Zac Palmer’s Perpetual Growth Podcast

The Movement Crisis Destroying Your Energy, Health & Performance | EP 75

Health optimization, longevity, energy, and human performance are not just wellness conversations. They are the foundation of how we lead, build, love, create, and ultimately experience our lives. In this episode, we explore why modern life is quietly stealing our vitality and how reclaiming movement can transform everything. For nearly two decades, I spent my life immersed in the health and wellness industry. One truth became undeniable: The quality of our health determines the quality of our life. It impacts our relationships, our business performance, our leadership, our mindset, and our ability to fully show up for the people who matter most. That’s why I was excited to sit down with Kyle Gonzalez, Vice President of Performance & Coaching at COIA, best-selling author of The Vitality System and Move, Thrive, and Come Alive, former Division I basketball player, and one of the leading voices in health, movement, and human performance. Kyle brings a powerful perspective that challenges the way many of us think about health. Most people believe movement takes energy. The reality is: Movement creates energy. We are living in one of the most technologically advanced periods in human history, yet we are also among the most sedentary. We have optimized convenience but, in many ways, have moved further away from how the human body was designed to function. In this conversation, Kyle and I discuss the modern movement crisis, why exercise is only one piece of the equation, and why the small choices we make every single day have a profound impact on our energy, longevity, and overall performance. We also explore the lessons Kyle learned as a former Division I athlete, how discipline and adaptability shape success, and why the best health strategy isn’t the most extreme one. It’s the one you can sustain. The greatest transformations rarely come from chasing perfection. They come from building daily practices that align with the person you’re becoming. Whether you are an entrepreneur growing a company, a leader responsible for a team, a parent trying to be more present, or someone committed to becoming the strongest version of yourself, this episode will challenge the way you think about movement, health, and what it truly means to thrive. ---- Audio Chapters 00:00 Introduction: The Truth About Movement & Energy 02:05 What Vitality Really Means 06:10 Why Modern Life Is Making Us Sick 12:30 The Discipline & Lessons From Division I Basketball 19:20 Kyle’s Journey Into Human Performance 26:45 Why We Know More About Health But Are Less Healthy 33:50 Exercise vs. Daily Movement: What Most People Get Wrong 40:30 The Psychology of Movement & Behavior Change 48:00 Building Sustainable Fitness Habits 54:30 Why Walking Is a High-Performance Habit 59:00 Creating a Life of Energy, Strength & Vitality

Is your investment strategy actually hurting your family? | EP 74

Financial freedom, wealth building, money mindset, and true happiness are not just about earning more money. Discover how to build lasting wealth, improve your relationship with money, and create a life filled with purpose and fulfillment. Many ambitious professionals spend years chasing success, income, and achievements, only to realize they still feel financially stressed or unfulfilled. True wealth is not just about what you earn. It is about how your money supports the life you truly want. In this episode with Dr. Nicholas E. Michels, CFP®, a former professional basketball player in Germany, best-selling author of Rich by Choice, Certified Financial Planner, entrepreneur, husband, father, and founder of Michaels Family Financial. For over 15 years, Dr. Michels has helped individuals and families create financial confidence, long-term security, and a meaningful life through intentional wealth planning. Together, they explore the psychology of money, financial freedom, money habits, wealth-building principles, relationships and finances, and how to define success beyond your bank account. In This Episode: • The true meaning of wealth and financial freedom • Why successful people still struggle with money • How money psychology shapes your decisions • Creating a vision-driven financial plan • Building stronger money habits and relationships • Turning financial stress into confidence and purpose Dr. Nicholas E. Michels shares lessons from professional sports, entrepreneurship, and years of financial advising to reveal why clarity, intentionality, and personal values are the foundation of a rich life. Whether you are an entrepreneur, business owner, professional, or someone looking to improve your financial future, this conversation will give you practical strategies to take control of your money and build a life by design. 🎙️ Subscribe to the Perpetual Growth Podcast for more conversations on entrepreneurship, leadership, personal growth, mindset, relationships, and continual growth. ----- Audio Chapters 00:00 The Truth About Money & Happiness 02:08 Defining Real Wealth 06:50 Lessons From Professional Basketball 12:15 Finding Purpose in Financial Planning 17:30 Building Wealth After 40 24:45 Creating a Life by Design 32:20 Why Successful People Feel Financially Stressed 39:00 Common Money Mistakes 46:15 Money Mindset & Relationships 53:40 The Vision Exercise for Wealth 59:45 Breaking Financial Limitations 1:05:00 Becoming Rich in Money & Life

Why Most Businesses Never Scale (And It Has Nothing to Do With Marketing) | EP 73

Business scaling, operational excellence, founder bottlenecks, leadership systems, and sustainable growth are the real drivers behind long-term success. In this episode of the Perpetual Growth Podcast, we uncover why so many businesses plateau despite investing heavily in marketing, advertising, and sales. Most founders believe growth comes from better marketing. Michael Kleinmann argues the opposite. After helping scale multiple seven and eight-figure companies and overseeing more than $800 million in direct-to-consumer revenue, Michael has seen the same pattern repeatedly: businesses don't break because of marketing. They break because the foundation underneath them can't support growth. In this conversation, we explore: • Why founders become the biggest bottleneck to growth • The operational mistakes that stall scaling • The difference between building a business and building a job • Why growth requires new systems, people, and leadership • How strong operations drive long-term success • When to bring in outside expertise • The role of AI in modern business growth and efficiency Michael Kleinmann is a founder, operator, advisor, and fractional executive with more than 25 years of experience building, scaling, and advising growth-focused businesses. Throughout his career, he has served as CEO, COO, President, Board Advisor, and Fractional Executive while helping companies generate hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue. His work has been featured in major publications including The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. If you're a founder, entrepreneur, business owner, operator, or executive looking to scale without chaos, this episode provides practical insights into what actually drives sustainable growth. Subscribe for more conversations on business growth, leadership, entrepreneurship, personal development, operational excellence, and high-performance decision making.   Audio Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:08 Meet Michael Kleinmann 03:15 Why Marketing Isn't the Biggest Growth Problem 06:42 The Foundation Every Business Needs 10:20 Business vs Asset Thinking 15:04 The Founder Bottleneck Problem 20:18 Leadership Psychology and Decision-Making 25:40 When Founders Should Ask for Help 30:12 The Amazon Review Case Study 37:05 Solving Operational Problems at Scale 42:33 Technology, Systems, and Business Growth 48:26 Why Companies Get Stuck at Revenue Plateaus 53:41 Scaling Teams Beyond Early Growth 58:10 Escaping Founder Dependency 01:02:24 AI, Operations, and the Future of Business 01:05:10 Final Takeaways

Your Career Isn't Stuck, You're Just Not Telling Your Story Right | EP 72

Most people think reinvention belongs to the young, but this discussion highlights that career reinvention is a skill for the willing, not just the young.  Our guest, with 78 years of experience and seven careers, shares their journey of personal growth and how they continuously adapted through career change.  This conversation emphasizes self discovery and finding your life purpose, illustrating how to reinvent yourself at any stage of life. Coach Jay Sargeant is the author of Shift: The Gift of Reinvention and creator of The Shift Project. His work focuses on helping people recognize hidden behavioral patterns, break limiting narratives, and intentionally create a new chapter in life regardless of age or background. This episode is for entrepreneurs, leaders, coaches, creators, and anyone navigating personal transformation, career reinvention, or major life transitions. If you feel stuck, trapped in someone else’s definition of success, or ready for your next chapter, this episode will challenge the way you think about growth, opportunity, and personal evolution. Connect with Coach Jay Sargeant 🌐 Website: https://www.theshiftproject.academy/ 📘 Book: Shift: The Gift of Reinvention 📱 Social: https://www.facebook.com/jay.sargeant.39/ Connect with Zac Palmer 🌐 Website: https://www.thezacpalmer.com/ 🎙️ Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@ThePerpetualGrowthPodcast 📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thezacpalmer/ 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thezacpalmer/ #Reinvention #PersonalGrowth #MindsetShift #EntrepreneurMindset #SelfImprovement #IdentityShift #HighPerformance #SuccessMindset --------- Audio Chapters 00:00 Why Reinvention Belongs to the Willing 02:14 The 90-Year-Old Lesson About Lifelong Growth 06:41 Why Most People Stay Psychologically Stuck 10:28 Escaping Other People’s Definition of Success 15:03 The Mindset Shift That Changes Everything 19:47 Why Credentials Are Overrated 24:31 Confidence vs Experience in Entrepreneurship 29:12 Identity, Conditioning, and Self-Belief 34:18 The Power of Small Moments 38:42 Reinvention at Any Age 42:55 Final Lessons on Growth and Fulfillment

Why Most Businesses Solve the Wrong Problems | EP 71

Customer-centered innovation, business growth, leadership, entrepreneurship, problem solving, and operational strategy all come down to one thing: staying close enough to the problem to actually understand it. Today, I sit down with Andrew Bish, founder of Bish Enterprises and President of the Hemp Feed Coalition. Andrew shares how real innovation happens by listening deeper than most companies ever do. From solving practical agricultural challenges to navigating the future of hemp, this conversation explores why the best entrepreneurs focus less on hype and more on solving real-world problems that actually matter. Andrew Bish has built a reputation for developing specialized agricultural equipment that helps farmers operate more efficiently while also helping shape the future of hemp agriculture in the United States. His perspective blends innovation, operations, leadership, and long-term thinking in a way few entrepreneurs can. If you're a founder, operator, executive, or entrepreneur trying to grow your business while staying connected to what actually creates value, this episode will challenge the way you think about innovation and leadership. Guest Information: 👤 Andrew Bish 🌐 Bish Enterprises Official Website: https://bishenterprise.com/ 🌿 Hemp Feed Coalition Official Website: https://hempfeedcoalition.org/ Connect with Andrew Bish: 🔗LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewbish/ Follow Zac Palmer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thezacpalmer/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI5fN611Ku47TI9JI1hIz-w 🎙️ Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, entrepreneurship, business strategy, personal growth, and high-performance thinking. Audio Chapters: 00:00 Why Innovation Starts Close to the Problem 01:42 Andrew Bish on Growth and Long-Term Thinking 05:12 Why Companies Lose Touch With Customers 09:06 The Difference Between Symptoms and Root Problems 14:18 How Entrepreneurs Can Find Better Opportunities 18:37 Curiosity, Listening, and Better Conversations 24:11 The Surprising Power of Patience in Business 30:08 The Real Opportunity in the Hemp Industry 35:41 Hemp, Agriculture, and the Future of Sustainable Farming 40:12 Leadership, Innovation, and Practical Problem Solving #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #Leadership #CustomerExperience #ProblemSolving #BusinessStrategy #HempIndustry