Hey! Michael Giannulis here and welcome to the official Mike Giannulis blog.
And in case you wondering, it’s a Greek name. Giannulis, I mean. I recently took a DNA test and found out I’m only about 16% Greek and 28% Italian. My Grandfather was Italian, so I think I took after him quite a bit. I also think my love of olives and fresh meats and cheeses come from my Mediterranean roots, but I know you didn’t come here to learn about my ancestry.
I was born and raised in Tarpon Springs, Florida, and still, live in the Tampa Bay area. In 2012, I appeared on ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition which later became Extreme Weight Loss. On the show, I lost over 255 pounds in a single year. It was an amazing experience and Chris Powell and Heidi (the hosts) are amazing people I absolutely love.
As I got older I moved on into the world of business. I have started or helped to grow several companies from start-up to seven and eight-figure revenues. In 2019, one of my outsourcing companies made it on to the Inc. 5000 list. Actually, we make Inc 2500 for what it’s worth, hitting over $17.5 Million in revenue.
I am an entrepreneur, leader, and CEO. From a young age, I have had a mind for business and marketing. I use my talents to help companies grow sales and streamline their processes and systems. I run this blog so I can help other people who want to improve themselves.
I’m a firm believer that life and business are intertwined. It’s not always flowers and sunshine in business. I’ve been through enough partner breakups, lawsuits, failures, and firings to know that in business, you should always expect the unexpected. But sadly, sometimes that takes a toll on our health. I let the stress of business drive me to diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and fatty liver disease, all before I turned 30. Pretty sad. I was miserable and even though I made some money, I couldn’t enjoy it.
I’m nearing 40 now and honestly have never been happier. Even though one of my companies went through a major lawsuit where we had to cease operations, I am more excited than ever to get up every day and serve others. But back to health first. Here’s what I looked like when things were really bad: (I was approximately 540 pounds in this photo)
Thankfully, I was able to turn things around. I lost all the weight only to gain it all back again! Finally, in 2015, I got a procedure done called the Duodenal Switch which changed my life forever. I’ve been working out and eating (pretty) good ever since. Lately, I’ve been practicing intermittent and extended fasting along with a low carb, ketogenic diet. Here’s a recent pic of me now: (approximately 225 pounds in this photo)
I’ve kept the weight off now for almost 5 years, which is amazing for me. I’m so happy to still be alive and working every day. Oh, and I got rid of diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and fatty liver disease. I have a completely clean bill of health and a new lease on life.
So, on this blog, you’ll find me talking about health and fitness some of the time, but a lot of the time I’ll be sharing insights, ideas, and inspiration around scaling your business, being a better leader, and developing yourself into the kind of person you want to be. Every day we make choices to create who we are. Our lives are no accident. I believe we can create ourselves through hard work and discipline (with a little luck along the way).
I am especially interested in helping business owners find freedom. I know what it’s like to work crazy long hours and still not see the results you expect. I know all too well the burden of knowing that other people rely on you for a paycheck. I’ve employed over 150 people at one of my companies peaks… so I get it. I want to help you by sharing the experiences I’ve had so hopefully you can avoid some of the heartaches and get to the top of the mountain a little faster.
Now, there’s something I would really like you to do. Take just a moment and sign-up for my free newsletter called Scale Up. It has to do with scaling up all areas. Mainly business, of course. But also health, fitness, relationships, and more. A rising tide lifts all boats, so let’s improve all areas of life so we can Achieve More.
Make sure you register for my free “Scale Up” newsletter. It’s packed full of value. Most of the content is free for now. Later, I may add a small membership price instead of rolling out ads.
To More,
Michael Giannulis or is it Mike Giannulis?
PS – I should add that I am married to the most beautiful woman in the world. She challenges me every day and keeps me grounded. Rebecca is the love of my life. We live in our dream home (that she had custom-built) with our 3 dogs Charles, Annie, and Winnie.
Here’s Rebecca:
Make sure you check out her business too: Kismet Lifestyle Co. Amazing decorative items for the kitchen!
