Brian Baldari is a leader, mentor, athlete, and community builder whose life is defined by family, service, and resilience. With decades of leadership experience in health and business, Brian has guided organizations through transformation, scaled teams from a handful to over 250 people, and managed $200M+ budgets that propelled assets to generate more than $5B in sales.
His career is marked by impact—delivering double-digit growth across multiple portfolios, spearheading global launches, and shaping strategies for countless brands. Known for creating cultures of trust and mentorship, Brian ensures both people and businesses thrive.
Brian believes in applying the discipline learned through personal commitments to health, fitness, and wellness to his leadership approach.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
I start my mornings with a macronutrient-based diet to fuel peak performance. By 7 a.m. I’m aligned with my teams, ensuring they have what they need to succeed. After work, I train at CrossFit—it sharpens both body and mind. Evenings are for family and dinner, which keeps me grounded. This rhythm—fuel, focus, fitness, family—anchors everything I do.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I believe in the collective power of people. The strongest ideas often come when every voice is valued—the high performers, the creatives, and even the quietest person in the room. To bring those ideas to life, you need structure, accountability, and collaboration. That’s how you turn vision into action that serves both the team and the community.
What’s one trend that excites you?
Artificial intelligence excites me because of its ability to amplify human effectiveness. But what matters most is how we apply it—with purpose, integrity, and a focus on community impact. Used thoughtfully, AI can empower leaders, healthcare providers, and even families to thrive.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
I anchor my productivity in health and relationships. Fitness and nutrition are daily non-negotiables, and my evenings are protected family time. When you invest in your body and nurture your relationships, you create the energy and resilience needed to lead, serve, and inspire.Hard work will open doors, but lasting impact comes from innovation, strategic thinking, and service. Don’t just chase achievement—use your voice, your courage, and your creativity to uplift others. That’s how you create both professional success and a meaningful life.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Hard work will open doors, but lasting impact comes from innovation, strategic thinking, and service. Don’t just chase achievement—use your voice, your courage, and your creativity to uplift others. That’s how you create both professional success and a meaningful life.
Tell us something you believe that almost nobody agrees with you on?
I believe every person in your professional circle deserves your attention and development. Relationships are the true currency of leadership. You don’t walk away from someone who’s struggling—you invest in them. When people feel seen and supported, they thrive, and the community grows stronger.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
Practice ruthless prioritization. Focus on the three or four actions that truly drive impact and let go of distractions. It’s the same in fitness, business, and family life—the fundamentals matter most.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
I lean into my network of peers, mentors, and family. They help me sharpen strategies, think through challenges, and provide the emotional resilience to keep moving forward. Community is the antidote to overwhelm.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
My career growth accelerated when I embraced collective wisdom. No matter how much drive or expertise I bring, the insights of others—colleagues, customers, mentors—always make the outcome better. Visibility and shared ownership create results that no individual can achieve alone.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
Early in my leadership journey, I underestimated the power of alignment. Strategies I created weren’t fully connected across teams or grounded in customer needs. The lesson was clear: always start with the customer, and always bring your team into the process. Together, you create solutions that serve both business and community.
What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?
An Uber-style platform for kids’ sports transportation. With rigorous safety checks, parents could confidently ensure their kids get to practices and games. It would support families, give parents breathing room, and let children fully experience the activities that build resilience, teamwork, and community.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
Treat health and family as non-negotiables. If you neglect either, your work will suffer. Protect time for fitness and relationships the way you protect time for meetings.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
I get a lot of value from the Barbell Shrugged podcast. It combines fitness, performance training, and deep conversations with experts who bring both science and practical application. The show challenges me to think critically about strength, conditioning, nutrition, and recovery while keeping it grounded in real-world practice. It connects directly to my own journey as both an athlete and a leader, reminding me that disciplined training and continuous learning are key to resilience.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
Two quotes guide me:
- “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill
- “The human spirit is stronger than anything that can happen to it.” – C.C. Scott
Together, they remind me that resilience is the thread that ties together health, business, family, and life.
Key learnings
- Health and family fuel resilience. Strong bodies and deep relationships create the energy and space to thrive in business and life.
- Relationships drive results. A deep commitment to customers, collaborators, and your community consistently delivers the greatest impact.
- Resilience defines success. Setbacks are inevitable—whether in health, relationships, or business. What defines us is how we respond: with resilience, thoughtful planning, and purposeful action.
- Collective wisdom is power. The best outcomes are born from listening, collaboration, and lifting others alongside you.