Today we're joined by the incredible Ella Magers, longtime vegan activist and fitness coach. Ella shares her journey of going vegetarian at age 7 after connecting meat to animals, later learning about dairy, animal testing, and exploitation, becoming vegan at 15, and doing direct activism with PETA materials, protests, and leafleting. She discusses the pain of awakening, the need for tools and compassion (including self-compassion), and focusing on receptive audiences. Ella explains using positive, mainstream messaging and fitness coaching to promote living vegan, avoiding all-or-nothing mentality, and emphasizing planting seeds for pre-vegans.

We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments! Thank you for following along and listening to the Vegan Squad Pod! Please share this episode with a friend and subscribe!

Stay connected with us on Instagram!

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/vegansquadcoaching

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/sexyfitvegan

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/thebodybuildingvegan

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/yourveganmentor1/

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/strengthaftercancer/

Book a free consult call to unlock your vegan potential with the support of an expert Vegan Squad Coach!

👉 https://vegansquadcoaching.com/apply

Today we interview UK animal rights activist Cliff Grant, who shares how childhood experiences on farms and witnessing animal cruelty led him to stop drinking milk at 5, gradually drop animal products, become a strict vegetarian at 19, and fully go vegan around 2013 after seeing Gary Yourofsky’s speech. Grant describes starting activism almost immediately, moving from leafleting to filming street conversations, running an Anonymous for the Voiceless chapter and slaughterhouse vigils, and using social media to reach more people. He explains his calm, nonjudgmental approach: the “four questions” framework and dives deeper into other practical activism tips.

We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments! Thank you for following along and listening to the Vegan Squad Pod!

Stay connected with us on Instagram!

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/vegansquadcoaching

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/clif_grant/

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/thebodybuildingvegan

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/yourveganmentor1/

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/strengthaftercancer/

Book a free consult call to unlock your vegan potential with the support of an expert Vegan Squad Coach!

👉 https://vegansquadcoaching.com/apply

Join The Vegan Squad and vegan activist Jack Higgs as we discuss effective activism strategies and tools for staying grounded. Jack shares his journey of going vegan in high school after watching documentaries and James Aspey’s speech, joining Cube of Truth outreach, later partnering with activist Tash Peterson, and then filming in viral protest content. He explains his character-based activism (like his viral content as a “dog farmer” offering ‘dog meat’ samples that are actually vegan) to expose speciesism and spark reflection. We discuss anxiety, repeated exposure, and focusing on animals as motivation, along with the value of choosing activism styles that fit individual strengths. Jack shares his knowledge from Anonymous For The Voiceless and outlines a values-based conversation structure that keeps discussions focused, and argues that disruptive activism and backlash can be part of shifting social norms. Please share this episode with a friend so that we can all improve our outreach and have productive conversations with pre-vegans!

Stay connected with us on Instagram!

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/vegansquadcoaching

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/jackhiggs269/

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/thebodybuildingvegan

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/yourveganmentor1/

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/strengthaftercancer/

Book a free consult call to unlock your vegan potential with the support of an expert Vegan Squad Coach!

👉 https://vegansquadcoaching.com/apply

Today we sit down with special guest, Bill Muir (AKA Sergeant Vegan). Bill shares his vegan journey - becoming vegetarian in 1992 after giving up meat for Lent, then going vegan after learning via PETA materials about the dairy industry's link to slaughter, and being influenced by punk/hardcore culture and bands like Earth Crisis. Our conversation covers vegan community growth from pre-internet days to modern products, the value of wearing vegan clothing, and activism strategies emphasizing honesty without being a jerk and keeping a “big tent” approach. Bill describes his journey of joining the military after 9/11, serving as a medic, and how he navigated the difficulty of being vegan during basic training and deployments, specifically with the limited food options in MREs. Bill also discusses advocacy for vegan MREs with Mercy for Animals. Tune in for another epic Vegan Squad Pod episode as we bring on vegan activists from all walks of life to help share their thoughts for improving vegan activism & reach!

Stay connected with us on Instagram!

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/vegansquadcoaching

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/thebodybuildingvegan

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/yourveganmentor1/

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/strengthaftercancer/

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/sgt_vegan/

Book a free consult call to unlock your vegan potential with the support of an expert Vegan Squad Coach!

👉 https://vegansquadcoaching.com/apply

Today, we are joined by the incredible Nina Bergman! Nina shares her vegan journey of first becoming ethically aware at age 7 after being asked to kill a fish, then later working undercover in slaughterhouses and dairy farms and witnessing extreme cruelty that led to severe trauma and burnout. She explains why she shifted from anger-driven tactics to a more sustainable, strategic approach focused on mental health, choosing a niche, and maximizing impact, focusing on the importance of “attraction, not promotion.” Our conversation covers engaging non-vegans with compassion, activism effectiveness, and building community while reaching beyond vegan circles.

Check out Nina's 12-week “Fierce and Vegan” program which help people become healthy vegans with limited time and resource HERE!

Listen to Nina's TED Talk Here!

Stay connected with us on Instagram!

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/vegansquadcoaching

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/thebodybuildingvegan

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/yourveganmentor1/

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/strengthaftercancer/

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/ninabergman/

Book a free consult call to unlock your vegan potential with the support of an expert Vegan Squad Coach!

👉 https://vegansquadcoaching.com/apply

On today's episode of the Vegan Squad Pod, we sit down with longtime animal liberation activist Gary Yourofsky for an unfiltered conversation on what effective vegan activism actually looks like. Gary shares the story behind his 1997 mink liberation at an Ontario fur farm, the resulting arrest, 77 days in jail, deportation, and lifelong ban from Canada—and how that moment helped launch his public advocacy. We dive into why Gary frames animal exploitation as an ongoing holocaust, why he believes human-rights advocacy without veganism is hypocrisy, and the tactics he says work best: education, accountability, and forcing people to see issues from the victim’s perspective. Enjoy today's incredible episode!

Stay connected with us on Instagram!

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/vegansquadcoaching

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/thebodybuildingvegan

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/yourveganmentor1/

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/strengthaftercancer/

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/therealgaryyourofsky/

Book a free consult call to unlock your vegan potential with the support of an expert Vegan Squad Coach!

👉 https://vegansquadcoaching.com/apply

On today's episode of the Vegan Squad Pod, we discuss how vegans can help “save the world” through practical activism, collaboration, and community. With the plan to unite influential vegan leaders in a “mastermind” to share strategies, we emphasize that real impact comes from empowering more vegans to speak up rather than staying silent. Jordan shares how he first went plant-based for heart health after extensive family heart disease trauma, improved his biomarkers, then became vegan after learning about animal oppression through speeches and documentaries, committing to use his voice for animals. Alex explains his vegan journey beginning in environmental concerns, but then how connecting emotionally with animals shifted his perspective toward animal rights. The conversation highlights meeting people where they are, asking questions, planting seeds, and using approachable entry points like sharing vegan food, breaking stereotypes through fitness and visibility, and maintaining mental fortitude with grounding practices and supportive community. We believe that long-term change will be driven by business and demand for plant-based products, supporting vegan businesses, and using platforms like the podcast and vegan coaching community to spread knowledge and inspire activism.

Stay connected with us on Instagram!

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/vegansquadcoaching

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/thebodybuildingvegan

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/yourveganmentor1/

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/strengthaftercancer/

Book a free consult call to unlock your vegan potential with the support of an expert Vegan Squad Coach!

👉https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/form/mqp6yoik4kPKqtMjhtv4

Welcome to The Vegan Squad Pod!! Today your hosts John Thomas (aka @TheBodybuildingVegan), Alex Nerus (@YourVeganMentor1) and Jordan Siegel (@StrengthAfterCancer), discuss their personal journeys to veganism, emphasizing the power of speaking aspirations into existence and the impact of making conscious, compassionate choices. John shares his success story, starting with humble beginnings and growing a thriving vegan community. The team highlights the importance of vulnerability and authenticity in building meaningful connections and spreading the vegan message. The episode encourages listeners to embrace their paths, pursue personal growth, and contribute to a larger mission of helping people, animals, and the planet!

Stay connected with us on Instagram!

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/vegansquadcoaching

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/thebodybuildingvegan

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/yourveganmentor1/

🌱 https://www.instagram.com/strengthaftercancer/

Book a free consult call to unlock your vegan potential with the support of an expert Vegan Squad Coach!

👉https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/form/mqp6yoik4kPKqtMjhtv4