You’ve probably seen the "Self Made" logo on a hoodie or a gym wall. It looks cool, right? But the guy behind it, Miguel Aguilar, didn't just pick that name because it sounded like a good marketing hook for Instagram. Honestly, the dude lived it in a way that most "hustle culture" influencers couldn't handle for a weekend.
Miguel Aguilar was the CEO and founder of Self Made Training Facility (SMTF). He didn't come from money. He didn't have a "small loan of a million dollars." He started with a mother struggling with addiction and a father who was sent to prison for 22 years when Miguel was just a teenager.
By 16, he was homeless.
He was sleeping in his car, trying to figure out how to eat while his peers were worrying about prom. That’s the actual origin story of the miguel aguilar self made brand. It wasn't built in a boardroom; it was built out of sheer survival on the streets of Southern California.
The Bankruptcy No One Talks About
People love the "rags to riches" part, but they usually skip the "riches back to rags" chapter. Miguel actually made it big in real estate first. He ground his way through the industry, learned the ropes, and was making serious bank. Then 2008 happened.
The market crashed. He lost everything.
He had to file for bankruptcy in 2012. Imagine being the guy who finally "made it" out of homelessness, only to watch it all evaporate. Most people would have quit. They would have taken a safe 9-to-5 and called it a day. But Miguel had this weird, stubborn confidence. He basically said, "I did it once, I’ll do it again, but better."
Why the Self Made Training Facility Model Changed Everything
If you’ve ever worked as a personal trainer at a big-box gym, you know the deal is kinda trash. You do all the work, and the gym takes 60% or 70% of your money. It’s a grind that burns people out.
Miguel saw that gap.
He decided to flip the script. He built a facility that didn't charge "members" a monthly fee to use the treadmills. Instead, he charged trainers a flat monthly rent.
- Trainers keep 100% of what they charge clients.
- They get to run their own brand under the SMTF roof.
- They aren't employees; they’re partners.
This was a massive shift. It turned personal training into a legitimate small business for the trainers. It’s why SMTF exploded from a single garage-style setup to over 30 locations across states like Arizona, Texas, Florida, and Nevada.
The Tragedy in Bel-Air
Life is incredibly unfair sometimes. After decades of fighting his way up, Miguel was finally living the life he had dreamed of. He was married to celebrity hairstylist Priscilla Valles. He had two daughters. He was a multi-millionaire.
Then, on September 13, 2024, everything changed in a heartbeat.
Miguel and his wife were targeted in a "follow-home" robbery outside their home in Bel-Air. Four men confronted them. During the struggle, Miguel was shot multiple times, including in the face.
He fought for three months in the ICU. People in the fitness community were constantly posting updates, hoping for a miracle. Sadly, on December 21, 2024, at just 43 years old, Miguel passed away.
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The Reality of His Legacy
What made the miguel aguilar self made movement so powerful wasn't just the gyms. It was the fact that he was open about his demons. He talked about his past drug use. He talked about the bankruptcy. He talked about the days he wanted to give up.
His death left a massive hole in the industry, but the company is still pushing forward. They recently even launched the Miguel Aguilar Memorial Scholarship with Lionel University to help aspiring trainers get certified.
It’s weird to think about—a guy who started with literally nothing, who was hunted down in his own driveway, ended up creating a system that helps thousands of people pay their mortgages today.
Actionable Takeaways from Miguel's Journey
If you’re looking at his life and wondering how to apply that "self-made" energy to your own stuff, here is the raw truth of how he operated:
- Pivot when the market breaks. When real estate died for him, he didn't try to fix a dead industry. He moved into fitness but applied the business logic he learned in real estate to it.
- Focus on the "User" (the Trainer). He didn't try to compete with 24-Hour Fitness for members. He competed for the talent. If you own the talent, you own the market.
- Audit your circle. Miguel was big on "surroundings." He often said that passing his real estate exam at 22 wasn't just about the money; it was about getting away from the people who were keeping him in the "homeless" mindset.
- Accept the "Fail Forward" mentality. Bankruptcy wasn't the end for him; it was a tuition fee for his next success.
To really honor the miguel aguilar self made philosophy, start by looking at your current career bottlenecks. If you’re a freelancer or a service provider, ask yourself: Am I the one in control of my income, or am I letting a middleman take the lion's share?
Success isn't about never falling. It’s about having the audacity to get back up when the world thinks you're done. Miguel proved that, right up until his final breath.