Jim Crowell is the CEO of OPEX Fitness.  Above all, he loves building businesses and mentoring coaches and business owners to enjoy inspiring, fulfilling, and successful careers. Prior to becoming the CEO of OPEX Fitness, Jim started, grew, and sold multiple successful gyms in Pittsburgh, PA.   Prior to his fitness career, Jim successfully traded commodities for a hedge fund in Austin, TX. He also holds an MBA from the University of North Carolina, two Bachelor’s Degrees from Penn State University, and the Core Course Designation from Harvard University.   In this episode, we learn about Jim’s journey, including how he entered the hedge fund world where he learned the importance of continuous learning, and how he came into OPEX as a coach, but wanted to tweak out the business side. We also talk about how he educates new OPEX gym owners (over 65 gyms), how to handle gym’s two biggest problems – acquisition and retention, how to get people in the door and keep them there, and more.   Enjoy!   – Ryan and Yaya   ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Show notes: http://www.shruggedcollective.com/rc_crowell ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ► Subscribe to Shrugged Collective's Channel Here http://bit.ly/BarbellShruggedSubscribe 📲 🎧 Listen to the audio version on the Apple Podcast App or Stitcher for Android Here- http://bit.ly/BarbellShruggedApple http://bit.ly/BarbellShruggedStitcher Shrugged Collective is a network of fitness, health and performance shows that help people achieve their physical and mental health goals.  Usually in the gym, but outside as well. In 2012 they posted their first Barbell Shrugged podcast and have been putting out weekly free videos and podcasts ever since. Along the way we've created successful online coaching programs including The Shrugged Strength Challenge, The Muscle Gain Challenge, FLIGHT, Barbell Shredded, and Barbell Bikini. We're also dedicated to helping affiliate gym owners grow their businesses and better serve their members by providing owners tools and resources like the Barbell Business Podcast. Find Shrugged Collective and their flagship show Barbell Shrugged here: SUBSCRIBE ON ITUNES ► http://bit.ly/ShruggedCollectiveiTunes WEBSITE ► https://www.ShruggedCollective.com INSTAGRAM ► https://instagram.com/shruggedcollective FACEBOOK ► https://facebook.com/ barbellshruggedpodcast TWITTER ► http://twitter.com/barbellshrugged

Liz Germain NSCA-CPT, Pn1, is the co-founder of Super Sister Fitness, a master trainer, and a YouTube marketing expert. She teaches entrepreneurs how to use YouTube and video marketing to generate highly targeted, organic leads for their business. Before she started helping other businesses with YouTube marketing, Liz was expertly trained as part of UCLA’s Fitness Leadership Program, and worked for several years as a Physical Therapy Aide in Santa Monica, California. Liz has an extensive background training special populations and elite athletes, and she is a pro at putting together programs for women of all fitness levels. In this episode, we dive into marketing in the fitness industry: Why a lot of great coaches are broke, common mistakes made by coaches trying to make money online, who you should listen to and who to tune out, how to engage with the average person, how to spot snake oil salesmen on the internet, what companies can track on the internet, how to get paid by YouTube, and much more. Enjoy! -Mike ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Show notes: https://shruggedcollective.com/tbs_germain ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Please support our partners!   Onnit's is a Total Human Optimization company with a mission to inspire peak performance through a combination of unique products and actionable information. As the founder and CEO Aubrey Marcus likes to say, Total Human Optimizaion is a commitment to get strong in the places where we are weak, become great in places where we’re good, and shine a light on the stuff we need take a look at. Improve your focus, concentration and productivity by getting a bottle of Onnit’s flagship neutropic supplement FOR FREE ($80 value) by going to: http://www.onnit.com/bledsoe ► Travel thru Europe with us on the  Shrugged Voyage, more info here: https://www.theshruggedvoyage.com/ ► What is the Shrugged Collective?  Click below for more info: https://youtu.be/iUELlwmn57o ► Subscribe to Shrugged Collective's Channel Here http://bit.ly/BarbellShruggedSubscribe 📲 🎧 Listen to the audio version on the Apple Podcast App or Stitcher for Android Here- http://bit.ly/BarbellShruggedApple http://bit.ly/BarbellShruggedStitcher Shrugged Collective is a network of fitness, health and performance shows that help people achieve their physical and mental health goals.  Usually in the gym, but outside as well. In 2012 they posted their first Barbell Shrugged podcast and have been putting out weekly free videos and podcasts ever since. Along the way we've created successful online coaching programs including The Shrugged Strength Challenge, The Muscle Gain Challenge, FLIGHT, Barbell Shredded, and Barbell Bikini. We're also dedicated to helping affiliate gym owners grow their businesses and better serve their members by providing owners tools and resources like the Barbell Business Podcast. Find Shrugged Collective and their flagship show Barbell Shrugged here: SUBSCRIBE ON ITUNES ► http://bit.ly/ShruggedCollectiveiTunes WEBSITE ► https://www.ShruggedCollective.com INSTAGRAM ► https://instagram.com/shruggedcollective FACEBOOK ► https://facebook.com/barbellshruggedpodcast TWITTER ► http://twitter.com/barbellshrugged

Exclusive interview with Athlete Emily Abbott.  She talks about her recent 4 year ban from Crossfit. 

Zach Even-Esh is a leading figure in the strength & conditioning industry, who has trained over 1,000 athletes ranging from the youth level to the Olympic level. Zach is the founder of The Underground Strength Gym, creator of The Underground Strength Coach Certification, author of The Encyclopedia of Underground Strength and Conditioning, and creator and host of STRONG Life Podcast. Since creating The Underground Strength Gym, Zach has consulted Division 1 athletic teams, Olympic Level athletic clubs, Spartan Race, pro teams, and independent coaches and athletes from around the world. The Underground Strength Gym began at Zach’s parents garage while he was a Health and Physical Education teacher in 2002. What started as a summer experiment training a few athletes grew into a full time obsession, and now Zach and his Underground Strength methods have grown into a world wide movement, inspiring athletes and coaches all around the world in training and life. In this episode, we dive into what it takes to get started, when you should say YES and when you earn NO, what it used to take vs what it takes now to be a popular coach, how to get noticed in the industry, how to use social media for good, how to craft your coaching business in a way that it doesn’t feel like business, what it means to follow your heart and what that looks like, how make your own rules and your own way, how doing less can make you more successful, and much more.   Enjoy! – Mike ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Show notes: http://www.shruggedcollective.com/tsc_evenesh ------------------------------------------------------------------------------   ► Subscribe to Shrugged Collective's Channel Here http://bit.ly/BarbellShruggedSubscribe 📲 🎧 Listen to the audio version on the Apple Podcast App or Stitcher for Android Here- http://bit.ly/BarbellShruggedApple http://bit.ly/BarbellShruggedStitcher Shrugged Collective is a network of fitness, health and performance shows that help people achieve their physical and mental health goals.  Usually in the gym, but outside as well. In 2012 they posted their first Barbell Shrugged podcast and have been putting out weekly free videos and podcasts ever since. Along the way we've created successful online coaching programs including The Shrugged Strength Challenge, The Muscle Gain Challenge, FLIGHT, Barbell Shredded, and Barbell Bikini. We're also dedicated to helping affiliate gym owners grow their businesses and better serve their members by providing owners tools and resources like the Barbell Business Podcast. Find Shrugged Collective and their flagship show Barbell Shrugged here: SUBSCRIBE ON ITUNES ► http://bit.ly/ShruggedCollectiveiTunes WEBSITE ► https://www.ShruggedCollective.com INSTAGRAM ► https://instagram.com/shruggedcollective FACEBOOK ► https://facebook.com/barbellshruggedpodcast TWITTER ► http://twitter.com/barbellshrugged

Scott Keppel is the owner of Scott’s Training Systems, a world class fitness studio located in Chandler, AZ that offers both in-person and online coaching. He specializes in post breast cancer recovery, pre/post- natal, pageantry training (he’s the official trainer for several states), weight loss and business owners/executives. Scott is also a motivational speaker and nationally certified fitness and nutrition coach. He believes it is important to help clients achieve their optimal levels mentally, physically and emotionally. Scott’s mantra is to lead with “Why?”. When he starts training clients, his mission is to figure out what the significance of experience is supposed to be. He makes it a point to be tactfully honest with his clients, not only keep their expectations realistic, but to ensure that they understand that the victory lies in the process, not the outcome! When he worked predominantly with fitness and figure competitors, coming to grips with the subjectivity of the sport when it came to judging, begins with acknowledging that you are indeed going to be judged. Then he made the shift to pageantry and building physiques in world where physical training can often be overlooked, or outright ignored due to the negative stigmas associated with women and weight training. To take it one giant step further, Scott excels in working with special populations that include women who have battled breast cancer or recently had children. When it’s all said and done, what is required of his clients is to create a physique that facilitates confidence, performance, and an appreciation for the journey is a lot of honest conversations with tactful candor.   Enjoy! – Jeff and Mycal   ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Show notes: http://www.shruggedcollective.com/fmfm_keppel ------------------------------------------------------------------------------   ► Subscribe to Shrugged Collective's Channel Here http://bit.ly/BarbellShruggedSubscribe 📲 🎧 Listen to the audio version on the Apple Podcast App or Stitcher for Android Here- http://bit.ly/BarbellShruggedApple http://bit.ly/BarbellShruggedStitcher Shrugged Collective is a network of fitness, health and performance shows that help people achieve their physical and mental health goals.  Usually in the gym, but outside as well. In 2012 they posted their first Barbell Shrugged podcast and have been putting out weekly free videos and podcasts ever since. Along the way we've created successful online coaching programs including The Shrugged Strength Challenge, The Muscle Gain Challenge, FLIGHT, Barbell Shredded, and Barbell Bikini. We're also dedicated to helping affiliate gym owners grow their businesses and better serve their members by providing owners tools and resources like the Barbell Business Podcast. Find Shrugged Collective and their flagship show Barbell Shrugged here: SUBSCRIBE ON ITUNES ► http://bit.ly/ShruggedCollectiveiTunes WEBSITE ► https://www.ShruggedCollective.com INSTAGRAM ► https://instagram.com/shruggedcollective FACEBOOK ► https://facebook.com/barbellshruggedpodcast TWITTER ► http://twitter.com/barbellshrugged

Tero Isokauppila is a a Finnish nomad turned into a fungi lovin’ foodpreneur. He is the president and founder of Four Sigmatic— A mushroom and superfoods company that creates products to help you live a better and healthier life. Tero’s dream is to bring back the ancient mushroom wisdom to modern lifestyle. In his native Finland, Isokauppila grew up on his family’s centuries-old farm regularly foraging for mushrooms. He holds a degree in both chemistry and plant-based nutrition from Cornell University, and was awarded a Finnish innovation award for discovering that the Japanese matsutake mushroom also grows in Finland. Tero was chosen as one of the world’s Top 50 Food Activists by the Academy of Culinary Nutrition, and has been featured in Vogue, Time, Forbes, Harper’s Bazaar, and more. He’s also the author of Healing Mushrooms: A Practical and Culinary Guide to Using Mushrooms for Whole Body Health. In this episode, we dive into the healing powers of medicinal mushrooms, mushrooms role in nature and human evolution, the anatomy of a mushroom, top 10 mushrooms for better health, energy, and performance, and much more. Enjoy! – Doug and Anders   Show notes at: http://www.shruggedcollective.com/bbs_isokauppila ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Please support our partners! @organifi - www.organifi.com/shrugged to save 20% @thrivemarket - www.thrivemarket.com/shrugged for a free 30 days trial and $60 in free groceries @OMAX - www.tryomax.com/shrugged and receive a free box of Omega 3 Fish Oils @Onnit - www.onnit.com/shrugged for a free 14 pill bottle of the leading nootropic Alpha Brain and 10% savings on all purchases. @Four Sigmatic-  www.foursigmatic.com/shrugged to save 15% on your first purchase ► Subscribe to Barbell Shrugged's Channel Here ► Subscribe to Shrugged Collective's Channel Here http://bit.ly/BarbellShruggedSubscribe 📲 🎧 Listen to the audio version on the Apple Podcast App or Stitcher for Android Here- http://bit.ly/BarbellShruggedApple http://bit.ly/BarbellShruggedStitcher Shrugged Collective is a network of fitness, health and performance shows that help people achieve their physical and mental health goals.  Usually in the gym, but outside as well. In 2012 they posted their first Barbell Shrugged podcast and have been putting out weekly free videos and podcasts ever since. Along the way we've created successful online coaching programs including The Shrugged Strength Challenge, The Muscle Gain Challenge, FLIGHT, Barbell Shredded, and Barbell Bikini. We're also dedicated to helping affiliate gym owners grow their businesses and better serve their members by providing owners tools and resources like the Barbell Business Podcast. Find Shrugged Collective and their flagship show Barbell Shrugged here: SUBSCRIBE ON ITUNES ► http://bit.ly/ShruggedCollectiveiTunes WEBSITE ► https://www.ShruggedCollective.com INSTAGRAM ► https://instagram.com/shruggedcollective FACEBOOK ► https://facebook.com/barbellshruggedpodcast TWITTER ► http://twitter.com/barbellshrugged

James Fitzgerald is founder and CEO of OPEX Fitness. His 20+ years of experience and service as a strength coach/technician, tireless practice on refining energy system work, nourishment and lifestyle balancing techniques, and training of other coaches, has made OPEX a sought after method of bringing fitness to a Higher Order.   James has found a desire and passion to understanding fitness through assessment, testing, research, programming and more. He has had many years of experience as an athlete from early childhood into adulthood, from playing top-level soccer, to short and long distance running, to CrossFit where he was crowned “The Fittest on Earth,” winner of the 2007 CrossFit Games.   In this episode, James shares how he found himself again after injury as a young athlete, how he always knew he wanted to deliver the gift of fitness to other people, how the current system of fitness is flawed and how to change it, why marketing is stronger than education – why people follow the next best thing every single time, why he hates the word biohacking, his take on drugs, psychedelics, weed, steroids, and more.   Enjoy!   – Ryan and Yaya ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Show notes: http://www.shruggedcollective.com/rc_fitzgerald ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ► Subscribe to Shrugged Collective's Channel Here http://bit.ly/BarbellShruggedSubscribe 📲 🎧 Listen to the audio version on the Apple Podcast App or Stitcher for Android Here- http://bit.ly/BarbellShruggedApple http://bit.ly/BarbellShruggedStitcher Shrugged Collective is a network of fitness, health and performance shows that help people achieve their physical and mental health goals.  Usually in the gym, but outside as well. In 2012 they posted their first Barbell Shrugged podcast and have been putting out weekly free videos and podcasts ever since. Along the way we've created successful online coaching programs including The Shrugged Strength Challenge, The Muscle Gain Challenge, FLIGHT, Barbell Shredded, and Barbell Bikini. We're also dedicated to helping affiliate gym owners grow their businesses and better serve their members by providing owners tools and resources like the Barbell Business Podcast. Find Shrugged Collective and their flagship show Barbell Shrugged here: SUBSCRIBE ON ITUNES ► http://bit.ly/ShruggedCollectiveiTunes WEBSITE ► https://www.ShruggedCollective.com INSTAGRAM ► https://instagram.com/shruggedcollective FACEBOOK ► https://facebook.com/ barbellshruggedpodcast TWITTER ► http://twitter.com/barbellshrugged

Adee Zukier Cazayoux is founder and CEO of Working Against Gravity, who is also known as the “Barbell Gypsy”. You can find Adee weightlifting, bobsledding, powerlifting, or competing in the NPGL or the CrossFit open. In 2016, she took a Bronze Medal at the Canadian National Weightlifting Championships. Adee was recently featured on The Strong Coach — Coaching Culture w/ Adee Cazayoux — 3. Michael Cazayoux, Adee's husband, is co-founder of Brute Strength, and host of Brute Strength Podcast.  At the age of 17, Michael moved from a small town in Louisiana to Utah for drug rehabilitation. It was that experience that led him to fall in love with CrossFit and helping others through coaching and mentoring. Prior to coaching multiple CrossFit Game athletes, Michael competed and became a back-to-back Affiliate World Cup Champion in 2012 and 2013 with his team "Hackspack." In this episode, Adee and Michael Cazayoux open up about their relationship and share their keys to a strong and healthy relationship. We dive into why quality of the relationship is the foundation for the rest of their life, how insecurity in a relationship will cause insecurity in business, how to be sensitive to your partner’s needs, how to be in a relationship with a successful partner, when to shut your mouth, intimacy vs sexual desire and how to cultivate each in your relationship, how to have a healthy fight, and more. Enjoy! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Show notes: https://shruggedcollective.com/tbs_cazayouxs ------------------------------------------------------------------------   Please support our partners! Onnit's is a Total Human Optimization company with a mission to inspire peak performance through a combination of unique products and actionable information. As the founder and CEO Aubrey Marcus likes to say, Total Human Optimizaion is a commitment to get strong in the places where we are weak, become great in places where we’re good, and shine a light on the stuff we need take a look at. Improve your focus, concentration and productivity by getting a bottle of Onnit’s flagship neutropic supplement FOR FREE ($80 value) by going to: http://www.onnit.com/bledsoe ► Travel thru Europe with us on the  Shrugged Voyage, more info here: https://www.theshruggedvoyage.com/ ► What is the Shrugged Collective?  Click below for more info: https://youtu.be/iUELlwmn57o ► Subscribe to Shrugged Collective's Channel Here http://bit.ly/BarbellShruggedSubscribe 📲 🎧 Listen to the audio version on the Apple Podcast App or Stitcher for Android Here- http://bit.ly/BarbellShruggedApple http://bit.ly/BarbellShruggedStitcher Shrugged Collective is a network of fitness, health and performance shows that help people achieve their physical and mental health goals.  Usually in the gym, but outside as well. In 2012 they posted their first Barbell Shrugged podcast and have been putting out weekly free videos and podcasts ever since. Along the way we've created successful online coaching programs including The Shrugged Strength Challenge, The Muscle Gain Challenge, FLIGHT, Barbell Shredded, and Barbell Bikini. We're also dedicated to helping affiliate gym owners grow their businesses and better serve their members by providing owners tools and resources like the Barbell Business Podcast. Find Shrugged Collective and their flagship show Barbell Shrugged here: SUBSCRIBE ON ITUNES ► http://bit.ly/ShruggedCollectiveiTunes WEBSITE ► https://www.ShruggedCollective.com INSTAGRAM ► https://instagram.com/shruggedcollective FACEBOOK ► https://facebook.com/barbellshruggedpodcast TWITTER ► http://twitter.com/barbellshrugged

Ben Pakulski a.k.a. Pak-Man, is an IFBB professional bodybuilder and winner of the 2008 Mr. Canada competition. In the IFBB, he finished 2nd twice in 2008. He also placed 2nd in the 2013 Arnold Classic competition, and 11th in the 2012 Mr. Olympia contest, which was his first-ever. Ben began his interest in nutrition at 12 years old, when he read about vegetarianism and experimented with it for two years. At 15, he started lifting weights in Macks Gym in Toronto. Today, he is an accoladed athlete, competitor, coach, creator of #1 Muscle Building program MI40, and creator and host of the Muscle Expert Podcast. In this episode, we dive into many ideas and philosophies Ben has adopted, avoided, and learned from. They include, punishing oneself through training, escaping pain through exercise, chasing something outside of yourself, placing self worth on the person you become through the process - not the outcome, how to win at life through discipline, the power of “Thank You”, why your program and nutrition isn’t as important as I think you it is, coaching vs cheerleading, and much more.   Enjoy! - Mike ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Show notes: http://www.shruggedcollective.com/tsc_pakulski ------------------------------------------------------------------------------   ► Subscribe to Shrugged Collective's Channel Here http://bit.ly/BarbellShruggedSubscribe 📲 🎧 Listen to the audio version on the Apple Podcast App or Stitcher for Android Here- http://bit.ly/BarbellShruggedApple http://bit.ly/BarbellShruggedStitcher Shrugged Collective is a network of fitness, health and performance shows that help people achieve their physical and mental health goals.  Usually in the gym, but outside as well. In 2012 they posted their first Barbell Shrugged podcast and have been putting out weekly free videos and podcasts ever since. Along the way we've created successful online coaching programs including The Shrugged Strength Challenge, The Muscle Gain Challenge, FLIGHT, Barbell Shredded, and Barbell Bikini. We're also dedicated to helping affiliate gym owners grow their businesses and better serve their members by providing owners tools and resources like the Barbell Business Podcast. Find Shrugged Collective and their flagship show Barbell Shrugged here: SUBSCRIBE ON ITUNES ► http://bit.ly/ShruggedCollectiveiTunes WEBSITE ► https://www.ShruggedCollective.com INSTAGRAM ► https://instagram.com/shruggedcollective FACEBOOK ► https://facebook.com/barbellshruggedpodcast TWITTER ► http://twitter.com/barbellshrugged

David brings a unique perspective of old marketing information to the dynamics of multiple business ownership, and modern trends in marketing for small businesses. Having mastered the process of managing multi-businesses and teams with a dynamic customer focused culture which drives sales and profitability. David has three advanced degrees in human development and Educational psychology, which shows in his passion for people and self-development. In this episode, David shares with us the joys he's experienced along his journey, and why his passion has shifted from developing businesses in the fitness and wellness space, to the recovery end of the spectrum. The shift is result of a refined thought process in which David has acknowledged the way of the market from preventing overtraining to preventing under-recovering as a means to create longevity and increased performance. David has had his own epiphanies over the years, but none more profound than the concept which he wraps his message in today: "If you plan to look after others, it is imperative that you look after yourself first." Self-care is paramount amidst David's philosophy of living in your creative genius to accomplish your greatest self. There is a way to create the balance required to live a fulfilled life. The notion that one must go without, and live with the proverbial pendulum swinging far from center is antiquated in David's eyes. As he grows and develops the organizations he's created, he makes that abundantly clear when he has an opportunity to mentor those under his charge. Join us this week, as David shares his wisdom with the Feed Me Fuel Me community and learn how to bring life's pendulum back to center while you build a great life and your greatest self! - Jeff and Mycal ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Show notes: http://www.shruggedcollective.com/fmfm_lovell ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ► Subscribe to Shrugged Collective's Channel Here http://bit.ly/BarbellShruggedSubscribe 📲 🎧 Listen to the audio version on the Apple Podcast App or Stitcher for Android Here- http://bit.ly/BarbellShruggedApple http://bit.ly/BarbellShruggedStitcher Shrugged Collective is a network of fitness, health and performance shows that help people achieve their physical and mental health goals.  Usually in the gym, but outside as well. In 2012 they posted their first Barbell Shrugged podcast and have been putting out weekly free videos and podcasts ever since. Along the way we've created successful online coaching programs including The Shrugged Strength Challenge, The Muscle Gain Challenge, FLIGHT, Barbell Shredded, and Barbell Bikini. We're also dedicated to helping affiliate gym owners grow their businesses and better serve their members by providing owners tools and resources like the Barbell Business Podcast. Find Shrugged Collective and their flagship show Barbell Shrugged here: SUBSCRIBE ON ITUNES ► http://bit.ly/ShruggedCollectiveiTunes WEBSITE ► https://www.ShruggedCollective.com INSTAGRAM ► https://instagram.com/shruggedcollective FACEBOOK ► https://facebook.com/barbellshruggedpodcast TWITTER ► http://twitter.com/barbellshrugged