2026 It's Getting Good
Man - what a wild ride the past few years have been. I feel like I always maintain the same level of intensity, but i can't grind as hard as I use to in my mid twenites ha! The transistion to late twenties to early thirties is insane, along with the pressure of starting to narrow down my career and dig deeper to build something really special and make a couple dollars along the way. The same morales hold true though, good honest buinsess, hard work, and having more hours in the day than everyone else to make my dreams a reality. It's fun to look back and watch the journey, knowing that I hit every goal I set out to achieve. The bar has been raised and the relentless pursuit is still the same.
Excited for whatever the future brings, brick by brick we build.
Dan Pickles
2021 Let's Go Baby
Are you proud of how you showed up this year? That doesn’t mean that every situation turned out as planned, but you’re proud of how you handled and approached every situation. Don’t forget, a big part of that is not only celebrating your successes, but admitting and righting your faults. I think we all realzied how important it is to have your people by your side, and I have to admit I have some of the best. Some I talk to everyday, some are fitness/marketing/real-estate/printing friends, some I see in passing, and some I talk infrequently, but regardless know I appreciate every one of you.
A lot of us found out this year we don’t have very much control in many aspects of our lives, but on the other side you control the most important one, your attitude. We wake up every single day and make thousands of decisions. Try this....
Build small habits = building control
Building control = building confidence
Building confidence = firing on all cylinders when things are going right + digging deeper when things aren’t.
One thing you should all take pride in and have total control of is your reputation. There’s two parts to this in my opinion, how you portray yourself / your actions + the people doing the talking (brand awareness). To all my entrepreneurial friends or anyone that plans on doing their own thing one day, put your name in that MF hat every single time! I know everyone has their opinion about social media, but it’s an amazing way to nourish relationships and learn about people, you never know who's watching. Build your network before you need it and #putyourselfoutthere.
Finally - give back as much as you can. Sometimes it’s time, sometimes it’s money, sometimes it’s connections, but do what you can. Insanely proud to be apart of a diverse group @print.hub that was able to donate $70,000 this past year to various non profits. More importantly thank you to everyone and anyone who has ever given me business. By giving me opportunity, it gives me the chance to share that opportunity with someone who might not have the same privilege as I do.
At the end of the day, it all starts with taking accountability. You might not be the reason you’re in a certain situation in your life, but it is your job to change it if you’re not happy. Ever heard happiness is an inside job? This year didn’t go as initially planned, but plans are for losers anyway ha! Besides, I take it as just the universe asking me to double down on myself (buy low, sell high?). As you scroll social media, take note of how everyone is at different places in their life. Instead of comparing yourself, I hope you say “why not me”. The only thing that’s stopping you from your dreams is you. And when you do go for that new dream, spend no less than 6,000 hours chasing it. I’m not turning a new page this year, rather just building and what works and ditching what didn’t.
Forever grateful, forever forward.
Update 12/16/2020
I don’t know where to really start on this other than what a fucking year, right? I’ll start with this, I love my life and wouldn’t change a thing, even though so many things have not worked out how I wanted this year (note that doesn’t mean its a perfect life, but its mine none the less). Adversity makes us figure out who we are though pretty quick. Let’s start with this, I hit every goal I had set for myself rolling into 2020 and was insanely excited for the future, but more importantly living in the present. We all know that feeling, riding cloud 9 baby. I laugh out-loud as a write this, one year ago I said I was obsessed with this journey called life, and boy would I have to put my money where my mouth is.
The world has weighed especially heavy these past year with racism, sexism, paycuts, revenue significantly dropping across multiple businesses, dreams being put on hold, trying to be with someone, and just straight up losing my routine. The world asked a lot of us, and I asked a lot of me, and I was insanely confused on how to rise the occasion. You’re telling me we're suppose to fight racism, prejudice, sexism, provide for myself, take care of my emotional / mental / physical wellbeing, save two businesses, learn a new one, and make sure Shae poops twice? That answers going to be yes haha. I know you're all capable too, I just don’t think you know it, feel it, and don’t trust youself (yet). I know a lot of people say our work doesn’t define us and vice-versa, but is there such thing as a work-life balance these days? I’m going to say no. I’m not even talking about work with this, what I’m getting at is I think everyone should have the opportunity and take a risk to pursue something they love. You learn so much about yourself from networking, hustling, and pursuing something you’re so passionate about. You need to put yourself out there to grow, period.
After being in health and wellness for 5 years now, I’m not surprised that the world had trouble showing up for each other when we all have trouble showing up for ourselves to begin with. I’m not here to argue politics, but the more you invest in your physical and mental health, the better prepared you are for the unknown. Once you invest in yourself, you can fully show up for your community and the people around you. My advice on giving back to the community, find what you’re passionate about / enjoy, and donate your skillset. I ran a few lanes before understanding that my value add and passion was promotion / marketing and fundraising. I couldn’t be more excited to be apart of Harlem Lacrosse as it stands for what I’m most passionate about, giving young underprivileged kids opportunity. Finally, share that passion with one person, the ripple effect is a real thing.
I’ll be the first one to tell you all I’m nothing special and have tried to build myself / promote myself as someone who is insanely relatable, because we really are all one in the same going through the same shit. I’ll tell you what though, you need to show up #everydamnday (see that spelling there) and work really hard at whatever you choose. I have become really good at showing up; for myself, for my people, for my work, for life, especially on the days I don’t want to and it has opened so many doors. I’m excited for the journey and accept/understand that some days are going to be amazing, some days are going to hurt, but every day when I get out of bed I’m going to do my best, which will hopefully inspire someone else to do their best. Want the world, and chase it.
One of my biggest takeaway of the year was how I use my energy, which lead to me embracing my feelings more (kids got a soft spot!). When I was happy, I let myself be happy and when I was sad, I let myself be sad. We spend so much time and energy fighting our feelings when if you just embrace them, you start to understand you’re just living this thing called life. At the end of the day I know everything won’t just be ok, it’ll be great, and that the eb’s and flow are all part of the process. Speaking of energy, you are what you attract, so huge shoutout to the many peoples in my life. Word of advise - some people / jobs etc. will be here for a long time and some will be here for a good time. Regardless, appreciate the time and have no regrets.
I write this on my birthday and what I’m going to argue is a serious year of personal/emotional development. If you need something to relate it to, in January I owned one plant and no cookware, and now have 11 and would argue I belong on guys grocery games ha! I’ll leave with this, I’ve had some very cool personal relationships and professional accomplishments I’m very proud of this year and in my lifetime. And guess what, if you didn’t, thats ok too. If you plan on waking up tomorrow, you have another chance. After my "15-seconds of fame” though, the only thing I remember is the people I accomplished those things with and the people I shared those with. Dollars are finite, but how you make someone feel lasts a lifetime. I will repeat this until the day I die, I couldn’t thank everyone enough for their contribution into my ‘successes' and I can’t wait to continue to send the elevator back down. As I said last year, "definitely obsessed with this process called life and excited to keep rocking, onward and upward baby.”
We’re going to crush tomorrow, let’s get it baby.
Much love, Dan
Update 4/8/2019
It’s hard to put into words what the past three years have taught me. Little did I know that pursuing fitness as a way to escape my Masters of Biochemistry would turn into a life of early-mornings, late-nights, and thousands of miles/texts/phone calls/emails etc. exploring and pursuing every and any opportunity. Pursuing fitness and entrepreneurship not only as a side-hustle, but as a career and business, has led to hundreds of connections/friendships I will forever be grateful for. From marketing ICOs (initial coin offerings), screen-printing, 'influencer marketing', photography, planning large-scale events, copious amounts of group-based fitness and personal training, and frequent trips to New York City to name a few, the past three years have truly seemed like “The Years of Yes”. Say yes to every opportunity, and find a way to make it happen.
This endless hustle and pursuit has led me to Boston where I currently reside, teaching at Barry’s Bootcamp, which in my opinion is at the top-tier of the studio based fitness, while still managing Yoke, The Print Hub, and countless other ventures. I'm still unsure what my end-goal is, but I do know I want to leave the world a better place than I find it. My biggest advice, #putyourselfoutthere . Don’t be afraid to say hi, take a risk, and make an impact. You’ll never know where it will lead.
5/15/2017
In the summer of 2015 I was 22 years old and had just graduated from the University of Vermont with a degree in Neuroscience. I was gearing up for another three years of school to get my Masters in BioChemistry. Was I stoked to be going back to school? Not exactly, but It seemed like the next logical step.
I took a healthy personal month to celebrate the end of college with the intention of never exercising again after lacrosse season ended (the irony, right?) when I found myself sitting on an indoor cycling bike next to my friend Amanda. I couldn't tell if my head was pounding from the night before or the hip hop music that was engulfing us from the speakers. I turned to her and rolled my eyes — was I really sitting in a spin class? As Drake filled the room and the ride started, I was climbing hills and pushing my body through a heart-pumping workout.
The summer ended, and I headed home to start grad school. My days were spent in the research lab, and I was less than enthused. I reached out to a friend who owned a gym in the area to start working out. I took a few CrossFit classes, and loved the atmosphere and community surrounding the gym. One day after a sweaty workout, that same friend asked if I would be interested in becoming a spin instructor at the gym. I actually laughed out loud, but had an immediate flashback to that first ride over the summer and the intense high I got from it. I figured I'd give it a shot. Within a month, I was in cycling shorts, up on a stage, with a microphone around my head. (If you're getting a Britney Spears visual here, that's just about right). It didn't take long to realize that my high-energy personality made a lot more sense in a gym than a lab. I dropped the books, the lab research, and grad school and started pursuing a career in fitness.
Almost two years later, I still get that same high every time I step into the gym. Over 1,500 rides under my belt, and it never gets old. I'm passionate about fitness and helping people achieve their goals. Elevating heart rates and connecting with businesses, brands, and people, I spend my days chasing and creating experiences in the gym and in the community. The determination required for a grueling workout has trickled into my business and personal life as my passions have branched out into social media marketing and entrepreneurship. The best days are the ones spent getting sweaty, meeting new people, and pursuing new opportunities.
Man - what a wild ride the past few years have been. I feel like I always maintain the same level of intensity, but i can't grind as hard as I use to in my mid twenites ha! The transistion to late twenties to early thirties is insane, along with the pressure of starting to narrow down my career and dig deeper to build something really special and make a couple dollars along the way. The same morales hold true though, good honest buinsess, hard work, and having more hours in the day than everyone else to make my dreams a reality. It's fun to look back and watch the journey, knowing that I hit every goal I set out to achieve. The bar has been raised and the relentless pursuit is still the same.
Excited for whatever the future brings, brick by brick we build.
Dan Pickles
2021 Let's Go Baby
Are you proud of how you showed up this year? That doesn’t mean that every situation turned out as planned, but you’re proud of how you handled and approached every situation. Don’t forget, a big part of that is not only celebrating your successes, but admitting and righting your faults. I think we all realzied how important it is to have your people by your side, and I have to admit I have some of the best. Some I talk to everyday, some are fitness/marketing/real-estate/printing friends, some I see in passing, and some I talk infrequently, but regardless know I appreciate every one of you.
A lot of us found out this year we don’t have very much control in many aspects of our lives, but on the other side you control the most important one, your attitude. We wake up every single day and make thousands of decisions. Try this....
Build small habits = building control
Building control = building confidence
Building confidence = firing on all cylinders when things are going right + digging deeper when things aren’t.
One thing you should all take pride in and have total control of is your reputation. There’s two parts to this in my opinion, how you portray yourself / your actions + the people doing the talking (brand awareness). To all my entrepreneurial friends or anyone that plans on doing their own thing one day, put your name in that MF hat every single time! I know everyone has their opinion about social media, but it’s an amazing way to nourish relationships and learn about people, you never know who's watching. Build your network before you need it and #putyourselfoutthere.
Finally - give back as much as you can. Sometimes it’s time, sometimes it’s money, sometimes it’s connections, but do what you can. Insanely proud to be apart of a diverse group @print.hub that was able to donate $70,000 this past year to various non profits. More importantly thank you to everyone and anyone who has ever given me business. By giving me opportunity, it gives me the chance to share that opportunity with someone who might not have the same privilege as I do.
At the end of the day, it all starts with taking accountability. You might not be the reason you’re in a certain situation in your life, but it is your job to change it if you’re not happy. Ever heard happiness is an inside job? This year didn’t go as initially planned, but plans are for losers anyway ha! Besides, I take it as just the universe asking me to double down on myself (buy low, sell high?). As you scroll social media, take note of how everyone is at different places in their life. Instead of comparing yourself, I hope you say “why not me”. The only thing that’s stopping you from your dreams is you. And when you do go for that new dream, spend no less than 6,000 hours chasing it. I’m not turning a new page this year, rather just building and what works and ditching what didn’t.
Forever grateful, forever forward.
Update 12/16/2020
I don’t know where to really start on this other than what a fucking year, right? I’ll start with this, I love my life and wouldn’t change a thing, even though so many things have not worked out how I wanted this year (note that doesn’t mean its a perfect life, but its mine none the less). Adversity makes us figure out who we are though pretty quick. Let’s start with this, I hit every goal I had set for myself rolling into 2020 and was insanely excited for the future, but more importantly living in the present. We all know that feeling, riding cloud 9 baby. I laugh out-loud as a write this, one year ago I said I was obsessed with this journey called life, and boy would I have to put my money where my mouth is.
The world has weighed especially heavy these past year with racism, sexism, paycuts, revenue significantly dropping across multiple businesses, dreams being put on hold, trying to be with someone, and just straight up losing my routine. The world asked a lot of us, and I asked a lot of me, and I was insanely confused on how to rise the occasion. You’re telling me we're suppose to fight racism, prejudice, sexism, provide for myself, take care of my emotional / mental / physical wellbeing, save two businesses, learn a new one, and make sure Shae poops twice? That answers going to be yes haha. I know you're all capable too, I just don’t think you know it, feel it, and don’t trust youself (yet). I know a lot of people say our work doesn’t define us and vice-versa, but is there such thing as a work-life balance these days? I’m going to say no. I’m not even talking about work with this, what I’m getting at is I think everyone should have the opportunity and take a risk to pursue something they love. You learn so much about yourself from networking, hustling, and pursuing something you’re so passionate about. You need to put yourself out there to grow, period.
After being in health and wellness for 5 years now, I’m not surprised that the world had trouble showing up for each other when we all have trouble showing up for ourselves to begin with. I’m not here to argue politics, but the more you invest in your physical and mental health, the better prepared you are for the unknown. Once you invest in yourself, you can fully show up for your community and the people around you. My advice on giving back to the community, find what you’re passionate about / enjoy, and donate your skillset. I ran a few lanes before understanding that my value add and passion was promotion / marketing and fundraising. I couldn’t be more excited to be apart of Harlem Lacrosse as it stands for what I’m most passionate about, giving young underprivileged kids opportunity. Finally, share that passion with one person, the ripple effect is a real thing.
I’ll be the first one to tell you all I’m nothing special and have tried to build myself / promote myself as someone who is insanely relatable, because we really are all one in the same going through the same shit. I’ll tell you what though, you need to show up #everydamnday (see that spelling there) and work really hard at whatever you choose. I have become really good at showing up; for myself, for my people, for my work, for life, especially on the days I don’t want to and it has opened so many doors. I’m excited for the journey and accept/understand that some days are going to be amazing, some days are going to hurt, but every day when I get out of bed I’m going to do my best, which will hopefully inspire someone else to do their best. Want the world, and chase it.
One of my biggest takeaway of the year was how I use my energy, which lead to me embracing my feelings more (kids got a soft spot!). When I was happy, I let myself be happy and when I was sad, I let myself be sad. We spend so much time and energy fighting our feelings when if you just embrace them, you start to understand you’re just living this thing called life. At the end of the day I know everything won’t just be ok, it’ll be great, and that the eb’s and flow are all part of the process. Speaking of energy, you are what you attract, so huge shoutout to the many peoples in my life. Word of advise - some people / jobs etc. will be here for a long time and some will be here for a good time. Regardless, appreciate the time and have no regrets.
I write this on my birthday and what I’m going to argue is a serious year of personal/emotional development. If you need something to relate it to, in January I owned one plant and no cookware, and now have 11 and would argue I belong on guys grocery games ha! I’ll leave with this, I’ve had some very cool personal relationships and professional accomplishments I’m very proud of this year and in my lifetime. And guess what, if you didn’t, thats ok too. If you plan on waking up tomorrow, you have another chance. After my "15-seconds of fame” though, the only thing I remember is the people I accomplished those things with and the people I shared those with. Dollars are finite, but how you make someone feel lasts a lifetime. I will repeat this until the day I die, I couldn’t thank everyone enough for their contribution into my ‘successes' and I can’t wait to continue to send the elevator back down. As I said last year, "definitely obsessed with this process called life and excited to keep rocking, onward and upward baby.”
We’re going to crush tomorrow, let’s get it baby.
Much love, Dan
Update 4/8/2019
It’s hard to put into words what the past three years have taught me. Little did I know that pursuing fitness as a way to escape my Masters of Biochemistry would turn into a life of early-mornings, late-nights, and thousands of miles/texts/phone calls/emails etc. exploring and pursuing every and any opportunity. Pursuing fitness and entrepreneurship not only as a side-hustle, but as a career and business, has led to hundreds of connections/friendships I will forever be grateful for. From marketing ICOs (initial coin offerings), screen-printing, 'influencer marketing', photography, planning large-scale events, copious amounts of group-based fitness and personal training, and frequent trips to New York City to name a few, the past three years have truly seemed like “The Years of Yes”. Say yes to every opportunity, and find a way to make it happen.
This endless hustle and pursuit has led me to Boston where I currently reside, teaching at Barry’s Bootcamp, which in my opinion is at the top-tier of the studio based fitness, while still managing Yoke, The Print Hub, and countless other ventures. I'm still unsure what my end-goal is, but I do know I want to leave the world a better place than I find it. My biggest advice, #putyourselfoutthere . Don’t be afraid to say hi, take a risk, and make an impact. You’ll never know where it will lead.
5/15/2017
In the summer of 2015 I was 22 years old and had just graduated from the University of Vermont with a degree in Neuroscience. I was gearing up for another three years of school to get my Masters in BioChemistry. Was I stoked to be going back to school? Not exactly, but It seemed like the next logical step.
I took a healthy personal month to celebrate the end of college with the intention of never exercising again after lacrosse season ended (the irony, right?) when I found myself sitting on an indoor cycling bike next to my friend Amanda. I couldn't tell if my head was pounding from the night before or the hip hop music that was engulfing us from the speakers. I turned to her and rolled my eyes — was I really sitting in a spin class? As Drake filled the room and the ride started, I was climbing hills and pushing my body through a heart-pumping workout.
The summer ended, and I headed home to start grad school. My days were spent in the research lab, and I was less than enthused. I reached out to a friend who owned a gym in the area to start working out. I took a few CrossFit classes, and loved the atmosphere and community surrounding the gym. One day after a sweaty workout, that same friend asked if I would be interested in becoming a spin instructor at the gym. I actually laughed out loud, but had an immediate flashback to that first ride over the summer and the intense high I got from it. I figured I'd give it a shot. Within a month, I was in cycling shorts, up on a stage, with a microphone around my head. (If you're getting a Britney Spears visual here, that's just about right). It didn't take long to realize that my high-energy personality made a lot more sense in a gym than a lab. I dropped the books, the lab research, and grad school and started pursuing a career in fitness.
Almost two years later, I still get that same high every time I step into the gym. Over 1,500 rides under my belt, and it never gets old. I'm passionate about fitness and helping people achieve their goals. Elevating heart rates and connecting with businesses, brands, and people, I spend my days chasing and creating experiences in the gym and in the community. The determination required for a grueling workout has trickled into my business and personal life as my passions have branched out into social media marketing and entrepreneurship. The best days are the ones spent getting sweaty, meeting new people, and pursuing new opportunities.
