This week, Gunnar and Jen sit down with Brent Yates, founder of Aion Vest and author of The Gravity of Up, to trace a story that goes way beyond weighted vests. Brent opens up about the years he calls his transformation: a divorce, a bout with MRSA, the 2007-2008 financial crisis, a point where he admits he'd checked out on life entirely, and how a chance encounter with a trainer in Phoenix while he was rebuilding both his body and his business became the foundation for everything that followed.

From there, the conversation traces his path from running a pipeline construction business in the oil and gas world to tearing his shoulder in a long-drive golf contest at 60, which sent him looking for a better way to train — and eventually building Iron Vest from scratch. Brent's longtime business partner Kelly even makes a surprise virtual appearance to talk about the leap of faith that brought her from the hotel industry into health and wellness. They dig into why Brent chose to align his brand with people like Gunnar, the difference between teaching and selling, and his philosophy on failure: you don't need to hit a home run every time, you just need to keep getting on base.

Whether you're rebuilding after a setback of your own or just curious how a guy in his sixties built a category-defining fitness brand from a personal need, this one's full of hard-won perspective on reinvention, trust, and betting on yourself long after most people would've stopped.

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About Brent:

A serial entrepreneur and bestselling author, built Aion out of his own transformation. We view mind, body, and spirit as one system, and everything we make is meant to give you the tools to work on all three at once.

As recounted in his #1 best-selling narrative "The Gravity Of UP," Yates confronted a low point in life, grappling with crumbling health, a deteriorating body, and a feeling of total hopelessness. Determined to change his life, he sought tools to elevate it to unparalleled heights. Surrounded by exceptional mentors, he found answers in faith and discovered his calling: inspiring and guiding others.

As part of his healing journey, Brent turned to movement—walking, strength training, and daily activity—as a foundational tool for change. But he found himself searching for something more: a way to add intensity, focus, and impact to everyday movement. That’s when the idea for a new kind of weighted vest was born.

Frustrated by bulky, uncomfortable options on the market, Brent envisioned a vest that was sleek, functional, and built to challenge the body while supporting the mind. Aion became that solution—a patented, premium weighted vest designed to elevate every step, strengthen posture, and promote total wellness. What began as a personal need became a movement for all those committed to transformation.

If you're standing where Brent once was, ready for something to change, this is where that starts for you too.

Produced and Edited by: The Cast Collective (Nashville, TN)

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