30 Sep 2025 Strength in service
By Mark Oliver
Staff Sergeant Michael Estes didn’t always know that he was going to become a health and wellness entrepreneur. In fact, he’ll be the first to tell you that it happened accidentally.
After dropping out of college and working in Alaska, the Texarkana native returned home with his savings and a desire to focus on personal fitness. What began as a simple stop at a supplement store became the turning point that shaped Estes’s future.
“I was never big into going to the gym,” Estes said. “I had heard of supplements but had always been skeptical of them because I was young and had a lot of questions. After I started taking supplements, I began seeing phenomenal results. It really opened my eyes to new horizons regarding my health and wellness.”
In the blink of an eye, Estes’s world transformed. Soon, he found himself working behind the counter as a sales associate and sharing his personal success story with his customers and community.
“Meeting people from all walks of life and taking the time to learn their stories was very fulfilling for me,” Estes said. “It allowed me to dive into their individual needs and help create a plan to guide them toward their goals — whether it’s building muscle, weight management or simply wanting to feel great.”
After years of climbing the ranks from general manager to district manager, Estes took the leap into franchise ownership. In 2024, he joined his former boss in purchasing 5 Star Nutrition Conway and has since expanded to Little Rock, Lake Charles, Louisiana, and Sherman, Texas.
“Owning my own business and changing lives has been immensely rewarding for me,” Estes said. “Guiding our customers on the ins and outs of what to eat, and seeing their personal goals come true, makes coming to work worth it each day.”
Estes’s commitment to service didn’t stop at the storefront. Through his 17-year military career with the Army National Guard, which has included deployments around the globe, Estes honed his leadership skills and learned how to connect with people striving to improve their lives.
“Being a leader in the military for as long as I have has taught me how to communicate with others in ways that promote positivity and accountability,” Estes said. “When guests come into our stores, I’m able to politely encourage them to correct negative behaviors while guiding them toward their personal goals.” With new developments in diet, nutrition and wellness emerging almost daily, Estes and his team remain committed to staying informed and delivering trusted, up-to-date advice.
“No matter what the latest trend is, three things remain unchanged,” Estes said. “Methylated multivitamins are your best friend, combined with adequate sleep and eating frequency. A lack of sufficient vitamins can literally cause your body to halt the speed of essential processes. Without sleep, you can’t grow or recover properly, and if you don’t eat enough, your body will begin to metabolize itself in an unhealthy way. When used correctly, the right supplements can unlock dramatic improvements in body functions, from enhancing recovery, boosting energy and supporting overall wellness.”
With a large amount of misinformation available online, Estes recognizes the difficulty in knowing what to trust when navigating a personal health journey. “Clickbait is everywhere on social media these days,” Estes said. “But when someone cares, they do their research, come in and ask questions. Our job is to give them honest answers and point them in the right direction regarding their health needs.”
After more than a decade in the wellness industry, Estes has learned that real change begins with a conversation. A man recently visited 5 Star Nutrition Little Rock seeking relief from post-surgery knee pain and was hesitant to rely on opioids for relief. Estes introduced him to CBD, explained its benefits and offered a risk-free trial.
“He came back the next day, shook my hand and told me he was pain-free,” Estes said. “I was glad to help him. Taking the time to listen to him and understand his needs allowed us to change someone’s life for the better.” While growing the business remains a priority for the 5 Star Nutrition team, Estes’s greatest focus is on giving back.
“I never thought I’d own my own business, and it has been highly rewarding,” Estes said. “While we want to continue to grow, we want our employees to grow, too. Our current mission is to improve the wages to a comfortable level for each of our employees. Their work matters to our 501 community and we want every person who walks through our doors to leave better than when they arrived.”
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