He Built a $24M Business by Accident (The Truth Will Shock You)
Dropping Bombs
Brad Lea
4.8 • 2.3K Ratings
🗓️ 21 October 2025
⏱️ 65 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
LightSpeed VT: https://www.lightspeedvt.com/
Dropping Bombs Podcast: https://www.droppingbombs.com/
In this fire episode of Dropping Bombs, serial entrepreneur Don Mastrangelo drops the ultimate entrepreneur's playbook—plus, how he accidentally built Jacked Up Fitness into a $24M empire. From high school dropout to multiple million-dollar exits, this 62-year-old beast reveals his exact problem-solving formula that created 10+ successful businesses and exits.
Don unveils the raw truth: why hunger vanishes on real food, his Shake Weight relaunch (ignore the jokes—science caught up), and the mindset shift from 227 lb blob to ripped entrepreneur. Whether you're struggling with fitness, looking for your next business idea, or need the kick to stop making excuses—this episode delivers the blueprint to solve problems, build wealth, and live without regret.
🔗 Resources
🌐 Jacked Up Fitness — https://jackedup.com/
📲 Jacked Up Fitness on Instagram @jackedupbrands — https://www.instagram.com/jackedupbrands/
📲 Don Mastrangelo on Instagram @don.mastrangelo — https://www.instagram.com/don.mastrangelo/
▶️ Jacked Up Fitness YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/@jackedupfitness1
👍 Jacked Up Fitness Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/people/Jacked-Up-Brands/61550611409387/
📚 Don's Book: Ready Set Sell — Available on Amazon (https://a.co/d/0OhQR26)
💻 Promo Code: Use "DonVIP" for 10% off Jacked Up Fitness equipment
Watch the full-length video version of any Dropping Bombs episode here on YouTube.
Brad Lea is a self-made entrepreneur who turned small-town grit into a multi-million-dollar empire. With over 25 years dominating sales and leadership, he’s mentored thousands to outsmart, outwork, and out win their competition. His top-rated podcast, Dropping Bombs, brings raw, game-changing insights from the biggest names in business.
LightSpeed VT is Brad’s brainchild—the world’s leading interactive training platform. It’s built to make your team sharper, faster, and more effective, without wasting time or money. Whether you’re a startup or a Fortune 500, LightSpeed VT is how you scale success and dominate your industry. Curious? Check it out:
https://www.lightspeedvt.com/
Brad’s also behind Closer School, the go-to program for mastering sales and closing deals like a pro. Want to 10x your income? This is where you start. His book, The Hard Way, lays out the brutal, honest lessons he learned building his empire—your blueprint to winning the game. Get it here: https://bradlea.com/product/the-hard-way/
This isn’t just a video. It’s a wake-up call. Watch it. Share it. Act on it.
Closer School: https://www.closerschool.com/cs
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | First year revenue, $70,000. |
| 0:02.0 | Yeah, what was second year? |
| 0:03.0 | $700,000. |
| 0:04.0 | That's a 10x. |
| 0:05.0 | And then what was the third year? |
| 0:06.0 | Then we did $8.5 million. |
| 0:07.0 | Yeah, so you keep 10x in the whole thing. |
| 0:08.0 | And then we did $24 million. |
| 0:09.0 | But again, this was never planned. I've had 23 businesses. What do you think the number one secret is? My dad had his first heart attack when he was 58 and I was like just two years behind him. I was 60 pounds heavier than I am today |
| 0:21.1 | I was a blob getting seriously to the point I was 60 pounds heavier than I am today. |
| 0:21.4 | I was a blob. Getting seriously to the point where I'd be in the best shape ever in my life, which I am now at 62, wasn't even the goal at the time. It was just don't die. Question isn't, can I make money? I wanna do something that matters. Like it's like a Ferrari of home gyms. That's exactly right. is exactly what it is. |
| 0:37.9 | You need nothing else to do an entire strength Like it's like a Ferrari of home gyms. That's exactly right. It is exactly what it is. |
| 0:38.0 | You need nothing else to do an entire strength training regimen at home. |
| 0:42.7 | So here's my question. |
| 0:44.1 | What's this new machine you've got? |
| 0:49.6 | What it is, Bradley back again with another episode of dropping bombs today in the studio, |
| 0:54.3 | folks. I got a real treat for you, especially if you like entrepreneurship and especially if |
| 0:59.7 | you like to get in shape. My man, Don Mastrangelo is in the house. What's up? Hey, man. Greg, |
| 1:05.8 | to be here. If you guys don't know who he is, he's been behind the scenes, building multiple |
| 1:10.4 | companies, had some exits. And now he's been behind the scenes building multiple companies had some exits and |
| 1:12.3 | now he's the uh founder and CEO of jacked up fitness which by the way i just got one in my house |
| 1:19.1 | which is bad to the bone so these machines are basically high quality commercial grade |
... |
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