Strong By Design Podcast

Send us a text“Be comfortable being uncomfortable.” -Peter McWilliams This quote encapsulates the conversation between Founder of Critical Bench and SBD host Mike Westerdal and his long-time mentor and close friend Vince Del Monte. Vince is a World-Renowned On-line Business Coach, Best-Selling Author and WBFF Pro Fitness Model & Competitor. He is also the Founder of The 7-Figure Mastermind and 6-Figure Coach Program designed to catapult hardworking entrepreneurs to NEW LEVELS of success in their businesses. His background in health and fitness goes back decades having been named the “Skinny Guy Savior” landing on magazine covers and helping men everywhere build their physiques naturally. But the most important parts of Vince’s life are his 3 beautiful children, his amazing wife and his deeply rooted Christian faith. You’re in for a real treat and tons of value!!   "I've always found my credibility in the quality of information I put forth. Yeah, I market aggressively, I'll never apologize for that." -Vince Del Monte     Time Stamps 2:02 – Vince Del Monte shares how he got into the fitness industry 7:10 – Vince Del Monte talks about how he started helping skinny guys bulk up through digital marketing 11:22 – The power of beliefs in business 15:35 – Why speed matters 19:51 – The importance of investing in yourself 24:32 – Fear is the path to freedom 28:11 – What it means to be a good steward of God’s money 35:44 – Why the environment you surround yourself with is important 40:02 – What it really takes to go to the next level 42:40 – How Vince Del Monte started the ‘7-Figure Mastermind’ 46:20 – The importance of having a mentor and/or coach 54:05 – Asking for help reveals strength, not weakness 58:35 – Why beginnings are always the hardest 1:04:57 – Connect with Vince Del Monte through YouTube, Facebook and Instagram     Resources: Vince Del Monte’s 7 Figure Mastermind Connect w/ Vince:  YouTube 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 textIt's all anyone is talking about right now... The Coronavirus has taken over as the only thing on our mind and the talk of the town. It's officially a pandemic that's altering the course of modern history. So Team Critical Bench sat down to speak openly, honestly and candidly about this very serious issue... To better understand WHY things are unfolding the way that they are. Listen as hosts Tonya Fines, Brian Klepacki and Chris Wilson have an unscripted conversation about COVID-19 and its impact on our world.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 textOur direction in life is directly tied to our decision making (good or bad) and the people we choose to surround ourselves with. So that begs the question, who do you have in your inner circle and why have you chosen them? In this very personal story of risk, faith, friendship and love, we discover the heart and strength of entrepreneur and Get Lean After 40 co-founder Ryan Colby. Ryan shares his rollercoaster journey to success over the past 20 years with SBD host and close friend Mike Westerdal. Get to know this amazing man through his business struggles, finding the love of his life, his taking a massive leap of faith in business with a close friend and most of all his commitment to his faith in God.   "My identity is I'm a successful entrepreneur and that's what I do, I've "made it"...but until eternity you haven't made it." -Ryan Colby   Time Stamps 0:25 – Get to know Ryan Colby 1:34 – How ‘Get Lean After 40’ started  4:43 – Ryan Colby recounts early business struggles and successes 10:56 – Taking a leap of faith 15:30 – The power of surrounding yourself with the right people 21:40 – Importance of knowing your ‘WHY’ 25:00 – Why having a supportive spouse is key to achieving success 31:44 – Building your life on a solid foundation 33:37 – How the highs and lows of life help strengthen Ryan Colby’s relationship with God 38:23 – What is your identity? 40:34 – The importance of giving glory to God 45:31 – Trusting God’s plan for your life 48:27 – Why a change of heart changes everything 54:30 – Key takeaways from the episode 57:24 – Where you can go to connect with Ryan Colby and ‘Get Lean After 40’   Connect w/ Ryan & Resources:  Facebook Get Lean After 40 on Facebook Get Lean After 40 on YouTube   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 textGrit. The opposite of quit. The ability to overcome obstacles small and large and persevere. To press on, grind and Get Stuff Done (GSD)! This one 4 letter word has been a prevalent fixture at Critical Bench, the internet’s #1 strength and health authority since 1999. In this very special 100th episode of Strong By Design, Founder Mike Westerdal sits down with long time friend and SBD host Chris Wilson to discuss how Critical Bench came to be over 20 years ago. Mike reveals his top 3 secrets to business success that changed everything for him and his company. Mike goes into great detail about the last few decades touching on the importance of hard work, showing up, your environment and giving back. Mike breaks down 3 pivotal moments in his life and leaves the audience with some powerful advice for all business leaders and entrepreneurs to be successful.   "I just did the important things and I stopped all the busy work... being 'busy' is not being productive." -Mike Westerdal   Time Stamps 0:25 – Get to know Critical Bench’s founder, Mike Westerdal 2:00 –Mike recounts life before Critical Bench 6:15 – Mike reveals meaning behind company’s name and how it all started 11:53 – How he managed a day job and business at the same time 19:17 – Importance of taking massive action and surrounding yourself with the right people 29:00 – Why asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness 35:55 – The value of investing in yourself 38:25 – What is Servant Leadership? 41:10 – The difference between being busy and being productive 44:53 – Finding freedom through structure 48:00 – What it means to surrender everything to God 53:34 – The power of prayer 54:52 – Mike gives powerful tips to first-time business owners 1:03:56 – The power of passion and perseverance 1:12:59 – Critical Bench’s website and social media channels      Resources Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success   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 textStephen Christian, the former lead vocalist and songwriter of Anberlin, one of the greatest alternative (Christian) rock bands, is as talented and brilliant as musicians get. His writing and vocal style is a combination that is unlike any other, one you'll never forget. Anberlin having sold more than a million albums in their 12-year existence, this Floridian band has toured the world with some of the biggest names and their music has peaked in the top ten on various Billboard charts. Stephen, a devout follower of Jesus Christ, used (and continues to use) his talents to spread the word of hope through writing and singing about real life events and the struggles and victories we face or will face. On today's episode, SBD Co-Host and Anberlin-fan Brian Klepacki sat down with Stephen Christian Arnold and had an awesome chat about passion, purpose, struggles, and hope. You will not want to skip over this inspiring and raw conversation that really dug down deep into the 'stuff' we all carry with us each day. (And if you haven't heard any of their music, you definitely need to add Anberlin to your playlist. They rock!)   "I am waking up and my teeth are clenched, my hands are squeezed so tight there's no blood in them... Where are you God, what is happening!?" -Stephen Christian Arnold   Time Stamps 0:25 – Get to know Anberlin lead singer, Stephen Christian Arnold 3:48 – Stephen Christian Arnold on how he started in music 5:56 – When passion leads to burnout 7:00 – What’s kept Anberlin together for 12 years? 9:16 – Stephen Christian Arnold shares where he finds musical inspiration 13:19 – Here’s how his song writing style reflects who he is 15:42 – What were you wrestling with God about? 18:45 – Stephen Christian Arnold gives an encouraging message to those who are wrestling with God 20:43 – Do you take your faith to work? 24:05 – Stephen Christian Arnold shares what called him into pastoral ministry 31:08 – Signs you are right where you’re supposed to be 34:01 – How do you want people to remember Anberlin? 35:03 – His ideal face-to-face conversation with God 37:33 – Stephen Christian Arnold on walking in God’s plan 42:03 – Stephen Christian Arnold shares some parting words of inspiration   Connect w/ Anberlin:  Facebook Twitter YouTube   Connect w/ CriticalBench:  Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.comStart 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 if there was a way to quickly and easily improve your flexibility while torching fat and building strength? Would you do it? The real secret to flexibility and burning fat is the same: movement. But the fitness industry wants to convince you otherwise… That you need to starve yourself with crash diets, you need to follow complicated 12-week programs and you need to spend hours doing cardio every day. Nope. Wrong. Listen in as Coaches Brian Klepacki and Chris Wilson shatter those perceptions about fat loss and getting fit. The great news is you can do it much faster and easier than what you’ve been conditioned to believe. It’s time to find out about this one specific way of stretching that can torch body fat and burn through 400 calories per hour!   "It's a movement pattern that wakes up everything from your brain all the way down to your feet because you're using everything in between." -Brian Klepacki   Time Stamps 4:03 – Difference between flexibility and mobility 9:12 – Why stretching is extremely important 13:21 – Wake up your entire body by doing THIS 16:19 – Everything you need to know about Metabolic Stretching 21:51 – Coaches Brian and Chris reveal inspiration behind Metabolic Stretching program 24:40 – 3 lies the weight loss industry needs you to believe 27:50 – Is the program suitable for a beginner? 31:13 – Static Stretching vs. Dynamic Stretching: Which is better? 34:05 – Types of modalities incorporated in the program 38:57 – Why Metabolic Stretching is the first and only fat burning stretching routine 41:02 – Reach out to us through social media channels   Resources Metabolic Stretching Program   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 textSure, personal training is an admirable career path, providing a great service to people who want to improve their health, wellness and get stronger...BUT these are the reasons WHY becoming a personal trainer may not be for everyone. In fact, personal training can really suck at times. No matter your passion and love of something… if you’re too heavily invested in something it can burn you out! Listen closely as coaches Chris Wilson and Brian Klepacki get real and share their personal account of over 30 years of combined training experience. BIOS Strength Coach Brian Klepacki, MS, CSCS has been coaching (aka personal training) people for over 15 years. He has a Master’s degree in Exercise Science, is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist with the NSCA and he's also certified to do the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) which is used with high level athletes to assess their movement patterns. Coach Chris Wilson took a different route… after graduating college with a degree in Communications he followed his fitness passions and began working for World Gym and surrounded himself with trainers, bodybuilders and health experts. After years of personal training and working with high level coaches like Powerlifter Lloyd Weinstein, Gym Owner Benjamin Prentiss and the legendary Charles Poliquin, he eventually moved onto gym management.   "You'll make good hourly wages but you're limited with how many hours you have in a week and how much energy you have." -Chris Wilson   Time Stamps 0:25 – Get to know your Strong By Design podcast hosts, Chris & Brian 5:01 – Why personal training can actually suck 9:42 – Coach Chris reveals one of his PT nicknames 12:31 – The time commitment for a personal trainer 19:33 – The ugly side of personal training 21:58 – Why being a personal trainer can make you “less” healthy 24:43 – Importance of keeping up to date with personal training trends 28:10 – Why you should choose the right personal trainer with quality certification(s) 39:08 – Factors leading to personal trainer burnout syndrome 42:00 – How to create a personal training program for your client 48:33 – Where you can go to find Critical Bench’s programs and exercise related videos   Resources – 5 Personal Training Videos: 5 Reasons Why Personal Training Sucks as a Career How to Design a Personal Training Program for Any Client How to Create the Perfect Personal Training Session for Your Client Personal Training Workouts – Beginner to Advanced Training Personal Training Certifications – Which Ones are BEST and Why?   Connect w/ CriticalBench:  Youtube 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 exactly is Stem Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine?  In what may seem like a huge ocean of information that only medical doctors could possibly understand there is a lot about this type of medicine and therapy that you really MUST know and can easily understand… At the forefront of Stem Cell therapy is Dr. Scot Gray, a serial entrepreneur.  He built and sold a successful chiropractic and decompression practice, The Ohio Neck & Back Pain Relief Centers in Marion, Ohio and now owns Gray Marketing Enterprises, LLC.  His Stem Cell One has helped start stem cell clinics in multiple states and is a partner in Regenerative Health Centers of Florida and CellSpark. Dr. Gray sits down with Coach Tonya Fines to discuss the massive potential of stem cell therapy and regenerative medicine on modern day medical practice and looking ahead into the future of medicine and how we may want to look at “healing and disease prevention!” He is also the proud father of 2 wonderful girls and husband to his beautiful bride Jenn. He now focuses on delivering done-for-you marketing and turn-key systems fir doctors using stem cell therapy and regenerative medicine to take their practices and the health of their communities to the next level.    "These cells aren't going in, becoming part of you and building a new me." -Dr Scot Gray   Time stamps 0:25 – Get to know Dr. Scot Gray 2:57 – How he got into regenerative medicine 6:25 – Dr. Scot Gray on why he shifted from chiropractic to regenerative medicine 10:58 – Stem cell therapy: What you need to know 12:57 – Types of stem cells 24:27 – How does the body heal itself? 30:10 – Importance of making good health decisions 36:30 – Who can benefit from stem cell therapy? 42:04 – The difference between cord blood and stem cells 46:17 – Where and how to start stem cell therapy? 48:38 – Everything you need to know about Upper and Lower Cross Syndrome 57:34 – Key takeaways from the episode 1:06:05 – Are we still in dark ages as to knowing the power of the body to heal itself? 1:18:31 – Where can we find more from Dr Gray?     Resources Stem Cell One   Connect w/ Dr Gray: Facebook YouTube   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 textMandy Williams owns Shear Joy Salon in Clearwater Florida.  She is a Level 4A stylist and Redken certified colorist and specialist.  She is a wife and Mom … however Mandy is a so much more than stylist.  With a passion for ministry she has found herself doing just that … not standing behind a pulpit, not standing before a congregation, but in her own salon having conversations with the women who sit in her chair.  Mandy has, without really setting out to do so and really without some grand master plan is ministering and living in discipleship in a wonderful way and with a captive audience. The women who have the good fortune to sit in Mandy’s chair not only walk away looking beautiful but feeling beautiful too.  Mandy is a shining example and testament that we each have the opportunity in our everyday life to plant seeds and be disciples, ministering to others who need some comfort.     "Shear Joy Salon is committed to living out our faith by reaching out to our community to enrich and enhance the lives of others." -Mandy Williams     Time Stamps 0:40 – Get to know Mandy Williams 2:15 – Mandy Williams shares how she discovered her passion for hair 7:30 – When and how Jesus saved Mandy Williams and her husband 10:56 – Importance of having a support system 12:19 – How God opened the doors for Mandy Williams to serve as minister for women 15:41 – Recognizing God’s fingerprints in her life 23:59 – Ministering, healing and deliverance to others 29:27 – Mandy Williams on being a hair stylist parlay into ministering to women 42:35 – Have you ever lost faith? 46:53 – The power of prayer 48:15 – Choosing to be grateful in spite of circumstances 52:50 – Importance of support and encouragement on marriage 1:02:38 – Shear Joy Salon’s Facebook and Instagram accounts   Resources Shear Joy Salon Facebook – Shear Joy Salon   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 textJuanita Lolita … yes that is her real name, is a wife, mother and grandmother who happens to be one of the BEST stand-up comics we’ve seen in a long time.  Her Latin flair and hillbilly background are something of her signature style that leave her audience in stitches and side-splitting laugher WITHOUT profanity. Juanita was voted "Best of the Bay" with Creative Loafing Magazine, a finalist for "Florida’s Funniest Person" Rooftop comedy and recently, a finalist in "The World Series of Comedy" Las Vegas and she has been featured on NBC, ABC and the CTN. Her comedy focuses on observations from everyday life that we can all relate to and she closes out each show with her much anticipated ‘list of things she doesn’t understand’. But what separates her from the rest is her Christian faith, her love for God and bringing some much-needed light into what can be a very dark place, the world of comedy. Grab some tissues and get ready to LAUGH!   "You never know what God has planned for you until you take that first step." -Juanita Lolita   Time Stamps 0:59 – Get to know the ‘REAL’ Juanita Lolita 3:42 – Juanita Lolita on how she became a stand-up comedian 6:54 – Setting the new standard for stand-up comedy 10:41 – How Juanita Lolita uses comedy and humor to be a disciple 12:20 – Why you should stand up for your beliefs in the face of opposition 15:08 – Juanita Lolita reveals the inspiration behind her content 22:50 – How she knew she’d found her calling as a stand-up comedian 24:50 – Importance of trusting God’s plan 31:53 – Ways to seek His guidance 40:33 – What’s next for the one and only Juanita Lolita? 45:06 – Juanita Lolita’s official website and social media channels   Resources JuanitaLolita.com StandUpForHim.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