We had the good fortune of connecting with Daniel Stein and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Daniel, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
I used to believe that work-life balance was possible. The problem is I haven’t experienced it, yet I thought I would at some point. I finally read a book called “One Thing” that debunks the myth of this “work life balance theory.” I do not believe that life is designed to live in a work/life balance in the way we think. I believe that there are seasons where we ebb and flow in different areas of the “work/life balance” line. When I think about balance now, I go back to my main priorities. For me, that is: 1.) God 2.) Family 3.) Business/Career 4.) Relationships 5.) Ministry 6.) Health & Wellness As I ebb and flow in my work/life balance, I strive to keep these priorities in line. I don’t distribute 16% of my energy to each priority, which would be “balance.” Right now, I’m in a season of starting a third company, so work is demanding a lot more from me. However, I still spend quality time with my wife, give my kids a bath every night, workout every morning, go to church, connect with other people, and spend personal time with God. Even though I’m putting in 80 hours a week at work, I find my life incredibly rewarding and it feels balanced in the season that I am in. Some would say this is unbalanced, but my priorities are in order and I’m experiencing fulfillment in every area of my life.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We have a unique concept that is the only one of it’s kind in the United States. There are no other companies providing adaptive fitness personal training as Special Strong does. Most recently, we created a franchise program for people to start their own gym to allow them to work with individuals who have disabilities. To get where I am today was very challenging. We had no working capital to start the company, so we maxed out credit cards and borrowed money from banks. A few years after starting the business, we decided to have kids! As of today, we are debt free, but it was incredibly painful trying to become a profitable company and raise a family at the same time. If it wasn’t for our faith, we would have given up on our business on many different occasions.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
When we have guests, we love taking them to Brazilian Steakhouses. They are incredible (and expensive) treat that we enjoy treating others to when they visit. I enjoy drinking red wine blends with my steak.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
On November 11, 2011, Rob Moore sat down with me and shared a vision he had with me. In this vision, he saw me training people who had disabilities. In 2016, I launched Special Strong to provide adaptive fitness training because of the vision that one man had for my life. Rob passed away a few years later from MS but his legacy lives on as Special Strong expands across the United States.

Website: specialstrong.com
Instagram: specialstrong
Linkedin: danielcstein
Twitter: specialstrongus
Facebook: specialstrong
Youtube: specialstrong

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutDFW is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.