In this Business Blast podcast episode, host Tyler Wagner interviews Justin Levine, owner of California Fitness Academy, author, runner, and public speaker. Justin shares a formative story about how the concept of determination shaped his life, from being the smallest player on soccer and football fields to earning a full‑ride scholarship and applying that mindset to his business and family. He outlines his fitness philosophy, emphasizing that movement should be customized to each person’s life—whether a 20‑minute daily walk or elite triathlon training—because consistent activity benefits all areas of life. For business, he stresses relentless persistence in day‑to‑day actions, especially for a brick‑and‑mortar operation that requires hands‑on leadership. He advises his younger self to start investing early, letting money work for him rather than trading time for cash. Regarding happiness, he highlights a positive mindset, gratitude, and counting blessings as essential. The book that most influenced him is Robin Sharma’s The Leader Who Had No Title, teaching humble, above‑and‑beyond service regardless of role. His favorite quote, from Jim Rohn, urges working harder on oneself than on a job. Finally, he provides his online contact points: Instagram @JustinLevine03, Facebook under Justin Levine, and his website jlevision.com.
All right, everyone, welcome back to another episode of the Business Blast podcast. I'm your host, Tyler Wagner. Today I have Justin Levine with us. He's the owner of California Fitness Academy, public speaker, author of Limitless: A Man's 300-Mile Run to Prove Anything Is Possible, runner, family man, and Justin promotes living life to the fullest and spreading optimism to others. So welcome to the show, man.
Thanks for having me, Tyler. Appreciate it.
Of course, man. So Justin, the first one we ask on this show is what is the best story from your life that has an underlying valuable message?
Oh man, just one. I think the word determination is coming to my head. I went through my life as not always the biggest guy on the field or the court. I'm a small guy, I'm 5'5", 140 pounds soaking wet. I was able to figure out a belief system in myself and said, hey, why not? Why can't I go achieve certain goals? So Earlier in my life, I started figuring out that determination was something that I used as a strength and believing in myself. And whether it was playing soccer, being the smallest guy on the field, but also one of the hardest workers. And then my soccer ability, my ability to kick a ball, led me to kicking footballs. And I went on and, and had a full ride scholarship to kick at New Mexico Highlands University and Ever since then, just that word determination is something that is instilled within me and I use it to this day with my business, with my endurance, my endurance performance, my being a husband, being a father. Like that word determination is just something that I hold with me each and every day. So it's just, I look back at my life and when I was a plate sticker and Definitely playing on a football team when I was the smallest guy on the court, the smallest guy on the field, but that didn't faze me. It was about an attitude, it was about a mindset, it was about believing in oneself, and many things become possible from that mantra.
Hmm. And then, what is the most valuable piece of information we should know that's within your expertise or industry?
I'm a fitness guy. I'm a fitness guy. I believe movement and fitness should be a part of one's life. I'm also a realist. I don't think it has to be everything in one's life. So it's a matter of finding the right dosage that works for the individual's life. And that could be 20-minute walks. Daily with maybe a salad a day. That's their fitness lifestyle, or it could be an extreme obsessive lifestyle of taking it to becoming a world champion triathlete where they've invested and committed to the lifestyle of what it takes to produce that. But I'm just an advocate of doing what it takes to add the right amount of dose fitness and movement in one's life because it'll just help in every other area of life as well.
Yeah, man, I couldn't agree more. I was talking to a friend about this the other day where I go for a walk every morning. It's a pretty long one. I notice if I ever miss it, the days that I miss the walk, I feel a lot different. I do not perform as well. My focus is not as good. So just even like just a walk every morning has been a game changer for me. So movement is what I'm getting to has been really the game changer for me. So, so the next one I got for you is what is your best piece of overall business advice? So not necessarily industry specific.
Be persistent. Be persistent. There's nothing that replaces the persistence of the day-to-day action of growing a business, building a business, keeping your business at a high level. I'm in the trenches with that, don't get me wrong, but it's not for the weak-hearted that's going to give up when minor things come into the path and the journey. Moving through some of that stuff and then continuing to be persistent with the day-to-day, just action steps that are needed to keep the business rolling. Because it's just, it's, it's especially a small business like I have, I have a brick and mortar, and it's not just an online empire that makes money in my sleep necessarily. I have to be hands-on. I have growing team. That all need my leadership and direction and management. And so without the word persistence in the day-to-day, then it quickly can go the other direction.
And then if you can give your younger self one piece of advice, what would that be?
Invest money earlier at an age. Yeah, earlier in age. Start Thinking about how you can get the money to work for you, not just trade time for that paper. How in early in life, how I make better decisions financially to not spend maybe on the glitz and the glamour of something versus putting it away, allowing that money to work for you at an earlier age would be the biggest piece of advice.
And then kind of going down a little bit of a different path, in your opinion, what is the key to happiness?
Positive mindset. Having a positive mindset no matter what you're going through. We all have circumstances in our life. We're all going to surface just tragic experiences and situations and keeping a positive state of fr— state of mindset and just really help you work through those things, become stronger through those things. In the end, it's about being grateful too, and that's part of the process of keeping an optimistic approach of life is counting your blessings in the morning, at night, no matter how the day is about to go, no matter how the day went, there's always something positive to look at, and that just really helps me keep a consistent state of mind, continuing to push and pursue the goals that I want to achieve.
And then what is the best book that you've read and what was the number one thing you learned from that?
Leader Who Had No Title by Robin Sharma. I've read, reread that book numerous times and it basically has taught me that no matter No matter what profession you have or what job you have or what status you have within the company, you go above and beyond. You come into work with a smile, with a positive mindset. You go above and beyond the call of duty. You're looking for ways to, you know, work at a high level, and it doesn't matter if you're the person cleaning the toilets or you're the CEO of the company, it's having that humble mindset and attitude to go about your job with everything that you have. And I just love the book. It's a simple read because it's a little story about, you know, this young man who just returned from the military and now he's embarking on life and it's a struggle and he's making excuses. Excuses, but then he has these mentors and these people in his life that he comes into contact with and learns valuable lessons in life. It's an amazing story to read about.
What is your favorite quote and why?
Favorite quote is from Jim Rohn, R-O-H-N. He's a famous leadership and success coach, and his is, learn to work harder on yourself than you do your job. Work harder. Yeah, I like that. On yourself than you do your job. Then it continues. I mean, that's the simple quote, but it continues. When you work just on your job, you can make a living. When you work on yourself, you can make a fortune.
Yeah, man, I love that too. That's awesome. So thank you so much for coming on. The last one I have for you before we let you go is where can our audience best find you online?
Instagram is always a good place. Justin Levine 03 is my tag there. And then of course, Facebook, just under Justin Levine, is places to get right in touch with me, private message or direct message. My website is jlevision.com, and that's where you can find about— find a little bit more about my professional speaking and my other things going on.
Perfect. Thank you again, man.
Thanks, Tyler. Appreciate it.
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