EPISODE 56 with guest drew norton
Leadership Is a Choice: How Drew Norton Turned Crisis Into Abundance
A single moment can change the trajectory of your life forever.
In this episode of The BOLT Podcast, Todd Bertsch sits down with Drew Norton, entrepreneur, sales leader, and co-founder of The Abundant Man, to discuss the life-altering event that reshaped his perspective on leadership, success, and personal growth. After walking into an apartment to find his six-month-old son barely breathing, Drew was forced to confront what truly mattered and how he was showing up as a husband, father, and leader.
What followed was a remarkable transformation. Drew lost 100 pounds, built high-performing sales teams generating more than $20 million in revenue, and developed a framework for helping men create abundance in faith, family, fitness, and finance. This conversation explores identity, purpose, leadership, presence, and the daily choices that shape our lives.
Watch the Full Episode
Watch the full conversation to hear Drew’s powerful story and the lessons that emerged from one of the most challenging moments of his life.
Listen to the Podcast Episode
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What You’ll Learn in This Episode
- How a family crisis became a catalyst for personal transformation
- Why leadership starts with leading yourself first
- The dangers of being successful on paper but unfulfilled in life
- How to escape the “I’ll be happy when” mindset
- The importance of presence over productivity
- Drew’s Identity, Purpose, and Battle Plan framework
- How identity-based habits helped Drew lose 100 pounds
- Why sales is really about service, communication, and leadership
- How to build abundance across faith, family, fitness, and finance
- Practical ways to create lasting personal and professional growth
Key Quotes from This Episode
“The more I work on me, the more it helps everybody around me.” — Drew Norton
“I was successful on paper, but I felt empty inside.” — Drew Norton
“I’ll be happy when… and when got there, I wasn’t happy.” — Drew Norton
“I am healthy, fit, active, and strong.” — Drew Norton
“Sales isn’t about convincing. It’s helping someone realize they need to change.” — Drew Norton
Episode Timestamps
- 00:00 – Leadership is a choice
- 02:10 – The night Drew’s son stopped breathing
- 08:57 – Growth through trauma and becoming more present
- 12:04 – Successful on paper, empty inside
- 18:44 – Identity, purpose, and building a battle plan
- 21:43 – Losing 100 pounds through belief and action
- 33:43 – Why sales is life
- 42:13 – Building abundance in faith, family, fitness, and finance
- 45:32 – A mission to impact millions of men
- 47:56 – Lightning round and final insights
Leadership Starts With Self-Leadership
One of the central themes of this episode is that leadership begins long before someone manages a team or earns a title. Drew shares how investing in his own growth improved every area of his life, including his marriage, parenting, communication skills, and professional performance. Listeners will learn why self-leadership is the foundation for leading others effectively.
From Empty Success to True Abundance
Many professionals spend years chasing promotions, income goals, and external markers of success, only to discover they still feel unfulfilled. Drew discusses the trap of living in the future and constantly saying, “I’ll be happy when…” He shares how redefining success around faith, family, fitness, finance, and presence created a more meaningful and sustainable version of abundance.
Resources and Books Mentioned
The following books, tools, and resources were mentioned or referenced throughout this episode.
- The Score Takes Care of Itself by Bill Walsh
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Drew Norton mean when he says leadership is a choice?
Drew believes leadership is not determined by a title or position. Leadership begins when individuals choose to take responsibility for themselves, their actions, and how they show up for others.
How did Drew Norton lose 100 pounds?
Drew combined dietary changes, fitness coaching, accountability, identity-based habits, and mindset work. A key breakthrough came when he began focusing on who he wanted to become rather than simply what he needed to do.
What is the Abundant Man framework?
The Abundant Man framework consists of three pillars: Identity, Purpose, and Battle Plan. The approach helps men gain clarity about who they are, what they want, and the actions required to achieve meaningful goals.
How can leaders become more present in their personal lives?
Leaders can improve presence by focusing on self-awareness, setting boundaries around work, investing in personal growth, and intentionally prioritizing time with family and loved ones. Presence begins with being fully engaged in the moment rather than constantly chasing the next goal.
About Drew Norton
Drew’s leadership philosophy was forged during a life-altering family crisis when his 6-month-old child was saved by his wife’s CPR. That near-death experience taught him that Leadership is a Choice, and that one must lead themselves before they can effectively lead others. This realization sparked a momentum shift that led Drew to lose 100 lbs and professionally pivot to lead a sales team that generated over $20 million in revenue.
Explore More Resources
Continue exploring practical tools, conversations, and frameworks designed to help individuals and organizations navigate change, strengthen mindset, and unlock sustainable growth.
Corporate Keynote Speaking
High-impact keynotes that challenge mindsets, spark meaningful conversations, and help leaders and teams navigate change and uncertainty with greater resilience, clarity, and intention.
Mental Fitness Coaching
Interactive coaching programs built around the Positive Intelligence framework to help teams build the mental muscle to handle stress, shift perspective, and respond with intention instead of reaction.