144: Mike Bledsoe - Why Building Financial Leverage Holds the Key to True Wealth and Freedom

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"The barrier to entry to building a business has never been lower. The barrier to entry to making a million dollars has never been lower. And the amount of distraction that's available has never been higher," says Mike Bledsoe, entrepreneur, coach, and co-founder of Barbell Shrugged, who joins The King Within for a raw and transformative conversation on wealth, entrepreneurship, and personal evolution.

Once at the helm of one of the world’s top fitness podcasts and several fast-growing businesses, Mike Bledsoe pulls back the curtain on his wild ride—from making and burning hundreds of thousands in monthly revenue, to learning the painful cost of distraction and poor focus. He shares the pivotal mindset shifts and hard-won strategies that took him from nearly losing it all to building true wealth—not just financially, but in time, opportunity, and impact. Mike Bledsoe reveals why “passive income” is a myth, how true leverage is built, and what it means to really own your life as well as your business.

Tune into The King Within’s latest episode to hear why so many business owners get “spread too thin,” the hidden traps of entrepreneurial success, and the new skills you must master to thrive in a rapidly changing world. If you’re ready to rethink what it takes to create lasting wealth—and resilience—this is the episode you don’t want to miss.

5 Key Takeaways

1. Ditch the “just make more money” trap—master your numbers, cut expenses ruthlessly, and install a system like Profit First so your business actually builds wealth.
2. Cap your lifestyle, automate your income to require minimal hours, and use your freed-up time to learn, experiment, and prepare for rapid change—agility beats grinding.
3. Get crystal clear on your wealth number. Identify how much you need invested to live your best life, then track all decisions against hitting that target—clarity unlocks action.
4. Shift your mindset from “risky” to “responsible”—own your business, own your results, and stop outsourcing your financial future to employers or the market.
5. Relentlessly upgrade your nervous system and beliefs. Adaptability, self-awareness, and nervous system regulation are your greatest assets in a world where distractions and change are accelerating—work on yourself as much as on your business.

Memorable Quotes

"The barrier to entry to building a business has never been lower. The barrier to making a million dollars has never been lower. And the amount of distraction that's available has never been higher."

"If you own your own business and you know your numbers, you'll know months ahead of time before you have any financial trouble. The difference is, the level of responsibility of a business owner is so much higher—it's not risky."

"This is the greatest time in history to be able to design a life that you desire. The only thing holding most people back is they don't believe it's possible for them."

Connect with Mike

Website: http://bledsoe.life/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mike_bledsoe

Mike's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MikeBledsoe

FullStack Life on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thefullstacklife/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michael.bledsoe

X/Twitter: https://x.com/michaelbledsoe

Resources Mentioned

Profit First by Mike Michalowicz - https://amzn.to/4a3KJcg

HigherDOSE (PMF + Infrared Mat) - https://www.higherdose.com/

Onnit (Wellness & Fitness Brand) - https://www.onnit.com/

Krisstina Wise (Wealthy Wealthy Mindset & Wealth Coaching) - https://wealthywellthy.life/

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Work With Mike

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The Grounded King (group coaching) - https://thegroundedking.com

Men of Movement Retreat - https://www.menofmovement.com/

1:1 Coaching - https://coaching.mikesalemi.io/1-1Coaching

Programs (use code 'PODCAST' for an additional 10% discount)

Kettlebell Lifestyle - https://www.kettlebelllifestyle.com/

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Bulgarian Bag Certifications - https://coaching.mikesalemi.io/bulgarianbagcertifications

Connect with Mike

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mike.salemi/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@MikeSalemi

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikesalemi111/

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X/Twitter - https://x.com/mike_salemi

Mentioned in this episode:

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