Brian Mazza: Instagram Influencers, Morning Routines, and Dealing with Difficult People

Gamma Project

Brian Mazza began his career in hospitality as a bottle runner at a nightclub. It was there that he laid the foundation for what would become a bulletproof reputation for hard work, and it wasn’t long before he began ascending the ranks of the New York City restaurant scene. Today, Brian is President of the Paige Hospitality Group—a premier operations and hospitality company specializing in high-end event planning and production—and is responsible for running several high-profile restaurants in the tri-state area. Given the rigors and demands of the hospitality industry, it’s especially impressive then that Brian is also one of the fittest human beings you’ll ever meet. A former Division 1 soccer player for the University of Rhode Island, Brian is the definition of an athlete, and calling him competitive would be an understatement. At home, in New York City, he channels that energy into Tone House—widely regarded as the toughest workout on the east coast. In fact, by the time this episode airs he will have completed almost 900 classes. This past year has been an eventful one for Brian—even by his standards. The same year he landed on the cover of Men’s Health, he tore his Achilles tendon—sidelining him from physical activity—or, at least that’s what you’d expect. He also became a dad, which, of course, comes with its own set of challenges. In this wide-ranging, in-depth interview, Brian shares the game-changing habits, routines, philosophies, and principles that have allowed him to achieve repeated success, both professionally and personally. Having worked his way up from the bottom, Brian reveals the valuable lessons he’s learned, including advice for dealing with difficult people, launching a successful marketing campaign, and making strategic lifestyle adjustments to benefit a long-term goal. We also talk about the opportunities that lie in social media, and what you can do to take advantage of these tools to further your personal brand—and what kind of behavior to avoid. Needless to say, we cover a lot of ground. ______________________ This episode is brought to you by Altra. I was introduced to Altra a couple of years ago, and their running shoes—known for their signature Footshape toe box and Zero Drop platform—have since become a sort of secret weapon for me. I break them out for especially punishing runs, and when it’s time to go off-road, their trail shoes are the only ones I’ll wear. (The Lone Peak is my personal favorite.) This spring, Altra wants you to #EmbraceTheSpace and get fired up for taking your runs outside with their lineup of fast and light road shoes. One model to check out, for sure, is the Altra Duo, which features 31mm cushioning beneath both the forefoot and the heel, and weighs in at a crazy-light 7.5 ounces. If you’re interested in checking out the Altra Duo, you can head to fleetfeetsports.com. They’ll be available there through March.