HawkeTalk

What happens when a theater-loving kid from suburban Chicago finds his true calling not on stage, but on a treadmill?

In this episode, I sat down with Joey Gonzalez, Global CEO of Barry’s and one of the boldest voices in boutique fitness. His journey is wild—in the best way possible. From being the least athletic kid in a super-fit immigrant family to leading a global fitness empire, Joey’s story is all about identity, resilience, and betting on yourself.

Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, Joey was surrounded by sports-obsessed siblings and marathon-running parents. From secretly dreaming of the stage while eating pizza and watching TV to landing a lead role in a Chicago musical at 13, which led to a decade in film and TV. However, burnout prompted him to try Barry's workout on a whim, resulting in a significant transformation. He evolved from a client to a trainer, then General Manager, and eventually, the owner. Despite having no prior experience in operations or fitness leadership, Joey taught himself everything and worked his way into ownership.

We talk about everything: stepping into your power, learning to scale a brand from two studios to 90 worldwide, what makes a great leader (hint: it’s not a title), and why he believes the most successful people don’t let fear sit in the driver’s seat. If you’re navigating a pivot, chasing purpose, or just trying to figure out your next big move… this episode is 100% for you.

In this episode:

(0:00) Replacing fear with focus
(1:00) Growing up Latino and artistic in suburban Chicago
(3:26) The audition that changed everything
(10:30) Burnout, USC, and searching for what’s next
(12:37) His first Barry’s class—and how it hooked him
(14:01) Becoming a trainer and finding purpose
(15:06) The early vision to transform lives
(16:19) Climbing from GM to business leader
(24:32) Building the Barry’s blueprint in NYC
(31:53) Scaling to 90+ locations and counting
(34:47) The mindset shift that changed everything

Hawke Media

https://www.linkedin.com/company/hawkemedia/
https://www.instagram.com/hawkemedia/?hl=en
https://hawkemedia.com/
https://twitter.com/hawkemedia
https://www.facebook.com/hawkemedia/

About Our Guest

Joey Gonzalez is the Global CEO of Barry’s, the original high-intensity interval training workout that’s built a worldwide cult following. From sweeping floors to building out franchises and raising private equity, Joey has lived every chapter of Barry's story. A former actor and USC theater grad, he’s blended performance, passion, and persistence to scale one of the most recognized fitness brands in the world. He now lives in New York and leads Barry’s into its next era of growth.

Joey Gonzalez

Barry's-Website
Joey Gonzalez-Instagram
Joey Gonzalez-LinkedIn
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of HawkeTalk, I sit down with Avery Akkineni, Chief Marketing Officer at VaynerMedia, to uncover her journey from growing up in Nashville with a love for books and business dreams to leading global expansion for one of the most disruptive agencies in the world.

Avery shares how her early internships at Live Nation and Morgan Stanley shaped her view of business, why taking risks opened unexpected doors, and how she went from Target’s corporate world to a seven-year career at Google. She reveals the pivotal moment she said “yes” to Gary Vaynerchuk and took the leap to launch Vayner’s Asia-Pacific office from scratch scaling it to 170 people and winning major clients across Singapore, Australia, and beyond.

We dive into the challenges of building teams during COVID, the launch of Vayner3 during the Web3 wave, and why her latest role as CMO is her most fulfilling yet. Through it all, Avery’s story is about persistence, bold choices, and embracing opportunities before they’re obvious.

Her advice? Don’t fear failure—take the leap, because if you don’t ask, you don’t get.

In this episode:
(00:00) Overcoming fear of failure and taking risks
(07:36) Learning what you don’t want
(10:57) First job at Target and early lessons in retail and supply chain
(17:45) Moving from Google to VaynerMedia
(22:06) Launching Vayner’s Asia-Pacific office in Singapore
(23:39) Scaling through crisis during COVID and international growth
(26:30) Transition into Web3 with Vayner3 and bold brand partnerships
(27:44) Becoming CMO of VaynerMedia and building the agency brand
(30:04) Avery’s biggest advice: people have short memories just go for it

Hawke Media
https://www.linkedin.com/company/hawkemedia/
https://www.instagram.com/hawkemedia/?hl=en
https://hawkemedia.com/
https://twitter.com/hawkemedia
https://www.facebook.com/hawkemedia/

About Our Guest

Avery Akkineni is the Chief Marketing Officer at VaynerMedia, where she leads global brand strategy and innovation. Before joining Vayner, she spent over seven years at Google, helping shape its ad and media platforms. In 2019, she spearheaded Vayner’s expansion into Asia-Pacific, growing the Singapore office from zero to 170 employees and winning major clients like Disney+, P&G, and Subway.

A pioneer in emerging tech, Avery went on to launch Vayner3, guiding Fortune 500 companies into Web3, and now drives VaynerMedia’s own brand growth as CMO. Known for her risk-taking spirit, global perspective, and passion for storytelling, Avery is redefining what it means to be a modern marketing leader.

Avery Akkineni
Avery Akkineni Website
Avery Akkineni on Instagram
Avery Akkineni on LinkedIn
Vaynear Media Website

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ask any successful person, and they’ll more than likely tell you it didn’t just happen; it was a journey. It took time, sacrifice, compromise, and hours upon hours of honing their gifts. From writers to actors, public speakers, and pioneers in medicine, people at the top of those fields sacrificed their proverbial blood, sweat, and tears to get to the top. The same can be said of athletes who, while they make it look so easy, rest assured it’s those countless hours behind the scenes that make it look so effortless.

Our guest today knows a lot about putting in work, compromising, rising to the top, and the sacrifice it takes to get there. At an early age, Michael Andrew was recognized as a swimming prodigy with a gift for the sport that made him a legend on the competitive circuit. He eventually parlayed that success into Olympic dreams, and he’s here today to share his journey and the obstacles he overcame on his way to becoming a World Champion. If you’re ready to begin pushing through and focusing intensely on achieving your dreams, this is an episode you’ll definitely want to hear.

In this episode:

(1:00) – Michael delves deep into his origin.
(4:48) – The journey as a swimmer begins at the age of 8.
(7:14) – Michael’s father begins developing his own training methodologies.
(13:00) – Excellence is a hallmark of his family brand.
(18:17) – Olympic trials at the age of 16.
(21:05) – Michael becomes the youngest gold medalist in US history at the World Championships.
(28:56) – In his mind, preparation and confidence are freedom.
(36:00) – The little things make all the difference for Michael.
(36:54) – Intentionality and focus are the most essential parts of success.

Our Guest

Michael Andrew grew up in a family that didn’t believe in doing things the traditional way. His environment was one where excellence was pursued with joy and excitement. As a young swimmer, Michael rewrote the record books, smashing over 100 National Records, more than any male or female swimmer in the history of the sport. This was done through hard work and intentional learning, something that was impressed upon him at an early age by working closely with his father. In fact, his father discovered a method of training that would ultimately revolutionize the sport and help Michael achieve his championship and Olympic dreams. His goal is to use his successful journey to help others find theirs and become the best versions of themselves.

Resources and Links

Hawke Media

https://www.linkedin.com/company/hawkemedia/
https://www.instagram.com/hawkemedia/?hl=en
https://hawkemedia.com/
https://twitter.com/hawkemedia
https://www.facebook.com/hawkemedia/

Michael Andrew

https://maswimacademy.app/
https://www.instagram.com/swimmermichael/
https://swimmermichael.com/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it take to survive in Hollywood for 30 years without giving up? And how can a single viral video change everything?
In this episode of Hawke Talk, I sit down with actor and digital creator, the one and only Adam Rose to trace his incredible three-decade-long journey in the entertainment industry. He shares stories from his start as a nine-year-old in a Woody Allen film to the years of grinding as a working actor on shows like Veronica Mars. Adam gets real about the constant hustle and the moments of doubt, revealing how a pivot to creating content during the pandemic led to a life-changing viral TikTok dance that was eventually licensed by Fortnite.
We dive into how he cracked the code on social media algorithms and used that success to finally revitalize his acting career. The core of our conversation centers on his powerful, simple advice for anyone chasing a dream: never, ever quit. Adam believes in applying constant pressure, because if you stop, nothing will ever break. His story is a raw and inspiring testament to the power of relentless perseverance and adapting to the opportunities right in front of you.

In this episode:
(00:00) Adam on persistence and pressure
(06:45) Disney’s PB&J Otter and Robin Williams in Deconstructing Harry
(10:12) Off-Broadway beginnings and Jesse Eisenberg connection
(18:15) Veronica Mars and steady acting roles
(20:47) Writing, short films, and hustling between gigs
(36:00) Social media meets acting, new opportunities arise
(40:45) Advice for dream-chasers: never quit

Hawke Media
https://www.linkedin.com/company/hawkemedia/
https://www.instagram.com/hawkemedia/?hl=en
https://hawkemedia.com/
https://twitter.com/hawkemedia
https://www.facebook.com/hawkemedia/

About Our Guest

Adam Rose is an actor, filmmaker, and viral content creator. Starting his career at age nine alongside Robin Williams, Adam has appeared in Veronica Mars, Suits, Supernatural, Malcolm in the Middle, Weeds, and more. He voiced Peanut in Disney’s PB&J Otter and has performed Off-Broadway. During the pandemic, Adam’s TikTok presence skyrocketed, with viral dances, comedic skits, and reaction videos reaching audiences worldwide. His social presence led to collaborations with brands, a Fortnite emote, and new opportunities in film and TV, including the upcoming My Weird School for Nickelodeon and Paramount. Adam also co-hosts the podcast Small Stupid Stuff.

Adam Rose

Adam Rose on TikTok
Adam Rose on Instagram
Adam Rose on YouTube
Adam Rose on Twitter/X

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it take to survive in Hollywood for 30 years without giving up? And how can a single viral video change everything?

In this episode of Hawke Talk, I sit down with actor and digital creator, the one and only Adam Rose to trace his incredible three-decade-long journey in the entertainment industry. He shares stories from his start as a nine-year-old in a Woody Allen film to the years of grinding as a working actor on shows like Veronica Mars. Adam gets real about the constant hustle and the moments of doubt, revealing how a pivot to creating content during the pandemic led to a life-changing viral TikTok dance that was eventually licensed by Fortnite.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.