Diamond Scientific CEO Ramon Rivera turns 70 in Nov. and just earned the 4th stripe of his Jiu Jitsu white belt. He embraced this new challenge the year prior and plans to go as far as he can with it.
"I had a private coach and we mainly worked on upper body. He's an MMA fighter so we did a lot of bag work but I wasn't finding that satisfying enough and then someone said 'You should try Jiu Jitsu'," said Rivera.
He initially became interested in the sport by listening to Joe Rogan's podcast where the UFC commentator would often praise the benefits of Jiu Jitsu training.
"I tried it. I loved it and I never left the gym. It was a life-changing experience," said Rivera.
Some family and friends expressed their concern over him pursuing such a physically intense endeavor at this stage of his life.
"All the questions I got from my family. 'Why are you doing this? Do you know how old you are? Don't you know you have lower back issues?' Of course I know all this," he said. "I think it just comes down to 'Life is Living' and I just have such a passion for life."
Since beginning his training at Gracie Barra in Rockledge, Florida, Rivera has dropped 20 pounds and has fallen in love with the sport and the community so much he is now bringing his family.
"I enrolled my two grandkids in the program," he said. "I like the people. I like the community. It's just such a family-oriented community."
Jiu Jitsu, however, isn't the only thing he is passionate about. That mindset transitions to his company, Diamond Scientific, an industry leader in the field of Renewable Natural Gas instrumentation and solutions. His passion informs not only how he leads it but how he finds the right people to bring into the company.
"There's this synergy that happens when you associate yourself with people of character and a willingness to accomplish something," he said. "It's really finding that talent and bringing it out and that happens when you find someone that you work with that has the intent to do well."
