AI Summary
5 min readIn early 2023, Matt Johnson was sitting in his childhood bedroom in Iowa with a shotgun in his lap, planning to kill himself. He was 28 years old, recently divorced, and had just been told by a military superior that leaving the service would make him a failure. A text from a friend interrupted the moment. Johnson packed a single Nike bag, took his dog, drove to Austin with $3,000, and told himself he had no choice but to figure it out. Three years later, he has 1.1 million Instagram followers, coaches celebrities like Jelly Roll and the Nelk Boys, and is closing on a 21-acre ranch outside Austin. The episode traces how he built that trajectory and what he learned along the way.
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What you'll learn
- 1 Timestamped Outline
- 2 (00:00) **Opening & Introduction** - Cameron Hanes welcomes Matt Johnson to the podcast, calling him a "friend" after years of trying to get him on the show
- 3 (03:42) **Rock Bottom & The Turning Point** - Matt describes his lowest moment at age 28, sitting with a shotgun in his lap after divorce and toxic military leadership
- 4 (08:29) **Starting Over With Nothing** - Matt packed one bag, his dog, and $3,000, driving to Austin with a "burn the boats" mentality
- 5 (12:22) **The First Win** - Keto IQ became Matt's first brand deal at $500/month, which he didn't even know was possible
- 6 (18:09) **How He Inserts Himself Into Opportunities** - Matt breaks down his strategy of building community to create celebrity connections
- 7 (25:27) **Lessons From Kyle & The Nelk Boys** - Matt shares what he learned from spending time with Kyle Forgeard and his crew
+ Full timestamped outline available in the app
Show Notes
Matt Johnson - American endurance runner, ultramarathoner, and former Iowa National Guard veteran who transitioned into full-time athletics after leaving the military. Based in Austin, Texas, he is known for his mental toughness, high-volume training, and participation in ultramarathons, marathons, and Ironman triathlons. He gained attention for his inspiring endurance challenges, including running across Texas, and promotes perseverance, discipline, and pushing personal limits.
Follow Matt:
https://www.instagram.com/mattjohnson__
Follow along:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cameronrhanes
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cameronhanes
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/camhanes/
Website: https://www.cameronhanes.com
Timestamps:
00:00:00 – Intro, Controversy After Mark Dowdle’s Episode, & More
00:00:00 – Intro & Struggles that Shaped Matt’s Life
00:10:02 – Moving to Texas with Nothing
00:13:01 – Ketone-IQ, Growing up Racing Go-Carts, & Visual Learning
00:18:55 – Building Partnerships & Being Authentic
00:28:33 – Learning from The Nelk Boys
00:33:28 – Jelly Roll’s Fitness Journey
00:35:35 – Pace Shaming is Over
00:38:58 – Matt’s Mom’s Work Ethic While Growing Up
00:42:31 – Who’s Inspired Matt
00:46:13 – Internet Beef & DMing People on Instagram
00:50:05 – Truett, Leadville, & Having a Ride-or-Die in Life
00:54:15 – Basing Work Around Family
00:59:10 – Seeing Others Win
01:06:44 – Matt’s Goals: Noble Protein
01:13:08 – Dealing with Hate from Outsiders
01:21:48 – Hate From James Lawrence
01:35:13 – F**k, Marry, Kill: Nicotine, Crispy Creme, & McDonalds
01:37:34 – Forward is Still a Pace: Day by Day
01:45:29 – Matt’s Experience in Oregon: Lift. Run. Shoot.
01:50:03 – “Hogwatch” & Final Thoughts
Thank you to our sponsors:
LMNT: Visit https://drinklmnt.com/cam for a free sample pack with any purchase
Hoyt: http://bit.ly/3Zda
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