Michelle Crespo
Michelle Crespo is the Chief Operating Officer of Fit City Adventures, where she helps lead a fast-growing company redefining corporate team building through movement, wellness, and meaningful connection. At Fit City, Michelle oversees operations, strategy, and execution, ensuring every experience runs seamlessly behind the scenes while remaining energetic, human, and impactful for clients nationwide. Passionate about scaling purpose-driven organizations, she thrives on empowering teams, building strong systems, and transforming bold ideas into unforgettable experiences that help people feel better and work better together.
Before joining Fit City Adventures, Michelle spent more than a decade in executive leadership at Access Destination Services, where she honed her expertise in strategic planning, operational excellence, and client experience. Her leadership during this time earned her industry recognition, including Top COO Awards, and solidified her reputation as a people-first, results-driven executive capable of guiding organizations through growth and transformation.
Driven by values-centered leadership, Michelle is deeply committed to fostering cultures rooted in wellness, creativity, and authenticity. She believes work should feel more human—and a lot more fun—and continues to champion experiences that energize rather than exhaust. Through her leadership, Michelle is helping shape a future where corporate culture prioritizes connection, purpose, and sustainable success.
• San Diego State University- Bachelor's
• USA for Athletes volunteer COO: usaforathletes.org
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to the pivotal connections and mentorship I’ve received—like Jerry Rollins introducing me to Jen Miller and guidance from leaders such as Mark Youngblood and Bill Pollakov—combined with seizing opportunities, like sharing in rebuilding Access post-COVID from zero contracts to ranking 214 on the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies list in 2025. Those experiences taught me the power of relationships, adaptability, and leading with creativity and resilience.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
“Build your personal board of directors.”
This means intentionally surrounding yourself with mentors, peers, and advocates who challenge you, support you, and expand your perspective. Align with people who are smarter than you, think differently than you, and push you to keep learning. No one mentor has all the answers—growth comes from a village. Being successful isn’t about doing it alone; it’s about being the CEO of your life while valuing the collective wisdom that helps you lead, learn, and evolve.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
“Show up as your best self, every day — and bring others up with you. Be curious, be confident, and never stop learning. Seek mentors who challenge you and sponsors who champion you. Remember that leadership is built through collaboration, resilience, and the courage to do what hasn’t been done before. Your success is not just about what you achieve — it’s about the value you create for others.”
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
In 2026, business growth is challenged by economic pressure, rapid technological change, and persistent talent disengagement, requiring companies to do more with fewer resources while adapting to AI, hybrid work, and rising employee expectations. For the wellness and corporate team-building industry specifically, the biggest hurdles are proving measurable ROI, sustaining long-term engagement, and standing out in an increasingly crowded market. Organizations are no longer investing in “nice-to-have” programs—they want solutions that clearly improve performance, retention, and culture across remote and in-person teams. Success now depends on personalization, inclusivity, data-driven outcomes, and the ability to integrate wellness and team-building into broader business and leadership strategies rather than treating them as standalone initiatives.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Both personally and professionally, I’m guided by integrity, accountability, and mindfulness. Integrity means showing up consistently and doing the right thing even when it’s difficult or unseen. Accountability keeps me grounded in ownership—of my decisions, my impact, and my growth—while holding myself to the same standards I expect of others. Mindfulness allows me to lead and live with intention, staying present, thoughtful, and aware of how my actions affect people around me. Together, these values shape how I build relationships, lead teams, and make decisions, ensuring that success is meaningful, sustainable, and aligned with who I am.