Unconventional Life – Podcast, Blog, Live Events

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  • Ep447: The Future of Fitness Is Female: Julie Cartwright’s Mission To Redefine How Women Move

    Ep447: The Future of Fitness Is Female: Julie Cartwright’s Mission To Redefine How Women Move

     

    From VHS Tapes to Streaming Workouts

    Julie’s career in fitness began behind the curtain, helping to produce and distribute programs for some of the biggest names in the industry. She worked with icons like Jillian Michaels, Tracy Anderson, and Billy Blanks, creating content that landed on the shelves of retailers like Target and Walmart.

    “I’m going to date myself,” she laughed, recalling those early days. “We were making programming on VHS, then DVDs, and eventually digital.”

    While the medium kept evolving, one constant remained: Julie’s love for fitness.

    “Every boss I had told me at some point: drop the fitness side,” she said. “But I couldn’t. It was the part of my job I loved most.”

    That choice — to hold on to what energized her — became the seed for her next chapter.

     

    A New Kind of Fitness Brand

    In 2017, Julie partnered with co-founder Rachel Katzman to launch Pvolve, a science-backed method built on functional movement and resistance training.

    The vision was bold: create a system that delivered results without punishing the body. Instead of “go harder” or “push through,” Pvolve asked a different question: what if your workout actually supported your body across every stage of life?

    Today, Pvolve has grown into a global platform with:

    • 1,400+ on-demand workouts

    • 48 live classes per week

    • 4 patented training tools designed to maximize functional strength

    The results go beyond aesthetics. Yes, members see toned abs, strong arms, and lean muscle. But they also experience what Julie calls the “unexpected outcomes”: better balance, posture, and joint longevity.

    “Low impact doesn’t mean low results,” she explained. “It means building strength that’s sustainable for life.”

    Science Meets Soul

    At the heart of Pvolve is a commitment to science. The method was designed in collaboration with medical experts and physical therapists to ensure it supported women’s real needs — from hormone health to joint function.

    But for Julie, the science is only part of the story. Equally important is how members feel. Pvolve’s community emphasizes self-awareness and empowerment rather than competition.

    “It’s about listening to your body,” she told Jules. “Not forcing it. Not fighting it. But asking: what do I need today? That’s where longevity comes from.”

    Disrupting a Male-Dominated Industry

    Julie is quick to point out that Pvolve’s disruption isn’t just happening in the gym. It’s happening in boardrooms and franchise ownership as well.

    In an industry where most fitness franchises are owned and led by men, 90% of Pvolve franchise owners are women. These owners range from first-time entrepreneurs to seasoned professionals eager to align their work with their values.

    “We’re not just building stronger bodies,” Julie said. “We’re building stronger opportunities for women in business.”

    That dual mission — fitness and empowerment — has become part of what makes Pvolve stand out.

     

    Lessons From a Career of Evolution

    Julie’s path from VHS tapes to leading a global brand offers lessons for anyone pursuing an unconventional path.

    1. Don’t abandon what you love. Even when advised to “drop fitness,” Julie leaned in — and it became her differentiator.

    2. Adapt with the times. From VHS to streaming, she embraced change without losing sight of her core.

    3. Longevity is the real success metric. Whether in health or business, sustainable growth beats quick wins.

    4. Empowerment multiplies impact. By prioritizing women in ownership, Pvolve has created ripple effects beyond workouts.

    5. Trust your body — and your instincts. Julie’s leadership reflects the same philosophy as her workouts: awareness creates resilience.

     

    Why Longevity Matters Now

    For Julie, longevity isn’t just a buzzword. It’s a counterpoint to a culture obsessed with extremes — whether in fitness programs that leave people burned out, or business models that prioritize short-term gains.

    “Your body will carry you through life,” she reminded listeners. “When you take care of it in a way that’s sustainable, you’re investing in more than how you look. You’re investing in how you live.”

    That belief extends to her business philosophy as well. In Pvolve’s steady growth and female-led franchise model, longevity is the north star.

     

    A Movement, Not Just a Workout

    Julie doesn’t describe Pvolve as just another studio or app. To her, it’s a movement — one that challenges outdated definitions of strength, reimagines what success looks like, and opens doors for women in business.

    By anchoring the brand in both science and soul, Julie has positioned Pvolve as a fitness company built not just for this year, but for decades to come.

    And for the women who now own and operate Pvolve studios across the country, it’s proof that the future of fitness — and business — can look very different from the past.

    Giveaway

    This week, Julie is giving a free 1-month membership to the Pvolve platform, including full access to on-demand and live classes.

     

    Connect With Julie:

  • Ep446: From National Geographic to Global Art Educator – Kevin Murphy on Demystifying Talent and Teaching Art Like a Science

    Ep446: From National Geographic to Global Art Educator – Kevin Murphy on Demystifying Talent and Teaching Art Like a Science

    A Pivot From Portraits to Purpose

    In 2001, Kevin transitioned into portraiture. While the work was rewarding, he recognized a deeper need: people craved access to professional-level training without the gatekeeping of traditional art schools.

    So he founded the Art Academy and later Evolve Artist, an online painting program now studied in more than 70 countries. What sets his approach apart? A fundamentals-first method that treats painting not as mysterious “talent,” but as a science anyone can master.

    Why Talent Is a Lie

    Kevin is blunt about one of the biggest myths in art: talent.

    “Talent is a lie,” he shared. “What people call talent is really clarity, fundamentals, and practice.”

    By teaching art like a structured process rather than a guessing game, Kevin unlocks confidence in people who never thought they could paint. His students range from retirees picking up a brush for the first time to engineers and surgeons looking for a creative outlet.

    The results speak volumes: many outperform art school graduates—after just months of training.

     

    The Science of Realism: A Four-Step System

    Unlike the chaos of most art education, Kevin’s program is anchored in structure. Students begin in grayscale, mastering values and light before advancing into color.

    “When you know the rules, you have freedom,” Kevin explains. “Without them, you’re just guessing.”

    The clarity of this approach removes intimidation, giving even beginners measurable progress in weeks, not years.

    From Confusion to Clarity

    Kevin is critical of how art education often overwhelms students with “express yourself” before teaching them how. For him, it’s not about stifling creativity but building the foundation so creativity can actually flourish.

    “You can’t express yourself if you don’t yet have the tools,” he said. “Clarity builds confidence, and confidence unlocks creativity.”

    The Heart Behind the Method

    Kevin isn’t just teaching brushstrokes—he’s teaching self-belief. Many of his students have carried wounds from childhood, convinced they “weren’t creative.” His mission is to dismantle that narrative.

    “Art is for everyone,” he insists. “It’s not about who you were told you are. It’s about what you can learn and who you can become.”

    Why Evolve Students Outpace Traditional Grads

    The proof lies in the output. Evolve students routinely sell professional commissions, launch businesses, and develop mastery in a fraction of the time. The reason? Built-in feedback loops and a focus on fundamentals, rather than theory without application.

    It’s art training stripped down to what actually works.

     

    Living an Unconventional Life

    For Kevin, living unconventionally means rewriting the rules about who gets to be an artist. It means replacing intimidation with empowerment and proving that skill can be taught, measured, and mastered.

    His philosophy? Anyone can learn to paint. The only requirement is the willingness to start.

    Giveaway: Win Access to Evolve Artist Training

    As part of this episode, Kevin is offering listeners a chance to experience the Evolve Artist method for themselves. One lucky winner will gain exclusive access to his training resources, designed to help total beginners unlock the foundations of realistic painting.

     

    Connect with Kevin

  • Ep302: Commitment to Radical Truth with New York Time Best-Selling Author and Political Activist Marianne Williamson

    Ep302: Commitment to Radical Truth with New York Time Best-Selling Author and Political Activist Marianne Williamson

    Ever since the COVID pandemic forced us into our homes levels of fear and anxiety seem to have doubled in the past year, paired with the negativity of news and social media, it seems like the world is the closest to ending it has ever been.

    It is easy to be crushed by hopelessness, but for the author, spiritual thought leader and political activist Marianne Williamson, as long as there is life, there is always hope

    “I believe in the possibility of infinite possibility.”

    An author of 14 books, 4 of which are New York Times bestsellers, Marianne is a passionate believer in the power greater than what we see. Some may call it God, Source, or Divine Intelligence, for Marianne this all centres around the same principle: Love.

    “When our lives are dedicated to love, that’s when we are doing our best to remove the unforgiveness, the blame, the negativity— all those forms of lovelessness that stand like walls in front of our love. When we allow those walls to dissolve something happens.”

    Passionately, she advocates that people should live a life that is not disconnected from spiritual practice, and a centring routine in the morning is essential in creating change around.

    “If we only look at worldly happenings, we are in trouble. Ultimately, the problem is in a deep level of our humanity.”

    For her, meditation, prayer and other forms of connecting to the Divine or Greater Power are no different from going to the gym; it’s simply an activity to build our mental and emotional muscles.

    “… that gives you the strength to remain still—the strength not to move but to just be there, at which point you become like a magnet in the universe in your presence,” she says, “and less obstruction to the same plan that turns the acorn into the Oaktree or the bud into the blossom.”

    Her faith and commitment to love led Marianne to pursue a career in politics. She believes that to love means also to act and to not just be on the sidelines. In 2014, she ran as an independent to fill a seat in California’s 33rd Congressional District, and in 2020, she ran for the Democratic nomination for president.

    She made headlines for advocating Reparations for slavery and resolving racial injustice but her spiritual verbiage proved too radical for the Democrats and she had to pull out following criticism of her mental state and sanity. She referred to this as ‘Character Assassination’ often done on women to keep them quiet—a modern-day version of Witch Burning.

    Despite laying out a plan for the Government to pay out $500 million in Reparations, she pulled out of the race.

    “To be a radical truthteller at this time, doesn’t always get you applause, and it doesn’t get you applause from everybody,” Marianne shared with us.

    This however was not enough to stop Marianne as she continued to take action rooted in her devotion to the truth.

    She co-founded the non-profit organization Project Angel Food, and the advocacy group The Peace Alliance. And just last year, she started her Substack newsletter TRANSFORM where she shares, guides, and teaches spiritual practice as well as socio-political issues and events.

    Sharing a quote from the Course in Miracles, she says, “An idea grows stronger when it is shared. It’s the idea of creating a resonant field of energy because everybody is on the same page. I created this Substack for people who want to meditate in the morning and make waves in the afternoon.”

    With that, she encourages us to practice the morning of centring ourselves and taking action as well.

    More from Marianne:

  • Ep301: Believing in the 1% Chance with Women Empower X CEO and Inspirational Speaker Alexa Carlin

    Ep301: Believing in the 1% Chance with Women Empower X CEO and Inspirational Speaker Alexa Carlin

    When you’ve been dealt a bad hand in life and your chances of success add up to 1%, most of us settle for an alternative, but for Women Empower X CEO Alexa Carlin, failure is guaranteed for those who do not try.

    Whether it’s about working towards an impossible goal or surviving a near-death experience, Alexa knows what it’s like to hang on to that 1%. For her, the odds stacked against you are stepping stones that set you up for success.

    “I am a big believer that you need to put yourself in that small 1% chance because you deserve that.”

    From the early age of 17, she had a passion for turning dreams into reality and bringing out the true potential in people. Her work ethic and dedication to the grind originate from the lessons she learned after her recovery.

    After being diagnosed with a bacterial infection that left her with 24 hours to live, she was sent into a medically induced coma. Having been this close to death with a slim chance to survive, the experience left her with a firm belief that you should never let a chance slip away. To her, fate only accounts for half the job, and taking control over what you can, both physically and mentally, is paramount in making your big break.

    “Hope is not a strategy and you can’t control someone else’s opinion about you, but you can control how much you prepare, how knowledgeable you are, and how confident you feel.”

    But how does one “take control”? Alexa makes it a point that all control starts from within by becoming in-tune with your thoughts, feelings, and actions.

    She doesn’t expect us to learn how to take control immediately, it did take her a long time to really grasp the concept herself, but she does emphasize the importance of taking the time to understand what is and isn’t in your hands, ultimately taking responsibility for your life and your future.

    “You have to be consciously aware of the thoughts that you think, and understand that we’re all human and you’re not going to be perfect all the time. I have to remind myself to recognize where these feelings are coming from.”

    One lucky listener will be receiving a signed copy of Alexa’s new book, Adaptable.

    More from Alexa:

  • Ep300: Book Writing and Branding with Entrepreneur and Author Technologist Scott Turman

    Ep300: Book Writing and Branding with Entrepreneur and Author Technologist Scott Turman

    When you wanna make it big, you need to make a memorable impression on the world; give the audience an introduction that really marks your presence. Branding is the name of the game, and for author and tech entrepreneur Scott Turman, there’s no better way to put your brand in the spotlight than getting published.

    Being the co-founder of BrightRay Publishing, Scott and his team have helped millionaires, artists, and promising talents pull the stories out of their heads and onto the page. He makes it a point that success is always worth publishing and that getting the word out is best done “by the book”.

    “Typically, as a creative, maybe you’re just trying to get that word out, a book is a fantastic way of doing that,” Scott says.

    Scott understands the difficulties of book writing, but through experience and working with his team, he shares with us a formula that eases that first step of making a best seller.

    What is the point of this book?

    Throughout his work with the BrightRay company, Scott and his team have worked with millionaires, organization leaders and various artists. He mentions that despite their different stories the purpose of the book needs to be established; they may fall into different categories, but each one has a reason for publishing their story.

    The Chapter Outline

    Oftentimes, having little direction is better than having none at all. It can be overwhelming to view ourselves writing a book, so Scott encourages us to establish an outline before the writing process can begin.

    Here, he and his team, functioning as consultants, guide their interviewee or subject from start, middle and finish. It is yet to be written but the idea that the work could be accomplished is getting clearer and clearer.

    One Chapter a Week

    Once the main point of the book has been established and the outline laid out, writing can truly begin. Here we shift our focus to—instead of writing a great book—we will pour our heart out to writing the best sentence, paragraph and chapter, then repeating it again the next week.

    It is often at this stage that a lot of us lose motivation since it can be exhausting to write creatively on a daily basis, which is why doing it with a team of people like Scott’s makes sticking to the task a lot easier.

    And finally, before leaving the show, Scott emphasizes that even when your book gets published, your story doesn’t end there. The whole appeal of becoming an author is to elevate your brand and endorse yourself to the world.

    “Personal branding, in my opinion, is the act of shaping how people experience you.”

    More From Scott:

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