Integral to The Scout Guide Phoenix & Scottsdale’s mission is telling the stories behind the small businesses Scouted in each Volume. The story begins in print and continues online, after all. As you peruse Volume 2, we are thrilled to continue our story-telling mission with Member Spotlights.

Photographed by Carrie Evans.

Before he became one of the Valley’s definitive wellness experts, Optimyze’s Michael Roviello was on his own journey to healing. Years of conducting helicopter search and rescue missions around the globe with the U.S. Navy left Roviello with chronic cervical spine and neurological issues. And, despite exploring every conventional medical intervention available — including pain medication and spinal surgery — Roviello’s pain persisted. 

That’s when his search led him to explore alternative practices, psychosomatic pain and medicine practices of the indigenous people of the Amazon jungle. There, he learned that his answers lay beyond Western medicine and was introduced to native practices designed to treat the whole person: mind, body, spirit, through natural, non-invasive methods that don’t require pharmaceutical intervention.

Enter Roviello’s exploration of alternative healing, including the Wim Hof method, which started quite the local movement. Ultimately, this movement brought the two co-founders of Optimyze, Roviello and Jesse Morang, together in a common effort. And thus, Optimyze was born. 

Like Roviello, co-founder of Optimyze, Jesse Moreng is passionate about helping others utilize natural modalities to achieve health and happiness. A mixed martial artists and professional fighter, Moreng attributes his commitment to the health and wellness industry to witnessing the mental and physical suffering of family, friends, and community members. Jesse’s work is dedicated to his wonderful, late brother — and others — suffering from mental and physical conditions that the modern health care system fails.

Through Optimyze, Roviello and Moreng bring the powerful synergy of alternative practices – including cold water, breathwork, contrast therapy, light therapy, PEMF, and infrared sauna use, among other modalities – to the Valley. Their goal? To educate, provide access to these therapies, grow the wellness community, and, well, help people optimize their health. 

As we embrace the new year, we chatted with Roviello about health, wellness, and what exactly to expect from Optimyze. 

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TSG Phoenix & Scottsdale: We understand that your respective health journeys connected you and Morang. Can you speak to what motivated you to take the entrepreneurial leap together?
Michael Roviello: We both started teaching the Wim Hof Method in the Phoenix area which created a local movement of sorts. After connecting with so many amazing people, hearing their stories, and witnessing their transformation, we decided to collaborate and create a space where we could bring the powerful synergy of cold water, breathwork, contrast therapy, sauna use, and other dynamic therapies to even more people in the community.

TSG Phoenix & Scottsdale: Before diving into the particulars of Optimyze, can you explain the Wim Hoff method to the uninitiated?
Michael Roviello: In simple terms, the Wim Hof Method combines breathing, cold-therapy, and commitment to help you gain control over your mind, breath, and body. This, we’ve seen, allows you to be overall happier, stronger, and healthier. It can also unlock a multitude of benefits such as a stronger immune system, better sleep quality, reduced stress levels, and increased energy.

TSG Phoenix & Scottsdale: How did this method inform Optimyze — and what differentiates Optimyze from other health or wellness centers?
Michael Roviello: Optimyze is a unique wellness experience providing coaching through a circuit of multiple therapies to offer a wide range of benefits for mind and body. These therapies combine cutting edge, data-driven technology and natural methods to help people heal their mental, physical, and emotional stress and pain so that they can achieve – and maintain – optimal health. That’s what separates us from other conventional health centers.

TSG Phoenix & Scottsdale: You mention a circuit of wellness therapies. Can you elaborate?
Michael Roviello: We have a wide array of therapies and services to choose from that are accompanied by guided support and coaching. In just one session, you can experience infrared sauna, compression therapy, meditation, restorative sleep technology, cold water and warm water hydrotherapy, red-light therapy, PEMF (pulsed electro-magentic field therapy), Biocharger therapy — just to name a few.

TSG Phoenix & Scottsdale: What are the benefits?
Michael Roviello: The proven benefits of these therapies are extensive. The modalities we employ are show to decrease pain and inflammation, boost energy and the immune system, improve cardiovascular health, accelerate workout recovery, improve metabolism, enhance athletic performance, and so much more…

TSG Phoenix & Scottsdale: That’s astounding. Consider our interest majorly piqued! Beyond the extensive offerings and associated benefits, what can a client expect?
Michael Roviello: Great music, a positive supportive community, professional and caring coaches, and a place to learn, practice, and disconnect from the hustle of everyday busy life. 

Photographed by Carrie Evans

TSG Phoenix & Scottsdale: You’ve had life-changing benefits from alternative modalities, and we would expect clients to have similarly remarkable experiences. Are there any, in particular, that stand out?
Michael Roviello: Absolutely. And while we’re in the business of optimizing client’s health, there’s one in particular that comes to mind. After suffering from inflammatory issues, the client was sent to us by her doctor after months of trying specialists and medications. We offered her a program of cold water and red light therapy, as well as sauna. She worked with us every day and her doctor closely monitored her biomarkers. Soon, she was free from her autoimmune obstacles, inflammation, pain, swelling and had increased energy. We are so proud to say that she is thriving now!

TSG Phoenix & Scottsdale: What a testament to the healing powers of Optimyze therapies! We understand that these therapies expose your body to stress. And while we typically think of stress with negative connotations, this client example proves otherwise. Can you elaborate?
Michael Roviello: It all comes down to the type of stress. Most people think we need less stress in life, but stress isn’t going anywhere. You can’t hide from it or avoid all stress in life, but what you can do is train your response. That’s what we do at Optimyze. How we react and adapt to stress makes all the difference.

TSG Phoenix & Scottsdale: Using the example of cold water therapy, how does this work in action?
Michael Roviello: We practice deliberate cold and heat exposure, because cold therapy and sauna trains our mind and body on how to react and adapt to stress. Humans are strong and resilient, but we have become too comfortable, which might just be the actual root cause of many of our issues.

TSG Phoenix & Scottsdale: What are the health benefits of going between hot and cold temperatures?
Michael Roviello: This kind of therapy is powerful for improving the vascular system, circulation, immune response, inflammation, pain, and mental health. Hot and cold therapy have been around since the dawn of time and used by our ancestors on every continent. For some odd reason, we got away from the basic fundamentals of health and put all of our trust in conventional medical practices. Now we are remembering who we are, and the best part is that science is catching up to what our ancestors already knew… This stuff works.

Photographed by Carrie Evans

TSG Phoenix & Scottsdale: You’ve been known to mention the “Benjamin Button” effect. Can you touch on that?
Michael Roviello: After embracing these alternative health practices, people started to express that, while I was getting older, I looked more and more youthful. They wanted to know my secret to, like the movie Benjamin Button, how I was aging backwards. When people started to notice that I was looking more youthful even though I was physically aging, they wanted to know what my secret was to “aging backwards.” It appeared that all of these practices had significantly lowered my biological age, and according to the in-depth testing I have done, I was right! Cellular testing through Viome concluded that while my physical age is 43, my biological age is 32. Read more details from Michael here…

TSG Phoenix & Scottsdale: Say no more. Where do we sign up for a membership? But, in all seriousness, you and Morang have brought the Valley something truly incredible. What, aside from the many benefits of Optimyze therapies, are the keys to success in your partnership?
Michael Roviello: At the basis of our partnership, we have a shared belief in our mission to educate the community on the science behind brain and body health and change their perspective on what methods they can use to be more proactive. When it comes to the business aspect, knowing our strengths and capabilities play a huge role in helping us delegate appropriately. And  of course good communication and trust are essential.

TSG Phoenix & Scottsdale: What would you say to those who harbor reservations about their ability to embrace Optimyze modalities?
Michael Roviello: Jesse and I are just two random guys who decided to stop complaining about the health system and decided to do something about it. It’s had such a profound impact personally and at a community level — changing our perspectives, our lives, and, ultimately, the lives of others. Don’t miss this opportunity because of self-doubt!

Photographed by Carrie Evans

TSG Phoenix & Scottsdale: How would you describe the Valley’s reception to Optimyze?
Michael Roviello: There’s a great community of open-minded people. And I think, because of the Valley’s unique opportunities to connect with nature, Phoenix and Scottsdale are well-positioned to embrace our vision.

TSG Phoenix & Scottsdale: In addition to Optimyze, we’d love to know a few of your favorite local spots and experiences so distinctive to the Valley!
Michael Roviello: My go-to restaurants are Chula Seafood, Persian Room, and Ingos Burgers. If I want to relax with a drink, I opt for kava at Kava bar  over cocktails. And when I’m not cold-plunging at Optimyze, you can probably find me hiking or training at Unfair Advantage Performance or Mountainside Fitness.

TSG Phoenix & Scottsdale: Community seems to be a recurring theme for you. What are some ways you are involved in the community and why are those causes important to you? 
Michael Roviello: We support Foster 360, which helps young people practice techniques to better manage and react to stress. We see that teens in the foster system who have the ability to manage stress and learn about their health by taking on new habits and routines will have future success in all areas of life.

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Look out for Optimyze founders, Michael Roviello & Jesse Moreng, in Volume 2 of The Scout Guide Phoenix & Scottsdale. And if you’re interested in taking a deep dive into your health and connecting to your body at Optimyze, explore more on their website here!