Built With Purpose

In this powerful episode of Built With Purpose, Chris Fay sits down with Dr. Grant Zazour — orthopedic surgeon, entrepreneur, and founder of Sperity Health — for a conversation about health, longevity, proactive care, and what it really takes to perform at your best as a leader.

Dr. Zazour shares his journey from growing up the son of an orthopedic surgeon, mowing the lawn of his father's medical practice as a kid to pay his way, to becoming one of Alabama's leading joint replacement surgeons while simultaneously building a data-driven longevity company. He opens up about the two defining moments that sparked Sperity Health: navigating his father's sudden brain tumor diagnosis and realizing the healthcare system couldn't keep up — and watching his two-year-old son receive a devastating neurological prognosis that conventional medicine had no real answer for.

Together, Chris and Grant explore why the healthcare system is built for reactive care, not prevention, and what executives and business owners can do right now to take control of their own health. They examine the science behind cardiovascular disease, colon cancer, metabolic health, and muscle preservation — and why most people are blissfully unaware of risks that are already building inside their bodies. They also dig into how Sperity Health is bringing this proactive, data-driven approach to companies at scale, starting with the executive team and expanding through the workforce.

The conversation also explores the business case for investing in employee health — including the relentless rise of healthcare premiums, the failure of traditional wellness programs, and why Dr. Zazour believes it will be the business world, not the insurance industry, that finally forces meaningful change in American healthcare.

Chris and Grant discuss:

• Why medical school teaches almost nothing about preventive care
• The single most powerful imaging tool for catching cardiovascular disease early
• How a continuous glucose monitor can quietly transform your weight and energy
• Why sugar — real and artificial — is the number one threat to metabolic health
• The case for muscle-building exercise over cardio as you age
• The hidden risks of GLP-1 medications most people aren't talking about
• How 66 days of consistency is what separates intention from lasting habit
• Why the B2B model is how proactive health reaches people at scale
• What wearables like WHOOP actually tell you — and how not to obsess over them

Key Takeaways

• The healthcare system is designed to treat illness, not prevent it — that's on you to change
• Cardiovascular disease builds silently; early imaging can catch it before it becomes a crisis
• Sugar is the most damaging element of the average American's diet
• Muscle mass is the single greatest predictor of long-term quality of life and longevity
• Small, consistent changes — not dramatic overhauls — are what create lasting health
• Your health span matters more than your lifespan; don't just live longer, live better
• Companies that invest in proactive employee health will outperform those that don't
• It takes 66 days to build a habit — most people quit before the science even kicks in

Connect with Chris & Grant
Chris Fay
LinkedIn: / cjfay

Dr. Grant Zazour
Founder, Sperity Health
Website: www.sperityhealth.com

In this Between the Builds episode of Built With Purpose, host Chris Fay reflects on his recent conversation with Mark Moses of CEO Coaching International and unpacks one of the most important and most difficult challenges every growing leader faces: putting the right people in the right seats.

Chris gets personal, sharing that he himself is a customer of CEO Coaching International and is currently in the middle of a major organizational restructuring. Drawing on Mark's insight that the number one thing holding companies back from growth is not vision, financing, or strategy — but people — Chris breaks down exactly how leaders can navigate this challenge with clarity, courage, and compassion.

From building a future org structure before putting any names on it, to having honest developmental conversations with your existing team, Chris walks through a practical, step-by-step framework for figuring out who can grow with your company, and what to do when they can't.

Chris covers:

• Why people decisions are the single biggest factor in company growth
• How to build your future org structure before worrying about who fills the roles
• Using AI tools to map out ideal job descriptions and leadership profiles
• The two conversations every leader must be willing to have
• Why keeping someone in the wrong role is a disservice to them and your organization
• How to create a development roadmap from point A to point B

Key Takeaways

• The leadership team that got you here may not be the team that gets you there
• Clarity of vision must come before any people decisions
• Open, honest dialogue is only possible when you have a clear future org structure
• Developing people and moving people are both acts of care, not cruelty
• Hiding the truth from your team does them and your organization a disservice
• Execution becomes simple when the path is clearly defined

Connect with Chris Fay
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cjfay/

In this insightful episode of Built With Purpose, Chris Fay sits down with entrepreneur, investor, and CEO Coaching International founder Mark Moses for a conversation about leadership, growth, entrepreneurship, coaching, and the transformative impact of AI on business.

Mark shares his journey from growing up in a small mining town in Canada to building and selling multiple companies, including a painting business he launched while still in college and a mortgage company he sold just before the 2008 financial crisis. Along the way, he reveals how watching his father go bankrupt shaped his mindset, fueled his ambition, and taught him the importance of resilience, ownership, and perseverance.

Together, Chris and Mark explore what separates great leaders from average ones, why most companies struggle to scale, and the difficult decisions CEOs must make as their organizations grow. They unpack the critical role of vision, talent, accountability, and continuous learning, while discussing why having the right people in the right seats is often the biggest challenge leaders face.

The conversation also dives deep into the future of AI, examining how business leaders can leverage emerging technology to create competitive advantages, build stronger companies, and become indispensable to their customers. Mark shares lessons from coaching more than 2,000 CEOs across 90 countries and offers practical frameworks leaders can apply immediately.

Chris and Mark discuss:

• How adversity shapes entrepreneurial success
• The five core responsibilities of every CEO
• Why most companies outgrow their leadership teams
• The challenge of making tough people decisions
• Building a culture that supports growth and accountability
• The opportunities and risks AI presents for business leaders
• How to use AI to create a competitive moat
• Becoming indispensable to your customers

One of the most powerful moments of the episode comes as Mark challenges leaders to think beyond their current limitations and ask a simple but profound question: How can you use AI to become indispensable to your customers?

• Great leadership starts with clarity of vision
• The right people are essential for sustainable growth
• Fear often prevents leaders from making necessary decisions
• Continuous learning is a competitive advantage
• AI is changing business faster than most organizations can adapt
• Companies that embrace AI strategically will create new opportunities and market leadership
• Success comes from thinking bigger and challenging self-imposed limitations

Chris Fay
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cjfay/

Mark Moses
Chairman & Founder, CEO Coaching International
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmoses/

CEO Coaching International
Website: https://ceocoachinginternational.com/

In this episode of Built With Purpose: Between the Builds, Chris Fay reflects on a powerful leadership lesson from his recent conversation with performance psychologist and longtime mentor, Milt Lowder.

As leaders, parents, spouses, and professionals, it's easy to become overwhelmed by the constant pressure of expectations. We tell ourselves, I have to, I need to, I must. But what if those expectations are self-imposed? What if we replaced them with a more intentional mindset: I choose to?

Recording from his basement while caring for a sick child and balancing the demands of work and family, Chris shares a personal reminder that perfection isn't the goal—presence is. Drawing from Milt's coaching, he explores how reframing obligations as choices can reduce stress, improve focus, and help leaders make a greater impact where it matters most.

Chris also dives into the concepts of focusing on "The One Thing," learning to say no, and getting beneath the waterline of the iceberg to tackle the deeper challenges that drive meaningful growth.

This episode is a practical reminder that leadership isn't about carrying every burden. It's about choosing where to focus your energy, letting go of unnecessary pressure, and creating space to lead with clarity and purpose.

Topics Covered

• Removing the burden of expectations
• Reframing "I have to" into "I choose to"
• Leadership pressure and self-imposed stress
• The power of focus and prioritization
• Why saying no is a leadership skill
• Getting beneath the waterline to solve deeper challenges
• Balancing work, family, and personal responsibilities

Key Takeaways

• Many of the pressures we feel are expectations we've placed on ourselves
• Reframing obligations as choices creates freedom and perspective
• Focused leaders create greater impact than busy leaders
• Saying no allows you to say yes to what matters most
• The burden of leadership becomes lighter when you prioritize intentionally

Memorable Moments

• Chris reflects on a coaching session that changed how he thinks about responsibility
• The simple power of replacing "I need to" with "I choose to"
• A real-time lesson in balancing fatherhood, work, and leadership
• Why a sticky note on a desk became a daily leadership reminder
• The iceberg analogy and the importance of getting beneath the surface

Connect with Chris Fay
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cjfay/

In this deeply personal episode of Built With Purpose, Chris Fay sits down with psychologist, speaker, and performance coach Milt Lowder for a conversation about trauma, purpose, growth, anxiety, forgiveness, and what it truly means to live a meaningful life.

Milt opens up about the defining moments that shaped his path into psychology — from witnessing a traumatic accident involving his mother, to struggling with grief, uncertainty, and identity during his early college years. What followed was a transformational conversation with a psychologist that changed the direction of his life forever.

Together, Chris and Milt explore the psychology behind high performance, the burden of expectations, and why so many successful people still feel unfulfilled. They unpack the difference between happiness and purpose, how trauma shapes identity, and why learning to ask for help may be one of the most important skills we can develop.

The conversation also dives into Milt’s work with elite athletes, executives, and leadership teams — including Clemson Football’s national championship programs — and how the same mental principles apply across sports, business, and life.

Chris and Milt discuss:

• Why achievement alone never creates fulfillment
• The hidden pressure high performers carry
• Anxiety, control, and living in the present moment
• How forgiveness creates freedom
• Why purpose often emerges through suffering
• The importance of continuing to dream and grow

One of the most powerful moments of the episode comes as Milt shares a handwritten letter from his father — a reminder that success is not about perfection, but about giving your best with “plenty of hustle.”

• Purpose is often shaped through pain and adversity
• You don’t have to carry life’s burdens alone
• High performers struggle too — even when it’s invisible
• Fulfillment comes from growth, meaning, and contribution
• Forgiveness may be the key to freedom
• The best is still yet to come

Chris Fay
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cjfay/

Milt Lowder, Ph.D.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/milt-lowder-ph-d-31a9a5113/

In this episode of Built With Purpose: Between the Builds, Chris Fay reflects on leadership, burnout, intentional rest, and the importance of slowing down in the middle of life’s chaos.

Coming off a powerful conversation with CEO John Uprichard, Chris shares a few lessons that stuck with him — from the “shopping cart test” to the idea of organizational fitness and what it really means to lead with purpose.

But the heart of this episode centers around a simple moment: attending his son’s eighth grade graduation chapel service during an especially stressful season of work and life. Between mergers and acquisitions, leadership challenges, travel, deadlines, and constant demands, Chris found himself forced to pause — and realized how badly he needed it.

This episode is a reminder that great leadership doesn’t come from constant grinding. It comes from clarity, perspective, and creating intentional moments to recharge.

Chris challenges listeners to schedule time for themselves — even just 30 minutes — to step away, reset, reflect, and reconnect with what matters most.

• Leadership during stressful seasons
• The importance of intentional rest
• Organizational “fitness” and focus
• Balancing work, family, and personal growth
• Why slowing down makes you a better leader
• Creating space to recharge mentally and emotionally

• You don’t need a full vacation to reset
• Intentional pauses create better leaders
• Rest improves clarity, focus, and decision-making
• The best leaders know when to slow down
• Small moments with family matter more than we realize

• Chris reflects on John Uprichard’s “shopping cart test”
• A conversation about “fitness” inside organizations
• A surprise lesson from arriving early to his son’s graduation chapel
• Why scheduling reset time on your calendar actually matters

In this episode of Built With Purpose, Chris Fay sits down with John Uprichard, CEO of FGP, for a conversation about culture, growth, AI, and the everyday habits that shape great companies and great people.

From building teams to developing future leaders, John shares practical lessons on curiosity, accountability, and why growth starts outside your comfort zone. One of the most memorable moments of the episode centers around the “shopping cart test” — and what the little things we do say about who we are.

Chris and John also unpack how AI is changing the workplace, why curious employees are accelerating innovation, and how strong cultures are built intentionally over time.

• Building great companies through great people
• The “shopping cart test” and what it reveals about character
• Why curiosity matters in the age of AI
• Creating cultures that encourage growth and accountability
• Leadership, legacy, faith, and family

• How you do the little things is how you do everything
• Growth starts outside your comfort zone
• Curious people help companies move faster
• Great cultures are built intentionally

Chris Fay
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cjfay/

John Uprichard
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-uprichard/

In this solo episode of Built With Purpose: Between the Builds, Chris Fay dives into a simple but powerful idea that can completely change how you lead: context shapes everything.

Recorded on the road between meetings and conferences, Chris reflects on recent conversations—including a powerful discussion with Jyot Singh—and a chance encounter with an Uber driver that challenged his perspective on culture, upbringing, and worldview.

What unfolds is a thoughtful exploration of how our experiences, environments, and personal wiring influence the way we think, make decisions, and ultimately lead others.

Chris breaks down why the best leaders aren’t just decisive—they’re informed. And that comes from actively seeking out different perspectives, engaging in uncomfortable conversations, and expanding your understanding of the world beyond your own experiences.

In a time where it’s easier than ever to stay in our own echo chambers, this episode is a reminder that growth doesn’t happen in comfort—it happens when we step outside of it.

If you want to become a more effective leader, a better teammate, or simply a more thoughtful human, it starts with one thing: gaining more context.

• Why context is critical for better decision-making
• How your upbringing and experiences shape your worldview
• The connection between perspective and leadership effectiveness
• Lessons from real conversations across different cultures and backgrounds
• Why leaders need to step outside their comfort zones
• The risk of surrounding yourself with people who think like you
• How curiosity and empathy improve leadership
• Giving others grace while expanding your own thinking

• Your perspective is shaped by your experiences—but it’s not the only one
• Great leaders seek out different viewpoints before making decisions
• Growth happens when you engage with people who think differently than you
• You don’t have to agree with others to learn from them
• Expanding your context leads to better leadership, stronger relationships, and smarter decisions

• What’s one thing you can do this week to expand your perspective?
• Have a conversation. Read something new. Step outside your usual circle.
• You might be surprised what you learn—and how it changes the way you lead.

Chris Fay
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisfay/