FUEL FOR THOUGHT
The Infinite Business Lessons from My Journey Becoming an Ironman Athlete
Meaghen Brown
Adam Melonas
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October 18, 2024
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5 Min Read
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Culture,
Design
It all started during the uncertainty of COVID-19 when everything felt out of my control. The world seemed to halt, and businesses—especially those in innovation like Chew—were in disarray. Innovation projects were paused as companies shifted focus to supply chain management, leaving our business dead in the water. Like many others, I navigated a world of reactive stay-at-home orders, market stagnation, and ambiguity.
I've always believed that hard work would get me through anything, but what happens when even that gets taken away? With opportunities dwindling and restrictions mounting, I needed a way to regain control over my life. That's when I jumped on Ironman.com I found a race far enough in the future to allow ample training time and clicked the sign-up button for Ironman Cozumel. In that instant, my journey as an Ironman athlete began—a journey that would teach me some of my life's most valuable business lessons.
From a young age, I've had a relentless drive. I left school early, started my entrepreneurial path at eight years old (running a thriving car-washing business), and received my education in the unforgiving school of hard knocks. This unconventional path fostered a persistent case of imposter syndrome. In my younger years, it was debilitating, a constant fear of being "found out." It drove me to obsess over every detail, wasting energy on what others might think. As I grew older, I learned to channel that imposter syndrome into a form of rocket fuel, driving myself harder and pushing past my perceived limits.
Ironman training became an extension of that mindset. It wasn't about finishing a race; it was about achieving excellence. In the business world, we often say, "If something is worth doing, it's worth doing well." The same goes for Ironman. I hired a top coach, bought the best gear, and committed myself to 20+ hours of training every week. And that's when the lessons began.
Time Management and Prioritization
You can't magically conjure an extra 20 hours in a week. You have to find it by making sacrifices and optimizing every minute. That meant setting my alarm for 4 am and getting in at least two to three hours of training each morning before most people even had breakfast. It became a new form of motivation—a race against the sleeping world. To effectively train for this amount of hours I needed to be much more functional in my eating, which changed not only my diet but, as an extension, the diet of the family, and also had me cut any drinking down to almost zero, as waking up at 4 am cloudy from a little red wine or tequila the night before was not acceptable! This practice forced me to be laser-focused and methodical about allocating my time to business and family life. I could no longer afford to drift aimlessly through meetings or half-heartedly listen during family dinners. I had to be 100% present in every moment, whether in a business meeting or playing with my children. Ironman training taught me to prioritize what mattered and eliminate all the noise.
The energy-intensive air transport of fragile foods produces 4.5 tons of CO2 emissions per ton of product—a stark contrast to ocean shipping, which emits just 0.25 tons per ton of goods. Perishable items are particularly waste-prone, with a significant portion expiring before they ever reach consumers. Food waste in the U.S. alone stands at 30-40% of the total supply each year, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and further straining ecosystems. A more sustainable food system demands localized production to cut emissions and build resilience against future crises.
Limiting the Vibrations—Managing Highs and Lows
Endurance sports, much like business, are a game of managing extremes. The highs—the rush of a strong performance, closing a significant deal—are exhilarating, but they can cloud judgment. The lows—injury, failure, market downturns—can be devastating. Endurance sports teach you to minimize those vibrations and avoid getting swept away by emotions. It's about maintaining an even keel and focusing on incremental gains.
Coming from a chef background, I was hard-wired to view everything as extraordinary or utterly pitiful. Mediocrity was the worst place to be. But Ironman training reframed that mindset. It's not about being extraordinary every day; it's about showing up and putting in the work day after day, slowly and methodically building towards greatness. The true value lies in consistency, a concept that has made me more resilient and steady as a business leader.
One Foot in Front of the Other—The Power of Perseverance
In 2022, I competed in the Ironman World Championship in St. George, Utah. I completely blew up during the race, failing to stick to my plan. I barely finished the bike segment, and as I stumbled off my bike, I told myself I was done. I was cooked. But something deep inside wouldn't allow me to quit. So, I put on my running shoes and ran a marathon. One foot in front of the other.
The lesson I took from that race—and one I've shared repeatedly with my children—is that even when you think you're done, you have more in you than you realize. There's always more to give. In business, the same principle applies. When the market dips, sales falter, and everything seems bleak, it's about hanging on. It's about pushing through and using adversity as fuel to become stronger.
A Journey of Continuous Growth
I'm still at the beginning of my Ironman journey. At 42 years old, the sport is physically and mentally demanding. Injuries happen, setbacks occur, but Ironman gives more than it takes. It makes me a better father, a more productive CEO, and a better husband. I've been on the podium in nearly half of the races I've entered. I've qualified for two Ironman World Championships and am preparing for my third in Kona, Hawaii, on the 26th of October.
Ironman training forces you to be selfish with your time, but the returns are immense. The sport teaches mental toughness, resilience, and the power of showing up even when you don't want to. These are invaluable lessons for any executive. The endurance required to complete a 140.6-mile race mirrors the endurance needed to thrive in the corporate world.
Suffering on Purpose—The Value of Endurance Sports in Business
Taking up endurance sports like Ironman may seem extreme for a business executive. But there's value in suffering on purpose. The pain and struggle force you to confront your weaknesses and manage your emotions. They build a level of mental toughness that few other experiences can match. As an executive, you're faced with challenges and setbacks every day. By embracing a sport that requires resilience, tenacity, and grit, you become better equipped to handle business uncertainties.
Ironman has taught me that life's greatest lessons are learned in moments of struggle and suffering. Pushing yourself beyond perceived limits, whether on a racecourse or in the boardroom, is where real growth happens. The race isn't always against others; it's against yourself—against your perceived limitations.
As is the case for most entrepreneurs, there is little we can do where we don't spot countless opportunities. When entering endurance sports, I was SHOCKED at how terrible the sports performance products were. It felt like the last place left to be disrupted. Filled with artificial ingredients, pseudo-science, and generally really bad products that made me feel terrible. So, I put a team of developers into this to create the highest-performing sports nutrition products. After years of work, we have launched our company in this space called Fastfood (www.fastfood.com), blurring the lines again between passion and business.
So, I urge you to take on a challenge that scares you. Run a marathon, sign up for a triathlon, or set an audacious fitness goal. Suffer on purpose. In suffering, you'll discover your true strength. And in that discovery, you'll find lessons that make you a more resilient, focused, and effective business leader.
