In this edition of Bright Founders Talk, we sit down with Walter Gjergja, Co-Founder and Chief Wellness & Fitness Officer at Zing Coach, to explore the intersection of ancient wisdom and cutting-edge technology. Walter's journey is anything but conventional—beginning in a small Italian village, leading to co-founding a tech company, and then taking a dramatic turn as he spent a decade living as a Shaolin monk.

Today, he brings this rare blend of business acumen and Eastern philosophy to the world of AI-powered fitness. Zing Coach, his latest venture, offers personalized wellness solutions using artificial intelligence to tailor training to each individual's physical, emotional, and motivational profile. In our conversation, Walter shares how mindful practices are not only compatible with modern entrepreneurship but actually enhance resilience, focus, and performance.

He emphasizes that wellness is no longer a luxury—it's a necessity in today’s high-speed, high-stress world. Through Zing, he aims to bridge the gap between mental clarity and physical health with the help of scalable, intelligent tools. Join us as we uncover the philosophy behind Walter’s approach and the vision driving one of today’s most innovative wellness platforms.

From Kung Fu to Code: How a Shaolin Monk Is Disrupting Digital Wellness

You don’t meet many tech founders who’ve also shaved their heads and lived as Shaolin monks in rural China. But that’s exactly what Walter did. After building a successful tech company in Australia in the 90s, he traded stock tickers for temple bells and spent nearly a decade immersed in kung fu, meditation, and philosophy. “I wanted to go to the source of my passion,” he says. The experience didn’t just shape him—it became the backbone of how he sees wellness, leadership, and even business. According to Walter, the calm of the temple wasn’t an escape from entrepreneurship—it was training for it.

What’s remarkable is how Walter connects two worlds that seem galaxies apart. For him, the Shaolin principles of discipline, resilience, and mindfulness aren’t just for monks—they’re performance tools for anyone navigating high-stress environments, especially startup life. “People think the temple and the boardroom are opposites,” he laughs, “but in both, you need focus, strategy, and the ability to endure.” Now, as Co-Founder of Zing Coach, he’s applying that same mindset to build personalized fitness and wellness experiences using AI. It’s not about hustle culture—it’s about sustainable self-improvement, grounded in awareness.

Zing Coach isn’t your average fitness app. It’s tailored like a monk’s robe—custom-fit to your physiology, lifestyle, and even your mood on a given day. “The best training is personal. It knows you’re tired, it knows when to push, and it knows when to hold back,” Walter explains. And while the tech behind it is cutting-edge, the philosophy is ancient: real change happens when mind and body align. His mission? To help people break the “chronic beginner” cycle and finally build habits that last—not through pressure, but through presence. Or, in Walter’s words:
“Mindfulness isn’t soft—it’s a superpower.”

Micro Workouts, Big Wins: Walter’s Wellness Philosophy for Busy People and Late Bloomers

Walter didn’t flinch when our host confessed to being a “chronic beginner.” In fact, he smiled knowingly—it’s a term he’s all too familiar with. But instead of preaching about motivation or dropping an intense training regimen, he offered a refreshingly simple approach: start small. “One minute of squats or push-ups every hour. That’s it. If you work 10 hours, that’s 200 reps a day,” he said, casually flipping the script on what most of us believe a ‘real workout’ should look like. No gym. No fancy gear. Just consistency—bite-sized, doable, and surprisingly powerful.

Age? Not a problem, according to Walter. Whether you're 26 or 76, there’s no expiration date on getting started. Drawing from both Shaolin wisdom and cutting-edge research, he points out that the benefits of movement aren't just physical—they’re deeply restorative. “Exercise is medicine,” he said. And the science backs him up: older adults who begin even moderate training routines can reverse heart aging, rebuild muscle, and reclaim bone density. The secret isn’t intensity—it’s sustainability. And it’s never too late to build it.

But Walter didn’t stop at push-ups and protein. He took a sharp turn into something deeper: our need for emotional and even spiritual wellness. He spoke candidly about the fitness industry's smoke and mirrors—how false promises leave people discouraged and disconnected from what truly matters. That’s why Zing Coach isn’t just about reps and routines. It’s about personalizing wellness for real people, real bodies, and real lives. And beyond that, Walter’s next venture? It’s aimed at exploring what most of us quietly crave but rarely talk about: the inner side of well-being. “Our emotional and spiritual health is fundamental,” he said.
“And right now, it’s the most neglected part of wellness.”

Rediscovering Humanity: How Walter’s Mission Goes Beyond Fitness

Walter doesn’t just want people to move their bodies—he wants them to reconnect with their humanity. As he sees it, we’ve slowly stripped away the rituals that once gave life depth: religion, nature, and real human connection. “We removed ourselves from what defines our humanity,” he says. Now, many of us are left drifting in digital bubbles, wondering why we feel so off. His mission isn’t about replacing religion, but about offering tools—modern, accessible, even tech-powered—that help people find meaning again. For Walter, true wellness starts with asking the big questions: Who am I? What’s the point of all this?

Of course, building a business still has to make economic sense—but for Walter, impact is the real currency. He checks customer comments every morning, not to track metrics, but to read stories. One user lost 60 kilos and got a thumbs-up from their doctor. Another, post-kidney transplant, rediscovered the joy of movement. “Every one of these stories is what makes our product a success,” Walter says. He even answers support messages himself. Yep, a C-level exec diving into DMs to fix app bugs and help users figure out their fitness paths. It's not scalable, he admits—but it’s personal. And that’s exactly the point.

Looking ahead, Walter is fascinated by the convergence of ancient wisdom and modern science. Biometrics from wearables, mood check-ins with AI, and personalized wellness plans—these tools can now work together to support the whole human. But here’s the twist: Shaolin monks were preaching this centuries ago. “Modern science is just rediscovering what ancient traditions already knew,” he says. Whether it’s balancing cardio, strength, and flexibility, or the symbolic harmony of the monk and the warrior—it's all the same core idea. The future of wellness isn’t either data or wisdom. It’s both.
“Ancient wisdom and modern science are finally speaking the same language.”

No Time? No Trust? No Problem—Walter Breaks Down the Real Barriers to Wellness

Walter gets it—people are burned out by wellness apps. They’ve tried one too many that promised the moon and delivered… not much. “Actually, I agree with them,” he admits, pointing to the fitness industry’s habit of selling dreams with unrealistic bodies and exaggerated results. Add to that an overwhelming flood of data, dashboards, and endless choices, and it’s no wonder users are skeptical. That’s why Zing Coach flips the script: instead of bombarding you with options, it assigns you a digital coach who just tells you what to do. Simple, clear, and grounded in real science. And if you still want to do those 20 bicep curls like your favorite celeb? Go ahead—the app leaves room for personal flair too.

But let’s talk about the real villain: the “I don’t have time” excuse. Walter has zero tolerance for it. “Fifteen minutes a day is already incredibly powerful, if done with consistency,” he says. Whether it’s cooking a healthy meal, choosing the better dish at a restaurant, or getting a full night’s sleep—none of these things actually take more time than their less healthy counterparts. So what's really holding us back? Often, it's mindset. Walter urges people to ditch the guilt, drop the perfectionism, and take ownership. One minute at a time, one habit at a time, the shift happens—not overnight, but for real.

And for founders dreaming of building purpose-driven companies? Walter’s advice is just as grounded. Keep your team inspired, prioritize well-being like a coach would, and remember that you are your most important resource. That means sleep, movement, and mental space aren't “nice to haves”—they’re non-negotiables. His own team gets free access to healthy food, gym time, and even morning workouts on the office rooftop. “We need people who are operating at their maximum performance,” he says. Not in a hustle culture way—but in a sustainably human way.
“Remove the excuses, take care of yourself, and then go build something that truly matters.”