The Overcomer’s Podcast

S5: Episode 7 - Joe De Sena Pt. 2 | The Depth of Your Struggle

Joe De Sena is currently the CEO of Spartan.  Before this he built a multimillion-dollar pool and construction business while in college, and he created a Wall Street trading firm.  It was after his successful career on Wall Street that he moved his family to Vermont to operate an organic farm and a bed and breakfast.  It was here that his passion for ultramarathons, endurance events, and adventure races began.

 

Along with all of this, Joe is also an author of three books.  He is a man who has worn many hats, but has found his passion in bringing people together for fitness and to overcome obstacles.  He’s all about being better today than you were yesterday, and he lives up to that ideal on a daily basis.

S5: Episode 6 - Jarod Cogswell | It’s Gotta Start With Gratitude

Jarod Cogswell has been in the fitness industry for over 32 years.  He started when he was 18, and became a personal trainer at 19.  He worked at several gyms, was a director, and then a general manager at 2 different businesses.  He owned his own gym, is an avid mountain climber, a business coach, a coach in the Todd Durkin Mastermind.  He was even a trainer on the show  Alpha Warrior.  

 

During his time on Alpha Warrior he met Yancy Culp.  Yancy is a good friend of Joe De Sena, the founder of Spartan, and Yancy decided to partner with Jarod on a whole new Spartan race, called the DEKA.  Now, he’s fully invested in growing the DEKA brand and helping people get up and moving and pushing themselves in this obstacle course race.

S5: Episode 5 - Frank Pucher | Be Honest With Yourself

Frank Pucher is a Platinum Level Coach & The Executive Director of the Todd Durkin Mastermind Program which serves 200+ fitness entrepreneurs from around the country. Frank is the former CEO of Fitness 121 Personal Training. He developed and ran that business in Roseland, NJ for 20 years from 1998-2018. During the time Frank owned Fitness 121, it was twice named “NJ’s Best Fitness Studio.” 

 

In 2018, Frank published his book, Smart Money Moves: The Fitness Professional’s Guide for Earning, Growing and Protecting Your Money, which became an Amazon Best Seller.

 

Frank is a fitness industry veteran and a 2x finalist for the Personal Trainer of the Year Award.  

 

When not working, Frank enjoys training & competing as an elite masters athlete. 

S5: Episode 4 - Jenna Mango | The Comfort Zone Kills

Jenna Mango currently works at Fitness Quest 10 in San Diego, CA, as a Certified Personal Trainer and Performance Coach.  She has a master’s degree from Western Connecticut University in Applied Behavior Analysis and a bachelor’s degree from Eastern Connecticut State University in Psychology.  She was a former collegiate field hockey player.  Upon graduation, she accepted the position of Assistant Field Hockey Coach at WestConn and spent four seasons with the team.  She is also currently a WTBA (World Thai Boxing Association) Coach and NLP (Neurolinguistic Programming) Master Practitioner while she is continuing to train in Hawaiian Kemp, Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Kickboxing and Boxing.

 

On top of all of this, Jenna has found time to become a writer.  Choose to R1se is a book about fighting to be the best possible version of yourself and striving to get 1% better every single day in all aspects of life.  In the book, Jenna opens herself up, becomes vulnerable, and shares advice and wisdom that has the potential to help many.

S5: Episode 3 - Jeff Bristol | Energy and Work Ethic

Jeff Bristol was raised in Temecula Valley, CA, where played soccer, football, baseball and excelled in wrestling. In high school, he was named an All-American wrestler and went on to wrestle at the University of Davis where he placed in the Pac 10 Conference and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Sociology and Organizational Studies.

Jeff began working at Fitness Quest 10 in 2011 as a Director of First Impressions, and he will be the first to tell you Fitness Quest 10 changed his life. After a decade-long battle with addiction, joining the team at FQ10 and being surrounded by a positive community and embedded in a culture of growth and acceptance changed his life! Shortly after joining the team, he knew he had found his purpose and became a certified personal trainer by ACE. Jeff quickly became the busiest trainer on staff and began wanting to grow into a leadership role on staff. In 2018 he transitioned in the General Manager role which led Jeff to partnering with Todd and becoming the co-owner of Fitness Quest 10 in 2021. 

Jeff is committed to leading the team by growing and cultivating the one-of-a-kind culture at Fitness Quest 10 while still enjoying training anyone from kids, moms and dads, working professionals and retirees, to all levels of athletes. Jeff is dedicated to Fitness Quest 10’s mission to change lives and seeks to help everyone get the most out of their health and fitness journey.

S5: Episode 2 - Amy Balash | Start Right Now

Amy Balash is a wife and mother of four.  Amy began her love for fitness at an early age. She ran her first 5k at 8 years old. Amy ran cross-country, Indoor and outdoor track for Horseheads High School and Division III Moravian College. Amy was inducted into the Moravian College Hall of Fame along with her 1995 Cross-Country team. Amy has been a Special Education teacher in the Elmira City School District for the last 20 years. She coached Middle School Track and Field for 12 years. She recently took over as varsity coach for Cross-Country, Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field for the Elmira Express.  Amy has always enjoyed fitness but found a renewed love for working out and running when she joined Journey 333 7 years ago.  Now as Masters Runner, Amy has found getting older doesn’t always equate to getting slower. Amy has run 50 1/2 marathons and 18 marathons and her proudest running accomplishment is qualifying and running the Boston Marathon 3 times. 

Amy currently lives  with her husband, two sons and her daughter.

S5: Episode 1 - Joe De Sena | Never Give Up

Joe De Sena is currently the CEO of Spartan.  Before this he built a multimillion-dollar pool and construction business while in college, and he created a Wall Street trading firm.  It was after his successful career on Wall Street that he moved his family to Vermont to operate an organic farm and a bed and breakfast.  It was here that his passion for ultramarathons, endurance events, and adventure races began.

 

Along with all of this, Joe is also an author of three books.  He is a man who has worn many hats, but has found his passion in bringing people together for fitness and to overcome obstacles.  He’s all about being better today than you were yesterday, and he lives up to that ideal on a daily basis.

S4: Episode 12 - Jeffrey Case | Hard Work and Faith

Jeffrey Case - Overcomer and Owner of Journey Fitness in Horseheads, NY!

S4: Episode 11 - David Weck | Make Every Step Better

David Weck is the inventor of the BOSU® Balance Trainer and the founder of WeckMethod. David’s influence reaches millions of people across the globe. From world-class athletes to disabled individuals regaining the ability to walk, David has been helping people achieve better functional fitness for the past 29 years.

S4: Episode 10 - Logan Peters | You Have to Own It