Today we’d like to introduce you to Christian Poulos.
Christian, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My Journey: From Immigrant Child to Health & Fitness Entrepreneur
Growing up as the only child of Greek immigrant parents in Northwest Indiana shaped my early perspective. I was the quintessential shy, nerdy kid – often picked last in gym class. At 13, I discovered weightlifting as more than just a physical activity; it became my path to building confidence and a proxy for self-improvement.
Like many children of immigrants, I was encouraged to pursue traditionally respected professions. “Become a doctor or lawyer,” my parents would say, believing higher education was the key to success. With my natural interest in science, I set my sights on becoming a physician.
I studied neuroscience at Indiana University, where my fascination with the human body continued to grow. During this time, I joined the university’s powerlifting team and began coaching others, applying my experience in powerlifting and bodybuilding to help fellow students.
After excelling in my undergraduate studies, I advanced to medical school at the University of Illinois Chicago. Then COVID hit. Being regimented from years of weightlifting and having a Type A personality, I found myself with structured mornings for schoolwork and a growing awareness of the substantial debt I would face upon graduation.
This realization prompted me to start a social media page featuring fitness tips and documenting my journey. This evolved into a health and fitness coaching business that complemented my medical education. Balancing relationships, social life, academics, and entrepreneurship proved challenging but rewarding.
As I progressed through medical school, I had an important revelation: traditional medical practice wasn’t my calling. I envisioned myself as the doctor managing a team of physicians rather than seeing patients directly. This approach, I believed, would allow me to impact more lives.
During my final year of medical school, with more flexibility in my schedule, I focused on scaling my business, Doctors Orders Coaching. I hired employees and committed myself to entrepreneurial success.
After graduation, I transitioned into running my business full-time. I’ve never been happier, having transformed the lives of over 1,000 men and women seeking to become their best selves. I have now pivoted back into medicine and have recently launched a telemedicine-based men’s health clinic, Best Man Med. My goal is to impact as many people as I can to live healthier lives in the same way that it impacted my life
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The path to where I am today certainly wasn’t without its obstacles. One of the most significant challenges was balancing the demands of a full-time medical school schedule while simultaneously building a client base and delivering results for them. This juggling act taught me invaluable lessons about time management and helped me realize what I truly wanted: freedom—both in terms of how I spend my time and where I can work from.
As I approached the end of my medical studies and revealed to my parents my intention to pursue entrepreneurship rather than traditional medicine, I faced considerable resistance. Coming from an immigrant background where stable, prestigious professions are highly valued, my decision to chart a different course wasn’t immediately embraced.
Despite these challenges, I trusted my instincts and had confidence in my ability to succeed in whatever I set my mind to. This self-belief has proven well-founded, as I’ve since found greater happiness and fulfillment in my entrepreneurial path—which, ultimately, is what truly matters.
As you know, we’re big fans of Doctor’s Orders Coaching. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
My business is called Doctors Orders Coaching. We are a group of medical professionals who want to be the doctors you see before you need to see a doctor in the first place. Our focus is comprehensive lifestyle management – covering training, nutrition, stress and hormonal management, and sleep and recovery.
We typically work with career and family driven men and women over 30 who want to lose body fat, improve energy, and feel like they’re 20 again. We work entirely virtually and have clients in 15 different countries, although I do some in-person work with clients who live locally. What sets us apart is that there are very few physicians focusing on the lifestyle aspect of health. I wanted to bring deeper scientific expertise to health and fitness that emphasizes prevention rather than treatment, which is where our current medical system tends to focus. We’re proud to be ahead of the curve in this regard.
What I’m most proud of is the impact we make on others’ lives. Every day, I receive messages from clients commenting on their improved energy levels, how their clothes fit better, how relatives have noticed their transformed appearance, and countless stories of people reducing or eliminating medications through lifestyle changes.
A cornerstone of our program’s success is accountability. Most people have plenty of accountability in other areas of their lives—they show up to work on time, attend meetings punctually, and in the past, they arrived at sports practices on time and submitted school assignments by their deadlines. However, when it comes to health and fitness, maintaining accountability becomes much more challenging since no one else has the same schedule, physique, or goals. We provide that critical accountability structure that helps our clients achieve lasting results.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
The most important lesson I’ve learned along my journey is not to let my emotions interfere with critical decision-making. Coming from medicine, I was accustomed to a linear progression – a challenging but clear path from high school to college to medical school to residency and finally to becoming a practicing physician.
Entrepreneurship, by contrast, involves significantly more variability and risk. This unpredictability was initially very uncomfortable for me, leading to overthinking, unnecessary stress, and constant rumination on problems. Through experience, I’ve learned to take a more objective approach, preventing my emotions from clouding key decisions that drive the business forward.
I’ve come to recognize that I am the common denominator in all aspects of my life – my business, relationships, hobbies, and friendships. This realization has taught me that self-care isn’t selfish but essential; it’s the cornerstone of all success. Taking care of myself directly impacts how effectively I can serve others and grow my business.
As a result, I’ve prioritized maintaining healthy habits that reduce stress and enhance my well-being. By doing so, I show up as a more effective entrepreneur, make clearer decisions, and create better outcomes for both myself and my clients. This balance between objective business thinking and personal wellness has become the foundation of my sustainable success.
Pricing:
- I have variable programs depending on involvement and needs of the client!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.christianpoulos.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christianpoulos/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/poulosfit
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-poulos-m-d-0bb475253/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@christian.poulos
