious business in the most competitive market, he has spent more than 8.000 hours in volunteer work. Throughout his long career, he has advised citizens as well as politicians, congressmen, and many celebrities on how to live more actively and improve their health and quality of life. Today, he is the official Fitness Czar of the city of Houston and an advisor on health and fitness to the mayor of this U.S. city, thus showing how fitness can be “moved” from the individual sphere into the sphere of public policy of a community.
Being fit and healthy today
In a time of stress, lack of quality rest, and information overload, staying fit and healthy is increasingly becoming an imperative. Opening this topic, Becic recalls that people 150-200 years ago had much healthier habits, both in diet and physical activity, because they consumed their own organic food. However, times are changing, he says, and today the key lies in balance, which does not require great effort.
“I am a person who thinks positively, and I always say that every person who promotes a healthy life creates a better atmosphere. Never have more people thought about training than they do now. I notice this in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) as well,” he says.
How the state should systematically care for the health of its people
“The U.S. has the most fit people in the world, and at the same time, the most obese. Some are becoming more aware of a healthy lifestyle and accept it as part of their everyday life, while others go in the opposite direction. The reason obesity among the younger population is increasing is that children spend five, seven, and in some cases up to ten hours a day on video games and screens, without outdoor play and socializing with peers. I remember my own childhood, I spent two or three hours every day in the park, and that was my physical activity,” says Becic, adding that one of his key missions as the Fitness Czar of Houston is working with children in schools, where, he says, he educates and motivates them to be more physically active, to socialize with friends through sports, and to reduce the time spent with technology.
“I am not against technology at all; I think it is very important, but everything has its limits,” Becic emphasizes, explaining how, in his view, a state that systematically cares for the health of its people from the earliest age should look.
“There are quite a few countries in Europe that do this. The Nordic countries teach children from an early age to be physically active and to eat more healthily. I think this kind of systematic approach should be expanded to all countries, and it is best implemented through schools. This is exactly what I am discussing with the governor – how to improve this segment across the entire state of Texas,” he says, adding:
“Currently, in private schools in the U.S., children engage in sports every day for at least an hour, and very often for two hours.”
Children who practice a healthy lifestyle, he points out, are more physically active, better focused on schoolwork, and show better results on tests.
“And the most important thing we often forget is that they take fewer prohibited substances; that percentage is even below five percent,” Becic says.
It is difficult to have a healthy state in an unhealthy society
“For a company that promotes a healthy lifestyle, it has been scientifically proven that for every dollar invested, three are returned through increased productivity. Healthier and physically active workers are more efficient and disciplined at work, take far fewer sick days, and are more motivated to advance within the organization,” says Becic, adding that there is also a mathematical formula used to measure the return on such investments.
“The same applies to the state. A healthy society means a healthy state. It is difficult to have a healthy state in an unhealthy society,” Becic emphasizes.
“When I came to the U.S. 25 years ago, I started working as a fitness trainer, and after two years, I became the director of the largest club in the U.S. with more than 40.000 members. At that time, the club was generating profits of over 20 million dollars annually; you can imagine how much that is today. The fitness industry is developing so quickly that people from various professions are entering it because it is better paid, and that number is increasing rapidly day by day. Twenty-five years ago, the profits of clubs amounted to over a billion dollars.”
Working on connecting U.S. and BiH companies
This successful BiH native in the U.S. manages five of his own companies, while in several others, he is part of the ownership structure. Thanks to his fitness program, Health Fitness Revolution, he has become a recognizable name not only on the U.S. market but globally as well.
From the perspective of a successful businessman, he advises young people who are just thinking about starting a business not to be afraid of entering the entrepreneurial world.
“And even if you are disappointed, even if five times someone tells you: ‘it can’t be done, you can’t succeed, it’s very hard,’ you say: ‘it can be done, it is very easy, and I can succeed.’ In that way, you will turn negative energy in your head into twice as much positive energy. But for success, work, discipline, and focus are very important. An idea is very important, but it is not the most important thing. If it is not connected with discipline, focus, and work habits, it remains just an idea. Work persistently. And perhaps the biggest message I have for young people in BiH is to learn from people who have achieved great results. Do not be jealous of those people; instead, see them as someone you can learn something from. I have often seen in the Balkans people who succeed, while others look at them negatively and with jealousy, instead of showing their children how someone has done something positive and motivating them to be the same, to learn from those people. Therefore, if you have an example in your city, in your community, of someone who creates, who is a good entrepreneur or successful in anything, look at them positively and speak well of them to your children so they can have a role model. This is very important,” Becic says.
Although he built his career in the U.S., Becic is increasingly looking toward BiH. He is actively working on connecting U.S. and BiH companies, and sees the state of Texas as an important driving place for future cooperation.
A few months ago in Houston, he had the opportunity to host a group of directors of the largest companies from BiH, for whom an official reception was organized with the support of the mayor, who, on that occasion, presented Becic with the keys to the city so that an event for the BiH business delegation could be held at City Hall. He says he then met many young and capable people from Sarajevo, Tesanj, Teslic…
“I was impressed by how entrepreneurially they think, like large U.S. companies; the only difference is the size of the market. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce in BiH was also present at the reception, and all those people influenced me positively in a way that made me see that BiH is awakening,” says Becic, who also organized a reception at his home for U.S. and BiH entrepreneurs, to which consuls of various countries were invited.
“The next time we organize a reception in Houston, which is one of the wealthiest cities in the U.S., we will bring even more U.S. businessmen to connect. This is currently my focus for BiH, as well as a project for every state in the U.S. to receive the BiH flag. The state of Texas has already received it, so when a BiH delegation comes on an official visit, alongside the U.S. flag, there will also be the BiH flag. Although it sounds symbolic, it is very important because it shows the state you represent. I believe that positive things are happening, and that this is only the beginning of a connection between Houston, Texas, and BiH,” says Becic, who is also considering his own investments in BiH.
“I would like large companies in the field of healthy lifestyles and the production of fitness equipment to be in BiH, and for BiH to become a production center for the entire Balkans. We are working on that as well,” Becic says at the end of the interview.
