Curt Sassak

Curt Sassak's Coaching

So, you’ve got a life and career that looks great on paper, but no longer feels like a win.

If you’ve hit a point where the pressure’s high and the payoff is low, you’re not alone.
 You’ve outgrown the life you built.

That’s exactly who I work with.

If you're thinking you can just grind your way through it—good luck.
 I tried that.
 So did most of my clients.
 We all ended up at the same place: stuck, frustrated, spinning our wheels. 

Enter: The Recipe
 A high-performance framework built for high-achievers who want clarity, and momentum, fast.

It’s inspired by my 27-year chef career—because chefs don’t wing it.
 We follow structure.
 We refine.
 We execute with precision.

That’s what this is.

This isn’t a journal prompt and a pep talk.

 It’s a system—tested by fire—designed to help you:

 → Get clear on what’s next
 → Identify and eliminate the internal drag holding you back
 → Build momentum through customized strategy

This isn’t personal development.
 It’s personal execution.

We extract your core drivers, map them to your next chapter, and build a plan that makes sense for your ambition, standards, and lifestyle.

And I don’t take on everyone.

This is for people who have a track record of making sh*t happen,
 And are ready to channel that same energy into building the next version of themselves.

It requires honesty. Focus. Execution.

 You bring that—I’ll bring the clarity, speed, and accountability.

DM me “RECIPE” when you’re ready to move.

 And just know—I don’t work with spectators. Only builders.

Life and Career Strategist

Winetasters Choice: An Adult Beverage Promotional Agency

Key accomplishments:

👉Spearheaded the strategic growth of a B2B beverage promotion agency, elevating annual revenue from $300,000 to $1.4 million. 

👉Drove the company's revenue-generation engine as the principal revenue officer, by additional $221,000 in revenue within a five-month span in 2023 

👉Expanded operational footprint from 12 employees across four cities in Texas to a team of 250 employees spanning three states

👉Authored and enforced comprehensive standards, processes, and protocols, laying the foundation for scalable growth and operational excellence. 

👉Pioneered a remote work model, adeptly managing a dispersed team, fostering a culture of accountability and high performance. 

👉Spearheaded the development and execution of comprehensive social media campaigns, from conceptualization to content creation and audience engagement. 

👉Achieved a 4.6/5 star rating on Glassdoor, reflecting exceptional leadership and a positive organizational culture. Garnered a 90% approval rating from employees, underscoring effective management and employee satisfaction. 

👉Demonstrated deep understanding of market trends, and consumer behavior, enabling the development of targeted promotional campaigns. 

👉Regulatory Compliance: Ensured all promotional activities complied with industry regulations and standards, maintaining the agency's reputation and operational integrity. 

👉Achieved significant growth with a small team by  implementing new systems, automation and enhancing software utilization.

👉Problem-Solver: Excel at navigating ambiguous situations and making informed decisions with limited information. 

👉Founded and grew a successful YouTube channel, overseeing all aspects of content creation, video production, and editing. Utilized the platform to effectively drive new business opportunities

Company closed by the owner on 3/2/2024.

Testimonials:
https://winetasterschoice.com/testimonials-2/

President and Chief Revenue Officer

Executive Chef

Focused experience working in internationally renowned 5-star establishments.

USA, India, Dubai, Egypt, Australia and the Maldives

Previously employed at: Four Seasons Domestic, Four Seasons International, Hyatt Domestic, Hyatt International, One & Only, Marriott, independent restaurants


Key accomplishments:

👉 Distinguished by two guest chef appearances at the world-renowned James Beard House, a testament to culinary artistry and innovation.

👉 Engaged audiences with charismatic presence through 10 live TV appearances, enhancing brand visibility and personal brand as a culinary expert.

👉 Garnered 24 Best Restaurant/Hotel awards, affirming excellence in culinary delivery and guest satisfaction.

👉 Secured the prestigious Best New Restaurant Award from the iconic Washingtonian Magazine 

👉 Celebrated for exceptional culinary creations and service, reflected in numerous positive critiques and write-ups across esteemed culinary publications.

👉 Spearheaded the pre-opening phases of hotels and restaurants, demonstrating strategic foresight and operational excellence in establishing culinary ventures.

👉 Commanded teams of up to 200, fostering a culture of excellence, creativity, and teamwork in high-pressure environments.

👉 Managed multi-million dollar food and beverage operations, showcasing adept financial acumen and operational management to drive profitability and culinary excellence.

👉 Lowered food cost by $70,000 and increased the guest satisfaction rating for food quality by 1.4 points from 2 to 3.4 on a scale of 1-5 in my first year as Executive Chef

Teaching Mid-Career Leaders how to navigate life & career transitions using my Proven Recipe / Improve the quality of your life / Create your next chapter by design, not default / Former Chef

𝙎𝙪𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙃𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝘾𝙧𝙪𝙚𝙡 𝙎𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙃𝙪𝙢𝙤𝙧.

You work your ass off, climb the ladder, got everything you want on paper, but feel empty. 

You ask yourself, "Is this it? What's next?"

You tell yourself it’s just a phase. That the feeling will pass.

It won’t.

At first, it’s a nagging thought. Then it’s an ache. 

You're wondering how you went from feeling like a confident badass knocking out your goals to just tolerating your life and career. 

Now, you dread waking up and you're just going through the motions daydreaming about the way things used to be. 

You know you want a change. You have something more to offer the world. 

But fear is holding you back. 

I know this feeling. It cost me 4 years of my life. I was depressed, and it cost me my confidence, my drive, and over $250,000.

Until I decided to take back control.

𝐖𝐇𝐎 𝐈 𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐏 & 𝐇𝐎𝐖

I work with career-driven, successful professionals 40 and up who feel stuck and want more out of life.

You’re not lost. You’re not broken. You’re just at a crossroads.

Your problem isn’t knowing you need a change. 

Your problem is knowing HOW to do it—without wasting years stuck in limbo like I did.

Your clarity is just like a five-star dish—if you’re missing key ingredients or following the wrong process, it won’t turn out right.

That’s where I come in.

I help high-performers get the exact recipe they need to figure out what’s next.

Here’s the recipe:

𝙄𝙣𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨:

🔥 Sharpen Your Mindset: REGAIN your CONFIDENCE and break free from self-doubt and second-guessing.
🔥 Regain Balance: Stop just surviving—start actually living.
🔥 Get Crystal Clear Clarity: Know exactly where you're headed and how to get there.
🔥 Remove Mental Roadblocks: Identify and eliminate what’s keeping you stuck.
🔥 Design Your Next Chapter: Not by accident. Not by default. But with intention.
 
𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙘𝙚𝙙𝙪𝙧𝙚:

Follow a proven and tested real-world process built on precise ingredients that puts you back in control.

𝘾𝙇𝙄𝙀𝙉𝙏 𝙍𝙀𝙎𝙐𝙇𝙏𝙎

The real success stories? My clients.

"Curt didn’t just help my career—he helped me take back my life. His approach forced me to get real about what I wanted. The clarity I gained was priceless."
— Matt Lunny

𝙉𝙀𝙓𝙏 𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙋𝙎

If you're done settling and want to wake up excited about your life again, let’s talk.

Message me: "I want the Recipe" to learn more. 

That’s it. No fluff. No B.S. Just results.

— Curt

Founder

So, you’re career driven, have had success, and now you feel like there are no more mountains to climb.

You got to the top of the “mountain,” and achieving your goals only to find you don’t feel fulfilled or happy. It’s like, WTF?

Your life/career no longer serves you. All you know is that you feel stuck and see no way out. You need to make a change. But doing what?

Then fear creeps in. You have questions.  “What do I do now?”  “I don’t know what else to do” 

“If I change careers how will I make enough to pay my bills?” and so on

These are the same questions (and more) I asked myself when I did a career change after 27 years as a chef and started over at 41 from zero.

Did you know a New York Times study found that 75% of Americans don’t have a clear sense of purpose?

And, there are serious health risks associated with a lack of purpose

A lack of purpose affects your self-worth, self-confidence, and self-esteem.
Which, in turn, can lead to depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and other health issues.
I experienced all of those.

The good news is this: You’re only 5 steps away from finding the purpose, fulfillment, and new career you so desperately want.

They are the same 5 steps I used to go from feeling lost/stuck and finding a purpose and fulfillment

All it requires from you is self-honesty and a commitment to change

I coach people through one-to-one sessions

You think asking for help is equivalent to failure? Yep, I used to think the same, but that’s your ego talking

Consider: If you’ve been stuck, and the steps you’ve taken have not yielded results, what makes you think anything will change by repeating what you’ve done?

What got you here will not get you THERE.

Just like a car needs realignment from time to time, our personal and professional vision needs realignment from time to time

So, you can remain stuck and lost, or you can send me a DM

The Energy Lab

We help 6-7 figure founders, entrepreneurs, and executives get fit, stay energized, and feel calm in life and business. All without stepping foot in a gym, restrictive diets, or hours meditating.

Co-Founder

Physical Freedom Unlocked

✔︎ You sit 8+ hours on average every day? 
✔︎ Your neck and shoulders are tense? 
✔︎ The back hurts?

Equilibrio Retreats

Discover a sustainable way to re:build and maintain energy and performance while honoring your well-being.

The Energy Explorer

Writer

BEYOND △ MOVEMENT by Markus Kneissl

BEYOND △ MOVEMENT is a system for conscious movement, body awareness, and bodyweight training to increase your energy, sharpen focus, and progressively build strength.

Mindful Movement & Holistic Fitness Coach

Body weight and functional training combined with fascia fitness.

Calisthenics & Functional Fitness Trainer

Yoga + mindfulness for conscious personal development and to release physical, mental, and emotional blocks.

Yoga Therapist

I help ambitious professionals 40+ get strong, energized, and calm through holistic fitness → functional strength & mobility, the med method, and somatic stress release

I used to be a high-performer stuck in a low-performance body.

→ Back stiff.
→ Mind foggy.
→ Chest tight.

My friends would say, I was “fine.”
In practice, I was fraying.

That was me at 35.

One morning, I caught myself in the mirror. 
Slouched, hollow-eyed, barely breathing deep without discomfort.

I had success. I had money.
But I didn’t have myself.

That slow burnout nearly took it all.

So I made a choice: not just to heal my body, but to upgrade it.

For 8+ years, I immersed myself in:

→ Functional strength
→ Mindful mobility
→ Breathwork, somatics, nervous system regulation

Slowly, I rebuilt my energy, my resilience, and my presence.

Now, at 44, I feel sharper, calmer, and stronger than I did in my 20s.

And that’s what I help my clients unlock, too.

Here's an example…


A client, James, is a consultant constantly on the road.

Dinners with clients. Long flights. Stress stacking up. He thought fitness meant “go hard or go home,” but that approach left him drained.

We built him a plan using our LUC Framework for functional strength, Mediterranean-inspired nutrition swaps he could make anywhere in the world, and nervous system resets he could do in 10 minutes between calls.

Now he bikes and hikes with his kids on the weekends (something he thought was behind him).

Over the past decade I found…


Most people don’t need more discipline.

They need a system that integrates fitness, food, and stress regulation into their daily life.

That’s what I do. Together with Ketty.

We help ambitious, driven people build body-first holistic fitness & health so they can keep showing up strong, sharp, and steady → at work, at home, and in life.

Less stress.
More energy.
Deeper presence.
Sharper performance.


How we can work together:

1) 1:1 Coaching → personalized holistic fitness integration
2) Online Course → remove restrictions + get pain-free
3) Executive & Team Coaching → holistic fitness for performance-driven teams

If you think this is “wellness,” it’s not.
This is about building the body you need for the life you want.

A regulated nervous system.
Energy that lasts the whole day.
A body that feels free, strong, and reliable.

That’s your unfair advantage → in business, leadership, and life.


Curious where to start?

I recommend starting with our 5-Day Holistic Fitness Email Course (scroll to top).
Alternatively, send me a DM with “STRONG” and let's see how I can help.

Or explore: https://theenergylab.co

Let’s build your strongest, clearest, and most resilient self… from the body up.

— Markus

Markus Kneissl

You need strength + energy to thrive in business & life
But most people fail at strength training 
because they start at the wrong level.

They jump straight into workouts that 

Overload joints.
Skip fundamentals.
Mistake intensity for progress.

That’s why pain shows up before results.

Here’s a proven method I provide my clients with so they can start at a level that suits their muscles, joints, and nervous system:

The Progressive Strength Ladder

Step 1: Master form and control 
↪︎ slow tempo, bodyweight only

Step 2: Add stability 
↪︎use bands, elevate positions, build joint awareness

Step 3: Progress resistance gradually 
↪︎ not more weight, but better movement quality

Step 4: Integrate recovery
↪︎ mobility, breathwork, nervous system resets

And if you’re struggling to get started with strength training, this might be exactly what you need right now.

You still believe strength is just built in the gym?

It’s not.
It’s built in capacity.

Capacity to recover.
Capacity to move well.
Capacity to stay consistent.

This approach has helped our clients in their 40s, 50s, and 60s get stronger without flare-ups, joint pain, or burnout.

Start where you are.
Progress with precision.

Your body will thank you.
And so will your future self.

Move your body. Calm your mind. Thrive in life.
— Markus Kneissl

P.S. If you like to experience our Holistic Fitness Framework you can access our free 5-day email course here: https://lnkd.in/ecfm49Cj

Lose 10kg without gaining them back

Is that possible? 

It is.
But not in a month.
Read the piece below for the math.

Helping ambitious people to feel confident, energized, and calm through Mediterranean inspired nutrition, movement, and stress management | Certified nutrition coach | Weight loss | Stress Eating

“Here’s how you lose 10 kg in 1 month”


You don’t.
Not in a healthy, repeatable way.

To lose 10 kg of fat you need roughly 77,000 kcal of deficit.
That’s about 2,500 kcal less. Every day. For a month.

For a knowledge worker who burns 2,000–2,600 kcal per day, that would mean:

➔ Living on almost no food
➔ Or training like an athlete on top of a full-time job
➔ Plus wrecked sleep, focus, mood, and hormones

Yes, the scale might drop fast.
But it probably will be mostly water and muscle.

Then comes the rebound. 
Often with interest.

Clinical guidelines are boring but honest:

0.5–1 kg per week, with a 500–750 kcal daily deficit, is the safe range.

This is what I coach instead:

1. Mediterranean-style, real food
2. Stable blood sugar
3. Habits that survive real life
   
Together with movement and stress management, teaming up with Markus Kneissl

You can absolutely lose 10 kg.

The smart move is 10 kg over 3-4 months, while feeling sharper at work and calmer in life.

But the real gain, is to learn how to keep it off, without giving up your job, your business, your life.

If you could prioritize one thing, speed or sustainability, which would you choose for weight loss?

P.S. Want to learn more about our program and approach, comment “Energy” and I’ll share more.

Ketty

#holisticfitness #healthylifestyle #wellnesscoach

2016, I left a high-stress corporate role.

High pay, low peace.

I quit for my health, well-being, and freedom.

Traveled the world. 
Met Ketty. 
Built a new kind of life.

But soon I fell into the same old patterns,
just in new locations:

Working late. 
Chasing deadlines. 
Ignoring my body.

Running on caffeine + adrenaline.
Promising myself “I’ll rest later.”

Then COVID hit.
And I lost everything. 
Clients. Income. Direction.

That’s when Ketty and I asked: 

What if we built something that truly reflected the life we wanted to live?

Not just financially free.
But physically and emotionally free.

We designed our method around what saved us:

→ Movement that strengthens & restores.
→ Mediterranean-inspired nutrition that’s simple + practical.
→ Somatic practices that calm the nervous system.
→ Work that feels like flow, most days.
→ Structure that supports freedom.

Three years later, we’ve settled in Sicily (Ketty’s home region.)

Here life moves slower, meals matter, and calm is currency.

I love it here.

Now we help high achievers do the same:

Rebuild energy, strength, and clarity w/o extremes.

Because real success isn’t how much you earn.
It’s how deeply you live.

What’s your definition of success? 

I go first: Peace of body. Peace of mind. A life I love.

Move your body. Calm your mind. Thrive in life.
— Markus

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Curt Sassak

Markus Kneissl

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The Battle

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