Episodes

  • A DANCE FITNESS EMPIRE | Building a community around dance w/ Stacey Marks & Kari Schroeter
    Nov 13 2024

    In this episode Michael talks with visionary owners, Stacey Marks & Kari Schroeter, the CEO & COO of Fly Dance Fitness!

    About Fly Dance Fitness

    In a society where women are often pitted against each other, Fly Dance Fitness® rebels against this by bringing women (and men) together through dance and fitness. Together, they all leave their worries, opinions, and differentiating beliefs at the door for the best workout experience imaginable and they leave feeling 10x better than when the first walked in.

    Fly Dance Fitness® believes exercise is a celebration of what our bodies can do. This is why we hold epic workout parties 7 days a week. We remember what it was like to hit the clubs in our twenties and how the hours felt like minutes with the right people. Fly Dance Fitness exists so that everyone can relive their clubbing days, every day, without the hangover. We offer group fitness classes accessible for all fitness levels. From high-intensity hip hop dance fitness Throw Down®, to strength training in our Sculpt classes, there truly is something for everyone to enjoy while bettering themselves.

    Along with group classes in our flagship studio, Fly Dance Fitness has expanded its reach to offer virtual classes, instructorship training and launched their franchising program just one year ago. Since then, they have received hundreds if not thousands of applications and have signed 7 franchisees with more on the way. Locations include: Bradenton, FL, Orlando, FL, Broomfield, CO, San Antonio, TX, Myrtle Beach, SC, Alpharetta, GA and Knoxville, TN. The first of which, Alpharetta, is scheduled to open this Fall of 2024.

    Fly Dance Fitness has received numerous awards in the Sarasota community, such as Best Gym / Fitness Studio by SRQ Magazine and the Herald Tribune, and most recently won "Woman Owned Business of the Year" from the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce.

    About the Owners

    KARI SCHROETER | COO, Co-Owner

    Founder of Fly Dance Fitness Franchising

    Kari began dancing at age three, continuing through competitive dance and high school color guard. At the University of Florida, her strong math skills led her to a BS in Industrial & Systems Engineering and later an MS in Management. Moving to Sarasota with her husband Dave, Kari excelled in corporate roles while cherishing her role as a mother to three children. Discovering Fly Dance Fitness in 2016, she rekindled her passion for dance, becoming an instructor and co-owner in 2019. Kari's attention to detail and dedication to community have been pivotal to Fly's growth and success.

    STACEY MARKS | CEO, Co-Owner

    Founder of Fly Dance Fitness Franchising

    Stacey, a third-generation entrepreneur, pursued a psychology degree at the University of South Florida before rediscovering her love for dance at Fly Dance Fitness. Balancing marketing and business roles with her passion for movement, she teamed up with Kari in 2019 to elevate Fly into a thriving community. The success Fly Dance Fitness has experienced is in great part to Stacey’s social media strategy and creativity. Her journey proves the power of following one's dreams, inspiring others through her dedication and entrepreneurial spirit.

    Follow Leaders + Legends

    https://linktr.ee/leaderslegends


    Show More Show Less
    50 mins
  • WATER, FIRE & MOLD | Building a business & maximizing life w/ Adrian Tolentino & Michael Calamaras
    Oct 30 2024

    In this episode Michael talks with Adrian Tolentino about life, business & networking.

    About Adrian

    Adrian is the Founder & CEO of DryPro Inc, a water, fire & mold remediation company in Sarasota, Florida. Originally from Puerto Rico, he’s been in the Lakewood Ranch area for about 28 years. He’s a UCF grad and always had a knack for entrepreneurship. He’s a girl dad first and business owner second. He founded DryPro 8 years ago identifying a need in the community and the opportunity to build something from scratch.He’s got a passion for business, networking, and connecting others in the community.


    Adrian & DryPro's Links:

    • Adrian's IG @thereal_atole28
    • Dry Pro's IG @DryPro.FL
    • DryPro's Website

    Michael & Leaders & Legends Links:

    • All our links
    Show More Show Less
    52 mins
  • SARASOTA PARADISE | Taking a soccer team Pro w/ Marcus Walfridson & Michael Calamaras
    Oct 16 2024

    In this episode Michael talks with Marcus Walfridson the founder or Sarasota Paradise!

    Marcus Walfridson is the visionary founder of Sarasota Paradise, a dynamic soccer club currently competing in USL League Two and set to advance to USL League One. With a rich background in soccer coaching, Marcus authored "Lessons From The Beautiful Game: How to Become a More Efficient Coach," a must-read for aspiring coaches, available on Amazon.

    Beyond the pitch, Marcus is a dedicated entrepreneur focused on building a successful enterprise through Audigr Group Inc., which encompasses his ownership in Sarasota Paradise. A staunch advocate for freedom, individual liberty, and personal accountability, Marcus is driven by his passion for innovation and excellence in both sports and business.


    Learn more about Marcus & Sarasota Paradise:

    IG @SarasotaParadise

    Sarasota Paradise Website

    Marcus Walfridson LinkedIn


    Follow Leaders + Legends & Michael Calamaras on all of our platforms:

    Socials & Links


    #USL #soccer #sarasota #founder #proathlete #leadership #CEO #scaling


    Show More Show Less
    53 mins
  • #GRIDLIFE | Building a national Motorsports Festival w/ Adam Jabaay & Michael Calamaras
    Sep 26 2024

    In this episode Michael talks with Adam Jabaay, the Co-Founder & Motorsports Director of #GRIDLIFE a motorsports enthusiasts dream. Adam and his best friend Chris Stewart started GridLife and it has grown into a national organization that hosts multiple festival-style motorsports weekends across the country as well as an annual racing league.

    The festival events are reminiscent of "Forza Horizon" but in real life! Each day is filled with HPDE, Time Attack, Autocross, Drift, and GLTC and capped off with a music festival at night.

    Along with running GridLife, Adam is a father, an owner of his family's construction company, and the Co-Host of the Slip Angle Podcast.


    Links

    More about Adam:

    Grass Roots Motorsports Article

    Track Tuned Podcasts

    Speed Secrets

    GridLife Home Page

    GridLife YouTube


    More about Michael & Leaders +Legends

    @Leaders.Legends IG

    Leaders + Legends Linkedin

    All Links

    Show More Show Less
    50 mins
  • HEALTHCARE RECRUITING | Life & Business Ownership w/ Justin Bellante & Michael Calamaras
    Sep 11 2024

    On this episode Michael talks with Justin Bellante, the Co-Founder of Titan Placement Group, a healthcare recruiting firm in Sarasota, Florida.


    About Justin He's been in healthcare recruitment arena for 10 years now but a little over 2 years ago, a couple of colleagues and Justin quit our jobs and struck out on their own.
    It's been almost 2 years and they are at over 200 placements! They focus primarily working with Federally Qualified Health Centers and do most of their placements with Mental Health, Dental and Primary Care professionals.
    Justin is passionate about Community Health and Mental Health because he is from the underserved population and mental healthcare has changed his life forever.

    Show More Show Less
    44 mins
  • CONSTRUCTION IN THE MIDDLE MARKET | Business ownership, partnership & more w/ Michael Butler & Michael Calamaras
    Aug 28 2024

    On this episode the Michael C talks with Michael B about becoming a business owner in the construction industry and all about life!


    A bit about Michael Butler:

    Michael Butler, 27, is a Vice President and part owner at J.E. Charlotte Construction, LLC which is a general contracting company based in Venice, FL. Michael moved to Sarasota in 2020 for an opportunity to work at JEC after spending time working for a large General Contractor in Fort Lauderdale. Michael graduated from Florida State University with a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and is currently in the process of obtaining his General Contractors license. He also serves on the board for Loveland Center, a non-profit in Venice that serves individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Outside of work, Michael has a 1 year old son, with another on the way in December, and enjoys hobbies such as golf, rooting for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and spending time with his family.

    Show More Show Less
    47 mins
  • RUNNING A CANDLE MAKING EMPIRE | Manufacturing, Life & More w/ JaNiece Cranmer, President of Scentsational Candle
    Aug 14 2024



    In this episode Michael talks with JaNiece Cranmer, the President of Scentsational Candles. Based in Venice, Florida, she proudly oversees the production of millions of American-made soy-blend scented candles.


    About JaNiece

    JaNiece relocated from Oklahoma to Florida over seven years ago after accepting a producer position at HSN. Following an 11-year career in television, she transitioned to lead one of the largest candle manufacturing companies in the United States. She holds a BA in Journalism from the University of Oklahoma, an MBA from the University of Florida, and is now ambitiously considering law school. In addition to her professional achievements, JaNiece serves on the board of directors for SAMA and has been a mentor for Take Stock in Children for the past seven years. Her passions include her French Bulldog, Charlotte, enjoying life in the Sunshine State, supporting the St. Louis Cardinals, spending time with her family, and designing the best candles in the world.


    Show More Show Less
    39 mins
  • TECH STARTUPS & A.I. | What it takes to make it in software engineering w/ Moe Kahn & Michael Calamaras
    Aug 1 2024

    On this episode Michael talks with Moe Kahn, the founding engineering of BluePallet a company that recently sold!


    About Moe: Born in Bangladesh in 1984, came to the US as a baby. Lived in NY, MI, OH, and finally VA. Went to school at University of Mary Washington where I got degrees in Biology, History, Computer Science and Applied Mathematics. Started a Master's Program at SMU.

    Software Engineer/Data Architect for over 11 years. Recently was the Founding Engineer of a tech startup called BluePallet. That company has sold, looking for the next fun idea to get into and build some cool stuff with other smart people. Moe's Links:

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/moekahn/

    https://www.instagram.com/moe_m0neyy/


    Michael's Links:

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/michealcalamaras

    https://www.instagram.com/mcal1


    Follow Us:

    https://www.instagram.com/leaders.legends

    Show More Show Less
    56 mins