If a book were written about Phillip Weeden, you’d be moved with emotion by the journey he has taken to get to where he is today. So, let’s begin with chapter 13 where Weeden is the CEO and founder of Xtreme Hip Hot and Xtreme Compound. Xtreme Compound has become one of the hottest fitness routines in the country with over 750,000 members on YouTube and followed by over 10 million on various social media websites.
Weeden just celebrated the first year of his Xtreme conference where he hosted over 3,000 people in fitness and wellness classes centered around using exercise as medicine for the body and soul. His following has led to him becoming a national sensation when it comes to creating a safe environment for people who want to lose weight and have fun at the same time.
Before we go any further, we need to go back to chapter 4 where we learn that Weeden, who didn’t grow up with a father, struggled to understand his place in life. He was able to graduate high school, find a decent job, and have great friends. However, he always felt empty inside and made bad choices growing up.
“I didn’t have a father in my life, so I struggled with finding my way because I didn’t have a proper guide — I learned things the hard way,” Weeden said.
Being forced to make decisions with no guidance can be difficult for most young Black men because trust can become a real issue. Weeden was no different. He got to the point as a young man where he didn’t want to live anymore and decided to take his own life.
“I was depressed about where my life was headed, and I just didn’t feel like I had a future,” Weeden explained. “So, one day, I sat on my bed and decided to take a bottle of pills and to end my pain and suffering.”
While Weeden might have felt alone, he wasn’t. A co-worker saw that Weeden wasn’t at work and asked for the police to do a health check on him. The police arrived at Weeden’s home and found him unresponsive on the floor. After getting him proper care, they were able to pump his stomach off the pills and resuscitate him.
As Weeden awoke, he realized that he must be here for a reason. Death, or a lack thereof, seems to influence people. Because Weeden saw it as an opportunity to do something with his life. The fear of failure was gone. If he couldn’t take his own life, then he must be here for a different reason.
Chapter 7 begins with Weeden getting back on track. He’s working a dead-end job, making okay money but unfulfilled. It’s a Wednesday and as Weeden is sitting in the breakroom he ponders the idea of combining his love for hip-hop and exercise.
In that moment, he decided to quit his job and begin a company that would teach people how to lose weight by dancing to hip-hop. The one thing Weeden never lacked was drive and determination. He never once hesitated to develop a plan B. He only looked at life with plans in mind. When he decided to take his own life, there was no other option. So, the decision to start a hip-hop exercise company meant full steam ahead, no other option.
Chapter 8 begins with $400. When Weeden decided to quit his job, he had $400 dollars to his name. He quit in the middle of the week, so he knew he was only going to get half a paycheck. He told his landlord that he might be late with rent the next month, and he came up with a game plan to live his dream.
“I never struggled to make money. As a fitness instructor I could always find ways to make a few bucks,” Weeden said. “What I really wanted to do was impact multiple people at the same time.”
Weeden knew when he tried to commit suicide that he was depressed. He also knew that when he worked out, he felt his sadness go away. So, if working out was his medicine for depression, it could be the medicine for whoever needed it. Exercise could help scores of people deal with whatever was plaguing them.
So Weeden used the knowledge of feeding his depression with exercise to reduce the feelings he had. He worked out three times a day to feel better. With him coaching others to get fit, exercise became his fuel for life and revenue.
Weeden started his business before the internet was hot. He walked around and placed flyers on cars to get business. He slowly started to get more and more women in his class who wanted to lose weight. The appeal of Xtreme Compound is that people can exercise to great music, get yelled at by Weeden, and actively see results at the same time.
In chapter 9, it started to be fun for Weeden. His profile was exploding around the country. His hip-hop exercise classes were catching fire. As the internet became known, so did Weeden.
“I want anyone out there to know that I didn’t have a plan B, I focused all of my energy into making my goals work for me. I had been pretty successful before, so I knew that if I worked hard, and stayed on my grind that anything I wanted to accomplish would happen.”
Weeden travels the world holding exercise classes for people who can’t travel to Cleveland, Ohio to join his classes. His following commands one of the highest group of followers on the internet and he continues to grow his audience every day.
He often thinks back to chapter 6 where he ran into the officer who saved his life.
“When I saw the person that found me, he asked me how I was doing,” Weeden responded by describing all of the things that he had planned and how he was going to change the world. Weeden was stopped mid-sentence by the police officer.
“Naw man! I don’t want to know about that stuff, I want to know how you are doing. How is your mental state? Do you have anyone to talk to? What are you doing to control your depression,” the officer said.
Weeden realized at that moment that he had a friend in the officer. He also realized that in starting his business he would include a component where he would be open about his struggles with depression and that he would incorporate using exercise to help and heal those who struggle with life.
So as the book on Phillip Weeden continues on to chapter 14, it’s understood that greatness can come from all things. In life, opportunities, if you pay attention to them and learn from them, can come from misfortune. Opportunity can come from tragedy. Greatness can come from a kid who struggled growing up, who made some mistakes, but with time figured it out and lived his dream.
There are many stories like Phillip’s, about men who have overcome incredible obstacles to make something of themselves. But what most people can’t do is touch their heroes. Well, Phillip Weeden can be touched. He can be hugged, and he can be seen working people out at his studio and around the world.
“I don’t know what the future holds for me. I just want to continue to inspire people and grow as a person. I love life, I love my kids, and I love my job,” Weeden said.
So, chapter 15 is going to be written as he lives life. Weeden has never been one to forecast anything. He gets up and puts one foot in front of him like any other person. And if anyone is lucky to experience one of his classes, you put one foot in front of the other a little quicker than normal, because he yells at you until you do.
Phillip Weeden delivers medicine to anyone who needs it.
