From Addiction to Impact, featuring Michael Chernow
Wed Feb 04 2026
Michael Chernow joins Michelle Johnston to share his powerful journey from addiction and adversity to wellness and entrepreneurial success. With vulnerability and clarity, he opens up about childhood trauma, substance abuse, recovery, and the driving force behind his thriving businesses—including The Meatball Shop, Seymours, and Kreatures of Habit. He reveals how connection, emotional intelligence, and prioritizing relationships have been central to his transformation. Now, as he launches a sober coaching community for men—SoberFit Dude—Michael aims to help others strip life down to its essentials and rediscover their purpose. This conversation is about resilience, intentional living, and choosing heart-led leadership every step of the way.
00:00 Meet Michael Chernow01:20 The journey from meatballs to mindfulness02:45 Childhood trauma and early struggles06:30 Cry for love: A suicide attempt at 1208:50 Substance abuse and searching for identity10:30 The overdose that changed everything12:00 Finding a mentor and the daily recovery plan14:00 Love, marriage, and intentional family life16:00 Dinner table rituals that transformed connection17:40 The birth of The Meatball Shop20:00 Rapid success and growing pains22:30 Launching Seymours and lessons in leadership25:00 Food Porn, EQ, and media magic27:30 Leaving restaurants to launch Kreatures of Habit29:20 Connection as currency31:00 The Harvard study on relationships and health33:00 Heart-led leadership and learning the hard way35:00 Launching SoberFit Dude38:00 Ditching the smartphone for real life41:00 The real seismic shift: reclaiming presence43:00 Final reflections and staying heart-first
Special thanks to our friend Brian Wayy for the theme music this season!Track Title: My Heart's On Fire
Follow Michelle for more inspiring content:
Watch the podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSeismicShiftwithMichelle LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michelle-johnston-0264b5bInstagram: instagram.com/michellekjohnston Website: https://michellekjohnston.com/
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Michael Chernow joins Michelle Johnston to share his powerful journey from addiction and adversity to wellness and entrepreneurial success. With vulnerability and clarity, he opens up about childhood trauma, substance abuse, recovery, and the driving force behind his thriving businesses—including The Meatball Shop, Seymours, and Kreatures of Habit. He reveals how connection, emotional intelligence, and prioritizing relationships have been central to his transformation. Now, as he launches a sober coaching community for men—SoberFit Dude—Michael aims to help others strip life down to its essentials and rediscover their purpose. This conversation is about resilience, intentional living, and choosing heart-led leadership every step of the way. 00:00 Meet Michael Chernow01:20 The journey from meatballs to mindfulness02:45 Childhood trauma and early struggles06:30 Cry for love: A suicide attempt at 1208:50 Substance abuse and searching for identity10:30 The overdose that changed everything12:00 Finding a mentor and the daily recovery plan14:00 Love, marriage, and intentional family life16:00 Dinner table rituals that transformed connection17:40 The birth of The Meatball Shop20:00 Rapid success and growing pains22:30 Launching Seymours and lessons in leadership25:00 Food Porn, EQ, and media magic27:30 Leaving restaurants to launch Kreatures of Habit29:20 Connection as currency31:00 The Harvard study on relationships and health33:00 Heart-led leadership and learning the hard way35:00 Launching SoberFit Dude38:00 Ditching the smartphone for real life41:00 The real seismic shift: reclaiming presence43:00 Final reflections and staying heart-first Special thanks to our friend Brian Wayy for the theme music this season!Track Title: My Heart's On Fire Follow Michelle for more inspiring content: Watch the podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSeismicShiftwithMichelle LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michelle-johnston-0264b5bInstagram: instagram.com/michellekjohnston Website: https://michellekjohnston.com/