Coach. Podcaster. COACHCASTER.

"A modern life requires a modern approach" says Forme Life founder and CEO Trent Ward. After spending years in the finance world growing and managing wealth for others, Trent realized he wanted more out of his career - and more out of his life. Shifting his focus to the growing fitness industry and realizing the growing demand for safe, effective workouts without needing to go to the gym he created the most modern approach to at-home fitness we have seen in years! Forme is the new standard when it comes to workouts that actually get you results, are cost-effective for the whole household to use, and still provides that sense of connection and community we have come to love from the traditional gym experience.

Follow Trent and Forme Life @thisisformelife

Follow Chase @chase_chewning

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Episode resources:

• Learn more about Forme Life at https://formelife.com

• Launch, grow, and monetize your own podcast through Chase's courses at www.OperationPodcast.com

More about Trent:

"Trent had a successful career in finance, I was an investment banker doing mergers and acquisitions for consumer companies for a while, and then spent several years at a big hedge fund managing a portfolio, as an equity investor. It was exciting and fun, and I learned a lot.

Then when I was switching funds and I had to sit out my non-compete clause, I started getting involved in some entrepreneurial stuff and one thing led to another. One of the ideas I had was Forme, and I started to get really excited about it, and it got to the point where it became the only thing I was doing.

I moved back to California, which is where I was raised. I spent time in San Francisco, which is where a lot of our engineers are, and in LA, which is where all of our business and content and marketing is based.

It’s a super exciting time to now be public with it after four years and I’m excited for consumers to be able to experience what we’ve created."

Relationships are work; friendships, intimate relationships, professional relationships... they all take work in order for them to be successful. Many relationships have been tried even more during 2020 due to the global pandemic and now again as the United States prepares for its presidential elections. In this episode, Chase and May discuss how major events such as these that happen outside of their home as well as major life events inside their home have tested their relationship and how you can learn to weather any storm life throws at you by improving the quality and types of relationships in your life. 

Follow May @mayyazdi

Follow Chase @chase_chewning

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Episode resources:

• Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World

• Follow the May's Anatomy Podcast

• Learn how to launch, grow, and monetize your podcast through Chase's courses atand save 60% off Level 201 with code EVERFORWARD60

Vanessa Rissetto RD is the dietetic internship director at NYU and Cofounder of Culina Health, a health and nutrition counseling company. In this episode, Vanessa’s passion shines through  for elevating nutrition by addressing the lack of attention on social trends and how they apply to health and nutrition. Vanessa explains the importance of emotional intelligence and its role in dietetics, and not just the science behind it. Vanessa applies basic human experience and social aspects to choosing the best nutrition plans for her clients. She believes each human knows their body best and can give insight on choosing the right nutrition plan, rather than hopping on another fad diet. Chase and Vanessa touch on the importance of social trends and nutrition, the importance of water, and balancing life and nutrition. Enjoy this refreshing episode and the outlook Vanessa has that can truly change the way the nutrition world is going!

Follow Vanessa @vanessarissettord Follow Chase @chase_chewning

5 Important takeaways from the episode

1. Social trends vs. science

2. Fad diets don’t work

3. Drink your water!

4. There isn’t just one way to lose weight

5. One thing at a time

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Key timestamps:

• 7:00 Vanessa’s intro

• 20:26 Back to episode, diving into social trends and nutrition

• 27:00 Textbook Vs. bullshit discussion of experienced dieticians not being open minded to new ideas in nutrition and focus on just being a human

• 43:00 Vanessa’s strategy for future of nutrition

• 49:00 How she uses social media for profession and sharing information

• 52:00 Balancing life and nutrition, seeking nutrition mentors

Powerful quotes from the episode:

1. “If no one challenges you, you’re never going to get better.”

2. “If you never work for anything, you will never become anything!"

3. “Don’t be afraid to ask the questions.”

 More about Vanessa:

Vanessa Rissetto is a registered dietitian with over nine years of experience in clinical and private practice, uniquely combined with a wealth of experience in sales, marketing, and media. Vanessa's professional skills developed at New York University and Mount Sinai Hospital, specializing in bariatric surgery, parenteral and enteral nutrition, infectious diseases, and adult weight management levels I and II.

Vanessa also built the strategy to grow a start-up nutrition consulting app (Rise) that was then sold to a major medical tech company (One Medical). Recognized by Essence Magazine as one of the "5 Black Female Nutritionists Who Will Change The Way You Think About Food," Vanessa graduated from Fordham University with a BA in History and New York University with a master's in Marketing.

Do you struggle with imposter syndrome? Do you feel like becoming an expert in something is next to impossible? What if you already were the expert and you just didn't know it, or rather were too afraid to even think such a thing? E-commerce expert and entrepreneur Dustin Lien is here to tell you exactly why you most likely already are an expert in a field and key productivity hacks to help you get even better at what you do. In this episode, expect to learn tactics to help your passion in life rise to the top, time management skills, how to ask the right questions of yourself and your schedule and so much more!

Follow Dustin @dustinrlien

Follow Chase @chase_chewning

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Episode resources:

• AudibleTrial.com/everforward for your free 30-day trial

• High-Performance Habits by Brendan Burchard

• The One Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Pappasan

• Get Dustin's 4 Pillars of a Successful Client Business 

• Listen to Chase's interview in episode 35 on Dustin's podcast   

• Learn how to launch, grow, and monetize your podcast through Chase's courses at www.OperationPodcast.com

Complete episode transcipt (timestamps do not reflect episode intro, allot 9:13 for intro time):

Chase: [00:00] Dustin what’s up, man? 

Dustin: [00:01] what’s up, Chase? 

Chase: [00:03] I scared you with that intro. Just jumping right in, man. Good to see you again, man. Welcome back to LA. 

Dustin: [00:10] thank you. It's fun to be here. Um, last time. I think we did like anything official. You were actually a speaker at EF summit last year. Honestly, it was it was like this, like this time last year almost exactly I think it was like, mid-September. Damn and now you're like ATX living.

Dustin: [00:30] Yeah, that went fast. Things got weird.

Chase: [00:33] very weird, very weird. You moved and then the world went to, you know, hell in a handbasket kind of thing, man.

Dustin: [00:37] don't put this on me.

Chase: [00:39] what has Austin been like, kind of just life compared to living in Los Angeles?

Dustin: [00:43] Austin is great. It's, it's got so much culture to it. Similarly to how LA does in a lot of the creative aspects and entrepreneurial spirit is in Austin as well. So the transition has been fairly simple for me. And I mean, I used to live I grew up in Texas. I didn't live in Austin specifically but I went to college in St. Marcus, which is like 20 minutes. So I worked in Austin. So I've been around Austin, but I've never lived there and then I was in LA for seven years. And so back in LA, in Austin, but then the thing that's annoying is just well, annoying is not the right word. But the thing that is frustrating is that, you know, we can't go see like music and there's festivals and all these things like there's all these things we want to do when we're there, you know, but you know, we're, we're living and getting through it and finding new ways to thrive. So it's been good.

Chase: [01:40] environment is such a huge contributing factor for me for just honestly, daily overall happiness, but damn sure when it comes to my productivity and creativity, and I know with everything that you do in your business, that's creativity and productivity are essentials. Right? Have you found that environment really does play a big role or are you not as sensitive as I am? 

Dustin: [02:04] that's a great question. I recently discovered how much environment affects me because I don't think it did that much before.

Chase: [02:12] How so? 

Dustin: [02:13] So one major change was obviously, you know, I'm, I'm used to working out of an office or a co-working space or something other than where I live, because, you know, in LA, or at least, you know, when we were living in LA, most of our, all of our apartments were either studio apartments or one bedrooms, and you know, live with my wife. So, and she is typically and she's an actor, and she's a screenwriter. So she spends a lot of time at home as well and so usually it was like, Okay, I'll leave, I'm going to go work out of an office or co working space, you have the house, and then we're good but then when the virus hit, it was like, we're both there. And we moved to Austin, like right after that happened. So we do we have a two bedroom now, which has been great but the, we are, you know, still working from both of us working from home. And I thought I could pull it off really well and I had every I have a game plan I my office all set up nice. All the, all the little like, things to not distract me but I mean, probably not dramatic to say my productivity was about 60% to what it usually was just the just the little things you don't think about like, like, when you're like, I have two dogs and so I'm not used to them running in and running up to me every 10 minutes, because they want to say hi. Which is lovely, and I love but when I'm trying to focus every 10 minutes of that is tough. Or, or me

Chase: [03:39] the micro distractions. 

Dustin: [03:40] Yes, yeah, those are the ones that get you because they're not the ones you even are conscious of and all of a sudden, your two minute distraction turned into a 20 minute break and you didn't even know what happened. 

Chase: [03:47] Somehow you find yourself laying on the bed, scrolling or like texting. Yeah, I know that. 

Dustin: [03:53] so that was it was it was an adjustment. I recently just signed a lease on an office downtown Austin. 

Chase: [03:58] awesome, man congrats. 

Dustin: [03:59] thank you. Yeah, it's been it's been great. Productivity right back up. So it's, it's, it was a really good learning experience for me to see that I actually don't work that well at home and now I know that now the rest of my life, I can be self-aware about that. Which is, which is nice. 

Chase: [04:15] you threw a number out 60% you felt like your productivity was about 60%. So that tells me you're pretty aware of where you are, you kind of have like a way to measure quantitative qualitative of your productivity. What are some things that you do to make sure that you're staying productive throughout the day for just daily living, but you know, being a business owner, you got to kind of have some kind of checks and balance system, right? What is that? 

Dustin: [04:39] so two things I'll say one is I care a lot about my productivity while I'm trying to be productive but if it's if I need to take, if I need to take a day off I am not hard on myself about that. I'm just, that's just my ebb and flow. But when I'm working, I want it to be productive work because that allows me to be able to rest later when I need to. So that being said, while I'm working, one thing that I do is I don't do this all the time, but probably every three to four months, I will track my time through the day. And I'll track it for an entire week. And I'll track it down to like what, you know, what's the activity that I'm doing? Start/Stop with a timer. 

Chase: [05:22] so task and then time? Okay, cool. 

Dustin: [05:23] and there's a there's an app I use, it's called toggle. It's like a web app.

Chase: [05:29] I've heard of that. Yeah. 

Dustin: [05:30] It's really, it's nice to have a good free version too, which I'm a sucker for a good free version. So it's cool and it helps you categorize. So you just type in what you're working on or for me, I'll put I'll put the stuff, I'm doing it for longer than a week. Usually, I'll do it for a week. But if I do it for a month, for example, I'll put a project name and then the month, and then you just hit start, and you select that project, and then I'll work on it when I'm done, uncheck it, it logs it for me. And then I look at the end of the week, and I can see very clearly where my time went. And I get really because I don't do that often. I get really granular. So if I go pee, I stop it so it is not a running clock so it's active work that way I know. Was I at the office for 10 hours or did I work for 10 hours? Because they're very different things.

Chase: [06:17] busy versus productivity.

Dustin: [06:18] Yes, and we I mean, we know from I don't remember the where I read this, but I read one time that the average American worker works about two hours and 51 minutes a day. 

Chase: [06:28] Wow. Out of like a normal eight hour workday kind of thing?

Dustin: [06:32] yeah, that's like active work and being someone who used to work an average corporate job, I know that that was probably mine, too because when you, you know, if you don't care that much about what you're doing sometimes you fall into a pattern of like, if I don't have to work or if no one's checking me I'm gonna, 

Chase: [06:48] if there's no accountability, then yeah, I can kind of like play fast and loose a little bit. 

Dustin: [06:51] Yeah. And so for me, what I tried to do when I when I timed myself is self-accountability, like, and now I'm accountable also to this timer and it's so simple, even though it's not a person that can even check me, it's me knowing the statistic so I can look at it and judge it accurately. So I can look back. So the 60% honest that was flippantly thrown out there, but it's probably pretty close to accurate because I can look at from, I put a blog on my, on my website, probably a year ago, maybe even more, where I did this, and I showed the experiment and my average work hours was a little over seven hours a day of active work, which is great. I'm happy with that. And then so now when I did it, I did it after like through this process, and it was dropping more into the fours. And it was I mean, it's me trying to work and just getting distracted with all these things. So it's very different. 

Chase: [07:46] would you agree or disagree that going from seven hours to four could be a good thing? If you can get seven hours of work out of four? Is that kind of a goal of yours? Or is it just instituting or introducing something to hold you accountable to kind of like, make sure that you are working the same? I guess what I'm trying to ask, is do you know, you need a devoted timeframe of work to get things done or are you looking to like kind of compress time and optimize your time? 

Dustin: [08:15] that’s a good question. I think for me, I gauged my, I used to gauge my success based on how many people required my attention per day. Now I feel like I gauge it by how few people need my attention.

Chase: [08:33] I like that. Yeah. 

Dustin: [08:34] So for me, if I'm working, if I'm working seven hours a day actively, and it's serving clients or serving employees, I mean, one, I'm happy about that, because I that's I'm in the business of serving people. But also I, I know for my energy levels and my creativity and how I think I need downtime, like I need, I need downtime, as in this two hour block has nothing that is required of me. So if I want to work during it, I can work on a new project or coming up with a new service or thinking of new ways to creatively help clients or things like that.

Chase: [09:06] choice versus obligation. Option versus obligation. 

Dustin: [09:08] that’s something that's very important to me.

Chase: [09:12] how like relieving is that sometimes to know that I mean, being self-employed as well, or even just everyday life, just knowing that you've got a window of time that you're not obligated to anyone else do anything else and that just frees up so many opportunities to do nothing, which is so important to kind of have that rest and digest that parasympathetic that calm down that chill time. Or you get the ability to start a new project. Or to lay on the floor and scroll on Instagram, or call your mom or whatever it is. Do you find that that you kind of go more in one of the two buckets? Do you go more into it now this is when I get the opportunity to create something new to dive into something new, or do you opt more for kind of the recovery, the downtime? 

Dustin: [09:56] I think it varies based on how I'm feeling I don't I always like to cage, I don't like to always gauge what things I'm going to do based on how I feel, because that's a trap sometimes and that's just sometimes just lacking discipline, if all you do is go off your emotion but I'm pretty aware now at this stage in my career of when I just need a break. And so if it's one of those weeks where I need a break, and I have a couple hours, and I just need to chill, I'll do it. But if not, if I'm feeling like my energy level is high, if I've been eating well, sleeping well, I'll take it as I'll take any chance I can to work on something new because that's, to me, that's what brings life into me and my career is new things like trying something new, is so energizing to me.

Chase: [10:41] have you always been this kind of in tune with I'd even say biofeedback, you know, this in tune with your workflow and productivity has always been kind of like a strong skill set of yours, or has it developed over time? How did you get it to where it is now? Or is it just innate? 

Dustin: [10:57] I've developed it, and I'm nowhere near a perfect specimen of this but there's definitely, as I've gotten more solid in what my what my passion path is, and I can see a longer term, you know, where, where am I now? Where am I headed? That helps me a lot to decide like, based on how I'm feeling right now, if I rest is that, is that a good thing or a bad thing? Because sometimes if you're, if you're not clear on your goal, or goal might not even be the right word, if you're not clear on where you the direction you're headed. So if you're trying to serve more people, or you're trying to grow your business to a certain level, or you're trying to work a certain amount of hours less per day, whatever your goal is, if you're aware of that, then you can make decisions based on how quickly would I like to get there, or can I take a break today. So I think it's just developed over time, as I've discovered where I'm headed. 

Chase: [11:55] that is such a powerful statement. I know that's kind of what we want to really drive home today is recognizing and how to recognize your skill sets, how to recognize what's working for me what's not, and where I can go deeper, where I can get more optimized. To not only make my life and my work more fulfilling, but to then offer that to somebody else, because you've got great skill sets that I may also have, I may be better at them, you may be better at them or flat out like you're clearly an expert in one area that I have no ability or even no interest. And I'm not saying this right or wrong. It is what it is. And I was telling you earlier that one of the one of the questions that I get a lot, you know, I think through this path of personal development, self-optimization is like, what am I good at? What's my passion? What's my purpose? How can I contribute anything to the world that hasn't already been done? And, I mean, I got a whole slew of ideas and concepts and stuff but you know, how does that sit with you, man? When you hear or even when you went through it yourself of what's my passion? What am I good at? What's my skill set? How can I even maybe live off my skill set? What was that journey like for you? 

Dustin: [13:14] Yeah, that's a great question, too. You're full of good questions. 

Chase: [13:18] *laughs* Good thing I am a podcaster. Thank you. 

Dustin: [13:23] for me, my I think my journey was probably really similar to most people's. And I say that to encourage anyone listening who is trying to figure this out. 

Chase: [13:41] you started at a base level somewhere and like grew; you didn't just start off as an expert somewhere? That's weird. 

Dustin: [13:48] other than all the head starts I had, yeah. So for me, it was very organic but I also had a big drive to use my personal interests to make an income. And I want to preface this with, I don't think it's better or truly I used to, I used to think it was better or worse to like, work for yourself, or use your passions for your income. I don't think that anymore. I think each person needs to decide what stage they're at now, if that's the right place for them to be, because in some cases, it's horribly irresponsible to try to like quit your job and go follow your passion today. I know this because I tried to do that twice and ran out of money and burned through all of my savings. Right before my wedding. Bad idea. Luckily, I recovered. But I mean, a lot of people that it's the story goes differently. So that's just my that's my preface. Anyway, moving on.

Chase: [14:49] I think that's a very important part of your journey. Thanks for kind of including that that piece

Dustin: [14:53] yeah. So for me, I decided around the entrepreneurial bug hit me pretty quickly and it was a natural first question for me is what like, what do I already know how to do that I can get started. I think a lot of people try to jump to like they'll look at, they'll look at someone who's at, you know, a point F and they'll compare their point A, it's, it's really dangerous to do that because then you start trying to mimic and model what someone who is four years ahead of you is doing and it doesn't work the same. You can't build a business the same way that someone who already has existing assets is building the business. It does not work. 

Chase: [15:32] you may get a little bit of traction, something technically may work, but you won't know why and won't know how. And those are two fundamental properties that if you're going to scale, if you're going to actually keep that momentum going. Without it, you're going to crumble. 

Dustin: [15:49] you need repeatable, scalable systems. So a really great place to start is what you said a little bit earlier is just what are you already good at. So if you're looking to start a passion project, whether it's a side project or you want to go all in on, it doesn't really matter. The formula starts out the same, what is something you're already good at? And a good way to gauge that I've found is just asking, if you can't figure it out yourself, which sometimes you can't, and that's fine. Sometimes we're blind to our own greatness. And you know, or we're playing the comparison game, and we're missing out on pieces of us that are so unique. So if you can't figure it out yourself, that's totally cool. Ask a friend, ask a close friend, like, hey, what when you think of me, like, what do you see that I'm really great at? Because usually, and we do this with all of our friends, too. It's a quick, you know, you meet someone for the first time, usually pretty quickly, you figure out like, oh, they're like, they're, they're an asset to me in this way. It's almost, it's almost like an evolutionary thing where we like to survive this person is bigger than me and I want to be their friend because they helped me survive, or this person is smarter at this than I am. 

Chase: [16:57] their contribution to the tribe. 

Dustin: [16:59] yeah and so usually people can spot that in you a lot quicker than you can spot it in yourself. So that's a great place to start when you're looking for a skill or something is what do people already ask you for help with? And what things that people see in you. And then from there, it's usually getting past the, you brought this up earlier to which I love is imposter syndrome. I don't love imposter syndrome but I love the concept of breaking. But I mean that, that whole for anyone who doesn't know what imposter syndrome, that's a tongue twister imposter syndrome is, it's the essence of it is that you aren't sure that you have the capabilities to do the thing you're trying to do or the thing you're already in the position to do, you're feeling like you don't have the self-confidence or you're unaware of your ability to actually do it. There is an equally scary counter side, which is delusion, or arrogance or overconfidence, where you're actually not qualified to do what you're trying to do and you need to work on your skill set. But there is everyone can start somewhere where they're in an expert position. We were talking about this a little bit earlier to a line that I really like to remind people of if they're feeling like they're not an expert enough at something or they're not, they can't think of anything they're better at than anyone. Just remember that everyone is an expert at something compared to someone and if you remember that, and you can start from your square one, which is exactly where you need to start, instead of trying to start at someone else's square one or someone else's square four where you can't get any traction. 

Chase: [18:38] yeah, absolutely. Um, do you think really, this concept of imposter syndrome has it always been here? Or is it just because we have access via internet social media? We have so much more access to, to see things and to see what people are doing what they're not doing. Do you think this has always been a part of kind of the human evolution when it comes to personal development or even professional? Or is it just like, society has kind of cultivated this new environment that we're just bombarded and it's like, we can't help but feel like an imposter?

Dustin: [19:20] that is such a good insight. I don't know if I've ever thought about that. My knee jerk reaction is that it has always been around but it's different.

Chase: [19:32] how so?

 Dustin: [19:33] I think if you if we go back to tribal living, or like there's a new book I'm working on right now it's called the village expert and we go back to like tribal or village living and people like there are clear cut people who are the best in their area, or you grew up you know, your dad is a blacksmith and now you are too or, you know, like there's this there's this flow of like being trained as an as a what's the word?

Chase: [20:00] an apprentice or an understudy

Dustin: [20:01] Yeah. And so it's almost like, like, you probably feel like an imposter because you are while you're being trained, but you have someone holding your hand there. And then in your tribe or your village, that's everyone already knows that's what you're in. So there are a lot of advantages to that, actually. Now, we have so much access to seeing so many different people and different ways of doing things, it gets so overwhelming and then on top of it, just the highlight reel living where we're seeing, even though we know now and we that the highlight reel thing has been preached 1000 times, but we know it, we still watch it and we're still feel bad about ourselves when we see someone. I did it today, I was looking at someone like one of one of my friends, that's even worse, people who actually want to succeed. I was looking at it and I was like, I was feeling like those little feelings of like inadequacy or jealousy. But that's why am I feeling this, like, really, this should just be inspiring me and it does. But my point is, we can be aware of it, and we can still have those issues. So I think it's gotten worse, or it's different but I think it's always been there to some extent. But one thing I always like to keep in mind is that God doesn't call the prepared, he prepares the called. So if you are feeling like there's something on your heart that you want to do, and you feel like it's a mission for you in life, there's a reason you're feeling that and a good compass is like, is it calling you to serve people? If it's calling you to serve people in some way it's on your heart for a reason. So latch on to that, and move forward. 

Chase: [21:34] I'll play devil's advocate there. I think that moment, right, there is where most people were a lot of people that don't move forward and that's I think the beginning stages are that's when the doorway to imposter syndrome to fear to comparison, a lot of things that's when that doors opened, and we peek in and we see all the potential, it's like all the good everything that we want that we think is possible that that feeling that's pulling us, but at the same time, we also see everyone that's already doing it. We see all the other coaches, podcasters, ecommerce people, apparel people, and doctors, whatever. It's like we see it all together. So when you see that, like, how do you decipher like that example, you're just talking about earlier what's that kind of self-talk that you have that you think someone could also apply to, like, catch themselves and then like, really talk themselves through it?

Dustin: [22:30] so what I like to do is, well, one, I want to call back the concept of a village expert, a village expert isn't concerned with what's happening in the other villages, they have a duty where they're at. And that's the same for all of us, we have circles that we're involved in, and we have duties within those. So if we can keep that as a perspective, it helps to know that it doesn't matter if someone else is doing it. Of course, someone else and honestly, in the business sense, that's great that someone else is doing it that proves there's a need and humanity for that. 

Chase: [22:59] there is a model.

Dustin: [23:00] Yeah. You don't have to start so confused. 

Chase: [23:03] there is a market. 

Dustin: [23:04] I mean, if you're feeling imposter syndrome, but you because you can see someone else doing it, that's actually a good sign. And then the way that I like to get through it personally, if I'm not sure about maybe it's a new service I'm launching at my company, and I'm not sure like it's going to work out is do it for free for someone. It's a great way to remember that you can help someone and provide value and, and taking away the monetary part of it, it helps to take away some of that fear, because you're no longer an imposter when you're just helping someone and that's all you're thinking about is helping. So that's a great place to start is find someone you can serve for free with that thing and see how it goes. 

Chase: [23:46] Is that how I know it's kind of like, um, I've been familiar with, you know, your business and how you will help tremendously with you know, marketing, email marketing, and kind of just brand awareness. Like, I've seen how the sausage is made, and it's damn good sausage, like, you guys are good at what you do and now I understand you're kind of taking that skill set, and going a little bit deeper. And we were talking earlier about how I think that's another great way to think to work through not only imposter syndrome, but just to really honor your skill set even more and to see how you can optimize it, you know? Ever Forward we are all about, you know, self-optimization, human optimization in that damn shirt comes into play when you're talking about your business and your livelihood. So how are you doing that now for people? How are you helping others establish this is your skill set, this is what you're good at working through things for free, helping them realize these like niche below the niche below the niche, like subcategories so that we can tap in and truly serve?

Dustin: [24:45] Yeah. So what I want to tell a story to answer the question.

Chase: [24:47] story time. I will get comfortable. Not that I'm not comfortable already. We're chilling on a couch. Can’t beat this. Do you need a blankie? I'm pretty sure any second now my dog might run up and you know, sit on your lap 

Dustin: [25:05] your dog is so, so cute. What's your dog's name? 

Chase: [25:06] Nella, she's asleep somewhere. She's either asleep or running a million miles an hour. 

Dustin: [25:12] because she's so comfortable. *both laugh* So when was five years old, I started doing martial arts and my dad did it. Like, my dad did it and both my older brothers. And then so I was next in line, and I was like, I was ready. And so I started when I was five. And I ended up doing it till I was 25. And it was a huge part of my life. But one lesson that I learned so quickly, and so well, and I'm really grateful for is the beauty of learning from someone who's just one or two steps ahead of you. So someone who has been where you're at right now really recently and that's something I think people forget when they're thinking about, like, how can I go deeper into a niche or deeper into you know, how can I kind of put myself in a box to start off with to make this simpler, because they think they have to be so far ahead of everybody else to be able to teach something or help someone with something. But so in martial arts, it was like, you know, you start off as a white belt, or at least in you know, the karate school I was at. And then you learn all those techniques, and you're taught by someone else, right. And so oftentimes, it would be a yellow belt, or an orange belt. So a step or two up that would teach us our movements. And, you know, what, it wasn't always a black belt coming to help teach a white belt, it was it was this natural, like progression. And so then it was so fresh to them, they just, they just got their next belt, so they knew it all so well. And then when I became a yellow belt, then I had the chance to do that for white belts as well, and so on and it was a process throughout this 20 year journey of teaching people who were right, right on your heels. And, and so I think about that a lot in business is how, how can I apply what I know, to a, to a target audience or a target market that is, like, if I'm if I'm teaching, it's who is just a couple steps behind me that it's really fresh in my mind, and I can really help them and that helps take away some of that imposter syndrome to of not feeling like you have to be the best expert, but you can be an expert to them. And then you know, for niching down so if for my company jump x marketing, we as you know, we work a lot with health and fitness brands in the e commerce space and so it's not it's not this direct comparison of like, oh, I know, marketing better than you. It's like, it's it doesn't translate the same way. They're not trying to learn the marketing I know; they need help with it. But one thing that really helps when you're trying to choose a niche, like how can you? So for me, it started off as email marketing, I was really good at email marketing. I did that for my job in the corporate world and I was thinking about how can I use this skill? 

Chase: [28:06] sorry to interrupt you but teachable moment, like, yeah, how did you know you were so good? Like, was it just super natural for you? Did you have a way to quantify it? Everyone was like, yo, Dustin like I keep coming to you like you're the email marketing guy. Like how did you know?

Dustin: [28:17] I think I remember, it's been a handful of years now but I do remember feeling like I did it as a function of my job. So that helped. So in my head, I was like, well, someone already pays me to do this, like, I have a full time job. Like I basically have one giant client, and they provide all my income, but they trust me enough to do this thing. So I must be okay at it. And then as I started doing it for free, was a big way that I did it was like who else do I what other friends or companies do I like maybe know of, or someone who's even, like, you know, if you want to go lower stakes, I helped a lot of friends that didn't even have businesses and they were trying to start their business and I was like, well, let me set up your email marketing for you. So it was a very like good testing ground when the stakes aren't super high. And that's another thing that taking the money out of it helps with is you don't feel the responsibility as much to like, get them a huge ROI return on investment. So that helped. So for me, it was it was a combination of understanding someone already paid me to do it. So that's a great compass and then looking around who else I could try to help for free and doing that a couple of times until I was confirmed in my head of looking at you know, there is their email list growing, are they getting more revenue this month than they did last month? And so those were the quantifiable things that I was doing okay to look.

Chase: [29:38] so you're doing that and then you know, what was the next step in the journey there? 

Dustin: [29:39] so next step there was trying to figure out the kind of awkward halfway point of how do I how do I stop working at my job so I can do this but I don't have the money to do that right now. So I like playing in that middle space of like a, like an incognito nighttime superhero entrepreneur. So that's a lot of it and just, and I think the fear most people have when they're doing any kind of service it can be, it can be fitness coaching, it can be business, it doesn't matter what it is any kind of service that you're offering the first like fear that comes in places is how do I find the right people for me to do this to with without alienating another market that might pay me money because when you're first starting your interest, you're trying to figure out how do I make revenue? And it becomes easier, the more you do it, but in the beginning, I mean, you might, maybe, I mean, still, I don't really I don't, it's not like I'm super Mr. Famous with all these business contacts. A lot of the clients we get now are me reaching out to people who don't know who I am. And that's a lot of what you're doing in the very beginning. So giving yourself advantages, like a market you're already interested in, because it's a long game. You don't you don't want to you don't want to start a business in an area that is that could be profitable, but you hate it every day. 

Chase: [31:08] it will work for a short period of time, you know, six months, a year, maybe even five years, but I promise you absolutely. It's resentment. A lot of times is a very, it's a slow burn. And you think you can tolerate it but next thing you know just engulfs your life. And you're like, yeah, and you wake up like, not good.

Dustin: [31:26] the worst thing for an entrepreneur is to wake up and realize you have a job you hate. It's like, I don't want that happening to people and it happened to me in the beginning, because my goal was to get out of my job. So and that's a mindset thing, too, that I try to work on with people who are starting businesses is, are you starting a business to try to escape something? Or are you trying to go after something you're passionate about? It's very different and it impacts how you work. 

Chase: [31:58] say that again, please. That was powerful. 

Dustin: [31:59] so are you are you trying to start a business because you want to escape something that you're currently doing? Or are you trying to start a business because you want to go after something you're passionate about?

Chase: [32:11] and I'll say to that, like, I'm just getting this physical imagery of think about when we're afraid of something, the more we run away from something, you know, I'm gonna try to get away from this job. I'm trying to get away from this relationship. I'm trying to get away from this town. When we're running away from someone, something, somewhere we will run to anyone, anything, any place. When we're running towards we had like, yo, like, I'm not I'm just trying to get out of this town but I love Denver, I love LA, I love Richmond Virginia, whatever it is, like you will run towards something towards someone something in a much more direct way in a way that you know why and like everything on everything on the way to that place, to that person, to that thing is a part of the journey. They are also price that is also teaching you. Adds purpose to the journey. That was pretty good. Thanks for the muse. 

Dustin: [33:17] I think that's a big and you know, it's a big thing when you're so for me, I was trying to escape my nine to five job. And there are various reasons for that, but it caused the cycle in my life, where for a while, I kept going, like job the job thinking the next one would save me. And like, because like you said, me people do that in relationships. People do that in the city, they live in anything. Diet methods, like the next one's going to save me, it's because you're trying to run away from something instead of make a permanent fix towards something that you want. And so in, in, like, the client service business, when you're trying to start a service, what people do is they feel like, well, I just want to get out of this so I'll take any work I can. You end up with clients, you don't like, you end up doing work, you don't even like, and then you don't and then you also have this, like, you know, for me, it was like I was I was good at building websites, I was good at email marketing, like I had kind of this marketing toolkit. And so anyone who came to me with any of those, I was like, Yes, I'll do it. Yes, I'll do it. Yes, I'll do it. And it's not that there's anything wrong with that but you have to have a vision beyond being scrappy, and taking anything that comes to you because if you don't you end up in, in a situation where you're not able to scale and you also just don't like any of the work you're doing. So a good compass for other people and what helped me was thinking, okay, what what's something I am good at, so from use email marketing, and then who has a specific audience and market that I can serve that I like that industry? So for me was a no brainer, health and fitness has been a huge part of my life. I used to be a trainer for six years, very part of my life and so I was like, boom, I'm just gonna go I'm gonna find clients in the health and fitness space, and it made it so much fun. It made it so much more fun to be like, because that's I was helping people. It wasn't just me doing email marketing, and it was like, I'm gonna help you reach more people for this thing that I also love. And it made it just so much better. And then, you know, and then what happens is a natural chain reaction of doing a great job for people because you love the workings of the industry. And then when you ask them for referrals, they can refer you confidently and specifically, no one wants to work with a generalist. It's just true. So then you help someone and then this is how my career got started. I would help someone and I would say, who might you be able to connect me with I really appreciate it and then they would say, yes, you did a great job and then email intro to so and so who was also a health and fitness brand, looking for email marketing. So it was no longer this, like, I can do kind of everything. It's like, if you pass along, this.

Chase: [35:47] it's like you got your, if you do it, right or even just a little bit of strategy, like those referrals that you got your own kind of marketing team because the person that you show up for that you love working for the most odds are they know people just like that. They know other business owners just like that. So you were really you are, were really great at this skill set, and really loved working for this specific type or types of person persons. Then I'm sure they referred and you found other people in the same kind of world. So it was like, you know, that cuts out so much of that struggle in the beginning and that's definitely a lesson that I would go back until day one entrepreneur Chase. My I say that my transition from nine to five, to self-employed, to business owner wasn't as much of a struggle as I know, some people have because I went from doing my profession for somebody else to doing my profession for me. I went from being you know, a health coach and a wellness and, you know, fitness expert, and all this stuff, you know, for another company to just doing it for me. So I didn't really have a whole lot of learning curve time, a transition time, but it was saying yes to everybody, any client, anyone, like no matter what the goal was, because in the beginning, I just got married, I was living in DC, like cost of living super high. Like at the beginning, you're saying yes, because you need the money, you need the revenue, you need to kind of build the confidence you need to prove to yourself and your significant other that you can make money and survive. And yeah, I said yes to a lot of people, a lot of projects, a lot of clients that look like I'm actually like, I can help you, but I shouldn't because there is somebody better out there for you or I'm gonna have the resentment you know. Did you have moments like that? What was kind of like a, like a bottom moment for you maybe?

Dustin: [37:37] I had a couple of good bottom moments. 

Chase: [37:35] A couple good bottom moments. I love that. I love that mentality. Man. Here's my favorite worst moment. 

Dustin: [37:38] I just repeated the same mistake over and over. So one of them for me was, and this is why now I recommend people, if they're trying to start a side hustle or start their own, you know, become self-employed don't quit your job until you can and you're gonna hear so many people say the opposite and say that you have to like burn the boats. Don't burn the boats, you might need the boats.

Chase: [38:01] I struggle I see I see benefits and I see pros and cons of both sides, honestly, but please continue. 

Dustin: [38:06] I mean, and I think you can, you can generally tell so what I'll tell you my two experiences. So the first one I was working, I was working a marketing job. I got a big bonus and quit. Because like we had a great year and like it was the bonus payout. So it wasn't sketchy. Everyone calm down. And so I got my bonus. And then I put in my notice, I was like, okay, I have like a decent savings chunk like this will get me through a while. Like this will get me through like six months, and I mean, and honestly, that wasn't a terrible strategy because it's like, if you want to do that go but just know that you have a doomsday. Like know your date, know, you're gonna run out of money because that's gonna motivate you on because for me, what I did is I didn't even know what I wanted to do yet. I just knew I didn't want to be at that job.

Chase: [38:51] again, you were running from something.

Dustin: [38:55] Exactly. So I ended up working, kind of dabbling in some freelance stuff. It was good. It was fine but I didn't know what I was doing at all yet. And so I didn't know what to replicate or what to do more of. I always thought if I had more time, I would be able to grow a business but when you don't know what to do with the time, the time is useless. The seven versus four so I mean, that basically led to me running out of money, and then went back and got another job which was a hard ego blow, honestly. Just because I thought, you know, I was telling all my friends like how you started a business. And, and then I had to go, you know, back and be like, oh, no, I work for this company now. But I mean, if you allow yourself to not tie your ego into it, it makes it easier because and I did that story. The same story happened twice where I quit my job. And then one of them was I was like, I'm just going to drive for Uber and that's how I'll make the extra like cash I need make up the difference. And then I realized I used to try for Uber for 12 hours a day to make the difference. So I was like, well, that didn't make and there goes my other job that I left for now I have the same income but a lot less time. So, but the way that I did it the third time worked a lot better, still wasn't super smart, but to your point, it for me putting my back against the wall helped me. So I had about half of what I needed in monthly revenue coming from clients and then I quit my job knowing that okay, I have some kind of model here that I can if I have 40 hours a week I can make this work and then there are still up and down moments, of course is there just always is but you learn to you know this as an entrepreneur, you learn to like go with the peaks and valleys and not be so emotionally heated every time something happens.

Chase: [40:40] true, man, if I could pass back another piece of advice there to the young, hungry entrepreneur, the side hustler is and it takes a while it's not easy if you can get as comfortable, if you can learn to get as comfortable when you have no money coming in, when you have no leads, no clients, when you know, on paper, air quote here are not successful. If you can get as comfortable with that as when you're killing it, the money's coming in, the clients are coming in like life is good because if we can detach, and this is where the ego work is that we're talking about but also if you can detach from the outcome, yeah, then your level of productivity, your level of your mindset for damn sure, but just everything else will begin to stay congruent; will stay the same. So if I have the same mindset, and the same work ethic and the same habits and the same level of productivity and the same, you know, hey, I need to reach out to Dustin or you know, ask for support or you know, whatever, when things are at their worst and their best, then that really does help smooth out the peaks and valleys. Doesn't eliminate them for damn sure but that's honestly, I think the past year, actually, I would love to get input on this as well. Money mindset has been has been a tough one for me to overcome. I had a lot of scarcity mindset, and through a lot of my personal work and let it bled into in a good way, my professional work. I really realized, you know, kind of going back to my childhood and my upbringing and just my lifelong association to money and I had to work through that I had to fully just sit down and understand. What do I believe about money? What is my relationship with money? Why do I always feel like if I have it like it's going to be gone again, you know? I'm good at making money I'm really good at spending money. And so I had to really work through that and understand that. And again, really, especially when you become self-employed me not having client, me not having money, is not I'm an imposter is not I'm worthless, is not I'm horrible at what I'm doing. It's just how I'm going about it needs improvement and that's been a big area for me. I'm curious, as the money mindset kind of played a role into all these peaks and valleys familiar with?

Dustin: [42:57] I am still working through it to be honest and it's like, it's always been a weird thing for me, because I think I'm sometimes I get overly sensitive to my fear of being greedy. And it's like, it's like, in turn, what I do is I self-sabotage. But then, like, the realization of like, well, me, making less money probably just makes me more greedy because then all I think about is how I need more money. So that's something I've been working through is like, just as long as I know, my heart's in the right spot and that like money's not my main driver. If I know that I'm keeping people above money, then I'm in an OK, spot. And I think like, understanding that I'm gonna have different, it's gonna keep changing over life. And I'm just gonna keep working on it. It doesn't need to be this aha moment where like, oh, I figured all of it out now. So that's been, I'm still working through like, don't, don't be afraid to scale because you think you're gonna become greedy? Because then when something like a virus hits the globe, then you have to, you know, a lot of work to do instead of being okay.

Chase: [44:03] that is so powerful. Just got all my wheels spinning in my head of, I mean, it sounds really weird and sounds like BS, sometimes you say this out loud. But I would say that, like a hesitation, where I'm, I have and probably still am a bottleneck to my own success and a lot of things I do is like, oh, like, because I don't define success by how much money I make, or have. I define success by my level of fulfillment in my work that I do every day, the quality of life that I had, have the quality of life of my relationships, and like the work that me and my team are doing and so, again, that all ties into the money mindset, well, I need to generate money. My business needs to be profitable so that me and everyone else around me can contribute to the overall can keep the things going, and can really move towards that definition of success of fulfillment happiness, doing good things and just like showing up and loving what I'm doing every day. That's been it sounds really weird to say that I'm not making as much money as, as I want or could because I just like, I don't want to become greedy. I don't want to have all that money, money problems, but. It's weird. It's weird. 

Dustin: [45:20] it's so weird. Yeah, no, it's true. That's true for me, too. It's like, I, and I think it's, it’s like, because I'm the same with you where I don't I don't judge my success by the amount of dollars in the bank account, I just don't. And I hope that I don't. But personal finances and business finances need to be looked at differently. And that's something I am working on and it's like when you're when you're working for. And it's weird, because when you're working at it, just you know, when you're working for someone else, you get paid what you're given. And it's you don't even have to you don't have to overthink. Like someone else validates that I'm worth this much money and that's great, then like you're not getting judged for how much money you make or whatever, because someone else told you, you can make it so true. But then when you work for yourself, you're determining your paycheck in a lot of ways. But then also you stop or for me, I didn't understand the separation for a long time of my personal finances, and my business finances, it's different. And I liked what you said about, you know, a business obviously needs to generate money to keep the good things going. It's like and you mentioned, you mentioned like the employees, and that's such an important thing that I've been working on for me is just remembering that that the work will one innately, the work we're doing is good work for good people for good reasons. So I don't want to stop another person from being able to be involved in that because I can't get over my weird money issues. Then I had a mentor tell me this one time, and it just stuck with me. I think about it all the time. He said, he said, the point of the point of an employee is not to get a job done. The point of, of a job is to get an employee done, as in working. You hire someone. Yes, there's a thing to be done. But really, the main goal is to develop them. So you're using the job to develop the person instead of the person to do the tasks you don't want to do. Very different and for me, that works into the money mindset of I'm not like I want to I want the business to generate money so I can keep developing these people. And so that's a really a helpful thing in my head. 

Chase: [47:27] developing a business, developing a purpose is very important and is necessary work. But I would make the statement, the argument that if you focus even a little bit more it damn sure at least equal on developing people, then, in a lot of ways the rest will take care of itself. It's been so great having you on here, man, I'm kind of getting towards the end. I'm curious, you know, what's your baby right now? What are you working on? How are you, we talked a lot about productivity and money, mindset, productivity mindset, a lot of ways to like, get through this stuff but like, how, how are you really doing that now? And what's your big project you've been working on now?

Dustin: [48:04] so the main project I'm working on now like obviously, I run a marketing agency called Jump X marketing we work with, we do ecommerce marketing for brands in the health and fitness space. So that's my main, that's what I do but on the side, I'm working on helping more people who

Chase: [48:20] I love By the way, like you own your own business, run your business and you have a side hustle to yourself. 

Dustin: [48:27] Always, I get bored. You do this too. It's like an entrepreneur’s problem. It's just like boredom. You're just like what else can I do? Like I can do this than I can do this.

Chase: [48:40] the problem is because like we realize there's a whole tangent like we realized what is possible. Anything. It's just like, oh, if I have an idea and once you realize that you're the only person like that is going to start or stop that like it's just like, I can do it. Let's see what happens. Dude, it is mind blowing. 

Dustin: [49:00] so like that's I mean, that's what I'm working on helping people do is figure out what they're what they're good at and start a service business just try like fitness coaching. It can be marketing it can be I've helped people become financial advisors. People help be a health coach for women that were recently pregnant and gave birth and they're trying to get back into it. Just really specific things like if you have a thing you're good at or life experience you can share through a service that's what I'm trying to help people discover and grow so there's a website skillsetsandhandshakes.com and there's resources on there to help people from ground zero or someone who may be has kind of gotten their feet wet but they're just spinning their wheels a little bit need to figure out where to go. So I put together for your audience actually just a specific page, they can go to an extra downloads that aren't typically free. Just because you know, so skillsetsandhandshakes.com/Chase. That's what we're going with. 

Chase: [50:07] Awesome, man. I will have to check that out. Cool. I mean another great lesson is going back to day one entrepreneur Chase is learn how to say no, like, don't say yes to every client every opportunity but also like, get help. If I, I did, actually, before I left my job, I officially hired a mentor, kind of like a life coach, business coach. She had done basically everything that I could ever hope to want to do in this kind of like health, wellness, entrepreneur space and but then when I transitioned, because I was again just focused on revenue and money, like I stopped that relationship because I need to just make money. I can't have anything going out but it's a catch 22 I mean, if I had done if I kept that going, or hired, somebody went through a course or just did anything to like, feed that process. It's all learning curves, right? 

Dustin: [51:04] I'm really glad you brought it up said forgot to mention it when I was just kind of telling some of my story. I one of the catalysts when I started making kind of enough to quit my job was a mentor and like it was literally night and day of someone giving me a concept not even like a full strategist, like concept, a paradigm shift and within 30 days, I was set it was that and like, so now. I mean, I still right now I'm working with the growth marketing coach, I'm always working with some kind of coach, because even when it seems like the money is going out instead of back in, there's always an inflection point. I mean, yeah, you don't like go to college expecting to make your money back right away? But it's the same concept just get a get someone who's been where you are to help you and it's just if like, if you if you can afford to do it, because it's so useful. 

Chase: [51:56] I'll even say, make a way to afford it. Find a way like, go like, alright, if the cost for this course or the cost for this, this coach is 200 bucks a month, 1000 bucks a month, right now your job is to go find a new client find a way to pay for that. I absolutely that I would make damn sure that I did that for sure. I've had two pay like, full on costs, like full investment, everything coaches mentors, over the years, and the first one, she helped me like, I wouldn't have launched anywhere close to how I did when I left my job if it wasn't for her. She's still in my life, and in a way and the second was when I made a big business shift in like, spring ish, Summer 2019 investing in another coach and literally, within the first phone call of that second investment everything became clear. It was just like, why are you doing that? You love this instead? You're right. And so again, I just stopped chasing stuff and it was the best investments, the best decisions I've ever made. I'm overdue for another one. I'm overdue to go back. Thanks for the reminder, man. Well, Dustin, again, thanks for coming on, man. It's been a great conversation. I love these kind of talks and I know that the audience member listening right now who's been on the fence about jumping ship to go to their full blown full blown thing or just I mean, daily productivity hacks alone, and there's so many great things in here. So that in mind, man kind of with the mindset productivity, spinning the wheels, just like all these things all contribute to how I say, you know, live a life Ever Forward. What does that mean to you, man? How did you how do you live a life Ever Forward?

Dustin: [53:43] I think just trying to be I don't want to use this word in a corny way, but like being authentic in my pursuit as well as like person to person but also in the pursuit that I'm going after. Because like we were talking about earlier, when you're when you're when you have some form of alignment, it doesn't always have to feel 100% but when you can tell like you're on the right path, it makes you want to try do things like optimize your health, optimize your productivity, it, it puts you in the state where you want to be getting better. So to me, that's what ever for it is, is being in that state where I want to keep getting better, and then finding new ways to do that. And like particularly with chasing not chasing but pursuing a passionate project. I don't think everyone has just one passion. I think we get to choose on that. But I will say you know show me one person who regrets starting their passion project and I'll show you a million who regret not starting. 

Chase: [54:50] So true man. I love that little nuance there of not getting better not like finding ways to get better but wanting to get better and that is the difference right there. That is that is the difference that will keep you adherent. Like the same thing I'm sure you know you had when you're working with clients you know in like the health coaching fitness spaces. We can help you we can give you the workout give you the nutrition plan all you want, but you have to want it. And the second you stop wanting what you're in the pursuit of is the moment that we're talking about earlier is when imposter syndrome starts it steps in, doubt creeps in and you become less productive when you begin to detach a little bit more. And that's, I believe, that's also kind of a process like it comes with the territory. And I wouldn't even say it's a bad thing, but it's just a thing we need to be mindful of. And that's when we get the opportunity to catch. Do I still feel the same kind of way about this? You know, why do I not want it? And you know, think on that. Why do I want it? Why do I not want it? It's neither good neither bad but just being aware of that concept will make or break your success and just happiness and everything you do for sure. 

Dustin: [55:59] yeah, I agree. 

Chase: [56:01] Dustin, it's been great having you on man. Thank you so much. 

Dustin: [56:03] thanks, this was great.

Craig Weller is Precision Nutrition’s exercise systems and program director and a PN Master Coach. His certifications include US Navy SWCC (Special Warfare Combatant Crewman), Department of State WPPS-2 (Worldwide Personal Protective Service), Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association, StrongFirst Girya Level 1, and Precision Nutrition Level 2. He’s also a US Department of State Worldwide Personal Protective Service Security Specialist and formerly a nationally-registered emergency medical technician. In this episode, Craig breaks down how he became the guy his Special Forces brothers in arms would go to for the best training protocols that reduced their chances of injury, increased strength and mobility, while also allowed them to complete their mission both on and off the battlefield. 

Follow Chase @chase_chewning

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Episode resources:

• Learn more about Craig and Precision Nutrition

• Listen to episode 389 with Precision Nutrition's head strength and sports psychology coach Adam Feit

• Successfully launch, grow, and monetize your podcast through Chase's courses at www.OperationPodcast.com

   

More about Craig:

In his role as a Precision Nutrition coach and the director for the PN High-Risk Occupations program, Weller has also provided guidance for the Canadian Special Forces command.

Before joining Precision Nutrition, Weller spent six years in Naval Special Operations as a Special Warfare Combat Crewman (SWCC) and nearly two years on the High-Threat Protection team for the U.S. Ambassador to Baghdad in Iraq. He’s held a variety of instructional and diplomatic security roles all over the world, including Kenya, the Philippines, Central America, South Sudan, and Iraq.

Outside of the military, Weller has founded multiple fitness businesses, co-authored a patent for a biomedical monitoring technology, acted as a consultant for the US clandestine community, and written for numerous publications and journals including the NSCA Tactical Strength and Conditioning Journal.

Your health is your choice, so why not learn how to make better, more informed choices when it comes to your medical care, nutrition, medications, supplements... all of the things? Everything you choose to do or not do, eat or not eat, think or not think plays a role in your overall wellness. Today's guest is Dr. Joe Nieusma and he is not only passionate about becoming a more informed consumer and health advocate but an incredibly well-educated health expert that helps others by reviewing their medical records and help them to eliminate unnecessary prescription drugs from their profile. Through a detailed history of symptoms as described by the client/patient or family members, combined with an analysis of the medical history, he recommends changes and ultimately eliminations to their current drug therapies to improve the quality of life of the patient by reducing or eliminating unnecessary drug side effects. 

Follow Dr. Joe on Facebook at Superior Toxicology & Wellness

Follow Chase on Instagram @chase_chewning

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Episode resources:

• Superior Toxicology and Wellness

• Episode386 with Autumn Smith

• Learn how to successfully launch, grow, and monetize your podcast at www.OperationPodcast.com

More about Dr. Joe:

Dr. Nieusma is our fearless CEO/Chief Toxicologist here at Superior Toxicology & Wellness, an international scientific consulting firm that he founded. Dr. Nieusma is also a co-founder for TwinOxide North America, a company working to improve water quality in all aspects of life from municipal treatment plants to livestock operations. TwinOxide removes all carcinogens from treated water and is the right thing to do.

Dr. Nieusma is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board for Vitro Biopharma, a firm that brings new stem-cell related products for diabetes research to scientific, pharmaceutical, and ultimately medical markets.  Dr. Nieusma is also on the editorial staff for the peer-reviewed scientific journal, Toxicology Mechanisms and Methods, published by Informa Healthcare.

Dr. Nieusma was a Senior Toxicologist for Affygility Solutions from October 2005 to February 2018. Affygility is a company providing strategic environmental health and safety solutions to life science companies.  Dr. Nieusma left Affygility to focus on Superior Toxicology & Wellness, as well as TwinOxide-Colorado. Dr. Nieusma was an Industrial Toxicologist for Sandoz (formerly Geneva Pharmaceuticals) from May of 1998 to April of 2004. He left Sandoz to open Superior Toxicology & Wellness. Dr. Nieusma has participated as an editorial board member for Micromedex, Inc. since May of 2001 primarily to provide toxicological evaluation of potential new products and databases as needed.  Dr. Nieusma has participated in research for a human health risk assessment involving over 100 chemicals of interest from a US Naval incinerator in Osaka, Japan. Dr. Nieusma worked for Dow Chemical in the Biotransformation group from September 1989 until July 1991.  

Dr. Nieusma earned his B.S. from Central Michigan University with a major in pre-med biology and a minor in chemistry.  He went on to earn a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Colorado, School of Pharmacy and the Molecular Toxicology and Environmental Health Sciences Program.  The title of his dissertation research is “Stereochemical aspects of 1,3-Butadiene Metabolism and Toxicity”. His research characterized the very different pattern of metabolism and toxicity mainly due to the orientation of various side chains around chiral carbons of a small molecule hydrocarbon with multiple double bonds. 

Dr. Nieusma has been actively involved in toxicology research for the past 30 years with six published manuscripts. The majority of his work, especially in the pharmaceutical industry and consulting, has been conducted in an industrial setting and published only within the company or to a client. These potent compound classification reports for pharmaceutical agents were written to assess occupational hazards that may exist during the manufacturing process for a drug. 

Dr. Nieusma has completed over 1500 drug monographs which highlighted potency, pharmacokinetics, acute adverse effects, chronic adverse effects, irritant properties, sensitizing properties, mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, requirements for medical attention in an exposure, cumulative effects and developmental or reproductive effects of these pharmaceutical agents. Dr. Nieusma is involved in the determination of causation when there are reported effects possibly due to drug exposure in a worker population.  Through his experience, professional judgment and knowledge of the drug, he formulates an opinion as to whether a certain effect is possibly due to exposure to a pharmaceutical agent in question. These opinions have been utilized for deciding who was responsible for treatment of the injured worker, and whether a drug exposure was intentional by an employee or accidental in the course of work performed for the company.

Routinely in the pharmaceutical industry, preparations of various drugs will become contaminated with foreign debris or degradation products from the chemical ingredients and Dr. Nieusma writes a justification for the presence of these entities and provide the toxicological background to show that they would be harmless and pose little to no risk to the end user. Frequently, these justifications are based on a structure-activity relationship analysis comparison of similar chemicals. On a regular basis Dr. Nieusma is asked to review specific jobs in specific environments with multiple potential exposures to drugs, chemicals, and excipients for potential reproductive hazards of occupational exposure.

Dr. Nieusma is a member of the Society of Toxicology which requires nomination and membership is based on scientific expertise in the field.  Dr. Nieusma has served as a lecturer for the Toxicology and Occupational Health Course at the University of Colorado Graduate School, the American Industrial Hygiene Association and for the conference for “Environmental, Health and Safety for the Life Science Industry”. Dr. Nieusma’s qualifications are described in detail in his curriculum vitae which has been provided.  

Mimi Lindquist knows what it means to feel fully charged and have true wellness because she has been at rock bottom before; divorce, acne, hair loss, hypothryoidism, and so much more. Taking her health into her own hands she spent years studying the human body and experimenting with various modalities that began to solve nearly all of her health problems and provide an immense sense of fulfillment. In this episode, Mimi shares her emotional battle of how she healed her body from the inside out and how she now does that for so many others. Her expertise lies in HPV and more specifically the power of medicinal and funcitonal mushrooms.

Follow Mimi @getmimifit

Follow Chase @chase_chewning

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Episode resources:

• Mimi's website

• Mimi's podcast The Medicin

• Cured Nutrition: Rise and Zen - checkout code EVERFORWARD to save 15%

• Four Sigmatic: lion's mane, chaga, turkey tail, and reishi - checkout code EVERFORWARD to save 15%

More about Mimi:

"I am a Registered Dental Hygienist by degree, and practiced clinically for 7 years. I loved it! But with many people in my family dealing with debilitating chronic disease…cancer, cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic fatigue, Lou Gehrig’s disease, Parkinson’s disease…I felt pulled to dive into more education. For myself. For me. For my future family. I was convinced that I could help in some way. Turns out, I could.

After my divorce in 2017, my health hit rock bottom. Tanked hormones, hypothyroidism, cystic acne, severe digestive issues, hair loss. Bursting into tears crumpled on my shower floor as clumps of hair fell out, I decided to make a change. I had to.

I BECAME MY OWN BEST HEALTH ADVOCATE. AND AFTER 2 YEARS OF DIGGING INTO EVERY HEALTH PODCAST, THYROID BOOKS, ELIMINATION DIET, ACNE EDUCATION, DIGESTIVE SUPPLEMENTS, + MEDICINAL MUSHROOMS, I FINALLY STARTED TO FEEL ALIVE AGAIN.

I graduated from the Academy of Culinary Nutrition in 2018, and started educating others about the incredible benefits of AHCC®. My passion for AHCC, medicinal mushrooms and newfound education around ‘food as medicine’ launched me into the entrepreneurial world. I didn’t have any business background, no idea how to market myself, no idea how to build a website, but I knew the world needed to know about AHCC®, and I committed myself to being the link and figuring it out.

Another twist in the story: I reunited with my childhood sweetheart, Chase, who I had separated from and divorced 3 years earlier. Our souls wouldn’t have the separation. We now live on Coronado Island, CA, in this beautiful ‘Part 2’ of our relationship, as we call it.

TOGETHER WE HOST THE MEDICIN PODCAST, WHICH FOCUSES ON DISEASE PREVENTION FOR THE BODY, MIND + RELATIONSHIPS. WE KEEP IT VERY REAL, AND VERY UNIQUE. YOU WON’T HEAR THESE CONVERSATIONS ANYWHERE ELSE.

If you have HPV, or autoimmune disease, or cancer, I know what it’s like to feel alone, to have no one to help you, to want to cry every day because “I just can’t figure this out!” I’ve been there myself."

Coaching, particularly nutrition coaching, has seen tremendous awareness growth over the last few years thanks to social media. But not every coach with six pack abs or a deadlift of four times their bodyweight qualifies them to provide dietary advice to others. In this episode, guest Adam Feit breaks down exactly what to look for in a good coach, how the industry has shifted and how and the entire team at Precision Nutrition are making sure they help others safely and individually.

Follow Adam @aefeit

Follow Precision Nutrition @precisionnutrition

Follow Chase @chase_chewning

Ever Forward Radio is brought to you by our partners at Strong Coffee Company - save 15% with checkout code CHASE at www.StrongCoffeeCompany.com

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More about Adam:

Adam Feit is Precision Nutrition’s head strength and sport psychology coach. Feit earned his master’s degree in Exercise Science and Health Promotion from the California University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor’s degree in Applied Exercise Science from Springfield College. Currently, he’s a PhD Candidate in Sport and Exercise Psychology at Springfield College. 

In addition to Precision Nutrition Level 2 certification, he’s a Registered Strength and Conditioning Coach and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), National Academy of Sports Medicine Performance Enhancement Specialist (NASM-PES), and Collegiate Strength & Conditioning Coach and Mentor. 

Prior to his work at Precision Nutrition, Feit worked as a strength and conditioning coach and nutrition coordinator for athletes and sports teams. His clients included the Carolina Panthers, Eastern Michigan University, University of Louisville, and The Citadel. He also co-founded and directed a fitness facility for young athletes.

Known for his passion, drive and enthusiasm for excellence in coaching, Feit has presented around the world on the topics of nutrition, coaching, and strength and conditioning. 

In addition to contributing to a variety of publications, Feit has co-published training manuals and videos related to fitness training. Feit has also served on a number of advisory boards and committees including the National Strength and Conditioning Association, New Jersey State Chapter, and as a peer reviewer for the NSCA-Coach Strength and Conditioning Journal.

It takes more than just rank or position to be an effective and respected leader on the battlefield, in the boardroom or at home. Today's guest is former Royal Marines Officer Roderic Yapp, founder of Leadership Forces a revered consulting entity in the United Kingdom that is passionate about developing leadership capability to deliver high performance results. In this episode, Roderic discusses his journey from civilian to soldier to entrepreneur, the dangers of the military and the tactical skills he was able to walk away with, and ultimately how he helps others strengthen their mental fortitude and become the leader they need to be for their own pursuits and their team's.

Follow Chase @chase_chewning

Ever Forward Radio is brought to you by our partners at LMNT (Elemental Labs) - save money and replenish your body with the valuable nutrients and zero-sugar electrolytes from LMNT at http://drinklmnt.com/everforward

Fasting and electrolytes

1. Fasting depletes sodium levels. Fasting and the ketogenic diet provoke similar metabolic responses. Both regimens, because they minimize carbs, also minimize spikes in blood sugar. When blood sugar is minimized, insulin is minimized too. Insulin tells your kidneys whether to retain sodium. So when your insulin levels are low, you excrete sodium at a high rate (called natriuresis).

2. Supplementing sodium = less weight rebound. When you fast, your body breaks apart glycogen (stored sugar) to meet your brain’s ravenous glucose needs. This process, called glycogenolysis, releases torrents of water which you subsequently pee out. When we use glycogen we tend to shed the water associated with it,  and your body weight decreases accordingly. In general, when you start eating again, glycogen reforms and the weight comes back (particularly if in a calorie excess...and if we are nit-picky, glycogen resynthesis CAN happen before eating via the Cori cycle, but that’s getting out in the weeds!). Sodium supplementation dampens this effect.

3. Exercise performance and prevent hyponatremia. If you train or sweat in a fasted state, electrolytes are critical for performance. Many athletes feel dehydrated and drink more water - however this can dilute blood sodium levels even further. Drinking a salt solution has been shown to reverse hyponatremia.

Role of electrolytes:

1. Electrolytes conduct electrolyte charges in your body. Every message sent through your nervous system (including your brain) involves electrolyte transmissions - or nerve impulses - between cells. You need electrolytes, especially sodium and potassium, in order for nerve impulses to fire. 

2. Electrolytes also regulate fluid balance, help you produce energy, and strengthen bones. 

3. Sodium, potassium, and magnesium:

4. 1. Regulates fluid balance (blood flow)

   2. Regulates blood pressure

   3. Helps conduct nerve impulses

   4. Promotions the release of vasopressin (or antidiuretic hormone) which helps you sleep through the night

   5. Aid in energy (ATP) production

   6. Contributes to DNA synthesis

   7. Regulate blood sugar levels

   8. Help muscles contract (including your heart)

   9. Increases the absorption of certain nutrients through the gut.

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Episode resources:

• Episode 240 with Robb Wolf

• Get LMNT zero-sugar electrolytes

• Learn more about Roderic and Leadership Forces

More about Roderic and Leadership Forces:

"Leadership training is usually delivered by professional trainers who have an understanding of the ‘theory of management’ but have never led a team. We are practitioners. We’ve been there, led people in challenging environments, made the mistakes and learnt from them. Using a deep understanding of the levers that drive performance, we apply a rigorous and scientifically backed approach to learning and the development of new skills."

They are based on 10 core prinicples:

1. Purpose: A Leader’s purpose is to make the world a better place by serving other people.

2. Example: Leaders ‘lead by example’ because they know that the lowest standards of behaviour they exhibit are the highest standards that they can expect from their people.

3. Values: Leaders are clear on their values and core beliefs – they know who they are and who they are not. Their values drive their behaviour.

4. Drive: They have a drive to constantly improve and although they are never satisfied with the status quo – take time to celebrate achievements.

5. Humility: Leaders know their strengths and weaknesses and develop both through self-reflection and feedback. They know that they’re not the ‘finished article’ accepting themselves as a ‘work in progress’.

6. Consistency: Leaders are transparent, consistent and accountable – they say what they’re going to do and they do it. They know that this builds trust which enables influence. They create consequences for action and inaction – both positive and negative.

7. Clarity: Leaders create clarity and focus telling people what they want them to achieve and giving them the space to work out how to achieve it. This gives them the ability to turn a vision into reality.

8. Know your People: Leaders make people feel safe by giving them confidence that they have their best interests at heart. They’re able to do this because they know their people. They spend time talking to them – not just about work – but about the important things in life.

9. Develop your People: Leaders create safe environments for people to learn – allowing them the space to fail and learn where required. They pass on successes but hold accountability for failures. They treat people with respect developing them through a combination of challenge and support.

10. Standards" Leaders create standards – they make it clear what a good performance looks like. They use standards to train and develop their people.

By popular demand, I am so excited to share with you this solo episode about my stance on cannabis. In this episode, I share how my religious and conservative upbringing deterred me from ever even considering trying marijuana, my years in the military and what would have happened to my career if I did use any recreational drugs, my horrible first experience ever getting high, and all the way to now and how through years of finally doing my own research and formulating my own belief system around cannabis why I now use it on a semi-regular basis. This episode is solely my own experience and insight and is in no way recommending anyone do anything illegal but also to encourage you to be a study of one, to trust but verify.

Follow Chase @chase_chewning

Episode resources:

• Strong Coffee Company code CHASE for 15% off

• Cured Nutrition code EVERFORWARD for 15% off

• Dosist

Join your host Chase Chewning as he interviews Autumn Smith, Co-Founder of Paleovalley and Wild Pastures, wellness enthusiast and mom. Here she will touch on her journey to overcoming acne as well as debilitating digestive and mental health issues with using food as medicine. 

In this episode, Chase delves deep into Autumn’s evolving journey. They discuss mind/ body relationships, checking-in on yourself, overcoming obstacles and most importantly, setting and honoring your own boundaries daily. Stay tuned to learn Autumn’s secret to owning your body and how that enables you to own your life. A key system that you and everyone around you can benefit from. 

“I learned about kind of finding the root cause and with time, I’m happier than I’ve ever been. That like calm and peaceful girl I remember when I was a really small girl. She came back and so I became like kind of very very passionate about helping people figure out how to not just be fit, but to also be well….‘health is coming back to the self’ and I think in my definition of wellness, that’s essential” 

Key timestamps

[0:0 ] Autumn introduction: key talking points for episode

[0:35] Ad. Break- recommended Paleovalley products & savings 

[1:25 ] EverForward Radio introduction

[2:00] Intro to topic: audience self-reflection questions: pause & reflect

[3:10] Autumn Smith’s summarized Story by Chase

[4:41] Chase’s Paleovalley daily staples 

[6:33] Autumn Interview begins 

[7:04] Autumn 2020 adjustments- child schooling 

[8:26] Community, tribe shift

[10:48] Time blocking hacks 

[12:08] Honoring your personal time

[13:06] Breaking traditional expectations for women 

[15:00] Biggest Secret: Sunday Swap 

[16:07] Autumn’s wellness model beginning- present

[18:57] Intuition and body connection 

[19:33] Finding Identity inside and out 

[24:15] How to recognize intuition and act accordingly 

[29:16] L-theanine

[30:55] Where Paleovalley came from 

[32:37] Red meat affect 

[34:44] What makes Paleovalley different?

[36:00] Climate change with foods consumed

[37:45] Paleovalley Immune-health products 

[37:47] Apple cider vinegar complex

[41:01] Turmeric 

[42:38] Immune C complex 

[44:13] Camu camu 

[47:50] The organ complex 

[51:35] Where you can go to learn more about Autumn Smith and Paleovalley: sister company- Wild Pastures meat delivery service 

[52:36] How Autumn Smith lives a life EverForward 

Related Links/Products Mentioned

Grass-fed Beef Sticks 

Turmeric Complex

Essential C Complex 

Apple Cider Vinegar

Ever Forward Radio is brought to you by Paleovalley, save 15% off of your order at www.Paleovalley.com/everforward

Paleovalley's mission is to create products that live up to their own strict standards and always prioritize health over profit. Paleovalley creates products with integrity that are free from problematic ingredients and teeming with ingredients that promote vibrant health.

They strive to inspire people to view every dietary choices for what it really is: a profound opportunity to love and care for oneself. Paleovalley products are a labor of love, and their only hope is that they help your family feel as vibrant as theirs.

Stay tuned. Eat Well. Live Vibrant.

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Internal, External Relationships with Autumn Smith 

Do you want to feel well inside and out? Are you having a difficult time developing a mind and body relationship but don’t know where you should begin? Finding the balance in life is hard enough as it is due to societal normalities and expectations for varying genders in a busy world. It often leaves us overly stimulated and feeling rundown. When it comes to health and wellness, we owe it to ourselves to honor our needs and establish a lifestyle that supports them. 

In this episode, Autumn Smith shares her personal battles and triumphs to finding the balance she implements in her life daily, today. She discusses the importance of foods we consume and how internal health connects our minds and bodies to be able to live our lives to the absolute fullest. Tune into the interview with her on EverForward radio to discover valuable insights about owning your life. 

Three Value Bombs: Why You Should Listen to the Full Episode

1. Autumn gives her secrets on how she time blocks, honors personal time and implements eating more well-rounded foods. She also explains why she does it all.

2. Paleovalley emphasizes quality over profit and stays true to that. It is in fact everything the name stands for. They also have a sister company, Wild Pastures, a meat delivery service. Key links, websites and discount codes featured throughout the episode. 

3. Explains thoroughly what goes into her products, where she finds them and why they are so pure in form. 

Episode resources:

• Paleovalley Website

• EverForward Radio Website 

• Connect with Autumn on Instagram @autumnfladmosmith & @paleovalley 

• Connect with Chase on Instagram @chase_chewning &​ @everforwardradio  

•  SAVE 15% ENTIRE ORDER WITH CHECKOUT CODE EVERFORWARD

Episode Highlights

Autumn’s Routine

• Autumn time blocks.

• So in the morning she wakes up, it is her and her son Maverick until her husband gets up. They usually have an hour where she’s completely mindful and present with him to do whatever he wants. She just lets him take the lead each day during that time. Makes her feel good as a mom and allows her to transition into her work environment afterwards without any residual personal life worries.

• The teacher for Maverick then comes to the house and she had a solid six hours of work time ahead.

• When Autumn’s work is done, she goes right back into family mode which is then followed by a little time for herself at the end of the day

• Autumn likes to take that end of the day time to simply relax in her sauna she has downstairs in her home

• This same day is repeated daily 

• Overall, Autumn’s time blocking is summed as six hours of professional focus, at least two hours with her son, at least a half an hour with herself and an hour at the end of the day with her husband or whatever friends they might want to bring into the situation that day. She of course ensures she implements some sort of exercise in there as well. 

Insights on Life

• Time block and honor yourself by sticking to it 

• Establish an intuition and act accordingly from it 

• Investing in you, your health and wellness results in an overall internal, external relationship. Not only in how you look and feel but the people surrounding you as well. 

Why Autumn Smith Developed Paleovalley 

• Autumn suffered acute digestive issues since she was young

• Years of numerous experts had failed time and time again to identify and resolve the ongoing issue 

• Autumn’s husband, Chas, did research that resulted in his stumble across the paleo diet

• Together, the Smith’s implemented the paleo diet to trial it’s methods and landed on HUGE results. Autumn’s IBS was completely resolved. 

• This inspired her to quit her job as a personal trainer at the Tracy Anderson Method, and earned her degree in holistic nutrition. 

• Realizing that many foods currently on the market were not truly as healthy as they claim to be, they and Chas’ brother, Matthew, launched Paleovalley. 

• “Everything you eat and every added ingredient is an opportunity to either detract from your health or improve it.” Autumn chose to improve it within herself and is now determined to encourage and help others to do it too. 

Being The Brand, Staying True To It And Why It Matters

• Autumn was a traveling health and fitness entrepreneur and is currently a wellness enthusiast, a super mom and Co Founder of Paleovalley and wild pastures; a company that emphasizes “eating well and living vibrantly with nutrient-rich, organic Superfoods and dense paleo products.” 

• Her mission is to “create products that live up to her own strict standards and always prioritize health over profit. Paleovalley creates products with integrity that are free from problematic ingredients and teeming with ingredients that promote vibrant health.”

• Autumn strives to inspire people to “view every dietary choice for what it really is: a profound opportunity to love and care for oneself.”

• “Paleovalley products are a labor of love, and her only hope is that she help your family feel as vibrant as hers.”

• What inspired this? Autumn suffered acute digestive issues since she was young. Numerous experts failed time and time again and it took Autumn’s husband, Chas’, research to finally stumble across the paleo diet. They then, together, implemented the paleo diet to trial it’s methods and landed on HUGE results. Autumn’s IBS was completely resolved. This inspired her so much that she quit her job as a personal trainer at the Tracy Anderson Method, and earned her degree in holistic nutrition. Realizing that many foods currently on the market were not truly as healthy as they claim to be, they and Chas’ brother Matthew launched Paleovalley. 

• “Everything you eat and every added ingredient is an opportunity to either detract from your health or improve it.” Prior to this acknowledgement, Autumn has to trial and error varying lifestyles. But with this discovery Autumn was able to finally choose to improve it externally and within herself. Now that very journey and impact is the driving fuel that keeps her determined to encourage and help others to do it too. 

The Problem with Today’s Dynamic

•  Societal expectations and normalities implement a heavy standard that conflicts with our ability to establish a sense of identity. Identity is the very source of being able to have an intuition that we can, individually, can trust enough to act accordingly.

• Mass production food companies press quantity over quality and prioritize profit over the well-being of the people consuming their products.

• Traditional gender roles, if not redefined early on or actively demonstrated for the youth, places a false sense of what “should be”. Ultimately robbing women or men from the potential to honor themselves with time that’s necessary for their health, wellness, grounding, regrouping, decompressing, etc. 

Advice for Listeners 

• Exercise is the gateway for developing the urge to learn more about yourself. It propels you into the next phase of wellness, diet. Diet then opens the door to mindset: how to change, control and exercise it. Try challenging yourself to trying a new, structured approach to life, the odds are, you’ll come across positive outcomes in more ways than one

• Do your research, learn yourself and your body's needs. Actively get tests done to know what exactly you need nutritionally. Supplements, vitamins will vary depending on deficiencies and non-deficiencies. Under consumption is equally harmful as overconsumption 

• Budget out your time to achieve overall wellness and balance in each day 

Autumn's Vision for the food industry 

• Mission is to help people reclaim vibrant health by providing products that “prioritize nutrient density in an industry that prioritizes everything else.” Paleovalley’s belief is “that every dietary choice and every added ingredient is a powerful opportunity to love and care for oneself.” 

• Paleovalley aims to set a tone that leaves all hands involved feeling morally at peace by creating products that live up to their own strict standards. Ultimately setting them apart in the food production market for they prioritize health over profit. Their products are made with “integrity that are free from problematic ingredients and teeming with ingredients that promote vibrant health.” 

• Overall, all hands involved in Paleovalley genuinely strive to develop a platform where products provided to consumers are a result of a labor of care and more than anything, love. Thus pushing the notion to “help other families feel as vibrant as theirs.”

How Autumn Lives Ever Forward

• Autumn used to be someone trying to perfect and be something someone else wanted her to be. No she lives a life EverForward by focusing inward. Strictly comparing herself to who she was the day before and actively revising her actions for the days to come. She exercises the art of shielding from distraction to live a life that provides internal and external value. 

5 Powerful Quotes from This Episode

1. “Bring back traditional forgotten superfoods into my diet so that we can all live a life that we’re proud of and that we’re inspired by and that we feel capable of doing everything we’ve ever wanted to do.”

2. “I learned about kind of finding the root cause and with time, I’m happier than I’ve ever been. That like calm and peaceful girl I remember when I was a really small girl. She came back and so I became like kind of very very passionate about helping people figure out how to not just be fit, but to also be well….‘health is coming back to the self’ and I think in my definition of wellness, that’s essential” 

3. “Women feel selfish for taking care of themselves but they have to. We have to, I’m such a better, calmer, more peaceful and mindful mom when I’m actually just like taking care of myself too AND we want, we want to raise our children to believe that that’s okay and that that’s actually essential for us too…”

4. “Food is medicine. I just don’t think that we can replicate food and the benefits… nature provided us these foods that are really nutrient dense, like organ meats, they’re actually the most nutrient dense foods in the world, gram for gram, highest natural source of vitamin B12 and vitamin A and just the full range of B vitamins. And so I had to get them into my diet.” 

5. “My product was that, I can't stomach organs and so we put them into capsules so everyone can have all of these forgotten superfoods in a way that like- fit in with the pallet of, you know, Americans today.” 

More About the Guest:

Autumn is a former travel health and fitness entrepreneur and currently a wellness enthusiast, mom and Co Founder of Paleovalley and wild pastures. Paleovalley emphasizes “eating well and living vibrantly with nutrient-rich, organic Superfoods and dense paleo products,” inspired by her own digestive struggles. 

To see more of her content and products, visit ​Paleovalley Website .

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More than 70% of our immune system exists in our gut, so if we want to truly focus on our wellness and increase our body's ability to fight off disease and illness we must put more of a focus on improving our gut health. Dr. Mahmoud Ghannoum is the scientist who is now known as the leading microbiome researcher in the world and leading fungal community scientist. In fact, he named the mycobiome! In this episode, Dr. Ghannoum and his son, Afif, a corporate lawyer specializing in the biotechnology industry, discuss exactly why the gut is critical for our total wellness, cutting edge new research on gut bacteria and how to improve the microbiome and so much more!

Follow Dr. Ghannoum and Afif @biohmhealth

Follow Chase @chase_chewning

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More about BIOHM and Dr. Ghannoum:

Over 40 years ago, a lone scientist began exploring this critical, but neglected, inhabitant of the human body. Born and raised in Lebanon, Dr. Mahmoud Ghannoum is Director of the Center for Medical Mycology at Case Western Reserve University, one of the top 25 medical research universities in the United States (according to US News & World Report).

He began his scientific journey in England, studying Candida, a species of fungi that, when allowed to grow uncontrolled, can cause Candidiasis, an infection that afflicts millions of people worldwide.

This provoked his curiosity about the whole area of fungal microorganisms in the human body. Through the next four decades of research, he discovered that while there was a massive rise in studies of bacteria, fungus was largely ignored.  One reason is that fungal organisms tend to be highly unstable, making them extremely difficult to study.

For the longest time, Dr. Ghannoum’s work was known only to a minority within the scientific community. While many have heard of Candida, few people have any idea of the critical role that fungus plays in human health.

Through his research, Dr. Ghannoum established that fungal organisms constitute an essential part of the microbiome. In fact, in 2010, Dr. Ghannoum was the first scientist to identify over 100 native species of fungi in the oral cavity.

Like with bacteria, there are good fungi as well as bad fungi. And just as it was startling to discover that we need positive bacteria in our guts, most people today are shocked to learn that their health depends on flourishing colonies of helpful fungi.In fact, good fungi and good bacteria work in synergy to sustain a healthy microbiome. Unfortunately, the villains of the story also collaborate!

In 2016, Dr. Ghannoum discovered that harmful fungi and bacteria join forces to create digestive biofilm. This thin, gooey lining forms throughout our intestines, and very much like dental plaque, it serves to protect bad germs hiding beneath the biofilm’s protective shield.

This is why taking care of your whole microbiome—fungi and bacteria—is so critical.

Recognition of Dr. Ghannoum’s work came slowly—but it did come. Today, he is acclaimed as the international authority on fungus within the human body.

Afif, his son and coroporaet biotech lawyer, suggested that the two of them should join forces, combining their different talents to launch a company. BIOHM was the result, a company founded to bring Dr. Ghannoum’s science to the world creating products based on new understandings of the microbiome.

“Our mission is to help people,” Dr. Ghannoum explains.   “I just felt that we had to take my father’s expertise out of the ivory tower, and turn it into products that could really help people.”

Episode resources:

• Learn more about Biohm at https://www.biohmhealth.com

• Get Dr. Ghannoum's book Total Gut Balance

• International Journal of Molecular Sciences: A Critical Review on Health Promoting Benefits of Edible Mushrooms through Gut Microbiota

• Learn how to successfully launch, grow and monetize your own podcast at www.OperationPodcast.com and save 60% off the Level 201 course with code EVERFORWARD60