School of Hard Knocks Podcast

Edward Connors is one of the most powerful and unpredictable figures the fitness world has ever seen. Before reshaping the industry, he fought in the Vietnam War, where he claims to have killed over 600 enemy soldiers. It’s a dark chapter he rarely speaks about, but it forged the fearless mentality that would later redefine bodybuilding forever.After the war, Ed joined a raw, underground gym in Venice Beach—Gold’s Gym—and turned it into a global empire with over 500 franchises. He revolutionized fitness marketing, brought celebrity culture into the weight room, and made muscle mainstream.But Ed didn’t stop at business. He discovered and mentored future icons like John Cena, Randy Orton, and Jay Cutler, recognizing their greatness before anyone else. In this episode, we explore the wild story of a man shaped by war, driven by vision, and obsessed with building giants.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Karlton Dennis is one of the most strategic and unconventional entrepreneurs you’ll ever hear about. After walking away from a future in professional sports, he found himself broke, working odd jobs as a personal trainer and wine salesman. But everything changed when he discovered the world of tax strategy, and realized that the fastest way to build wealth isn’t just making money, it’s learning how to keep it. Today, Karlton runs one of the top tax firms in the country and legally pays zero dollars in taxes. He’s now a powerhouse CEO, mentor, and educator teaching people how to escape the tax trap and take control of their financial future. In this podcast, Karlton breaks down how he went from struggling to secure rent to building a multi-million dollar empire, and shares the exact systems that helped him, and can help you, win the money game for good.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Edwin Arroyave is one of the most inspiring and resilient entrepreneurs you’ll ever hear about. Growing up in extreme poverty, Edwin slept in a windowless room infested with cockroaches and often went without food at the end of the month. By age 15, he became the head of his household, taking on adult responsibilities far beyond his years. Against all odds, Edwin built a massively successful business, reaching $40 million in revenue in a single year. Today, he’s a thriving CEO, mentor, and speaker who shares powerful lessons on perseverance, mindset, and scaling with purpose. In this podcast, Edwin opens up about the painful sacrifices he made to survive, the turning points that changed his life forever, and the strategies that helped him turn hardship into a multi-million dollar empire. His story is a powerful reminder that no matter how bad it gets, your past does not define your future.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Todd Johnson is one of the most inspiring and unshakable entrepreneurs you’ll ever come across. Raised in deep poverty and surviving off food stamps, Todd spent his childhood feeling hopeless, until a divine encounter at a pizza shop changed his life forever. That moment sparked an unbreakable faith and a mission to never be broke again. Starting with zero dollars, Todd went on to build a multi-million dollar empire spanning real estate, construction, supplements and more. Today, he’s a thriving serial entrepreneur, mentor and a living testament to what faith, focus and grit can achieve. In this podcast, Todd shares the story behind his rise from rock bottom, the turning point that gave him purpose and the mindset principles that fueled his journey to the top, lessons that will challenge and inspire anyone chasing growth, purpose and long-term success.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Michael Franzese, a former Capo of the Colombo crime family in New York, shares his remarkable transformation from making $10 million a week to finding redemption. He discusses the intense rituals of mafia loyalty and the valuable lessons he learned about leadership and integrity in both crime and business. Michael also dives into the dark side of sports gambling's impact on athletes and explores his innovative entrepreneurial ventures, like Franzese Wine and a unique pizza vending machine. His journey offers profound insights on community building and personal growth.

Dean Graziosi is a multiple New York Times best-selling author, entrepreneur, and investor. He has started or played a major role in over 14 successful companies that have changed lives all around the world. His mission for over 20 years has been to deliver self-education to those seeking transformation, fulfillment, and success outside the traditional education path. In this podcast Dean talks about the importance of mentorship, overcoming struggles and how anyone can achieve success.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Jeremy Miner, Founder and CEO of 7th Level, is a sales powerhouse recognized as a top producer in the industry. In this conversation, he reveals how anyone can succeed in sales by mastering communication and understanding psychological triggers that drive purchasing decisions. He discusses the growing role of AI in sales, especially for lower-ticket items, while highlighting that human interaction remains crucial for high-stakes deals. Plus, he dives into the importance of building trust and confidence in sales through practical skills and the right mentors.

Ryan Serhant is the Founder and CEO of SERHANT a vertically-integrated mega brokerage comprising an in-house film studio, education arm, marketing division, and technology platform. He's also a bestselling author, producer, and star of Bravo's Million Dollar Listing New York and Sell It Like Serhant. In this podcast Ryan talks about his journey into real estate, the key factors of his success and how he got his start on Million Dollar Listing New York. If you are interested in learning about what it's like to be a top 1% real estate agent, broker and entrepreneur then this is a great episode for you.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Chris Watters is the Founder and CEO of Watters International Realty, a real estate company that does over 9 figures a year in revenue. Chris first got into entrepreneurship at a young age where he started out mowing lawns during college, after this period Chris pursued multiple entrepreneurial ventures ranging from the bar/hospitality to real estate. In this podcast Chris takes us through his journey as an entrepreneur sharing stories of his bar business getting evicted all the way to where he is now with a real estate company that does multiple 9 figures a year. This podcast is full of golden nuggets that any entrepreneur or real estate professional can use to take their career to the next level.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Todd Nepola is the CEO and Founder of Current Capital Group, a commercial real estate investing and property management company. Todd started out as a stockbroker in the 90's and at the age of 25 he invested everything he owned into his first commercial real estate property. After Todd acquired his first property he was hooked and went on to buy hundreds of millions worth of commercial real estate. In this podcast, Todd walks us through his early years/career and gives out the framework anyone can use to start investing in real estate. This episode is full of golden nuggets that anyone can apply to their life and journey as an investor.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.