Iron Sights

Latest Episodes:

#3 After Dark - Byron Rodgers: Protecting Billionaires for A Living with The Mission To Make Good People Extremely Dangerous Jan 26, 2022

Show notes

Byron Rodgers is an Executive Protection Agent, published Author and Veteran on a global mission to educate, protect and inspire good people to become more dangerous. After leaving the Marines at 21 years old, Byron was assigned to working on of the toughest cases in Southern California where his job was to protect and service his Principle for nearly a decade, traveling to over 60 countries around the world. Byron has worked presidential inaugurations, doing whatever it takes to protect his billionaire clientele. When high net worth individuals need protection, they call Byron and his team at Bravo Research Group.

In this episode, we get into Bryon’s background and what a typical day in his life looks like working as an Execute Private Security agent. I had the pleasure of training beside Byron but there is a lot of his story I had never heard before sitting down to record this episode. Just some of the topics we get into include:

How To Get Started The Right Way In The Industry
The Best Way To Transition From A Military Background Intro Private Security
The Importance of Social Skills When Working with High End Clientele
The Pros and Cons of The Job
Serving Time In and Surviving 5 IUDs In Afghanistan
Being The Protector of Your Household
The Difference Between PTSD, Paranoia and Being Ready To Protect
The Exponential Growth of The Industry

After finishing up the episode I continued to chat with Byron off air. He is an incredible human being who is very passionate about people, our country and the growing threats we face when it comes to protecting and caring for the people we love. I’m looking forward to getting him back on the show. He has a wealth of knowledge so stay posted to learn more from him in the near future.

Timestamps:

00:00 Byron’s Background

02:51 What It’s Like Protecting The Top 1%

07:06 The responsibility of private security and who should do it

10:19 The Most Important Trait For Success In The Industry

16:53 How To Transition From Military Into Private Security

20:42 What Protectors Don’t Get Taught In Training

26:42 Staying Prepared For Anything In Private Security

31:46 How To Stay Safe As A Civilian

34:53 The security risk of being comfortable

37:27 One of The Fastest Growing Industries in The USA

39:53 The 4 Pillars of Private Protection

44:49 How To Be The Protector of Your Family

47:26 Paranoia and PTSD

51:44 The First Step of Self-Defense

55:23 Lessons From Combat In Iraq

58:17 Mission Statement

1:00:55 How To Get In Contact with Byron

#29 - Matt Green: Befriending The FBI Director, Working For The 43rd President, Being Arnold Schwarzenegger's Right Hand & Becoming A Featured Fitness Model Jan 24, 2022

Show notes

Welcome back to the Iron Sights Podcast! In this episode, I sat down with Matt Green. When Matt was in his early twenties, he had already made his way into the White House, befriended the former FBI Director and gained the trust of the 43rd President of the United States. Matt was born in California, but spent his early life living in Texas. He describes his background as an Eagle Scout and reporting directly to President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. While starting his political career at the White House, Green sparked the attention of Arnold Schwarzenegger, who flew Matt Green back to California to discuss the opportunity of working beside him while serving as Governor of California. After exemplifying a passion for service driven pursuits, Matt turned his love for service inward and began weightlifting. Before Matt Green was a featured Muscle & Fitness model, he weighed under 145lbs, wasn’t genetically blessed and had never lifted a single weight in his life. Our conversation digresses into the world and evolution of Bodybuilding, modeling and monetizing a following on social media. Matt’s diverse background in politics, fitness, entrepreneurship and business made this interview one of the most fascinating 120 minutes in Iron Sights history. For more information on Matt Green visit his website: https://www.mattgreen-fitness.com/
Timestamps:

00:00 Welcoming Matt Green

01:43 Matt Green’s Fitness Background

04:13 Matt Green’s Background

11:53 Befriending The FBI Director and Reporting To The 43rd President

17:31 Behind The Scenes Stories Working For The President

20:25 Craziest Story Working with The White House

29:08 Working At the White House During The Time of 9-11

32:16 How Matt Started Working For Arnold Schwarzenegger

40:06 The Superpowers Matt Learned Working For Arnold Schwarzenegger

45:59 How Matt Got Into Muscle & Fitness Magazine

48:47 Why You Should Fail At Everything You Do

52:27 Crazy Stories Working With Arnold Schwarzenegger

57:57 The Secret To Becoming A Fitness Model

1:12:22 The World of Bodybuilding (Early Days & The Downfall)

1:19:47 The Ugliest Side of Bodybuilding & Health/Fitness

1:22:15 The Gay History of Bodybuilding

1:33:56 How To Monetize Fitness IG Channels: Starting C4

1:39:37 Working National Nuclear Security

1:43:43 Advising The Current Government: County, State, Federal, POTUS.

1:54:04 The Harm In Taking Blame For What’s Happened

1:55:28 The Biggest Problem Is Americans

1:59:28 Closing Statements

#2 After Dark - JP: Dropping Out of High School To Play Halo, Going from 300lbs to Fit, Healthy and Athletic, Finding Motivation Through CrossFit, The Gun Conversation That Everyone Should Hear & How To Bring The Pro/Anti Gun Communities Together Jan 21, 2022

Show notes

In this After Dark episode of the Iron Sights Podcast, I sat down with the founder of Train with Purpose, my good friend JP. If you’ve ever felt uneducated, unhealthy or overweight you can understand how hard it can be to find a purpose big enough to transform your situation and take the necessary action towards improving everything that you dislike about yourself. JP was all three: a high school dropout who turned to alcohol and at one point weighed over 300lbs. We discuss the ups and downs of JP’s journey and the breaking point that made him realize his greatness. This episode covers the pros and cons of CrossFit and how health & fitness causes people to check their ego at the door and find the motivation to become better. JP has rapidly grown a following on social media through launching his personal brand @trainwithpurposeofficial where he documents the lifestyle Iron Sights promotes wholeheartedly. The second half of this conversation dives deep into the 2A community and gun rights. How can we create a conversation surrounding firearms that bring people together and create a country where everyone can feel protected, heard, understood and prepared for a future worth fighting for? I hope you enjoy JP! He’s already scheduled to come back next week.

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcoming JP To Iron Sights

00:30 The Best Part of The Fitness Industry

05:28 Dropping Out of High School To Play Halo

13:32 Quitting Alcohol and Getting Sober

20:21 The History, G.O.A.T.S, and Evolution of CrossFit

29:51 Scott Howell’s Fitness Origin Story

35:44 How JP Went From 300lbs To In Shape & Healthy

41:47 The Boomerang of Helicopter Parenting

44:36 What’s Made JP A Great Coach

47:13 What CrossFit Teaches You

49:18 Launching The Train with Purpose Brand

54:27 This is America: Why JP Bought A Gun

1:02:11 Breaking Down The 2021 San Jose Riots

1:10:10 Don’t Train Just To Look Good - Do This Instead

1:15:14 The Conversation about Firearms You Need To Hear

1:37:38 The Firearm Community Is Losing Their Voice

1:45:15 Multi-Training for Triathlon

1:46:39 How The Name “Red Dot Fitness” Was Created

2:02:34 Episode Closing Summary

#1 After Dark - Jordan and Callaway Cook: Founding Paragon Body, Bringing Wellness To Silicon Valley, Tequila, Getting Arrested & Small Town Stories Jan 19, 2022

Show notes

Welcome back to the Iron Sights Podcast! In this episode of Iron Sights, we are kicking off a new series: After Dark. Jordan and Callaway Cook stopped by the studio to talk shop and catch up. Jordan Cook is the founder of Paragon Body, a rising health & wellness brand delivering corporate wellness solutions to individuals and companies worldwide. Since the founding of Paragon Body, their holistic structure for corporate wellness has been used by some of the largest global brands. To learn more about Paragon Body you can visit their website at https://www.paragonbody.com/

This is the story of how two brothers from rural Georgia made their way to establishing one of my favorite brands in silicon valley. Get ready for a new format, because we’re removing the corporate veil, drinking some booze and diving deep into what it takes to start a business and go from zero to hero in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome To Iron Sights After Dark

02:50 Getting to Know The Brothers Over Shots of Tequila

08:43 Hunting Racoons and Getting Pulled Over By The Cops

14:22 Small Town Stories: Getting Arresting In Rural Georgia

17:38 The Pros and Cons of Drinking As a Minor

19:47 Moving To California From Georgia As A Personal Trainer

29:12 How Callaway Started In The Fitness Business

30:34 How Tough Is It To Be A Teenage Boy

32:21 Working For LA Fitness and City Sports

38:26 The Life of A Trainer

40:53 Going Into Business As Brothers & Personal Trainers

46:51 The Standard of Red Dot Fitness

51:57 Outreach As A Small Business Gym Owner In San Mateo County

1:01:11 Accomplishing Business and Fitness Milestones in 2022

1:06:53 Virtually Scaling A Business

1:09:46 Calloway’s Self-Improvement

1:10:58 The Bachelors of San Jose While Balancing Work

1:15:21 My Goals For 2022 Including Family and Lifestyle

1:17:23 Jordan’s 2022 Goals and What Makes People Happy

1:23:25 Closing Statements

#28 - Donnie Oliver: VP of Global Franchise Operations UFC GYMS, why the fitness industry is their own worst enemy, the result of helicopter parenting, 39 countries & 1000 new locations, global health & fitness success starts with the kids Jan 18, 2022

Show notes

Ep 28: After 18 years in the space, Donnie Oliver is an experienced leader, consultant and operator with a demonstrated successful track record working in the health wellness and fitness industry. He’s obtained elite level skill in a broad range of topics including Leadership, Sales Training and Development, CRM, and Retail to Corrective and Performance Exercise Specialties. He’s a uniquely strong sales professional with a B.A. focused in Communications from Penn State University. Donnie is currently the VP of Global Franchise Operations for UFC GYMS, a brand quickly on the path to have well over 1000 locations across 39+ countries. In this episode we reconnect on previous experiences including the good, the bad, and the ugly, that paved the way to success. We dig into the past, present, and future of the fitness industry and what it will take to be a successful gym owner or operator in the short and long term. There’s valuable insight into the impacts of culture on our health, how to become a better leader, and why the fitness industry is their own worst enemy. Iron Sights podcast is hosted by Scott Howell. *Please make sure to leave a review if you enjoyed the podcast!

#27 - Steve Stonehouse: Director of Education at STRIDE Franchise, resiliency & having the ability to adapt, knowing what you don’t want, leadership by example, condoms at the front door, and taking steps backwards in order to move forward Jan 11, 2022

Show notes

Ep 27: With over 2 decades as a fitness club operator and health & wellness educator, Steve Stonehouse has contributed as a leader to some of the most iconic brands in the industry. His career started as a fitness coach and he worked his way up from the gym floor at 24 Hour Fitness, became a multi-unit manager, and was the VP of Fitness of one of the world biggest brands, UFC. Steve is currently the Director of Education at STRIDE - Xponential Fitness brand and national franchise of premium treadmill studios that cater to clients of all ages and fitness levels. His experience across multiple consumer markets and market segments makes him an expert in the field of fitness, club operations, and organizational leadership. In this episode Steve candidly talks about his career path, the ups and downs, the leadership lessons learned, and provides insight on the future of the industry and the current landscape of fitness. Iron Sights podcast is hosted by Scott Howell. *Please make sure to leave a review if you enjoyed the podcast!

#26 - Justin Brink: Not your typical DC, solutions over protocols, the non-templated success formula, the truth about skills acquisition, untapped diversity in our healthcare model, practicing humility & why today's white belt will never be a black belt Jan 04, 2022

Show notes

Ep 26: Dr. Justin Brink was motivated by the self-healing power of the human body after suffering a severe strain in his lower back while playing water polo. Chiropractic became the path Dr. Brink wanted to pursue and went on to complete his doctorate at Palmer College of Chiropractic West. He’s been involved with Rocktape™ since its inception in 2009, as co-author of “Power Taping: Taping Movements, Not Muscles,” and as a Certified Instructor, teaching the theory and application of Rocktape™ to numerous Medical Doctors, Chiropractors, Physical Therapists and Massage Therapists nationwide. Dr. Brink’s extensive training and his effective use of multiple therapies have attracted the following of many professional athletes, including triathletes and UFC and Strikeforce MMA fighters, boxers, and soccer players. In this episode Brink describes why he’s not your typical chiropractor and the truth about templated health care. He candidly talks about the truths and myths associated with the education system and how to navigate through it as an aspiring professional. We discuss being a private practitioner and business owner in today's unhealthy culture and how to be successful. And, Brink provides insight to why and how education will be the future of how we get healthy physically, mentally, and emotionally. Iron Sights podcast is hosted by Scott Howell. *Please make sure to leave a review if you enjoyed the podcast!

#25 - Chris Cheng: Part 2 of 2 - Public policy & the discriminatory impacts, changing stereotypes & shifting focus to suicide prevention & mental health, and mindset shifts for creating impactful change surrounding firearms culture Dec 28, 2021

Show notes

Ep 25: Chris Cheng is a media personality, strategic consultant, and civil rights advocate in the firearms community. He worked for Google from 2007-2012 in many capacities. In 2011, Cheng decided to try something wacky and audition for History Channel's Top Shot Season 4 shooting competition, having not one shooting award to his name, nor any formal shooting instruction. Cheng is History Channel's Top Shot Season 4 Champion -- he beat 17 professional marksmen and won a $100,000 cash prize, the title of "Top Shot," and a pro marksman contract with Bass Pro Shops. He left Google in June 2012 to pursue a career in the outdoor industry full time. He works closely with the National Rifle Association, the National Shooting Sports Foundation on the Outreach Advisory Council, and the California Rifle & Pistol Association on promoting the shooting sports and protecting our Second Amendment rights. He recently created some controversy as the cover model of Recoil Magazine and used the artwork to enter into the world of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). In this 2 part episode Chris articulates his life and professional experience as gay Asian-American within the firearms community. He walks through his testimony in front of the U.S. Senate and his crusade to evolve the conversation around 2nd amendment rights and his frustration with the disproportionate amount of conversation between mass shootings as opposed to suicide and mental health. He hopes to bring awareness to both gun owners and non gun owners about how to have a different conversation and build community through the technology of NFTs. Iron Sights podcast is hosted by Scott Howell. *Please make sure to leave a review if you enjoyed the podcast!

#24 - Chris Cheng: Part 1 of 2 - Winner of History Channel’s Top Shot, from technology to firearms advocacy, LGBT & 2A culture, dualism of being Asian-American, the emergence of NFTs & how they can build community Dec 21, 2021

Show notes

Ep 24: Chris Cheng is a media personality, strategic consultant, and civil rights advocate in the firearms community. He worked for Google from 2007-2012 in many capacities. In 2011, Cheng decided to try something wacky and audition for History Channel's Top Shot Season 4 shooting competition, having not one shooting award to his name, nor any formal shooting instruction. Cheng is History Channel's Top Shot Season 4 Champion -- he beat 17 professional marksmen and won a $100,000 cash prize, the title of "Top Shot," and a pro marksman contract with Bass Pro Shops. He left Google in June 2012 to pursue a career in the outdoor industry full time. He works closely with the National Rifle Association, the National Shooting Sports Foundation on the Outreach Advisory Council, and the California Rifle & Pistol Association on promoting the shooting sports and protecting our Second Amendment rights. He recently created some controversy as the cover model of Recoil Magazine and used the artwork to enter into the world of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). In this 2 part episode Chris articulates his life and professional experience as gay Asian-American within the firearms community. He walks through his testimony in front of the U.S. Senate and his crusade to evolve the conversation around 2nd amendment rights and his frustration with the disproportionate amount of conversation between mass shootings as opposed to suicide and mental health. He hopes to bring awareness to both gun owners and non gun owners about how to have a different conversation and build community through the technology of NFTs. Iron Sights podcast is hosted by Scott Howell. *Please make sure to leave a review if you enjoyed the podcast!

#23 - Adam Saucedo: Expert Mindset Coach, establishing control & recalibrating the leadership mindset, hula hoops, the consequences of not handling your sh*t, making adjustments & planning for success, & the art of preparing to do things differently Dec 14, 2021

Show notes

Ep 23: Adam Saucedo, M.A. is a Mindset Coach who helps clients enhance their mind-body connection to achieve optimal performance results. He empowers his clients by coaching them on how to best develop and personalize the mental skills and lifestyle habits necessary to achieve balance and consistency. In this episode Adam provides actionable tips on how to recalibrate your mindset and the mindset of the leaders in your life, business, and on your team. He talks about the importance of reestablishing control and the consequences of not handling the very real things that prevent us from reaching our ultimate potential. Adam defines what means to synchronize your intent while creating a universal language with those around you. This episode is rich with tools and practices for improving performance as an athlete, leader, parent, partner, business owner, and beyond. Iron Sights podcast is hosted by Scott Howell. *Please make sure to leave a review if you enjoyed the podcast!

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