Episode 234 - Joe De Sena

Joe De Sena is the CEO and founder of Spartan, the world's largest obstacle race and endurance brand. We discuss his "Spartan Served" project, giving away free entry to any Spartan Race in 2019 to all active and retired uniformed personnel. We also discuss his early life in New York, endurance running, finding your tribe, community and much more.

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Joe De Sena – Founder and CEO of Spartan, the world’s largest obstacle race and endurance brand – has demonstrated his entrepreneurial drive since his pre-teens. After building a multimillion-dollar pool and construction business in college, and creating a Wall Street trading firm, De Sena set his sights on ripping 100 million people off their couches by creating the Spartan lifestyle.

Following a successful career on Wall Street, De Sena moved his family to Pittsfield, Vermont to operate an organic farm, a bed and breakfast, and a general store for hikers. It was here his passion grew for ultramarathons, adventure races, and endurance events, and thus the idea for Spartan was born.

With more than one million annual global participants at more than 200 events across more than 30 countries, Spartan offers heats for all fitness levels and ages, from beginner to elite and Kids as young as four-years-old. The brand has transformed more than five million lives since it was founded in 2010.

De Sena is also the New York Times Best Selling Author of “Spartan Up” and “Spartan Fit,” and recently released his third book, “The Spartan Way.” As a popular key note speaker, De Sena has parlayed the teachings of his Spartan Principals into the SpartanX Leadership Forum, a series of events in which participants collaborate to solve challenges alongside business leaders while learning to overcome mental and physical obstacles.

In addition to race events, the Spartan lifestyle that De Sena built encompasses all the tools one needs to transform their lives including partnerships with fitness brands such as Life Time, 24Hour Fitness and the DailyBurn; complementary training, nutrition plans and content; television series on NBC and Facebook; forthcoming documentaries about the brand, sport and health; and an extensive line of apparel and licensed fitness gear and equipment.

Throughout his lifetime, Joe has competed in any extreme sports adventure he could find, testing his mental and physical endurance against nature. Joe turned an interest in endurance racing into a passion. His racing resume is the stuff of legend – over 50 ultra-events overall and 14 Ironman events in one year alone.

Spartan Served Website:

https://spartan.com/en/spartan-served

Spartan Website:

https://www.spartan.com/en

Joe’s Website:

https://joedesena.com/

Joe’s Email:

joe@spartan.com

Joe’s Book:

Spartan Up!

Other Recommended Books:

Adrift: 76 Days Lost At Sea - Steven Callahan

Shōgun - James Clavell

Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage - Alfred Lansing

Atlas Shrugged - Ayn Rand

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