 |
 Jose (‘Joey’) Antonio was born in Manila (the Philippine Islands) in 1962. He subsisted on rice and sugar in his early childhood which resulted in periods of hyperactivity punctuated by sugar-induced drowsiness (not to mentioned stunted longitudinal growth). Apparently, his parents hadn’t figured out the difference between high and low glycemic index foods and forgot to add some protein to his diet. However, miracles do happen. And his father and mother packed their bags (plus he and his four other siblings’ bags) and headed east; (his father ignored the adage ‘go West young man’ which is good because the U.S. was closer if you headed east). The Antonio family promptly settled first in Kentucky (for only six months) and then eventually the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. Joey grew up in Maryland (Oxon Hill) and Virginia (Great Falls). After a fairly uneventful childhood, he found himself a college student with really no goals, no dreams, and no motivation. Though he did like taking naps, working out, and hanging out with his girlfriend. His father asked him, ‘So what do you want to do with your life?’ This was after my first semester at the American University (Washington D.C.) and I had majored in history. I dropped that major after I realized I had to read a lot of books! Imagine that. Books to read in college? Sheesh! So I told my father that medicine was out of the question (hint: he is an M.D.) since being with sick people was as exciting to me as watching leaves turn brown. So I told him, “I think I’ll be a scientist! A professor!” Notwithstanding the fact that I had no clue what professors did (besides teach). But I had one psychology professor who would show up in a t-shirt and painters pants that were tattered and beat to hell. Basically, he was a slob. But hey, he had a job! That was me. I was hooked. Well, sort of. So fast forward from 1980 to 1996 (I learned lots!), I earned a B.S. in Biology (American University), an M.S. in Exercise Physiology (Kent State University) and a Ph.D. in Muscle Physiology (University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center). And to top it off, I actually completed a post-doctoral research fellowship in Endocrinology and Metabolism. Sheesh, that’s a lot of friggin’ education. So how did get to where I am now (i.e. to host a radio webcast with the inimitable Carla Sanchez !?) Okay, that seems like an odd juxtaposition, but it really goes hand in hand with many of the business pursuits that interest me. Prior to the webcast, I actually tried to be a professor; first at the University of Nebraska-Kearney and then the University of Delaware. By the time I left Nebraska, I had a wife and twin daughters in tow. I think that’s when I lost most of my hair having been suddenly introduced to fatherhood and being completely unprepared and incompetent. I think I’ve learned a little since then. I didn’t last long as a professor (about 3 total years as a full-time academic). I guess I had a higher calling. Or maybe I just got a good phone call. I decided to leave academia in 2001 and pursue a job with MET-Rx. Dr. Jeff Stout, now a professor at Florida Atlantic University, convinced me to leave academics (he had also left academia to work for GNC at the time) for the MET-Rx gig. Jeff went back to academia but I got hooked on the business bug; or more like the entrepreneurial bug. I like academics; but I love the entrepreneurial spirit more so. And let’s face it, academia and entrepreneurship aren’t exactly friendly bedfellows. Socialism is the word of the day at most universities. So I got my first taste of the ‘corporate’ life at MET-Rx. I remember lots of meetings; we’d have meetings to determine when the next meetings were. Mmmm… I don’t really like meetings, especially if good food isn’t served. But heck, if there’s plate of some great salmon sashimi, a big bowl of jasmine rice, and a Sapporo beer, I’m there. (Unfortunately, they’d often leave the rice out, darn). I was laid off from MET-Rx (i.e. corporate re-structuring is the term) in 2003 but about six months later, I met two savvy entrepreneurs (Scott Pumper and Tony Sanzari) who just happened to start a ‘functional coffee’ company called Javalution. Actually, the way I met these two was a story unto itself. This was a perfect example of being at the right place at the right time. I will keep this story short. I was about to start a job with another supplement company (won’t disclose the name). The day I was supposed to start work, they were raided by the DEA and FDA! Yes, the alphabet Nazis. I was like “Oh shit, what’s this about?” Well, the President of this company meets me in the parking lot (I can’t go in or else I would have been shot by a J-Lo looking Fed packing heat; I wouldn’t have minded if she frisked me to see what I was packing, but she didn’t seem to be in the mood). Nonetheless, the President of this company said “Hey Joey, come to lunch with me and meet our manufacturers.” I was like, well I ain’t got nothing else to do. “Sure, I said.” Food, I love eating. Besides, I thought the only thing this company is gonna manufacture are those striped suits that you see in prison. So I met two Colombian guys who wondered why a quasi-Hawaiian looking guy like me had a Hispanic name? I explained the whole Filipino thing (i.e. Spain raped and pillaged the Philippines from the 1500s until 1898 and then the U.S. took it over after the Spanish-American war; I think by then the raping had turned to just flat out consensual sex). Anyways, I had lunch with these three guys (two Colombians and a President; sounds like a bad sitcom). And that was it. I never saw the President of that supplement company again and I didn’t hear from the Colombians until a couple months later. They called me while I was at Disney World in Orlando with my wife and twin daughters; (or more exactly, I stayed in the hotel room while my wife trudged my crazy twin girls around Disney). My Colombian contact asked if I could help a couple guys with their company; they made coffee with supplements added to it. And this poor Colombian was making the stuff for them but he wasn’t sure they knew if the claims they made were legal or something akin to kissing your first cousin (legal in some states). Anyhow, as they say, the rest is history; I met with Scott Pumper and Tony Sanzari and helped jump start the functional coffee revolution, errr… the Javalution! What’s better than drinking your morning cup of coffee? Drinking it with the added benefits of dietary supplements. And it was through Javalution that I was cyber-introduced to Carla Sanchez; Javalution was looking for fitness models to work the Arnold Classic and Carla was kind enough to hook us up with one of her Performance Ready girls. Carla and I hit it off immediately as if we were long lost friends. So now, here we are. Doing what we do best. Pontificating on fitness, nutrition, and training! We hope you enjoy our webcast! FACTS AND STATS: EDUCATION: HONORS/JOBS/THINGS THAT PAY THE BILLS: OTHER FUN FACTOIDS: If you want a more extensive look at my CV, go to www.joseantoniophd.com |