Show notes
What happens when you try to build a global movement teaching people how to breathe in an industry exploding with competition?
Gary Torrens, co-founder and Second in Command at Soma Breath, sits down with Cameron Herold to reveal what most operators never say out loud. This conversation punches into operational realities: remote chaos, hiring struggles, visionary partner dynamics, and the brutal truth about what actually works when building a scalable certification business.
Breathwork is everywhere, but Soma Breath’s story is different. You’ll hear how they went from wild psilocybin-fueled vision quests in Thailand to leading thousands of facilitators and facing the tough tradeoffs of pricing, growth, and culture. If you want to understand the Second in Command power dynamic and see the inside of a company growing faster than most can handle, this episode is your shortcut.
Listen now or risk missing the real-world roadmap and the costly mistakes that separate scalable movements from also-rans. Only here: Gary’s unfiltered answers and their playbook for the next stage.
This episode is brought to you by our Silver Sponsor, Next Level Growth.
They help COOs and leadership teams build Elite Organizations through a proven, customizable framework built around the Five Obsessions of Elite Organizations.
If you and your leadership team are ready to operate at the next level, take the Elite Organizations Assessment and receive a free 20-page customized report based on your answers, plus a complimentary one-hour coaching session with a Next Level Growth Partner and Business Guide to begin implementing tools that will help you build an even more elite business.
Complete the assessment here to get started - nextlevelgrowth.com/cooassessment
Timestamped Highlights
06:53 – The unexpected business model nobody saw coming
10:14 – Ancient breathing meets modern science: the strategy that sparked a movement
13:10 – Why they priced the membership low—and the hidden risks
17:16 – Remote chaos: problems they never saw coming with a global team
22:10 – The controversial move to focus on city-based expansion
24:19 – The real marketing mess they had to fix after explosive growth
27:08 – The truth behind their biggest revenue engine
34:07 – Gary’s brutal leadership lesson that changed everything
About the Guest
Gary Torrens is co-founder and COO of Soma Breath. He helped turn a visionary idea blending ancient breathwork, modern science, and music into a global certification platform with 4,000+ facilitators. With a background in physics, finance, and digital marketing, Gary is known for building systems that scale impact, not just revenue.
🔗 LinkedIn | Website
Mentioned Resources
Important Links
The Second in Command Podcast is an original production hosted by Cameron Herold. Brought to you by COO Alliance. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.
This episode is brought to you by our Silver Sponsor, Next Level Growth.
They help COOs and leadership teams build Elite Organizations through a proven, customizable framework built around the Five Obsessions of Elite Organizations.
If you and your leadership team are ready to operate at the next level, take the Elite Organizations Assessment and receive a free 20-page customized report based on your answers, plus a complimentary one-hour coaching session with a Next Level Growth Partner and Business Guide to begin implementing tools that will help you build an even more elite business.
Complete the assessment here to get started - nextlevelgrowth.com/cooassessment
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