Boston Speaks Up (BSU) is a podcast owned and operated by Value Creation Labs. Listen to BSU on any podcast platform you choose: SoundCloud, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Google Play.
Michael Caron is the founder and CEO of Get Burly, which organizes and creates custom fitness programs and team building retreats. WIth more than 40 seasons of coaching under his belt, Caron fosters a team of elite level coaches that push individuals and groups to overcome adversity.
Caron is an elite coach in every sense of the concept. He is a Spartan SGX certified coach. He earned the Navy Seal Inspired Sealfit Basic Training Certification. He is also a certified Unbeatable Mind Coach and through performance coaching services is able to collaborate with individuals from all walks of life in the process of overcoming obstacles in pursuit of their goals and missions.
Caron has also traveled extensively. He traveled the world through the Semester at Sea Program, following that up by participating in Teach For America in Houston, Texas. While strongly identifying with the struggles and hardships he witnessed, he decided to continue his passion for learning and education by attaining a Masters Degree in Education.
Combining his experiences, education and certifications, Michael has developed a transformative and integrated approach to developing strength in mind, body, and spirit with Get Burly, which has worked with an impressive list of organizations, including SealFit, Ben Greenfield Fitness Systems, Yancy Camp, Spartan DekaFit, the Army National Guard, Spartan Race, SWAT Academy leadership and many more.
You can listen to our podcast discussion embedded below or on any podcast platform you prefer (SoundCloud, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Google Play):
Written Q&A:
Where did you grow up? And how would you describe your childhood?
I grew up on the north shore of Massachusetts and I would describe my childhood as both challenging and competitive.
What is the first career you remember wanting to pursue?
Becoming a professional athlete.
Who were your role models growing up?
Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Martin Luther King, my teachers and coaches.
Is there a particular person or event that most shaped your vision to pursue a career in entrepreneurship?
When I look at entrepreneurship and attacking the domains of life that matter most (ie filling your buckets and maximizing time as well as impact) I look to Jesse a Itzler for sure!
Joe DeSena and Mark Divine are also friends. They have been mentors to me in this space!
What is the biggest challenge you’ve overcome as an entrepreneur?
The biggest challenges I have overcome as an entrepreneur include consistently growing the brand while being a present father and husband intentionally cultivating and growing those relationships while also maintaining high levels of fitness and personal development.
What’s one of the most important characteristics you share with athletes you train?
Servant leadership.
What’s the biggest lesson you took away from your time working in the global education system?
Semester at sea was the roller coaster ride of a lifetime. I learned so much about different cultures, religions, and perspectives on life. It opened my mind and heart to new ways of thinking, feeling, and being and created more space in my heart and mind for love and understanding. It also reinforced my desire to create meaningful deep and lasting impact during my time here on this beautiful rock!
What were you feeling in March 2020? For most industries, this was one of the worst years they have ever seen… Although gyms were closed, COVID brought a wake-up to the importance of health and wellness. How did this impact you and your potential customer base?
I felt like this is what we have been training for. This time period has challenged us all mentally, physically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually. All of the training I had undergone leading up to this point such as a vast array of difficult and extremely challenging life experiences as well as experiences training with the Navy Seals through the Unbeatable mind and Seafit programs helped me to develop the mental toughness and emotional resiliency to thrive during these times. It impacted people in so many ways with regard to questioning : what truly matters most and this is where I was able to help create meaningful impact with regard to providing performance and life coaching to individuals seeking to regain balance, live with authenticity and alignment, and create the necessary lifestyle changes in order to live in the power of now with the possibility of yes. This meant collaborating with individuals in a co-creative process to dial in there best life and hold them accountable table in doing so. This has been such a deeply rewarding experience during these challenging times.
If you had to give one piece of advice to your younger self venturing into the entrepreneurial space, what would it be?
As my good friend Joe DeSena says Fire, Aim, Ready! Just get out there and start. Don’t get caught up in the procrastination phase. There are no perfect conditions. Jump in and be ready to swim, paddle, kick, and ride the wave. In many ways entrepreneurship is like surfing. Tumultuous at times but when you get in sync with the controllables and learn to time your moves with authenticity and precision you can catch the wave of a lifetime which is delivering massive value and creating meaningful impact and that is a feeling you keep coming back for!
What are you most excited about heading into the future -- personal or professional?
I am beyond excited about what is happening is the space of Get Burly and Michael Caron Coaching. Get Burly has launched some amazing programs for corporate groups and athletic teams that is an incredible blend of leadership, team building, and mental and physical wellness. For corporate groups it’s leadership meets wellness and participants have absolutely loved our integrated approach. For athletic teams it’s exactly what coaches are looking for: a way to bring the team together as a unified front ready to attack whatever challenges are thrown at them as a solidified group acting as one! I am also shifting to a personal brand with regard to the executive performance coaching I am offering as a certified unbeatable mind coach where I will continue to help individuals enhance performance and live a more fulfilling life!
FINAL QUESTION: We like the idea of ending our episodes with a challenge for the listeners/readers. Whether it be reaching out to an old friend, reading 5 pages a day from a book, starting a new podcast… what is one challenge you have for the listeners?
One challenge I have for the listeners is to write your obituary. This sounds so bleak in many ways but it can 100 percent help to provide with sharp precision the clarity around whether or not you are living your best life. Answering questions like how do I want to be remembered and who is the real me can bring important aspects of life into sharp focus to help us identify areas we’d perhaps like to change or enhance and create a sense of urgency towards the power of now in order to implement those changes with momentum and purpose.
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You can follow BSU on Twitter at @BostonSpeaksUp, and recommend BSU guests by contacting bostonspeaksup@gmail.com.