Strong By Design Podcast

Send us a textZander Fryer, best-selling author, internationally renowned speaker, and world traveler, is more than just a corporate dropout. After quitting his successful corporate career at age 27, Zander launched his company, High Impact Coaching, to inspire and empower entrepreneurs to build successful businesses while adding value to the world. From ZERO to 6 figures in 3 months and 7 figures in 12, his training now impacts over 50,000 people in 22 different countries and at more than 300 organizations. A mentor to millionaires, Grammy-winning artists, and bestselling authors alike, he is praised as “the next generation leader” by #1 best-selling author Jack Canfield and regarded as “unstoppable” by the president of Massively Human Leadership, Kathleen Seeley. Zander’s passion to drive the next generation of leaders and shake this world up is creating a movement. Referred to as ‘The Coach of Coaches’ and along with co-host Mike Westerdal, a fellow 100 Million Mastermind Experience Member, get ready for a high impact conversation with today’s very special guest on Strong by Design.   "Our brains are 95% subconscious. This programming dictates a majority of our lives... our outcomes, actions and how we feel." -Zander Fryer   Time Stamps 0:24 – Welcoming High Impact Coaching’s CEO Zander Fryer on ‘Strong by Design’ podcast 2:10 – Why Zander quit his corporate career to start his own company 9:55 – Stepping into fear: Zander on finding the courage to pursue your dream 14:10 – How the schooling system is turning students into robots 21:06 – Why college is not for everyone 25:49 – Zander gives tips on how to find clarity and true purpose in life 32:00 – The power of finding out what you’re good at 33:48 – The difference between stress and worry 41:01 – Why keeping promises you make to yourself is important 44:15 – The power of belief 50:21 – Where you can go to connect with Zander Fryer     Resources ZanderFryer.com   Connect w/ Zander: Instagram Facebook   Connect w/ CriticalBench:  Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com StrongByDesignPodcast.com Start the New Year with more Focus, Clarity & Mental Energy!Grab some Neuro-Thrive at a Discount - Use Code: SBD2026 🧠 Your Brain will Love you 💙Support the showConnect w/ CriticalBench: Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com StrongByDesignPodcast.com

Send us a textGood and bad nutritional habits are developed during our formative years in youth sports. From adolescence to young adulthood, we are faced with food choices every day. For athletes, the fuel that they use significantly dictates performance on the field or on the court. Our guest today, Steve Konopka, along with longtime friend and co-host Mike Westerdal, uncovers 6 of the biggest nutrition mistakes youth athletes make that impacts both how they feel and perform and what parents and coaches can do to help. Now Steve owns Strength N Honor Training Facility which currently has 2 locations. Steve is from West Hartford CT and lives in Simsbury CT with his wife and two sons. He went to CCSU where he played football with Mike Westerdal and pursued a degree in exercise science. Steve went on to a brief stint in the NFL with the New York Giants and then played Arena Football for 8 years.   "Refueling on the way home (from sports) is simple and easy and helps them unwind and gives them something to look forward to." -Steve Konopka   Time Stamps 0:24 – Meet Steve Konopka, head Strength and Athletic conditioning coach and owner of Strength N Honor Training Facility 2:30 – Steve shares his experience and thoughts on training youth athletes 7:46 – Discover the most important meal for youth athletes 14:29 – The cons of processed foods 17:05 – Steve on why parents should not use processed foods as reward 20:35 – Macronutrients 101: What is it and why you should track it 26:06 – Post-workout recovery: Steve on what to eat after a competition 32:02 – Steve on why kids should not diet, and what to do instead 35:45 – Vitamin supplements: Do kids really need them? 38:45 – The importance of hydration for youth athletes 41:10 – Steve gives tips on how to gain weight healthily 53:00 – Connect with Steve Konopka through his social media channels, official website   Resources www.strengthnhonortraining.com   Connect w/ Steve: Instagram Facebook   Connect w/ CriticalBench:  Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com StrongByDesignPodcast.com Start the New Year with more Focus, Clarity & Mental Energy!Grab some Neuro-Thrive at a Discount - Use Code: SBD2026 🧠 Your Brain will Love you 💙Support the showConnect w/ CriticalBench: Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com StrongByDesignPodcast.com

Send us a textWhat are you personally genius in? Is it storytelling, writing, making others laugh, inspiring others to be great leaders or maybe it’s art, painting, sports or listening? What is that thing you do better than just about anyone else you know? And other people have noticed this about you for years. It’s time for reflection. Because once you have that figured out and focus your efforts there, life changes forever. Nearly all people have strengths in one or more things in life. So, stop spreading your greatness so thin into other areas that don’t suit you as well. Stay in your lane in business and in life and find a way to devote most of your time and energy into those things you’re amazing in. Today’s podcast is with co-host Chris Wilson and Adam Linkenauger, video marketing guru, online business coach and creator of I Love Basketball TV on YouTube.   "I think the mistake that people make is they'll get started and stay consistent but lack the learning aspect...so they will consistently do the wrong things." -Adam Linkenauger   Time Stamps 0:25 – Welcoming today’s special guest on ‘Strong by Design’ podcast 3:03 – Meet Adam Linkenauger, owner of the world's largest basketball training community 11:00 – Why consistency is the key to success 13:35 – Adam shares key strategies for growing a business 18:40 – The benefits of being patient 22:17 – Adam shares the winning formula for a successful business 28:14 – Adam on the importance of staying in your lane 34:22 – The power of having a mentor 39:57 – Where you can go to connect with Adam Linkenauger     Resources ILoveBasketballTV   Connect w/ Adam: Facebook Instagram   Connect w/ CriticalBench:  Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com StrongByDesignPodcast.com Start the New Year with more Focus, Clarity & Mental Energy!Grab some Neuro-Thrive at a Discount - Use Code: SBD2026 🧠 Your Brain will Love you 💙Support the showConnect w/ CriticalBench: Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com StrongByDesignPodcast.com

Send us a textThis episode is for all those muscle loving guys and gals! Building lean muscle and getting into the best shape of your life isn’t as complicated as the fitness industry often makes it sound. Regardless of your genetics and exercise discipline, there are a few constants that cannot be overlooked for most men and women. Strength Coach at Critical Bench and co-host of the Strong by Design podcast, Chris Wilson, explores all things MUSCLE with bestselling author of Bigger Leaner Stronger and host of the #1 podcast, Muscle for Life, Mike Matthews. Listen in as Mike gives you simple, science-based know-how and inspiration that will help you build your best body and life ever!   "Your body's muscle building machinery doesn't work well when the body is under slept." -Mike Matthews   Time Stamps 0:04 – Welcoming today’s special guest on ‘Strong by Design’ podcast 1:50 – Host Chris Wilson and guest Mike Matthews share their thoughts on the COVID-19 situation 9:14 – COVID-19: Understanding your risk profile 13:42 – Get to know Legion Athletics’ CEO Mike Matthews, and how he got into the fitness industry 15:40 – The origins of ‘Bigger Leaner Stronger’ 24:31 – The connection between sleep and muscle growth 31:59 – Effects of sleep deprivation on the physiology of muscle building 36:15 – De-load Week: What is it and why is it important? 40:00 – The difference between training in your 20s, 30s and 40s 49:25 – Mike on how to overcome fitness challenges 53:40 – Muscle and strength gain: Why it is important to start training in your 20s 55:00 – Mike on building muscle in your 30s, 40s and beyond 1:02:28 – How genetics affect your fitness and health goals 1:05:36 – Connect with Mike Matthews through his social media channels, official website     Resources LegionAthletics.com Muscle for Life Podcast   Connect w/ Mike: Instagram Facebook   Connect w/ CriticalBench:  Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com StrongByDesignPodcast.com Start the New Year with more Focus, Clarity & Mental Energy!Grab some Neuro-Thrive at a Discount - Use Code: SBD2026 🧠 Your Brain will Love you 💙Support the showConnect w/ CriticalBench: Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com StrongByDesignPodcast.com

Send us a textHow would you define manhood? Ask 10 people that simple question and you’ll get 10 different answers. Men today are confused about what it means to be manly. Sadly, masculinity, which is a good and necessary thing, is under attack. But the world needs strong men to step up and be the leaders of their families, work places and communities. To set things right in a world filled with confusion, lies and naysayers. In today’s episode coach Chris Wilson speaks with Order of Man’s Ryan Michler about the importance of men in society, defending our significance in the home, professional environment and in all relationships.   "You don't need to say biological male, it's redundant, a male is by its very definition biologically male...And I had people push back on that." -Ryan Michler   Time Stamps 0:24 – Welcome to the ‘Strong by Design’ podcast 2:05 – Meet Ryan Michler, Founder of Order of Man 6:22 – The evolution of masculinity 8:00 – Discover how growing up without a permanent father figure inspired him to start ‘Order of Man’ 12:10 – Ryan on placing the concept of fatherhood on a pedestal 18:29 – Rising above the victim mentality 24:00 – The importance of having a strong support system 28:30 – Ryan on dealing with changing relationships 35:06 – Malehood vs Manhood: What’s the difference? 41:33 – Ryan on toxic masculinity, and what does it mean to be a man 48:29 – Ryan talks about oppressive patriarchy 55:28 – The downside of social media activism 1:02:28 – Where you can go to learn more about Ryan Michler’s ‘Order of Man’     Resources Order of Man Podcast Order of Man Official Website   Connect w/ Ryan: Instagram Facebook Group   Connect w/ CriticalBench:  Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com StrongByDesignPodcast.com Start the New Year with more Focus, Clarity & Mental Energy!Grab some Neuro-Thrive at a Discount - Use Code: SBD2026 🧠 Your Brain will Love you 💙Support the showConnect w/ CriticalBench: Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com StrongByDesignPodcast.com

Send us a textEarnest D Smith Jr did over 8 years of mental therapy, after being medically wounded by the invisible scars of war. Upon integration back into society, he bounced around from job to job like a pinball to replace the passion he felt while he served his country. His passion has been re-ignited and he is on a mission to ensure that 22 Veterans a day commit to living, because many are losing the war within.  Earnest (CPT Retired) is a native-born Floridian with Caribbean heritage from St. Kitts. He graduated from West Point and went on to serve in the military for 7 years. While in the military, he deployed twice to Iraq and his last assignment was commanding a 114 Soldiers and 3 Civilian unit company that provided secure satellite communications for the President of the United States and Joint Chief of Staffs. He has been married to his wife, whom he met in the 6th grade, for 14 years and has 3 kids and a Bichon Friese which we dig into in this amazing conversation. Sit back and get ready for a raw and deeply moving interview with coach Chris Wilson and our guest and good friend Earnest.   "The demons were in the basement working out and they flexed and it took me out... back home, not at war. Peace is what took me out." -Earnest Smith   Time Stamps 0:24 – Welcome to the ‘Strong by Design’ podcast 3:14 – Get to know Earnest Smith and his mission to prevent veteran suicide 7:14 – Earnest shares his deep love for Batman and how it inspired his mission 13:57 – Earnest opens up about his struggles with mental health 19:15 – Battling the invisible scars of war 22:43 – Earnest on dealing with psychological pain 27:44 – The importance of focusing on what you can control 33:37 – Setting boundaries: What is it and why is it important 40:09 – The cost of bottling up your emotions 45:09 – The language of emotions 48:13 – The power of taking action 50:36 – Growth mindset: How your thoughts control your life 53:54 – The importance of having a support system 1:00:04 – How to treat each day as a bonus 1:05:52 – Surviving a mental health crisis: The importance of asking for help 1:13:33 – Where you can go to connect with Earnest 1:19:50 – Discover Earnest’s ‘L.I.F.T.’     Resources EarnestLiving.Blog   Connect w/ Earnest: Instagram Facebook Direct Email: earnest@Earnestliving.blog   Connect w/ CriticalBench:  Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com Start the New Year with more Focus, Clarity & Mental Energy!Grab some Neuro-Thrive at a Discount - Use Code: SBD2026 🧠 Your Brain will Love you 💙Support the showConnect w/ CriticalBench: Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com StrongByDesignPodcast.com

Send us a textRandy grew up in a poor working-class family that always struggled living paycheck to paycheck. He discovered at the age of twelve, being a business owner could be his ticket to escape his family’s financial struggle. Fast forward several years, his self-managing, self-improving businesses that ran on autopilot continued to have healthy growth and huge profits whether he was there or not. In addition to building his empires, silently, Randy worked with other ambitious entrepreneurs consulting, advising, and creating strategies for them, while seeking to always find a better way. He has helped: 196 struggling/brink of bankrupt business owners become multi-millionaires. 27 business owners grow from seven figures to mid-level nine figures. 28 billionaires. 19 celebrities and high-profile icons. Trained more than 10,000 small businesses. After selling his last business, he took a five-year sabbatical to gain a vision what he wanted to do over the next twenty-five years to make a huge difference in other people’s lives. As a result, he developed an initiative he calls the Bootstrap Billionaire. The Bootstrap Billionaire requires that Randy place 100% of his assets and income in a trust and not have access for ten years. He cannot have access to resources or relationships built up to this point. He must start at zero, no income, no assets, no resources, no previous relationships. He can only tap into the knowledge and experience he has acquired over time. Today on Strong by Design co-host Mike Westerdal speaks with his mentor about his beginnings in business and what it takes to REPEAT success over and over again.   "We all have unique gifts and one of the gifts I had was being able to find and attract really awesome people." -Randy Davis   Time Stamps 0:24 – Welcoming today’s special guest on ‘Strong by Design’ podcast 2:08 – Randy Davis shares his entrepreneurial journey and how it all started 7:32 – Randy on what makes his businesses different 11:50 – The importance of surrounding yourself with the right people 13:58 – Discover the things that contribute to business success 19:14 – Why it is important to work on your business, not in your business 27:05 – The benefits of working smarter instead of harder 32:48 – Randy recounts his experience with business planning 37:39 – The Bootstrap Billionaire: Everything you need to know 42:05 – Why growth mindset matters 45:00 – Where you can go to connect with Randy Davis     Resources RandyDavisCoaching.com   Connect w/ CriticalBench:  Youtube Facebook Instagram Start the New Year with more Focus, Clarity & Mental Energy!Grab some Neuro-Thrive at a Discount - Use Code: SBD2026 🧠 Your Brain will Love you 💙Support the showConnect w/ CriticalBench: Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com StrongByDesignPodcast.com

Send us a textJim Carrey famously commented, "I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it's not the answer." Even self-help gurus are moving away from the idea of pursuing "happiness", talking instead about meaning or fulfillment. Listen in on today's Strong By Design podcast as Mike Westerdal and Chris Wilson discuss this endless pursuit of happiness in a material world filled with distraction, anxiety and depression with Bob Brubaker and John Trebino from the PowerBreak podcast.   "All of this pursuit of happiness is meaningless without God." (King Solomon) -Mike Westerdal   Time Stamps 0:24 – Welcoming today’s special guests on ‘Strong By Design’ podcast 3:11 – What does it really mean to be happy? 7:12 – Happiness vs. Joy: What’s the difference? 14:35 – The joy of serving God 21:40 – The spirit of gratitude 24:31 – Why you should celebrate small wins 27:50 – Understanding the difference between Sanctification and Justification 32:34 – Why discipline is the highest form of love 41:58 – Bob and John talk about the prosperity gospel 47:47 – The power of reading the Bible 52:15 – The importance of trusting God’s way 57:58 – The joy of walking with God 1:04:36 – Where you can go to connect with Bob Brubaker & John Trebino     Resources Bob’s Blog: BobBrubaker.com The PowerBreak Podcast   Connect w/ Bob and John: Direct Email: jt@bobbrubaker.com   Connect w/ CriticalBench:  Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com StrongByDesignPodcast.com Start the New Year with more Focus, Clarity & Mental Energy!Grab some Neuro-Thrive at a Discount - Use Code: SBD2026 🧠 Your Brain will Love you 💙Support the showConnect w/ CriticalBench: Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com StrongByDesignPodcast.com

Send us a textIf you have not yet heard about out, or seen the Netflix documentary Seaspiracy … you will probably be hearing things about it very soon.  Especially with Earth Day upon us. Seaspiracy is a documentary that looks in the deeper issues of the environmental impact of the commercial fishing industry.  And as with all documentaries, this one is certainly getting its’ fair share of raised eyebrows as far as the accuracy of the facts presented in the film. In this episode Mike Westerdal, Samantha Harrison & Coach Tonya sit down to discuss some of the highlights and issues this documentary brings to light.  No one here is a marine biologist, marine scientist or environmental scientist. No one here is, or has, any ties to anyone in the commercial fishing industry.  However, we all watched the episode and have our own opinions, as I’m sure you will as well. Is commercial fishing killing our oceans?  Is the only solution to this problem to get people to remove fish from their diet entirely?  Join us as we talk about these questions and much more.   "We can't fix commercial fishing, that's corporate greed, we need food to eat and people need jobs... there's only so much you can do to regulate it." -Samantha Harrison   Time Stamps 0:24 – Welcome to the ‘Strong by Design’ podcast 1:15 – ‘Seaspiracy’: What is the documentary about? 4:23 – ‘Strong by Design’ hosts Tonya Fines, Mike Westerdal and Samantha Harrison share their honest thoughts about ‘Seaspiracy’ 8:44 – Understanding Bycatch: What is it and how does it work? 14:40 – The truth about sustainable fishing 18:43 – The importance of protecting coral reefs 24:25 – Wild fish vs. farmed fish: Which is better? 30:15 – Simple ways you can do to save the oceans 32:45 – Do fish have feelings? 35:00 – Tonya Fines on fish farming in Florida 41:11 – Key takeaways from the episode     Resources Seaspiracy   Connect w/ CriticalBench:  Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com StrongByDesignPodcast.com Start the New Year with more Focus, Clarity & Mental Energy!Grab some Neuro-Thrive at a Discount - Use Code: SBD2026 🧠 Your Brain will Love you 💙Support the showConnect w/ CriticalBench: Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com StrongByDesignPodcast.com

Send us a textEating disorders are a serious illness that are debilitating and if not treated correctly, can be fatal.  And it seems as though much of the attention with eating disorders largely falls to the female population … why is this?!   Dave Mathas was an Army Combat Vet, he was a front-line defender, he loved being a soldier and he believed he had it all together and had his life under control.  But Dave was spiraling out of control … he was anorexic and he was brilliant at hiding it from everyone around him.  In Dave’s mind, nothing was wrong with him and he DID NOT NEED HELP!   By all accounts Dave Mathas should not be here today, but he is, and his story is nothing short of amazing and one of the most inspiring I’ve ever heard.   Today Coach Tonya sits down with Dave Mathas, BioLayne coach and Author, to talk about his journey from near death to stepping back into life with not only a healthy body, but a healthy mind and a very joyful and fulfilling life.   "I knew what I was doing was not good but I couldn't control myself. It's very debilitating and that's how I felt for many years." -David Mathas   Time Stamps 0:24 – Welcoming today’s special guest on ‘Strong By Design’ podcast 1:49 – Get to know Physique and Strength Coach Dave Mathas 7:00 – Dave opens up about his struggles with mental health and severe eating disorder 11:30 – Dave on how he dealt with anxiety, OCD, depression 16:03 – Understanding the relational dimensions of the human being 23:11 – Dave shares what it's like to live and cope with anxiety and eating disorders 28:23 – Dave on building a wall between himself and the rest of the world 31:05 – Road to recovery: How he overcame his mental health issues and eating disorder 40:00 – The power of Faith 45:22 – Dave on coaching and helping others achieve their health and fitness goals 52:52 – Why taking action matters 56:15 – The stigma of male eating disorders 1:07:32 – The effects of stress on the body 1:08:57 – Where you can go to connect with Dave Mathas   Resources CoachDavidMathas.com   SConnect w/ Dave: Instagram Facebook personal  Facebook business   Connect w/ CriticalBench:  Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com StrongByDesignPodcast.com Start the New Year with more Focus, Clarity & Mental Energy!Grab some Neuro-Thrive at a Discount - Use Code: SBD2026 🧠 Your Brain will Love you 💙Support the showConnect w/ CriticalBench: Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com StrongByDesignPodcast.com