On this episode of The Normal Dude Podcast, I sit down with Josh Bruning, owner of Total Tissue & Fitness, a business that takes a comprehensive approach to recovery and training. Josh’s journey is one of resilience, learning through experience, and creating a business that truly helps people. Here’s what we dive into:

🏋️ Finding His Niche: From personal trainer to online coach to entrepreneur, how Josh carved out his own path in the fitness industry.
📚 Experience Over Textbooks: Why hands-on, practical learning often surpasses book knowledge in fitness and recovery.
🍃 The Power of a Growth Mindset: How his journey of overcoming alcoholism (now 8 years sober!) has shaped his approach to business and life.
🔄 Adaptable Capacity: A concept that has helped him navigate challenges, pivot when needed, and fuel his success.
💡 Advice for Aspiring Trainers & Coaches: What it really takes to build a career in fitness and stand out in the industry.
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Parenting & Personal Upbringing: How his parents’ influence has shaped how he raises his own kids.
🏢 The Future of Total Tissue & Fitness: Plans to expand into a commercial space, offering contract therapy, group fitness, personal training, and recovery all under one roof.
💡 Knowledge Nugget: Identify what you’re good at, lean into it, and surround yourself with mentors, equals, and people you are mentoring.

This episode is packed with deep insights, personal stories, and practical takeaways—whether you're in fitness, business, or just looking for inspiration, this one’s for you.

📅 Now streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcast, or wherever you listen to podcast!

On this episode of The Normal Dude Podcast, I sit down with Luke Andrus, CEO of Blue Star Investments, which owns and operates 45 (soon-to-be 50!) Anytime Fitness gyms—making them the third-largest franchisee in the system. Luke’s journey is packed with lessons on growth, leadership, and trusting your gut. Here’s what we cover:

🏋️‍♂️ From Personal Trainer to CEO: Luke’s career path from personal trainer, to Anytime Fitness Corporate, to leading a fitness empire.
🤔 The Power of Saying No: Why he’s prouder of the opportunities he turned down than the ones he said yes to.
📈 Scaling from 10 to 45 Locations: The challenges, best practices, and balancing profits with people.
💡 Building a Winning Culture: How Blue Star Investments creates a joyful and productive work environment.
💪 What Makes a Great Team Member: Why work ethic + patience is the key to growing within a company.
🌍 Why South Louisiana is Special: What makes it different from anywhere else.
🕺 Luke’s Dance Moves: How he helped me crush it on the dance floor at my wedding.
🙏 Faith & Leadership: How leaning on faith helps Luke navigate tough times in business.
💡 Knowledge Nugget: The importance of looking inward at your intentions—how self-awareness can shape your daily success.

This episode is packed with insight, humor, and real talk about business, leadership, and life. If you want to learn from someone who has scaled a company while staying grounded, this one’s for you!

📅 Now streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcast, or whever you listen to podcast!

In this special solo episode of The Normal Dude Podcast, I take a step back to review and dive deeper into the incredible Knowledge Nuggets shared by my last eight guests.

We start by breaking down what a Knowledge Nugget is—those small but powerful insights that, when applied, can create massive impact in your daily life. Then, I revisit each guest's takeaway and explore how to implement these lessons into your routine for by being Self-Aware:

💬 Ep. 2 – Dave Hines → How small interactions can make a huge difference in the lives of those around you.

⌛ Ep. 3 – Brian Melancon → The hidden power of delayed gratification and why patience leads to long-term success.

🧠 Ep. 4 – Nick Nilan → Mental health is key—taking small, positive steps builds into life-changing results.🏋️‍♀️ Ep. 5 – Jordan Jorajuria → The power of discipline and why doing the hard things consistently leads to success.

💪 Ep. 6 – Bobby Hines → Know your strengths and weaknesses—focus on what you can control and surround yourself with people who level you up.

🌿 Ep. 7 – George Boudreaux → Embracing contentment and authenticity—learning to be okay and deal with challenges head-on.

💖 Ep. 8 – Misty O’Sullivan → Self-care and identity matter—working on yourself is key to a fulfilled life.

🎯 Ep. 9 – Anna Hines → Confidence and risk-taking—believe in yourself and trust that you’ll figure things out.

This episode is all about self-reflection—taking a step back, turning words into habits, applying wisdom to your daily life, and truly becoming the best version of yourself. If you’ve ever felt inspired by a great piece of advice but weren’t sure how to apply it—this is the episode for you.

📅 Now streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcast, or wherever you listen to podcast!