EPISODE / 053

March 3, 2025

Tanner Chidester

Over 111+ Million in Online Sales / Coach / Founder Elite CEOs

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Scaling to $100M: The Business Playbook of Tanner Chidester

On this episode of the HeadSmack Podcast, host Paul Povolni sits down with Tanner Chidester—entrepreneur, author, and founder of Elite CEOs—who has generated over $100 million in sales in under six years. From his early days as a fitness coach to building a multimillion-dollar coaching and consulting business, Tanner shares his journey, mindset, and key strategies for scaling success.

From Athlete to Entrepreneur

Tanner’s journey began with sports. As a competitive athlete growing up in Texas, he developed a strong work ethic, discipline, and resilience. However, after injuries derailed his football career, he turned to engineering before ultimately dropping out to pursue entrepreneurship. With guidance from a mentor, Tanner transitioned into online fitness coaching and discovered the power of high-ticket offers.

After struggling for two years with a low-ticket fitness offer, he pivoted, raised his prices, and made $10K in a single week. This shift led him to his first million dollars and paved the way for his massive business growth.

The Three Pillars of Business Growth

Tanner attributes his rapid success to mastering three fundamental areas:

A High-Value Offer: Creating an offer that is unique and positioned in a way that makes it a no-brainer for potential clients.
Lead Generation: Building a predictable system for acquiring new leads, whether through organic outreach, paid ads, or partnerships.
Fulfillment & Retention: Ensuring that clients receive immense value, leading to higher retention rates and strong word-of-mouth growth.

Scaling from $1M to $25M and Beyond

Scaling a business is not just about working harder—it’s about building and managing a high-performing team. Tanner emphasizes that hiring, training, and leadership are the keys to scaling from six figures to eight figures and beyond. He shares lessons on:

Hiring the Right People: Bringing in A-players who align with company culture and values.
Efficient Team Management: Streamlining operations and ensuring accountability.
Leveraging Paid Ads: Using ad spend strategically to accelerate growth while maintaining profitability.

Mindset: The Secret to Longevity in Business

Beyond strategy, Tanner believes that resilience, consistency, and an unwavering work ethic are essential to long-term success. He stresses the importance of pushing through challenges, maintaining high personal standards, and continuously seeking growth.

What’s Next for Tanner?

After briefly retiring, Tanner realized that personal growth and pushing new boundaries drive him more than money. He is now exploring ventures in tech, private equity, and hedge funds to expand his impact beyond coaching.

Final Takeaway: Business is the Ultimate Personal Development Tool

Tanner’s story is a testament to resilience, adaptability, and the power of strategic execution. Whether you’re just starting or scaling to eight figures, his insights provide a roadmap for success: Nail your offer, master lead generation, deliver results, and build a team that shares your vision.

If you’re ready to take your business to the next level, this episode is packed with actionable insights to get you there.

Guest Bio

Tanner Chidester is an entrepreneur and author who transformed his passion for fitness into a multi-million-dollar online empire. Growing up in a family of seven with a teacher father, Tanner’s journey began at age 12 when bullying drove him to start working out—unknowingly setting the foundation for his future success mindset. After leaving Division I football and engineering school with one year remaining, he built his first seven-figure fitness business before founding Elite CEOs, which has helped clients generate over a billion dollars in sales. His book, “Infinite Income,” shares the eight-figure formula he developed through years of trial and error, focusing on high-ticket offers and systematic scaling strategies.

Guest Links/Offer

Link: Elite CEO

About the Host

Paul Povolni (aka Voppa) is the founder of Voppa Creative and a creative leader with more than 30 years of experience working with organizations and teams around the world. His career spans brand strategy, design leadership, and creative direction, with a focus on helping organizations clarify who they are, how they lead, and how they communicate with intention.

Paul has led multidisciplinary teams in the development of award-winning branding and design systems across a wide range of industries. His work consistently connects strategy to execution, ensuring that brand expression reflects both organizational purpose and internal culture.

In addition to his consulting work, Paul is an experienced coach and speaker. He works with leaders, executives, and creative teams to strengthen decision-making, build creative confidence, and cultivate cultures rooted in clarity and accountability. His speaking engagements and workshops are grounded in practical frameworks shaped by decades of real-world leadership experience.

Paul is also the host of the Headsmack Podcast, where he interviews world-class thinkers, strategists, creatives, and business leaders from around the globe. The podcast explores branding, leadership, creativity, and culture through candid, in-depth conversations that challenge assumptions and sharpen thinking.

Through his consulting, speaking, and coaching, he equips clients to lead with Clarity, Creativity, and Culture—aligning vision with execution and purpose with performance.