The Coaches Corner University Podcast

Today I sat down with Sean Jacobs, co-founder of Jacobs Fitness and creator of the Stack & Shift Method™, a performance-based approach that combines functional movement, strength training, breathing mechanics, and nervous system regulation to help people move better, feel stronger, and train for longevity. With a Master’s degree in Exercise Science and over a decade of coaching experience, ranging from NFL Combine athletes to everyday adults, Sean is known for cutting through the fitness industry noise with practical, no-BS education that bridges the gap among mobility, performance, and real-world health. He is also a co-founder of the non-profit Ubun...

Today I sat down with Nick O’Brien, who is a Tactical Strength and Conditioning Specialist with Air Force Special Operations. 

Nick began working with AFSOC in 2025 after previously serving as an Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at the University of North Florida since 2023. Prior to UNF, he spent the previous two years as the Assistant Director of Sports Performance at Jacksonville University. Before JU, he served as an Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at Fresno State University from 2016-2021, at Loyola University Maryland from 2014-2016, and as a Graduate Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at Salisbury Uni...

Today I got to sit down with Aram Grigorian, Owner and full-time health coach of 4week2thebeach.com, who helps folks achieve their desired body composition using experience and scientific evidence. Host of the Real Coaches Summit: the fitness industry’s only and best all-inclusive education and networking event. 

We discussed
00:35 Real Coaches Summit format
03:44 The business education gap
06:15 What scale really costs
12:55 The eighteen-hour flight
19:29 Finding your niche
30:45 Selling complexity for necessity
43:31 Daily content is non-negotiable
47:39 Alignment across the business
50:21 You chose this
1:04:53 Tell people the tru...

Today I got to sit down with Mike Crowson, the CEO of AR Funnel, a systems and automation company that helps online coaches scale with smarter infrastructure rather than more hustle. He’s known for building high-converting funnels, CRMs, and text-driven lead systems that have powered over $25 million in client revenue. With a background as a coach and entrepreneur, he blends real-world experience with a relentless focus on execution, speed, and volume. Mike’s philosophy centers on turning coaches into operators by eliminating chaos through systems, automation, and structure. His mission is to help serious coaches build scalable, respected busi...

Today, I got to sit down with Bob Merkh, who is a father, a teacher, a powerlifter, and now an author of Moderation Is For Cowards: A Stoic Journey Of Strength And Restraint, who
plans to use his platform to make people’s lives better. He is starting to speak to youth groups and plans to write more. He competed in powerlifting for almost 20 years and had success raw, but much more success equipped. His biggest claim to fame is being the only person to bench press and squat over 1,100 pounds, but he is happier with the reputation he...

Today I got to sit down with Dr. Justin Farnsworth, CEO of Re: Built Strength. Justin is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and Board Certified Sports Clinical Specialist with over a decade in medicine and over 20 years as a coach in high-performance and general fitness. He has led over 100 in-person certification courses since 2020 and has been on all sides of the training-to-rehab spectrum as a coach, professional athlete, and clinician. He believes that good training and good rehab are one and the same, and aims to empower both coaches and clinicians with practical knowledge that is evidence-based, actionable, and...

Today I got to sit down with Jordan Wong, the owner and coach of Showcase Strength & Fitness. A lifelong strength athlete with nearly two decades of experience in powerlifting, Jordan is a former all-time world record holder in the squat. He draws on his experience under the bar to coach athletes and everyday lifters to get stronger, build confidence, and train with purpose. Through Showcase Strength & Fitness, Jordan is committed to creating a high-level training environment for lifters of all ages and experience levels. 

We discussed:
1:10 New building, new scale
3:40 Hidden costs of expansion
5:30 T...

Today I got to sit down with Aaron Chapple, a health and wellness coach at Modus, who helps men reclaim their physical strength and step into their God-given calling. He works with men facing obesity, diabetes, insulin resistance, hormone issues, and gut health challenges — equipping them to build stronger, more energetic, and more purposeful lives. With 15+ years of coaching experience and a background in teaching health and PE, he brings deep practical expertise with the heart of an educator and mentor. As a powerlifter, he set an all-time world record in 2024 in the 220-pound class for the 40–44 age group and...

This week, I sat down with Michael Warner, founder of Set The Standard coaching, a precision health optimization approach for high performers. With a B.S. in Kinesiology and advanced certifications in functional nutrition, peptide therapy, and PEDs, he guides everyday people, as well as elite athletes, executives, pro wrestlers, and celebrities, through hormone optimization principles, advanced diagnostics, and performance-enhancing protocols. 

We discussed:
00:03:50 - Michael's path into coaching
00:10:25 - Education over marketing
00:17:00 - Ethical PED guidance
00:22:30 - Identity beyond the trophy
00:29:50 - Service builds business
00:36:00 - Frameworks before protocols
00:43:30 - A...

Today, I got to sit down with Meg Young (MS, MSed, RSCC, CSCS), who is a performance leader and 2023 NSCA Professional Strength Coach of the Year with 15+ years in elite sport. She specializes in applied sport science, data systems, and high-performance coaching across collegiate and professional soccer. She is currently based in Seattle and on a mission to impact 100,000,000 lives.

We discussed
00:01:41 — Sports Science Integration
00:05:00 — Data and Individuality
00:08:05 — Machines in Team Training
00:13:32 — Data as a Dial
00:20:14 — Money Changes Everything
00:26:27 — Defining Your Mission
00:31:31 — Surviving Leukemia
00:43:16 — Holding Space
00:51:18 — Annual Self-Reflection
01:04:25 — Coa...

This week, I sat down with Mircea Balaj, Co-Founder and Head Sports Performance Coach at Project Mayhem, who works with elite athletes across strength, combat, physique, and hybrid sports. His work integrates training systems, nutrition, and performance enhancement strategies to push human performance to its absolute limits.

We discussed:
00:43 | Origin Story
02:29 | Unconventional Background
04:29 | Path to Coaching
10:47 | Above and Beyond
15:36 | Business Evolution
25:42 | PEDs and Harm Reduction
28:23 | Client Assessment
33:37 | Ethical Lines
43:03 | Continuous Education
44:29 | Referring Out
48:09 | Performance Team Model
51:32 | Arm Wrestling
54:32 | Sport-Specific Experimentation
58:29 | Legacy and Impact<...

Today I got to sit down with Kandace Hudspeth, CMO at OPEX + CoachRx, 20+ years in marketing, brand and growth strategy, and product development. She helps fitness coaches, personal trainers, and fitness brands build businesses with confidence, clarity and consistency.

We discussed:
00:01 — Kandace's Background and Journey to OPEX
03:29 — Why Coaches Think They Hate Marketing
04:32 — Making Sales a Confirmation, Not a Pitch
10:23 — The Person, Problem, Promise Framework
11:17 — Problem Aware, Process Aware, Payoff Aware
14:09 — The Coaching Content Signature Framework
16:28 — The Minimum Viable Marketing System
18:20 — The "See, Make, Say" Content Workflow
22:03 — Followers Are a Vanity Metri...

Dr. Dave Osborn returns to the pod for a second time to discuss the current state of the powerlifting coaching space, networking, AI, client relationships and big blind spots we see with young coaches.

Dave has spent more than two decades in strength sports as an athlete, coach, researcher, and builder of one of the most respected powerlifting communities in the Pacific Northwest: Team OPS. As the founder and owner of OPS Gym, a private strength and conditioning facility that has operated successfully for 12 years, Dave has shaped a culture defined by high standards, deep integrity, and...

This week, I sit down with my great friend and one of the most genuinely kind and passionate people I’ve ever met.  Tasha is the co-owner of Ideal Strength and has been coaching since 2005.  She is an International Elite Powerlifter, currently ranked #1 female powerlifter in Washington State and among the top 20 in the world. She holds multiple world records, including the deadlift world record in the lightweight Strongwoman division. When she’s not breaking records, she’s climbing them—literally—as an avid mountaineer and adventurer.

Her academic background reflects her curiosity and discipline. She studied Cultural Ant...

This week, I sat down with Erin Murray, Owner of the online training business Buns and Boulders.  Erin primarily offers online coaching, both one-on-one and club-based, but has a larger presence as an athlete. She is a professional strongwoman athlete and 4-time World's Strongest Woman, the only person in the sport to win that title across multiple weight classes.
Unlike many elite athletes, Erin did not grow up playing sports; she was introduced to strength training later in life as part of treatment for an eating disorder. What began as a tool for rebuilding her relationship with her b...

Today I sat down with Joel Staley, Owner of Total Reset Coaching. He helps business owners, executives, and leaders uncover hidden gaps in their energy, focus, and performance so they can lead their teams, families, and lives at the highest level. Over the years, he’s worked with over 2,000 high-performing men who are already successful on paper, but still feel drained, distracted, or stuck in routines that quietly limit their influence, stamina, and results. His clients don’t just improve their health and fitness, they unlock a new version of themselves: sharper, more disciplined, more commanding, and more capable of h...

Today I sat down with Hope Agbolosoo, who is a Toronto-based content creator. Hope, born in Ghana, is a former Big Brother Canada contestant who shares his journey of resilience and growth to inspire others. He builds basketball courts in Ghana, creates lifestyle content to help people gain confidence, and believes in making an impact regardless of origins. Through city exploration, travel, fitness, and community service, Hope embodies gratitude and demonstrates that anyone can build a meaningful legacy.

We discussed:
10:13 - Failure to fit in created the ability to connect
14:39 - Opportunities expose weaknesses and...

Dan is a strength coach, educator, and owner of Ideal Strength LLC, a coaching-focused training business based in the Seattle area. With over 20 years in the fitness industry, Dan specializes in helping coaches sharpen their eye for movement, simplify program design, and apply training principles with real-world context—not just textbook theory.
Through 1:1 coaching, small-group training, and professional education, Dan works with both everyday clients and fitness professionals—many from high-performing, high-stress careers—to build resilient, adaptable strength. His approach emphasizes clarity, intent, and long-term development over complexity for complexity’s sake.
Dan is passionate about mentoring coaches...

This week, I sat down with Dr Andrew Cook, PT, DPT, CSCS, BFRc, FDN Andrew Cook is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. He received his degree in Physical Therapy from Florida Gulf Coast University and his CSCS certification through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Andrew received his Bachelor's degree in Human Development from Binghamton University, where he was a 4-year starter for the Division 1 lacrosse program. While there, he was named to the American East All-Rookie team and the American East All-Academic Team, and served as a team captain. Andrew took his...

In this episode, I sit down with the Strength Coach and Founder of Hoopie Hybrid, Cody Miller.  Cody and I met in 2010, when we were both working at Robert Morris University and have been friends ever since.  

Cody spent over 10 years as a collegiate strength and conditioning coach before transitioning to tactical strength and conditioning 3 years ago. He runs and lifts (the kids call this “hybrid”) and is training for a 100-mile race in February. He cofounded Hoopie Hybrid with his beautiful wife, Cayt. It launched in January 2024 and comprises online, hybrid training groups and programs. Cody and Ca...

In this episode, I sit down with a previous guest of the Podcast—Joe Connolly, the Head Coach for Sports Performance Arizona State University Football.

Joe is a Master Strength and Conditioning Coach (MSCC) who has revolutionized ASU’s sports performance program by implementing individualized, cutting-edge training systems, incorporating advanced technology, and cultivating a dynamic team across nutrition, sports science, and performance. Under his guidance, ASU athletes have achieved notable NFL success, including first-round draft picks Brandon Aiyuk (2020) and N’Keal Harry (2019), as well as other professional players.
Prior to ASU, Joe served as Head Strength and Co...

Paul comes to you with a rare, but soon to be more regular solo Q&A episode of the podcast.

He discusses:

00:01 – Top 5 Questions
00:46 – Knowing vs. Doing
02:27 – Content Pillars
03:38 – Lead Tracking
04:05 – Calendar System
04:20 – Grinding Problem
08:07 – Pricing Strategy
09:21 – Hybrid Practice
10:40 – Value Increases
12:19 – Grandfathered Rates
14:48 – Scaling Readiness
16:18 – Virtual Assistants
21:03 – Starting Over
25:46 – Burnout vs. Growth


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Today I sat down with Tomasz Deren, who is a military strength and conditioning specialist, hybrid athlete coach, and ultra-endurance athlete with nearly two decades of experience building resilient, high-performing humans. He holds a Master’s degree in Physiology, is an Exercise Physiologist, and has spent over a decade working within the Canadian military, coaching everyone from everyday service members to elite tactical athletes. He’s also a two-time finisher of 100-mile ultramarathons, a former gym owner, and a lifelong strength athlete who believes performance should never come at the expense of durability, leadership, or family. Tomasz is the foun...

This week, I got to sit down with Edose Ibadin, a coach and a 2024 Olympian for Team Nigeria in the 800m track event, a professional runner for Under Armour who went from being an average college athlete to an Olympian.

We discussed
00:48 - Average to Olympian
02:41 - Speed-Endurance Balance
13:03 - Post-Grad Reality
19:27 - Cultivating Belief
24:42 - Mental Breakthrough
30:31 - First-Person Visualization
35:19 - Process Over Outcome
46:53 - Avoiding Comparison
50:56 - Teaching as Learning
1:00:03 - Be Your Own Fan

Find Edose
Email - edoseibadin6@gmail.com<...

Today I sat down with Cayt Miller, CoFounder of Hoopie Strength and Conditioning. Cayt grew up in Pittsburgh and spent 14 years as a competitive swimmer before falling in love with strength training and eventually competing in powerlifting. She’s spent the past eight years working primarily as a personal trainer, helping clients build strength and pursue better health. She is also a licensed massage therapist, though she is not currently practicing. Her personal story includes years of wrestling with a disordered relationship with food and exercise. The process of healing, discovering her values, and meeting her husband, Cody Miller, re...

Today I sat down with Chandler Marchman, CEO of Marchman Strength, LLC. is a coach and mentor who helps clients and emerging fitness professionals navigate an overcrowded online fitness market with clarity and purpose. His work is rooted in his own turning point: becoming a father and realizing that the traditional, time-heavy bodybuilding lifestyle no longer aligned with the life he wanted to lead.
That shift pushed him to re-engineer his entire approach to training and nutrition. He built a streamlined system centred on efficient kettlebell MetCon training and sustainable nutrition practices—methods designed to deliver serious results wi...

This week, I sat down with Austin Stout, who is a coach, business owner and bodybuilder with a deep understanding of functional health and the ability to teach to a wide variety of people.  His goal with each client is to maximize every area of their programming through science, anecdotal evidence, and practical experience. Control of lifestyle factors, such as stress management, that can improve overall results and quality of life, is also essential. The body and the mind are strongly interconnected, and ensuring that each body system works in unison is vital to success and long-term sustainability.

Today I sat down with Carlos Reyes, who is a 3x Amateur Strongman National Champion, 1x Strongman National record holder (log press), 2101 total @ 242 raw, 6 2000+ totals,  Lieutenant / Incident Safety Officer for the Bridgeport Fire Department (CT),  Lead PT Instructor and Training Officer for the Bridgeport Regional Fire Academy since inception,  Father to 1 son.

We discussed

02:45 | Carlos's Background: From Strongman to Powerlifting
05:02 | Why Carlos Never Pursued Full-Time Coaching
09:49 | Finding Greater Purpose in the Fire Service
12:35 | The 24/7 Lifestyle Pre-Kids vs. Post-Kids
21:04 | Understanding Trade-Offs in Decision Making
24:00 | Balancing Fitness as Parents
30:03 | Discovering Cardio by...

Today I sat down with Jim McDonald, Co-Owner of Third Street Barbell in Sacramento, CA. Jim left the corporate world behind a couple of decades ago and became a consultant in IT and healthcare marketing. In the early 2000s, he discovered powerlifting and began to document its training and some of its greatest performances as an early YouTube fitness creator. He focused on visuals that helped the audience understand not only the technical aspects of powerlifting, but also the emotions that drive lifters to lift. Eventually, he created a chart-topping podcast along with Mike Farr just before the worldwide...

Today I sat down with Dr. Alistair Jordan, who is a Section Head of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Partner, and Board Member of Advanced Medical Imaging Consultants, a group of roughly 60 physicians. He is a father to a three- and five-year-old, and married to the love of his life, Kimberly. He was born in Denver, Colorado, but moved to Cape Town, South Africa, when he was six months old. His parents are from South Africa, and they stayed there till he was seven before returning to Colorado. Alistar completed his undergraduate degree at Colorado State University, his master's degree...

This week, I sat down with Erik Bustillo, MS, RD, FISSN. He is the CEO of Erik Bustillo Consulting. He has been in healthcare/fitness for well over a decade. He is a Registered Dietitian, Fellow (and Certified Sports Nutritionist) of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, a Certified Sports Nutritionist, a Certified Strength Coach, a Certified CrossFit Level 2 Coach, and a Certified Personal Trainer. He earned his Bachelor's in Dietetics & Nutrition and his Master's in Applied Exercise Science and Sports Nutrition. He specializes in reading blood/lab values that have a direct effect on health and performance. Several...

Today I sat down with Jeff Steele, the Founder/CEO of The Memento Mori Project. His clothing line is more than clothing; they offer a mindset. Their apparel is designed not only to be comfortable and aesthetically pleasing, but also to remain a constant reminder of how you live your life and to inspire others just the same. Jeff is not only a business owner but also a 37-year-old firefighter in Southern California, married to his best friend, Sasha. Together, they share a passion for health, fitness, and growing in every aspect of life.

We discussed
01:09...

Today, I sat down with Joey Szatmary, who is the Owner of the business/brand "Szatstrength" and Lions Den Strength and Performance.  Joey is a father and husband first, a Strength sport athlete, and most notably, a strongman. Joey’s accomplishments include: Pro Strongman, 2019 USS Overall National Champion for the 242 & 275 class. 2018 Team USA for 105kg class, taking third, PA Strongest man 2x, gym owner of 8 years, high school strength and performance coach, and lacrosse coach, and he has a YouTube channel with 137k subscribers.

We discussed
00:37 - Post-Surgery Pain and Recovery from Quad Tear
09:59 - Ide...

In this episode, I welcome back Dr. Lisa Lewis to the podcast to discuss the link between motivation, discipline and identity. 

Dr. Lisa Lewis is a licensed psychologist and certified addictions counsellor with a passion for fitness and wellness. She holds a master’s degree in clinical counselling psychology and a doctorate in counselling and sport psychology. She owns and operates Dr. Lewis Consulting & Psychotherapy, LLC, in Brookline, Massachusetts and online. 

Dr. Lewis is also the co-owner of Core Collective Brookline, a holistic gym and wellness center. As an educator, Lisa provides consultation and continuing educ...

In this episode, I sit down with the Strength Coach and Founder of Hoopie Hybrid, Cody Miller.  Cody and I met in 2010, when we were both working at Robert Morris University and have been friends ever since.  

Cody spent over 10 years as a collegiate strength and conditioning coach and then transitioned into the tactical strength and conditioning world. He runs and lifts (the kids call this “hybrid”). He cofounded Hoopie Hybrid with his beautiful wife, Cayt. It launched in January of 2024 and consists of online hybrid training groups and programs. Cody and Cayt enjoy hanging out with their...

In this episode I sit down with Dr. Dominic Shultz to discuss his work empowering his clients and creating relationships to scale the impact and outcomes of his patients.  Dom is a father of 3 who played college football for University of Minnesota from 2011 through 2015 and is a Doctor of chiropractic.  He has worked as a Strength and Conditioning Coach since 2020 and opened his clinic Charge Health and Chiropractic in 2023.

We discuss:
Dom's journey from walk-on football player to chiropractor
Mental fortitude developed through adversity
Why he left the traditional chiropractic model
Building rapport an...

Today, I sat down with Nick Haince, Founder and President of Capital Strength. He oversees all Sport Performance Programs at Capital Strength. He has been in the industry for 15 years and has worked with a wide range of ages, abilities, injuries and levels of sport. He has helped develop hundreds of local amateur, college and professional hockey athletes in his 12 years of Hockey performance development. He has guided athletes from AAA to Professional and continues to lead the CSTS Summer Hockey program alongside his Strength Staff. He is very proud of his team of Coaches and the community they...

Today I sat down with Stuart Brauer, founder of WTF Gym Talk and The Gym Real Estate Company. Stuart has 18+ years of experience in the fitness industry, where he owned his own gyms for a decade in Charlotte, NC and started a media and business consulting handle, WTF GYM TALK. Stu used the cash flow from his gym to purchase commercial real estate, which allowed him to "retire" from gym ownership at age 35. In 2021, he founded The Gym Real Estate Company to assist gym owners in leasing and purchasing buildings across the US.

We discussed:
00:01 – Stu’s ba...

Today, I sat down with Tommy Stiles, Owner of Stiles Strength & Performance Online Coaching. He is a national-level bodybuilder who lives in Scottsdale, Arizona. In his pas,t he was a firefighter/paramedic in the metro Detroit area. He is fascinated and obsessed with self-mastery and extreme discipline. The pursuit of self improvement and achieving goals consumes him and fuels his passion to coach and help others to do the same.

We discussed:
00:01 – Tommy’s background: athletics, coaching, and business ventures
02:44 – Identity after sport: rebuilding purpose and direction
06:15 – Curiosity as the driver of growth and oppo...

Today, I sat down with Gabrielle Bryk, who is the Owner of GYM GAB LLC and the Co-Owner of Bryksquad Barbell.  Garbielle is a female-focused trainer who helps women regain their strength and confidence! In addition to being a trainer, she is a competitive Powerlifter and wellness bodybuilder.
Timestamps:
00:01 – Meeting at the Coach’s Room Mastermind & the Ascending Transaction Model
02:41 – Free gifts, micro-commitments, and moving prospects to clients
05:36 – Gab & Jeremy’s journey: 5 years coaching, 2 years running Brick Squad Barbell
06:08 – Toxic gym environments and deciding to leave
09:08 – The bad business deal that sparked their drive to open a...