Episodes
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Say hi to Michael - https://www.instagram.com/michaeltoru/
Michael's YouTube ChannelSay hi to me - https://www.instagram.com/thevegantrainer/---Grab your free copy of the goal wheel - https://powerplantbody.com/free-tools/---My guest today is Michael Toru, an incredibly skillful yogi, hand balancer, and movement specialist.
Earlier this year I met Michael at my local gym here in Victoria, Studio 4 athletics. I had been trying to learn handstands for some time and, Michael being an incredible handstand teacher, gave me a few tips in passing that instantly and drastically improved my handstands.
Michael’s story of how he came to learn and eventually teach yoga, movement, and breathwork is a very impactful one. Like all great teachers, Michael began his journey in search of answers to his questions and solutions to the problems he was facing, one of which was life threatening.
In our conversation, Michael shares his understanding of ancient yogic philosophy and the important role it can play in modern life. With life moving faster each day, taking a moment to relax into your body and be present with yourself seems to be the medicine we all desperately need.
We also talk about psychedelics, yoga off the mat, and creating energizing morning routines that suit your individual lifestyle.
I know you’re going to get a lot of out what Michael has to share.
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Say hi to Nemaja - @nemanja_sonero
Say hi to me - @thevegantrainer
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Grab your free copy of the goal wheel - https://powerplantbody.com/free-tools/
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Nemanja Sonero is a movement specialist, a transformational coach, and a lover of all the joy and challenge that life brings. Nemanja found his purpose of inspiring and supporting Men and Women to step into their purpose and power after navigating an objectively challenging childhood, having survived through two wars and overcoming daunting obstacles.
He now serves as a conduit for love and inspiration, embracing his natural gifts of movement and intuition to coach and mentor men and women to raise their consciousness and live their highest potential.
One of my favorite topics of discussion is the interplay between the masculine and feminine energies, both in human relationships and as it manifests in the world around us. Nemanja is a masterful speaker and translator of how these two energies work together in creation as well as pose challenges when not owned and directed properly.
He is able to use metaphor and examples from partner dancing to magnificently illustrate how the light and dark sides of masculine and femine energies work and how we can begin owning and mastering them in our own lives.
I thoroughly enjoyed my conversation with Nemanja, and I know you will as well.
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Missing episodes?
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Say hi to Jord - @jordcuiper
Say hi to me - @thevegantrainer
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Grab your free copy of the goal wheel - https://powerplantbody.com/free-tools/
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Jord Cuiper has been helping entrepreneurs and influential people find space within their busy lives to work on, practice, and embody self actualization.
In a world where working yourself to death has been glorified and self help gurus are telling you how to streamline your routines so you can get more done in 24 hours, Jord takes a refreshingly honest approach to self actualization. In fact, Jord's definition of self actualization is quite different from how it is perceived in the mainstream personal development space.
Jord grew up as a top level athlete competing at the highest level. His experience with high level competition and his winning mentality helped him eventually land the role of CEO of a successful startup company.
Jord's ability to push himself to the extreme until he achieved results would eventually lead to life threatening health complications that forced him to take a step back and reassess his approach to life.
He now coaches men and women to achieve their true potential by discovering the path of least resistance towards self actualization.
I thoroughly enjoyed my conversation with Jord. I learned a lot about the challenges I face in my life and how I can better navigate them in the future. I know you’ll get a lot out of what he has to share as well.
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Say hi to Chris - https://www.instagram.com/iammillionairechris/Say hi to me - https://www.instagram.com/thevegantrainer/---Grab your free copy of the goal wheel - https://powerplantbody.com/free-tools/---Christopher reached out to me a number of weeks ago asking if I’d be on his podcast, the Mastering the Man Within Podcast. I found he’s a very insightful and interesting person with a lot of creative and deep perspectives on the world, so I knew I wanted to have him on my podcast to learn more.
During our conversation, Christopher talks about how he found men’s work and personal development, the impact, challenges and gifts it’s brought into his life, and how it led to him build a business around serving and contribution.
Christopher now helps men live a more fulfilled life by helping them find purpose, passion, and live a life of prosperity.
As Christopher says, he’s actively engaged in designing and creating his reality and mentors others to do the same. In fact, Christopher even shares how he deliberately asked for and manifested his perfect partner, Petra, who flowed into his life shortly after and to whom he’s now married.
I really enjoyed my conversation with Christopher. He gives off an incredibly positive vibe and you know he’s deeply passionate and caring for the people in his life.
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Say hi to Jay - https://www.myvirtualdad.netSay hi to me - https://www.instagram.com/thevegantrainer/---Grab your free copy of the goal wheel - https://powerplantbody.com/free-tools/---Check out the show notes page by going to https://powerplantbody.com/jay-millar---My guest today is Jay Millar. Jay is the owner of my virtual dad where he mentors and coaches men to become the husband, father, and provider they’ve always wanted to be.
It’s unfortunate, but most men go through their youth and adolescence without a positive father figure. So many men are denied the meaningful relationship a boy is meant to have with his father so he can be taught how to be a confident, loving, and generative man.
Some fathers spend all their time at work. Some fathers disconnect from their family even when they are at home. And some fathers leave their children entirely.
Jay discovered mens work many, many years ago and through it uncovered his purpose; to serve men through mentorship and guidance so they can better navigate the often churning waters of being a modern man.
Jay has known the trials, patience, and love it takes to commit to becoming the best father, husband, and provider he can be. He also sees how his youth and experience with father figures shaped the path for the challenges he’d face along the journey to becoming the best man he could be.
Jay is now bringing his gifts of knowledge and experience back to the community of men who could most benefit from it so they can be the best husbands, fathers, and providers they can be.
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Say hi to Sebastian - https://www.instagram.com/aries_sv/Say hi to me - https://www.instagram.com/thevegantrainer/
Sign up for Sebastians Heart Of Tantra Course at https://www.modernmysticsschool.com/a/2147489632/4Pug5fC3---Grab your free copy of the goal wheel - https://powerplantbody.com/free-tools/---Sebastian Valensi is a modern day renaissance man, having a deep knowledge of spirituality, martial arts, yoga, mindfulness, personal development… the list goes on.
I found my conversation incredibly insightful, as Sebastian is able to take complex ideas from ancient spiritual teachings and convey them in a way that is intuitively understandable to me.
Sebastian has a wonderful backstory that perfectly follows the hero’s journey. I won’t spoil it for you, but it reminded me of a wonderful book called “The Alchemist”, as Sebastian's return was full circle. He is now sharing his wonderful gifts of insight into what makes us human, the meaningful purpose we all strive to find, and and the challenges we face as we go in search to find it.
building authentic, intimate, & expanded relationships with self
Sebastian is a wealth of knowledge and a fantastic personal development coach. He has an incredibly insightful free 3 day program called Tantrik Wisdom For Modern Times that I recommend you check out after our interview. You can get it for free by going to heartoftantra.com
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I was actually inspired to start my podcast after Chloé reached out to me asking if I’d be on hers.
Chloé Garnham is the host of the Planty Podie podcast, that’s @plantypodie on Instagram, where she interviews well known vegan advocates like doctors, fitness influencers, and recipe creators.
Chloé grew up on a farm in New Zealand, so her story of how she became vegan is an interesting one. In our conversations, Chloe shares how her switch to a vegan diet improved her health and enjoyment of life drastically.
I love Chloé’s approach because she takes a compassionate, non-judgemental, curious stance that can’t help but be inviting to people who are also curious about their food choices.
One last note, right before publishing this episode, Chloe uploaded a blog post to Medium titled “How I saved money by going vegan” which I strongly encourage you to go check out if you’re looking to eat healthy AND spend a little less.
After listening to our conversation, head over to Chloe’s podcast “the planty podie” and check out her eye opening and inspiring conversations with some of the best people for resources and information regarding the vegan diet.
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Financial literacy is a skillset that so desperately needs to be taught in school. In the United States, the average personal debt among adults is 92 thousand dollars!
My guest today is Hersh Chopra, a financial coach who, in his words, helps people overcome the “American Dream” lifestyle that begins & ends with debt. His handle on Instagram is @hershchoprafinancialcoach.
And Hersh knows what he’s talking about, because he went from 125 thousand dollars in debt to not only being debt free but financially free in only 5 years!
Hersh is a breath of fresh air in a world full of fake financial gurus making lofty promises of high returns on risky investments. Hersh coaches his clients with a grounded approach to overcoming debt by using practical, time tested methods for paying it down.
Our conversation today is eye opening, to say the least. Hersh shares some pretty amazing, if not terrifying, stats on what the average consumer is faced with financially these days.
But Hersh also shares a message of hope for anyone and everyone who is struggling under the weight of debt.
If you want to feel better about what you can do about your bank account, then this is the episode for you.
So, without any further delay I bring you my conversation with Hersh Chopra.
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You know those people you meet in life that are so full of positive energy that they conduct a feeling of happiness to everyone they meet? Those people who seem to have a presence that lights up a room because they’re overflowing with unconditional love just looking for a way to get out and connect?
My guest today is that person. Channing is one the loveliest human beings I’ve had the chance to meet, however brief it was.
I met her almost five years ago when I was in Los Angeles and just about to head back to live in Canada. She was a friend of a friend, but as I said she’s the type of person that skips all that superficial nonsense and just makes a b-line for a deeper connection
My conversation with Channing is about relationships and sexuality. You’d be hard pressed to find someone more passionate about helping people connect in meaningful, vulnerable, and loving ways.
Channing is currently in school working on her Masters in Psychology with the intention of building a practice as a Sexologist. She wants to help couples navigate their relationships as they explore the dynamics of sexual expression.
I’m so grateful to Channing for being so open and sharing her insights into sexuality, as we’re still living through times where a lot of this is taboo. In her words, Channing hopes that one day conversations like the one we had today will be normalized so people are free to express themselves authentically without fear of embarrassment or prejudice.
Channing is an open book and she shares a seriously vulnerable story that is full of powerful insights that we could all use in our own relationships, romantic or otherwise.
Full disclosure, we had to switch to Zoom because our original software wasn’t working on her phone. During the switch I forgot to change over my microphone so the first few minutes I sound very distant. My apologies, but I quickly remembered and changed it back, so if you can make it through the first few minutes it will eventually sound normal.
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Jordan Dranes, or Conscious Muscle as he’s known on Instagram, is a vegan bodybuilding influencer who leads by example.
Jordan has an animal sanctuary where he cares for animals, sharing his message of compassion and inspiring others on his social media pages.
At first glance, you probably wouldn’t guess that Jordan is a very open, friendly, and caring guy because he looks like your stereotypical bodybuilder. But underneath his build, Jordan is a very caring, empathetic, conscious man. Hence, his social media handle @consciousmusce
In our conversation, Jordan shares how he came to start an animal sanctuary and the incredible amount of work that goes into it to keep it going.
I found throughout our conversation that Jordan is also a very philosophical and spiritual guy, and spoke about why the vegan diet was such an important choice for him to make.
Being a very well built guy on a vegan diet, I know people are going to know what his training and nutrition is like so I ask him a whole bunch of questions on what he eats and how he trains.
I really enjoyed my conversation with Jordan and I know you’re going to get a ton of insight and value from it as well, so without any further delay, I bring you my conversation with Jordan Dranes, @Consciousmuscle
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It’s unfortunate, but our modern society celebrates hustle culture to such an extent that it largely represses the playful, care-free, authentic expression that would otherwise come naturally to the human experience.
Rachel Frank is a breath of fresh air, as she is someone who made the terrifying decision of being authentically playful and weird despite what others think. She got comfortable with being uncomfortable, and it’s led her down a path of personal growth and amazing experiences.
Rachel has a background in the music industry but now coaches others embrace their inner playfulness through dance, movement, games, and dressing up. In her words, she’s a Spiritual Fun Coach.
Rachel was an absolute pleasure to speak with. I know that I could use some more playfulness in my life and her unique and fresh approach seems so incredibly inviting.
My hope is that what Rachel has to say inspires you to be more playful and let your inner weird out, regardless of what others think.
You can check out Rachel on Instagram - that’s @rachelfrank - and check out her website where she has some really great free tools like a free 5 day meditation course. Her website is www.therachelfrankexperience.com.
If you’d like to reach out to Rachel for coaching and guidance to bring more play and happiness into your life then send her a DM on instagram or he has a link to his coaching consultation form.
Don’t forget to head over to powerplantbody.com/free-tools to get your hands of a free copy of the Goal Wheel PDF, along with tons of other free tools. I’m regularly adding new resources to that page to help you create the best version of yourself so you’ll definitely want to bookmark it.
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My interview today is with Will Brooks. I’ve been following Will on Instagram for a number of years now. He’s a lean, mean, green lifting machine and an inspiration for anyone who wants to build their best body on a vegan diet.
Will also fuels his high performance martial arts training on a vegan diet and in our interview he shares how his diet has benefited both his training and his recovery.
Will shares his story of how he became vegan, the benefits he started seeing in his life from switching his diet, and the major shift in perspective he had when he became more conscious of his food decisions.
Will has come back from serious injury to absolutely dominate and master his physical fitness, and now he’s teaching others how to do the same both through his social media and coaching his clients.
When it comes to the goal wheel, Will has the health & fitness quadrant covered and shares a ton of knowledge for you to take away and start implementing.
One last thing. I just switched over to a new podcast recording software and I’m still working the kinks out. As a result, I chose the wrong mic input for myself so the audio for my voice is really distant. The good news is, Will is the guy you want to be listening to in this interview anyway.
That being said, my apologies for the poor quality of audio from my voice and I’ll be sure to do my best to remember from here on out. I appreciate your understanding and I hope it won’t get in the way of what Will’s message and what he has to share in our conversation.
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The cliche question vegans get asked all the time is “Where do you get your protein?” If there’s anyone who can once and for all put that myth to rest it’s Carey Kidd, because he’s one of the strongest guys you’ll see on social media and he’s been vegan since birth!
As you can imagine, Carey’s back story of how he came to be a life-long vegan turned strong man bodybuilder is very interesting. Carey shares his thoughts on how the vegan diet helps him perform at his best. We also go over the ethics of the diet and the rising tide of multinational food companies who are jumping on board to create new vegan alternatives.
Carey’s passion for the vegan lifestyle and love for good vegan food has led him to creating two vegan restaurants, one of which is just about to open in Raleigh, North Carolina at the time of this recording.
It seems like Carey’s whole ethos is to help people see how easy it can be to transition to a more ethical, compassionate way of living and that’s very evident in his new vegan pub, Element.
I’ve been following Carey on Instagram for years and I’ve always wanted to learn more about how he came to be this super strong dude who’s been vegan since birth. I learned a lot from my conversation with Carey and I know you’ll enjoy the insights he shared as much as I did.
Carey’s shares a wealth of knowledge in the health & fitness quadrant of the goal wheel. However, he also touches on the personal development & spiritual quadrant as well.
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My conversation today is with Ryan Rakes, or @tofustrong as he’s known on Instagram. Ryan is a true testament to what you can achieve on a vegan diet. When he started out, Ryan was, in his own words, very skinny.
Ryan shares his insights into his own training, how it’s evolved over the years, and how he adapted his approach when gyms locked down.
Being an online fitness and vegan nutrition coach, I also ask him about his methods for helping his clients achieve success with their fitness goals. He talks about his journey into becoming an online coach and how it’s allowed him to connect and help people from all over.
Before becoming an online coach, however, Ryan worked in film production. In fact, he’s been working in video effects for many years and continues to use his skills to create short films, the most recent of which is called “Vegan Predator”, a spoof on the 80’s action movie.
Ryan’s passion for veganism shines through in our interview. At the end of our conversation he teases a documentary about vegan animal sanctuaries he’s in the preliminary stages of creating.
The idea behind these interviews is to help experts share their insights into one of the 8 quadrants of the goal wheel. If you’re not familiar with the goal wheel or you’ve never heard me talk about it before, it’s a tool you can use to get clear on the important areas of your life that you may be neglecting. The 8 quadrants are Family & Friends, Romance, Fun & Recreation, Health & Fitness, Finances, Personal Growth, Career, and Physical Environment.
Each interview is meant to inspire you to take action in one of those areas so you can live a more fulfilled and balanced life.
Ryan’s domain of expertise in the goal wheel is obviously health and fitness, but I found out he’s also very knowledgeable in the financial literacy department, so I’m going to ask him on again in the near future so we can dive into the importance of keeping on top of personal finances.
To get your hands on a free copy of the goal wheel PDF so you can use it to create meaningful goals and achieve them, head over to powerplantbody.com/free-tools. You’ll find a bunch of other free resources and tools there as well.
To get the show notes and links for today’s conversation with Ryan, go to powerplantbody.com/ryan-rakes
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Of all the podcasts I could recommend to men interested in men’s work and personal development, Lost Man Standing with Rainier Wylde probably tops my list. On paper, the reason why you should listen to what Rainier has to say is a long one. He was a college professor who taught ego psychology and human development. He was a former psychotherapist. He has a graduate degree in community counselling and an undergrad in human development. He’s a certified vocational specialist. And he’s a former spiritual director and pastor.
But, as Rainier would be the first to tell you, the titles a teacher has held and the credentials he has on his walls mean very little if he hasn’t also lived and learned through struggle and failure. Rainer has failed on numerous occasions in his life and he’s very open about it.
I believe that’s one of the reasons Rainier is able to communicate deep, meaningful wisdom so effortlessly to his listeners. He humanizes the complex inner workings of the human psyche and soul through personal stories of struggle and triumph. He intertwines these stories with ancient myth and recounting of human history, highlighting the fact that while the details change from man to man the overarching stories and their effect remain largely unchanged.
Storytelling is an art form that has been an integral part of human culture for as far back as we can look. However, that art form of communicating deeply ingrained cultural truths through story has largely been lost over the past hundred years or so.
Rainier would say that you should listen to him because he’s failed. I would say that you should listen to him for the same reason I do: because he’s able to take the lessons he’s learned from failure and craft them into meaningful stories that impact you at the level of your soul.
And he does so with a light hearted, warm, almost childlike approach. When you listen to him it feels as though he’s speaking directly to you.
Rainier is one of those rare people who is an expert in most of the quadrants of the goal wheel and his podcast covers personal development, career, fun & recreation, family & friends, and physical environment.
There’s a lot we covered in our conversation together, primarily focusing on personal development, but it’s really only scratching the surface of what he has to share. After you listen to our conversation I encourage you to listen to his podcast, Lost Man Standing, and check him out on Instagram, @rainierwydle. Being a writer as well, Rainiers blog is definitely worth checking out - https://www.rainierwylde.com/
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I’ve shared a number of times on my YouTube channel and social media that men’s work has been one of the greatest gifts I’ve ever given myself.
Nick Solaczek is my guest today and he’s been on the leading edge of men’s work in the Vancouver area for a number of years. In fact, he was the MC when I went to my first men’s work open house over four years ago.
In our conversation today, Nick shares his story of why he got into personal development and men’s work and how it’s helped him cultivate the tools to create conscious, meaningful, constructive relationships with the people in his life.
In fact, doing this work helped him find his true purpose which is coaching people to build meaningful relationships by consciously co-creating in what he calls the space between.
Nick is a very thoughtful, insightful, and heart-driven man. He’s a man I look up to for his leadership skills and ability to meet others where they are at in order to create space to help lift them up to where they’d like to be.
If you’ve ever wondered what goes into building a meaningful relationship, whether you’re in one right now that is on the rocks or you’d like to find a partner with whom to build something greater, then today’s episode is for you.
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A few weeks ago I discovered Kevin Oros (R)Evolution podcast and instantly binged on episode after episode. I’ve shared before that men’s work has been a big part of my life for the past four years. Kevin is a man who, for me, seems to be the perfect conduit for men to start seeking answers to their questions. The questions that inevitably arise for men who hear that calling deep within their heart but are still trapped by the limiting, overly macho identity of masculinity that modern society has decided to portray.
Kevin seems to effortlessly connect and guide the listeners of his podcast and the men and women he works with through coaching. He meets us at the precipice of the chasm that exists between the rational, mechanistic, western way of life so many of us are living and he creates a bridge to the open, loving, expressive, and spiritually enlightened way of being we so desperately lack as a society.
During our conversation, Kevin shared with me his understanding of how we got to the current situation we find ourselves in. Globally, many of the beliefs and institutions we’ve set up and rely on for a sense of security will be put to the test, challenged, and likely dissolved.
It’s part of the process, though, as Kevin share’s his insights into the hero's journey and the role it plays in guiding both individual growth and social evolution.
Kevin talks about his own call to adventure and his movement through the hero's journey. He’s returned from that journey and now expresses himself through his new role as a mentor to men and women who have also heard the call to adventure and are ready to cross the threshold.
I thoroughly enjoyed my conversation with Kevin and I know you’ll take a lot of wisdom with you from what he has to share. I encourage you to check out his (R)evolution podcast and see what he continues to create by following him on Instagram. He also has a new book out you can purchase on Amazon.
During our conversation, Kevin shares insights that primarily fall into the personal development and spiritual quadrant of the goal wheel. However, he’s an immensely well rounded coach and shares a lot of insight into all other quadrants of the goal wheel on his podcast and Instagram account.
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Today’s interview is one that I’ve wanted to do for a very long time. About four years ago I met Brian at a yoga studio where he was both a student and a teacher. Not much has changed in that regard as Brian is a man who is full of insights and wisdom because he has an unquenchable sense of curiosity for the world.
Brian, along with other movement practitioners like Slava Goloubov, Ido Portal, and Roye Goldschmidt, has developed a mastery over their body that I admire and, if I’m being honest, I am pretty jealous of.
Through his conscious movement practice he balances strength, aesthetics, and art form.
While Brian is very much an expert in health and fitness, most of what we covered today was in the personal development and spirituality quadrant of the goal wheel.
I’m hoping to have Brian on again in the very near future because he also coaches and teaches on building and maintaining conscious relationships and exploring sexuality.
I thoroughly enjoyed my conversation with Brian, and I know you will enjoy what he has to share as well.
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Eiliena and Gillian radiate positive energy and are possibly two of the sweetest, compassionate people you will ever meet. It’s easy to understand why 8 years ago these two felt compelled to adopt a compassionate vegan lifestyle.
Nowadays, it’s easier than ever for someone to go vegan. In most cities you can find plant-based restaurants and vegan alternatives in just about any grocery store.
But Gillian and Eilien went vegan 8 years ago… and they did so in a town in Mexico. Needless to say, these two were truly pioneers in their community.They now run a women’s gym in their town of Playa del Carmen in Mexico where they promote living a compassionate life to their clients.
Gilian and Eileen passionately work with clients using a holistic approach, helping them build a strong foundation by forging a healthy, positive mindset to achieve their goals.
On social media, Gillian and Eileen are known as the “Om Twins”, and have been using their voice to share their message of compassion with their over two hundred thousand followers. They also work closely with a number of local animal sanctuaries.
Gilian and Eileen are experts in both the health & fitness quadrant and personal development quadrant of the goal wheel.
I enjoyed learning more about the Om Twins and their story and I know you’ll get a lot from it as well.
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Today my conversion is with Dr. Leo Venus, a man who is widely regarded in the vegan nutrition and fitness space. However, in our interview he shares a lot of insights that are aligned with the personal growth quadrant of the goal wheel.
I had the fortune of meeting Leo in person during the spring of 2020. He, along with his brother Jon and his wife Kathrine and their son Noah, shared a house in Venice for a month or so until the pandemic forced us all to retreat back to our home countries.
During my time with Leo we shared some epic workouts at the legendary Venice Beach Gold’s Gym. I don’t think I’ve ever worked out with anyone who works as hard as Leo and Jon Venus.
Leo is a very layered, deep, and hilarious individual. Both he and his brother Jon have a refreshingly open and stoic approach to life.
I don’t think there is anything in this world that could get under Leo’s skin or offend him. He remains light hearted, open minded, and keeps a positive outlook, no matter the circumstance.
While Leo is a medical doctor, he’s found himself on a different path than the one he initially set out on when he started medical school. From what I can tell, he’s answering the call to a deeper sense of purpose. So far, this has manifested through his work as an advocate for the vegan diet and lifestyle on social media.
Leo also brings his scientific approach to personal development through cognitive behaviour therapy into his social media messaging and work with clients.
But recently, Leo’s been faced with a dilemma as he’s become aware of the negative influence social media has on our society at large. Leo, of course, is a social media influencer, so you can imagine how this new awareness could cause him to start asking some difficult questions.
Leo, however, is a man who is truly of high integrity, as you’ll soon learn in our conversation when he talks about how he plans to use social media in the future.
I always enjoy my conversations with Leo, as I never fail to learn something and get a few laughs along the way, and I know you will love what he has to share as well.
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