After a seismic career and life shift, Todd Vande Hei reemerged with a revolutionary take on health. In this powerful conversation, Todd opens up about losing everything during the 2008 economic collapse and how that dark season became the unlikely foundation of his life’s work—building Stark, a human optimization company for elite professionals.
Todd discusses the health challenges that plagued him for decades: seizures, chronic migraines, joint pain, and a state of perpetual burnout fueled by overachievement and hyper-vigilance. These challenges prompted him to reject fragmented healthcare and build a team-based, metrics-driven model inspired by business strategy. He explains how viewing the body like a company—complete with KPIs, quarterly goals, and aligned functional teams—can transform even the busiest executive’s approach to wellness.
You'll gain practical strategies for reclaiming your health, including how to implement “walking meetings,” protein-first nutrition, strength and mobility routines, and advanced sleep hygiene. Todd also unpacks why most high achievers resist lifestyle changes—and how to design wellness tactics that blend into real life without requiring more time.
Michelle and Todd explore what it means to evolve from grinding effort into wisdom-based leadership, and how emotional health is essential for long-term performance. For leaders stuck on the hamster wheel, this episode is an invitation to rethink success—and embrace health as a strategic advantage.
Whether you're building a business, leading a team, or simply trying to regain balance, Todd’s story and science-backed advice will resonate deeply and inspire immediate action.
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction to Todd VandeHei
02:15 From Carpet Industry to Health Transformation
05:20 Starting Stark During Personal Crisis
08:45 Health Breakdown: Seizures, Migraines, Chronic Issues
13:00 Frustrations with Traditional Healthcare
15:30 Creating a Holistic Health Team
19:00 Type A Burnout and Hyper-Vigilance
23:15 Turning Health into a Measurable Strategy
26:00 Walking Meetings & Leveraging Tech
28:30 Weekly Routine: Strength, Cardio, Mobility
31:00 Mobility Training & Permanent Gains
33:00 The 3 Health Shifts: Sleep, Walk, Protein
35:00 Final Advice for Executives on Reclaiming Health
Special thanks to our friend Brian Wayy for the theme music this season!
Track Title: My Hearts On Fire