In this Unsexy Coaching check-in, we walk through Alex’s week: six workouts, six days of hitting his macros, and more progress in weight or reps. Aaron challenges the idea that a weekly win needs to be something extraordinary. Sometimes the achievement is doing what you said you would do. We also talk about how Aaron’s nutrition changes helped him get more from an already established gym habit, what keeps him coming back, and how his own aches have changed the way he trains.

Then there’s the less polished update: Alex has started the new week feeling exhausted and missing his usual gym time. We talk about listening to your body, making exercise part of your routine, and finding personal reasons to keep going. If your progress feels ordinary lately, this conversation is a reminder to give the repeated work some credit.

• Recognize completed workouts and consistent nutrition as meaningful weekly wins.
• Track strength progress through increases in either weight or reps.
• Build a gym routine that doesn’t depend on feeling excited every day.
• Consider fatigue and recovery when reflecting on missed workouts.
• Identify personal reminders that help you reconnect with your reasons for training.

00:00 Unsexy Coaching check-in
01:02 Weight, workouts, macros, and daily steps
03:13 Recognizing strength progress and weekly wins
04:47 How aches changed Aaron’s approach to training
07:32 When fitness starts feeling boring
09:14 Making the gym part of your routine
10:03 How nutrition changed Aaron’s results
10:40 Exhaustion, missed workouts, and listening to your body
13:19 Looking back to find motivation

We get into Alex’s experience running 10 miles a day, why he’s enjoying lifting more, and how Aaron’s experiences with shoulder pain shaped his preference for dumbbells and more isolated movements. Along the way, we debate the difference between getting exhausted and training toward a specific goal, the exercises we’d rather do instead, and why we’ve learned to pay attention when a movement feels off. These are our personal rankings, shaped by our goals, preferences, and mistakes.

Underneath the disagreements is something we both come back to: finding exercise you enjoy matters. Your routine should reflect what you want to accomplish and what you’re willing to keep doing. You might disagree with half our list, but hopefully it gets you thinking about yours. Tell us which exercise you’d happily retire—and which one we got completely wrong.

• Match exercise choices to your own goals instead of treating every popular movement as mandatory.
• Recognize the distinction we draw between feeling exhausted and pursuing muscle growth.
• Explore why Aaron prefers dumbbells and machines for many of his workouts.
• Hear how uncomfortable movements and past injuries changed our training choices.
• Reconsider exercises you dread when building a routine you’ll keep doing.

00:00 Our most overrated exercises
02:13 Why squats made both lists
05:29 Upright rows and Aaron’s shoulder pain
08:44 Box jumps and Alex’s training priorities
10:47 Why Aaron skips barbell deadlifts
13:02 Why Alex fell out of love with running
16:36 Military press and the dumbbell preference
19:05 Burpees, bench press, and workout tradeoffs
23:00 Why CrossFit tops Alex’s list
27:52 Finding exercise you actually enjoy

Alex checks in with six workouts, an average of 16,000 daily steps, and noticeable changes in his back. We discuss reaching the gym’s dumbbell limit on Romanian deadlifts, refining technique, and whether different exercises would make training more enjoyable. Aaron shares his own approach to familiar lifts, increasing weight, and deciding when a change might be useful.

We also revisit Alex’s disappointment with a DEXA scan and the perspective that’s helping him move past it: someone else’s years of training aren’t a fair benchmark for your first stretch of consistency. If you’ve been questioning your progress or itching to replace your whole program, this conversation offers a practical reason to pause, notice what’s improving, and think about what you can keep doing for the next year.

• Track weekly habits alongside physical changes to recognize progress.
• Choose a personal goal that makes continued training feel worthwhile.
• Refine familiar movements before assuming you need different exercises.
• Consider weight, reps, and exercise preferences when reviewing your routine.
• Put disappointing results in perspective by considering your training history.

00:00 Weekly check-in: weight, workouts, and steps
02:11 New goals and visible muscle growth
03:57 Reaching the dumbbell limit on Romanian deadlifts
04:53 Gym etiquette and unsolicited advice
07:28 Easier mornings and a better sleep routine
08:30 Does the workout routine need a refresh?
09:43 Exercise variations and personal preferences
13:16 Getting better at familiar lifts
15:22 Moving past DEXA disappointment and thinking long term

Brady shares how a demanding house fire exposed a gap between feeling fit and being prepared for what his job could require. We talk about how that experience changed his training, why vague goals can leave you stuck, and what keeps him moving after roughly 15 years of fitness ups and downs. We also get into basement workouts, simple nutrition habits, and making room for shared meals without abandoning everything you’re working toward. Apparently, a firehouse full of hungry firefighters isn’t the ideal audience for your experimental quinoa salad.

We finish with fatherhood, setting an example, and Brady’s approach to habits: make the helpful choices easier and the unhelpful ones harder. If you’ve been waiting to feel motivated again, this conversation offers a practical place to start. You don’t need to pretend you have endless willpower. You can build routines that ask a little less of it.

What You Will Learn

• Recognize how boredom can chip away at consistency after early progress.
• Turn “I want to get stronger” into a goal tied to something you want to do.
• Adapt training to the physical demands you actually face.
• Build repeatable food habits while leaving room for meals with other people.
• Reduce reliance on willpower by making helpful habits easier to follow.

Video Chapters

00:00 Meet Brady Cragun
03:14 Why fitness consistency gets harder over time
08:37 What happens after you reach your goal?
10:32 Staying fit with a basic home gym
16:07 Connecting fitness goals to real demands
20:03 The house fire that exposed Brady’s limits
28:15 Nutrition habits and eating at the firehouse
35:46 Training to be someone others can rely on
41:27 Setting an example for your kids
44:14 Making good habits easier than bad ones

In Episode 16 of the Unsexy Podcast, we’re back for Alex’s 15th coaching check-in with Aaron. We talk through his workouts, questions about hitting macros exactly, and the strength gains he’s starting to notice in everyday moments at the gym. We also compare our experiences with sleep, alcohol, and Aaron’s first stretch without nicotine, including the awkward moment when how you feel and what your sleep tracker says don’t line up neatly. Along the way, we get into gym self-consciousness, recurring aches, and how Aaron is adjusting his own training when heavier weights don’t feel right.

Then there’s Alex’s attempt to branch out and try hiking. Apparently, loving nature and wanting to walk uphill for hours are separate interests. Through it all, we keep coming back to noticing your progress, being honest about your choices, and finding activities you actually want to keep doing.

What You Will Learn

• Recognize strength gains you might overlook when focusing on appearance.
• Understand how Aaron approaches flexibility in Alex’s macro tracking.
• Compare your subjective sleep experience with what your tracker reports.
• Hear how Aaron adjusts weight and rep speed when his back feels uncomfortable.
• Explore new activities without assuming you have to enjoy everyone else’s favorite.

Video Chapters

00:00 Coaching check-in: weight and workouts
01:14 Do you have to hit your macros exactly?
02:54 Alcohol, sleep tracking, and quitting nicotine
06:57 Counting small wins and checking on aches
08:44 Heavy dumbbells start feeling normal
10:20 Getting in your head when people watch you lift
12:23 Comparing muscle size and strength
13:56 Adjusting workouts when your back feels off
14:46 Alex tried hiking—and has some feedback
20:46 Yoga is next and closing thoughts

Bliss Haven Collective - 98 W Main St. Lehi 84043

Current Schedule:

REFIT® on Mondays at 7:00p.m. 

REV+FLOW Thursdays at 9:30a.m.

REFIT® Where We Fit to stay up to date on schedule: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/19oTnijQ6t/

When every fitness video gives you another rule to follow, even getting started can feel exhausting. What if your next step was smaller and something you actually wanted to do again tomorrow? This week, we sit down with Kristen Staker, a homeschooling mom of five and fitness instructor with 10 years of teaching experience, to talk about building a healthy lifestyle you enjoy living.

Kristen shares how she went from dreading runs to finding her rhythm with REFIT, teaching REV+FLOW, and discovering a love for lifting heavy weights. We get into her approach to making favorite meals healthier, helping her kids build habits without making every food decision a battle, and finding a community that makes showing up easier. There are also glow sticks involved, which is more than we can say for our usual dumbbell routine.

We also talk about information overload, giving yourself permission to rest, and why trying to make every moment more efficient can mean missing opportunities to move. Kristen’s approach comes back to one practical idea: start where you are, choose one manageable change, and build from there. If you’ve been waiting for the perfect plan, this conversation offers a few simple places to begin.

What You Will Learn

• Find movement you enjoy enough to keep coming back.
• Adapt favorite foods instead of replacing your entire menu.
• Use community to make showing up feel more inviting.
• Make room for recovery alongside challenging workouts.
• Turn everyday errands into opportunities for extra movement.

Video Chapters

00:00 Meet Kristen Staker
01:43 Finding a fitness lifestyle that lasts
04:19 Small food changes and healthy family habits
09:02 How Kristen approaches ingredient labels
14:25 REFIT, REV and FLOW, and discovering strength training
19:31 Finding community when workouts moved apart
22:51 Balancing workouts, recovery, and fun
33:20 Making fitness welcoming at every level
35:29 Information overload, extra steps, and slowing down
41:16 Keep it simple: Choose one change

We talk through Alex’s reported muscle gains, the equipment limits he hit training at home, and his decision to cut alcohol for the next 90 days. He wants to see what changes in his sleep and his next scan, treating it as a personal experiment. Apparently, we’re adding imaginary lab coats to the podcast budget. We also discuss why building muscle takes patience and why expecting fat loss during a bulk left Alex frustrated with results that still represented progress.

Then we get into the habits behind those results: tracking food, getting to the gym when motivation is missing, and adding changes gradually. We share our frustrations with online fitness advice and discuss the value of accountability that helps you follow through. If you’re trying to overhaul everything at once, this conversation offers a more manageable starting point: pick a habit you can repeat, give it time, and build from there.

• Recognize strength and consistency wins alongside your scan results.
• Match your progress expectations to the goal you’re actually pursuing.
• Spot when your available weights are limiting your training.
• Build routines gradually instead of changing everything at once.
• Look for accountability that supports lasting habits and honest feedback.

00:00 DEXA results and the weekly check-in
02:51 Strength wins and outgrowing the gym equipment
05:11 Why Alex is cutting alcohol for 90 days
06:58 Bulking expectations and the patience muscle takes
09:40 Comparing home workouts with gym training
11:35 Turning disappointing results into motivation
13:37 Building habits one change at a time
15:59 Online fitness advice and the search for validation
19:36 Coaching and lasting accountability

Alex leans toward sour candy flavors and a dependable vacation favorite, while Aaron brings a regular drinker’s perspective on the cans he keeps coming back to. We get into Monster, Ghost, Reign, Gorilla Mind, Rockstar, and a Redline throwback that takes Alex back to playing shows. Along the way, we compare familiar staples with harder-to-find favorites, explain why some flavors wear out their welcome, and discuss how buying by the case changes the cost. Aaron also shares his Greek yogurt and energy drink combination for a creamy twist on his usual flavors.

These are personal taste rankings, with different priorities behind each list. If you’re looking for a flavor to try, a familiar can to revisit, or a reason to defend your own number one, come compare notes—and tell us which drink we left out.

• Identify which sour candy and tropical flavors make Alex’s list.
• Compare Aaron’s everyday staples with his harder-to-find favorites.
• Weigh price and availability alongside taste when choosing a regular drink.
• Discover how Aaron mixes energy drinks with Greek yogurt and ice.
• Understand why Mango Loco and Rockstar Recovery Orange earn the top spots.

00:00 Our top five energy drinks: setting the rules
00:58 Code Red and Monster Ultra Gold
03:35 Alex changes his pick: the Redline throwback
05:24 Aaron’s number four: Monster Lando Norris
06:53 Ghost Sour Patch and the classic white Monster
10:53 Reign Sour Gummy Worm and convention taste tests
13:56 Gorilla Mind Black Cherry Vanilla and cost per can
16:02 Aaron’s Greek yogurt energy drink mix
16:54 Our number one picks: Mango Loco and Rockstar Recovery
21:34 What’s your favorite energy drink?

In episode 14 of the Unsexy Podcast, we walk through what actually happened: five workouts for the week, two days off the usual macros, plenty of walking, and a surprisingly different experience with appetite and portions. We share how our eating habits have felt different over time, why we still found ways to exercise while traveling, and why Alex took his concert-inflated step count with a little skepticism.

It wasn’t a flawless week. We also get into an upset stomach, a missed alarm, an uncomfortable cable exercise setup, and the gym etiquette problem of one person claiming three machines. The takeaway from our experience is simple: keeping a few familiar habits made the trip feel manageable. We enjoyed ourselves, had some setbacks, and came home with a routine to return to.

What You Will Learn

• Keep familiar movement and workout habits in the mix while traveling.
• Recognize changes in your own appetite instead of eating simply because another meal is available.
• Question activity tracker totals when concert movement shows up as steps.
• Adjust your workout schedule when travel or a missed alarm disrupts the plan.
• Practice considerate gym etiquette when sharing busy cable machines.

Video Chapters

00:00 Post-Vegas check-in and weigh-in
01:01 What we ate during the trip
04:09 Weekly workouts, macros, and step counts
06:08 Finding ways to work out while traveling
07:23 Small wins and changing eating habits
09:26 Consistency and the challenge of changing routines
12:11 Travel setbacks, a missed alarm, and workout discomfort
14:44 Gym etiquette: claiming three cable machines
17:44 What we took away from the Vegas weekend

In this episode of the Unsexy Podcast, we’re ranking our favorite protein snacks and drinks based on what we actually reach for. We cover protein chips, Quest cookies, Legendary pastries, Barebells bars, Greek yogurt, and the bottled shakes that keep showing up in our routines: Oikos, Premier Protein, and Fairlife. The rules were supposed to be grab-and-go only, but apparently a toaster oven and a blender were open to interpretation. Along the way, we compare taste, convenience, cost, and how different options fit our own daily macro goals.

These are our personal favorites, with plenty of tradeoffs. Some scratch the dessert itch. Others help us fill a protein gap when we’re traveling or running out of time. We talk about checking more than the protein number, watching for sales, and choosing options you’ll actually enjoy eating. If you need a few ideas for your next grocery run, start here—and tell us which favorites we missed.

• Compare protein content with calories, fat, and carbs before buying.
• Match a snack to the gap in your own daily macros.
• Keep convenient options available for travel and busy days.
• Evaluate whether a sweet protein snack satisfies the craving you bought it for.
• Stretch your snack budget by comparing sale prices and cost per serving.

00:00 Ranking our favorite grab-and-go protein snacks
01:00 Protein chips and Quest cookies: taste versus macros
05:05 Just Bare chicken: bending the grab-and-go rule
07:10 Legendary pastries and the price of convenience
10:26 Oikos shakes: fiber, sodium, and stocking up
12:25 Barebells: Aaron’s favorite protein bars
14:06 Premier Protein: Alex’s everyday convenience pick
15:07 Fairlife: our shared favorite shake
19:11 Greek yogurt and Aaron’s unusual combinations
23:32 Where we shop and our take on protein sodas

Alex checks in at 164.2 pounds after five workouts, six days of hitting his macros, and roughly 19,000 steps a day. We get into why lifting straps have made farmer’s carries and shrugs feel different for him, how getting to the gym is becoming more automatic, and Aaron’s simple approach to difficult mornings: put your feet on the ground first. Apparently, the first rep is getting out of bed.

Then we unpack the noise around fitness: blanket recommendations, chasing the latest study, and unsolicited feedback from someone who hasn’t asked about your goals. We’ve had to question our own assumptions, too—including why we default to certain step targets. The takeaway is practical: define what you want, track what you’re doing, and pay attention to whether it’s working before changing everything. There’s plenty of unsexy work left without rebuilding your plan every time you open your phone.

What You Will Learn

• Clarify someone’s goals before offering workout or nutrition suggestions.
• Recognize when grip strength is limiting the muscles you’re trying to train.
• Make difficult mornings easier by focusing on one small first action.
• Evaluate new fitness advice against your current progress and routine.
• Filter unsolicited feedback by asking whether it applies to your goals.

Video Chapters

00:00 Check-in: weight, workouts, macros, and steps
02:49 Why lifting straps changed Alex’s workouts
05:39 Arm discomfort and discussing a deload
06:52 Showing up when motivation is low
08:13 Why fitness advice needs better questions
11:27 Step targets, fitness trends, and consistency
15:04 Unsolicited advice about Alex’s goals
16:59 Handling criticism on social media
18:10 Where to follow the progress

What happens when the workout routine you used to love becomes the last thing you want to do? You’ve built the habits, you know movement matters, and somehow getting back to the gym still feels wrong. That’s where this conversation with yoga teacher Macie Wood gets interesting.

We talk about her early mornings lifting with friends, the meal prep that worked for her family, and how her approach to fitness changed through motherhood, divorce, and building a blended family. Macie shares how yoga became a steady part of her life alongside therapy, and why her latest season involves more neighborhood hills and slower classes. We also get into raising kids with healthy habits, learning to rest, and remembering that a twelve-year process can sound suspiciously quick when you squeeze it into a podcast. Naturally, we bring our P90X yoga baggage to the conversation.

The thread through all of it is finding something you can keep showing up for and giving yourself room to adjust when life changes. If you’ve been trying to force an old routine into a different season, this episode offers a practical place to start: get curious about what fits your life now.

What You Will Learn

• Build accountability by finding people you enjoy exercising with.
• Simplify meal prep around repeatable meals your family likes.
• Adjust your exercise routine when parenting and priorities change.
• Model cooking, movement, and rest habits kids can carry into adulthood.
• Explore different yoga teachers and styles before deciding it isn’t for you.

Video Chapters

00:00 Meet Macie Wood and her fitness beginnings
02:23 Lifting weights and the fear of getting bulky
04:35 Finding friends who keep you showing up
06:05 Meal prep and finding food balance
08:53 Twelve years of progress and changing routines
13:37 Fitness after another baby
16:28 Helping kids build lasting healthy habits
21:21 Finding yoga and support through life changes
25:54 What if you hate yoga?
29:42 Where to start: consistency and self-compassion

Six workouts in a week, visible progress, and somehow the cheeseburgers still get the most attention. In this episode of the Unsexy Podcast, we’re checking in on week eleven of Alex’s training and talking about a familiar tension: how do you stay accountable without treating every imperfect meal like you’ve ruined everything?

We get into Alex’s weekend eating struggles, what tracking has revealed about our food choices, and why simple meals we actually enjoy have been easier to repeat. Aaron shares how daily check-ins with his coach help him follow through, while Alex explains how walking early helps him build movement into his day. We also talk about seeing back progress after 75 days and Alex’s experience using lifting straps when grip gets in the way.

Then we tackle the question we’ve both asked ourselves: what if we followed the plan perfectly? We don’t know exactly how much that would change our results, and we’re honest about that. What we can share is how we’re balancing personal goals, consistent effort, and enjoying our lives along the way. If you’ve been showing up but getting stuck on the days you fall short, this is a conversation about noticing what’s working and finding routines you can keep repeating.

What You Will Learn

• Recognize how tracking helped us spot food habits we previously overlooked.
• Simplify meal prep with repeatable meals and seasoning variations you enjoy.
• Use regular check-ins to make follow-through more visible.
• Build walking into your morning before desk work takes over.
• Put imperfect days in perspective when reviewing your overall consistency.

Video Chapters

00:00 Week eleven: weight, workouts, and weekend eating
03:48 What food tracking helped us notice
05:24 Simple meals and repeatable meal prep
06:51 Questioning fitness marketing and fat-loss messaging
08:15 How daily accountability helps Aaron follow through
09:12 Building steps into the start of the day
11:02 Seeing back progress after 75 days
12:45 Alex’s experience with lifting straps and hooks
15:03 Food flexibility and realistic expectations
18:21 Reflecting on consistency with food and training

We get into the small milestones that helped Juan rebuild confidence, the frustration of feeling ready for more while his foot was still getting tired, and the strength and mobility work he worked into his return. He shares how his physical therapist adjusted his recovery targets, how he gradually added miles, and why this particular race mattered more than chasing a personal record. We also compare our own race-day food routines, talk runner’s high, and discuss how having someone waiting at the starting line can make training feel a little less optional.

If you’re rebuilding after a setback or looking for your next fitness goal, there’s plenty to take from Juan’s experience. His comeback involved patience, repeated work, and goals that changed as he progressed. Sometimes the next step is a race. Sometimes it’s simply being able to move a little better than you did last week.

What You Will Learn

• Use small milestones to recognize progress when your bigger goal still feels distant.
• Understand how Juan’s PT adjusted targets as his recovery progressed.
• Recognize the gap Juan experienced between cardiovascular fitness and strength in his injured leg.
• Build accountability around a shared goal without making finishing time the only measure of success.
• Break a larger running goal into smaller challenges, from a 5K to a half marathon.

Video Chapters

00:00 Juan returns: running after a torn Achilles
01:35 Early rehab and the underwater treadmill
06:31 Mental hurdles, small wins, and PT benchmarks
08:45 Returning to running and dealing with compensation
14:38 Rebuilding strength and adding miles
18:03 Training with a purpose: racing with his brother
22:12 Race-day food routines and runner’s high
27:59 Pacing games and a favorite finish
32:04 Future race goals and the comeback timeline
34:29 Finding your next goal: 5Ks and destination runs

At 164.2 pounds, Alex’s weight has stayed within a narrow range for weeks. We discuss what that might suggest about maintenance calories and body recomposition, why we’re looking forward to another DEXA scan, and whether his next goal is getting leaner or building more size. We also get into progress photos, increasing weights and reps, and how Aaron uses slower repetitions when an exercise starts feeling too easy. Meanwhile, the weekly report includes six workouts, around 17,000 daily steps, and four days of hitting macros. Apparently, creamy potatoes weren’t following the program.

That imperfect week leads to the bigger conversation: what you do after getting off track. We share our experience with food tracking, keeping routines going through busy weekends, and recognizing progress beyond a weigh-in. The unsexy work this week is checking the bigger picture, being honest about what slipped, and getting back to the routine.

What You Will Learn

• Assess progress using weight trends, photos, and workout performance together.
• Clarify whether getting leaner or building more size matters most to your next phase.
• Explore how Aaron uses slower reps and holds when equipment feels too light.
• Recognize how everyday movement contributes to Alex’s daily step count.
• Return to your nutrition routine after a weekend of missed macro targets.

Video Chapters

00:00 Alex’s check-in and steady weight
01:57 Getting leaner or building more size?
04:40 Belly fat goals and ab training
09:00 Weekly workouts, macros, and steps
12:02 Progress photos that show the bigger picture
14:03 Strength gains and slowing down reps
17:08 Holiday eating and missed nutrition targets
18:09 Food tracking and returning to the routine
20:00 Keeping habits going through an imperfect week

In this episode, we rank the gym behaviors that annoy us most, from questionable smells and abandoned weights to supersets, filming, overcrowding, and equipment held hostage by conversations. Along the way, Alex admits he may be judging an unusually well-behaved gym too harshly, while Aaron makes a passionate case for banning supersets and protecting basketball courts from the unstoppable advance of pickleball.

Underneath all the complaining is a simple point: everyone has limited time, and a little awareness makes the gym better for the people around you. Rerack your weights. Give people access to the dumbbells. Don’t occupy equipment you aren’t actively using. You don’t need perfect etiquette—you just need to occasionally remember that other people exist.

What You Will Learn

• Recognize the equipment habits that frustrate other gym members.
• Share machines responsibly when the gym is crowded.
• Avoid turning rest periods into accidental equipment reservations.
• Film workouts without disrupting or recording everyone around you.
• Practice the basic courtesy that keeps workouts moving efficiently.

Video Chapters

00:00 Ranking our most annoying gym behaviors
01:07 Body odor, cologne, and gym hygiene
05:15 Using the wrong cable station
07:17 Curling in front of the dumbbell rack
10:04 Overcrowding and the pickleball problem
14:11 Holding equipment hostage while talking
16:18 Claiming multiple machines during busy hours
18:05 Why you should rerack your weights
21:34 Long rests and scrolling between sets
24:34 Supersets, filming, and making gym friends

In this fitness check-in, we talk honestly about nagging injuries, disrupted routines, crowded gyms, and the moment you start wondering whether all this effort is actually worth it. Alex shares why an irritated forearm has forced him to reduce his weights and reconsider some of his basketball habits. Aaron explains how his own shoulder and back concerns changed the way he approaches progressive overload, including using lighter weights and slower movements instead of chasing another personal best.

We also get into the sacrifices behind an ambitious fitness goal. Training five or six days a week requires more than motivation—it takes time, scheduling flexibility, recovery, and occasionally accepting that other priorities won’t fit. That part deserves more honesty than it usually gets.

This episode is a reminder that progress isn’t always adding more weight or seeing a lower number on the scale. Sometimes, the win is adjusting the plan, returning to your routine, and refusing to quit when the process becomes frustrating. We also establish a few basic gym-etiquette rules because apparently putting dumbbells back where they belong remains advanced coursework.

What You Will Learn

• Recognize when discomfort means your training needs to change
• Use slower movements and lighter weights to maintain productive workouts
• Evaluate whether a demanding fitness goal fits your current priorities
• Notice progress by comparing where you started instead of relying on daily perception
• Protect your routine when motivation and circumstances become unreliable

Video Chapters

00:00 Week nine fitness check-in
01:16 Finding a win during a difficult week
03:07 Adjusting workouts around a nagging injury
04:17 Why setbacks are part of consistent training
07:13 Rethinking progressive overload
10:44 Recognizing progress you cannot see daily
11:34 Is the effort required worth the result?
13:48 Crowded gyms and unwritten etiquette
17:04 How sleep and routine affect your mindset
20:10 The dream home gym and closing thoughts

We get into how Alex adjusted his workouts around a home gym and a small hotel setup, why a cable machine and a few dumbbells can be enough, and how exercise substitutions helped him stay consistent. We also talk honestly about the less enjoyable part: nagging arm and shoulder pain. Alex shares what his doctor recommended, Aaron explains how he modified his own chest training, and we discuss the important difference between normal training discomfort and pain that tells you to stop.

This check-in is a reminder that progress rarely looks perfect. Sometimes the unsexy work is getting your steps in on the road. Sometimes it’s lowering the weight, changing the movement, or accepting that one awkward machine is the smarter choice. The goal isn’t to force the original plan. It’s to keep showing up without turning a small problem into a bigger one.

What You Will Learn

• Adapt your training routine when travel limits your equipment.
• Make a small hotel gym work with creative exercise choices.
• Recognize the difference between muscle discomfort and actual pain.
• Substitute movements that aggravate an injury without abandoning training.
• Track progress through habits instead of relying only on the scale.

Video Chapters

00:00 Week eight fitness check-in
00:27 Staying consistent while traveling
02:04 Macros and daily step totals
03:19 Ten days without a full gym
04:17 Getting an arm injury checked
05:17 Aaron’s shoulder pain and workout changes
07:47 Choosing exercises that don’t hurt
09:07 Using AI to find replacement exercises
09:39 DEXA expectations and body-composition progress

In this week-seven Unsexy Coaching check-in, we review Alex’s progress, the small signs that his consistency is paying off, and the plan for building muscle while gradually losing fat. We also get honest about how long natural muscle growth actually takes, why comparing yourself to enhanced physiques creates unrealistic expectations, and how an upcoming trip affects the decision to maintain rather than jump into a full bulk.

The conversation also covers an arm issue that Alex has been conveniently avoiding, modifying exercises that cause pain, adapting when the gym closes, and taking progress photos before you think you are ready. None of this is medical advice—we are simply sharing what we are experiencing and the decisions we are making along the way.

The visible changes matter, but the bigger win is learning to recognize progress while it is happening. Forty days is not very long. Showing up consistently for those forty days is the part that counts.

What You Will Learn

• Recognize progress signals that do not appear on the scale
• Understand why natural muscle growth requires realistic timelines
• Balance muscle-building goals with short-term fat-loss priorities
• Modify your training when an exercise causes unusual pain
• Document your starting point before visible changes begin

Video Chapters

00:00 Week seven coaching check-in
02:25 Steps, consistency, and becoming a gym regular
06:44 Working around arm pain and a closed gym
10:05 Building muscle while losing fat
13:15 The realistic timeline for natural muscle growth
16:23 Adding effective core exercises
18:08 When exercise pain means it is time to adjust
20:34 Forty-day results and the value of progress photos

In this episode, we sit down with Shalese King for an honest conversation about food restrictions, PCOS, pregnancy, divorce, an Achilles injury, and the many ways her approach to health has changed over time. Shalese shares her personal experience with gluten intolerance, blood work, GLP-1 medications, strength training, and learning to listen to her body instead of treating every workout like a punishment. We also get into the difference between using a tool thoughtfully and expecting it to do all the work for you.

This isn’t medical advice or a pitch for one perfect routine. It’s a conversation about asking better questions, working with qualified healthcare professionals, and finding an approach you can sustain without hating your life. The real goal isn’t reaching one number and declaring yourself finished. It’s having the strength, confidence, and energy to keep showing up for the people and experiences that matter to you—even if your workout occasionally depends on which machine is available.

What You Will Learn

• Recognize when working harder is no longer producing healthier results
• Build a balanced approach to food without eliminating everything you enjoy
• Understand why medical tools should be paired with education and professional guidance
• Adjust your workouts when your body, schedule, or circumstances change
• Define health goals around living well instead of chasing a single number

In this check-in episode, we talk honestly about the mental side of changing your body. Alex shares his latest weight, workouts, macros, and growing step count while wrestling with the fear that his progress isn’t real. Aaron explains why he deals with the same doubts—even when his coach, his habits, and other people can see changes he struggles to recognize.

We get into weight fluctuations, progress photos, long-term goals, reward meals, and the danger of expecting a few weeks of good habits to erase years of inconsistent ones. We also discuss why reaching one goal doesn’t mean the work is finished and how having something meaningful to work toward can keep you from slipping back into old patterns.

The lesson isn’t that you should ignore results. It’s that daily evidence can be noisy. When your workouts, nutrition, sleep, and routines are consistently moving in the right direction, sometimes the most productive thing you can do is stop interrogating the mirror and keep showing up.

What You Will Learn

• Recognize why daily weight changes rarely tell the whole story
• Use photos and outside feedback to notice gradual physical progress
• Focus on repeatable behaviors when visible results feel too slow
• Set a longer-term target that extends beyond one event or number
• Build sustainable habits that can continue after the original goal

In this episode, we sit down with Aaron’s bodybuilding coach, Lloyd Welch, for an honest conversation about the experiences behind his decades in fitness. Lloyd shares how childhood trauma initially shaped his desire to become strong, how a supportive gym community gave him structure, and why bodybuilding became an important part of his mental well-being. He also opens up about losing his mom, struggling with depression, gaining significant weight, and eventually asking for help when he realized he couldn’t recover alone.

We also get practical about training and nutrition. Lloyd explains why years of hard lifting produced limited growth until he learned to fuel his body, why carbs aren’t automatically the enemy, and how labeling food as “good” or “bad” can create a cycle of restriction, guilt, and giving up. His approach isn’t about finding one perfect diet. It’s about finding numbers, foods, and habits you can realistically sustain.

Whether you’re returning after a setback or walking into a gym for the first time, Lloyd’s advice is refreshingly simple: don’t wait until your plan is flawless. Find a meaningful reason to change, take one manageable step, and give yourself enough grace to take another tomorrow.

What You Will Learn

• Identify a sustainable nutrition strategy that fits your real life
• Understand why adequate fuel matters when building muscle
• Break the all-or-nothing cycle that turns one meal into months off track
• Start exercising without expecting yourself to follow an advanced routine
• Use structure, support, and a meaningful “why” to keep moving forward

In this episode, we sit down with Holly LaRose, founder of Practice of Ascent, to talk about how her approach to fitness grew from wanting to look fit into becoming more capable. Holly shares how indoor cycling led to half-marathon training, trail running, mountaintop yoga, and a deeper understanding of what her body and mind can do. We also get into breathwork, recovery, vegetarian nutrition, raising active kids, and the practical realities of prioritizing your health while managing a demanding job and family. It turns out the exercise bike works better when it isn’t being used as a clothing rack.

This conversation isn’t about following one perfect routine or collecting medals. It’s about finding the path of least resistance, building habits that support the rest of your life, and continuing to challenge yourself as your definition of progress changes. Holly reminds us that motivation comes and goes, but keeping promises to yourself can create momentum that lasts.

What You Will Learn

• Build a fitness routine around the time and resources you actually have
• Replace unreliable motivation with promises you’re willing to keep
• Use yoga and intentional breathing to support training and recovery
• Balance carbohydrates, protein, and preparation as an active vegetarian
• Reframe physical challenges as opportunities to build confidence and capability

What You Will Learn:

• How consistency, not motivation, is the actual secret to achieving your goals
• Why progressive overload and proper form beat ego lifting every single time
• How small, compounding daily habits add up to major results
• Real gym etiquette that everyone should know
• The truth about macros, macro cycling, and why increasing them might be your next move

What You'll Learn:

• The difference between chasing "skinny" and chasing "strong"
• How to build sustainable nutrition habits without giving up treats
• Why women won't get bulky from lifting weights (the myth debunked)
• The power of accountability in reaching your goals
• How to stay motivated when cutting calories for competition prep
• Real talk on overcoming setbacks and injuries

What You'll Learn:

• Why consistency beats intensity every single time
• How to get proper form critiques (and why you need them)
• The real reason you had a bad gym day (hint: it's usually one of 5 things)
• Why incremental macro adjustments work better than drastic changes
• The mindset hack that keeps you showing up

What You'll Learn:

• Why Josh waited until a heart attack to get serious about his health—and why that wakeup call almost came too late
• The real (and kinda wild) story of getting gastric sleeve surgery in Tijuana—what nobody tells you before you go
• How peptides and semaglutide fit into a transformation when you've already lost 150 pounds the hard way
• The gym habits, nutrition struggles, and discipline it actually takes to keep weight off (and why it's so much harder than people think)
• Why loose skin and self-doubt are the real battle scars of transformation—and why they're worth it
• The unglamorous truth: there's no shortcut to sustainable health, but there are smarter ways to do it

Forget the buzzwords and quick fixes. This is about radical honesty with yourself, why discipline beats motivation every single time, and how the most boring routines—meal prepping the same thing daily, hitting the gym at the same time, tracking everything—are the secret to real results. Ashlee breaks down the difference between using tools (like GLP-1s and IV therapy) and letting tools use you, why you can't do it just for your kids, and how celebrating small wins keeps you moving forward when the path gets dark.

Perfect for anyone tired of hype and ready to understand why unsexy actually works.

What You'll Learn:

• How to properly track weight, macros, and gym performance without obsessing
• Why your gym equipment weight might be lying to you (and how to keep your numbers honest)
• The real reason butter makes food taste better (and why that matters for your diet)
• Small fitness wins that prove the system is actually working
• How to navigate different gym setups without destroying your progress metrics
• Practical nutrition tips for hitting your macros when you're eating lean protein
• Why consistency matters more than perfection in fitness

This is unsexy, unglamorous fitness talk for people who actually want to build something real.

What You'll Learn:

• Why weight fluctuations are normal (and what actually matters)
• How proper form beats heavy weight every time
• The accountability hack Aaron uses to hit his cardio goals
• Why most fitness plans fail (and it's not the plan)
• Specific exercises and form cues for lat pulldowns and farmer carries
• How to track steps when you're sitting at a standing desk
• Why consistency beats intensity for long-term results
• How to lose your ego at the gym and actually progress

What you'll learn:

• How to structure training and rest-day macros when the goal is building muscle, not just cutting weight
• Why check-ins matter: tracking weight, workouts completed, macro adherence, and daily steps
• The real difference between "discomfort" (muscle burn) and "pain" (an injury red flag)
• Why ego lifting kills progress — and how starting light protects your tendons and joints
• What progressive overload actually means (it's not just adding weight — reps count too)
• Why rest periods between sets matter more than people think, and how to dial in the right length

On this episode of the Unsexy Businessmen Podcast, Alex sits in the hot seat as Aaron runs him through a full coaching intake session — the same one Aaron uses with real clients. No fluff, no BS, just the exact questions, numbers, and awkward guesses (bicep size, anyone?) that go into building a real training and nutrition plan. Alex opens up about his training history, his relationship with alcohol, stress-eating, and why "genetics" isn't the excuse he used to think it was. Aaron breaks down DEXA scans, the A/G ratio you've probably never heard of, and why literally everyone — even the coaches — has a coach. It's honest, it's a little TMI, and it's exactly how this six-month transformation series kicks off.

What you'll learn:

• The exact questions a real coach asks in a first session (training history, diet, sleep, stress, lifestyle)
• Why tracking macros and understanding your "why" matters more than chasing a number on the scale
• What a DEXA scan actually tells you — including body fat %, lean mass, and the often-overlooked A/G (android/gynoid) ratio
• Why consistency beats intensity, and how accountability changes the game
• How stress-driven habits (drinking, binge eating) sabotage progress — and how to plan around them instead of ignoring them

This week Alex and Aaron are joined by their old mission buddy Stuart Hoffman — and yeah, the guy looks jacked now, so naturally we had to ask him how it happened. Stuart breaks down his fitness journey from hitting 240+ pounds to chasing a 10-12% body fat goal, and he doesn't sugarcoat any of it. We're talking fasted workouts, macro tracking, cheat meals, Hyrox, and why discipline will always beat motivation when motivation inevitably bails on you.

What You'll Learn:

• Why body fat percentage matters more than the number on the scale
• How to stop treating "diet" like a four-letter word and start eating in a way that's actually sustainable
• The simple night-before meal prep habit that makes tracking way less painful
• What fasted training is, why Stuart swears by it, and how it might actually work for you
• How Hyrox compares to CrossFit and why it's exploding right now
• Why blocking your calendar like a client meeting is the secret to staying consistent when you run your own business
• How to deal with friends and family who give you crap for eating clean
• Why your "why" has to be stronger than your excuses — and how to know if it actually is

Dan's story isn't your typical fitness journey. We're talking a guy who graduated high school at 6 feet tall and 140 pounds soaking wet, crushed his arm so badly doctors said he'd never grip anything again, and responded by working up to a 612-pound raw deadlift. Doctors say never — Dan says watch me.

What You'll Learn:

• Why "no growth in your comfort zone" isn't just a bumper sticker — and how Dan actually lives it
• The dietary shifts that made the biggest difference between his 2013 debut and stepping on stage four years ago
• How self-esteem is the real barrier to entry at the gym (and what to do about it)
• Why Dan thinks your first gym step is harder than any set you'll ever do — and how to take it anyway
• The 85/15 rule for eating that lets you stay consistent without losing your mind
• What 22 years of 911 calls taught him about using the gym for mental health
• How to keep building muscle and bone density after 50, 55, or 60 — no excuses accepted
• Why you can't soar with eagles if you're hanging around with buzzards

Dan's the kind of guy who doesn't preach what he doesn't practice. Come for the deadlift numbers, stay for the life advice.

What You'll Learn:

• How Monty lost 40 pounds in six months combining a GLP-1 with real nutrition habits (and why one without the other is a recipe for problems)
• What happens when your calorie deficit gets too low — including low blood pressure, no energy, and a doctor telling you to eat more sugar
• Why tracking macros with MyNet Diary changed everything, and how taking a photo of your food is easier than you think
• The honest conversation about GLP-1s — why they're a tool, not a crutch, and what a good doctor actually looks like
• Protein targets, creatine, Fairlife shakes, and figuring out what your body actually needs based on your goals
• How losing 40 pounds literally saved Monty's knees — and the low-impact workout approach that keeps him moving without wrecking his joints on the road
• Why BMI is kind of a joke, scale weight isn't everything, and a pant size drop matters just as much as the number

What You'll Learn:

• Why bragging about running on 4 hours of sleep is genuinely dumb
• How poor sleep tanks muscle growth AND stores more fat (the double whammy)
• What cortisol does to your body when you're sleep deprived
• Simple, non-influencer habits that actually improve sleep quality
• The real deal on melatonin vs. magnesium
• Why alcohol, late workouts, and doom scrolling are wrecking your nights
• What the Oura ring reveals that'll make you rethink everything
• Why even a guy who spent $2M on his health swears by a sleep schedule

What You'll Learn:

• What Alex and Aaron actually eat from morning to night (with real macro breakdowns)
• Why tracking your food is non-negotiable — and why it takes about 10 seconds, not an hour
• Snack hacks that actually taste good AND fit your macros (Greek yogurt cheesecake, anyone?)
• The caffeine conversation: does cutting it really improve your sleep?
• Why goals matter just as much as tracking — and what happens when you have one without the other
• The sneaky calorie bombs hiding in "simple" meals (looking at you, Taco Bell run)
• How to build a sustainable way of eating you actually look forward to

What You'll Learn:

• How Gordon went from zero gym habit to five or six days a week — and why starting with just two days was the actual key
• The mindset shift that made nutrition finally click (hint: eight months of MyFitnessPal and a lot of tacos)
• Why the number on the scale is almost completely useless and what to pay attention to instead
• The supplements worth taking (creatine and magnesium) and the ones you can skip
• How to actually protect your sleep schedule when you've got three kids and a nine-to-five
• Why your kids aren't your excuse — they're your reason
• The "appointment with yourself" philosophy that Gordon's father-in-law swears by (and that changed everything)
• Walking as a legitimate, underrated form of cardio — and why your knees will thank you
• The Heavy app, progressive overload, and why tracking your lifts will keep you sane on the bad days

What You'll Learn:

• Why people pressure you to eat bad food — and why it's not really about the food
• The truth about gym culture and why the fear of being judged is probably holding you back
• How social media negativity is different from real-life negativity (and how to handle both)
• Why the people you spend the most time with have a massive impact on your health outcomes
• How to be the kind of friend or partner that actually helps people hit their goals

Alex and Aaron sit down with Juan to get the full story — from the moment he hit the floor to nine months of grueling physical therapy, sciatic pain, and the mental battle that honestly might've been harder than the injury itself. We're talking teddy bears and toe cups, golf ball rolling, unbalanced hips, and what it actually feels like to lace up your boots again for the first time after a full Achilles rupture. Oh, and he somehow ended up with a fresh Achilles AND a new hobby — so there's that.

What You'll Learn:

• What a ruptured Achilles actually feels and sounds like (hint: you'll think someone hit you with a bat)
• The difference between a partial and full tear — and why it matters for surgery decisions
• What the first weeks of Achilles recovery actually look like, step by step
• How compensating for one injury can wreck the rest of your body if you're not careful
• Why the mental side of injury recovery is the hardest part nobody talks about
• The small wins mentality that got Juan through nine months of rehab
• What Juan wishes he'd done differently during recovery

In this episode, Alex and Aaron break down the real, unglamorous stuff that keeps you lifting long-term without ending up sidelined. No fluff, no bro science spirals — just the habits that actually work.

What You'll Learn:

• Why warming up (the right way) takes 30 seconds and saves you months of pain
• How ego lifting is silently destroying your joints — and what to do instead
• The difference between muscle burn and actual pain (and why it matters)
• What progressive overload really means and how to use it without overdoing it
• Why recovery days aren't lazy — they're literally when your muscles grow
• How to be the friend who speaks up before someone blows their shoulder out

Whether you're working out at home or in the gym, training hard or just getting started — this one's worth a listen before your next session.

What You'll Learn:

• Why packing your gear is half the battle — and how to make sure you actually use it
• How to research hotel gyms ahead of time and build a workout around what's actually there
• Why mornings are the lowest-excuse time to get your workout done while traveling
• How to count "exercise-adjacent" activities (snorkeling, concerts, beach walks) toward your daily goals
• Aaron's hotel grocery store strategy for keeping nutrition on track without being miserable
• How Alex packs supplements from home in under five minutes
• The two-meal-per-day rule for longer trips
• Why vacations kill healthy habits — and exactly how to make sure they don't kill yours

They also get into nutrition when you're sick (spoiler: pizza and Dots pretzels have a role to play), the mental game of losing weight during illness, and why having a solid routine before you get sick makes getting back on track almost automatic.

What You'll Learn:

• How to gauge whether your body is actually ready to return to the gym after illness
• Why going too hard too soon after being sick prolongs your recovery (not shortens it)
• How wearables like the Oura Ring and HRV tracking can guide your return to training
• The truth about weight loss during sickness — what you're actually losing
• Why building a consistent routine makes bouncing back from setbacks way easier
• How to ease back in with a lighter session and go from there

What You'll Learn:

• Why your body treats alcohol like a poison and drops everything else to deal with it
• How a single night of drinking can halt fat metabolism for up to 14 days
• The hormonal chaos alcohol causes — lower testosterone, spiked cortisol, and up to 70% reduction in HGH
• Why "I only drink on weekends" is probably why you're not hitting your goals
• How alcohol destroys your sleep quality even when you think it knocked you out cold
• The flawed studies that had us all convinced a glass of red wine was somehow good for us
• Why accountability — whether it's a coach, a tracker, or just documenting your progress — is the cheat code most people skip

Whether you're trying to lose weight, build muscle, or just feel better, this one's worth the listen. We're not saying never drink again — we're just saying know what you're trading.

They're not here to tell you GLP-1s are evil — if you're headed toward a heart attack, by all means, hop on. But if you're taking it because you don't feel like going to the gym? Yeah, they've got some thoughts on that too.

What You'll Learn:

• How GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic actually work and why the hunger suppression comes with a catch
• Why muscle loss and tanking your resting metabolic rate sets you up to gain the weight back faster
• What dosage mistakes most people are making that lead to that gaunt, sickly look
• Why resistance training and protein intake aren't suggestions — they're requirements
• How to use GLP-1s the right way, the way the original studies actually intended
• Why building habits around food tracking and whole foods is the only long-term play
• The difference between discipline and misery (spoiler: you can still have pizza)

In this episode, the Skinner brothers get into the real, unglamorous stuff: tracking macros, knowing your RMR, getting a DEXA scan, and letting an AI hold you accountable when your gym buddy is too busy slacking off. Because here's the thing — AI doesn't care if you had a bad week, it's not going to guilt trip you, and it's definitely not going to tell you to eat tuna if you tell it not to.

What you'll learn:

• How to use AI tools to build a fully personalized nutrition and workout plan based on YOUR data points — not some generic template
• What RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate) is, why it matters, and how being wrong about it could be wrecking your progress
• How Aaron uses a dedicated AI chat to log macros, track workouts, and get real-time food suggestions based on what's already in his kitchen
• Why getting tested (DEXA scans, RMR testing) before starting your health journey will save you months of guessing
• The one prompting tip that makes AI give you more accurate, medically-referenced health advice
• Why AI is better than most trainers at remembering you hate fish

Whether you're just starting out or you've been grinding for a while and something still isn't clicking — this episode is worth the listen. No doctor's coat required.

We are not doctors. Please consult a physician or nutritionist before making changes. But also, just go get a DEXA scan.

They also get into what you can actually do about it — personal accountability, food prep, breaking bad habits, and why getting healthy might be the best middle finger you can give to the insurance industry. Oh, and they go on a very justified rant about companies taking credit for your charitable donations. Classic.

What You'll Learn:

• Why health insurance costs keep going up and what's actually driving it (hint: GLP-1s are part of the story)
• How insurance companies literally employ people just to deny your claims
• What the ACA rollbacks mean for everyday Americans
• How much your employer is actually spending on you (the number will surprise you)
• Why personal health habits are your best — and only — real leverage against a broken system
• The gray market GLP-1 situation (Aaron's words, not ours — consult a doctor, people)
• How building healthy habits makes it easier to bounce back when life throws you off track

In this episode, Alex and Aaron sit down with Darin to dig into the real, unsexy side of his transformation not the highlight reel, but the daily 4:30 AM wake-ups, the weekend-long water fasts, the canned tuna lunches nobody wants to smell, and the whiteboard full of mean comments he used as fuel. Darin's dropped over 40 pounds, completed four HYROX races, a couple Tough Mudders, and is now deep into 75 Hard and Vedic meditation. Dude's not messing around.

This one's for anyone who's been grinding at the gym for six months and wondering why nothing's changing — or anyone who just needs a reminder that consistency beats motivation every single time.

What You'll Learn:

• Why joining a community (even a WhatsApp group) can be the single thing that kickstarts your journey
• How intermittent fasting — including extended weekend fasts — unlocked real weight loss for Darin when the gym alone wasn't doing it
• Why your diet needs to work for YOUR personality, not someone else's protocol
• How to use AI to create a visual goal for your body (and why it actually works)
• What peptides like Retatrutide are doing in the health space and why the guys don't think using tools is "cheating"
• The four levels of Darin's transformation: community, nutrition, fitness competitions, and Vedic meditation
• Why tracking your weight as a data point — not a pass/fail test — changes everything
• How fitness bleeds into every other area of your life: confidence, career, relationships, and how people perceive you
• The Tim Tealdo "Positive Self Talk" YouTube video that kept Darin going when his own voice wasn't enough
• Why believing in yourself is the cheesiest — and most accurate — advice anyone can give you

From the wild perspective shift of seeing Earth from space, to politics, religion, Epstein files, moose attacks, tigers trying to eat babies at the zoo, and a Subaru commercial that might make you cry this episode has it all. And somehow, it all circles back to the same thing: stop sweating the stuff you can't control and go be present with the people you love.

What You'll Learn:

• What the Artemis II mission actually is (sort of) and why it matters beyond just cool rocket footage
• Why seeing Earth from space has a way of putting all your problems in perspective
• How both Alex and Aaron think about the noise of politics, war, and world events — and why they mostly try to tune it out
• The sobering stat about how much time you actually have left with your kids after age 18
• Why it takes a certain kind of person (read: sociopath) to make it to the top of politics — and what that means for the rest of us
• How to stop projecting 35 years of life experience onto a 13-month-old (Alex is working on it)

In this episode of the Unsexy Businessmen Podcast, Alex and Aaron break down the real impact of government shutdowns, why TSA agents end up working without pay, and how everyday Americans get caught in the crossfire of political games.

This isn’t just about airport lines—it’s about a much bigger problem: a system where accountability is nonexistent, incentives are broken, and the people at the bottom always take the hit.

They also dive into why blindly trusting politicians is a losing game, how media fuels division, and what you can actually do to take control of your own situation.

📚 What You Will Learn

• Why government shutdowns disproportionately hurt working-class Americans
• How the TSA became a symbol of a much larger systemic issue
• The real reason nothing seems to change politically
• How media and social platforms amplify division
• Why financial impact is the only thing that drives real change
• The dangers of blindly supporting any political figure
• How to think independently instead of relying on “talking heads”
• Why protests rarely create meaningful change
• The connection between government decisions and your wallet
• How building your own business is one of the only ways to gain control

In this episode, we break down the real mechanics behind social media platforms how they keep you hooked, why outrage spreads faster than truth, and how AI-generated content is starting to take over your feed.

From controversial thumbnails to fake viral videos, we explain how the system rewards engagement at all costs even if that means misinformation, manipulation, or straight-up fiction.

We also get into the bigger issue: what this is doing to your attention, your beliefs, and even the next generation growing up in it.

If you’ve ever thought, “Why does my feed look like this?” this episode will answer it.

🎓 What You’ll Learn

• How social media algorithms actually decide what you see
• Why controversial or misleading content performs better than truth
• The role of engagement (comments, watch time, outrage) in content distribution
• How AI-generated content is flooding platforms — and why it works
• Why people argue without even watching full content
• How misinformation spreads faster than fact
• The psychology behind why you keep getting “stuck” in certain content loops
• Practical ways to take control of your feed and break the algorithm

They also get into tracking macros, resistance training, calorie deficits, building muscle, using AI tools for accountability, and the mindset shift that helps you recover quickly when you slip up. On top of that, they dive into hot-button topics like Ozempic, TRT, motivation, body image, and why sustainable health is really about finding what works for you and sticking with it.

If you’ve ever started a diet on Monday, blown it over the weekend, and promised yourself you’d “try again next week,” this episode is for you.

What you will learn

• Why New Year’s resolutions are usually a terrible way to start a health journey
• How guilt and self-loathing can sabotage long-term progress
• Why sustainable systems matter more than motivation
• How tracking food, workouts, and progress can improve consistency
• Why resistance training is a key part of long-term health
• How muscle affects resting metabolic rate and calorie burn
• Why cheat meals only become a problem when they derail your whole plan
• How to think about Ozempic, TRT, and other health tools realistically
• Why your health goals need to align with your real lifestyle

They get into what it looks like to build a company with family, how to create a workplace people genuinely want to be part of, and why branding is much more than just a logo. The conversation also dives into AI, authenticity, client relationships, and the “unsexy” systems that quietly make businesses successful.

This is a great episode for entrepreneurs, agency owners, and anyone trying to grow a business without losing the human side of what makes great companies stand out.

What You Will Learn

• How Big Red Jelly got started and evolved over time
• Why process and SOPs are critical for scaling a business
• How partnerships can become a major growth channel
• What founders should know before working with family
• Why branding is more than logos and colors
• How to build a strong company culture as your team grows
• The role AI is playing in branding and digital marketing
• Where AI helps businesses and where it hurts creativity
• Why human connection is becoming even more valuable
• The biggest lesson Ben wishes he knew earlier in business

From social media outrage to political tribalism, the guys break down why so many people form strong opinions on issues they barely understand—and why algorithms make the problem worse.

They talk about the dangers of echo chambers, why people rarely question their own side, and how social media has amplified human nature’s worst tendencies. Along the way, they discuss examples ranging from foreign policy reactions to political double standards and why critical thinking seems to be disappearing online.

The core message? You don’t have to agree with everyone—but you should at least understand what you’re talking about.

Sometimes the most radical idea today is simply thinking for yourself.

They dig into Aaron’s failed attempt to get Metallica tickets at the Sphere, why even major artists seem powerless against the system, and how companies like Ticketmaster and Live Nation keep making money at every step of the process. They also get into the bigger business lesson underneath all of it: when a company controls too much of the market, the customer usually loses.

On top of the Ticketmaster rant, they answer two listener questions: one about an employee using company relationships to build a side business, and another about a cleaning client constantly expanding the scope of work without increasing pay.

What You Will Learn

• Why Ticketmaster creates so much frustration for consumers
• How scalpers and resale platforms make ticket prices explode
• Why Live Nation and Ticketmaster have so much market power
• Why artists often have less control than fans think
• How monopoly-like systems can trap both customers and creators
• What to do when an employee starts becoming your competition
• How to handle a client who keeps asking for more without paying more
• Why business owners need contracts, boundaries, and scope control

In service businesses, “bad clients” usually aren’t the real problem—bad expectations and slow communication are. In this episode, Alex and Aaron break down what actually causes client blow-ups (hint: it’s rarely the work itself), why residential customers can be way more intense than commercial accounts, and how to respond when someone calls furious so you don’t make it worse.

They also get into the uncomfortable truth: avoiding conflict doesn’t prevent drama—it compounds it. Whether you’re dealing with resurfacing stains, “no one called me back” complaints, or clients who suddenly start interrogating every charge, the fix is the same: address it fast, set the frame, and lead the relationship.

What you will learn

• How to set expectations so clients don’t mentally write their own story (and hate you for it)
• The real difference between commercial vs residential clients (and how to manage each)
• A simple script for dealing with angry customers without escalating the situation
• How to recognize when a client is quiet-panicking (more questions = something’s wrong)
• The “address vs resolve” approach: how to buy back trust fast
• The top complaints clients make—and how your process can prevent most of them
• How to identify the 0.3% crazy client vs a normal client having a bad day
• Why “the customer is always right” is misunderstood—and how to handle it correctly

Alex and Aaron break down the books that genuinely shaped how they build businesses—plus a few that made them better humans, which turns out to be the same thing. From trust and communication (so clients stop hovering) to leadership, accountability, and the uncomfortable truth that “everything is your fault,” this episode is a rapid-fire, no-fluff book list with real-world takeaways you can apply immediately.

They also go off-script on why famous people get misquoted, why “diva” behavior in teams is optional (not inevitable), and they react to two listener scenarios: a landscaping partnership stuck in a growth vs. optimization standoff, and a roofing company debating whether to keep a top-producing salesperson who’s poisoning operations.

What you will learn

• Which books helped them most with trust, leadership, and communication
• How fast trust reduces friction, emails, and second-guessing from clients
• The “Radical Candor” framework: Care personally + challenge directly
• Why “Extreme Ownership” is a cheat code for leadership and team loyalty
• How to think about growth vs. efficiency when margins are tightening
• How to handle a top producer who breaks systems without nuking culture
• Why most “wealth” is quiet—and how to avoid the comparison trap

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Watch Next:
The Unsexy Businessmen Podcast ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpkzRR2FIrzTteTigUZswaxeScm0QXMCv

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Don't forget to hit that subscribe button 🔥 if you want to learn how to turn ANY unsexy business idea into a thriving business! We are sharing the raw, real steps to succeed in this unsexy world of business. Let’s get to work!

In this emergency episode of the Unsexy Businessmen podcast, Alex and Aaron break down the Bad Bunny halftime show controversy, why everyone suddenly became an expert on NFL intent, and how outrage has become the easiest form of entertainment in America.

The NFL didn’t make a political statement — they made a business decision. And just like clockwork, people took the bait, got mad, and kept watching anyway.

This episode isn’t about defending the halftime show. It’s about understanding why people need to be angry, how escapism works, and why obsessing over things that don’t improve your life keeps you stuck.

If you’re tired of manufactured outrage, performative opinions, and wasting emotional energy on stuff that doesn’t matter — this one’s for you.

Bottom line: The NFL won. The game went on. And none of this helped your life even a little bit.

Then they bring it back to the Unsexy Businessmen thesis: if your business touches the physical world (cleaning, landscaping, HVAC, plumbing, electrical), you’re harder to replace. And if you can hold a normal conversation and deliver a solid service, you’re already ahead of the pack.

Plus: a listener email about a commercial landscaping company where one client is 62% of revenue and the guys give the exact playbook for de-risking without nuking margins.

What you will learn

• Why layoffs can make a company look “healthier” (and why that should scare you)
• The difference between AI replacing work vs robots replacing labor (and why trades are safer)
• Why “AI growth” won’t automatically create enough new jobs to offset displacement
• How to spot the real AI bubble: activity that doesn’t tie back to revenue
• The simplest career cheat code for the next decade: communication + competence
• How to handle an anchor client that’s become a single point of failure (62% risk)
• A practical plan to diversify revenue without abandoning commercial work
  
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  Watch Next:
  The Unsexy Businessmen Podcast ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpkzRR2FIrzTteTigUZswaxeScm0QXMCv
  
  ===========================
  Connect with us!
  =============================
  Tik Tok: ➡︎ /https://www.tiktok.com/@unsexybusinessmen
  IG: ➡︎ /https://www.instagram.com/unsexybusinessmen/
  Facebook: ➡︎ /https://www.facebook.com/unsexybusinessmen
  ===========================
  #businessstructure #unsexybusinessmen
  
  Don't forget to hit that subscribe button 🔥 if you want to learn how to turn ANY unsexy business idea into a thriving business! We are sharing the raw, real steps to succeed in this unsexy world of business. Let’s get to work!

Comfort feels like winning—until it turns into complacency. In this episode of Unsexy Businessmen, Alex and Aaron break down why “everything’s fine” can be the most dangerous phase of your business: you stop selling as hard, tolerate B and C players, delay decisions, and slowly let standards slip. Then one hit lands—losing a key client, a top employee leaving, a new competitor undercutting you, or an economic slowdown—and suddenly the business you thought was “stable” is scrambling to survive.

They share real-world stories (including the early client-loss wake-up call that reshaped Aaron’s entire approach), plus practical ways to pressure-test your operation before the market forces you to.

What you’ll learn

• The difference between comfort and stability—and how to tell which one you actually have
• Why “plateauing” is often the start of decline (even when revenue looks fine)
• The two core habits that prevent most service businesses from getting blindsided: consistent sales + consistent hiring
• How complacency shows up in real life: stale pay bands, outdated pricing, ignored SOPs, weak communication, and delayed hard decisions
• The simplest “health dashboard” for a small service business (what to track once you’re past survival mode)
• Smart recession prep that isn’t doom-and-gloom: cash reserves, retention systems, upsells/add-on services, and tighter client relationships
• A self-audit you can run today: what hasn’t changed in 12 months, where you’re coasting on old wins, and which decisions you keep pushing off

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Watch Next:
The Unsexy Businessmen Podcast ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpkzRR2FIrzTteTigUZswaxeScm0QXMCv

===========================
Connect with us!
=============================
Tik Tok: ➡︎ /https://www.tiktok.com/@unsexybusinessmen
IG: ➡︎ /https://www.instagram.com/unsexybusinessmen/
Facebook: ➡︎ /https://www.facebook.com/unsexybusinessmen
===========================
#businessstructure #unsexybusinessmen

Don't forget to hit that subscribe button 🔥 if you want to learn how to turn ANY unsexy business idea into a thriving business! We are sharing the raw, real steps to succeed in this unsexy world of business. Let’s get to work!

Brian explains what an S-Corp actually changes (hint: you wear two hats—employee and owner) and why balancing payroll and distributions matters if you want the tax benefits to work. The conversation also dismantles the most common “write-off” myth: buying a $100,000 vehicle doesn’t make it free—it usually saves a percentage, not a dollar-for-dollar credit. They also dig into why proactive planning beats last-minute panic, what happens when your books are a mess, and how entrepreneurs get blindsided by six-figure tax bills.

To close it out, they run a rapid-fire Top 10 tax mistakes list (sourced from the IRS/AICPA) and explain what these mistakes look like in the real world—so you can fix them before they cost you years of profit.

What you’ll learn

• The #1 tax/finance mistake that causes chaos (and how to correct it fast)
• When an S-Corp makes sense and why it’s tied to profit, not revenue
• How S-Corps reduce self-employment tax, and what “reasonable salary” really means
• The truth about write-offs (and why “it’s a write-off” isn’t a business plan)
• Why clean books unlock better tax planning—and how messy books destroy visibility
• What wealthy business owners do differently: proactive planning, entity strategy, and incentive-aligned investing
• The top IRS/AICPA tax mistakes and how to avoid them in a service business

Ego in small business rarely looks like arrogance. More often, it shows up as defensiveness, “I’ll just do it myself,” and refusing to hear feedback without taking it personally. In this episode, Alex and Aaron break down the most common ego traps founders and employees fall into—and why those traps quietly slow growth, block delegation, and create toxic “yes-man” cultures that kill innovation.

They cover what ego looks like in employees (pushback, uncoachable behavior), what it looks like in founders (control issues, refusal to document processes), and how to build a trust-based environment where people can challenge ideas without drama. You’ll also hear a simple “ego self-audit” to identify operational risk, plus a Top 10 segment on what people hate about Disneyland, and two listener questions about attracting the wrong leads from Google Ads and managing employees who won’t take initiative.

What you will learn

• How ego shows up as defensiveness, not just arrogance
• The difference between confidence and “false confidence” (and why it’s so destructive)
• Why uncoachable employees are operationally expensive (and what to do about it)
• How trust accelerates execution (and why low trust forces “feedback sandwiches”)
• Why “everyone’s stupid except me” prevents delegation and caps growth
• The “two-week disappearance” test to expose what your business depends on
• How SOPs and clear accountability reduce repeat mistakes and constant reminders
• Listener Q&A: filtering “bad” leads from Google Ads, and dealing with low-initiative crews

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Watch Next:
The Unsexy Businessmen Podcast ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpkzRR2FIrzTteTigUZswaxeScm0QXMCv

===========================
Connect with us!
=============================
Tik Tok: ➡︎ /https://www.tiktok.com/@unsexybusinessmen
IG: ➡︎ /https://www.instagram.com/unsexybusinessmen/
Facebook: ➡︎ /https://www.facebook.com/unsexybusinessmen
===========================
#businessstructure #unsexybusinessmen

Don't forget to hit that subscribe button 🔥 if you want to learn how to turn ANY unsexy business idea into a thriving business! We are sharing the raw, real steps to succeed in this unsexy world of business. Let’s get to work!

Hiring your first few employees can feel like trying to fix a house fire with a garden hose—everything feels urgent, you’re overwhelmed, and you’ll hire the first person who seems “motivated” just to make the pain stop. In this episode of Unsexy Businessmen, Alex shares his worst hire ever (and the obvious mistake behind it), while Aaron breaks down what “turnover hell” looks like when you hire anyone with a pulse.

Then they get practical: how to stop hiring in panic mode, how to write a job post that filters out bad fits, what interview red flags actually matter, and why having a hiring pipeline beats scrambling every time someone quits. They also cover the common first-hire traps—hiring friends/family, going too cheap, and “clone hiring”—and how to recover fast when you realize you hired the wrong person.

What you will learn

• Why “urgency hiring” is the fastest path to bad employees (and constant babysitting)
• The best way to reduce turnover: make the job post painfully specific (pay, hours, duties, requirements)
• Interview red flags that predict problems: late arrivals, trashing past employers, zero curiosity
• Green flags that matter more than experience: coachability, humility, trainability, attitude
• How to build a hiring pipeline so you’re not hiring to put out fires
• When it’s smart to “overhire” slightly to avoid missing out on A-players
• How to recover from a bad hire quickly—without repeating the same mistake
• Listener Q&A: “too busy to hire,” and “profitable on paper but stressed about payroll”

=============================

Watch Next:
The Unsexy Businessmen Podcast ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpkzRR2FIrzTteTigUZswaxeScm0QXMCv

===========================
Connect with us!
=============================
Tik Tok: ➡︎ /https://www.tiktok.com/@unsexybusinessmen
IG: ➡︎ /https://www.instagram.com/unsexybusinessmen/
Facebook: ➡︎ /https://www.facebook.com/unsexybusinessmen
===========================
#businessstructure #unsexybusinessmen

Don't forget to hit that subscribe button 🔥 if you want to learn how to turn ANY unsexy business idea into a thriving business! We are sharing the raw, real steps to succeed in this unsexy world of business. Let’s get to work!

They explain why turning a hobby into a business often destroys the very thing you love, how customers and stress change the game, and what you should focus on instead if you actually want freedom, income, and long-term success. The bottom line: don’t build a business around what sounds sexy, build it around what works.

What You’ll Learn

• Why “do what you love” is dangerous advice for new entrepreneurs
• How turning hobbies into income can kill the joy (and accelerate burnout)
• The better framework: what you’re good at, what you can learn, and what pays
• How unsexy businesses create freedom faster than “passion projects”
• Why not loving your job doesn’t mean you’re failing—and what actually matters
• How to use hobbies as decompression instead of turning them into a stress factory

Takeaways

• Grind myth
• Self-validation Effective decision-making requires a focus on the rule, not the exception.
• Identifying and eliminating non-coachable employees is crucial for business growth.

Chapters

• 00:00 Hustle Culture and Self-Validation
• 22:28 The Cost of Delayed Decision-Making
• 34:11 Solving Business Challenges with Practical Solutions

This episode is different—no advice, no how-tos, just two brothers getting real about what it's been like building this company for the past year. The imposter syndrome when waiting for that first $17 sale. The validation when Greg (not his real name) called to say their advice saved him from an IRS nightmare. The frustration watching scam artists get millions of followers while promising "easy" success.

They also get into the darker stuff: agencies charging $70/month for $10 hosting (for 12 years 🤯). Registered agent companies preying on new entrepreneurs for $1,000. The commenter who shit on their "obvious" advice to ask for referrals (which, spoiler, most people don't think to do). And why they refuse to join the "get rich quick" crowd even though it would probably make them way more money.

Plus: Why their LLC videos have gotten thousands of views and comments like "this made me so much less scared." Why they'll die on the hill of "starting a business is hard." And why breaking even would make them incredibly happy—because this was never about building an empire, it was about helping people avoid the expensive mistakes they made. 🙏

What You'll Learn:

• The real story behind Unsexy Businessmen's first year (including almost quitting)
• Why validation from real clients matters more than thousands of followers
• The actual scams preying on new entrepreneurs (registered agents, hosting, LLC services)
• Why Aaron and Alex refuse to promise "easy" success even though it sells better
• How they've saved people thousands with free YouTube content
• The difference between building a passion project and chasing money
• Why dealing with haters is actually a sign you're doing something right

🔥 Ready to scale your business to millions? Here’s how to do it now ➡️ https://www.unsexybusinessmen.com/offers/4VxHyQbf/checkout 

Tik Tok: ➡︎ /https://www.tiktok.com/@unsexybusinessmen

IG: ➡︎ /https://www.instagram.com/unsexybusinessmen/

Facebook: ➡︎ /https://www.facebook.com/unsexybusinessmen

Alex and Aaron Skinner—brothers, founders of Unsexy Businessmen, and veterans of the "build it after hours" grind—get real about juggling full-time work while launching a new venture. Alex shares how getting fired, taking a job he hated, and later quitting a cushy teaching gig sharpened his risk tolerance. Aaron breaks down how he started a cleaning company while working a call center job, proved demand, then jumped—without burning bridges.

This episode is a no-BS blueprint: when to stay, when to quit, how to set proof-of-concept milestones, why to keep your startup quiet at work, and how to protect your relationships (and sanity) while you scale. It's not about hype; it's about grit, calendars, and cash flow.

You'll learn:

• A simple decision framework for staying or quitting: risk tolerance + proof of concept + runway

• The "don't burn bridges" rule—and how ex-coworkers can become your first clients

• Why you should keep early progress quiet (dopamine traps are real)

• How to time-block sales, delivery, and rest so you don't flame out

• What to discuss with your spouse/partner before you ramp

• How setbacks create opportunity (losing a $4k/mo client → landing a $50k/mo client)

If you're ready to trade doom-scrolling for disciplined execution, this one's your playbook.
Subscribe on YouTube for new episodes, and grab step-by-step tools at unsexybusinessmen.com.

Connect with Us!

TikTok ➡️ https://www.tiktok.com/@unsexybusinessmen

Instagram ➡️ https://www.instagram.com/unsexybusinessmen/

Facebook ➡️ https://www.facebook.com/unsexybusinessmen

In this candid Unsexy Businessmen episode, Alex and Aaron strip away the highlight-reel and talk through the real grind of entrepreneurship—finding those first customers, living with uncertainty for months, managing employees (and your own standards), drawing boundaries with clients, and carrying stress on "vacation." They share early-stage timelines that actually happen, why some clients cost more than they pay, when to fire nicely, and how to hold people accountable without poisoning your culture. Plus: listener questions on "free work" from a big client and handling a distracting employee—complete with scripts, guardrails, and documentation tips you can use today. And Business Advice!

What you'll learn

• Why the first 6–12 months feel terrible—and how to push through it

• A simple rule for saying "no" to scope creep (without nuking the relationship)

• The "asshole tax," when to cut clients, and how to do it professionally

• One-on-one frameworks for performance issues (and why to keep names out of it)

• Cash discipline 101: don't buy the boat—build the buffer

• The mindset shift that makes your second (and third) business less scary

If you're stuck at the start, drowning in "small tweaks," or worried about being "too harsh," this episode gives you the playbook—and a shove—to keep going.

Tik Tok: ➡︎ /https://www.tiktok.com/@unsexybusinessmen

IG: ➡︎ /https://www.instagram.com/unsexybusinessmen/

Facebook: ➡︎ /https://www.facebook.com/unsexybusinessmen

Running an "unsexy" business during the holidays can either be a chaotic mess or a massive advantage. In this episode, Alex and Aaron break down exactly how they handled holiday schedules, employee time-off requests, staff appreciation, client gifts, premium pricing, and end-of-year planning while scaling a cleaning business. They talk candidly about real bonuses (not $10 gift cards), why you should reward top performers, how to use holiday demand to your advantage, and how strategic planning with a solid CPA turns Q4 into a launchpad for next year's growth. This is the holiday playbook every small service business owner wishes they had.

What You'll Learn

• How to build holiday schedules that keep clients happy without burning out your team

• Simple systems to manage time-off requests and avoid last-minute coverage chaos

• Smart ways to structure bonuses (without wasting money or breeding resentment)

• How to use parties, recognition, and gifts to genuinely increase loyalty

• Holiday pricing tactics, premium jobs, and when to charge more

• How to treat interns and newer staff without alienating your core team

• End-of-year goal setting that actually drives next year's growth

• Basic tax and write-off strategies to discuss with your CPA before year-end

🔥 Ready to scale your business to millions? Here's how to do it now ➡️ https://www.unsexybusinessmen.com/offers/4VxHyQbf/checkout 

Tik Tok: ➡︎ /https://www.tiktok.com/@unsexybusinessmen

IG: ➡︎ /https://www.instagram.com/unsexybusinessmen/

Facebook: ➡︎ /https://www.facebook.com/unsexybusinessmen

Aaron built a multimillion-dollar cleaning company starting with $500 in his bank account, and he's here to tell you: if your goals aren't specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound, you're just pissing in the wind.

In this episode, we break down the SMART goal framework—not the corporate version where everyone nods and nothing happens, but the unsexy business version that Aaron used to scale from solo cleaner to $5 million exit. We also tear apart examples of terrible goals (including Alex's former company that set a $20 million revenue goal with zero plan beyond "sell more").

We get into the nitty-gritty: How to set revenue goals that aren't pipe dreams. When to hire employees (with actual dates, not "sometime this year"). Why you need weekly check-ins and quarterly reviews. How to know if your goals are synergistic or if you're just chasing shiny objects. And most importantly, why your goals should always tie back to making more money, because that's why you're in business.

Plus, we cover the different goal categories you need to think about: revenue, capacity, operations, marketing, and your own personal life (because working 80-hour weeks forever isn't the dream).

What You'll Learn:

• The SMART framework explained: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound
• Why "grow my business" is not a goal and what to say instead
• How to make goals specific enough that you can't weasel out of them
• Real example: "Hire one full-time cleaner by March to increase weekly capacity by 25%"
• Why measurable goals force you to do the math (and why that's a good thing)
• The difference between achievable and delusional (95% retention in an agency is impossible, folks)
• How bad leaders set unattainable goals to cover their own asses
• Why all your goals should tie back to revenue and profit
• The five goal categories: revenue, capacity, operational, marketing, and personal
• How to make sure all your goals are synergistic (they should support each other)
• Why you need weekly priorities (singular, not plural) to hit quarterly goals
• The importance of writing goals down where you see them every day
• Aaron's daily reminder: "What did you do to achieve your goals today? What are you doing tomorrow?"
• Why you should adjust goals mid-year if you're crushing them or if something's broken
• Real example: How Alex saved $12K by setting a payment processing goal on the fly
• Lead measures vs. lag measures (and why you need both)
• Why quarterly check-ins keep you honest about what's working and what's not

🔥 Ready to scale your business to millions? Here's how to do it now ➡️ https://www.unsexybusinessmen.com/offers/4VxHyQbf/checkout 

Tik Tok: ➡︎ /https://www.tiktok.com/@unsexybusinessmen

IG: ➡︎ /https://www.instagram.com/unsexybusinessmen/

Facebook: ➡︎ /https://www.facebook.com/unsexybusinessmen

What You'll Learn:

• The double-edged sword of built-in trust with family and friends
• How to set clear roles, responsibilities, and metrics from day one
• Why you need everything in writing (no handshake deals!)
• The importance of being willing to have uncomfortable conversations
• How to identify if someone actually has marketable skills or just talks a lot
• When to fire a family member or friend (and how to do it)
• Managing expectations and avoiding resentment in partnerships
• The critical question: Are you okay losing this relationship if the business fails?
• How to handle demanding stakeholders without burning out your team
• Real examples of what works (and what spectacularly doesn't) in family businesses

🔥 Ready to scale your business to millions? Here's how to do it now ➡️ https://www.unsexybusinessmen.com/offers/4VxHyQbf/checkout 

Tik Tok: ➡︎ /https://www.tiktok.com/@unsexybusinessmen

IG: ➡︎ /https://www.instagram.com/unsexybusinessmen/

Facebook: ➡︎ /https://www.facebook.com/unsexybusinessmen

We're talking about the nuts and bolts: how to write procedures so specific that anyone can follow them (think peanut butter and jelly sandwich levels of detail), why consistency beats creativity when you're trying to scale, and how proper documentation protects you from everything—shady managers, insurance nightmares, and business chaos.

If you've ever wondered why McDonald's can run the same way in every location or how companies like Google maintain quality at scale, this episode breaks it all down. Plus, we answer listener questions about workers' comp and handling workplace politics when you're building something new.

What You'll Learn:

• Why your first hire will expose every gap in your business processes
• The exact framework for creating SOPs that actually get followed
• How detailed your procedures need to be (spoiler: very)
• Why SOPs are the only way to sell your business for real money
• How to train employees so they improve your systems, not just follow them
• The connection between proper documentation and lower insurance premiums
• Real examples from a business that scaled from solo operation to 7-figure exit
• How to handle pushback from managers when implementing new training systems
• Why everything needs to be in writing (and how it'll save your ass later)

🔥 Ready to scale your business to millions? Here's how to do it now ➡️ https://www.unsexybusinessmen.com/offers/4VxHyQbf/checkout 

Tik Tok: ➡︎ /https://www.tiktok.com/@unsexybusinessmen

IG: ➡︎ /https://www.instagram.com/unsexybusinessmen/

Facebook: ➡︎ /https://www.facebook.com/unsexybusinessmen

Join Our Entrepreneur Skool Group: https://www.skool.com/unsexy-business-group-2742/about?ref=16cfaba2d15643c690ae36a699b64ae3

Follow Erik: 

Instagram: @mediocresalesman

Instagram: @breaksnotbroken

Sales doesn't have to be loud or slick—it has to be you. In this episode, Aaron and Alex sit down with door-to-door veteran Erik Pyper (DoorDriven) to unpack how he rebuilt after a brutal slump and scaled multi-state teams using systems, analytics, and "tactical empathy." We hit the real stuff: handling rejection without ego, training reps to their strengths (not yours), qualifying hard, getting paid upfront, and landing your first sale in 24 hours. Erik breaks down persuasion frameworks (logos/ethos/pathos + kairos), the hunter vs farmer mindset, why product-belief matters, and how to balance innovation with execution using Blue Ocean Strategy and The Innovator's Dilemma. If you're an entrepreneur who needs sales to work—today—this one's your field manual.

What you'll learn

• How to turn rejection into signal and move from defense → offense

• The persuasion stack: using logos, ethos, pathos—and kairos (timing) in real conversations

• "Tactical empathy" (à la Chris Voss): mirroring, labeling, and better how/what questions

• Why belief in the product matters—and how to pick the right market "carrot"

• Training reps to their strengths (not cloning your top closer)

• Building simple systems & analytics so new reps ramp in days, not months

• Hard qualifying, handling "not interested," and preventing non-payment (get paid upfront)

• A 24-hour first-sale play: quick market research, routing, and offer testing

• Hunter vs. farmer pipelines—and when to use each

• Balancing innovation with execution (Blue Ocean + Innovator's Dilemma) without perfection paralysis

• Why network + self-worth = net worth for entrepreneurs

🔥 Ready to scale your business to millions? Here's how to do it now ➡️ https://www.unsexybusinessmen.com/offers/4VxHyQbf/checkout 

Tik Tok: ➡︎ /https://www.tiktok.com/@unsexybusinessmen

IG: ➡︎ /https://www.instagram.com/unsexybusinessmen/

Facebook: ➡︎ /https://www.facebook.com/unsexybusinessmen

In the listener Q&A, they tackle two super-practical topics: (1) how to price commercial cleaning work when you're new, and (2) how to stop costly shipping mistakes with better SOPs and checks. No hype—just frameworks you can use today.

What you'll learn

• A practical definition of self-doubt (and why motion beats rumination)

• Two mindsets that work: blind persistence vs. disciplined stubbornness

• The "calendar cure": structuring your day so fear has nowhere to sit

• When to pivot vs. when to persevere (and how to tell the difference)

• How to sanity-check advice and spot course-seller red flags

• Building a support system that gives help, not hot air

• Pricing a commercial cleaning contract: competitor recon → hours → margin

• Why mid-market pricing often wins—and how to defend your rate

• Turning a shipping error into a process win: checklists, dual-address flags, final confirms

• How to correct mistakes with customers without torching trust

🔥 Ready to scale your business to millions? Here's how to do it now ➡️ https://www.unsexybusinessmen.com/offers/4VxHyQbf/checkout 

Tik Tok: ➡︎ /https://www.tiktok.com/@unsexybusinessmen

IG: ➡︎ /https://www.instagram.com/unsexybusinessmen/

Facebook: ➡︎ /https://www.facebook.com/unsexybusinessmen

Plus, a rapid-fire listener Q&A:
• A manager gets scolded for raising a report to the company's salary minimum—what now?
• A septic business struggles with SEO/Google Ads—what local play actually works?

What you'll learn

• The 6 relationship types entrepreneurs face—and how to respond to each

• Why friends-and-family discounts set the wrong expectations (and what to do instead)

• How to spot comparison energy and protect your momentum

• Using skepticism as fuel vs. mental drain

• The value of entrepreneur peers for honest numbers, tactics, and tax/ops tips

• Q&A Tactics: handling a boss who ignores company policy, and the simple local stack for trades (GBP locations, reviews, and Local Services Ads) to drive real leads

If you've ever felt torn between keeping the peace and protecting your business, this episode gives you a practical playbook—no fluff, just moves.

🔥 Ready to scale your business to millions? Here's how to do it now ➡️ https://www.unsexybusinessmen.com/offers/4VxHyQbf/checkout 

Tik Tok: ➡︎ /https://www.tiktok.com/@unsexybusinessmen

IG: ➡︎ /https://www.instagram.com/unsexybusinessmen/

Facebook: ➡︎ /https://www.facebook.com/unsexybusinessmen

Tired of office politics, capped pay, and goals that make no mathematical sense? In this episode, brothers Alex and Aaron get real about why entrepreneurship is worth it—beyond the highlight reel. From owning your output (and upside) to designing a politics-free culture, they break down the freedom, wealth-building, and momentum that come from betting on yourself. You'll hear first-sale stories, building multiple income streams, smart reinvestment (not dumb flexes), and how "hooking up your future self" with today's effort compounds into options—travel, time, and a life you actually enjoy now, not "someday."

What you'll learn:

• Why effort → reward is different when you own the business

• How to think about churn, SMART goals, and realistic growth

• Turning profit into diversified plays (real estate, products, partnerships)

• Freedom as the real ROI: schedule, networking, family, experiences

• The mindset: solve problems, learn new skills, and keep creating

Resources & next steps:
Grab step-by-step tools, LLC walk-throughs, and affordable mini-courses at unsexybusinessmen.com and our YouTube channel.

Alex and Aaron break down why unsexy businesses are basically AI-proof and how you can use these tools to save massive amounts of time and money. We're talking $5,000 websites built in 30 minutes, $1,500/month SEO work you can do yourself, and automation that saves 3+ hours every single week.

This isn't some techie bullshit. We get into the real, practical ways carpet cleaners, janitorial services, plumbers, and other trades can use AI right now—without getting ripped off by agencies charging $2,500 to set up your LLC or $60,000 for marketing you could do for $15,000.

Plus, we answer listener questions about handling nightmare clients who threaten bad reviews and managing cash flow when you land your first big commercial contract with net 60 payment terms.

What You'll Learn:

• Why unsexy businesses are actually AI-proof (and which jobs aren't)
• How to build a professional website in 30 minutes using Wix's AI tools
• The exact way to create SEO content that ranks without paying an agency $1,500/month
• How AI saved Alex $45,000 on marketing agency costs (and how you can do the same)
• Which AI tools to use for email automation, customer follow-ups, and content creation
• How to avoid getting scammed by companies charging thousands for stuff you can do yourself
• Why you should NOT pay someone to implement AI for you when starting out
• Real examples of how AI saves 3+ hours per week (and why it'll be way more soon)
• Practical uses: invoicing automation, customer relationship management, bid creation, and more
• How to handle customers threatening bad reviews unless you refund them
• Managing cash flow when big contracts have net 60 payment terms

🔥 Ready to scale your business to millions? Here's how to do it now ➡️ https://www.unsexybusinessmen.com/offers/4VxHyQbf/checkout 

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In this no-holds-barred episode of the Unsexy Businessmen Podcast, Alex and Aaron Skinner air their full list of business grievances—what they call the "sexy garbage of the year." From thought leaders with no receipts and fake internet gurus to AI denial, college debt scams, lazy 'busy' culture, MLMs, crypto hype, and passive income fantasies, nothing is off-limits.

This episode is a hard reset for entrepreneurs, employees, and anyone tired of being sold dopamine instead of results. The Skinners break down why easy-money narratives keep people stuck, how real businesses are actually built, why unsexy trades still win, and what accountability really looks like in business, hiring, education, and personal responsibility.

If you're frustrated with fake success stories, burned out by corporate nonsense, or questioning whether the system is even designed for you to win—this episode will hit home.

What You Will Learn

• Why "thought leaders" without proof are one of the biggest threats to new entrepreneurs

• How motivation gurus and conferences monetize short-term dopamine, not long-term results

• The truth about AI taking jobs—and why pretending otherwise is dangerous

• Why unsexy, service-based businesses are safer and more scalable than internet trends

• How "I'm too busy" is usually a prioritization problem, not a workload problem

• What college and student loans actually optimize for—and why it's not student success

• Why most get-rich-quick schemes (crypto, dropshipping, MLMs, NFTs) fail the majority

• How to spot fake success signals versus real operational competence

• What accountability looks like for business owners with bad employees

• Why building your own business beats building someone else's upside

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In this episode, we break down five businesses you can literally start tomorrow with minimal capital. We're talking window cleaning (under $100 to start), junk removal (one pickup truck), carpet cleaning, auto detailing, and pressure washing. These aren't theoretical, Aaron has personally built two of these from scratch, and we've seen countless people crush it with the others.

Most of these you can start as a side hustle while keeping your 9-to-5. Work weekends, build your client base, and once you're making enough, tell your boss to fuck off. We get into the exact startup costs, what equipment you actually need (not the overpriced shit agencies will try to sell you), and how much you can realistically make per job.

We also talk about why these businesses are perfect for scaling—once you nail window cleaning, you can easily add gutter cleaning, pressure washing, or other services to the same clients. It's all about getting your foot in the door and building relationships.

Plus, we cover the mindset you need: working Saturdays, missing football games, and putting in the hours that nobody else is willing to put in so you can eventually live like nobody else can.

What You'll Learn:

• The exact startup costs for window cleaning, junk removal, carpet cleaning, auto detailing, and pressure washing
• Why window cleaning is the absolute cheapest business to start (under $100 for equipment)
• How high school kids are making $200-$400 per house doing windows (and you can too)
• The profit margins on each job and how many jobs it takes to break even on equipment
• Why commercial clients are better than residential (hint: consistent, regular income)
• How to bundle services and upsell existing clients once you've built trust
• Real example: 19-year-old auto detailer making $20K/month after one year
• Why you should start these as a weekend side hustle before quitting your job
• The mindset required: sacrificing Saturdays and working your ass off in the beginning
• How to avoid overpaying for equipment and services you don't need
• Why these businesses are perfect for scaling with crews once you've dialed in your systems
• The importance of follow-up systems so clients keep coming back

🔥 Ready to scale your business to millions? Here's how to do it now ➡️ https://www.unsexybusinessmen.com/offers/4VxHyQbf/checkout 

Tik Tok: ➡︎ /https://www.tiktok.com/@unsexybusinessmen

IG: ➡︎ /https://www.instagram.com/unsexybusinessmen/

Facebook: ➡︎ /https://www.facebook.com/unsexybusinessmen