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Mondays with Matt is a weekly short-form podcast from Barbell Logic founder Matt Reynolds, delivering practical lessons on strength training, coaching, and business you can apply immediately. Each episode blends real stories, clear takeaways, and simple actions you can take this week to move forward with confidence.
New episodes every Monday.
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Time is your most precious resource. You can make more money and you can work harder, but you cannot make more time. We all have 24 hours in a day and we all have a finite amount of days to live (we will die). Make the most of your time, and learn how to leverage effort and money to open up as much time as possible in your life.
Time Is Your Most Precious Resource: Can't Create More
You have three resources you can pull from: time, money, energy.
You should work hard. This is a must as an entrepreneur. Do the work.
If you are young or poor (and often they go together) you will have to spend more time doing things for yourself.
As you grow older and more experienced, hopefully you have made more money. You need to buy back your time, using money to free up time.
This means paying for others to take care of urgent, non-important tasks, both high skill or low skill. This helps you avoid drowning in urgency.
Time is Your Most Precious Resource: MED for Maximum Impact
You need to consider the likely impact on the business and likely investment of resources. Rate each on a scale of 1-5.
If there are low resource, high impact actions you can take, these are no brainers. Do them. Now.
High resource, low impact actions you should avoid.
The harder choices are the high resource, high impact or low resource, low impact actions.
Where many owners may not think clearly here is with sunken costs. Oftentimes, certain clients suck energy, time, and money out of your business but put little money into the business. Fire these people. Hire more clients like your best clients that take the lowest number of resources.
Time is your most precious resource. Leverage it and other resources intelligently for the maximum impact on your business.
#BusinessGrowth #CoachingTips #ClientSuccess
PS - Coach Smarter, Earn More: https://bit.ly/3X4ixOX Matt's Links Website: https://ryanmattreynolds.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reynoldsstrong/?hl=en Chris's Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismreynolds/
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
When Work is Your Passion, Work Feels Like Play
You spend a lot of life at work. If you're an entrepreneur, unless you plan to fail, you will spend more than most people at it.
Don't do something you hate. Don't blindly do something you think you love.
As you practice something, you tend to love it over time. You will not know unless you expose yourself to different things and pursue them with some real effort.
What it Takes to Succeed: Be An Outlier
Most businesses fail. If you do what everyone else is doing, you will get the same results.
Working hard and intelligently at something over time will set you apart.
Remember you're not a technician as an owner. You need to understand your field, read, expose yourself to new ideas, think about where your business needs to go, and call up customers and prospects and learn about their pain points.
When work is your passion, work feels like play.
How to Make Work Fun
Learn to love what you do. Engage deeply with problems and the pain points. See these as the primary things you were put on earth to solve.
Become the world's leading expert in something. Truly master something - become excellent in this thing.
Pair things you already love with this, for example coffee, walking, traveling, etc.
We often think work is worse than it is. It is not pleasurable every moment. But lean into the challenges and truly embrace the pursuit.
When work is your passion, work feels like play.
PS - Coach Smarter, Earn More: https://bit.ly/3X4ixOX Matt's Links Website: https://ryanmattreynolds.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reynoldsstrong/?hl=en Chris's Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismreynolds/
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Core values serve as guiding principles that help individuals and organizations make decisions aligned with their highest ideals. They are incredibly important, and should not be posted on the wall and forgotten, but known by all and followed by all. Core values must be reflected in the company culture, hiring process, and leadership.
Why Core Values Matter:
Core values define the highest ideals for yourself to act. They serve as guidelines for goals, actions, and other decisions.
These will drive actions. They will provide a standard to guide hard decisions.
Core values should align with who you are and what you believe in. Don't create core values that you can't live up to.
These need to be reflected in your company culture. They cannot be posted on the wall but known by no one. You cannot ignore them. If someone is exposed to your business, will they say that your core values are reflected in their interaction with your company.
How to Identify Your Core Values
Even if you do not know your core values, you have them.
Identify attributes that you find attractive or motivational (or, find features that bother you). You might also think about your legacy and how you want to be seen. If you have someone who can speak honestly to you, you could see how they see you now.
You might think about things you regularly do or need to do and post them up quickly on a wall. Start to group these activities. You can begin to see values that you follow.
Once identified, you should prioritize them. Once you have your core values identified and prioritized, you can begin to develop your GAMEplan, which will move you from where you or your company are now to where you want to go.
PS - Coach Smarter, Earn More: https://bit.ly/3X4ixOX Matt's Links Website: https://ryanmattreynolds.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reynoldsstrong/?hl=en Chris's Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismreynolds/
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Be a person of action and officially start your business today with these easy steps:
Starting a Business: 3 Steps to Do Today
Matt and Chris Reynolds discuss the essential steps to starting a business, emphasizing the importance of taking action and not just acquiring knowledge. They outline the three primary steps to officially start a business:
The conversation also covers the significance of choosing a business name, managing finances, and the tax advantages of being a business owner. The hosts encourage listeners to take immediate action and set goals for their business in the new year.
Be a person of action, open your business today!
PS - Coach Smarter, Earn More: https://bit.ly/3X4ixOX Matt's Links Website: https://ryanmattreynolds.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reynoldsstrong/?hl=en Chris's Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismreynolds/
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Starting a business feels risky, overwhelming, and downright scary—but it doesn't have to be. In this episode of the *Build Your Business Podcast*, brothers Matt and Chris Reynolds draw on nearly 40 years of combined experience to reveal how they went from fear to freedom in their entrepreneurial journeys.
Discover practical steps to balance your day job while building your dream business. Learn why "safe" jobs aren't as secure as they seem, how to assess real risk, and the secret to setting yourself up for success—even before you quit your 9-to-5.
Hear Matt's story of turning a passion for lifting into a thriving gym business and Chris's transition from a secure tech career to building software companies from scratch. Packed with personal stories, actionable advice, and inspiration, this episode is your roadmap to overcoming fear and taking control of your future.
If you've ever wondered, "Is it worth it to start my own business?"—this episode will give you the confidence to make the leap.
PS - Coach Smarter, Earn More: https://bit.ly/3X4ixOX Matt's Links Website: https://ryanmattreynolds.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reynoldsstrong/?hl=en Chris's Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismreynolds/
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
You are responsible for the financial health of your business, so you must have a good handle on your business's finances. This includes understanding basic business metrics that matters, using leading indicators, and ensuring a profitable business. We walk you through mastering financial management for business owners.
Have a Good Handle on Your Business's Finances
You must understand, in real time, where money is going in and out of your business. You cannot delegate this to someone else (and early on, you cannot afford to have someone else manage this any way).
What is your top line revenue? What is your net profit, gross profit, etc. Matt discusses these business metrics that mattered here.
If you do not understand what is going on in your business financially, you will get surprised.
The metrics you assess need to be leading indicators, not lagging indicators. For example, Matt used an accountant for Barbell Logic that would give the financial numbers for the previous month two weeks after the end of the month. This is too late to course correct.
Mastering Financial Management for Business Owners: Profit First
Matt and Chris love the approach outlined in the book Profit First, which helps you better understand your business's finance and helps you ensure your business creates profit.
You organize the money in your account, either using a bank account that lets you create sub-accounts or using something like YNAB where you can assign purposes to the money.
You must assign money to profit. Start with 1%. The point is it helps you build the habit of assigning money to profit. You need to increase this percentage over time.
You can end up paying yourself the profit or strategically reinvesting it into the business.
The other areas to assign money toward include:
How to Get Your Business Lean
A key action in mastering financial management for business owners is getting lean.
You almost certainly want to increase your revenue, but this takes time, usually comes with cost, and takes time.
The fastest way to get profitable, the MED way, is to cut costs, specifically in operating expenses (as opposed to cost of goods or payroll).
You have to keep your business from burning cash and keep it there.
Negotiate costs for subscriptions. Most of the time you can email a business that you plan to cancel something, and they will offer you a discount.
If you have not been using a service, you also can often cancel it effectively some time in the past.
Using 1099 contractors can help reduce costs as well.
You have to master financial management of your business. It may be hard, but it is crucial and worth the time and effort.
PS - Coach Smarter, Earn More: https://bit.ly/3X4ixOX Matt's Links Website: https://ryanmattreynolds.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reynoldsstrong/?hl=en Chris's Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismreynolds/
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Matt and Chris discuss the merits of bootstrapping a business versus seeking external funding.
Why You Should Bootstrap Your Business: 3 Levers to Pull
A business owner has 3 levers to pull to push the gas pedal: time, effort, and money (or capital).
Early on, you need to maximize time and effort and use the company's revenue to build the budget. This is what bootstrapping is.
You are going to have to work long hours, work hard and efficiently.
You will need obsessive drive to push you along the path for decades.
Why You Should Bootstrap Your Business: Pressure is Good
As a business owner, you have to get used to stress. This stress is good and will drive you to improve yourself (as owner, manager, and technician) and the business.
If you take on money, it is easier to not feel the pressure. This is bad. You should feel the pressure early on. It will help motivate you to push harder and think creatively.
You will build excellent habits during this period and great habits within the business. These habits will carry on if you take on debt or investment.
Why You Should Bootstrap Your Business: Maximum Flexibility
Once you take on equity, it is harder to pivot the business to potential opportunities.
Your idea is going to have to change. Iterating intelligently will improve the business. Don't be wedded to the initial idea, but be open to change as you learn more about the business and the market.
It is much harder to do this if you have to justify pivots to a board.
Learn why you should bootstrap your business.
PS - Coach Smarter, Earn More: https://bit.ly/3X4ixOX Matt's Links Website: https://ryanmattreynolds.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reynoldsstrong/?hl=en Chris's Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismreynolds/
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Not everyone is cut out to be an entrepreneur, but you might be. If you're a great technician and want to start a business, you will have to become a good manager and owner to run a successful business.
Passion Project or Potential Business: Master Your Craft
Matt and Chris stress that in order to run a successful business, you have to learn how to manage and own that business. First things first, though. Do you have a great product or service? You have to be a great technician.
You may be an electrician, cook, coach, developer. If you start your own business, you own the business and you manage the business.
Before this, though, you need to master your craft.
This does not mean you're world class, but you have to have a solid understanding of the technical aspects of the business. This foundation helps you become a better manager and owner.
Passion Project or Potential Business: Technician to Manager
MBAs usually make bad managers. You want an A player who is a good technician who shows the potential and desire to manage other technicians.
As a manager, you are leading technicians. You help make them more effective, get them resources they need, and train them.
Eventually, you are training and identifying potential managers and training them.
This is a hard skill that Matt and Chris think no one has innately. It is important, however, if you own your business to be a good manager.
Passion Project or Potential Business: Owning Your Business
Being a good owner means working on the business, not in the business.
Working in the business is being driven by day-to-day urgent tasks. Ultimately, you're not free, but chained to the needs of the business. You do not own the business, the business owns you.
You have to be thinking of how the business can become better, more profitable. This means understanding business trends, looking into the future, casting a vision, and communicating your ideas to your employees.
At first, you're the only employee. You still have to do this, or your business will fail.
Do you have a passion project or potential business!? It could be, but the hard-earned wisdom of Matt and Chris can help you make a better decision and execute that decision better.
PS - Coach Smarter, Earn More: https://bit.ly/3X4ixOX Matt's Links Website: https://ryanmattreynolds.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reynoldsstrong/?hl=en Chris's Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismreynolds/
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Essential Tools for Productivity: Time Saving Products, Services, & Hacks
For both Matt and Chris, noise-cancelling headphones help them focus, at home or on the road, and get important and urgent work done efficiently.
Too many look myopically to save money, when they eat up too much time (which loses them money) and have things done poorly.
Matt and Chris both recommend hiring people for the menial tasks (shoveling the driveway, cutting firewood, grocery delivery, lawncare) and the high skills tasks (building a website, designing a logo, etc.).
Intelligently investing money in these areas saves you time in the long-term and makes you more money in the long-term. Ultimately, in both case you will see more value, in your life and business.
Essential Tools for Productivity: Leverage AI
If you're not using AI, you need to. Lots of cool AI tools exist, that help save you time in different ways.
Essential Tools for Productivity: Books & Podcasts
Matt and Chris both love to use the combination of Kindle and Audible to consume books. They synchronize, so if you listen to a book in Audible and then later read it in Kindle, you will pick up where you last left off in Audible.
If they book is excellent, they buy a physical copy as well.
Below are some of their favorite books:
Below are some of their favorite podcasts:
Essential Tools for Productivity: Sleep
Matt cares about sleep. You should too. Below are some of his favorite gadgets (general and branded).
Essential Tools for Productivity: Health & Fitness
Whether it's fitness or hygiene, taking care of yourself helps you take care of your business. Don't short yourself here.
Essential Tools for Productivity: Food, Coffee, Cooking
If you regularly do something (drink coffee, cook, etc.) then you should spend some money making that task easier and more pleasurable. This applies to the kitchen as well.
Essential Tools for Productivity: Content Creation
If you're going to create content or regularly be on business video calls, you need to invest in high-quality microphones and cameras. It will make you stand out.
PS - Coach Smarter, Earn More: https://bit.ly/3X4ixOX Matt's Links Website: https://ryanmattreynolds.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reynoldsstrong/?hl=en Chris's Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismreynolds/
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Building a compelling Founder Brand rooted in authenticity and storytelling can help entrepreneurs attract clients and grow their businesses. Follow these actionable strategies for overcoming fear, creating consistent content, and shifting focus from price to value to stand out in a crowded market.
The Concept of Founder Branding
People connect with people, not brands. A founder's personal story serves as the essential bridge between the audience and the brand, helping to build trust and relatability. Examples such as Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, and Jeff Bezos highlight how a founder's narrative creates a lasting impression that draws people in.
Authenticity and Vulnerability Sharing personal challenges and failures, such as overcoming setbacks or navigating struggles, allows others to see the human side of the business. This openness fosters deeper connections and builds trust.Overcoming Fear of Visibility
Many business owners hesitate to put themselves out there due to fear of judgment or criticism. The episode stresses that confidence comes with practice and consistency. Facing those fears head-on is the only way to grow and establish a meaningful presence. When it comes to choosing platforms for content, the discussion outlines strategic options: LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter) are ideal for B2B, while Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and X work well for B2C. The recommendation is to start with one platform to ensure consistency before expanding to others.
Choosing the Right Social Media Platforms
Content creation strategies are also a major focus. Drawing inspiration from daily activities, customer interactions, and common questions provides a steady stream of relevant material. Long-form content, such as podcasts or blogs, can be repurposed into shorter clips for social media to maximize reach. Repetition is encouraged, as most audiences won't see every post, and consistent messaging helps reinforce key ideas. Finally, the episode addresses the importance of being selective with your audience. Having a clear point of view, even if it repels certain people, ensures alignment with the right clients and saves time by filtering out those who aren't a good fit. Trust, built through consistent, value-driven content, ultimately leads to stronger conversions and long-term success.
PS - Coach Smarter, Earn More: https://bit.ly/3X4ixOX Matt's Links Website: https://ryanmattreynolds.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reynoldsstrong/?hl=en Chris's Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismreynolds/
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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