I live and work in the health and wellness space. I’ve spent years alongside doctors, scientists, nutritionists, mental health experts, elite athletes and founders building products and systems designed to help people perform better and live longer.

I understand metabolic health, VO₂ max benchmarks, blood biomarkers and recovery data both in theory and in practice, and I stay close to the science because it shapes how we live and operate at a high level.

With that background, I arrived at Canyon Ranch’s Longevity8 retreat with a clear intention: to stay open, curious and present. I was not there as an evaluator, but as a participant. I was not there to audit the experience. I wanted to take it in fully.

Longevity8 is a fully immersive, highly personalized, one-week program built around eight core pillars of longevity, spanning physical health, metabolic fitness, cardiovascular health, mental and emotional well-being, recovery, movement, nutrition and purpose. The medical testing is as comprehensive as others have reported, but the true value lies in how seamlessly everything comes together — under one philosophy, in one setting, with an exceptional level of care.

From the moment I arrived, the experience felt thoughtful and human. Daily surprise gifts in my room and staff who remembered my name, my schedule and my preferences set the tone. The days were fully booked yet well-paced with medical appointments, movement, education and recovery, making time fly productively.

Evenings slowed down with nutrient-forward cuisine from an exceptional culinary team, creating an atmosphere that felt more like a curated dinner party than a wellness retreat.

Specifics on the agenda included hikes across the stunning desert landscape, a DEXA scan, comprehensive bloodwork, VO₂ max testing, mobility assessments, personal training sessions and deep conversations with clinicians who had already reviewed my data before I walked into the room. It was the definition of concierge medicine: precise, personalized and deeply attentive.

The experience extended well beyond diagnostics. Massage therapy was thoughtfully included as part of the program, and I chose to treat myself to a collagen facial — something I would normally skip or rationalize away. In this environment, it didn’t feel indulgent; it felt integrated. Recovery, restoration and nervous system regulation were treated as non-negotiables, not extras.

What makes Canyon Ranch different is credibility. Wellness retreats are on the rise, but not all are created equal. Canyon Ranch is vetted. Their medical practice is rigorous, professional and grounded in evidence, yet delivered in a way that is warm and deeply pleasant. You get the full 360-degree experience: physical, mental, spiritual, sexual and emotional health, without anything feeling forced or performative.

An alarming but proactive experience

One moment during the week reinforced how valuable this level of care can be.

During routine testing, the medical team identified inverted T-waves on my electrocardiogram (ECG), a test that measures the heart’s electrical activity. I’ve always had strong health markers and, surprisingly, had never undergone an ECG before. The physician expressed appropriate concern and acted immediately, arranging an off-premise consultation with a trusted cardiologist for an echocardiogram, an ultrasound that provides a detailed view of the heart’s structure and function.

Once I returned home to San Diego, I completed additional follow-up testing, including extended cardiac monitoring with a Bardy Diagnostics CAM Patch and an exercise treadmill stress test. The conclusion was reassuring: while my T-waves are indeed abnormal, my overall heart health is sound.

This pattern can occur in endurance athletes and may also be influenced by heart positioning. Given my history as a marathoner and triathlete, my doctor explained that this finding is not uncommon and that my heart function and oxygen delivery were normal.

What mattered most was not the outcome, but the process. I wasn’t even testing for this. There were no symptoms. And yet, because someone was paying close attention, something potentially significant was identified, evaluated thoroughly and ruled non-threatening.

That knowledge alone is invaluable. If something had been serious, it would have been caught early. That is preventive medicine done right.

Longevity8 is a meaningful investment

Longevity8 is undeniably a luxury. It is not covered by insurance, and the investment is meaningful. But as someone who writes about entrepreneurship and leadership and lives the realities of running SMACK! Media, building Anything Brands, investing in and managing properties, and raising two teenage boys — I see the return clearly.

I’m not exhausted or burned out because I’ve learned to fiercely protect my sleep, workouts, nutrition and time with my family. When you feel energetic, grounded and clear-minded, you operate differently. You make better decisions. You lead with more patience. You show up better for your work and the people around you.

The value of the experience extends well beyond the week itself. The follow-up from Canyon Ranch is substantive as physicians and physiologists remain accessible, helping translate insights into sustainable habits once you return home. Rather than a one-week reset, Longevity8 establishes a longer-term relationship with your health.

Just as importantly, the lessons are transferable. A leader who understands the tangible impact of sleep optimization, recovery and stress resilience can bring those frameworks back to their team, shaping a culture that elevates performance across an entire organization. If operating from a foundation of health makes you even ten percent more effective, the return becomes clear.

That sense of shared investment carried through the group as well. The other attendees were equally impressive, thoughtful people who arrived curious and left more informed. Everyone discovered something, whether it was reassurance, a new area to improve or a habit to prioritize. I left with new friends, a deeper confidence in my health and a clearer understanding of what deserves my attention going forward.

For those with the ability to invest in it, Longevity8 is worth every penny. It offers something far more valuable than a reset or an escape: insight.

The kind that comes from slowing down long enough to look under the hood, often revealing exactly what you need to know, even if you didn’t yet know to ask. In health, as in leadership, that level of clarity changes everything.