Harder Than Life

Latest Episodes:

33: The Ferocious Buddha w/ David Meltzer Aug 08, 2023

Show notes

David Meltzer has won and lost (and won again) more money than most of us will see. If you listen to this podcast, you almost certainly know him as the Kevin Bacon of the personal development space. As an author, businessman, podcaster, and philanthropist, David is never more than six degrees away from your favorite motivator. Today, he joins Kelly for a ferocious conversation about staying interested, crushing your goals, and being Harder Than Life. We hope you enjoy!
Some quotable highlights include:

Pay attention to give intention: David talks about how to stay present through life’s craziness.
If you can look up, you can get up: if you can see what you want, you can aspire to it.
Be The Ferocious Buddha: do not get tunnel vision when chasing your goals. Make balance and inspiration a mandatory part of your journey NOW, not later.

Show Links
Each and every episode is sponsored by National Technology Management. The easiest and best IT company to do business with. Delivering peace of mind with technology every day. Visit trustntm.com for more info. Until next week, be Harder than Life!

Guest Links

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCflt1OopRWIApMOjVgZyJ6Q
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davidmeltzer11/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmeltzer2/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmeltzer?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmeltzer/?hl=en
Website: https://dmeltzer.com/
Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6TzYFiqTgruG0Hj7UAJd2Q?si=f0f38b49d1fc4c5b&nd=1

Harder than Life Website: https://www.harderthanlife.com/
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Business Website: https://www.trustntm.com/
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-siegel-0146a3
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCncVFeA5P2LrAovuofQQcDg
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kellysiegel71

32: A True Partnership w/ Aaron Opalewski Aug 01, 2023

Show notes

99% of what makes a good business partner happens outside the office. If their goals, attitude, and lifestyle are aligned with your own, chances are their work will mesh with yours too. Kelly met Aaron Opalewski by chance on a flight to Nashville, kicking off a friendship and business partnership, and the two have been winning together ever since.
Being the humble son of a pastor turned entrepreneur and business coach, Aaron makes being Harder Than Life look easy. But, as you no doubt know, it isn’t.
In this episode, he reunites with Kelly to dive into a conversation about business, life, and self-awareness. Plus:

Aaron credits his father, who served as a pastor, for helping develop his enterprising spirit. Who has helped you develop your mindset?
Aaron believes in a highly-regimented lifestyle. How intense is your self-control?
You aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. That’s good. Aaron talks about why you shouldn’t be afraid to be picky.

Guest Links

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-opalewski-3596891a/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aaronopalewski/?hl=en
Twitter: https://twitter.com/aaronopalewski?lang=en
Spark Talent Acquisition: https://www.sparktalentinc.com/
John Joseph Partners: https://johnjosephpartners.com/
Spark Packaging: https://sparkpackaginginc.com/

31: Enjoy the Ride w/ Pastor Julian Hayes Jul 27, 2023

Show notes

If you ask him, Julian Hayes will tell you that being a pastor was always his calling. Today, he’s known as “Pastor Ju,” a man of God whose passion for his community is infectious. However, the road Julian had to walk was not an easy one. The improbable story of how it all happened, and how Julian learned to live into his purpose, is at the heart of this week’s episode. Tune in to hear Pastor Ju share his wisdom as we dig into some big topics:

Julian parlayed his first security job into a lucrative career in executive protection, before switching to ministry. How did Julian pull himself out of what’s comfortable into what he wanted?
Is this your best season or your worst season in life? As Julian explains, it could be both at the same time.
We break down joy vs. happiness: which are you chasing?

30: Heroes Wear CAPEs - w/ Renee Vardouniotis & Angie Leitnaker Jul 25, 2023

Show notes

Renee Vardouniotis & Angie Leitnaker want to change the way we think about education. After several years of working within the traditional school system, they came together to develop the CAPE (Compassionate, Aware, Purpose-driven, and Effective) Movement. CAPE teaches children both practical skills and emotional intelligence, which Angie and Renee both found to be lacking in traditional curricula. Together, the duo joins Kelly to tell their story and to have a larger discussion about:

Education
Positivity
Personal growth
Self-awareness and how to teach it.

Show Links
Each and every episode is sponsored by National Technology Management. The easiest and best IT company to do business with. Delivering peace of mind with technology every day. Visit trustntm.com for more info. Until next week, be Harder than Life!

Guest Links

Website: https://capemovement.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cape-movement
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wearecapemovement

29: It’s Not a Mistake, It’s a Lesson w/ Chef Chris Arellanes Jul 20, 2023

Show notes

Chef Chris has lived an interesting life or three. Seriously, it would be easier to list the things he hasn’t done. Chris grew up in a Buddhist monastery. He was a competitive cheerleader. He’s cooked fine meals for Russian oligarchs. He found and then kicked drugs and is now an Executive Chef at KYU NYC. Dude is only 35 and his story is already incredible.
Now sober, happy, and about to become a father, Chef Chris brings his thoughtful perspective to the Harder Than Life podcast. Today’s courses include:

“I am only as good as my students want to be.” Chris flips the classic idiom to put the onus on his students to learn, and shares his experiences as both a teacher and a student in the culinary world.
As a product of the stressful, “military” kitchens of the early 2000’s, Chris preaches collaboration in all things, and wants to leave a legacy of health and wellness in the hospitality industry.
Chris now champions Big Vision, a non-profit resource for those in recovery. Check it out in the links below!

Guest Links

Check out Big Vision NYC: https://www.bigvision.nyc/
KYU NYC Instagram: @kyunyc
Chris' Instagram: @chefchrisa
KYU NYC Website: https://www.kyurestaurants.com/location/kyu-nyc/

28: Be Flexible on the ”How” w/ Ryan Jaros Jul 18, 2023

Show notes

Unlike most, Ryan Jaros started early. His entrepreneurial mind led him to not only create the Pursuit of Perfection brand, but also led him inward, to face his learning disabilities and overcome them. He and his fantastic mustache are absolutely Harder Than Life, and we are excited to share Ryan's story with you!
Show Links
Each and every episode is sponsored by National Technology Management. The easiest and best IT company to do business with. Delivering peace of mind with technology every day. Visit trustntm.com for more info. Until next week, be Harder than Life!

Guest Links

IG: https://www.instagram.com/ryanjaros/
PHT IG: https://www.instagram.com/phtnation/
Pursuit of Precision IG: https://www.instagram.com/pursuitofprecision/
Pursuit of Precision TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@pursuitofprecision
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@pursuitofprecision
Website: https://www.pursuitofprecision.com/

27: Giving Back w/ Michelle Murphy Jul 13, 2023

Show notes

Everything we do on Harder Than Life is for charity. This week, we want to talk about one of the awesome organizations we are partnering with: Variety - the Children’s Charity of Detroit. This small but mighty organization serves more than 20,000 children with special and unique needs every year. At the helm is Michelle Murphy, the former teacher turned Executive Director at Variety Detroit. This week, Michelle joins Kelly to talk about Variety, which specializes in supporting children with unique and special needs.
Get to know the incredible leader, mother, and community mentor behind this cause, and discover some fun ways to support your community! Please consider donating to Variety Detroit at the links below.
Show Links
Each and every episode is sponsored by National Technology Management. The easiest and best IT company to do business with. Delivering peace of mind with technology every day. Visit trustntm.com for more info. Until next week, be Harder than Life!

Guest Links

Donate: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=V5NAXY42265FG&ssrt=1682348736035
Website: http://variety-detroit.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VarietyDetroit
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Variety5Detroit
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/varietydetroit/

26: You Are Not Your Mistakes w/ Kristen Cullen Jul 11, 2023

Show notes

This week, Kelly is joined by personal and business coach Kristen Cullen! Kristen is a branding expert whose holistic approach to brand-building - and to life - is truly unique. She and Kelly connect on how they are changing misconceptions about what it means to be vulnerable, and why vulnerability is so essential to becoming Harder Than Life. Featured topics include:

Success is a choice: are your preconceptions about success preventing you from attaining it?
An unvarnished talk about the dangers of alcohol and drugs.
Are your bad habits standing in the way of your best life?
Kristen shares some of her winning habits, and how you can incorporate them into your own routine.

Guest Links

Kristen's website: https://kristencullen.com/home/
Schedule a free call with Kristen: kristencullen.com/freecall
FB: https://www.facebook.com/KristenCullen11/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/kristencullen11/?hl=en
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristencullen11/

25: Sober AF w/ Jim Hernandez Jul 06, 2023

Show notes

After a destructive relationship with alcohol left him homeless for 18 months, Jim Hernandez embraced sobriety. Today, he’s the man behind the addiction recovery non-profit Valor Rising and the Valor Fitness Clothing line. When he isn’t working as a recruiter, Jim dedicates himself to helping others overcome addiction and build healthier lives. This week, he joins us bright and early from his LA gym to share his story and talk about what he has learned on his journey. Topics include:

Sober dating
Harm reduction
Healing generational trauma
Building healthy, consistent habits
and more!

Guest Links

Valor Rising: https://www.valorrising.org/
Valor Fitness: https://valorfitnessclothing.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-hernandez-16231417a/

24: The Business of Business is Relationships w/ Michelle Rios Jul 04, 2023

Show notes

When Michelle Rios says she saw a sign that her life needed to change, she’s being literal. When she most needed it, Michelle saw a billboard for a therapist and decided to prioritize her mental health. Then, her life changed forever.
Now, Michelle Rios is an executive and host of the Live Your Extraordinary Life podcast. In this episode, Kelly talks to Michelle about the importance of therapy and coaching to living a happy life. Life does not happen to you, it happens for you. However, it’s not easy staying grounded when life gets hard. Fortunately, Michelle is here to talk to us about the mindset, the hard work, and the perspective that has made her harder than life. Enjoy!
Show Links
Each and every episode is sponsored by National Technology Management. The easiest and best IT company to do business with. Delivering peace of mind with technology every day. Visit trustntm.com for more info. Until next week, be Harder than Life!

Guest Links

Michelle's podcast & website: https://michelleriosofficial.com/

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