In short
Susan Malzoni discusses turning grief into purpose after her husband Victor’s death, and how determination, fear-management, and energy alignment drive her wellness work and community impact. She also critiques supplement/biohacking hype, emphasizes gratitude and body kindness, and shares mental-health and veteran-support approaches using alternative medicine and service dogs.
Guest backgrounds
Susan Malzoni is founder of wellness brand Vita Mina and involved in the “Make America Healthy Again” movement. She runs Big Dog Ranch Rescue, described as the largest no-kill, cage-free shelter in the U.S., with a veteran training program for PTSD. She and her husband were competitive dog show participants, winning Westminster Best in Show twice.
Key claims
Fear lowers your “vibration” and leads to poor decisions; determination outlasts motivation. Wellness should be evidence-based and cautious about unregulated supplements/peptides. Shaming the body undermines results; gratitude and moderation help.
Notable examples
Six months after Victor passed, she raised $4.3M in front of 1,400 people. She describes veterans whose lives change after receiving PTSD-support dogs. She cites concerns about peptides sourced from unknown places (e.g., “China”) and urges using legitimate doctors/pharmacies.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VOFacing Adversity After Loss
0:28 to 0:56
Susan reflects on raising significant funds after the loss of her husband.
“I have to introduce you to my friend, Susan Malzami, who is developing a company called Vitamina.”
The Importance of Family Connection
0:56 to 2:14
Discussing family values and the importance of shared meals.
“It's a place we just come, the family's always together and we're just a place to disconnect and reflect.”
Maintaining Privacy and Energy
2:14 to 4:25
Susan shares insights on keeping her personal life private to protect energy.
“TV off, devices are thrown somewhere and my kids don't have devices, just my, my wife's and I, but you know, um, it's important to do that.”
Women Supporting Women
4:25 to 6:32
Exploring the dynamics of female competition and support.
“and let people in my life that I shouldn't have, it's backfired.”
Men's Emotional Challenges
6:32 to 11:50
A discussion on the pressures men face and the importance of emotional expression.
“You know, where do you think that comes from?”
Healing Through Connection with Dogs
11:57 to 14:00
The impact of service dogs on veterans dealing with PTSD.
“I was like, okay, well, let's hop on the phone.”
Finding Purpose in Adversity
14:00 to 18:00
Learn how Susan transitioned from helping others to founding her own health brand after personal loss.
“Not a lot of people shift out of that into what you've done, which is start Vitamina and go into the health space.”
Energy and Attraction: The Power of Mindset
18:00 to 23:10
Discover how mindset shifts can attract positive energy and opportunities.
“It's the funny thing about energy though, right?”
Overcoming Fear to Make Decisions
23:10 to 24:08
Explore the role of fear in decision-making and how to act courageously despite it.
“So, what I could say to people listening is that no matter what happens, if you succeed or fail, you will still be you tomorrow, five years from now.”
The Truth About the Supplement Industry
24:08 to 29:05
Understand the challenges and false promises in the supplement and biohacking industries.
“Because we have lines in the background.”
Show all 20 chapters
Enjoying Life and Food
29:11 to 31:33
Discussing the importance of enjoying food and staying positive about body image.
“But I think you need to enjoy what you're doing.”
Mental Health and Body Connection
31:33 to 33:12
Exploring the connection between mental health and physical wellness.
“I was messing with Will earlier today and he kind of gave me this and I told you to No, I enjoyed it.”
Caution with Peptides
33:12 to 34:38
Discussing the cautious use of peptides and their regulation.
“Well, if you're constantly in a deficit, like that big.”
Personal Journey to Health
34:38 to 40:14
Sharing a personal story about health transformation and motivation.
“But I think the basis for them being prohibited is because they really had no regulation.”
Dealing with Tragedy
40:14 to 42:01
Opening up about personal loss and its impact on life.
“That's great that you're able to realize that and actually take the steps to get out of that space.”
Discussing the Impact of Grief
42:01 to 44:29
The hosts delve into the emotional impact of tragic loss and resilience.
“Everybody who comes here, I had Joe Dispenza.”
Finding Strength After Loss
44:45 to 48:25
The conversation shifts to how personal loss can fuel motivation and strength.
“Because one's your son and one's your husband.”
The Role of Shared Interests in Marriage
48:25 to 52:08
The hosts explore how shared passions strengthen relationships.
“in that industry and that sport for decades i was in the rescue industry i mean rescue um world for, I mean, when we met.”
Legacy and Personal Growth
52:08 to 56:00
The discussion reflects on how personal loss can inspire legacy and growth.
“It was like our, we never took vacations.”
Reflecting on a Meaningful Conversation
56:00 to 57:16
The hosts reflect on the importance of their conversation and its positive impact.
“Instead of, you know, in the past, I just think it, this is what needed to be talked about.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00I think everyone who has determination wants to do something bigger. And I think as much as I was helping other brands succeed, I felt like none of them were really hitting the mark that I was passionate about. I just felt like I needed to do more than just help other people. I wanted to create something different. She's the founder of the wellness brand Vita Mina and is deeply involved in the Make America Healthy Again movement. Welcome, Susan. I have to introduce you to my friend, Susan Malzami, who is developing a company called Vitamina. Unfortunately, I got a little interrupted with the unfortunate passing of my husband.
0:39Fear really does lower your vibration. It really makes you act. Six months after Victor passed away, you didn't hide. No. You went through your process, and then you showed up there in front of 1 ,400 people and raised over$4.3 million. You're strong.
1:06so i have with me today susan malzoni welcome to the determined society thank you so much absolutely it's so good to have you and to finally meet you it's you've been connected for about a year now and you know i knew it happened eventually and i'm so glad it did yeah and what is there a better place to do it other than your than your ranch and my house yeah It's beautiful. Thank you. It's just like my little place. I call it the retreat. It's a place we just come, the family's always together and we're just a place to disconnect and reflect. I can feel that, you know, because I see the family here and it's really awesome.
1:40But also, I'm usually more hyped up. My energy level is like this right now, so I'm calm. So, I don't know if you guys got anything pumping through the vents. It's just an energy we have. It's really cool. We vibrate on just a different level. I like that. And this house. Feels healthy. It's very healthy. Yeah. Aligned with... Aligned with what I stand for. Absolutely. Is health and wellness. So we try to keep that throughout everything. You know, we just keep everything quiet and we have time just to sit and connect and create things. I love that. Yeah. The connection part is lost. Yeah, it is.
2:13A lot of times in, you know, even in our home, we try to meet for every meal at the dinner table. Yeah, that's good. Like every single one. Yeah. The dinner is like a non-negotiable. In our house too, yeah. TV off, devices are thrown somewhere and my kids don't have devices, just my, my wife's and I, but you know, um, it's important to do that. It really is. It truly is. People, I grew up in a family of five, you know, very traditional conservative household in Wisconsin and six o 'clock, that was it. Like we had to be at the table. Otherwise, you know, it was, there was problems. If you didn't even show up at six o 'clock for dinner, it was a problem.
2:49The values were different then. Yeah, totally. Right. What did you learn from your family that helped you in all your success and everything that you've built since then? I've learned so much from my family. I mean, I was the youngest of five kids. So, I got to see all the mistakes my older brothers made, which were a lot. And so, I was able to avoid those without having to deal with a lot of wrath from my parents. But, you know, I actually learned to be really independent because, you know, the youngest of five. My parents were in their 40s and 50s when I was born. So, I was not really a planned child.
3:24So, I kind of grew up on my own, kind of watching what my brothers and sister did. And I said, you know, took in the good things and tried to avoid the bad. They really laid the groundwork more than even my parents, actually. Really? Yeah. Yeah. I spent a lot of time with them. My parents were, you know, older and doing their own thing. And although I did spend a lot of time with them, a lot with my grandparents as well. I just got to take in all the great things from, you know, all my older people around me. So that's amazing. Yeah, that's amazing. You know, the one thing I've noticed about you, you keep your private life, your, your, your life very private.
4:01Yeah, I do. Why is that? Um, well, several reasons. Um, you know, I believe that energy is really important. Um, and sometimes when people are envious of certain things you do, you know, energy can shift towards too. And so, I just like to preserve my energy and my family's energy privately. I've noticed a few times in my life when I haven't done that or I've been a little careless and let people in my life that I shouldn't have, it's backfired. So, lesson learned and I just try to keep my circle tight now. I can relate to all of that. I asked the question and I also do the same. I don't put anything out about my kids usually.
4:46In the beginning I did. But then I realized that can't happen. I need to allow the people who are in my circle, they can know things. But I have to be careful who I give my energy to. Because it can rob you of your peace. And we're all trying to do some amazing things. And I think that's important because the world needs people making moves and starting new movements and, and really giving back to community because it's missing. And when you are attempting to do something like that, you can't let other energy in because it's going to stop you. Sure. You know, definitely. Well, I think a lot of times there's a lot of people with bad intentions, unfortunately in the world, uh, or their own insecurities.
5:34And a lot of times, especially women. It's unfortunate because I'm a woman. They just sometimes don't want to see other people succeed, other women succeed. Many times they say they do, but it's an energy that they put out that sometimes isn't always authentic. That's men. It happens with men too, I'm sure. So, I just try to keep the people around me as energetically aligned with me as possible. and, you know, just so I can focus on doing what I need to do. And I know I have a bigger purpose in life than just hanging out in Palm Beach and going to, you know, frivolous parties, which I do to support certain, you know, things that I'm passionate about.
6:16But it really comes down to preserving your energy and taking that energy to do what's good, you know, for the world. Absolutely. You made a good point, though, about women, supporting women or lack thereof. Right. You see it all over the internet. Yeah. You know, where do you think that comes from? I think it comes from the same thing that when men have that issue, it's kind of ego, you know, and insecurity. So, when a woman, which unfortunately society has made women feel insecure about themselves with social media, you know, you got to get Botox or fillers and all these things to keep up with the other people because she has less wrinkles.
7:03She looks younger. You know, it's a lot of pressure put on women. And when they feel insecure, sometimes that insecurity can roll over into maybe not wanting the best for other people because they don't feel good about themselves. So, I make it a really, you know, a point of being conscientious of, I hope, you know, my intentions are pure with people. I do really think they are, especially women, because I want them to feel good about themselves because when women feel good and positive, they do great things, just like men. That's the same thing. So, and men, you know, sometimes it's the same thing.
7:38It's whose muscles are bigger, who's got a bigger car, better job, more money. It's kind of this unspoken competition. And I try to avoid that. I think both genders really struggle with that and how they're going to operate out in society. Because I also think, because I don't know anything about being a woman, right? All I can do is lean on the women that I'm connected with and listen to my wife and whatever she says, that's her truth. And that's what I have to understand. And men, we have a lot of silent battles. Yeah, you do. We really do. It's more surrounding, you know, protecting the family, but also the pressures that we feel.
8:17Yeah. Because women, well, they do so much. Right. My wife does. I don't even know how she keeps track of everything she does for the kids, the things that she needs for their school events, etc. Now, granted, I do the grocery shopping. I do all the cooking. There's a lot of things that we share and we're both pulling our weight. And a lot of times I don't speak up on what I'm going through because I want to be there for her only. And I don't want to go, oh yeah, me too. You know what I mean? And so sometimes I think men, emotionally intelligent men can kind of keep that and bury it down a little bit.
8:57And then it's also important when that happens to have another man that you can go to and be open with and get mentorship, even if it's just a buddy. Yeah. No, it's hard for men because they were taught to be a masculine man. They don't share emotion. Now, recently that pendulum has kind of swung to the other direction. There's a very fine line in that, I feel. I can only speak from my own experience with the men in my life, but I feel like my two boys are extremely balanced. They have that emotional side, but they're also like the male figure, but they're also able to really share their emotions.
9:36And I think that's important for all men to be able to do that. You know, suicide rate in men is like extraordinary and especially military or people who men who have been in roles of protection and being assertive and aggressive suffer from that bottling in their emotions. So there is a fine line we still have to work through in society to really define the roles a little bit more and give men an outlet to express themselves to help with that. Great point. Yeah. I remember the time I was sitting there watching TV and my son is standing right behind me, looking over me and laughing hysterically.
10:19And I'm thinking, what are you laughing at, son? He goes, dad, you're balding. You have this massive bald spot on the top of your head. Immediately, I was mortified. I'm like, take a picture of this thing. And he did. And come to find out, he wasn't just joking with me. He wasn't just playing around or whatever kids do. He was telling me the truth. So immediately, I took action and got a hold of Lock Lab. And I'm going to tell you what. I've been using this product for four months and my hair is growing back. It is fuller and I need haircuts more frequently. So being on camera and taking constant pictures all the time for the Determined Society podcast, I have to not be bald.
11:02I mean, it's just one of those things. I'm not ready for that yet. Lock Lab has given me the opportunity to regrow my hair so it's fuller and I could not be more happy with the results so far. And I know they're just going to get better. I just take one pill a day. So it's super simple to fit into any routine. Lock Lab was formulated by past president, the American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery, and one of the American Hair Loss Association's 2026 best surgeons in the world to give men the most hair back medically possible. You can get Lock Lab 100 % online and delivered direct to your door.
11:40Simply click through the questionnaire and once approved, you'll receive your treatment in days. If you've been thinking about doing something about your hair loss, now's the time. Go to locklab.co and take the first step with a free consultation. I have come in contact with so many former Navy SEALs that reach out to me and, hey, I just want to check on you. Are you good? I was like, I'm great, man. What's going on with you? Man, I'm struggling today. I was like, okay, well, let's hop on the phone. Right. Right. And, and they just think, but they're open now. So that pendulum you're talking about, to me, that's the most masculine thing you can do.
12:21Totally. You know, to recognize you have a problem that you need to share or get help from, um, you know, we not to change a subject, but there's so many different, it's not, it's not a subject change. It's just modalities that are helping veterans right now. Um, I can talk about two different things that I'm involved in. one is alternative medicine as you know i'm passionate about medicine there's so many things that help men who have ptsd and women alternative treatments like ketamine treatment and other kinds of things that were you know once not looked at but now that is kind of mainstream the other thing is um dogs you know i'm very passionate about that topic as well and at our rescue big dog ranch rescue it's you know it's the largest no-kill cage-free shelter in the united states we have a whole veteran training program so we train dogs to help with vets who have ptsd and the um it's so incredible because the people we place them with you know they're like suicidal yeah men and their lives change completely when they have a dog completely it's incredible it's beautiful you you know i did i did a show there you did i did a whole Big dog ranch?
13:34Oh, absolutely did. Oh, I didn't know that. Had a dog in my lap the whole time. Oh my gosh. With Lori Simmons? I did. Oh my gosh. It was about a year ago. I had no idea. I've never seen it. Love that place. Yeah, it's pretty incredible, isn't it? Saw Puppy Town. Oh, I saw everything. I know. Beautiful place, right? It is. Just absolutely incredible. Yeah. You know, I do want to back up a little bit though, because you did something that not a lot of people do. Mm-hmm. You were helping brands and other people build their portfolios and build their presence. Not a lot of people shift out of that into what you've done, which is start Vitamina and go into the health space.
14:15That change or that shift terrifies most people. Yeah, truly. I can relate. I left something and I started this. Wow. But what did you learn in that process of you taking that big leap from focusing on other people to building you? Yeah. Well, I think everyone who has determination wants to do something bigger. And I think as much as I was helping other brands succeed, I felt like none of them were really hitting the mark that I was passionate about, which was creating really clean products. you know, I started this, the supplement. And then other things, unfortunately, got a little interrupted with unfortunate passing of my husband.
15:04But I just felt like I needed to do more than just help other people. I wanted to create something different. So, I felt like I did that. We're, you know, that opened the door to a lot of other things, that company, starting my own company. This is not the first time I started my own company, by the way. I had my own advertising agency, but, um, creating my own brand did open the door for a lot of different things. And, you know, one of them is, you know, my, it come, it combined my talent in, in events and health and wellness. And I did this national conference on women's health recently in DC.
15:40I don't know if you're familiar that I did that, but, um, so then that led to being named ambassador for women's health. That's wild. Another big thing. So, um, yeah, I just feel really honored and blessed that I was able to take that leap. And, um, and it's not necessarily because I did the company that that happened. It's just, I feel like it was a mindset and people feel that they feel when you have a bigger purpose, you know, other people feel that and they want to be a part of it somehow. It's a good point because there was a shift in me at the end of 2024. And I'm the same person mostly, right?
16:21But the moment I made that shift and started really working on me, my health and everything, there were so much more things that started going on. Yeah. The numbers got better. The revenue got better. more people, I think, really looked at the whole situation, including just me physically and go, okay, now I believe you. Now you're operating differently. It's not always about what you look like. And I think that's what people get mixed up. There's a lot of that going on in the internet. They're not going to respect you if you're overweight. It's not that that people don't latch onto or respect.
16:53They feel a different energy in you because you're not completely confident in who you are because you're not doing the work when no one's looking. Exactly. There's a big difference in that. Totally. but they don't know how to explain it. Right. Because that makes too much sense. Let's scare people and trigger people and get them to move a little bit. And the hard thing about that is, it doesn't last very long. Yeah. Right. When you're doing things out of shame. Right. Because people try to make changes all the time. I know I did. Right. But when I was shaming myself, it didn't feel good. And so, it never stuck.
17:20You know, so, it's a really good point. Yeah. Really good point. I think when you feel like you're in your energy and in your purpose, your energy changes and the people around you, they feel that and they want to be, really want to be a part of that. And that is not a conscious thing. It just happens. I've noticed every time I'm like in the flow, you know, I call it like being in the flow where everything seems to be lining up or matching or you meet someone that you needed to meet or this opportunity came about. It seems like the universe is working to help you and all the people around you want to be a part of that.
18:00Yeah. It's the funny thing about energy though, right? What you put out is what you attract. A hundred percent. And what you look for is what you get. Yep. And it was wild to me that you can change yourself. And then all of a sudden you have all these great people just like, it's a magnet. Exactly. You know? Yeah. And before I'm like, what was all this before? I know. But then you don't realize like you have to be the woman or the man that's going to attract that type of energy. Exactly. Right. And that takes work. It does. Because you mentioned determination. And obviously, that's my favorite word.
18:32I love it because it sounds gritty and it sounds sexy, but it's so quiet. Yeah, it is. I was just going to say that. So quiet. What does determination look like you when no one's looking? I think people often confuse motivation with determination. You're going to see me light up like a tree right now. I love this. Yeah. Yeah. Motivation is like, it's a temporary thing. You know, you feel motivated, you have a new idea and you're all motivated about it. But determination is what really sticks, meaning it is what gets you to the end point. So, I've had many times in my life, I've been motivated to do this or, you know, I've done a lot of things.
19:15Like I've moved across the world, you know, a couple of times, different countries. I've done a lot. I've changed businesses. I've changed industries completely. And I was motivated at the time, but motivation wanes. The thing that stays is really determination. That is when no one's looking, you know, it's like, I have to keep going. It's not conscious. It's just, I have to, you don't really understand why, but you know, you have to keep going. It's the hard decisions, right? Yeah. Yeah. You know, we all have families, right? Right. I mean, scary decisions too. Very. I mean, let's just call a spade a spade.
19:50You know, I've been gone for two days. I have three kids. You know why? It's hard. Yeah. It's hard. But those are those little micro movements that are actually big things. Yeah. Right? When you look at them. But sometimes you have to do what you got to do in order so you can grow. And the family understands, you know, daddy's got to work. Mom's got to work. But not a lot of people will take that leap. They'll sit there and they will settle for what they feel is just, well, this is all I can do. And what bothers me about that is not that they're doing it. It's that they're choosing to do it because they don't think that they're able to do anything else.
20:29And when you look at determination or discipline, there's so many different buzzwords, process, standard. You have to look yourself in the mirror every single day. And you have to go, did I give everything I got? Right. Well, I think it comes down to one word, which I think became very evident during COVID is the word fear. People are afraid. And if you can get into someone to make them feel afraid of something or afraid of themselves, they just won't do it. They won't act. They stand still. They follow instructions from other people who are not necessarily real experts, but pretend to be. you know, that was really evident during COVID.
21:13You know, how very intelligent people followed a set of rules that made absolutely no sense. And on mass scale, throughout the whole United States. It was scary. Around the world. Yeah. It was. And it all came down to fear. And the one thing I told my kids and my family, I said, fear lowers your vibration. It makes you act in ways that you shouldn't act. So if you can take the fear out of your decision-making and just keep it really focused on what is the end goal here, you will succeed. That's really it. I like that. Yeah. I want to do something silly though. Right. Can you address the audience with that and break it down for them?
21:55Because someone is listening right now. Yeah. That understands on a conceptual level what you mean. Right. But they don't know how to do it. well i think it has a lot to do with your personality i must say i mean i can give instructions all day long on how to be fearless but i think you just have to be more confident in yourself know that no matter what you do if you succeed or you fail you will always still be a good person um fear really does lower your vibration it really makes you act um in a way that is, I don't know, it's less confident. You just need to be confident. So I'll just give you the example.
22:42And during COVID, we didn't follow the rules. We were living in California and we just chose not to follow the rules to kind of show people around us. Maybe you should think for yourself, not just follow what everyone else is doing. And we had a lot of pushback from that. I can only imagine. A lot. We were in LA County. Oh gosh. I got a lot of pushback. But it did teach me and taught my kids that think for yourself and take the fear out of your decision-making. So, what I could say to people listening is that no matter what happens, if you succeed or fail, you will still be you tomorrow, five years from now.
23:22It's not going to change everything. So, just don't even think of the fear. Don't think of the negative outcome. Just think of what could be. And focus your energy on the outcome of what you want. And if you get exactly that, or you get something similar, it doesn't matter. Just, just keep looking. It's just like when they say, if you're afraid of, you know, of heights, don't look down. Always keep looking up. Never look backwards. Keep going forward. Fear. Yeah. Fear. It all comes down to fear. You know, I also think it's very healthy to accept and understand fear. Sure. But still act in spite of it.
24:06And I think that is courage. Right. Because we have lines in the background. Okay. Segway. And that's fine. Courage. I mean, I heard there's like 25 over there. There's probably more now. Oh my gosh. That is insanity. It is. That is so cool to hear. Yeah, I know. Like I'm ADHD. Like I'm all, I'm like looking for a lion now. I know. It gets into your soul. No, it's amazing. When they're all roaring at the same time, it like gets inside. It's amazing. That's crazy. Yeah. That is really cool. Crazy. It's very cool. You know, we're talking about a lot of things that are about mental health right now, right?
24:44Courage, discipline, determination. Resilience is a big one. Yeah. Resilience is a massive one because you got to be able to bend but not break. Right. You know, but let's shift into the body, the physical wellness, right? There's a lot of big promises in the supplement industry. Very, very thin evidence. Very thin evidence. Very little, you know, it's really not a regulated industry per se. Mine were regulated. Mine were really quality products. I'm not producing them right now, but there's a lot of smoke and mirrors in the supplement industry, in the whole biohacking industry. I mean, you've got people doing the most bizarre things that are so counterintuitive, like urine therapy.
25:36Explain that to me, Chris, because I got one for you too. Oh, okay. I can tell you some really, you know, because I work with a lot of people who are, you know, think out of the box, which is great. But then some things it's just like, wow, that's way too far. And I don't want to like, you know, I don't want to say names, but there's, you know, things that push, push things in the wrong direction, in my opinion, you know, like that's one of them. Yeah, there's, there's quite a few. But so the industry as a whole, the supplement industry, and this whole biohacking longevity industry, you really have to be cautious.
26:12You know, I tell everyone, really do your research. only buy things that have been really tested that have all the certifications. You know, supplement brands pop up every day. They're constantly. And you have no idea what you're taking. You really don't. I mean, the ingredients are on there, but most people don't even know what the ingredients are. Like all the fillers and things, there's so much junk in supplements. I'm doing now mostly liquids and they're all really clean. but I can tell you it was one of the things that actually discouraged me from the whole industry and these false promises as you said um the whole biohacking movement I feel like well you see what's happened to Brian Johnson do you know Brian oh I've interviewed him before okay what's currently going on with oh he just got diagnosed with an autoimmune disease no a really bad one no yes unfortunately um so it makes you wonder like you know the man who has taken the most care of his body, you know, measured every single biomarker that he, every grain of food he puts into his mouth.
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27:19And now he's diagnosed with this. So I think from all of this, I remember the time I was sitting there watching TV and my son is standing right behind me, looking over me and laughing hysterically. And I'm thinking, what are you laughing at son? He goes, dad, you're balding. You have this massive bald spot on the top of your head. Immediately, I was mortified. I'm like, take a picture of this thing. And he did. And come to find out, he wasn't just joking with me. He wasn't just playing around or whatever kids do. He was telling me the truth. So immediately, I took action and got a hold of Lock Lab.
27:59And I'm going to tell you what. I've been using this product for four months and my hair is growing back. It is fuller and I need haircuts more frequently. So being on camera and taking constant pictures all the time for the Determined Society podcast, I have to not be bald. I mean, it's just one of those things. I'm not ready for that yet. LockLab has given me the opportunity to regrow my hair so it's fuller and I could not be more happy with the results so far. And I know they're just going to get better. I just take one pill a day so it's super simple to fit into any routine. Lock Lab was formulated by past president, the American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery, and one of the American Hair Loss Association's 2026 best surgeons in the world to give men the most hair back medically possible.
28:50You can get Lock Lab 100 % online and delivered direct to your door. Simply click through the questionnaire and once approved, you'll receive your treatment in days. If you've been thinking about doing something about your hair loss, now's the time. Go to locklab.co and take the first step with a free consultation. It comes down again to the word fear. This man was so afraid to get old. And maybe he's not a fear. Maybe it's not fear. But I think you need to enjoy what you're doing. You need to eat your food and really enjoy it and tell yourself, this is doing my body good. whether you're eating a Big Mac or you're eating a health bowl, you know, like you need to say, this is nourishing my body.
29:34This is giving me strength. This is making me feel better, making me feel younger. And I think if you're overly focused on every little thing you do and every little thing, I got to wake up. I mean, I have the aura ring and I'm always monitoring. And it gets to a point where I'm like, I'm taking the ring off. I'm just going to enjoy today. listen to your body i think that's the best way to to really live um a healthy life is not to be so focused on everything you're doing wrong or what you need to avoid i don't want to go out to dinner anymore with my friends who were like was it wild cod is it so you know is it is it organic did it come from it's like let's give ourselves a break let's just freaking breaks dude like come on we can we can take a little seed oil tonight yeah just take a little break yeah it's called moderation.
30:22And it's so funny because you said something that I heard for the very first time, like in 2006, it was always appreciate what you're putting in your body. No matter if you're having pizza that night, this is nourishing my body. Thank you. Thank you for this. Because what happens then is you don't get caught in that trap of, I can't believe I did that. I know. And then you're talking bad. I just did a post about this on my feed. about really being grateful and talking kindly to your body. Women have a real problem with that these days. They're, you know, shaming themselves. I got a little, I even do it myself.
31:01I have a little fat here. I have this, or I need these wrinkles are terrible. You're constantly speaking negatively to your body. And how's your body going to react? Okay, I'm bad. And how am I going to react? I'm going to react in an unhealthy way. So instead of talking negatively about yourself or what you're doing, just always stay positive. Like the nights I don't sleep, I'm like, oh, well, I get to take a nap today. Thank you. You know, just turn it into a positive. It's about gratitude. No, that's healthy because anything else creates dis-ease and that is disease. Exactly. I was messing with Will earlier today and he kind of gave me this and I told you to No, I enjoyed it.
31:41It was my turn. I enjoyed my ice cream. Good. And I wanted some backstory. At the hotel on Wednesday night, I sent the boys a video. And it says, this is the ice cream freezer. Beware, do not open. Oh, you did. This has ice cream in it. And I opened it. No ice cream, just Uncrustables. I was so mad. Wow. I wanted ice cream. Uncrustables? Don't understand it. Don't understand it. I mean, Uncrustables are good, right? Are they? I've never had one. Yeah. I mean, yeah. I wouldn't imagine you have, but they're good. Yeah. And so last night I ordered ice cream and I ate the whole pint. Okay. Didn't care.
32:23Good. Just tell yourself it was what you needed. Your body needed it. This is so good. I was like, and I said to myself, because the thought crept in. Yeah. Like, dude, are you really going to finish this whole pint? You've done so well with your transfer. I'm like, no, like you're probably in this massive calorie deficit. This is actually going to do you some good. You're going to recover more, right? You're going to be stronger in the gym the day after tomorrow, right? Because today's a rest day. So always have perspective. Yeah. Frame it. So it's always doing you good. I love that. Yeah. There's a lot of people that needed to hear that.
32:56Yeah. They're listening, right? I'm telling you right now because they're caught up in the biohacking thing. They're caught up in this continuous calorie deficit. Right. And then they wonder why they're not putting on muscle, man and female. Yeah. They're worried about it. Well, if you're constantly in a deficit, like that big. And you're taking a lot of, you know, peptides to lose weight, which, you know, I know a lot of people need it, honestly. But, and it's saving a lot of lives. Sure. But there's a lot of overuse. I've never taken it. And I can't say how it would make me feel because I have never taken it.
33:32But yeah, I think it's causing a little bit of an issue right now with confidence. You know, like if I gain that extra five pounds back again, oh my gosh, you know, and it's really harming people's health, losing muscle mass, you know. I just think we need to be grateful every day that we wake up and we're breathing and we're happy, you know, we're able to be on this planet in a state of, you know, being well, well-being versus disease. Yeah. Is your take on the peptides on a global level or is it the GLP ones? I think people have to be used more caution using peptides. I've been a huge advocate of peptides for eight years more before peptides was even a common thing to talk about since early eight days in California when it was prescribed to me actually.
34:23But I think the overuse of peptides and the lack of regulation on where they're coming from needs to be really looked at. I'm very grateful that this administration, Bobby Kennedy, has made it a little easier to access them. You know, they were prohibited. But I think the basis for them being prohibited is because they really had no regulation. I think people have to be very cautious where they get their peptides from only from really legitimate doctors. See, I see this is, this is the thing that nobody's understanding, right? I'm a big advocate in peptides. I love peptides. I have a lot of them.
35:03I know where I'm getting them. Open my refrigerator. You'll be like, oh my God. No, I can't. Can I really? After I want to see what you got in there and I'll tell you what I have too. But my buddy owns the clinic in Naples, Jeff Delaney. He owns tea clinics. That's where I get my test from, my TRT. And then across the way, that's where I go for all my dietary needs and all my peptides, et cetera, et cetera. But guess where the peptides come from? Fort Lauderdale. Okay. Well, at least you're coming from Fort Lauderdale and not China. Well, see, I'm getting there. I promise you. And all these people that are taking these peptides, all these influencers talking about retitrutide, semiglutide, terzepatide, and everything that it's done to them.
35:53There's people claiming that their feet went numb and they almost died and their throat swelled up. I'm like... Blindness. Yeah. Like, bro, you got it from China. Like you don't even know what's in it. It's not... Yeah, you don't know. They could be poisoning us, to be honest, slowly. I mean, when I started taking it, I knew where it was coming from. It was from my doctor. It was highly regulated by him. But this whole explosion of peptides really makes me pause. yeah i'm super i asked my doctor who's a great doctor here where is they where are they sourced oh this pharmacy well where do they source it from oh i don't know well maybe you need to find out if you don't if any of that if any of the chain is an i don't know i'm not putting it in my body not for me exactly absolutely not exactly and i think it's to your point you you need to have people that you trust right right my friend jeff i go would you do this yeah he goes i've been doing it for like seven months.
36:54Like, absolutely. I would do this. You're good. What about this? Nope. Don't touch that. I'm like, thank you. You have to have people that you can consult with. So, I have a whole team. I call them part of my team because every week I go in there, we do my weigh-ins, we do everything. They ask me how I'm feeling. It's part of my team. That's great. You know? And because for me to move at the pace that I move at, I have to be really healthy. Of course. Because before I wasn't. What made you shift?
37:27I would say November of 2024. I was literally, I have a sectional couch like this, and I was laying under the blanket watching Netflix, and it was like 11 o 'clock in the morning. I just kind of thought to myself, I go, I'm depressed. And I started thinking about everything going on in my life. My family life is great. My wife and my children, but something was hurting. And what I realized was I wasn't taking care of me. And the only time I could really get out of the house and do anything was when I was recording a show. So, I ran into my friend Jeff at an event, John Huffman's event in Naples, little breakfast thing.
38:20We all get together. And it's like hard to look at them and talk to them. And then I realized it was hard for me to talk to anybody. I'm the biggest extrovert slash introvert you'll ever meet. So at that time, I was saying, I'm just scoping it out. I was terrified. And here I am, the show host, about a determined society and determination and resilience, and it's top 15 show, and I can't even talk to somebody in public. Wow. It was very telling for me. Yeah. And I knew then I had to make the change. And I spoke to him, and he's like, come see me after Thanksgiving. We'll get this going. We'll get back on your hormone replacement.
39:08I was like, no, no, no. I was like, dude, I need fat camp. Straight up, I was 235 pounds. Okay. I'm 185. 185 between 183 and 185 on a day to day. It's worth that range. Yeah. 235 pounds. Yeah. I just, I needed to make a change, but I had to wait. He made me sit on it for three weeks and I'm glad he did because at that moment I was operating in shame. Right. And it wouldn't have worked. Yeah. And as the days and the weeks went on before I had my first appointment, I learned to do out of love. Like I want to do this because I want to feel good about myself. And I also want my three kids to look at me and understand that their dad is a badass.
40:00Right. I want my son to be like, that's my dad. Exactly. And I want my two daughters to be going like, if you're not like my dad, you're not worthy of me. Exactly. And I wasn't displaying that. So that's how it happened. That's great that you're able to realize that and actually take the steps to get out of that space. A lot of people just can't. It's like, you know, they feel bad about themselves, shameful. They don't go out. They end up eating more. Then all of their hormones are dysregulated. They, you know, I could go on this topic for a long time. There's so much mental illness. I use that term very broadly.
40:37And I don't mean that there's mental disease, dis-ease with yourself, your mind, the whole body connection is off. And it can be fixed in so many different ways than how we are traditionally fixing it in the US right now, which is pharmaceuticals. Pharmaceuticals are so over-prescribed in this country for mental health. It's really shocking. you know meditation there's so many things that you can do that don't require swallowing a pill meditation being outdoors walking reflecting just sitting quiet for a minute um eating you know eating the right things you know taking one step at a you know one step at a time you don't have to do these things dramatically the problem is our our society is used to really fast results quick fixes.
41:27And a lot of times things like this take time. You know, people just don't want to commit to it because it means changing what's comfortable to them. It's fear. You know, I'm used to being this way. I'm used to watching this show, used to eating this food. And, you know, if I make a change, it's scary. So, I'm glad you were able to do that. No, it feels good. You know, again, you look great. Well, thank you. Your energy is really amazing. Thank you. Well, it's calm right now. I mean, I wasn't joking about like, is there something in the vents? No, it is. It's a very calming household. Very calm.
42:00Yeah. Everybody who comes here, I had Joe Dispenza. Oh, he's great. He did in this very room, he did a whole session and whole day event here. Well, that might be why. Possibly. He set the tone. No, it was pretty, it was pretty calm before he came. But yeah, Yeah, it's kind of a, this house is a unique place. Yeah. It is. It's a well house, right? It is a well house. But that's the point, right? That's the thing that, for me, I was able to make the change because of fear. Right. And quite respectfully, you know, I just, I don't want to not be there for my wife and my kids. Like, it's just, it happens all the time.
42:44Tragedy happens. It happened to you in 2024. Well, it happened to me before that, the loss of my son. I have a son. My oldest son was not here. His wife is here. That's Paulina. He had a twin brother and he was killed in a car accident. I did not know that. Yeah. That was, he was 18. He's 35 now. So that was, yeah, you have to have a lot of resilience to overcome that. When you go through something like that, not once, but twice. Yeah. earlier this month my son was in need of some brand new nightstands for his room the ones that he had he's had since he was seven years old and he is almost 13 so we decided to go to wayfair and got these amazing nightstands with automatic censored lights and what was really cool was the gentleman came took him out of the box put him together and put him exactly where we needed to.
43:42So it was low drag for us, really professional, top-notch service all the way around. So you can shop with Wayfair Verified, your shortcut to durable pieces, hand vetted by product specialists using a 10-point quality inspection, testing things like quality of materials, functionality and features, and even how long it takes to build. Wayfair reward members get 5 % back every day, helping you get even more value from your Wayfair purchases. You can read more than 20 million verified five-star reviews from real shoppers and you're able to see real customer photos and feedback before you buy you can use the reviews to help you narrow your choices and shop with confidence join wayfair rewards today and get five percent back on every purchase and start saving on your next home upgrade head to wayfair.com to shop all things home that's w-a-y-f-a-i-i dot com.
44:42Wayfair, every style, every home. And they're both massive events, right? Because one's your son and one's your husband. Right. How do you, do you even remember how you operated the days thereafter? You know, I don't really remember all the details. I think it was just like in shock. You just go into survival mode, I think. And you're lucky as you pulled yourself out of your own, you know, mini crisis. I pulled myself out because I had other kids. So, you can't just give up on life and crawl up in a ball and not live. You need to go on for them. So, I think that's really where the motivation comes from.
45:21You know, you see you have a beautiful wife, you have kids, I have my beautiful kids. It's like you had to keep going. So, there's no option. You just have to keep moving forward. that's a fact yeah and some people still choose to not do that well a lot of people don't have anything else or anyone else in their life to live for yeah and that's a you know it's a sad reality that's why i'm the biggest proponent of adopting a dog like you need a dog anytime i see someone who's alone or i can sense their energy is kind of depressed i'm like do you have a dog at home? Take a ride with me. Come on over to my house.
45:59I might have one here for you. Yeah. I heard you guys got like four or five now. Yeah. We only have four right now. We did have 11 at one point. That's what Nick was saying. Yeah. We have only four right now, but you know, we have a thousand at, at the rescue. Oh yeah. All yeah. You saw all different types and. I know they were trying to give me a take home a dog. You don't have a dog? No, I have two. Oh, okay. Good. All right. That's the problem. So I had this one on me just throughout the, I was like, let's put dogs everywhere. And I had one on my lap and there was a couple just laying and they didn't move.
46:30But this one was like biting on my chain and just loving on me. Like she chose you. I'm like, I don't know. I think my wife would divorce me if I brought him a third dog. But then I tried it because I'm like, she's not going to say no. She loves dogs. But actually it was an emphatic no. She goes, no, not right now. I don't have time to train a dog. but, but that was, that's a very special place. And so my next question, um, that may be your answer. It's probably gonna be a little deeper, but I mentioned in the introduction, six months after Victor passed away, you didn't hide. No, you went through your process and then you showed up there in front of 1400 people and raised over$4.3 million.
47:13Yeah. What made you do that? Um, my love for dogs, um, my desire to, you know, live on his legacy of dogs. Oh, it's beautiful though. You're strong. Yeah. I admire it. Um, yeah, he loved dogs. I'm just sitting in it. Yeah. You know, because I still have my wife and I hope to for a long time I hope to God yeah I don't have to see any one of them get my wife my children no I hope to God I can only hope if that ever did happen to me that my wife could see that I'm doing something to honor her yeah and and continue a legacy yeah right I mean and you guys you guys had two champion dogs yeah right we won Westminster Dogs show twice best in show that's the biggest i know that's the biggest thing it was him i mean he was the he was into dog you know showing way before we met actually since he was a child he has a picture of himself with this dog and then i think at 10 he like showed his first dog so he's been in that industry and that sport for decades i was in the rescue industry i mean rescue um world for, I mean, when we met.
48:37And so, I said, oh, do you have any dogs? And he said, oh, I have like a lot of dogs. Let me tell you. And I was like, oh, I have four. Here I'm like bragging. I had four dogs. And he's like, well, I have like 50 dogs. I was like, wow, you beat me. I said, are you in the rescue? He goes, no, I show dogs. And I was like, I don't know if I like that. Why not? Why not? Well, you know what you see on television? It's like that show, Best in Show is really like the, oh, it's exactly like it is. Wow. Yeah. The whole, you know, cutthroat, bizarre behavior. That's insane. The characters. It's like they literally did take people I know and put them on the show, even though it wasn't, you know, technically, it was like a documentary, but it wasn't.
49:22Yeah. What would you say to people that think dog shows are just dogs trotting around in a circle? Well, you know, I tell people because a lot of like in the rescue group, they're like, how could you have done that? So, you know, dogs don't want to do that. Honestly, the dogs that do it, that we choose for that, they want to do it. That's cool. They love it. They love to go in the ring. You can see they just like perk up. They're super excited to get the attention. And these dogs, the majority of them are really, really well treated. Like they go home, they're sleeping with their handler or their owner.
49:54Sometimes the owner is the handler. um they're given so many treats and so much love and attention and like everything so they're not poorly treated that was the perception though i had when i first got into it but um you know and i saw my husband wasn't just about show dogs he's about all dogs he loved all dogs didn't matter if you were purebred or you were some mud you know some dog on the street in brazil you know we we lived in brazil you'd see all sorts of random dogs and we took in all dogs. You know, our farm, we had stray dogs from the street. We, you know, the dogs I have here are mostly our rescues.
50:31That's so cool. Yeah. That's amazing. You know, because I was going to ask you, you went from showing dogs to rescue. Yeah. And I was wondering if there was some type of perception change about how you view these animals. No, I've always been involved with rescue. Okay. Always. In fact, in the dog world, there's a lot of dogs that need homes. You know, know, after they're retired, I always would help place dogs in families. But I've always been involved with rescue always since I was really young. I'd volunteer at, you know, shelters. So, it was kind of a, you know, it was a natural partnership, him and I.
51:09He had the fancier dogs, but I could never take him to Big Dog Ranch. When we came here, he said, I can't go. I said, you have to go. He goes, no, I can't see that. I can't see dogs. He would have bought this ranch. He would have, well, he would have, yeah, kept, no, he would have wanted all the dogs here. And he kept saying, can't we make a place here for some of those dogs? Can't we bring those dogs here? And I'm like, what an amazing human. Yeah, he was really, he loved dogs so much. Wow. Yeah. What does, you know, chasing those types of awards or the Westminster together for so long due to a marriage?
51:44Oh, I think it really unites us. We have that common passion. It's amazing. And he supported me with the rescues, obviously, really always wanted to, you know, go to the events. He just didn't want to go to the rescue because it made him too sad. Yeah, I bet. But, you know, it unites. When you have a couple that have this shared common passion, that's like the best, you know. It really does, you know, keep you very close. And we did all the dog shows together. It was like our, we never took vacations. We took dog show trips. That's really cool, though. And they were all over the world. Like, you know, the World Dog Show was in Russia.
52:18So, we'd go to Russia and it was all the same group of our friends. So, it was fun, you know. So, it was kind of a vacation. It was totally a vacation. But, you know, we incorporated the dogs in it. So, it was a cool, we had a great, great marriage. That's amazing. You know, and again, I just wanted the audience to get a peek behind the curtain with that question, to answer that question. Because, you know, what did it do to a marriage? Could be very positive, right? And when you have something that you can share with your spouse, or if you're not married, just have a significant other, it's very important.
52:51I don't care if it's the gym. I don't care if it's a restaurant you go to every week. But something to connect you on a deeper level than just being in a relationship is super important. Common interests are super important, I think, in a relationship. Or if you have the ability to respect each other's interests and let them do it and not be needy. You know, like I have friends whose their husbands are golfers and they want to golf all weekend long and they're like complaining. And I'm like, well, you knew that when you got married, first of all. And secondly, take that time to do something really cool for yourself.
53:26Like, I feel like, wow, when Victor was doing something else, I wasn't involved in. I'm like, oh, good. I have time to go with my girlfriends or I have time to do this or do something else. We'll go work at the ranch or, you know, the rescue. um i think people just love to have an excuse to you know oh i'm miserable like yeah he's playing golf all day i'm like that sounds great isn't that cool that's great go do some fun things with your girlfriends like why are you complaining you know i think that right there is just that part's unhealthy yeah how you and vic handled it and you know my wife and i are similar is go to you.
54:04Yeah. So I want my wife to have a separate, not a separate life. Life, no. I mean, you know what I'm talking about. Yeah, separate interests. So just clarify for the YouTube trolls is, you know, I want her to have her separate interests so that way we have something to talk about other than what's going on with the kids, what's for dinner, what are we doing this weekend? No, no, no. Go have fun and come back and tell me about your experience. Yeah, exactly. Because I want to see you light up. Yeah. Right. I think that's, I think that's super important. Totally. You know, I also, Victor really supported me with my, my interest in horses.
54:38I don't know if you know, but I used to ride horses. Yeah. I used to drive, uh, ride dressage. Um, I have my horses here actually. You have three, right? I have three here. Uh, two of them are retired, um, dressage horses. And then one is their little, um, their emotional support mini. So he's there too. So we've got the three there. But he encouraged me to do that. He was the one who kept pushing me. You need to do that so you have your own thing, not just follow along on my dog stuff. Even though I'm super passionate about the dogs, he was always supportive of me doing my own thing. That's amazing.
55:13Yeah, he would come and sometimes when he was, you know, later when he couldn't walk that well, we'd pull a car up so he could watch from the car while I was riding. He was just, yeah, super yeah he always encouraged me to do my own thing it's great yeah yeah it's rare to find someone that encourages you to do your own thing and then you have shared interests together as well absolutely that's the that's the winning recipe right there so it's a lot of memories yeah and a lot of life built and life experience between the two of you right right what do you think he'd say to you right now i think he'd be well i'm sure he's very proud of me he was always He was very proud of me.
55:53And he loved it when I did things. And, you know, his death actually motivated me to do more. So, I think he would be really proud. Absolutely. Yeah. This has been a beautiful conversation. Oh, thank you. It has been. And I'm so happy it happened now. Yeah. Instead of, you know, in the past, I just think it, this is what needed to be talked about. And this was absolutely perfect. Yeah. You know, I know the audience is going to get a lot out of listening to this and hopefully over and over again to think about how they look at their relationship and how they value their significant other, how they value their bodies, how they value their mind, and how they source their peptides first and foremost.
56:32Exactly. But I think, you know, our conversation about speaking kindly to yourself when you're eating, you know, food and your lifestyle is similar to your relationship. You just have to speak goodness into it. Like even if things aren't going well, like say, okay, he wants to play golf all day. This is great for me. Just turn it to a positive. Same like if you're eating something that maybe not as healthy, turn it into a positive. Tell yourself it's good and it will eventually be good. Paradigm shifts. Yeah. They're super important. They are. So that's like a simple instruction. Just tell yourself good things about what you're doing.
57:08I love it. Thank you so much. Thank you. It's been a pleasure and I know we'll stay in contact. We will for sure. I'm rooting for you in everything you do. Thank you. You too. Thank you. And for the audience, please share this episode with someone you know, love and trust that needs to hear any part of this message. We all have people that are struggling. You might be yourself. This is a very important episode to listen to, to find perspective and to shift and understand that everything in your life that is going on is absolutely beautiful and an opportunity for you to find the positive. And until next time, stay determined.
From the publisher
Susan Malzoni joins The Determined Society for a deeply meaningful conversation on family, energy, wellness, grief, purpose, relationships, and the strength it takes to keep moving forward after loss.
Susan opens up about protecting her peace, preserving her family’s energy, creating a home rooted in connection, and building a life aligned with health, wellness, and purpose. She also reflects on the loss of her son, the passing of her husband Victor, and how she continues to honor his legacy through Big Dog Ranch Rescue.
This conversation explores what it means to speak kindly to yourself, move through fear, protect your energy, and choose purpose even in life’s hardest seasons.
In this episode, we dive into:
• Protecting your energy and keeping your circle aligned
• Why connection at home matters
• Women, insecurity, confidence, and support
• Men’s mental health and emotional expression
• Health, wellness, supplements, and biohacking culture
• Speaking kindly to your body and practicing gratitude
• The difference between motivation and determination
• Taking fear out of decision-making
• Grief, resilience, and moving forward after loss
• Honoring Victor’s legacy through dogs and rescue work
• Relationships, shared passions, and creating a meaningful life
This episode is a powerful reminder that healing does not always mean hiding from pain. Sometimes it means choosing purpose, protecting your peace, loving what still remains, and finding the positive even in life’s hardest moments.
Connect with Susan Malzoni
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susanmalzoni/
Connect with Shawn
https://link.me/shawnmf32
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The Determined Society is hosted by Shawn French — a show for people who refuse to quit. Every episode goes beyond the highlight reel to explore the real stories behind resilience, reinvention, and the relentless pursuit of a life built on your own terms.
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