Hey everyone, today I’m bringing you a fun but also very informative interview I did with the co-founders of Birds Barbershop in Austin, Texas Jayson Rapaport & Michael Portman.  Jayson & Michael have been lifelong friends and in 2006 they started Birds Barbershop in Austin, Texas with the motto, “Walk in, rock out.”  In 2010 Inc. magazine ranked Birds Barbershop as #382 out of 5,000 fastest growing privately held companies in the US, which is only one of many awards the Austin shop has received (for more click here).

While watching Jayson and Michael interact as lifelong friends and learning Michael’s favorite health food (burgers …) is entertaining enough to watch the interview, Jayson and Michael have some great strategies to live healthy and active lifestyles with a very tight schedule.  Both Jayson and Michael spend many hours at the office a week as they manage their high growth at Birds Barbershop, and both have a family to add to their daily schedules.  So how do they make sure to get in a workout?

Here are a few takeaways I learned from the interview-

• Michael sets a goal to run 10 miles a week, and makes sure to get in a few miles during the weekdays so he doesn’t have to run 10 miles on Saturday
• Jayson is a tri-athlete and fits in runs between dropping his kid off at school and starting his day at the office as well as a longer run on the weekends
• Michael drinks tons of sparkling water (a great healthy drink option!) throughout the day with cliff bars to keep up his energy at work
• Jayson’s toughest workout to date was at CrossFit (sore for days after …)
• Jayson’s favorite outdoor activity is to take his family for a walk around Town Lake

There’s plenty more in the interview, including Jayson’s favorite healthy food spot in Austin, and Michael’s least favorite exercise, so be sure to watch and enjoy it yourself.

While life can always get in the way of living a healthy and active lifestyle, it’s important to prioritize everything and realize that getting in a few 30 minute workouts a week should be high on the list!  Thanks again to Michael & Jayson for sharing your strategies for living a healthy and active lifestyle while being extremely busy at work and home.

Enjoy,
- Brian