FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA — Special Strong, a leading Adaptive Fitness franchise dedicated to serving individuals with mental, physical, and cognitive challenges, today announced the launch of Special Strong in SWFL, serving Lee and Collier Counties, Florida. The franchise is owned by Brandon Hipwell, with his wife, Natasha Hipwell, as a co-owner.
Hipwell spent 25 years in the insurance industry, building systems, managing risk, and scaling businesses. It was his son, Payton, who showed him why that experience would matter most. Payton has Fragile X syndrome and autism, and when Hipwell went searching for fitness training that could genuinely help his son — not just recreation, but a program built around specific activities of daily living, with a real starting point and a way to track progress — the standard options came up short.
“Every athlete who walks through our door is seen as an individual with potential, not a diagnosis to manage.”
— Brandon Hipwell, Franchise Owner, Special Strong Southwest Florida
That search led him to Special Strong: adaptive fitness training built with structure, individualized progress tracking, and coaches trained specifically for athletes like Payton. The only problem was that no location existed anywhere in Southwest Florida — so Hipwell decided to build one himself.
“Twenty-five years in insurance taught me how to build systems, manage risk, and scale a business the right way,” Hipwell said. “My son Payton taught me why that mattered.” Hipwell’s confidence in the venture was sealed during a visit to Special Strong’s corporate operations in Texas, where he watched young athletes train and immediately recognized his son in them.
Special Strong Southwest Florida brings certified, individualized adaptive fitness coaching to families throughout Lee and Collier Counties, combining proven operational discipline with a mission Hipwell describes in the simplest terms: every athlete deserves to be seen for who they are.
About Special Strong
Founded in 2016, Special Strong provides adaptive fitness training for children, adolescents, and adults with mental, physical, and cognitive challenges. Through its rapidly growing franchise model, Special Strong empowers communities to offer inclusive fitness programs that improve health, build confidence, and promote independence. With a foundation built on faith and service, Special Strong continues to expand nationwide, making a lasting impact one life at a time.
