From Homelessness to Faith and Fitness (with Petar Krastev)

Ten euros was all fitness coach Petar Krastev had when he left Bulgaria at 22, headed for eighteen months of homelessness in a UK lock-up garage with no electricity or running water. He was fleeing unpaid bills and a toxic relationship he couldn't simply walk away from (there was a two-year-old girl depending on him too). Once he got there, he went to the gym every single day. Not to train, at first. Just for the free showers. Four years and a broken promise later (he helped heal his ex's health condition, saved enough to buy a car, and she posted a photo with another guy the same day), Petar rebuilt from nothing again, this time chasing entrepreneurship while cycling in and out of his own training. Every time he quit the gym to "focus on the business," his confidence, his self-esteem, and the business itself all cratered within months. At 28, out of options, he prayed. He says everything changed the next day. Now he coaches entrepreneurs and executives on the exact intersection he lived through: fitness, faith, and business, and why you can't fully separate any of the three. If you've ever told yourself you'll get back to the gym once work calms down, Petar's got the receipts on why that trade never actually pays off. Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4f2_xiVJ14 In this episode How Petar went from sleeping in a lock-up garage with no electricity to founder of CoachPK, his fitness and business coaching brand Why he stayed in a toxic relationship for nearly four years, and what finally let him get out The pattern he kept repeating for years: quit training to "focus on the business," then watch confidence, productivity, and the business itself fall apart Why he believes nobody can reach their full potential without staying fit, no matter how much money or success they have The prayer Petar says changed his life "like night and day," and how faith now guides every business decision he makes What Petar tells clients who think fitness is optional once the business gets demanding Timestamps (00:01) Welcome and meet fitness coach Petar Krastev (01:28) Leaving Bulgaria with 10 euros and a bag of clothes (03:32) Living in a lock-up garage: donuts, gym showers, and being alone (05:31) Why he stayed in a toxic relationship for nearly four years (09:41) What he sacrificed, and the toughest part of being alone (12:11) What kept him going: responsibility to his parents, and the gym (14:36) The intersection of fitness and entrepreneurship (16:01) The cycle: quitting training, then watching everything fall apart (20:08) Finding faith at 28, and the prayer that changed everything (24:45) Building one of the best health and fitness communities on Clubhouse (28:03) Words of encouragement for skeptics of faith (30:19) Where to find Petar and his community About Petar Krastev Petar Krastev is the founder of CoachPK, a fitness coach and business owner with a passion for both health and entrepreneurship. He works with a members-only community of entrepreneurs and business-minded people spread across the US, UK, and Europe on the intersection of fitness and business performance. Learn more at Petar's website, or connect with him on LinkedIn. Favorite quotes "I made it. I made it somehow. It took me years." —Petar Krastev "Everything changed like night and day." —Petar Krastev, on the day after he prayed "I don't think you have any chance of fulfilling your own potential without keeping fit." —Petar Krastev Resources mentioned pk.coach: Petar's website and fitness/business coaching community Petar Krastev on LinkedIn Related episodes Surviving Toxic Relationships: Interview with Shannon Petrovich: another firsthand account of staying in, and finally leaving, a relationship that was quietly costing everything. Troy Hadeed: A Yoga Expert's View on Christ, Religion, and Divine Connection: pairs with Petar's story of faith reshaping how he approaches both health and work. How to Spot Burnout Before It's Too Late: the flip side of Petar's stop-training-to-work-more cycle, and how to catch it before it wrecks you. Subscribe & connect If this episode gave you something to sit with, follow Phoenix and Flame so you never miss an episode: all apps in one place, or jump straight to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or YouTube. And if it moved you, leave a review; it's the easiest way to help another listener find the show. Learn more about Phoenix and Flame, connect with Dana, and listen to more episodes here. Curious where your own boundaries stand? Take my free Work Boundaries Quiz: danaskaggs.com/quiz