Silas Reed, 45, has always called Memphis home, but his appreciation for the city deepened after years of travel and exploration. “Sometimes looking around makes you love your city even more,” he says. “Memphis has this rare mix of soul and resilience that you feel in the people, the music, and the community spirit,” Silas says.
Today, Silas channels that spirit as Vice President of Next Day Access Memphis, a company dedicated to improving mobility and accessibility through ramps, lifts, and home modifications. “Our mission is simple but powerful: to help people live with dignity and independence,” he explains. “We install equipment, but we more so hope to restore confidence and quality of life.”
A lifelong athlete, Silas has always found a connection to fitness. From playing football, wrestling, and running track at White Station High School to joining the Memphis Blues Rugby team after graduation, physical discipline has shaped his identity. After college, martial arts training became a cornerstone of his health journey. “Fitness sharpens me physically, mentally, and spiritually,” he says.
However, as a father of five, with kids ranging in age from seven to twenty-one, Silas understands how easily fitness can slip to the back burner. “There were times I looked healthy but wasn’t truly well inside,” he admits. “I was staying just fit enough for aesthetics, but was not paying attention to my overall health and longevity. Getting back into consistent training over the last year has been a game-changer for me personally and professionally.”
A significant source of that renewed motivation comes from his younger brother, Jason Heinrich, an accomplished ultramarathoner whom Silas helps pace during 100-mile mountain races. Supporting Jason through grueling conditions, often deep into the night and into the early morning, reminded Silas of the importance of discipline and purpose. “Watching my brother push through exhaustion and pain for his goals really inspired me to focus on my fitness, for myself and as an example of good health to my kids,” he says.
Silas is now training regularly at Memphis Judo & Jiu-Jitsu again, where he rediscovered his love for martial arts. Boxing, especially, has become a favorite outlet. “It’s intense, disciplined, and fun, and it came back to me 20 years later like riding a bike,” he says. “The crew there, especially my coach Kevin Botwinick, makes it easy to show up and get moving.” Early mornings often find him training as part of his “5 a.m. Club,” setting the tone for the day ahead.
At Next Day Access, that same commitment to health extends beyond his personal life. The company sponsors endurance events and supports employee fitness initiatives, including Jason’s races, because, as Silas says, “Our mission to improve mobility doesn’t stop with our customers. Supporting wellness for our team reinforces the same values of freedom, movement, and vitality that we stand for.”
For Silas, the lesson is clear: fitness and leadership aren’t competing priorities; they’re intertwined. “Your health fuels your hustle,” he says. “When you’re strong physically, you’re sharper mentally and more grounded emotionally. Fitness and leadership are built on discipline, perseverance, vision, and purpose.”
Learn more about Silas and Next Day Access at Nextdayaccess.com/memphis-tn.
By Zoe Harrison
Photo by Tindall Stephens
