Discomfort Required

What happens when you walk away from 20 years in a secure career to build something of your own?

In this episode of Discomfort Required, I sit down with Steve Owens, founder of Heavy Handed, to talk about what it actually takes to bet on yourself, embrace uncertainty, and build a business on your own terms.

Steve spent nearly 20 years in geotechnical drilling and construction before stepping into the fitness world, co-owning Q CrossFit in Seattle, and eventually launching Heavy Handed in January 2023. What started as an idea turned into an 18-month formulation process, 11 revisions, and a whole lot of trial and error to create a hand care product that actually helps heal your hands instead of just covering up the problem.

We get into the scary shit that comes with leaving a stable career, why you can't be your own boss and a shitty employee, and what it really looks like to build something from the ground up. Steve also breaks down the lessons he learned developing Heavy Handed, why testing your product before ordering inventory can save you thousands, and how he's expanding beyond CrossFit into industries like construction and healthcare.

But my favorite part? Steve isn't chasing some massive exit or trying to build an empire just for the sake of it. He's building a business that works for his life, his family, and his vision of success.

Because success doesn't have to look like everybody else's version of it.

In this episode, we get into:

• What “Discomfort Required” means to Steve and why choosing discomfort in the small things matters.
• Going from anti-CrossFit to co-owning Q CrossFit in Seattle.
• Why leaving a secure union career with benefits and retirement was one of the scariest decisions he's ever made.
• Why you can't be your own boss and a shitty employee.
• The reality of leaving Seattle and finding a lifestyle that actually works for you.
• How Heavy Handed went from a conversation with his wife to a real business.
• The 18-month process, 11 revisions, and lessons behind developing a product that actually works.
• Why you need to test your formula before dumping $20,000 into inventory.
• Expanding a brand beyond its original audience while staying connected to the CrossFit community.
• Building a business around your life instead of sacrificing your life to build a business.

The takeaway: You don't need to have every answer figured out before you start. You need to be willing to take the risk, do the work, learn from the mistakes, and keep moving forward when shit gets uncomfortable.

That's where the growth happens.

If you're an athlete, entrepreneur, coach, or someone who's been thinking about taking a chance on yourself, this one's for you.

🎧 Listen in, take something away, and go do something uncomfortable.

If this episode hits home, drop a comment, share it with someone who's sitting on an idea, and make sure to follow Discomfort Required for more real people, real conversations, and honest discussions about what it actually takes to succeed.

Real People. Real Conversations. Discomfort Required.

What does it REALLY take to chase the CrossFit Games?

It’s not just about crushing workouts, hitting PRs, and showing up to class. It’s years of intentional work, getting your ass kicked, dealing with injuries, managing your mindset, and figuring out how to balance chasing a big goal with the reality of everyday life.

In this episode, I sit down with Hattie Kanyo to talk about what it actually takes to compete at the highest level. We get into her journey from CrossFit beginner to Games-level athlete, the mental side of performance, injury rehab, burnout, and the challenge of trying to go all in when life keeps pulling you in a hundred different directions.

We talk about the uncomfortable stuff, too. The boring rehab work. The negative self-talk. The workouts that don't go your way. And the reality that sometimes your biggest obstacle isn't your fitness — it's everything going on between your ears.

Hattie shares how mindset coaching changed the way she approaches training, why your support system matters when things get ugly, and what she's doing to build herself back up while chasing the next level.

Because getting better isn't always about doing more. Sometimes it's about getting intentional, focusing on what actually matters, and being willing to do the shit nobody else wants to do.

In this episode, we get into:

• Hattie's journey from CrossFit beginner to elite-level competition
• What it actually takes to chase a spot at the CrossFit Games
• Injury rehab, rebuilding strength, and learning to trust the process
• Mindset coaching, negative self-talk, and taking control of your thoughts
• Burnout, competing priorities, and the struggle to go all in
• Balancing big athletic goals with coaching, work, and paying the bills
• Why your support system matters when training gets hard
• Finding your superpower in the pain cave
• Learning from the best and staying hungry to improve
• Hattie's advice for athletes just getting started

This one's a reminder that discomfort isn't always a heavy barbell or a brutal workout. Sometimes it's slowing down, doing the rehab, changing the way you think, or admitting that the way you're doing things isn't working.

The goal is to keep getting better. The challenge is figuring out what that actually takes.

Let's get after it.

Welcome to Discomfort Required — real people, real conversations, no bullshit.

Hattie Kanyo Insta

For programming and coaching: Rawrathletics.com

In this episode of Discomfort Required, I sit down with Amanda Jeffery, a nutrition coach with CBG, to talk about her journey from equestrian show jumping and bodybuilding into coaching CrossFit athletes on nutrition and performance.

We get into what it actually takes to fuel performance, from local competitors to Games athletes, and why nutrition is about a hell of a lot more than hitting your macros. We talk about the mental side of sport, the pressure athletes put on themselves, and why patience and how you talk to yourself can make a bigger difference than you think.

Amanda also opens up about dealing with a year of injuries, adjusting her own training and nutrition, and learning to give herself the same patience she encourages her athletes to have.

This conversation is a reminder that you can have the best programming, the best coach, and all the supplements in the world, but if you're not taking care of your nutrition and mindset, you're leaving performance on the table.

• Amanda's journey from horse girl to bodybuilding to CrossFit nutrition coaching.
• Why bodybuilding eventually stopped aligning with her goals and the impact it had on her relationship with her body.
• How body image and negative self-talk can follow you long after competition is over.
• Why nutrition coaching is about performance, consistency, and sustainable habits — not just getting abs.
• The missing piece for athletes who already have their training, programming, and supplements dialed in.
• The challenges of fueling Games athletes around training volume, travel, and competition stress.
• Why good coaching isn't about guilt trips and making people feel like shit — it's about meeting them where they are and helping them get better.
• How Amanda tested her own competition fueling strategy at Monster Games.
• The importance of patience, self-awareness, and changing the way you talk to yourself.
• What's next for Amanda as she works through injuries, considers competing again, and builds her personal brand.

The big takeaway? Your training doesn't happen in a vacuum. How you fuel, recover, and treat yourself mentally all play a role in how you show up. Stop looking for shortcuts, start building better habits, and give yourself some damn credit along the way.

Real people. Real conversations. Discomfort Required.

Amanda's Instagram

RAWRATHLETICS.COM

New Merch Here

Jordan Sessions is a firefighter paramedic, 3x Regional Champion, and absolute badass in the Tactical Games. She sits down with Trent to talk about her journey from competitive dance to CrossFit and eventually finding the Tactical Games—and what happened when she realized she had the potential to be really fucking good at it.

We get into the mental side of competition, what it’s like being a smaller athlete moving heavy shit, learning to actually shoot instead of relying on fitness, and why doing the work you don’t want to do is usually where the biggest gains happen.

This one is all about getting uncomfortable, staying consistent, checking your ego, and figuring out what it actually takes to become a better athlete.

In this episode:

• Jordan breaks down what “Discomfort Required” actually means to her and why getting comfortable being uncomfortable is such a huge part of growth.
• She takes us through her background in competitive dance, including training around 30 hours a week and eventually competing at the college and agency level in Los Angeles.
• How she went from HIIT and functional fitness to CrossFit—and eventually found the Tactical Games after seeing an Instagram ad featuring Corinna breaching a door.
• The biggest challenge she faced as a smaller athlete: moving heavy sandbags, gear, and everything else the Tactical Games throws at you.
• Why being fit isn't enough—and how she had to stop relying on her fitness and start becoming a better shooter.
• The importance of attacking your weaknesses instead of constantly doing the shit you're already good at.
• How her shooting training evolved from random range sessions into an actual structured plan with specific goals and a shitload of intentional reps.
• The difference between learning pistol and rifle, why rifle was initially the bigger challenge, and how it eventually became her favorite.
• Why the Tactical Games community is such a huge part of the sport—and how supportive, competitive, and surprisingly low-ego the community can be.
• The moment Jordan realized “holy shit, I can actually do this” after performing well enough at her first solo Elite Regional to qualify for Nationals.
• Jordan's current competition setup and the gear she trusts when she's stepping onto the course.
• And finally, her advice for anyone getting into the Tactical Games: get a program, stay consistent, train your shooting, and don't fucking sleep on nutrition and hydration.

This is Discomfort Required—real people, real conversations, and what it actually takes to become harder to kill in competition and in life.

Jordan's Instagram

Born Primitive 20% off with code: Sessions

Jacked Rabbit Plates discount code: JORDANSESSIONS

Dustin Sanchez on JP Rifles, competition setup, and what actually makes a rifle perform

Dustin Sanchez of JP Rifles joins Trent to talk competition shooting, tactical games prep, and how a rifle manufacturer thinks about accuracy, recoil, and reliability. The conversation covers Dustin’s path from local three gun matches into JP, the engineering mindset behind JP’s rifles, and the training habits that matter more than expensive gear.

We discuss Dustin’s work with JP and Real Avid, how he chooses optics and ammo for competition, and what he’d tell a serious shooter to prioritize if they want real performance instead of just nice parts.

Key topics

• Dustin explains his role at JP Rifles and how his work spans competitive shooting, product feedback, and brand management.
• He shares how frequent travel, matches, and demo work keep him on the road most of the year.
• The discussion breaks down JP’s focus areas for rifle performance - accuracy first, then reliability, then perceived recoil.
• Dustin describes how John Paul’s engineering approach shaped JP’s reputation for iterating, testing, and refining parts until they meet spec.
• He explains the common mistake shooters make by buying high-end gear before building fundamentals like dry fire and training.
• The conversation covers tactical games setup, including suppressed versus comped rifles, barrel length choices, and why balance matters more than raw weight.
• Dustin gives a practical recommendation for where to spend a limited rifle budget - rifle basics first, then optics, then upgrades like gas system, carrier, and spring.
• He talks through his own competition ammo testing process, comparing multiple bullet weights and brands to find the tightest groups.
• Training for the tactical games includes strength work, conditioning, dry fire, and handling offhand positions under fatigue.
• Dustin also outlines JP’s current product focus on the PCC market, especially the JP5 platform, while keeping quality locked in on the small frame rifle line.

Find Dustin HERE

JP Rifles Click Here

What happens when an engineer, shooter, and Tactical Games athlete looks at the gear everyone is using and says, “There has to be a better way.”

That’s basically how Jacked Rabbit Plates came to life.

In this episode of Discomfort Required, I sit down with Nick Dinsmore, the guy behind Jacked Rabbit Plates, to talk about how he found the Tactical Games, why he got hooked on the sport, and how competing exposed a massive gap in the gear market.

We talk about the crossover between CrossFit and Tactical Games, the evolution of the sport, early division rules, and what it actually takes to compete at a high level when you're carrying a shitload of weight and trying to move fast.

Nick breaks down how he went from engineering and practical shooting to designing his own plates, testing prototypes with athletes, and eventually launching Jacked Rabbit in 2022.

But this conversation isn't just about gear.

We get into what it's actually like to build a company from the ground up — figuring out production, dealing with demand, learning how to delegate, and realizing that you can't do everything yourself forever.

And one of the biggest things we talk about?

Time.

Because whether you're building a business, chasing performance, or trying to get better at anything, there's only so much of it.

Growth comes with sacrifice.

Success isn't always convenient.

And, as Nick puts it:

“Time is finite.”

This was a fucking fun conversation and a deep dive into Tactical Games, entrepreneurship, gear development, and what happens when you decide to stop accepting “good enough.”

• How Nick went from engineering, hunting, practical shooting, and music to Tactical Games
• How he discovered Tactical Games and immediately got hooked
• The crossover between CrossFit and Tactical Games
• The early days of the sport and how the divisions have evolved
• Red dots, TAC division, and the decisions athletes have to make when choosing their setup
• Why traditional plate carriers weren't really built for the demands of Tactical Games
• How Nick started designing his own plates
• Taking an idea from “this should work” to an actual product
• Testing prototypes with athletes and getting real-world feedback
• Launching Jacked Rabbit in August 2022
• Why weight, profile, and movement matter so much in Tactical Games
• The evolution from plates into vests, placards, and future products
• What it takes to actually scale a product-based business
• Learning to delegate and letting go of doing everything yourself
• The biggest mindset shifts Nick has experienced as a business owner
• Why building a business means making some serious tradeoffs with your time
• What makes the Tactical Games community different
• What's next for Jacked Rabbit
• And where Nick is headed next in competition

Find Jacked Rabbit Plates HERE!

Jacked Rabbit Plates Instagram

This episode with Jamie Oliva is fucking real.

Jamie takes us through her journey from emergency nursing and trauma care, through divorce, betrayal, a serious horseback riding accident, and ultimately rebuilding her life from the ground up.

We talk about what it actually looks like to go through some seriously shitty seasons of life and still keep moving forward. How asking for help, finding the right people, taking small steps, and being willing to sit in discomfort can completely change the direction of your life.

We also get into Jamie’s journey with CrossFit, how she found the Tactical Games, and what it looks like to go from knowing absolutely nothing about shooting sports to training, competing, and now heading toward Tactical Games Nationals.

This is one of those conversations that reminds you that you don't have to have your shit figured out.

Sometimes you just need to take the next step.

• Jamie’s journey through emergency medicine, trauma, ICU, nursing leadership, and education
• What “Discomfort Required” actually means to her
• Finding CrossFit in 2013 and how it changed her life
• Why community matters when life gets fucking hard
• The experiences that forced Jamie to look at life differently
• Walking away from a 10-year marriage after discovering betrayal
• Recovering from a horseback riding accident that fractured her back in three places
• Rebuilding her life, asking for help, and learning to choose herself
• How she went from a Tactical Games beginner to competing at a high level
• Getting started with dry fire, classes, shooting sports, and competition
• Why you should focus on the next step, not the entire fucking staircase

You don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need to keep moving.

This is Discomfort Required.

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This week on Discomfort Required, I sit down with El Senouvor from Brute Strength Training for a conversation about coaching, mentorship, building athletes, and what it actually takes to get better at this shit.

El has been a huge mentor in my own coaching journey, so this one gets pretty real. We talk about everything from his evolution as a coach and the early days of writing programming in notebooks to working with high-level CrossFit athletes and developing the next generation of coaches.

We get into why nutrition can be the difference between making Quarterfinals and breaking through to Semifinals, why fundamentals still matter in a sport that is constantly changing, and why consistency will beat a massive training push every single time.

We also talk about something that has had a huge impact on my own business: cold calling. El challenged me to call six people every week, and that simple assignment ended up changing the way I approached business, rejection, and putting myself out there.

And underneath all of it is the same idea that drives this podcast:

If you want something meaningful, discomfort is part of the deal.

We talk rejection, mentorship, athlete development, coaching business, CrossFit, fundamentals, AI, and a whole lot of shit in between.

Real coaches. Real experiences. Real conversations.

Discomfort Required.

What we get into:

• How El's coaching philosophy has evolved over the years
• Why Brute is moving back toward a cohort-style mentorship model
• The cold-calling challenge that changed my approach to business
• Why rejection isn't something you should take personally
• Nutrition and the difference between Quarterfinal and Semifinal athletes
• How El got into CrossFit in the first place
• Going from coaching classes to writing programming for individual athletes
• Building a coaching business through referrals and relationships
• Why finding the right athlete-coach fit matters
• What has changed about coaching elite CrossFit athletes
• Why fundamentals still matter more than chasing every competition movement
• Why consistency is probably the biggest missing piece for intermediate athletes
• Caring about the human before worrying about the performance
• Building better coaches and improving the coaching industry

Brute Coaching Mentorship Click here

What does it actually take to show up to Tactical Games Nationals ready to perform?

In this episode, Jen Libby breaks down exactly how she approaches the final weeks before a big event—from tapering training and confirming her zeros to recovery, mindset, pacing, and keeping her head right when it’s time to compete.

We get into the shit that actually matters when the event gets close: doing less instead of more, trusting your fundamentals, managing your heart rate, and not doing anything stupid just because competition is right around the corner.

Jen also breaks down how she approaches dry fire, why competitors tend to overlook the basics, how she chooses which Tactical Games events to compete in, and what her routine looks like once she gets to Nationals.

And we go deep on the mental side of competition—because you can have all the fitness and shooting ability in the world, but if your head isn't in the right place, none of that matters.

If you're training for Tactical Games, thinking about competing, or just want to know what high-level preparation actually looks like, this one is for you.

Your final sessions shouldn't leave you questioning everything. Do the work, sharpen the skills, and get the fuck out.

Grip. Stance. Reloads. Weapon manipulation. Positions.

The boring shit is usually the shit that saves you when everything gets chaotic.

You don't need to hammer the same weakness for three hours because you had one shitty rep. Know when to step away, reset, and come back later.

Food. Sleep. Warm-up. Schedule. Recovery.

The closer you can keep competition week to your normal routine, the less unnecessary bullshit you're dealing with.

There's a massive difference between “I hope I finish top five” and “I'm going to finish top five.”

You don't get to control every outcome—but you absolutely control what you're telling yourself when you step onto that stage.

Find Jen @Jen__Libby

Find all the episodes on   @discomfortrequired

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Failure sucks.

Nobody likes it. Nobody wakes up excited to fuck something up, miss the goal, fail the test, or realize they weren’t as prepared as they thought they were.

But failure is also part of the deal.

In this episode of Discomfort Required, I sit down with Stacy for a conversation about failure, discipline, accountability, and what it actually looks like to keep showing up when shit doesn’t go your way.

Stacy has a pretty unique perspective on this. Between aviation, the military, school, parenting, and eventually making his way to his dream job at Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works, he’s had plenty of opportunities to learn that failure isn’t something you can avoid. Sometimes it’s literally built into the process.

We talk about failed tests, shitty weather, bad landings, the possibility of washing out, and the years of sacrifice it took to get where he wanted to go.

And honestly, that’s where the conversation gets really good.

Because the question isn’t “Did you fail?”

You will.

The question is “What  are you going to do about it?”

We get into why discomfort isn’t always physical. Sometimes discomfort is studying when you’d rather go out. Sometimes it’s admitting you screwed up. Sometimes it’s having a hard conversation with yourself and figuring out where you went wrong instead of blaming everyone else.

We talk about the difference between failing and quitting, how ego can completely derail your response to failure, and why throwing a tantrum because you missed a lift or didn’t hit a goal isn’t going to get you any closer to the next one.

Stacy also tells the legendary “sprinkles are for winners” story from his Air Force days, which somehow turns into a pretty damn good lesson about winning, losing, and moving on.

Then we get into parenting.

Stacy talks about how he coaches his kids through running and baseball—using video, technical feedback, accountability, and a whole lot of making them actually look at what happened instead of just telling them they're good.

And that's really where we land:

You don't get to quit at life.

You might need to change the goal.

You might need to change the plan.

You might need to admit you fucked something up and start over.

But you don't get to quit.

Failure isn't the opposite of progress. It's part of it.

So shut up, get quiet, figure out what happened, learn from it, and get back to work.

That's what we do when we fail.

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Remember...

Growth isn't comfortable. It's required.