What if losing everything — twice — was exactly what it took to build something that actually lasts?
In this electrifying episode of The Big Silence, Karena sits down with Kenny Santucci, trainer, entrepreneur, and founder of Strong New York, for one of the most unfiltered conversations we've ever had.
How do you rebuild your life when every external win has been stripped away — and still choose to get up?
Resilience isn't a personality trait. It's a decision you make in the dark, over and over again.
(00:46) Jersey Roots, Zero Hand-Outs
● Growing up broke in Newark and learning early that work was the only way out
● Why Kenny's never taken investor money
● How coming from nothing shapes your hunger as an entrepreneur
(03:15) The Fat Kid Who Became a Trainer
● Kenny's upbringing and the gym that changed everything
● How getting in shape shifted the way the world treated him — and what he actually thinks about that
● "If you want people to add to your cup, you need to give them some sort of value."
(13:57) From the Docks to the Gym Floor
● From the Port Newark shipping yard to New York City
● What television taught him and why he walked away
● Why everyday clients, not celebrities, are the ones who make lasting changes
(17:50) Getting Canceled and Going Broke
● Losing two gyms to bad partners
● Being canceled and the dark spiral that followed
● How he climbed out by chalking up wins, leaning on family, and just going for a run
(32:57) What the Fitness Industry Gets Wrong
● Selling aesthetics over community is the industry's biggest disservice
● The "gateway drug" approach: try yoga, boxing, Pilates — and don't marry any of it
● Why you push 30–40% harder alongside other people
(53:29) Strong New York, Plant Medicine & the Supplement Stack
● The mission behind Strong New York's September 26th event
● Kenny's take on psilocybin, microdosing, and the mental health case for plant medicine
● His actual supplement priority list: creatine, protein, nootropics
● Why a brain isn't a brain without other brains around — and what AI therapy is getting wrong
Guest Resources
● Follow Strong New York on Instagram
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