“An alpha hippie is a tree-hugger who can rip out the tree and smash you with it, too.”

I’m not huge on inspirational quotes, but I think that quote has inspired me.

Angelo is one of the most interesting people I know – which is saying a lot because I know a lot of freaks (and you may have heard some of them on the podcast).

We first met way back in 2011. I was a new CrossFit coach and he had recently opened O’Hare CrossFit. Since then, we’ve both continued to learn and soak up information – which is pretty fascinating to see from two totally different personality types.

Angelo has built O’Hare CrossFit into a thriving business, which is much, much harder than it seems in this market, and he was also head of coaching for Barbell Business/Barbell Logic – which means he was overseeing the coaching for 100s of gyms.

Check out this conversation to learn what bizarre depths Angelo will sink to in order to keep learning, how he finds mentors, how he changed how he changed his on mindset and relationship with conflict despite having tons of success, how he helps business owners prioritize what they need to work on, and why strange men harass him because of his chest.

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Check out Angelo and O’Hare CrossFit

Resources and Individuals Mentioned

Show Notes

  • [2:55] Angelo showed up to a kipping pull-up clinic at Atlas CrossFit that was intended to be just for members. Why put yourself out there and go into situations that you don’t totally belong? How did Angelo learn about CrossFit and training methodologies when there wasn’t a ton of information online?
  • [7:35] Having a bootleg pizza business selling pizza outside of bar – making really good friends with everyone and making sure that relationships are not one-sided
  • [11:58] Starting to train people in the “early adopter” days of CrossFit – and why people skills have become much more important over time as the marketplace changes
  • [15:11] Tipping points in the growth of O’Hare CrossFit over time – how becoming a better listener and unlearning emotional habits that had led to a certain level of success were both crucial to long-term business development
  • [20:13] Becoming an alpha hippie – “An alpha hippie is a tree-hugger who can rip out the tree and smash you with it, too”
  • [27:08] Finding a mentor in Jason Leydon – Taking a trip to Milford and staying at a seedy motel,
    and relentlessly following through on advice given
  • [36:23] Jason Leydon’s fear of male nudity
  • [40:38] How to prioritize areas of focus for business coaching clients – aligning your perfect day with your vision for your business and making sure that your product is good enough to achieve the level of success that you want
  • [50:20] Creating a specific client experience in a gym – “People are coming here for an emotion”