Welcome to BBM Motivation
- 28th June 2021 -
#culture
Buttabean Motivation, or more commonly known as BBM Motivation, was started to help people live healthier lives and set an example for their family and friends. Their mission? Simple, to reduce the alarming obesity statistics among Maori and Pasifika people through education, so they’re able to choose a healthy and active lifestyle. We sat down with the brains behind it all, Dave Letele, founder of BBM Motivation, to hear his story.
What’s behind the name Buttabean Motivation?
The name comes from my boxing days. When I first started, I weighed 210kg and there was a famous former boxer named Butterbean. He was a big fat white guy, and I was a big fat brown guy so they would call me the brown buttabean and it stuck! Seven years ago, I would never have thought the name Buttabean Motivation would be helping literally thousands of people live healthier lives.
Why did you start BBM Motivation?
I started BBM Motivation because of the great need there was! I wanted to give my people hope and show them that it is possible to get up from the gutter and make your life better.
What inspires you?
Seeing someone that was almost dead not only living but thriving in life.
What motivates you?
I always go back to my ‘why’ and my purpose. My ‘why’ has always been to set a good example for my children and be the best possible version of myself for them. My purpose is to help as many people as possible, not just with weight loss, but with mental health, employment, and family.
What makes the BBM Programs so special?
This comes down to three things:
1. Community – supporting the Maori and Pacific community by encouraging healthy lifestyles with tailored programs to fit everyone.
2. Health and wellbeing – we run programs to help people lose weight in a healthy but sustainable way.
3. Free bootcamps – our boot camps cater to all ages, shapes, sizes, and levels of fitness. Our environment is all about community, being supportive and non-judgemental.
You’ve recently entered a partnership with Leo Malloy, owner of Headquarters, tell us a bit about that?
Leo is an amazing man, he supported me personally when I didn’t have anything and now, he supports BBM Motivation with hundreds of meals every week for vulnerable families. Leo has done this since level 4 lockdown last year and now we are working together to create Buttabeans Community Kitchen. This will be a place where we can not only feed families, but also teach people how to cook healthy on a budget. We want to educate and give people a hand up, not just a hand out.
