THE IMITABLE DANNY RIZZZ
Calling Him an Influencer Is Just Not Enough
“A kid from the Bronx does good.”
“Beast of NYC Marathon wants to share his tricks of the trade.”
“How to go viral without really trying.”
“Financial investment manager turns health and wellness expert.”
All are fitting headlines for this article, but none are all-inclusive enough. Dan Grozev, a.k.a. Danny Rizzz is all of this and then some. But, without all the headlines and fluff, you find yourself talking with a guy who is a true New Yorker, just as passionate about health and fitness as he is about this city.
Growing up in New York gives you a certain edge, a specific flair. The type of energy that is simply part of your DNA and compels much of what you do. It’s true for Dan that, as a Sicilian American kid from the Bronx, he wanted everything this glittering city could give.
When you speak to Dan about fitness and health, you see his face light up and his enthusiasm rise. It’s no wonder he quit his big-time finance job and traded in the 3-piece suit for trainers and moisture-wicking fabrics.
He started his career on Wall Street, working for some of the biggest financial firms on the planet. He found himself grinding daily. Dan explains, “I had huge financial successes, but found myself completing tasks ASAP so that I could leave early each day. Why? Because I knew this wasn’t my path. This wasn’t where I was supposed to be. And it was slowly draining the life out of me”.
Sharpening his tools and expertise with a master’s degree in Kinesiology and Exercise Science (in addition to various prior degrees and accreditations in Finance and Asset Management), Dan worked the high-end health club circuit, breaking private training records. But it also broke his perceptions of what a private trainer was, and what clients were subjected to. That kid from the Bronx wanted more, again. But more, for others.
Dan realized that clients were not getting what they deserved. He said, “If a client needed to buy another 24-pack from me, then I failed at my job. Other trainers wanted their clients to stay unhappy with their body, health and fitness. That meant they kept buying. I wanted my clients to succeed.”
But success doesn’t always come easy. Not even for Dan. There’s work, research, effort and grit. And if signing up for the NYC Marathon isn’t already a massive effort and a gritty drain on the body, he pushed through an insurmountable day that in turn raised a far-reaching amount of funds for the Navy SEAL Foundation and the NYPD.
When asked for an example of what he meant, he said, “At mile-17 a ligament popped. I had to finish the race. I literally hopped on one leg the last nine miles. It took 8.5 hours. I was busted but determined. Once the story broke, the donations came flooding in and they raised more that year than ever before.” I guess Dan figured out in that moment he was the kind of human that can push through adversity and pain. Adrenaline helps, but the biggest component is grit. And maybe even a little Bronx. But definitely, all New York.
It’s this determination and selfless service to others that makes Dan stand out among a field of self-proclaimed fitness experts. That and his innate knowledge of the field. And it’s why his work as Regional Director of SWEAT440 has helped exponentially grow the business, formulate its fitness model, and set it apart from every other fitness enterprise in NYC and beyond.
Dan explains, “I know what works and what doesn’t in fitness, and I know what it’s like being a busy New Yorker. That’s why SWEAT440 is something I was drawn to. It works. Especially for a New Yorker’s lifestyle. With 40-minute HIIT1 workouts starting every 10 minutes, you’re never late. We pack each workout with effective training, encouragement and great music. Our clients love it!”
But this guy isn’t multi-dimensional in just these ways. Remember one of the possible headlines was about going viral without trying? Check out Dan’s TikTok @danny.rizzz and you’ll find pretty amazing NBA content, to the tune of over 12M views, 2M likes and 53K followers. All because he believes basketball inspires dreams and the belief that others can become better versions of themselves through hard work. His philosophy is that through the relentless pursuit of fear and failure, and the will to persevere through both, you will become a better person on the other side. Dan showcases his connection to the game, the players, and the energy that you can only feel in Madison Square Garden's famed Section 7.
When asked about this crazy experience and how it has changed him, Dan replied, “It happened accidentally. Suddenly, I was thrown out there, someone who people looked to for this type of content. I was just having the time of my life, and now it’s become something so much bigger. But I want to do more with it, I want to use it to reach people, to help them live their best and healthiest lives.”
He ended the interview with, “My goal is to help as many people as possible realize that they can make a difference in themselves. It doesn’t matter if they have barely any time, are a new mom, are 80 years of age or dealing with a disability or injury. With the right tools and encouragement, we can all be beasts.”
Maybe we wouldn’t all hop 9 miles to finish a race like Dan…but it does feel like we’d at least be better cheerleaders for ourselves with Dan in our corner.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF’S NOTE: Danny Rizzz is a new columnist for NYLM. Please see his work in the Health & Wellness section of the magazine.
1 HIIT: High intensity interval training: a form of exercise that involves alternating between short bursts of intense effort and periods of rest or low intensity activity.