Navy veteran says he scaled his business to help more people despite pandemic, economic turmoil

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Navy veteran Chris Cavallini is an entrepreneur and philanthropist whose hard work won’t slow down amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Every day he starts with monster workouts not designed for the weak and timid.

“Breathwork, hard physical training and 20 to 30 minute sauna sessions. I wake up early -- my alarm is set to [4:50] and I like to start my day by priming my mind and body to optimal levels," he told Fox News.

"Physical exercise first thing in the morning is an opportunity to not just feel great to start the day, but also to improve on your discipline, mental toughness and confidence, because let’s face it, nobody really wants to do a hard workout early in the morning when they first wake up."

During his turbulent youth, Cavallini said he was arrested 17 times prior to his 18th birthday and later served jail time for felony distribution of controlled substances.

Cavallini ultimately changed his life’s course by dedicating his life to personal development, health and fitness, building up people and using his platforms to educate on the practical action steps he took to bridge the gap from drug dealer to multimillionaire CEO of a national lifestyle brand and meal prep company that reports over eight figures of annual revenue.

This crazy year -- with the coronavirus pandemic and economic turmoil -- hasn’t deterred his focus.

“It’s changed slightly, of course, but I adjusted quickly and with a good attitude because I understand the importance of only focusing on that of which we can control," he explained. "The extra time and energy I was gifted when a lot of the luxuries and amenities a lot of us are used to were shut down has been reinvested as productively as possible."

“I built a home gym at my house at the beginning of the pandemic because my health and fitness were not things I am willing to compromise on," he explained. "Working more from home also gave me the ability to truly detach from the day-to-day of the business and come up with some really great strategies to move our business forward."

"We were effectively able to scale our business 34 percent during a global pandemic and economic crisis, which I credit my team with. I believe detachment along with the freed-up energy is what helped me clearly see what needed to happen for us to get to the next level and truly help more people.”

CORONAVIRUS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

These days, the modern Renaissance Man, now based in Tampa, has done 55 episodes of The Start Today Podcast, he has his nutrition business, and he even recommends a booklist for the modern man to level up. (Chris Cavallini)

Cavallini, who lives by a paramilitary-style structure in all things, has achieved his success after a rough start. He said at 18, he was given a choice: jail or the military.

He told The Alpha Human Podcast: “For the first time in my life, I was in a situation where I had purpose, I had structure, I had real true significance. I was very proud of what I did. [...] I was a Navy deep-sea diver, I was in a very elite community."

"I started learning about the importance of discipline, attention to detail, about taking pride in your work, and the importance of having a mission and doing what needs to be done to accomplish that mission at all costs," he told the podcast. "And that was a really good thing. Having that structure, having that discipline, as I was the youngest guy from the time that I checked into my command, to the time that I checked out, so having all these older, more experienced, more educated people who I looked up to as mentors was the perfect recipe for somebody like me who came from the circumstances that I did.”

These days, the modern Renaissance Man, now based in Tampa, has done 55 episodes of The Start Today Podcast. He also has his nutrition business and he even recommends a booklist for the modern man to level up.

He told Fox News: “Honestly, the crisis gave us more purpose and pride in what we do than during normal times. Because in times of hardship, adversity or crisis, having a productive, positive outlet to focus on is essential to navigate through those times in the best way possible. ‘Celebrate Adversity’ is also a core value at the company.”

Cavallini had to become innovative this year to rise to meet new challenges.

“One of my goals that I put on paper every single day is to donate $10 million to charity and those in need, so needless to say contribution is extremely important to me. Every week my company, Nutrition Solutions, donates hundreds of healthy meals to people in need. Whether the homeless or underprivileged or food-insecure children who come from broken homes. ‘Help People’ is a core value of our company and something we apply not just within our business, but in the community, as well.”

Cavallini knows it’s his duty to give back, as well as help create new and better futures for others.

“On Fridays while on the clock, my team does community service in the local community to keep our streets clean and make the world a cleaner place to live. Beyond that, I make personal donations routinely to Operation Underground Railroad whose mission is to rescue children who have been sexually abused or involved in human trafficking; law enforcement, different organizations that support veterans and often speak to underprivileged children who have been in trouble or come from the same circumstances I did -- and by sharing my story, teaching them about the importance of personal responsibility, health and fitness, show them a better way of doing things and instill within them a sense of hope.”

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He knows this year has changed his life, Cavallini said -- but for the better.

“It’s been slightly disappointing to see how poorly many people have dealt with the changes in our society and the negativity that’s been spread on social media. I can’t say I’m surprised, as people, in general, have a hard time with change," Cavallini added. "I just wish more people would focus on what they can do and the opportunities that are present, other than solely fixating on what they can’t. Because there is always opportunity in times of crisis.”