Skip to content
Built Different podcast artwork

PODCAST · health

Built Different

by Alec Lewis

Living A Life "Built Different" Focused On Freedom Through Fitness & Winning With Wellness

Publisher-supplied feed metadata · PodParley refreshed Nov 27, 2025 · Source feed

Episodes

  1. #22 - BEST Fitness

    “BESTIMONIALS: Why BEST Fitness Is Built Different” At Best Fitness Clubs, “big-box” doesn’t mean impersonal — it means big community. Their mission is simple: The Best People. The Best Options. The Best Results. For the 2025 finale of Built Different, I sat down with four of the Best — Taylor...

  2. #21 - Nora Matthew

    BUILT DIFFERENT x HER STRENGTH Founder Nora Matthew fell in love with strength training during her college athletics career — but her real transformation began when she became a mom. Expecting her first son in 2012, she realized how little guidance existed around safe, effective strength training...

  3. #20 - Capital Region DWTS: Casey Bortnick & Giuliana Bruno

    🎥 BUILT DIFFERENT: Dancing With the Stars – The Anchorman & The Anchorwoman Edition 💃🕺 I’m joined by two of my co-stars lighting up both the newsroom and the dance floor — Casey Bortnick, Anchor for Spectrum News, and Giuliana Bruno, Anchor for News10 ABC. In this special Capital Region…

    more
  4. #19 BARE Blends (Jess Fuller & Annie Berdar)

    Founded in 2018 by Jess Fuller and Annie Berdar, BARE Blends began as a movement toward healthier living and environmental sustainability — rooted in whole, plant-based ingredients with no added sugars, flavor enhancers, or artificial additives.What started as one small shop in Stuyvesant Plaza…

    more
  5. #17 - Michael Kurkowski

    Michael Kurkowski hosts The Strength Connection Podcast and Inspire Saratoga, where he brings together some of the most insightful minds in fitness, business, and personal development. We connected through the 518 Kettlebell Club and sat down for a Built Different conversation about what it means...

  6. #18 - Elaina Sainato Renda

    On this episode of BUILT DIFFERENT, I sit down with Elaina Sainato Renda (@elainamarie23) to explore a journey that spans from her family’s corner grocery store in Albany to New York City’s wellness world—and back home again. ✨Elaina’s story is one of true transformation. After overcoming her own...

  7. #16 - Sofia Gray

    Sofia Gray is a NASM-certified trainer and senior sociology major at Union College who’s turning passion into purpose—leading strength classes, coaching peers, and helping build a healthier campus culture. We sat down to talk about what fitness means to her, and how she’s inspiring men and women...

  8. #15 - Sophia Filuta

    From fitness instructor to full-blown founder, Sophia Filuta is a walking reminder that confidence is built not bought. In Part 1 of our Season 1 finale, I sat down with the creator of So Phit Fitness to talk about starting a business in your 20s, building a brand rooted in authenticity, and...

  9. #14 - MacKenzie Shutts

    Bridging the words of fitness and skincare to help you look and feel your best-inside and out. As a licensed esthetician at Ehden Aesthetics and a team member at Hot Worx Latham, MacKenzie Shutts is passionate about using her own health & fitness journey to empower clients to take control of…

    more
  10. #13 - Kristen Suraci

    Through her vibrant Instagram page Saucy Suraci, Kristen Suraci has cultivated a devoted following of foodies, cocktail and mocktail lovers, and Upstate New York adventure-seekers. A proud Guilderland native, Kristen is deeply passionate about spotlighting the local businesses and the unique...

  11. #12 - Alaina Pilarinos

    Back in February 2024, Alaina Pilarinos and I met while modeling in the Sweat & Style Fitness & Fashion Show—and we’ve been friends ever since.In this episode, we dive into her powerful fitness and family journey: from building a thriving hospitality group to becoming a standout group fitness...

  12. #11 - Kendra Zappia D.D.S. & Morgan Fryer D.D.S.

    Dr. Kendra Zappia and Dr. Morgan Fryer both grew up in Mechanicville, NY and share more than just a passion for dentistry—they share a story of local roots, academic excellence, and a commitment to health in all its forms. Kendra graduated from Mechanicville High School, served as class president...

  13. #10 - Shivangi Patel, M.D.

    Dr. Shivangi Patel, M.D. is a board-certified family medicine physician who practices preventive and primary care. Not only is she my primary care doctor—she’s also a good friend and workout partner.Shiv and I recently sat down for a conversation about her personal journey in life and fitness,...

  14. #9 - James Basile

    In this episode, James Basile of Menands, New York shares his story of going from high school football player to fitness industry veteran and small business owner. We dive into the lessons he’s learned building SupplementCartel in Loudonville, the challenges of entrepreneurship, and how both of…

    more
  15. #8 - Dr. Paul E. Calarco, Jr.

    Dr. Paul E. Calarco, Jr. From the streets of New Rochelle to the soul of the Capital Region, Dr. Paul E. Calarco, Jr. is a modern Renaissance man whose passions defy easy categorization. If Jonathan Goldsmith is The Most Interesting Man in the World, Paul is the one catching up in the...

  16. #7 - Richard Mack

    Entrepreneur. Investor. Consultant. These are just some of the roles that Richard Mack of Wilton, New York plays in various aspects of his life. After high school, he struggled to find himself and slowly had his life fall apart as he fell deeper and deeper into alcoholism & depression. Growing up...

  17. #6 - Kristen Garzone

    Kristen Garzone of Troy, New York is a wife, a mother, and leads an active lifestyle. She built a large following on Instagram in large part by documenting her marathon running journey. In real life and on social media, her life changed before, during, and post-pandemic as she navigated her own...

  18. #5 - Sonya Smith

    Sonya Smith is the definition of a strong and successful woman. In her professional life, Sonya is the SUNY State Director of the New York Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) where she continues to make history as the first woman and first African-American to lead New York's vast SBDC...

  19. #4 - Maya Banks

    Born in Raleigh, North Carolina, Maya Banks grew up as an All-Academic Student and All-American Athlete graduating from Guilderland High School in New York's Capital Region. As a Division I Student-Athlete at San Diego State, Maya studied Political Science during the height of the COVID-19…

    more
  20. #3 - Jenna Snide-Papielion

    Born in Albany, New York, Jenna Snide-Papielion began dancing at the age of three. She grew up studying tap, jazz, ballet, contemporary, and hip hop. As a teenager, Jenna began exploring her passion as an educator teaching dance to other children. That passion led her to founding the Capital...

  21. #2 - Tommie Burch

    For over a decade, Tommie Burch of Schenectady, New York has had a yoga practice and found this practice of balancing mind, body, and spirit to be transformational. She is now a certified barre instructor, prenatal yoga instructor, and a Pilates teacher. Tommie and I discuss the spiritual arena…

    more
  22. #1 - John DeMichele

    John DeMichele is 71 years young and a faithful member of Metabolic Fitness in Colonie, New York. After 46 years of marriage, his wife, Colleen, entered into eternal rest following a brief but fierce battle against ovarian cancer in December of 2023. John and I discuss life, fitness community…

    more

Type above to search every episode's transcript for a word or phrase. Matches are scoped to this podcast.

Searching…

We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.

No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.

Showing of matches

No topics indexed yet for this podcast.

Loading reviews...

ABOUT THIS SHOW

Living A Life "Built Different" Focused On Freedom Through Fitness & Winning With Wellness

HOSTED BY

Alec Lewis

CATEGORIES

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Built Different have?

Built Different currently has 22 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is Built Different about?

Living A Life "Built Different" Focused On Freedom Through Fitness & Winning With Wellness

How often does Built Different release new episodes?

Built Different has 22 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.

Where can I listen to Built Different?

You can listen to Built Different on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts Built Different?

Built Different is created and hosted by Alec Lewis.
URL copied to clipboard!