Adam Menner, co-owner and managing partner of Team Varsity House Brands and the Business of Strength, joins the show to dive deep into skillset development, ownership, and accelerating your growth as a coach and business leader.

In this conversation, Adam breaks down how to identify the best in your field, reverse engineer the skills that make them elite, and use tools like AI to compress your learning curve. He shares how he applied those principles to move from intern to co-owner in a rapid amount of time, and how choosing the right opportunity vehicles can change the trajectory of your career.

We also explore common mistakes coaches and gym owners make, why sacrifice must evolve over time, the role of deprivation in long-term growth, and how to intentionally position yourself in rooms with high-level people.

🔗Check out more from Adam 👇

Instagram: @adammenner @varsityhouse @businessofstrength

Website: businessofstrength.com

And make sure to listen to the Business of Strength Podcast also!

This podcast evolved from my book, Strength In Numbers — the ultimate mentorship guide for coaches.

Featuring insights from 100+ ELITE coaches across every level and sport, it’s an encyclopedia of coaching wisdom built to help you grow your career, navigate failure, and find long-term coaching success.

👉 Grab your copy of Strength In Numbers [by clicking here].

Chapters

00:00 Intro

04:41 From Intern to Co-Owner

07:18 Key Skills for Rapid Development

09:54 The Importance of Self-Awareness and Problem Solving

12:29 Skill Acquisition: Depth vs. Breadth

15:15 Intrapreneurship vs. Entrepreneurship

17:34 Building a Gym from Scratch

20:01 Redeveloping Skills: Starting from Zero

28:43 Leveraging AI for Skill Development

35:06 Skill Sets and Opportunity Vehicles

38:38 Common Constraints for Coaches

49:05 The Transition from Self to Team Leadership

51:48 Balancing Personal Life and Business Sacrifices

56:32 Building Connections and Networking for Growth

1:01:10 The Role of Deprivation in Motivation

1:07:10 Identifying Skills for Future Growth