Piece by Piece

In Episode 48 of Piece by Piece, Dr. Steven Broglio joins me for a conversation entirely about concussions, CTE, football, repeated head impacts, brain health, and what science actually knows about getting hit in the head.

Dr. Broglio is the Director of the University of Michigan Concussion Center and has spent decades researching concussion prevention, diagnosis, recovery, and the potential long-term effects of repeated head impacts.

We get into:

• What actually happens inside your brain during a concussion

• Whether you have to be knocked unconscious to have one

• Why two people can take similar hits and respond completely differently

• What happens during the hundreds or thousands of hits that don't cause a diagnosed concussion

• Whether athletes know when they're concussed

• Why athletes sometimes hide their symptoms

• The old-school mentality of getting your “bell rung” and staying in the game

• How doctors determine when an athlete is actually recovered

• Whether feeling normal means your brain is fully recovered

• What decades of concussion research have taught us

• What we're still getting wrong

• The massive NCAA and Department of Defense CARE research effort

• What researchers are learning from athletes and military service members

• CTE and what science can actually prove

• What people misunderstand about CTE

• Whether repeated head impacts may matter even without diagnosed concussions

• Football and long-term brain health

• Youth tackle football

• Whether Dr. Broglio would let his own child play football

• Boxing, MMA, hockey, soccer, and other contact sports

• Why some sports carry different concussion risks

• Whether helmets can actually prevent concussions

• How technology could change concussion diagnosis

• Blood tests, biomarkers, and the future of brain-injury detection

• What Dr. Broglio would change if he controlled the rules of football

• Whether contact sports can become dramatically safer without destroying the sports themselves

• What young people can do today to protect their brains later in life

Concussions have gone from something athletes were expected to “shake off” to one of the biggest conversations in modern sports.

But with that attention has also come fear, misinformation, and questions science still can't completely answer.

So instead of guessing, I wanted to sit down with someone who has spent his career actually studying them.

How dangerous are concussions really—and how much do we still have left to learn about the human brain?

Piece by piece.

In Episode 47 of Piece by Piece, Bob Pensari joins me for a conversation about Detroit Muscle Gym, bodybuilding, strongman, personal responsibility, and going all in on whatever you do.

Bob has spent his life competing, coaching, teaching, and constantly finding new ways to challenge himself.

We get into:

• ​Playing nearly 10 years of semi-pro football
• ​Teaching and coaching sports in Livonia
• ​How he got into bodybuilding
• ​Earning his bodybuilding pro card as a lifetime drug-free athlete
• ​Why he chose to stay natural throughout his career
• ​Making the jump from bodybuilding into strongman
• ​Getting humbled in his first strongman competition
• ​Building his own strongman setup at home
• ​How he became involved with Detroit Muscle Gym
• ​Becoming an owner of the gym
• ​What it was actually like running a hardcore strength gym
• ​The business behind owning and operating a gym
• ​Crazy stories and personalities from Detroit Muscle Gym
• ​How bodybuilding and gym culture have changed
• ​Steroids, PEDs, and expectations in modern fitness
• ​Becoming a four-time USS Strongman National Champion
• ​Competing and staying strong as you get older
• ​Why Bob believes so strongly in personal responsibility
• ​Work ethic vs. natural talent
• ​Jumping into things before you have everything figured out
• ​The importance of perseverance and faith
• ​How his wife, friends, and support system helped him along the way
• ​Why Bob believes almost anyone is capable of more than they realize

Bob doesn't consider himself exceptionally talented or genetically gifted.

His philosophy is simple: jump in, figure it out, put in the work, and give it everything you've got.

Whether it's football, bodybuilding, strongman, teaching, coaching, business, or helping others improve, Bob has approached it the same way.

Piece by piece.

In Episode 46 of Piece by Piece, Zack Versus joins me for an honest conversation about getting cheated on, heartbreak, the gym, self-respect, masculinity, and rebuilding yourself when life forces you to change.

Zack's relationship and the cheating scandal surrounding it played out publicly on the internet. But behind the clips, comments, and attention was a guy who had to figure out what to do when something deeply personal suddenly became something everyone could have an opinion on.

We get into:

• The real story behind Zack's cheating scandal

• How he found out and what happened afterward

• Going through heartbreak while the internet watches

• What hurts more: betrayal or humiliation?

• The difference between having your heart broken and having your ego broken

• Anger, resentment, forgiveness, and moving forward

• What heartbreak exposes about you

• Why Zack believes pain can force a man to grow

• The importance of taking personal responsibility

• Why the gym became such an important part of his life

• Getting in shape when you're at your lowest

• How your physique can change the way you carry yourself

• Why Zack says a man's posture is his opinion of himself expressed physically

• Confidence versus ego

• Building genuine self-respect

• Why so many men are afraid to be alone

• The post-breakup “revenge arc”

• Getting jacked, making money, and becoming successful to prove someone wrong

• Why living to make your ex regret losing you means they may still control you

• Dating after betrayal

• Raising your standards without becoming bitter

• What men need to stop blaming women for

• What modern dating gets wrong about men

• Becoming someone you actually respect

• Whether Zack would erase the cheating and heartbreak if he could

• Who he was before everything happened—and who he became because of it

It's easy to say heartbreak made you stronger once you're already on the other side.

The harder part is what happens in the middle—when you're angry, embarrassed, alone, and deciding whether the pain is going to become an excuse or a reason to change.

The goal isn't to become successful enough that the person who hurt you regrets losing you.

It's to reach a point where you no longer need them to regret it.

That's when rebuilding yourself stops being revenge and starts becoming self-respect.

Piece by piece.

In Episode 45 of Piece by Piece, Botter Boy Nova joins me for a conversation about botting, sneaker reselling, Pokémon cards, scalping, money, and the business behind buying the products everyone else struggles to get.

Nova built his name documenting the world of sneaker botting through his Sneakers to Riches series and has spent years navigating limited releases, reselling, cook groups, and constantly changing online markets.

We get into:

• How Nova first discovered reselling

• His first profitable flip

• Getting into sneaker botting

• The rise of Sneakers to Riches

• What the sneaker reselling world was like at its peak

• How botting actually works

• Why buying a bot doesn't automatically make you money

• The biggest mistake beginner botters make

• Why cook groups can matter more than the actual bot

• The costs people don't consider before getting into botting

• Failed checkouts, bad investments, and losing money

• The concept of fairness in limited releases

• Whether botters have an unfair advantage over normal customers

• The ethics of scalping

• Pokémon investors vs. Pokémon scalpers

• Whether “investor” is sometimes just a nicer word for reseller

• Why Nova moved from sneakers into Pokémon and other collectibles

• How he identifies new opportunities

• His biggest wins and losses

• The most money he's made from a drop

• What a successful month can actually look like

• Making money through content versus reselling

• The business ecosystem surrounding botting

• Why information is so valuable in reselling

• How the industry has changed since he started

• Why successful resellers constantly have to adapt

• What he would do if he lost everything and had to start again with $1,000

• What opportunity he believes could be next

From sneakers and Supreme to Pokémon and collectibles, the products have changed—but the game has always been about information, speed, risk, and adaptation.

And underneath all of it is a controversial question:

If everyone has access to the same market, but one person has better tools and better information, is that unfair—or are they simply better at playing the game?

Piece by piece.

In this episode of Piece by Piece, I sit down with Henry Man to talk about his unconventional path from struggling in school and having no clear direction to building a career around sales, consulting, and entrepreneurship.

Henry’s story doesn’t follow a straight line. Despite having bad grades growing up, he competed internationally as a pianist and even won a competition in Vienna. After school, he entered the corporate world—until getting fired forced him to reconsider where his life was headed.

That eventually led him into sales, closing, consulting for info businesses, and building businesses of his own.

We discuss:

• Growing up as an only child
• Struggling with grades and having no clear direction
• Competing internationally as a pianist
• Winning a piano competition in Vienna
• Why piano never became his career
• Entering the corporate world after school
• The day Henry got fired
• How losing his job changed his direction
• Discovering sales and learning how to close
• The psychology behind a great sales conversation
• Handling objections and rejection
• Persuasion vs. manipulation
• High-ticket sales and the reality of making money online
• Consulting for info businesses
• What separates legitimate online businesses from internet gurus
• Building offers, acquiring clients, and scaling
• Henry’s transition from consulting into his clothing brand
• Using a cash-flow business as a vehicle for a bigger vision
• Money, freedom, purpose, and what Henry ultimately wants to build

This conversation is about what can happen when the path you thought you were supposed to follow falls apart—and you're forced to build one yourself.

From having no direction, to performing on international stages, getting fired from corporate, learning how to sell, and eventually becoming an entrepreneur, Henry’s story is proof that the path rarely makes sense while you're living it.

Piece by piece.

In Episode 43 of Piece by Piece, I sit down with former MLB All-Star pitcher Shane Greene to talk about his journey from being a 15th-round draft pick to becoming one of the best closers in baseball.

Shane takes us behind the scenes of professional baseball—from finding out the New York Yankees drafted him and grinding through the minor leagues to making his MLB debut, being traded, becoming a closer, and earning his first All-Star selection in 2019.

We also discuss:

• The moment Shane found out he was drafted
• Recovering from Tommy John and fighting his way toward the majors
• Life and money in the minor leagues
• Getting called up by the New York Yankees
• Being traded to Detroit and transitioning from starter to closer
• The mentality required to pitch the ninth inning
• Handling blown saves, pressure, and failure
• His breakout 2019 All-Star season
• MLB salaries, contracts, agents, and arbitration
• What suddenly making serious money feels like
• Trades and the business side of professional sports
• His thoughts on MLB's salary structure and a potential salary cap
• Playing for multiple organizations throughout his career
• Life and identity after playing in the Major Leagues
• What professional baseball taught him about life

From getting selected 465th overall to eventually taking the mound as an MLB All-Star, Shane's story is a look at everything fans don't always see behind the statistics—the uncertainty, money, pressure, perseverance, and mentality required to make it at the highest level.

Piece by piece.

In Episode 42 of Piece by Piece, I sit down with Alyssa Bowersox for a conversation all about baseball, sports, and the experiences that turned her passion into something much bigger.

From growing up as a baseball fan to visiting 14 MLB ballparks and getting the opportunity to work with the Savannah Bananas, Alyssa has experienced the game from perspectives most fans never get to see.

We talk about:

• How Alyssa developed her passion for sports and baseball
• Visiting 14 different MLB ballparks
• The best stadiums, atmospheres, food, and fan experiences
• Cleveland baseball and her favorite players
• Francisco Lindor and his time in Cleveland
• Working with the Savannah Bananas
• What the Bananas do differently from traditional baseball
• The entertainment side of professional sports
• MLB debates, players, and the future of baseball
• Turning a passion for sports into future opportunities
• Her goals and where she wants to take her career

This episode is a fun deep dive into what makes baseball special—from the players on the field to the stadiums, fans, and experiences surrounding the game.

Piece by piece.

In Episode 41 of Piece by Piece, I sit down with Terry Axiotis, owner of Homies Donuts, to talk about entrepreneurship, building a food business from the ground up, and what it takes to turn a simple idea into a brand people genuinely love.

This episode also has one of my favorite origins yet. After Homies opened near me, I tried the donuts, loved them, and DM’d Terry telling him we had to make a podcast happen. Not long after, I randomly met him during a late-night donut crash-out—and we decided to run it.

We get into:

• Terry’s life before Homies Donuts
• Where the idea for Homies came from
• Why he chose the name and built the brand around it
• The reality of opening a food business
• Startup costs, margins, labor, and profitability
• Creating donuts people actually come back for
• Branding, social media, and word-of-mouth marketing
• Building a business in the Dearborn community
• Leadership, risk, and lessons from entrepreneurship
• The challenges customers never see behind the scenes
• Terry’s favorite donuts and the biggest sellers
• Expansion, future locations, and the long-term vision for Homies

This conversation goes beyond donuts. It’s about taking an idea seriously enough to bet on it, building something people connect with, and learning what entrepreneurship actually looks like once the doors open.

And yes—we establish what officially qualifies as a donut crash-out.

Piece by piece. 🍩

In Episode 40 of Piece by Piece, I sit down with natural pro bodybuilder and online coach Kohl Blint to talk about genetics, bodybuilding, nutrition, and what it really takes to build a sustainable physique.

We break down the reality of natural bodybuilding, earning a pro card, post-show rebounds, holiday eating, and the difference between being disciplined and trying to be perfect.

We also discuss:

• How much genetics really matter in bodybuilding
• Kohl’s journey to earning his natural pro card
• Training, nutrition, and competition prep
• Post-show rebounds and how he approaches them with clients
• Sustainable dieting and maintaining a great physique year-round
• Holiday eating without losing control
• Common mistakes people make with their diet
• Growing up and finding his way into bodybuilding
• Online coaching and helping clients create lasting results
• Balancing bodybuilding with a normal, enjoyable lifestyle

This conversation is about more than getting lean or stepping on stage. It’s about learning how to build a physique you’re proud of while creating a lifestyle you can actually maintain.

Piece by piece.

In Episode 39 of Piece by Piece, I sit down with fitness influencer Noah Stepherson to talk about his incredible 120-pound weight-loss journey, fat loss, fitness, and the experiences that shaped his transformation.

We break down what it was like going through such a dramatic change, the role of nutrition and GLP-1 medication, and how the 2022 gym era helped shape Noah’s passion for fitness and content creation.

We also discuss:

• Losing 120 pounds and the mindset behind it
• Fat loss, nutrition, and daily habits
• GLP-1s and Noah’s personal experience
• The 2022 gym era and Alphaland
• Ekko House and the fitness creator scene
• Becoming a fitness influencer
• How transformation changed his confidence and identity
• Life after losing the weight
• What Noah is chasing next

This conversation goes beyond the number on the scale and explores what happens when you completely change your body, your mindset, and the way you see yourself.

Piece by piece.