Michael Chernow joins Michelle Johnston to share his powerful journey from addiction and adversity to wellness and entrepreneurial success. With vulnerability and clarity, he opens up about childhood trauma, substance abuse, recovery, and the driving force behind his thriving businesses—including The Meatball Shop, Seymours, and Kreatures of Habit. He reveals how connection, emotional intelligence, and prioritizing relationships have been central to his transformation. Now, as he launches a sober coaching community for men—SoberFit Dude—Michael aims to help others strip life down to its essentials and rediscover their purpose. This conversation is about resilience, intentional living, and choosing heart-led leadership every step of the way.

00:00 Meet Michael Chernow
01:20 The journey from meatballs to mindfulness
02:45 Childhood trauma and early struggles
06:30 Cry for love: A suicide attempt at 12
08:50 Substance abuse and searching for identity
10:30 The overdose that changed everything
12:00 Finding a mentor and the daily recovery plan
14:00 Love, marriage, and intentional family life
16:00 Dinner table rituals that transformed connection
17:40 The birth of The Meatball Shop
20:00 Rapid success and growing pains
22:30 Launching Seymours and lessons in leadership
25:00 Food Porn, EQ, and media magic
27:30 Leaving restaurants to launch Kreatures of Habit
29:20 Connection as currency
31:00 The Harvard study on relationships and health
33:00 Heart-led leadership and learning the hard way
35:00 Launching SoberFit Dude
38:00 Ditching the smartphone for real life
41:00 The real seismic shift: reclaiming presence
43:00 Final reflections and staying heart-first

Special thanks to our friend Brian Wayy for the theme music this season!
Track Title: My Heart's On Fire

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