Grit.org Podcast Episode with Matt Greggo now live!

Matt Greggo is a dedicated bodybuilder, entrepreneur, and influencer. In this episode Matt Greggo shares his experiences in the gym, battling mental health, going viral on social media, and much much more. Matt holds a IFBB Pro Card and recently qualified for the Mr.Olympia. While competing, he also runs his own coaching business working with other competitive bodybuilders. Matt has used his platform to support others in their journey while openly discussing his battles with mental health. We hope you enjoy this episode!

Colby Harris: All right, welcome back to the Grit.org Podcast!

My name is Colby Harris, and I'm here today with our guest, IFBB pro, future Mr. Olympia and influencer, Matt Greggo. Matt, thanks for coming on the show today.

Matt Greggo: I like what you added there. I appreciate that!

Colby Harris: Well, meeting you in person today, your physique is twice what you show on social media.

Matt Greggo: I get that sometimes.

Colby Harris: I've got a lot a…

Matt Greggo: Couple of times.

Colby Harris: But, yeah. We're here today to talk about Matt's story, what he's been through, what he's currently working on, where he's going to be in the next five to ten years. So we're just going to dive right into it. Matt, you just recently moved to Tampa.

Matt Greggo: We did.

Colby Harris: We got our first hurricane on the way, so it should be a fun experience for you.

Matt Greggo: Yeah, we're already kind of worried about

Colby Harris: Yeah. I don't know if you might get into surfing or anything like that here soon. It might be something you pick up with these hurricanes, but.

Matt Greggo: I think I'm going to stick to bodybuilding. I'll probably hurt myself if I go surfing. I'll leave you do the surfing.

Colby Harris: No worries. But, yeah. Matt starts off by telling us where you're from, man. Tell me a little bit more about your upbringing and….

Matt Greggo: For sure. I'm from Allentown, Pennsylvania. Well, Copley, Pennsylvania. It's very small town USA. Actually, if you follow football. Saquon Barkley is from the same town that grew up in.

Colby Harris: And you guys probably aren't too far off in age either.

Matt Greggo: I think we're the same-ish age.

Colby Harris: So do you see him coming up a little bit through your early stages?

Matt Greggo: I've heard about him, but I was a basketball player. I wasn't a football player, ironically. People was like, oh, you're a wrestler, a football. I was like a basketball player.

Colby Harris: Yeah.

Matt Greggo: But obviously I gave up in that dream because I'm 5’10 and a half and you got to be a little bit taller to do well in basketball.

Colby Harris: Yeah. Not dunking.

Matt Greggo: No, I actually could dunk, but I didn't have everything needed to be a professional basketball player, so I gave up on that dream to do this bodybuilding.

Colby Harris: Yeah. And that was going to be my next question. I mean, I know you started lifting at 14, but tell us more about that early passion for sports. What do you like about it?

Matt Greggo: Honestly, for me, what I found through sports, it's pretty funny to say, is I actually don't like team sports, ironically, which is why I'm a bodybuilder. I like just being in the trenches myself. That's not to say I don't enjoy the aspect of a team, because what I do, we have a coach. If you have people like my girlfriend, people that I consider to team, but at the end of the day, it's me doing the work. It's all up to me to execute and get to where we need to go.

So that's why I really love bodybuilding. I did love basketball, but I figured bodybuilding is better for me for what I'd love to do. When I was growing up, I was really good at sports. I was good at baseball, basketball. I just never got into football or wrestling, anything like that. But I think personally, that when I started to lift weights at 14 in my mom's basement. Mind you, you know, like the jokes about the mom's basement thing?

Colby Harris: Yeah. I started during COVID in my mom's garage.

Matt Greggo: No, we're talking about 2010. In my mom's basement, I was using a Gold gym weight rack system that I almost killed myself, like 13 times racking the bench. And I was actually afraid to go to the gym. I was afraid to go to the gym because I didn't want to be embarrassed because I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to go do a lap, pull down and do it the wrong way or anything. So I worked at my mom's basement all the way till I was 18.

Colby Harris: Really?

Matt Greggo: Yeah. I'd never went to the gym. And the only reason I went to the gym because I went to college, I was like, all right, I got to go to the gym. Now I don't got the mom's basement anymore.

Colby Harris: So how much did you grow from 14 to 18 just doing that in the basement?

Matt Greggo: More than you would think. But I wasn't training legs. You couldn't really do legs. Didn't have a leg press or a leg extension or anything like that. I didn't really have anything to use to train legs. I just didn't. But I grew a little bit. I didn't have the knowledge I have now.

What I think people are so lucky about is the Internet is even bigger now for gaining muscle and everything. We didn't really have that. I would go to YouTube and search things, but there wasn't really coaches or anything like that, so I just kind of did everything on my own. But, yeah, 18 is when I first started going to the gym. I had to because I didn't have mom's basement.

Colby Harris: Right. And let's lead into that. So you did just say you went to college. What led to that decision? Where'd you go and what was that experience like?

Matt Greggo: It's funny because we're in a podcast studio, but I actually went for film and I did two and a half years and I dropped out. I was a college dropout.

Colby Harris: Same here. Yeah, I only made one semester.

Matt Greggo: That's something, right?

Colby Harris: Yeah, I tried.

Matt Greggo: But I went for a film. Honestly, I don't even know why I did. I just kind of like the idea of editing videos and stuff, but I did it and I was like, I actually hate this. I was living in Orlando, so I was actually in Florida, but I just didn't really have a passion for film. I kind of saw myself as being the person in front of the videos, not in the back end. So I dropped out and became official college dropout.

Colby Harris: And what was the next step from there after you left college?

Matt Greggo: Honestly, the next step was I didn't really have a clue. I had no money, so I moved back home to Pennsylvania, and I actually started to pick up my passion for lifting then more than ever, because I had a lot of free time. I was trying to soul search and figure out what I wanted to do. And that's when I truly think that I got the Iron bug to want to do this, to be maybe a bodybuilder one day, get on stage, something along those lines. But when I dropped out of school, it was like a blessing because I started to really dive deep into this world from then.

Colby Harris: And for me personally, when I first got into the gym, I used to struggle with a lot of anger issues, honestly, emotional management. And did you kind of find a safe haven when you started going to the gym more consistently? Somewhere you could let out that energy and kind of navigate?

Matt Greggo: Absolutely. You ever hear the term where people are like, oh, the gym's therapy. Gym is my therapy. And there's times even now I have things going on, like business and the pressure of the shows, and now, like, the Olympia. And at that moment I go to the gym, I could just finally have my music on and just vibe out and just be at one with my soul, as funny as it sounds. But that's my time to really just meditate. But if you saw me externally, you're like, this guy, this guy's nuts. But I look like I'm crazy. But internally, I'm so calm and collected and just thinking about my next plans, my next steps. So it's my therapy.

Colby Harris: Yeah, that crack head energy in the gym.

Matt Greggo: Yeah. You would think I'm taking, like, 20 scoops of pre workout, but I'm actually not that big of a stem head.

Colby Harris: Yeah.

Matt Greggo: Believe it or not.

Colby Harris: So when you first started too, did you have any training partners or were you going at the gym solo? How was that for you?

Matt Greggo: Well, Mom's basement was definitely solo. When I started to go to the gym in college, I had, like, my roommates, we'd work out, which was fun. And then when I started to actually lift back at home, I had some friends that we still lifted, but I had this one guy that was like a bodybuilder, and he was like a big bodybuilder, and I'm like, I looked this guy like, what the hell is that? I'm like, I got to lift with him.

So I wheeze him my way and I was like, hey, can I work out with you one day? He's like, yeah, maybe we could try doing some shoulder something one day because he's probably like, this kid can't hang. And that was the guy actually who helped me get into bodybuilding to get to where I am today.

Colby Harris: That's awesome. And I'm sure that's huge, too. Do you still interact with him today? Do you guys still…

Matt Greggo: We do. He actually doesn't even work out anymore, but we still communicate. And I always tell him, like, if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be here where I am today.

Colby Harris: Oh, that's awesome.

Matt Greggo: Yeah.

Colby Harris: And we were talking before the show. I was a little shocked. You told me you had a formal job for a little while, too, around that time. How did you kind of make that decision to go get a job? And what was that like for you, trying to balance growing in the gym as well as working?

Matt Greggo: I always loved business. It was something I always had a passion for. And I always did personal training. So I'm a maniac. And I was like, you know what? I can go to school. I can personal train and I can work a marketing job. Like a corporate job. Kind of…

Colby Harris: A J-O-B.

Matt Greggo: Yeah. J-O-B. I could do it all at once. And I did. Until eventually you burn out. And you can't keep that 14 hours a day work schedule because you're still working out. You're training clients. You're doing your corporate job. And that's what I did for a while until obviously I made the jump into my next steps of my career. But I enjoyed business, and I really did think I was going to full steam in business.

But I'll tell you one thing that is surprising. I was actually going to quit bodybuilding for business. I was going to just focus on running businesses, going down that field and not Bodybuilding. But I had people close to me, like my girlfriend, my close friends, like, what are you talking about? This is what you do? You're going to give it all up for that? And I'm happy I listened to them. I really am.

Colby Harris: Well, now, I mean, you're still an entrepreneur to this day.

Matt Greggo: I am.

Colby Harris: You're your own business, but also I could definitely see you through the next phases of your life, next seasons of your life. I mean, there might come a time that it's like your time to take your own and build something for yourself just as much as you're cooperating and working with these other businesses. But what did you love about business? I mean, what was so exciting about it?

Matt Greggo: You know how it is. There's nothing like it. It's yours. It's your baby. You water the plant, it grows into a beautiful flower, a tree. There's nothing like it, man, I love knowing that the work I'm putting in myself is going to something bigger. I love that aspect. I just love growing something, growing my own body, grow my mind. But even with business, it's the same thing that you're growing something from the ground up. And I love it. There's nothing like it.

Colby Harris: Yeah, no, definitely. That's a reference I use all the time. It's like there's low hanging fruit everywhere. Right. Like, there's a million ways to make a million dollars. But me, I'm trying to plant a tree.

Matt Greggo: I like that.

Colby Harris: I'm trying to plant a tree. I'm a water it. I'm going to watch this thing grow. And I'm not talking about one of those little palm tree in Florida. I'm talking those big oak trees.

Matt Greggo: A big PA, Pennsylvania tree.

Colby Harris: Yeah. Red in the woods. Some forestry tree.

Matt Greggo: Big tree.

Colby Harris: Yeah, definitely. So then stepping into making that decision, I know you said earlier you kind of made that decision jump full speed into buy billing around 2020. How did that decision come about, and how did you start making those first steps to make that happen?

Matt Greggo: During the I don't know if you're allowed to say the C word. Yes.

Colby Harris: Don't say it.

Matt Greggo: Lockdown.

Colby Harris: I know you. Yeah, I know.

[Crosstalk]

Matt Greggo: You got to be careful. I was pretty much at a point where personal training was like, you couldn't train people in person, so that stopped, and then we were working from home for the job, and that gave me a lot of time to think about what I want to do because we had nothing to do but think. I mean, I couldn't go to the gym. I couldn't do anything, really, because we were just like, we're stuck in where we were.

And when I had time to think, I was like, you know what? This is not the life I want to live. I'm quite literally helping people make their dreams come true when I should be helping my dreams come to life. And when I had that moment, I was like, you know what? It's time to truly give my everything to make my dreams come true.

So I made the proper steps of, hey, guys, I'm quitting. This is it. I'm quitting giving my two weeks personal training. Hey, guys, I'm done school. That's it wasn't continuing my education because I had a degree. I got my degree, but I was getting next step to my degree. I was you know what? I'm going to say give this all I got, and if it works, great. If not, there's always to fall back on. But I'm going to give this all I got right now to track my dreams come true. Not everyone else at this time.

Colby Harris: Yeah, that was a crazy time in life. I graduated high school in 2020.

Matt Greggo: Young.

Colby Harris: And yeah.

Matt Greggo: Holy crap.

Colby Harris: I just turned 21 in July.

Matt Greggo: Wow. Hopefully didn't get too drunk.

Colby Harris: You can ask Kevin that question. He was there, and it was a good night, let's just put it that way.

Matt Greggo: Kevin. Kevin's like, I can't speak about it yeah.

Colby Harris: We probably shouldn't to be Kevin's.

Matt Greggo: Like we got to keep this quiet.

Colby Harris: In 2020, the same thing. For me, it really became an opportunity to think, a lot of time and reflection. And my brothers actually moved back into the house. They were both a little bit older than me, so we had that little bit of time together. During that time, I mean, how did you also remain kind of motivated? I mean, it was just such a crazy time. I guess you had the world in your hands to execute on things. I know what that's like, to drop everything because I've done that on a few occasions where I had a few things going and then this one thing is just calling my name like I have to go pursue it. So how did you really navigate that through your first couple of weeks, your first six months?

Matt Greggo: Well, I'll go to this the reason why I feel like I really pushed to quitting everything because I was so low. I was at such a low point, not being able to do what I love because I couldn't go to the gym. The show I wanted to do, I was going for my pro card was canceled. I was forced to not do a lot of things I wanted to do and I honestly became depressed during that period because of that.

And that's when it really helped navigate when I was starting to get out of that phase of being down, like, okay, what are our next steps to make sure we can live a happier life? Because what we're doing right now is not happy or it's not really making us happy, but this is going to eventually subside and then we're going to have to go to the next steps.

When I quit the jobs, I pretty much said, what do I know best? I know training, I know bodybuilding, I know social media, I know creating content. So I'm going to go put all my efforts in all that and coaching athletes.

So the first few weeks were kind of like, oh, crap, I'm not making any money now. Literally no money. This is going to be a struggle. But I just kept telling myself, this is what God has planned for you. This is your destiny. And even if it's a struggle right now, there is a beautiful moment to come. You just got to keep focused and keep grinding.

Colby Harris: Yeah. And with that right there, I want to stay on this topic for a second. So you're a man of faith, obviously [Crosstalk].

Matt Greggo: Jesus. Right here on my wrist. Well, on my forearm, rather.

Colby Harris: Yeah, that's awesome. Tell us a little bit more about that. Have you always had to walk in faith or how did you come together?

Matt Greggo: I have, and there's times where I have not been as close. I grew up with a family that was very big in religion. I went to a Catholic middle school I was in Catholic school all the way to 8th grade, so religion was a very big part of my life. I did kind of pull not fully away, but pulled back a little bit. But I'll tell you what, when I got through that period in 2020, I became closer to God than ever. And ironically, when I did, that's when things started to really make sense for me.

Colby Harris: Yeah, definitely. My family is very big believers as well. We were just talking about my watch. My granddad was the biggest of them all with his company. I remember he actually had a deal with Disney back in the day. He ran a pie company.

Matt Greggo: That's why it's Mickey Mouse now.

Colby Harris: Yeah.

Matt Greggo: Okay.

Colby Harris: So he's always had been a huge fan of them and was actually friends with Truett Cathy, the founder of Chick-fil-A. He served on the board.

Matt Greggo: No way.

Colby Harris: Yeah. Served on the board of my granddad's company.

Matt Greggo: And sometimes I go there on Sunday and I get really disappointed because I'm like, oh.

Colby Harris: I'm that guy always…

Matt Greggo: Always pulling up on a Sunday when you're craving it want like Chick-fil-A sandwich.

Colby Harris: Or in the airport on a Sunday. That's awful. When you're just dying for some Chick fil A on a Sunday in the airport.

Matt Greggo: Even their cookies. Yeah, don't get me started.

Colby Harris: Yeah, well, their message, obviously through Chick-fil-A and within my granddad's company, you know, when he had that deal with Disney, he used to put Bible verses on the pie. And I mean, you can imagine a deal with Disney is a multi-million dollar deal. And at one point, they came to him and say, hey, you know, you're pushing something we don't support. You can't put your Christianity in people's faces. And he actually dropped the deal.

Matt Greggo: Wow.

Colby Harris: Yeah.

Matt Greggo: That talks a lot about him and his character.

Colby Harris: It does. And that's something, you know, I've obviously always carried with me. And when I talk about religion, because my walk in faith has been tough, it's one of those things you understand when you feel like you're getting beaten down. How do you look to somebody that's supposed to essentially be the one to get you through it?

But when I think about that and what he did in that situation, it's just a reminder of how powerful his relation was. And that's why I've always loved him. Contrary to the church, and sometimes what they promote of, like, you need to be in the church, you need to support the church, give money to the church. He would always say to me, he's like, It's about you and God.

Matt Greggo: I agree 200% with that right there.

Colby Harris: He quit going through I'd probably say, like 80 to 84. He quit going and he was like, I sit here, I read my Bible all day. I watch some church on TV. But he's like, I'm separated right now. I'm building my relationship with the Lord and nothing else.

Matt Greggo: Really. I love it. I think I'm not the exact same. I'm very similar with that.

Colby Harris: Yeah. So moving into the content creation, too, talking about that, tell me a little bit more about how you broke into that game and when you start, because I guess in 2020, you said you were already grasping understanding of social.

Matt Greggo: I was making content, but I wasn't really pushing it hard. I wasn't really all in on it.

Colby Harris: So where would you say your following was at around 2020 when you went all in?

Matt Greggo: Let's say like October of 2020, I was at maybe like 10,000 Instagram. I was, like, struggling to get the thousand on YouTube. I was like, the goal get 1000 YouTube, you can get monetized like you're living the life. My biggest platform at the time was TikTok. I was at maybe like 100,000. I was actually getting steam on there. That stuff were the platform that really took off for me first, but it wasn't a big falling, but it was enough that there's a proof of concept there that it can be something.

Colby Harris: Right. And what do you think the ingredient for success has been up to this point for you in building that digital brand?

Matt Greggo: I think just always staying up to date with what's popping off. What do people like to see? Because I can easily tell what I like to see. But what do people want to see? We all have preferences, but it's all about what the people want to see. But I always do go to what I want to post on social media because if I feel like I'm faking something, I just don't have any long term incentive for me to post.

I always want to post what makes sense for me, but I do want to make sure I post what the audience enjoys as well. Because I'll tell you what, when I had some struggles in my life around content, it was because, like, okay, I got to post what makes the most views, like, what gets the most views. And that put me in a dark place doing that. Like, oh, you got to post this type of YouTube video, this type of Instagram, post this type of TikTok because it's going to get the views. But was it really what's doing good for my soul and what I enjoyed and the message I want to get out there? No, it wasn't.

Colby Harris: Yeah. I'm a huge fan of Gary Vaynerchuk. And that's what…

Matt Greggo: Gary Vee.

Colby Harris: Yeah, he's like, if…

Matt Greggo: OG Hustler.

Colby Harris: Oh, my gosh, goaded. He's just such a character, too. I love watching have you ever seen the guy that imitates him?

Matt Greggo: Oh, the one on TikTok?

Colby Harris: Yeah, yeah, that guy's hilarious, man. Because Gary's already such a character. And then you take this guy, he does like the nail biting stuff, but yeah, Gary's like when he talks about burnout around content, he's like, you burn out because you're not loving what you're doing.

Matt Greggo: I experienced that for sure.

Colby Harris: Just trying to make stuff that clicks.

Matt Greggo: Yeah, and it doesn't ask fulfilling either. I want to show my real, my life, not just what I want people to see it as well.

Colby Harris: That's what we just talked about before we sat down the show. I was telling you a little bit about how I've kind of gone through that the last few years and I'm just now starting to realize I need to tell my story. I need to showcase people who I truly am, not just build this character that showcases essentially like a perfect life.

Matt Greggo: We all have a story and it's what makes us unique. So why would you hide that? That's what I learned. I'm like, people want to know you. They don't want to know the fake Matt or whatever that you want to perceive as. They want to know who you are and what you've been through.

Colby Harris: Yeah, absolutely. And moving into now, like I just mentioned in the intro, you did just qualify for the Mr. Olympia recently, but you said a minute ago in 2020, you missed your opportunity to qualify for your pro card, the show. So when was that show that you qualified for your pro card?

Matt Greggo: So I qualified in 2020. The show got postponed in November. The show was supposed to be in July, but the November show was possibly not even going to happen. And I had such a good feeling I was going pro that year. So when July hit and then well, that was March or April that they're like, okay, they're not going to be a show.

I was so upset because I was like, I finally felt like I had this rest SB to finally get my pro card and to make this dream come true, to really start doing what I love. And when it got canceled, I was like, really? It really beat me up. I went pro in November, but when they announced that the show was canceled, it hurt.

Colby Harris: Yeah, I can imagine. And once you got your pro card, was that a big step for you, the biggest industry?

Matt Greggo: It was the biggest because I was already starting to post about me more online, like who I was, my story. And people just I don't know, people like to they attract me. I don't know why. I'm like an idiot sometimes. I'm like, why do people like me? Why do people like….

Colby Harris: Self-detriment?

Matt Greggo: Yeah, what the hell? I don't understand. But yeah, when I got my pro card, that's when everything started to blow up. I started to make a lot more money, but that's also when a lot of pressure came in because the girl saying, more money, more problems. That's very true. And with more social media traction, there's more pressure, and you have to learn how to deal with that pressure, for sure.

Colby Harris: And outside of pressure, too. I mean, I can tell you're very well spoken, you're confident now, and things like that. But what about when you were first starting out? How did you deal with the people that were like naysayers or in your comments?

Matt Greggo: How far back are we going? Are we talking like three years ago? Yeah.

Colby Harris: No, let's talk about when you first started, because that's where most people lose, right? I mean, they get ten posts out and then that one bad comment comes in, they're like, man, screw this…..

Matt Greggo: Well, you heard I was afraid to go to the gym. I was in my mom's basement. So obviously I had some fear of judgment. And that definitely was too, when I was posting on social media and things start to even pick up a little bit, but eventually you just got to, you know what, this is what I'm doing. And people are always going to have something to say, whether it's good or bad, and you just have to just push on. Life is just too short to worry about what people are going to say about you.

So even when I was younger and getting to this, I definitely had fears, you know, I didn't want to be judged. But eventually you start to grow in your own skin and be comfortable and confident what you're doing, and you just push past all those self-detrimental things, you think.

Colby Harris: Yeah. On the way down here, I was listening to Alex Hermozi podcast, who's one of my favorite entrepreneurs.

Matt Greggo: He's great.

Colby Harris: And he has this quote about essentially he says you need to build a booklet of undeniable things you've done that showcase you are who you say you are. Like that you don't need to go crushing by with your success. It's about building that book of things that you've done that means it's undeniable that you are who you say you are.

Matt Greggo: Building up others as well, too. Not just like building up your book and then creating other books that are beautiful as well.

Colby Harris: And that kind of pivots right into the next question I want to ask. So you get your pro card November of 2020, coming into 2021. Something I actually just learned about you today is you're working with a lot of really high level athletes. So going into 2021, were you still coaching, still working with other people while you were focusing on your business?

Matt Greggo: Yeah.

Colby Harris: And what's that been like? Building those relationships and helping other bodybuilders reach their goal?

Matt Greggo: Self-fulfilling. There's times where I'll go to a show and I'm coaching athlete and they win. And sometimes it almost feels better when you win. When you see their family excited, they're excited. I can't explain what that feels like when you help someone truly accomplish their dream and you know that you're a big part of it. It's surreal. It really is.

Colby Harris: I totally agree. I mean, even this year with Kevin so, like I was telling you earlier, we raise funds to support kids that can't afford a summer camp. And one day, we're at the house. We live to go through the summer. And Kevin closed the biggest sponsorship ever in the company at $5,000.

Matt Greggo: Kevin.

Colby Harris: Yeah. Pretty big deal. And that supported, what was it, 28 kids to come to Camp free costs or more? Regardless, though, I was the first one that started.

Matt Greggo: Did Kevin get a steak dinner? He deserved a steak dinner.

Colby Harris: We good. I mean, look at him. You know, we good.

Matt Greggo: He's eating big.

Colby Harris: But I remember just, like, such a good feeling. I worked for five, six months. I raised $20,000. Kevin made one phone call and raised a fourth of that in 15 minutes.

Matt Greggo: Damn you, Kevin.

Colby Harris: But just like you said, I kind of showed Kevin the ropes originally with sales and talking about the company and how to promote it, and it was just such a cool feeling, like, sitting there and kind of punching back and forth like, dude, that was awesome.

Matt Greggo: Nothing like it.

Colby Harris: Yeah. To see him succeed, it feels so good when you can uplift people like that.

Matt Greggo: That helps you get more blessings too, you know, if you truly from your heart, you're happy for people who are succeeding. I feel like God always takes care of you.

Colby Harris: Yeah, absolutely. And that same thing was in the podcast. I mean, it was a three and a half hour episode because I drove from Jacksonville this morning.

Matt Greggo: That's a long drive.

Colby Harris: Yeah, three and a half hours. And another one of the things that he was talking about is how it's like, imagine Alex RamosI had said to his trainer in high school, a teacher, you said, I can't wait for our ten year reunion. I'm going to come back. I'm going to be so successful. I'm going to look at John and be like, yeah, John, look at me now. I'm so successful. And the guy was like, if I have anything to do with that, you will not do that.

If your goal is just to beat out that guy, you're a loser. How are you going to go do all these things for this guy that, frankly, is going to laugh in your face when you say you did that all because of me, this kid that just went to high school with you and maybe made fun of you a couple of times.

Matt Greggo: So irrelevant to anything.

Colby Harris: Exactly. But tell us a little bit more about that year 2021 coaching building. I mean, now, I've obviously kept up with all your social medias. You're at, like, 150,000 on Instagram, over 600,000 on TikTok. I didn't check the YouTube. I'll have to double check…

Matt Greggo: Growing fast.

Colby Harris: What are you at now on YouTube?

Matt Greggo: 45,000, I think.

Colby Harris: Wow. You probably could hit 100 before the New Year.

Matt Greggo: I think it's possible if the Olympia content pops off.

Colby Harris: And it will.

Matt Greggo: Yeah, I think it's going to pop off.

Colby Harris: Yeah. But tell us more about that year. I mean, I know that 2022 was a tough year for you and want to get in that….

Matt Greggo: 21 too.

Colby Harris: Yeah, that's what I was going to ask, is tell me kind of where that momentum continued to grow, but also you had some more adversity place in your life.

Matt Greggo: Absolutely. So 2021, I would say, was so many blessings and then so many things that just crumbled. I did my pro debut, I got third, and I did two shows after, and I pretty much got last. And I was hyped up as to be this person who is like, the next big thing coming. And it tore me down when I had the bad showing, I was crying when I had that bad placement, not just because it was a bad placement, just because I felt like I let down thousands of people, not just myself. And I felt just like, so terrible about everything.

But ironically, as we're progressing into the year, I was making more money than ever. I had the best sponsors I've had I've had so many blessings. Like, things were just great making the most money, most sponsors, most followers, most clients. But mentally, I was doing the worst I've ever been. They say money doesn't buy happiness. It doesn't. I'll tell you that right now because I was actually gearing up for the worst part of my life as I was making the most money. Ironically, which you would think that doesn't make sense, but that's how it went in that year. It snowballed out of control.

Colby Harris: And what do you think, again, moving into 2022, you said that this followed you for a long time. How did you really navigate that? Because when you get deep, when you get really deep, we're talking about it gets to a point where it's life or death.

Matt Greggo: It was life or death. And it got as deep as you can imagine. It got deep to the depths of depths and it just happened so fast. I can't even explain why I was thinking the way I was, but I just kept telling myself, you're going to lose everything. Why are you saying that, Matt? There's no reason why you're going to lose everything. Are you trying to lose everything? My brain was just saying that. It was just anxiety.

It was just constant anxiety about the pressure I put on myself, the pressure of everything, like making this amount of money. Now I went from making no money to a lot of money. It was blessings, too. I was stressing my blessings, as I call it, and I just couldn't handle everything that was going on. I went to a psychiatrist and what did he say? He said a lot of things, but essentially he was like, my brain. I have ADD, as you can probably tell, ADHD too.

And I also have adrenaline spikes, right, where it's good because I can get a lot of work done, but it also is a detriment to me. Right? So he essentially said that I was a victim of my success. So I had all these blessings in my life, and for most people, it'd be like, we're celebrating things, right? We're just happy about everything. But I was actually the opposite. I was stressed about losing what I had, not being thankful for what I had.

And I think that's when God was like, we're going to pull you down till you realize what you truly have. So that was 2021. December 2021 was the worst month of my life. I almost wasn't here to have this conversation with you because it was that bad. Separate times, actually. And I look back now on that period into 2022 when I was truly depressed and anxiety, lowest point of my life, and I'm thankful for it.

You may ask why. It's because without that low moment, the lowest in my life, I would not be here. The man I am today, where I'm at today, to influence people, to help them realize their potential in life, to inspire if I didn't go through that.

So I'm thankful that I went through it. But I'll tell you what, during the process, I was crying every day. I was asking, why me? Why is this happening to me? I had everything, and I'm losing everything now. It was just very like I just couldn't understand it. But now I look back and I'm truly thankful it all happened.

Colby Harris: Yeah, absolutely. And I think one of the scary parts is, too, when you look back on times like that, because I've been through similar things and more familial than it was, like financial and pursuit of excellence and things like I was a very young age.

One of the scariest things is just like you're talking about not only the people you impact, but the people that care so much about you, it's so hard to remember how important you are to so many people in your life, whether it's family or your closest, it's easy to forget it is to have that. I mean, everyone always talks about, like, you have this support system and all these things that's supposed to help set you up for success, but I would imagine you're a bit of a more independent person. Like, you like to put the weight on your shoulders…

Matt Greggo: Which is a blessing and a curse. It really is.

Colby Harris: I totally agree that I'm the same way. You want to handle things for people, you want to help people, but that means it's struggle for you to take the help as well.

Matt Greggo: I've learned to be better at that. Yeah, I will say.

Colby Harris: Well, one thing I want to ask you about too, is you've referenced your girlfriend a few times so far in the show. How long have you two been together?

Matt Greggo: Five years. It's going to be six years next year. So we've been together for a while.

Colby Harris: Congratulations.

Matt Greggo: Thank you.

Colby Harris: And what has that done for you? I mean, so many people talk about their relationships and just the success it's helped them create…

Matt Greggo: Done everything for me. I always say, if you want to have a successful life, you need to have a successful partner. She's my rock. She's helped me. She stuck by me when most people wouldn't. Most partners would have left. And I'm very grateful for her. I try to provide everything I can for her in life because I'm just grateful for everything she's done for me. But I will say that she's the cheat code for my success, and without her, I would not be where I'm at today. No shot.

Colby Harris: I love that video of you too, after the last show.

Matt Greggo: Yeah, that's a heartstring one.

Colby Harris: It's such a good video, dude.

Matt Greggo: I was on stage, but she had such a big part of it. It was emotional for both of us, you know.

Colby Harris: Well, it's like sebum, too. I mean, he always talks know his wife and what she's done for him. And in all his YouTube videos, she's cooking the know, she's going with him. She's like kind of talking shit a little bit to kind of keep him in high hopes.

Matt Greggo: We're definitely talking shit to each other too.

Colby Harris: Yeah. I mean, I know what it's like when you're cutting and stuff. I mean, very few things can make you crack a smile or feel any sort of happiness, to be honest.

Matt Greggo: Ain't that the truth?

Colby Harris: Yeah, but that's awesome. It's just one. My granddad again, same thing. My parents are divorced. My granddad was with his wife for over 60 years.

Matt Greggo: Yeah, parents divorced too, so we're in the same boat there.

Colby Harris: Yeah. How old were you?

Matt Greggo: 19 months.

Colby Harris: Really? So it was early on.

Matt Greggo: Very early.

Colby Harris: You never lived in like you don't remember living in the same house together?

Matt Greggo: Not at all. No recollection at all.

Colby Harris: And what was that like for you growing up? Did you guys do the visitation thing?

Matt Greggo: We did. You never really understand things until you're old enough to understand it, if that makes sense. Tell me about it. I feel like it's actually good that it happened that young in my life, so I didn't really have as much knowledge, you know.

Colby Harris: Yeah, I was a little bit different. I was about five four five. So I remember living with both my parents.

Matt Greggo: I feel like it impacts you a little bit more that way.

Colby Harris: Yeah, I mean, we ended up having some crazy things happen. That's what led to us living in Florida, moving to Florida. I'm from North Carolina.

Matt Greggo: Okay.

Colby Harris: And things just were starting to boil over. Like, we did the visitation thing for a long time, and then it got real choppy. And my mom ended up moving us to Florida to try to get some distance and stuff. And I think the hardest part is at that time it wasn't my choice, but I think you can understand too. You're your father's son.

We're boys, we're men. We love fishing and bodybuilding and playing basketball. I was a basketball player as well. That was probably one of the hardest things for me. And also when you set expectations sometimes, and those aren't met at a young age, just like you said, it's hard to have any perspective on it.

Matt Greggo: It is. You just don't know. You don't have the knowledge that you would have now, looking back.

Colby Harris: Yeah. And would you say that's played a part too, now? Not just in your relationship with your girlfriend, but into other relationships as well?

Matt Greggo: I'd say so. I definitely say so. I mean, I don't know if I really want kids. I haven't really crossed that bridge yet because I feel like I'm too selfish right now with what I'm trying to accomplish. But if I would have kids, I would really make sure to make it the best possible experience for them. Truly, I want to be the best father ever.

Colby Harris: I totally agree. And I think we're better for it because of it. Me and my brothers, we were just together over the weekend, and we were talking about we were like, man, it's what makes us who we are. Like, it happened for us, not to us. And we're all just now coming to peace with it. We've been going through a lot recently. I don't really talk to my dad. It's been about two years. We've had two interactions the last two years. One of them wasn't a good interaction. The second one, we almost got into a little…

Matt Greggo: I'm right on board with you, man. I'm right on board with you.

Colby Harris: And then it was crazy recently. He actually had a stroke most recently, and we're not talking or anything, so navigating. That's been crazy. And just understand that it might not change ever. It might not come around.

Matt Greggo: But you need to be at peace with that. Sometimes life just is how it's meant to be, and you can't go against the grain. Just is how it is.

Colby Harris: Right. And that's what we were all just trying to work through their day. We're like, we can be at peace with this. It's been hard to but you 100% can be.

Matt Greggo: Once you learn how to be at peace with things like that, I feel like it just unlocks a new level in your life and just, like, mental development and just self-development.

Colby Harris: Yeah. If you had any piece of advice for any other kids going through it or anybody dealing with it, what you think the most important thing you've learned from it?

Matt Greggo: Just even with hardship in general, it's like you just need to fight through it sometimes. Even the moments where everything is crumbling, just have hope because there's that other side. And I'm a firm believer that you get knocked down for a reason, and it's to build you up higher to a new beautiful moment. Like, beautiful memories, beautiful everything in life.

So if you're going through hardship, it's placed in your life for a reason. I believe that God gives you these things for a reason and once you get out of them, you could see why they happened. Because when I went through my depression, my anxiety, I almost lost my life. Now I can look back and say, oh, it happened for this reason, but when I was going through it, it just felt like the world was collapsing. Why me? Why me? But now looking back, I'm like, that happened for a reason.

Colby Harris: Absolutely. I totally agree. So fast forward a little bit. You went see a professional. Where do you think there was a turning point that you started to make your way out of that?

Matt Greggo: Out of the darkness?

Colby Harris: Absolutely.

Matt Greggo: So I think the first step was me, actually, because I'm hard headed, I'm very stubborn. I was like, you know what? I'm going to stay in this forever if I don't make a move. So you know what? I'm going to go to psychologist, psychiatrist and see if I can learn something what's going on with me. Right?

Psychologists didn't really do too much for me. The psychiatrist actually helped me understand. Matt, you actually have your brain is operating differently than others. This is what's happening. Your adrenaline is spiking and this is causing you to have this anxiety. And once I heard that, that kind of like connected my brain to say, okay, there's a reason why things are happening this way.

But the biggest thing that happened was I spent 16 to 20 hours a day in bed or on the couch, most time crying, just like, doing nothing. And I had to get out of that routine because that would have been the end of everything if I stayed in that routine. So I got a new routine and I started to go to my buddies and work with him at his business, just like to get out of the house and get in a new routine. And I will say that literally changed the game for me.

When I got out of that routine, I spent time with him. He was a very positive person. He's somebody I look up to. He's like a mentor of mine. So when I was with him, I was like that kind of just opened the doors and the clouds started to go away and I saw the sun. It wasn't out fully, but it was starting to come in. And that was the turning point when I was like, you know what? I can get my life back.

Colby Harris: The people around you are so important.

Matt Greggo: So important they can either make you or break you.

Colby Harris: I've got one of my best friends from North Carolina. He just graduated from App State and he's actually moving down here in two weeks. And he's the same way of never been super entrepreneur, diehard about any pursuits. He's just always loved to be around people and laugh and party, have a good time, which isn't necessarily he's in great shape bigger than me, played college.

Matt Greggo: Balance. Balance is key.

Colby Harris: He's a balanced guy, but the happiest guy I've ever met. And I had a really tough year last year, living alone and building the business. And I pretty much told him, I was like, look, man, you move down here and we'll make some moves. But in my head, I was like, this is going to be a game changer for my mental health. Just having someone like him in the house, going to the gym together, having meals together, chopping it up, being able to go play golf or go out on the weekends, yeah, he's going to pick it up.

Matt Greggo: Okay.

Colby Harris: The people around you are so impactful, and I'm sure you've even now as you continue to build your brand, stuff like that, are there any people that you continue to look up to in the bodybuilding space? Or is there someone that kind of set you on this path as well? If it was even early stages like Ronnie or Jay Cutler.

Matt Greggo: I wouldn't really say bodybuilding, more so, like just people out of bodybuilding, ironically, leaders. Like, I look at people, like, look at his one I'll tell you one person that changed my life. His trainer is Tim Grover. And I remember I read his book relentless, and that book changed my mindset. So he's one person I truly look up to because of his mental fortitude, what he teaches, being relentless. So that is somebody that I truly look up to. Gary Vee, as we talked about, another guy I look up to…

Colby Harris: Hustler.

Matt Greggo: Hustler. He is great, like, I love it, that's type of things. And people I like to attract to. But even people I know personally, like the guy who helped me get out of my things, my depression, by working with him, I look up to him because he's from India and he came here with no money, his family, and they're a multimillion dollar business now. That's the type of people I truly look up to because they're also close to me.

But in bodybuilding, I looked up to physiques, but never really more than that….

Colby Harris: Person.

Matt Greggo: Yeah, I looked up to their physique. And that was pretty much I'm not going to say that there's not people like the late Greg Platt, like people like that, the OGS. I looked up to them. But now that I'm in it, I don't really necessarily look up to as many people.

Colby Harris: And as we were talking about a few minutes ago, you're working with a lot of really accomplished athletes in the space. So imagining that you went from training average Joe's probably early on in your career to who you're working with now, what's that been like for you to be working with these athletes that are at the top of the game just like you are from where you started?

Matt Greggo: It's a blessing and it's a process of always learning. You can never think that you know everything. You also learn about how to work with different people and their temperament, the way they act and way you need to communicate with them because not everyone can use the same communication style. Like some people need a little bit more of this, a little bit more of that. Some people need more attention here, less attention here.

So it's a blessing to work with the people at the higher caliber now. But there's a lot more pressure too, because for someone with a bigger following, you have to make sure that they're a representation of your image and your brand….

Colby Harris: Got to be dialed.

Matt Greggo: Got to be dialed. If you have an athlete who's doing a high show, like a national show or pro show, their body is your work. So you got to make sure that you are making the right moves every single day.

Colby Harris: And are you allowed to name drop a couple of people that you're working with right now?

Matt Greggo: I've worked with a lot of people like influencers. I worked with Joe School, Alex Eubank, Bret Mossing. I helped him get his pro card. Those are like influencers. But I help a lot of NPC athletes and pro athletes that I'm not going to say I don't enjoy the influencers, but I enjoy the athletes a little more than influencers…

Colby Harris: Maybe a little more focus on…

Matt Greggo: They're just really gritty. They get down and dirty, they just get nasty. They'll do whatever it takes to win. And that's how am. Like, I'm the same way. Like you tell me, eat dirt. How many times, how many ounces that dirt?

Colby Harris: Yeah. If you like Kobe and Tim Grover, then you gotta have that mentality.

Matt Greggo: Yeah, you gotta be, you gotta be a hustler. Yeah, straight dog.

Colby Harris: That's what I always say.

Matt Greggo: There are some influencers who are like that, though. I just don't know if they're like that for the stage because they excel with what they do. But I don't know if they exactly got the whole competing thing down yet. But there's a couple who do.

Colby Harris: And so for you personally earlier you said something about a mental performance coach and different people you were working with. What about you personally? Do you have coaches or you self-program? Self-coach?

Matt Greggo: Yeah. So my bodybuilding coach is Chris Acido and he's like one of the most probably, I would say one of the best coaches ever. And he's actually the coach I got with this year who kind of changed the game for me from I mean, I got to Olympia now because of him, you know, you changed the game for me.

Colby Harris: Absolutely. Have you ever worked with a mental performance coach or anything else in your booklet of people?

Matt Greggo: I have worked with people for psychology and that, but that's funny you say that because I want to get not a life coach, but kind of like a mental development coach. Like somebody to help me navigate my brain and how it works and how to excel in sports and business. So I guess it would be a life coach. But I've actually been really curious about that.

Colby Harris: Yeah. So when I first started at Grit.org in 2021, that was kind of an idea that we were developing, is becoming mental performance coaches and something that Brian, the founder of Grit.org, really does a lot of work in. And it's interesting because it's a different space.

Matt Greggo: I think it's needed.

Colby Harris: It's very much.

Matt Greggo: I think it's really needed.

Colby Harris: High performers. I mean, just like Kobe, like Tim Grover, he needed, right, like, as much as he was like a weight training coach for those guys and stuff. I mean, he was all mental mean, it's in the book, it's in all his speeches he does. He is a huge supporter of the mental game just as much as anything else that you're doing. And on that note, do you always see yourself as a fitness coach or is there something I know you also work with a couple of brands and things like that right now. Where is your focus currently?

Matt Greggo: I would say I have a lot of focuses right now.

Colby Harris: It sounds like it from our – [Crosstalk]

Matt Greggo: It's a lot of focus. I have to do the social media aspect, which is full time job. I have my sponsorships, which is a lot, and then being a bodybuilder at the level I am, it's a full time job in itself. And then I coach pretty large amount of athletes. I actually scaled it back a little bit because my thing is I don't want to ever lose my quality of work. And with everything going on, I can't take on 100 plus athletes anymore. I need to scale it back. But my focus is, I'd say right now on that Olympia, because I feel like that is truly the next step in my life. That is where my ultimate destiny is, being a Mr. Olympia champion one day.

Colby Harris: I can see it now.

Matt Greggo: Hey, I like you.

Colby Harris: And you've clearly put on a lot of size too. I mean, have you been doing some things, like, as you've progressed through this? I mean, how have you evolved over the last couple of years? Because from when I first was introduced to you through TikTok and stuff for all our listeners, I've been following that for a long time now, probably upwards of two years. How have you evolved through your body building career with that focus? Was it always to be Mr. Olympia or were you just trying to do some shows?

Matt Greggo: I didn't believe it for a long time, to be honest with you. I feel like this is the first year I feel like maybe I can do this one day, actually, because I was doing men's Physique. Now I'm doing classic physique. So that alone was a big change. And what I did this year has never been done before. There's been a men's Physique athlete who went to the classic Olympia their first year in the division. So it's the first year it's ever been done.

Colby Harris: And for anyone who doesn't know, what exactly is the stage weight difference between doing men's physique and then into classic?

Matt Greggo: So it's more like what you like men's physique is like board shorts and classic is the trunks, like bodybuilding trunks, but they're black and not as low cut as the open bodybuilders.

Colby Harris: Yeah. So what kind of led to that push? Was it because of the Olympia?

Matt Greggo: Everyone always just was like, you have the classic look like you should do classic. And I was kind of afraid. I was like, this is like a whole new world for me. Am I going to be able to do well in it? I've done well in men's physique, but for classic, can I do well in it? And then I started to believe it. I was like, you know what? I could do better in classic than I ever did. Immense physique.

Colby Harris: And now, again, you're progressing, you're still building, you're still growing. I want to ask, how does that what you went through over the last 24 months and things like that, how does that still linger at all? Or do you still have a fear? And what would that be at this stage in your career?

Matt Greggo: Like, going back to where I was mentally?

Colby Harris: Well, just yeah. Looking at now where you're at, because obviously everybody continues to go through things, right? Like, just think you figure it out to go the other way. So, I mean, is there something that you're still you keep in the back of your mind? Like, I need to make sure that I work towards this or I build off of this to…

Matt Greggo: Faith. Faith, brother. I mean, honestly, I have trust in God that he is planning everything that it needs to happen for me, even if it's a low moment, I just know now that it's going to make sense down the road. So I don't fear it, I don't question it. And I have confidence that whatever is happening is for a reason. Even if something bad happens, I know it's happening for a reason. So I don't question it.

Colby Harris: Yeah. And you've been moving through some changes too. You're now representing Young La as your main sponsor and heading out there soon for a photo shoot and stuff.

Matt Greggo: Yeah, the block party, crazy.

Colby Harris: I don't doubt it. I mean, they're crushing the game, right?

Matt Greggo: They are.

Colby Harris: I'm sure that call up was pretty surreal too. I mean, not that you fit it perfectly. I mean, you're probably going to be one of their top athletes now, but.

Matt Greggo: I wouldn't say top, but I'm definitely getting up there because they have some big, big names. But I feel like I'm starting to climb the ladder here this year.

Colby Harris: You said you picked that up just a few days after leaving your last sponsorship and you left your last one without really any idea of where you were going next....

Matt Greggo: Yeah, it was just run it. See what happens. Whatever happens, happens.

Colby Harris: That leap of faith, per usual.

Matt Greggo: Yeah.

Colby Harris: So what was that like when you got that call up or that email? I mean…

Matt Greggo: I was stoked. I'm like, this is great. This is exactly what I wanted to work with. This is great.

Colby Harris: That's so funny, too, because we were talking earlier, it's like good things come back to you. Put…

Matt Greggo: They always do. The energy is everything.

Colby Harris: Yeah. And you've got a lot of it. I said earlier, I mean, you're making my life a lot easier.

Matt Greggo: I try to, man, I try to make everyone's life easier. But my girlfriend, he's a pain in the ass.

Colby Harris: Stop lying to all these people.

Matt Greggo: You're a liar.

Colby Harris: Who you really mean. Young La is a pretty young company. I feel like…

Matt Greggo: They've in terms of actual business, I would say young. I mean, a lot of the companies in the industry are young because I feel like right now it's the biggest the industry has ever been. It's exploded.

Colby Harris: I know. Well, I'm seeing all these, like I mean…

Matt Greggo: Chris Bumps has like 20 million followers on Instagram. Just nuts.

Colby Harris: Yeah. There's these, like all the little kids even getting into it now, and they're like blowing up. I'm over here like, dude….

Matt Greggo: And they're making like hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Colby Harris: Yeah. How it's crazy. The whole social media landscape right now is just wild.

Matt Greggo: I like it. I think it's cool, man. I really do.

Colby Harris: And it's funny. One of my friends this morning actually sent me a DM of a girl's account who was on a stream with, you know, RiceGum, YouTube guy?

Matt Greggo: He's actually-- Is he back?

Colby Harris: He's making his way back, you know, he went through some things in his life, like really tough things with him and his wife or girlfriend, whatever. It actually I'm pretty sure they lost a child, which…

Matt Greggo: I couldn't imagine.

Colby Harris: I know, but long story short, he sent me a video of her on a stream with him, and I was like, yo, what's going on? And she jumped on the only fans wave. And in my head, I was like, you know what? If that's what you want to do, I'm not going to knock you for it. It doesn't necessarily mean I would do it.

Matt Greggo: Or I don't align with it, but I'm not going to ever or fault anybody for doing what they have to make their money or whatever. But I don't align with it.

Colby Harris: No, not at all. But I think, like, being from Jacksonville too, we have a pretty and I'm sure in Tampa too, there's a good amount of homeless people around and stuff.

Matt Greggo: It's a lot.

Colby Harris: I always have just said it's like, look, man, if you're willing to do something to put effort towards something, if it makes you happy, if….

Matt Greggo: I always respect that. You know what I mean? Like someone who's just to do anything, put a little effort in. I'll always respect you do. To make a lot of money. You know what I mean? I always respect you.

Colby Harris: I've always said that. As long as it's not at a disservice of other people, by all means, pursue what you want to do. Do it how you want to do.

Matt Greggo: As long as you're lifting people up and not stepping on them?

Colby Harris: Absolutely. Because that's also been an interesting part of the fitness space as well, is some people create their career around it.

Matt Greggo: I don't like it.

Colby Harris: Of just wanting to critique and tear people down and creating all these weird beefs and the whole boxing and fighting thing that's going on right now, all the influencers. Yeah.

Matt Greggo: I'm not a big fan of it.

Colby Harris: How much would it cost to get you in a boxing match?

Matt Greggo: $0. Not worth it.

Colby Harris: You would never do it.

Matt Greggo: It would ruin my career possibly.

Colby Harris: Yeah.

Matt Greggo: You got to have your core values and core message, and that's just not part of mine.

Colby Harris: Yeah. And I could imagine that's really hard too. I mean, with someone like yourself who has so many opportunities, truthfully, you could probably pursue or…

Matt Greggo: A lot of different right.

Colby Harris: So how do you stay balanced with your brand and what your values are?

Matt Greggo: I know my mission, my core values, I never stray from it. It's very easy to chase a dime.

Colby Harris: That's what I was going to say is, how do you do that? I mean, for people that don't have the wisdom yet? I mean, you're a good bit older than me, and there's a lot of young people in this space.

Matt Greggo: There's a lot of money to be made. But it's how you do it, I think defines you. You could be a type of person who tries to go the easy road, are going to go the harder road. And I'll always go the harder road because I don't want the easy way out of anything. So if your message is what you say it is, and it's a positive one, make sure your brand deal is what you preach online is correlating to that.

Colby Harris: And as someone who's worked through a couple of brand deals, now, do you have any tips for anybody that's looking to partner with a brand or how you got into how you first broke into it? Did you do some outreach originally, like trying to get in touch with companies when they approached you first?

Matt Greggo: Yeah.

Colby Harris: That is some powerful stuff right there. Because I'm a person who's pursued right? I pursue really hard, and it's hard sometimes because you're not always getting yeses. You're not always getting feedback or anything like that. So for someone like myself or for someone in that position, do you have any advice for getting brand deals or how you eye out the one that you should take?

Matt Greggo: I mean, it has to align with what you produce and what you're about. And I think the biggest thing I want to be sponsored. It's like create value in yourself. Make sure you have that value and then worry about bringing brand deals on and everything. You got to make sure a brand wants somebody who has value.

So make sure you have a message, you have what you would consider value because then these brands can reach out to you and you won't be outreaching to them. So I think that's the biggest thing. But I've always gone about brand deals as does this align with what I'm doing and who I am? And there's been times where I can made a lot of money taking these brand deals but just didn't make sense for me. And I go back to the faith thing.

God will bless you. He'll bless you with something. It may not be what that was, but he's going to bring something good into your life because he knows your energy and your values. And that's something I live my life on now. That the energy I put out, I will get back.

Colby Harris: And I can tell through this conversation, like your faith is definitely your cornerstone.

Matt Greggo: It is. And it wasn't for a long time. And that's how I got my dark spot because I didn't have that faith in play. When God wasn't my focus, that's when things got really bad. But when I got back to Him, every single time, my life has gotten better and better. So I know that's what I need to focus on. It's always God and my faith.

Colby Harris: And for someone who's currently navigating that walk in faith or someone that's never even been introduced to it, whether they're like me and you, who was brought up in a household that really was, we're….

Matt Greggo: Definitely lucky.

Colby Harris: Yeah. For someone who hasn't been introduced to it, what would you say? The first steps for someone to get?

Matt Greggo: To know God is get to know yourself. I think that's the biggest thing. I feel like if you know yourself, that's the first step and then obviously you could take the steps of learning more about religion and what resonates with you. But I feel like if you want to know anything, know yourself first and you'll also learn more about yourself through God. But I feel like you always got to know yourself initially.

Colby Harris: No, I think that's awesome too, because you don't have to if it's Christianity or whatever religion that you look towards.

Matt Greggo: Yeah. I'll never be the type of guy to be like, oh, you're this and that. It's like we all have our faith.

Colby Harris: Yeah. I like to explore a lot of stuff from hundreds of years ago because the philosophies are very interesting and obviously with everything going on in the world, there's so many what's the word? Mixed perspectives where people don't have the full picture in front of them and they just want to draw conclusions so quick. That's something that I think we're all facing right now in the current state of the world.

Matt Greggo: Big time.

Colby Harris: Everybody want to talk before they listen.

Matt Greggo: Yeah, not so good that way.

Colby Harris: Yeah, no, it's been crazy. 2020 would have been my first year to vote, and I didn't even vote.

Matt Greggo: I've never voted. I don't know if I'm ever going to vote personally. I haven't decided.

Colby Harris: Someone would have to come in that I feel like I can really rally by.

Matt Greggo: Right.

Colby Harris: And what's interesting about throughout the course of the presidential elections is some people get up and you're like, this guy's got a good basis of habits and principles that he lives by, and then you start to like him, and then he gets on stage and he says something so out of left field.

Matt Greggo: That's why I'm like, I don't even partake.

Colby Harris: Right. Try to steer clear. And how is that for you? You're very mature in your focus. And again, you're aware I just say it because I'm sitting here having this conversation with you. How do you remain so focused now after what's happened over the last decade and all the growing you've done? How do you remain consistent and focused on what's in front of you?

Matt Greggo: Well, I'll tell you what. Recently this year, I had a lot of goals, and a couple of them, they were pretty outlandish goals, and that's been my cornerstone of like, you know what? I can make these all come to life this year and as long as God has them, because, say, like, one of the goals I have this year has happened. Maybe God's saying next year is the right year, but my focus is on these certain things, and I've accomplished a lot of them already, and there's a few more that I want to make happen, and I'm going all in on making them happen.

So that's why my focus is so, like, laser focused right now. It's just locked in because I wrote those goals down at January 1st of this year, and I was like, I'm going to do my best to make these happen. And if I don't, God's probably making them happen next year for a reason.

Colby Harris: Right. Just a little bit more time.

Matt Greggo: A little bit more time.

Colby Harris: And what about earlier? We talked about the people you hang around and some of the good people and stuff. But another thing I'll ask you, because we talked a lot heavily about how important the people are around you. What about through this journey especially, I'm sure, the last few years as you've been traveling and getting to meet more people, how do you navigate your relationships when somebody you can tell that they're not necessarily shining a positive light in your life or not a good influence?

Matt Greggo: You know what, this is funny to say, but everyone who exits my life is worse off without me. I know it's messed up to say, but I'm a firm believer in that. And I've had a lot of people who tried to tear me down, who tried to take me away from my core messages, my values. And I even consider it like the devil, right? They're trying to take me away from who I am and those people get eliminated instantly. I do not think about it, I do not question it. I just eliminate them from my life because I can't have who I am and what I'm doing be impacted.

And ironically, I'm not saying I'm like some fortune teller here, but all those people who I eliminated were actually really bad people and were people who were trying to take me down. So I feel like as you get older, you learn this more and more and I feel like that's a very big asset to learn.

Colby Harris: Would you say it's just because obviously actions speak louder than words and I'm sure there's been plenty of times that people have said things to you and then their actions were a total left field thing. So would you say it really lies within those values? Like do the values align with a lot of stuff you do?

Matt Greggo: People relationship that is always what goes back to you can learn a lot about someone in a short period of time, you'll know, as well you get older, you get quicker at picking it up. You probably see already know as you're getting older, you're starting to learn faster and faster who to be around and who to not be around.

Colby Harris: I try to for sure.

Matt Greggo: I mean, you're still gonna make you're gonna mess. That's a -- but yeah.

Colby Harris: Who was it? I can't remember. Tom Platts. He's in one of the audios I listened to and he's like, we need to achieve failure. Why? Because after failure comes winning. The only place to go from failure.

Matt Greggo: Is probably like a leg day.

Colby Harris: It had to have been one more.

Matt Greggo: Squats, leg extensions and things flying up.

Colby Harris: Yeah, I've totally changed, like as of late, kind of what I'm listening to in the gym and stuff, trying to mix it up. I used to listen to just mainly music and I listened to a lot of motivation. Like I said, trying to be a speaker and things like that. I listen some motivational speakers in the gym. But how do you like to get excited? I know you have a huge passion for the gym, but the days you don't feel like doing it, how do you get in there and get after it?

Matt Greggo: Just think about what I have to accomplish. Like if I want to be the best in the world, one motivation is going to it comes and goes. You're not going to be motivated every day. I mean, there's been times this year I'm like, I want to stop, but I'm like, you have a mission, you got to accomplish it. You cannot stop, not even that. But you have people relying on you. The people look up to you. Who my girlfriend? I want to provide the best life I ever could imagine. I can't stop now. That's going to stop the dream. Like no. So I just always think about that mission I have.

Colby Harris: I totally agree. My mom, her single mom, but the bills are paid. But there's so much more to life than just making it by. And that's what I've always said.

Matt Greggo: I'm a firm believer in that, man.

Colby Harris: I want to offer the best ever. We get one chance at this. You might as well take that bull by the horns and run with it as best you can.

Matt Greggo: It's fun to experience life, too. It takes money and everything, but you just want to experience it.

Colby Harris: This is the first time in my life this year that I did some traveling and we took our first family trip and, like, five, six years.

Matt Greggo: Where'd you go?

Colby Harris: We actually went to Greece.

Matt Greggo: Oh, you went out there?

Colby Harris: Yeah. So my sister graduates high school next year, and my mom was like, hey, we'll do an early trip because my cousin was graduating and we could all go together. So it was like, ten of us, that all to go. And the other day when we were all together over the weekend, my mom was like, you never could put a price tag on that that I wouldn't pay again tomorrow. Like any of….

Matt Greggo: I agree. You can't put a price tag on moments.

Colby Harris: I have just two more questions. Hopefully they don't cut us off right here. One thing I want to ask you about is today when you pulled up, I couldn't help but notice the beautiful Porsche GT 3 that you pulled up in. So I'm a huge car guy. I'm from Amelia Island, which is just north of Jacksonville. I would definitely suggest going up. We host a car show every year called the Concours des Lagons. Now it's the Amelia but very, very high level cars. Like, last year, there were five Enzo’s there.

Matt Greggo: You don't see those very much.

Colby Harris: No, not five. Next year. And actually, one of them was from Pennsylvania.

Matt Greggo: Oh, wow.

Colby Harris: But nonetheless, tell me about that, because obviously I envision that for myself one day when I can finally get it. Right now I've got a Toyota Highlander out front. Not for long. Yeah.

Matt Greggo: Great.

Colby Harris: What was that like for you?

Matt Greggo: Surreal. Do that. It was surreal. That was my dream car, man.

Colby Harris: It's a beautiful spec to that gray.

Matt Greggo: The chalk gray. That was my dream car. I always wanted a GT 3. And you know what? Last year I pulled the trigger and I never looked back on it. Because I'll tell you what, that car has changed my mindset and unlocked just the belief that anything I set out, I can accomplish. People are like, oh, it's just a car. I'm like, no, no, no, this car helps me elevate my mind more than anything else does, for the most part, obviously. My family, my girlfriend, everything. But having that car helps me. Just always have the wheels turning, how to get better and how to elevate and maybe get the next car.

Colby Harris: Yeah, it's a beautiful spec. Did you order it just or did you pick it up?

Matt Greggo: I paid a little over MSRP for it. Like an idiot.

Colby Harris: Totally worth it. Totally worth it.

Matt Greggo: Worth it.

Colby Harris: Man, this has just been such a fun episode. What a long drive. This morning I was pulling up three and a half hours later and I'm like trying to get in the zone, get some….

Matt Greggo: Coffee. Energy drink.

Colby Harris: Yeah, but man, this has just sparked so much energy.

Matt Greggo: We could do it again.

Colby Harris: Yeah. My favorite part about doing these episodes is when you're around successful people, right? No matter if you have nothing going for you. And this is why I tell people all the time is when people say, be in the right rooms. I don't believe it's just for the education, I believe it's for the energy. Of course, when you're able to see somebody who's been through s*** in life that came out of it stronger than ever and is getting what they consider their dream life, I don't care about all like I love the education part of it, but that energy is just.

Matt Greggo: Energy is everything, brother. Everything.

Colby Harris: I feel it. Man, I wish I was going to be down here longer. Well, I guess you're in Olympia Prep right now. I definitely am not going to keep up in that workout, but yeah.

Matt Greggo: It would be a struggle.

Colby Harris: But just one last question as we talked about earlier. So our company is built on twelve principles called the Grit Creed. I just passed that over to you. What part of the Grit Creed resonates most with you and why?

Matt Greggo: I'm going to tell you this one and you'll know why? Because you've seen relentless, you've read relentless. It's I am cool, calm and collected because there's a lot of stuff that can happen and it's on you sometimes to how you respond to it because there's the people you have to read the book to understand. But The Cleaner is like the epitome of a leader and he always remains calm and cool and collected in chaos.

And he gets the results and delivers it time after time again. And that's why I feel like for me, cool, calm and collected is why I solidify with because in life when things are the world is burning, I'm calm and collected and thinking about how can we get the next step?

Colby Harris: Bomb drop.

Matt Greggo: Yeah.

Colby Harris: Man, people are going to love this episode. I can't wait to push it. This one is just so full of value. Well, before I wrap us up, please drop a plug real quick. How can people support you? What are your socials? How can everyone keep up with your story from here?

Matt Greggo: Matt Greggo on all the platforms, you know, co Greggo at huge summits in young La. I coach a lot of top tier athletes, even the normal Joes. Even though you don't think I do elevate coaching, that's my coaching business, and that's pretty much it to support me. Just following along my journey is enough support for me. I love having people who stop me in public or at the gyms or at events, and I'll always take time to talk. I'm not one of the guys. Be like, oh, yeah, picture and get out of here. I want to learn about the people who support me because they are what helped me do what I do.

Colby Harris: That's funny you say that. I was in Denver last weekend and I actually ran into Eddie Hall at the Denver airport.

Matt Greggo: Oh, he's a big boy.

Colby Harris: Oh, my gosh, he was in such a bad mood. Eddie, see this? I'm sorry. And I get it at the airport again. Nobody's ever usually thrilled at the airport unless you're on the way to a trip. But I'm like walking around the airport. We just landed, and I look up and Eddie Hall is right there.

Matt Greggo: And I'm like I'd have been. What?

Colby Harris: My jaw dropped. I'm like, Eddie Hall. My girlfriend has no idea who he is. I'm like…

Matt Greggo: Who's that guy?

Colby Harris: I'm like….

Matt Greggo: Is he a competitive?

Colby Harris: Yeah. What do you think he does? But it was funny. I was like, can I get a picture? He's like, yeah, all right, hurry up. Let's do this. And I took it, and it took me so off guard, I didn't even know what else to say. I was just like, all right, thanks, Eddie.

Matt Greggo: You know, it's a shame because you could never get that interaction. That's the only one you got, and you'll never forget it. And I've had the similar interaction with somebody looked up to when I was younger, and that's why I am the way I am now about my interactions. And I never want it to be a bad one. Even if I'm a couple of days out from a show dying, literally dying. I'm like, oh, I have no energy. I'll always make sure to have a positive interaction with anybody who supports me.

Colby Harris: Yeah. And I mean, I love Eddie. I get it. People are always doing he's up there. I mean, Eddie's been in the crush in the game for 20 years now, but there's plenty of other stuff we didn't get into today. Might have to shoot a part two sometime in the future. Matt, I really appreciate….

Matt Greggo: Blessing.

Colby Harris: I was going to say, just like you just said, you followed through with what you say you will do right now. I've sent hundreds of DMs, thousands of DMs trying to meet with people, and you got back to me, and we're so easy to work with. You're like, yeah, send me some dates. Let's set it up. I'd love to do it.

Matt Greggo: I try to be easy with things.

Colby Harris: It definitely is. I mean, it just shows your character, for sure. So thanks for being here today. Really appreciate everybody at home. That wraps up here at the Grit.org Podcast from MMG Studios in Tampa. Shout out to them as well. Awesome studio here! Be sure to connect with them for all your marketing and social media needs. Share this episode with someone you think it would resonate with or impact. As always, we appreciate you tuning in for another episode of the Grit.org Podcast!