Two Fit Crazies - Christine Conti & Brian Prendergast

Other people are interested in doing this, and whether or not they start a podcast or not, they're getting these ideas of wow, you know, maybe I should be on a podcast or start it or start something. And that's what I think is so cool to, you know, fitness wellness, whatever you're doing. It doesn't have to be in the fitness industry. What's your staying? What's your shine? And go for it, put it out there. That's kind of cool.

Hey fitness friends, welcome back to the future of fitness podcast and interview series. This is your host, Eric Balzone, and this is episode number 132. I talked to Christine Conti and Brian Endergast. So they are the hosts of the Two Fit Crazies podcasts, which I had the pleasure of being on not too long ago. So definitely go check it out on iTunes and subscribe and listen to what they have to offer because they're awesome. They're very entertaining, number one. I mean, their energy is uh contagious, um, their enthusiasm as well. They also both have very, very um inspirational stories. They are two people who are chalk full of grit and uh and hard work, and they see the fitness industry from a very unique perspective that we can all find value in. So yeah, enjoy it. It's it was a lot of fun, just great people as well, and love the type of people I really like having on the show. So um, before we get into this episode, we are brought to you by two options today. Uh, number one is certifiedcoursecreation.com. So if you have a specific knowledge in any industry really, but we're talking about health and fitness or wellness now, but if you have a very, very specific knowledge set that you think um has legs as far as building an online accredited certification so that you can now bestow your information upon uh hundreds, thousands, if not millions, of people, then go check out certifiedcoursecreation.com and uh you might find that it could be very lucrative as well. So beautiful online accredited certifications uh in all aspects of fitness, health, and wellness and outside that as well. So go to certifiedcoursecreation.com. The first step is just to book a discovery call with yours truly and figure out hey, does this leg, does this idea have legs in the market, right? Uh I have a very um solid grasp on what's going on within the fitness and health industry specifically, and I can let you know if the idea is worth going down. We're looking for just a handful of great partners. Uh, we're not gonna build a ton of them, but the ones we do are gonna be outstanding and we're gonna be a partner in that uh in that venture. So if you think that's you, go check it out, certifiedcoursecreation.com. Now, if you are a gym owner, facility owner, franchise owner, or someone who works with gym owners, uh, then go check out elite gyminsiders.com. So it is an online Slack community. Uh, Slack is my favorite place to hold online communities. Uh, I do quite a bit of that type of work because it doesn't get you sucked into the vortex of social media. It's there, people are there with intention to network, learn, um, and just gain knowledge and improve their skill sets. So go to EliteGymInsiders.com. Not only will you find a great community, but you're gonna find discounts on very, very valuable things. So uh digital marketing agency work. We're about to launch something like that. Buying a franchise or multiple franchises, we can get you a discount on that. Um educational pieces, software, you name it. We're gonna have a ton of opportunity to make your money stretch. And uh it's just a great place to be. So EliteGymInsiders.com, go check it out. Now, without further ado, let's get into it. Uh, episode number 132 with Christine Conti and Brian Prinder guest. Enjoy. Hey and we're live. Christine, Brian, two fit crazies. What is up? Thanks for coming on. What's going on, Eric? How are you? Aloha. Yeah, I'm doing well. Aloha. Yeah. He's just dying for warm weather. That's all.

What are those snowshoes on the back?

Is it snowshoes on your wall? Yeah, there are, actually. Yep. Yeah. Uh there are only snowshoes. I'm in Montana, so we actually use snowshoes out here, but those are ancient ones. I wouldn't dare step on those things. And uh, I have to say I'm I'm really excited because uh, like I was telling you guys prior to the interview starting, is it's so nice working at professionals and you guys have the mics, you have the sound check, or even recording on your side. You guys are pros, right? And uh I think he's talking about hashtag pros.

I was looking around to see if there's someone else here.

Like someone just walk in the room? Uh no, it's you guys. It's you guys. It is, and it's great to have you on. I mean, you guys uh I had a great time coming on your podcast, the two fit crazies, and people should check it out. We'll talk a lot about that during the show here. Um, but you have such a vast knowledge and and great philosophy when it comes to fitness and health. I'm really excited to to get some of that out there. And um, I think a good plan of action would be maybe we can start off with with your story, Christine. And uh got into this wild world of fitness.

Wild, wild is a is a word, wild is a word. So hold on to your hat. Yeah, get get the hat on. I'm gonna I'm gonna do a little whirlwind of a tour, and then I'm gonna pass it off to Brian. And it's I always think it's so crazy. I think people and things happen in life for a reason. And I always I never really believed in fate and you make your own destiny. I think to an extent you do. Um grew up in New York and was always an athlete. Two older sisters played volleyball in college, so I come from this line of you know athletes, and went up going to college, but I had a mom who was like, if you don't get good grades, you're doing nothing. And that's what it was. So we studied hard. I wound up getting a scholarship and played um volleyball in college, which was great. It was my meal ticket, got to travel the world, but it was always, you know, majored in business and English. I was gonna be the CEO of, you know, worked in the city and banking for a little bit. Where'd you go to college with? Uh Banghampton University is where I played. So Marky East um conference. And then um it was sitting behind a desk. I mean, made great money in my early 20s, but I'm like, people who know me are like, really, you sit behind a desk, I must like ants in my pants. I just can't do that. So I decided, all right, you know what? I'm gonna go with this English, I'm gonna get my master's and and I'll go teach because if I can teach, then I can coach. And then I got when I was in graduate school at the University of Maryland, they put like this million-dollar fitness big, you know, um building up. And they were bringing in these professionals, which is funny because now those professionals are now my peers and friends. They were bringing them in and I was getting certifications hand over foot. So I got the taste of the fitness industry, kind of made some money, get my masters, and now I'm like, wow, this is awesome. People pay me like to work out, and this is but I knew that you know, I I grew up thinking you have to have a full-time job. Fitness is not a job, it's a hobby. So I was teaching, coaching, had a fitness business on the side, met my husband, left Maryland, moved up to the Jersey shore, and same thing. I'm teaching, I'm coaching, and fitness, and you know, literally working around the clock, but loving it. But I started realizing that every single decision I made in my life was all about being with fitness, helping people live better lives, more mobility, dysfunctional fitness, before I even knew that word, functional fitness, what exactly that meant. And a fitness company kind of fell in my lap, got to travel and start a small company from the bottom up, and got to run traveling all over the world presenting. And one thing led to another, you like to love people, like sitting down, you know, we class them on with someone, go to dinner. And now these people, the top in the world, are now people I know, people you're friends with, people that are a phone call away. And it's been a crazy ride because I realized after, you know, after losing um my father, losing a couple people in my life and getting diagnosed with one of a really, I would call it awful. It's it's awful. Autoimmune disease. I've been on and off chemo a couple of times in the last eight years, kind of questions yourself. And you're like, am I doing what I meant to do in this planet? And I looked at myself. I was sitting in the parking lot one day, my last year of teaching English, and I said, you know, Christine, get out of the car, get out of the car. This is not life. I knew that I wasn't, I knew there was a bigger purpose. I knew that I could reach more people, help more people if I was out of this classroom and in front of this fitness world, helping people like me who I believe nothing should hold you down. I don't care if you're, I don't care if you have a disease or you're this or you're that. Damn it. If I can't run, I'm gonna walk. I can't walk, I'm gonna crawl. And if I can't crawl, then one of these people in this world are gonna push me in at least something. Um I got you. But that's see, but that's big. So I adopted this kind of like yes, you can attitude where I refuse to be, you know, left on the ground and kicked down, and I'm gonna crawl my way up no matter what. Um, long story short, about I don't know, like seven months ago or so, um, went out on my own. No company, no nothing. Um, I've always had these programs I've written throughout the years, um, whether it's yoga or this trademarked facial exercise program called Let's Face It Together or some online um certifications and tutorials. They always sat dormant. And I go back to my English with Langs and Hughes, dream deferred. You know, what happens to a dream deferred? And the last line was, does it explode? And it kills you not being able to follow your passion. So I decided, you know what? Um, if my body's not gonna work forever, I got this bucket list, we're going for it. And Brian always says, you know, you pull the boat close enough to the dock and step off. I was able to step off. And right now my fitness is all over the place, and I do a lot of traveling and headed to Singapore. Like, how like how does this happen? Like, who, you know, you start like, who the hell am I? And all of a sudden, you're you're kind of put yourself in with the big dogs. And and um, you know, Brian and I actually heard about Brian because when I got sick, I started this bucket list of running, and I heard about this legend in my area, Brian. And he's this amazing runner, he's got this great story, and you gotta meet him. And um, first time we met, actually, we heard about each other was in Boston. And uh you have to you tell this story really fast.

It's uh it's a cool story. So uh we're both up in Boston to run the marathon, and we had we we we live in the same town, and we just and we're like a mile away from each other, a couple miles you know remote. And and we were Facebook friends, you know, because we're I knew Christine was, and and we were, you know, we were we were friends on Facebook. I could see everything that she's doing. I knew that she was gonna be in Boston, I was gonna be in Boston too. We had no plans to meet her or anything, but we happened to be there, I think we're staying at the same hotel. And I'm out for my run the day before the marathon, you just go for a little you know, three-mile job just to kind of clear your mind more than anything and freak out and relax. And and I'm up in Boston on the Cambridge side on the Charles River, and I'm going for a run, and uh, and oh, here's Christine Conti. I recognize her, see her, and I and I say, Hey Christine, it's it's Brian. It was Conti.

Hey Conti. In the city of like, I'm like, what is happening?

Long lost friend. Um, and uh, you know, so that was it. I said, hey, good luck tomorrow, have fun.

Um, you know, and then oh hey Meb Kapleski. That's the next part.

So then I'm running down further, and and I see Meb Kopleski, who had won the marathon two years prior, the year after the bombing in Boston, and the first American to win since 1979. And it was this kind of big time. I'm sorry, it wasn't 79, it was 82, I think, whatever. Um, and you know, and they uh and here comes Meb, and you see probably one of the most famous runners on the planet. And so I met Christine and Meb uh on the very first uh on the on a run in Boston one day.

That was our that was kind of the first time we I it was destiny, but but going forward now, I was still teaching. So it wasn't until a year and a half later, I believe, that finally I leave teaching. I want to sit down and really meet everybody that I've been, you know, haven't had time to talk with. And I came in um to Brian's office and I'm like, Brian, I always wanted to podcast. What'd you say?

I said, I'm in.

And meanwhile, I didn't even listen to podcasts. I didn't know really anything about it. I just knew that's where it was at. Like that's where it was going. It wasn't really going towards radio or no news channels gonna call us up and be like, by the way, we want you guys as our anchors. Like that doesn't happen. So I just knew that there was such a need in the fitness industry, like what you do, Eric, to bring information to people, the masses. And guess what? We don't have billion-dollar sponsorships, we don't have monopoly, you know, companies that are coming. And I saw that other companies and other people had these great ideas, but there was no way to, you know, really disseminate their information. So I'm like, you know what? If you don't have a platform, you create your own. And that is really how this started. And I'm gonna pass it off to Brian.

Yeah, a couple, you know, a week later I get a laundry list of equipment that I might need from a friend of mine who is podcasting. Uh he was my old college roommate, and uh, and he sent me this gigantic list of all this expensive stuff that I would need. And and and I kind of looked at it, I shot it back, I said, All right, this just gave me anxiety. What do what do I really need? And he's like, This, this, and this. And it was, you know, it was a handheld, you know, handheld recording device, and just you know, a computer and some things to edit in. And he and he walked me through it. And and uh, you know, next thing you know, we've got a podcast. Um, you know, I relied on YouTube videos a lot to learn how to do, but all this I relied on Brian. Um our first our first few podcasts, we've we leave them up. They're awful. Like awful. Sound awful. They're the cut they're it's all about our story. All right. I have like I have like the tech here now because I do all the editing and the cutting and the and the and uh and all that stuff. I'm just like, oh man, that's bad. Um, but you know, it was a question as to whether or not we're gonna leave it up. You know, we were we were finding our way, which is um the way that you know you're gonna do anything. We we didn't have to be perfect, we just had to do it, start. And uh you know, 95 episodes later, uh, you know, we're we're on the brink of 100, which we've got big plans for. And um we've um just you know slowly but surely found a way and built our audience and and relied on some friends in the industry that we both you know that we both have to uh call them in and we interview. Uh, you know, obviously Eric was a is a was a great guest of ours, and um, you know, we had a fantastic conversation with that. And we get to the crux of it. I mean, we find out usually what I say is that people come to us because of something that they've done or or their their role in the fitness industry or a program that they've created or you know, whatever it is that they have going on. And and then once we we get them for that, but what we really get once we have them on the on the show is their story. And that to me is just the most amazing part of everything. We just get the story and we have people speak to us, and you know, we find out just like you're doing right now, find out the background, find out the genesis of all these ideas and where did it come from, what was the need you saw, and uh, and you know, for us it's just um it's just so it's just honestly not to sound cheesy, but it's it's heartwarming um because you you find and and and and motivating because you you find these people that are just like us, um, that you know have have worked their way up to a position where they're doing these amazing things, and you know, and we're able to help them spread the word and we're able to uh learn from them, and it's just amazing. It's uh been nothing but fun for us. Um, you know, fitness aside, um, the podcast has just been fantastic.

Wait, you didn't even answer the question yet of how how did you get into this?

How did I get it?

I'm trying, Eric.

She's gonna move me along here, Eric.

I mean, that's great, but like he's got a really good story, like his story is really good.

Yeah, let's hear it.

Uh 321.

321. So uh my story is is um is one of same, you know, like most, I was youth athlete um sports. I grew up in a running family. Uh my family ran, uh my mom ran marathons in the 80s, my brother ran for one of the better um uh high school programs in the country uh at CBA here in Lynn Carlton, Jersey. And uh he and you know, we we were a running family. I ran junior Olympics, uh cross-country events all throughout, you know, going on and on. Uh, one of the reasons why um we ran so much was because my father had a heart condition. Uh and in his way of regaining his health, long story short, he had a heart attack when he was very young. He was 37 years old. Um I was a kid. I remember vaguely the stories, the open heart surgery, the whole thing. Uh he was living an unhealthy lifestyle. Um, you know, he was an incredible human being, but you know, he wasn't taking care of himself. And you know, Irish New Jersey upbringing and uh, you know, dietary, uh, the one thing that they say, genetics are one thing, but the most thing that runs in common with most families is their diet, right? So um, you know, so we've it was a lot of that. It was, you know, his family or my family on that end, um, you know, wasn't always the healthiest um family around. So uh, you know, part of his recovery was getting us more active. We always played soccer, I always played basketball, I'd played a bunch of team sports, uh, but running was always there. Um, he passed away when I was 12 years old. He had a fatal heart attack at age 41. Uh I was 12. It messed us all up greatly. Um, I was you know still active, still running, but when it came to uh high school and you know, a couple years later, I just relied on team sports. I was playing with my friends, uh, was always very good. I played soccer, I played lacrosse, um, you know, and I was, but I got away from running. Uh after college, went to, you know, went to school uh for a little bit and uh you know remained active. I lived out west, uh, lived in Arizona, was always on trails, was always on mountains and doing you know, mountain biking and things like that, but never really anything more than that. There was no GM regiment. There was no, I mean, I had joined some gyms here and there, and I, you know, used some some gyms, but it was mostly just to um uh stay active. I was just active, you know, clubs, club sports and things like that, um, pick up basketball, whatnot. And then um, you know, after that, I got into uh corporate America, and I had about 10 really unhealthy years. Um, you know, always active, always doing things. I lived at the beach, so you know, in the summertime, it was always I'd shed like the five to eight pounds in the summertime and just moving and moving and always staying active. And I had some really, you know, about 10 unhealthy years. But at that point in my life, I kind of thought that that was like the playbook, right? You go through, you play your sports, you do your college, you get out, you go into the cubicle, and you kind of live like in that life, and you make your money and your career is the focus now. It's not necessarily anything else. And um, you know, and at one point, you know, I was in mortgage banking and I was in the cubicle like Christine, and I'm not a cubicle guy either. And uh, and I, you know, I what I always say is a Bruce Springsteen line, of course, I'm from New Jersey, is that uh I I was living in my own skin and I couldn't stand the company. Um, I had probably weighed about 30 pounds or so more than I do right now. Um, I wasn't obese, I wasn't um, you know, in terrible shape, but what I was doing was I was going along the same path that my father had. So all this life experience, all these things, all these things that had come into my life that I had learned at such a young age, from running to like criticum diet, was like thrown around my house like crazy because my dad was on a special diet. We never drank, you know, whole milk or anything like that. It was always like, you know, things, things were in place, um, you know, that that that I had to understand. Dr. Dean Hornish was something that I was introduced to like at a very young age, and he's like, you know, the the uh you know the doctor for reverse reversing heart disease. Um so I go to a doctor for a regular checkup and he's like, you know, listen, your blood pressure's high, um, you know, and and I'd like you to take some niacin. I'm like, you know, 30, you know, 31, and I'm out of shape, you know, but I so were all my friends, you know, it's kind of like that age. It was just kind of like you know, I wasn't running with the in the same circles. So uh one day, drew a line in the sand, decided that enough was enough. Um, you know, did the one thing that had always been there for me in my life um when I ever wanted to straighten things out, and that was run. I went for a run, it was awful. I was red in the face, I was overweight, I was out of shape, things weren't going very well. And uh but one thing I did was I showed up the next day and I did it again. Um and I was uh, you know, I did it to a point where I never got sick of it. Um, I think that that's a mistake that a lot of people make is that they will, you know, say I'm gonna work out every day. And it's like, you know, put your brakes on a little bit and like let's do things that we can do consistently in order to make sure that we can be there, uh, if not every day, then every week, and then if you know the weeks lead to months and the months lead to years, and we can be uh you know make a sustainable practice out of it. Um so you know, without much uh guidance or regulation, uh it, you know, I I was able to really do it. Um and within the first year of that I signed up for my first half marathon, I trained for it. Uh, you know, I put in about 12 weeks of a running program that I found online. Um, you know, and it's weird because I knew running. I'd always known running. Um, you know, I knew the superstars, I knew what the world record was for the marathon. Um I'm a sports fan in general, so like it was always kind of part of that. Um, you know, as much as I knew who won the Super Bowl, I knew who won the Olympics. Um and and and running has just kind of been the passion of mine for that. Um because of running, I ran into some injuries. When I run into some injuries, I go to physical therapy. Physical therapy taught me that if I strengthen this muscle and that muscle and and and we can um you know perhaps uh uh you know do some things in in different ways, then uh you know you won't get injured quite as much. That led me to being certified in uh um personal training programs, uh, and that was uh you know just kind of set me on my way. I actually got into um personal training and and you know fitness uh through broadly, you know, through my running injuries that led me in that direction. And then uh, you know, as I'm doing that, people in the office, mortgage banking are saying, hey Brian, you look great. What have you been doing? Now they're coming to me, right? So now they're saying, All right, what's your story? What's going on? You know, I've got people in the office that I'm helping. I've got people in the office that I'm inspiring to run a 5K for the first time in their life, moms, you know, people, all this stuff. I'm setting up programs for them. And uh, you know, I I left the one job to kind of take like Christine steals my line. Um people always talk about making that leap, right? The leap. I'm gonna make a leap. I'm gonna change. I said, I don't want to leap anywhere. I just want to get the boat close enough to the dock that I can step right off onto it. So I left the mortgage banking job, I'm at another sales job that allowed me more leeway to kind of do the more physical training, you know, personal training, run coaching, health coaching. Got a really good health coaching certificate that helps me do just about everything besides the actual fitness end of it. So how are you thinking? How are you eating, what's good, um, you know, how's your sleep patterns and all things like that that that you know to me is is is really the crux of really good health. Um, you know, we can I would say we can we can do yoga or run until we're you know green in the face and eat kale until we're green in the face, but that doesn't always make us healthy. Um there's there's plenty more that goes into it that we can really get into. Um and then you know, throughout the journey, just uh you know, started a company, high-five health from fitness, um, you know, online health coaching that I do. Um got some clients, you know, I've got clients that you know, I don't have to see we can do just like we're doing right now. We can have meetings online and uh meet with them and help them out and just get their health in order as opposed to uh you know just their nutrition or just their fitness or just their sleep or just their pissed-off attitude at life and you know, everything that we can kind of get into to make us healthier. Uh here comes Conti on a uh on a run in in Boston, and uh next thing you know, we're collaborating on this kick-ass podcast and uh having a whole lot of fun.

Awesome, awesome, you guys. You guys uh there's there's so much that I resonate with, you know, with what you guys are talking about. It's really interesting. I you know, I spent 10 years uh in San Francisco in my 20s doing various, I was uh in mortgage as well, right? I did a lot of that. I did various forms of sales and marketing, made great money, and lived it up, but I wasn't that healthy. And even like playing club water polo, I was still like that. And uh, you know, making that leap and really just kind of becoming aware, and there's always that life circumstance too that triggers it, right? It's something it's gotta be something deeply rooted in your life that that makes that shift. And uh and starting the podcast too, you know, it's it's one of those. Um how long when did you guys start the podcast? How long ago?

It was uh yeah, it was a year and a half ago. Yeah, yeah. We're still babies, like I said, yeah, just under a hundred episodes. So we try to do one a week. It's uh and we haven't, you know, we're we're we're consistent with it. We crank them out now. So it's it's been you know probably coming up almost two years. Yeah.

Yeah, yeah, that's awesome. I think I started my so I released my first episode on the show in December of 2017. So about a year and a half, right? And same thing, like all I started with was uh my laptop and some earbuds and Zoom, and that was it. I was like, well, you know, because I asked Annie Patronic, a friend of mine who's had a podcast for a while. I'm like, well, how well how do I start? What do I do? He's like, well, you just start, dude. Like you just get on the you get on and start asking people questions and you create an episode. And uh I've kept all of my episodes up. If people want to go check them out, uh you can see uh how much attention I paid to sound quality, which was none, right?

The best we had some of our first guests that we had on because it was you know, we're we're you know getting this whole like Zoom, Skype, whatever. And I'll never forget this. There was a there was a guest that was like, you know, we were like, you know, we we've been doing Skype or call, whatever, and and they were like, you don't do Zoom. You're not zooming. Yeah, we are zooming. Uh huh. We are, yeah. Well saying I can zoom. Right, I can do that. You know, I mean it's such an evolution, and now you know, yeah, it's it's really funny.

Yeah, it's it's a great, it's a great thing, a podcast, isn't it? I mean, it's uh you learn, you know, I talk about all the time, I talked about on your show too, is like uh right now I have everything shut down. Like my my phone is off, I have, you know, my apps are shut down, no one can message me. I I don't, you know, I'm not checking email, of course, or anything like that. I just get to listen and learn from you guys and hear your stories, and then uh in turn, you know, get to share that with an audience. It's just such a cool thing. And you talk about um you know our opportunities now to to do what we can create whatever we want now. You know, whatever we want. Like you guys just create a podcast out of thin air, right? Start building an audience. You have people listening to you, you come up with topics, you reach out to people. That started like from nothing. There was no framework for that. And here you are, you know, almost a hundred deep. And it just shows that you know, whatever people want to do nowadays, um, you can just do it. You just have to start. I love the the stepping off onto the boat. That's a great analogy.

Like let's be let's be clear that the boat was not, I mean, it's it's not calm waters when you step onto the boat. Like it was maybe a little like the boat was rocking a little bit, and you were like, whoa, but we didn't fall in the water. Kind of important. And then what's what I think is the craziest thing these days is that you know people will reach out to us and say, you know, can you know we want to be on your podcast? Or or we were doing, we were out of school like for a career day, and we came in and just talked about marketing and you know, creating your own platform to hundreds and hundreds of kids.

And there were kids that listen to our podcast, like and and didn't realize it until we were that we were like talking to her. We said, you know, we did various uh episodes, and the one girl we have that yeah, Christine does this thing when we go to speak at anything, she'll say, Take your phone out and hit that podcast app that you have on your phone. If it's Apple, it's that purple little thing, and uh type us in, okay, good, now subscribe. And uh she gets like a crowded, a big audience to subscribe to the show. And the girl pulls it up and she goes, Oh, wait, I've listened to this before. And it's like, ah, of course you have.

Okay.

Yeah, and you know, it's just a high school kid, and um, you know, it was it was a good episode too. It was uh it was like uh about technology and is it a friend or a foe? And you know, is it impeding our progress or helping our progress? It was good, it was a very good episode. It was just the two of us. We was no guest uh and uh you know it was good and the kid said she got something out of it, and uh, you know, now I'm sure since we're so popular with the high school kids, all the high school kids are listening to our podcast.

But I again I think it's cool that you know you said that too. Like you you have you have an idea and you start and really evolve. And now, like I said, we um we have a session for SCW Manias around the country. It's the Club Industry Business Summit. So Club Industry Summit is what it is, and and the business of fitness. And now one of the sessions that we present, um, either one or both of us, is podcasting 101, create your own platform. And it's really cool because really now we're helping other people. Obviously, it helps us with marketing and you know, with the podcast, but other people are interested in doing this, and whether or not they start a podcast or not, they're getting these ideas of wow, you know, maybe I should be on a podcast or start it or start something. And that's what I think is so cool to, you know, fitness, wellness, whatever you're doing. It doesn't have to be in the fitness industry. What's your thing? What's your shine? And go for it, put it out there. That's kind of cool.

Yeah, yeah, it's super cool. And I'd be curious, you know, when people approach you about questions about starting a podcast, how do you set expectations?

Right, do it. Do it. I well, what I tell them is that we're just like one rung up the ladder from where you are right now. Like if if if if whoever, if you're even considering or you know, contemplating starting a podcast, like we're not much further up the road than than you are, as as tremendous and successful as we are. Uh, you know, we're just you know, so so here's some basic things. You know, it's it's essentially just you know, here's what you need to get started, which is relatively nothing. Um, we probably have more what we have way more than you actually need. So uh, and then um you don't have to be great to start, you know, just get in there and start you know recording some things. Uh I tell them, you know, maybe put two or three together so that way when you do release them, there's just enough to go in out to kind of you know, so that you're not waiting. Simple things, consistency, um, you know, just whatever you want to talk about, whether you want to talk about it for 10 minutes or you want to talk about it for three hours. Um, three hours is a long time, but uh you know, just like whatever it is, just start putting them out there. Consistency. And you'll be better. Um, you know, we had a great guest on, Monica Rivera, and she won a NPR scholarship type of thing where she was for podcasting, and everybody else was like, these media, you know, it's just like someone from the New York Times was there, and there's something, you know, whatever. And she and she, even though some of the high-end New York um, you know, news outlets, and she won her uh you know her seat from for podcasting, and she says, you know, hi, I'm Monica, and I podcast from my closet. And you know, it was just like, you know, like you don't need anything. Um, you just need something to talk about that interests you enough to keep doing it. And uh, you know, sure as heck, um uh, you know, we're interested in enough and fitness that uh, you know, and could talk to anybody, I think. Um that's one of the good things. Good stories, is what I is what I think.

There hasn't been one person I've met that has that doesn't have a good story that has you know been successful in something, whether it's a book or a I mean we we found out that there's Brazilians in Montana for you, you know, like yeah, like how great story is that with snowshoes on the wall.

It's amazing. Um and and you know, and and we have our roles with it, right? Christine does a lot of the booking. Uh, you know, Christine is definitely out front. Um, you know, I have no problem being out front and and things like that, but Christine is, you know, is she's she'll she's got no um problems walking up to anyone and just saying, hey, you, you're famous, get on my show. Uh but you asking you shall receive is what I've always told.

So the worst thing you can do, and again, in fitness or whatnot, is not ask. And again, when you're doing your podcast and we have ours, we're we're bringing these people, you know, hey, what how do you feel about talking to our listeners and expanding your, you know, I guess your reach around the world? There hasn't, I mean, you've done the same thing. You create something, you create a value, and then you give that to someone. And I can't tell you how often, uh daily, a hundred millions of times. Like people are, Christine, buy this, do this, be a part of this, you know, sell this energy panels, like sell this food, sell the, and it's always people want, want, want, and I just don't have anything else to get. How about I have something for you? And I think that that's the and whether it's fitness, whether Brian and I are offering trainings for people, or we're going up to someone, let us help you live a better life. Let us help you be happier, let us find something that works for you. And I think that it comes from the heart and it comes from being really, and it's so cheesy, but it's authentic. Like Brian and I couldn't do what we do if we unless we've really loved it. And we love it, and it's not always super easy, but it's something that makes you happy. And maybe we're selfish because of that, but it's something that we feel like that's our value to the world. And the podcast is just a small piece of what we can also offer to other people to help everyone become you know more fit and more happy and live longer lives through this message.

Yeah.

Yeah, you know, it's interesting too. I I'd be curious to get your feedback because here's what I've experienced too over um you know hundreds of podcasts is that the more high profile people are, uh the greater chance that they're probably gonna come on your show. Right. I mean, it's it's this weird thing. And then they're like, oh yeah, sure. When Dan I think Dan John was my third um my third interview on on this show. He came back and did another one this year, which numbers just blew up, of course, because it's Dan John. But when he said yes to me, he didn't ask how many downloads I had, he didn't ask how many episodes I had, he didn't ask anything. He was just so happy to offer value and he knew um because he had that same you know uh outlook on things. If you just put enough value out there, right, help people, you never know, like someone you help at this point, what's gonna happen in five years, right? Um you just never know, right? And that's I and the people that I found that can be challenging at times for interviews are those who um really haven't reached, I don't know, I thought ways of saying this, not as high profile as maybe some of the other ones, right? I'm just saying I can't that. Yeah, they're difficult, right? Because they'll be like, well, how many downloads? Eh, no, not worth my time.

Wait, what's that word? They haven't like, you know what I'm talking about? Like they they haven't seen the not seen the light, but you know what I'm talking about. It's like you're in a different different perspective in life, like you're just not seeing the bigger picture.

I I look at it like this. Like if I were if I were a newspaper reporter, right? And I went to somebody and I said, you know, um, you know, hey Bart Yasso, Bart Yasso is a you know a guru of running, and he's just the greatest guy, and he has the greatest stories. And we had him on the show, and it was an honor to have him on a show. And he's one of those guys who, you know, never in a million years would I walk up to him and say, Hey, you should be on my show. And it turns out we've got a friend of a friend, and I said, you know, I did get to say that to him, and he's like, Yeah, no problem. And uh, you know, he was the you know, he's the chief running officer at Runners World magazine for 30-something years, and he's just got story after story, and it's just amazing, you know, and here he is on a show. But you know, if if if I were a newspaper reporter and I had a publication that I worked for, and I went up to Bart and said, Hey Bart, I'd like to do an article on you, um, you know, and and it would be just the same. He'd say, Yeah, absolutely, you know, I want to be interested, you know, somebody's interested in hearing my story, and here it is, and uh, you know, or anybody that that we've had on really, and uh, you know, even like on a local community aspect, we all have our local community newspapers that you know, if you get you know an article on, and they've done articles on me, they've done articles on Christine, and and uh, you know, that they're nice, they're nice little bios and things that you can uh kind of use to promote yourself, and and uh you know, it would they would say yes, and we're no different, except our publications are podcasts, and when you know, just like I just rattled off my life experiences in you know five minutes and I gave you all of that, if you were writing an article on me and it had to fit in you know five columns, um it you would leave out most of that. You know, you wouldn't be able to get any of that um in your you know, it'd be like a beginning, a middle, and an end, and that would be it. Well with the podcast, we can give you an hour and make you you could tell your own story. And uh, you know, so it's just it's just a great way. Like I said, you know, we get people for whatever they've done or whatever they're doing, and and then once we get them, we get their story. And you know, it's it's amazing. People inspire the heck out of me. And they loosen up.

I love when people start loose, like it, you know, they like rigid, I don't know, I don't know these people. Like, because you know, you again, maybe one of us has a relationship with them, but many times it may be, you know, you don't really know them, and and I think that that's the best part when they think they're just gonna, you know, what are the questions? What are the I'm like, you know, we're not asking you a rigid set of questions because that that's just not us. You know, give us like you know, like you do, you know, give us what are you working on, what's going on? Do you want to promote things because we want to we want to help you, but give us give us that story, give us the good stuff, you know? What did you do? Why did you fall on your face? You know, how did you get up? You know, what's the worst thing you ever did? What's the best? You know, those are the fun, the fun stories that really now you know the why behind why they, you know, what they did or what they're doing now. Because Lord knows if you know Brian and I didn't make some poor, poor choices in our lives, we probably would not be. I'll maybe I'll speak for my side. Okay, if we didn't make some terrible choices in life, we would have not been able to open our eyes to where we really need to be and appreciate what's around us and know that we have this gift to help others. Because let's face it, not everyone else realizes their gifts in life. And I'm not this like, ooh, kumbaya girl, I'm really not. I'm very, you know, I I see the, you know, here's here's where we need to be, here's what we need to do. I I see it. However, there's I think everyone really has a purpose. And if you have a choice, if you can follow that and open your eyes to it, I think that's that's a beautiful thing.

Yeah. So tell me, yeah, with your with your particular podcast, what's what's the what's the the general um vision of the podcast? Like what's what's the mission that you guys have? Who are you trying to, you know, who do you try to get on there? What are the messaging you're trying to get across? Who are you catering to? What audience are you looking for? Give us some insights on that.

Whoever has the most Instagram followers is.

Well, you got the wrong guy here.

We wouldn't be on our own show. And we need to go with like naked, like the native models, and we need to bring them on. Um you know, it's been very organic. It's it's been um you know, people in the industry that we've that we've are acquaintances and um and and the stories that that come with it. I mean, we've had people on that that aren't necessarily, you know, my uh wheelhouse as far as uh you know their products or or what they're doing. And but you know, they've become friendly because they we we get to interact with them on a level uh you know above above and beyond whatever it is that they have. Um, you know, and same with Christina. I'm sure that some of the people you know that that I've uh you know lined up for the show are just a little bit um off from where or different than what you know her wheelhouse would be. Um so you know, really it's just anybody that we feel like can can make um can tell an inspiring story. Anybody that we feel is passionate about what the uh passionate enough about what they do that they can inspire somebody to do something great with their lives. I had my friend Brian Hanlin on, who is a sculptor. Uh he's a sculptures in bronze, and he's and he's and he's an he's an amazing athlete, so that was part of the story.

Everything's related to fitness, health, wellness, somehow, summary very well.

Very good masters runner that was running the Masters National Championships a few weeks later, but we talked to him about his artwork. You know, he's done sculptures forever. He's the official sculptor of the basketball hall of fame, right? So sports related, and he does things on college campuses.

He just texted me when I was in San Francisco. Christine, you're out here. I'm out here too. I'm gonna meet Billy Jean King tomorrow. I'm like O'Brien, tell her I said hi. Great to hear from you. Can you get her on the show? Right.

I was like, so are you booking? Are you booking her? So uh, you know, just like there's a story that there that's not necessarily like slam dunk health and fitness, but it's about passion and life and and really um you know living a better life for things and people who are doing things that we feel in the right way that that can really help other people, anybody who's listening. And um, you know, and and you know, from there we do have great, you know, fitness, you know, contributors to uh, you know, Irene McCormick's been on, Fabio Camana's been on, like you know, top exercise scientists, people inventing kind of programs, companies.

So uh I mean nutrition too is another huge one. Um just really people that are the top of the fitness, health, wellness industry that can give not just advice, that that's the big thing. Not just advice, but have walked the walk. People that, you know, if you have a book, you did what you voted out. If you have a program, you put yourself through it. Um, and that's you know, and I think that Brian and I resonate with that because we have put ourselves through some of these hellish things. You know, when we talk to people, it's here here's what we've done, here's what we've experienced: health, wellness, nutrition, you know, the ups and downs of life. And we and it's really for us to be able to, you know, bring these people on and almost have empathy to what they've gone through too, building business, losing business. Um it's it's a very powerful personal, human connection, I think is what we feel we bring to our audience, which is which is why I think people respond to like your podcast, to our podcast, because it's a very human connection.

Or or how about this, even? We bring on people that we can learn from.

Oh, yeah, right?

And that we can learn from get out the pencil and paper. And and you know, and and I'm pretty, you know, sure, like I always say, like, there's no dumb question. Like, if you have a question, if I'm in a group setting or I'm teaching uh, you know, health and fitness or whatever, say, you know, if you have a question, chances are somebody else also has that question. So ask it and you'll help the group. And you know, by us asking questions to them, we're helping ourselves, but in turn, we're we're helping our audience, you know, you know, maybe maybe some of the things are you know don't don't hit home. For them, but that's okay. But maybe one percent of it does, and that that one percent or you know quarter of it will will make a difference to them. So, um, hey, selfishly, I like I just like podcasting and and and we can learn some stuff from other people. We want to go full time, Eric.

So that's really what this comes down to. Right? Are you on board with this? So, like, however, we can help each other, um, full-time, I would love it that this could be our, you know, obviously we're looking for, you know, and I'm sure you are too. Like, hey, by the way, insurance companies, Whole Foods. I mean, I mean, uh, if you want to come on, you know, and and advertising, you know, I have a laundry list of like, here's the here's the people I would like to have do some advertising. So we've got yeah, Whole Foods with Dick Sporting Goods, and uh ESPN.

Um listening to you guys talk to I I just um went view, I went through a a recent podcast that I'm about to release with Jonathan Levitt of Insight Tracker, and um you know we talk about people's stories. And I I dove directly right into because I listened to it again and uh I dove right into the questions about the technology. I'm like, okay, so tell me about Inside Tracker. What does it do? What does it do? And you can tell he was kind of mechanically going through well, it does this and it does this, it does that, which is great. It was informative for the audience. And I'm like, well, what about you? Like, what are you up to? You know, because I'm like, oh, I have another 25 minutes here. You know, I want and then he's like, Well, I have my own podcast. I just started, I'm like, oh then all of a sudden, like he just lit up, right? And the energy changed and the flow changed, and he was telling his story and what he really, really wanted to talk about. And Jonathan's very passionate about what he does in Inside Tracker, but you could tell there's a whole different thing going on when he started talking about endurance and his and how he loves uh interviewing people and endurance and why and the stories behind it. I was like, this is it. That's the good stuff, right? Because you can inform people, but once you get into the stories, and I I I urge people like, if you don't think you have a story, I doubt it. Uh you do, everybody has a story, right? At least one. And uh you should get out there and tell it because people want to hear it. And I think that's a big thing is once you get out once and you tell it, and uh you know, you see the reaction, you see how how good it felt to get your story out there and that it's unique in its own way. Um, it's a very powerful thing. And I I like helping people do that too. Uh you know, that's that's a big part of why I I do so many uh do a crazy amount of podcasts, 500 in the last year. I know you do crazy interviews, right? And I just like the other one um isn't like this is the the big one. This is one I focus on uh a lot of time and energy. And the other one too, but that one is is more and it's called the um you know fitness blitz radio is that one is just all about giving people that first shot, you know, like hey, get out there, why not? Why can't you be interviewed? Tell your story, right? And that's the first question I lead with, and it's fascinating and I love it. And uh, hopefully someday I'll get paid for it.

That's the thing. Well, I said like if I won the lottery, I'd podcast a whole lot more, but it's like, wait, you know, you don't have to win the lottery, you can do it. No, yeah, yeah. And uh, well, I'm I'm uh I'm scheduled to be on Fitness Blitz coming up soon. Uh yeah, so tease that a little bit.

Yeah, for sure. I mean, we'll tease the heck out of you guys. Um yeah, it's it's really so tell me, you know, um, as we kind of wrap things up here, you know, you have you have the Tooth Fit Crazies podcast. Um you guys do a lot of stuff, right? What are you currently working on? This will probably air uh today's April 10th. This will probably air sometime in May.

All right, so I I'm gonna say that we have our Too Fit Crazies and microphone podcast, which subscribe, like, you subscribe, like, you know, all that fun stuff. Um, but yeah, we absolutely we love doing this. We love to give everyone, you know, a voice. Obviously, we're always working on you know guests, and you know, we're booking months out right now, which is really exciting to to kind of see this start to unravel and and sharing, and um that's really cool. But I you know, I have to say, um, I'm gonna be doing some more traveling with SEW Manias, which is one of the big fitness um conventions around the country. And then um, I actually wound up, I have to give a shout-out to the um Women in Fitness Association. I have to do that. Um, there is a we you know, friend of this is it again, it's networking, just being authentic, being real. I'm gonna go back to the whole thing with the stories because when you meet someone, if you're gonna go up and try and sell them something, it just doesn't work. It hey, I'm Christine, here's what I do. What's going on? How are you? What where do you live? What and I've really noticed that with podcasting and in the last few years of really changing an approach of hey, what what do you do? What's going on? What I I'm I love this this the serial learner. Like I love to learn, like, and I love to ask questions, and that I think has led to success. I know for me, just getting to know people. And so traveling with the SCW, I've presented at almost every fitness convention around, you know, the big ones around country. And um, I'll be in where I'm going. Let's say um I'm actually met a woman who runs the Fitness for Singapore. So I met her through the Women in Fitness Association. She invited me to go to Fitness SG, which is the biggest main convention in Singapore. So I'm gonna be there with all the top um presenters from Australia, Singapore, um, working on getting to China in 2020. I'll be in New Orleans for the Move Convention um beginning August, in Dallas for SCW in uh August, and um working on maybe getting to Australia next year to present and um going from there. So I have some online programs. I trademark a facial exercise and rehabilitation program. I mean, everything is, you know, aside from many other things that we're running, supposed to possibly do another Iron Man, this football, um trying to keep myself healthy. I'm running the fitness actually for Orange Theory in my area, which is just a fantastic just to be involved with that company. And there's a lot of great things going on with that in the boutique fitness world. It's just exploding. So a lot of different things. So working on a book, still working on some, you name it. I'm working on it. Um, what we we called it a um multi-potentialite.

She's a multi-potentialite.

So I can't remember that. Yeah, great. I love it. I can't do one thing. It's you gotta, you know, I'm laser focused, Eric, but I'm laser focused on a few different things.

She's laser focused, like the guy with the laser and the cat chasing the buttons. That's you know, that's the way we like her.

Yeah. And you can find all that stuff, contifens.net. So anyone who wants to see me or follow the antics or whatever, that's where it is. And um, and then Brian and I are running. Um, we'll be we'll be running Boston this year.

So we've got goals. Oh yeah. Goals, goals, goals. So uh Boston Marathon is this Monday, so this will be uh broadcast well after um you know that that's over. But uh yeah, I'm trained, I'm ready to rumble. I am uh I'll look to break two hours and 50 minutes in the marathon. So um, you know, I'll be right behind you. We're there. So, like I said, you know, not bad for a chubby office, Brad. Um, but uh, you know, come a long way. Um I've got I've got a lot of stuff going on. I work for a really, really good hometown boutique gym. It's called the training rooms here in Manispawn, New Jersey. They've got another uh one and a half on New Jersey uh and you know, I don't own it, but I work there uh primarily and they and I do a lot of programs through them. Um I also come summertime and you know I do a lot of work with runners, so anything that they're gearing towards. So after these fall marathons and half marathons and things like that, a lot of things will start gearing towards fall time uh events, and uh so I'll get busy with that. I also do a lot of strength training for uh primarily high school runners, so cross-country uh summertime. We get after it um hard. I design programs for anyone from you know, teams or individuals or groups of you know, some of the kids from the team, you know, some of the better runners around. I work a lot with them just to strengthen them uh and get them better, you know, but better fit for running. Um so one of my main goals is to design programs that I can put out online for that uh specific thing, uh, you know, to help kids just get stronger, move a little bit better, and and you know, like I said, stay out of the uh physical therapy offices based on doing some prehab rather than some rehab, and uh, you know, just uh do some things. Christine and I are gonna collaborate on some programs for kids as well. We're gonna design fit crazy kids. Are you a fit crazy school? Yeah. So uh that's in the works as well.

Uh and then wait, wait this September. Wait for it, Eric. What are we doing this?

What are we sponsoring? Our first ever 5K?

Yeah.

The two Fit Crazies and a microphone podcast are the main sponsors for a big race around here. We'll be announcing.

We're gonna MC the race, we're gonna do it, it's gonna be a lot of fun. Yeah. Um, so that's coming up. Uh, and you know, really just doing my thing with high five health and fitness, uh, online health coaching, just helping people out. Um, that's not I blew it all the time. We we made it without a sound coming out of the thing. Such a hack. Um uh so uh so doing more stuff with high five health and fitness, training runners, coaching runners, um, and just really anything that needs to come up and help people with the health and fitness.

We're making people and podcasts happier and improving the quality of lives one day at a time. Eric's got two podcasts.

I feel like I need another I feel like I need another one.

Yeah.

Okay.

One thing at a time, it sounds like you're both multi-potentialites. I mean, Brian. I think you I think you got a little bit of that in you too.

Without a doubt. You know why? Because there's so much good to be to be had. Like, and and you know, I do my best thinking when I'm running, and I'll come home and I and I have I I always tease Christine about it. I have a notebook. So when I go out and I go for a run, I have good thoughts and you know, things that really make sense. Uh, you know, and I'll come home and I'll write them down. Sometimes it's stuff with family, sometimes it's a way to make a million dollars, sometimes it's just something the next thing that I really feel like I need to do, sometimes it's a quote that runs through my head, and whatever it is. All I know is that notebook's got about five million dollars in there somewhere. Uh, you know, because there's just a bunch of good ideas that are uh just need to, you know, evolve a little bit and uh blossom.

Can you ever see a beautiful mind, Eric?

Yeah, oh yeah, yeah.

Okay, so my office, that's like my office.

Yeah, awesome.

That you know, like you're looking around and there's just your ideas or what you're working on and the brainstorm because you never know when something you have to add to something just pops into your head, you're like, you know, or the month, I've got the months laid out, like the goals and what's happening in each month.

Yeah, it's your own personal matrix, really. Right, exactly. Yeah, right, yeah. Well, it's this is this is where you guys I I I like I love our conversations, obviously. And I what I really appreciate about you two is is the level of authenticity and and the willingness to be vulnerable and and just be real. And I think you know, if if there's one industry that could have a little bit more of that out there, I think it's the fitness and health industry. So um, you know, keep you guys are doing you guys are doing the you guys are the good guys, really.

He said we're both broken, Brian. No, no, no. And that's cool. That's what he really said, and that's and I love it.

But listen, Eric, we feel we feel the same way about you. And we can't, you know, we're just grateful that you know you give us us this opportunity and come on a show and just everything that you're doing is is is you know, we feel just the same. And so uh keep it moving, brother, and uh, you know, just really just keep doing the good.

Yeah, yeah, likewise. Well, you guys heard it here, so go over to uh two fit crazies, subscribe, listen, check it out, maybe listen to the episode we did together. Uh it's a fun, fun show.

I I I found this, so it's right, I happen to be sitting right next to it. Just in case you need a visual. It was sitting right next to me the whole time.

Yeah, so it's a big science two fit crazies in a microphone podcast, twofitcrazies.com. Subscribe on iTunes now. Ladies and gentlemen, Brian and Christine, thank you guys. This has been an absolute pleasure.

Thanks, Eric. Likewise, thank you, Eric.

Hey fitness fans, don't leave yet. It's your host, Eric Malzone, and I have a quick favor to ask. Actually, three favors. So, number one, if you're a fan of our show, I asked you to do something that takes under three minutes. Go to iTunes, please, and subscribe to our show. Please, please, please. It means so much to us. It's so important. And then give us a favorable review. We would really, really appreciate it. And uh, I can't tell you how much it means and helps us out. So I know it takes two minutes of your day, and uh it means a lot to us. So please do that. Number two, go to our YouTube channel, our fitness marketing alliance, and uh please subscribe to our YouTube channel there. Number three, if you like this episode or any of the episodes that we've released, share it on social. That's huge. That's a big deal for us. And we're we put a lot of work into these episodes, uh, trying to give you great actionable content uh for the fitness industry. So that would mean a lot. And that's it. So we have some big plans coming up for this show. I'll be talking about that in the next couple episodes. But thank you so much for listening. It means so much. And uh if you have any questions, please reach out to me. I love to hear from everybody. Eric, E R I C at Fitness Marketing Alliance.com