Meet the team @ There’s No Script to Life.
Kyle Popish
Hey All!! My name is Kyle Popish and I’m so HAPPY you took the time to check out There’s No Script To Life!!!
My journey began 32 years ago in Scranton, Pa. Growing up I was a normal kid, but never truly felt normal. I spent a better part of my childhood riddled with fears and anxieties that, unknown to me, developed into a serious problem. I also grew up with doctor’s call “a little bit of a weight problem” (shamelessly plugging the great Tommy Boy!!). After high school, my weight had spiraled to 316lbs!! At the same time, my fears and anxieties towards; people, places, things and LIFE in general were also fast tracking to nowhere good!
I began a weight loss journey at 18 years old and had got myself to a “unhealthy” 228lbs. I say unhealthy because I lost weight the only way I thought you could, STARVE YOURSELF. Luckily for me after a very embarrassing and what could have been, potentially dangerous situation in the gym, I focused on obtaining my personal trainer certification which also specialized in Sports Nutrition and Exercise Therapy! Right around 19, 20 years old is when I also discovered alcohol!! As mentioned, those fears and anxieties about life and all it entailed was NOT worked out with becoming a trainer! I did find however, the more I drank, the less the fears and anxieties were. I HIT THE JACKPOT!! Finally, a way to stop the incessant noise going through my ears! I had no intentions of ever stopping, I finally found relief. This was spiraling into a very, very unhealthy source of self-medication as into my early 20’s I was drinking 2-3 days a week. Now you might ask, as I did, how is this a problem? Its only a couple days a week? The problem was in the fact I NEEDED those couple days a week to get COMPLETELY OBLITERATED on alcohol to get through life!!!!! It was a reliance I could not break, out of fear!!!
Around the same time, I also found an exciting way to help “keep the party going” …COCAINE!!! After meeting my current ex-wife at 24, I had stopped the drugs but continued drinking and continues THINKING at its regular pace.
After 4 years together, 2 more years married and 1 BEAUTIFUL little girl later, we decided we just weren’t compatible as a couple. We divorced and agreed upon co parenting for our daughter. With this divorce came, FRAT BOY!!! Once I got on my own, the drinking and the drugs had quickly escalated into an ALMOST every night affair. The noise, thoughts, anxieties, fears, in my head were an ALMOST HOURLY affair. The alcohol and the drugs were all that could save me.
After another failed relationship, health declining, life going ABSOLUTELY nowhere, I finally gave up. at this point routine, two-day bender fueled by drugs and alcohol, I heard the voice of a GOD OF MY UNDERSTANDING WITHIN ME. This may not be the typical “god” you have heard of, or accept, but its my HIGHER POWER. I checked myself into an inpatient drug and alcohol rehabilitation center and spent the next 28 days, giving up!! I had surrendered to addiction, surrendered to the egoic way of thinking, surrendered to resistance in life!!!! This, next to the birth of my daughter, was the greatest thing to happen to me! Since then I have dedicated my life to HELPING THOSE REACH THEIR TRUE HIGHEST SENSE OF SELF!! Their highest sense of AWARENESS, highest sense of CONSCIOUSNESS.
See, it was taught to me that the only way I can remain the best version of my self is to give it to others!! And I know today that if I don’t give to others the gift I was FREELY GIVEN, I would be doing the world a injustice. It would be the height of ego to keep a JACKPOT of spiritual wealth and not share with whoever wanted it! I currently work as a sales professional, very active in “the program” and also work as a Certified Recovery Specialist and SMART Recovery Facilitator. My purpose in life today is to HELP YOU by sharing my experience, strength and hope and then watching YOU help inspire another!!!!
Mike Tilberry
Hey, whats up? I’m Mike Tilberry. Most of my close friends call me Tilz. I was born in raised in Scranton PA. You’re probably asking yourself where you’ve heard that before. Let me answer that for you. The Office. Yes the TV show. I can tell you though, that I never once ran into Steve Carrell walking the streets of Downtown Scranton.
Growing up, I was into sports. I played basketball and baseball. I was also very overweight and was picked on for most of my younger years. In fact, I had the distinction of being known as “The Pilsbury Doughboy” because of my last name and being overweight. I tried to play it and act as if I were ok with it. But I really wasn’t. This lead to a severe growth of self esteem and self worth. Which lasted with me until my teenage years. But through this experience I’ve been able to draw inspiration for what eventually became my calling in life, and that’s helping other find purpose and happiness through their struggles.
In high school, I began to find out who I really was. I started playing football and meat some amazing friends. Friends that I am still close with almost 20 years later. In fact, we’ve all been in each other’s weddings and present for all of the important things we have experienced in life. Also, in high school, I fell in love with the thing that would one day change my life, exercise.
Working out in the weight room was one thing I looked forward to every single day. I loved it and it became the foundation of my life and later what I would do for a living.
During this time I really grew into my body. I was no longer the “fat kid”. I was big, strong and athletic. And for the first time in my life, I really felt like I belonged and was accepted by my peers. I graduated high school at 220 pounds. A very athletic and muscular 220 pounds.
After high school, I attended Marywood University in Scranton. The first moment I walked onto campus I knew that this wasn’t for me. I was going to school for all of the wrong reasons. I was going because that’s what society tells us to do after we finish high school. I lasted 1 year and dropped out. That wasn’t for me. Also during this time, I had put so much weight back on and was no longer an athletic and muscular 220 pound person anymore. I had stopped working out and didn’t care about my personal health or well-being. By the end of my Freshman and only year, I had put on 50 pounds and had reached my heaviest weight of 270 pounds. I had trouble getting off my couch and going up and down steps. I was winded very easily. My knees hurt. I was miserable.
I worked at a local Ice Skating rink and drove a Zamboni. Yes, it was freaking awesome. I worked my way up through the company became the Operations Manager/Assistant Rink Manager and Head of Ice Technologies and Development. Don’t ask what any of that means, because I really have no clue at all. But it had an awesome sound to it and made me seem a lot more important.
Life was pretty good, until the recession in 2008/9 happened. I became a victim of that, like so many others across the country. Out of work, no degree and only real experience I had, was driving a Zamboni. Not many companies were in the market for one of those people. But I was fortunate to have found a position at a local distribution center for a large home improvement company. I was driving a forklift.
I worked there for 5 years and it was the most depressing time of my life. Not because of the company I worked for, but the fact that I had convinced myself that this was as far as I was going to go in life. I thought this was it. I had no real purpose or drive. Wake up every morning and literally go through the motions. That’s no way to live life. During this time, I decided that I needed to get my health back and get my weight under control. So I got back to working out regulalry and started to focus and care about my nutrition. I ended up getting into the best shape of my life. Those values and characteristics that I developed during that time still stick with me to this day. Both sides of my family have a history of heart disease and diabetes. And I was determined to do everything I could to prevent that.
During this time, I also began drinking heavily on the weekends and doing some pretty wild things. I would usually drink Thursday night, Friday night, Saturday night and during the day on Sunday. Nobody knew that. All they knew was when we went out on the weekends I would tear it up usually make an A$$ out of myself.
This all changed one evening in 2012. After another night of beer and shots, I was closing out my tab at the end of the evening. And the most amazing woman literally walked into my life. I almost chased her off because I could’nt recognize a good thing when it was right in front of my face. But I was able to smooth it over. We exchanged numbers, I took her out for dinner the next night and the rest is history. By the way, I was in such a bad place in my life at the time, my car had been repossessed a year before and had to borrow a friend’s car to take her out that evening.
She taught me to be happy. She showed me that life is great. We just have to allow it to happen. And she was right. She had mentioned becoming a Personal Trainer because I had an amazing transformation and I might be able to help others. A year later, I became a Certified Personal Trainer. Although I prefer the term Coach.
We ended up moving to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina in 2014, the same year she finished her Master’s in School Counceling and the year we got engaged. She found a job as a High School Councelot and began her career. I was so proud of her. It was time to move South. Which was also the first time I had ever lived anywhere other than Scranton.
After a few months of un-employement, I found a local gym looking for coaches. I went for an interview and was scared to death the moment I walked in. It wasn’t a traditional gym with cardio equipment and weight machines. It was a wide open space with turf. There was a coach on a microphone leading a group of about 8 people. There was no way I could do this. I’m an introvert by nature and the very thought of talking in front of large groups of people scared the hell out of me.
But I had to give it a chance. Interview went well and I had an opportunity to coach the next day as the next part of the interview process. I was hired a week later and haven’t looked back since. When I started there were fewer than 5 employees, including the owner, fewer than 100 members and only 1 location. Fast forward almost 6 years and it is now a national brand. Over 1500 members. Almost 100 employees and 10 locations. I started as a Part Time Coach and worked my way up. Full Time position, Head Performance Coach, Regional Director and Director of Operations and everything in between.
I recently lost my job due to the COVID – 19 Global Pandemic. But every obstacle creates a new opportunity
The most amazing thing through this whole journey is that I think I truly believe I found my passion in life. And that is helping people find their passion and happiness. I decided I needed to continue to grow and expand, so I became a Life Coach as well. This would allow me to help more people, in many different areas of life. With this, I was also able to do motivational and public speaking. I’ve spoken at many different organizational events such as The American Heart Association, Habitat for Humanity, Coastal Carolina University, Rotary Clubs and many High Schools. I truly love heloing people.
And then in 2019, the greatest thing that could ever have happened, happened. My wife and I welcomed our son into this world. Its been an incredible journey so far and am very excited for what the future holds. But for now, I’m going to continue to live in the moment and appreciate every second with my family. When you can look at the world through the eyes of a child, you get a totally different perspective. It allows you to focus on what’s important and what really matters.
Fast forward a few months later and here we are. Kyle and I had thrown this idea of a podcast around. Not really sure where it would lead. Its crazy that it has taken us here. After tossing around ideas and names and concepts, There’s No Script to Life was born.
Kyle, myself and our Executive Producer Dustin, look forward to changing the world, one conversation at a time.
Dustin Bowen
I’m Dustin, I’m the “EP” for the TNSTL Brand. It’s kinda the fancy way to say that I do a lot of the behind the scenes stuff such as blogging/website design, podcast editing, content creating, idea generating, etc. I’m insanely honored to be working with the above two men as being part of this team. Kyle is one of, if not my, longest friend and confidant that I ever have had. Kyle and I were always like minded, whether it be in a childhood mischief, or drinking and going to get 2 a.m. taco bell. Kyle and I now are closer than ever as our like mindedness has brought us together to serve. Kyle and I also exchange a 7:47 p.m. nightly to banter about one of his many teams, his poor fantasy football decisions, or for me to get my head on straight, which I forever appreciate. Mike and I met on the football field, often discussing Monday Night Raw, Nitro, or how big Frank Thomas’s biceps actually were. Our football lockers were next to one another, and we bonded over a watermelon (true story). We became lifting partners, and from there we became brothers. Mike has always been able to inspire others, and, people gravitated to him. He is a natural leader, and his vibes are the consistently some of the best to be around. Mike inspires me and pushes me on a daily basis. Not just in the gym but in life. I have been with them through their respective highs and lows, as they have been with me.
Growing up, I was initially timid and constantly afraid that I wasn’t going to fit in. My parents and my family is absolutely incredible, and we were a pretty normal middle class family. At an EXTREMELY young age I found that humor was my finest attribute to “break the ice” with well… anyone. I also found that making people smile and happy was something that not only was I good at, but LOVED doing. I guess that I grew out of that timid side, as now I’m usually the loudest and goofiest one in the room, so they say. Kyle, Mike, and myself have a very strong bond along with our other close group of friends that I am very blessed to have in my life.
I, like most humans, started working for “the man” as soon as I could. The thought of making my OWN money was just too good to be true, and I was working at a church, a comic book store, and a sporting goods store, all by 16. I always found that working while doing something that I loved wasn’t really work at all. The rock that kept me strong was my girlfriend at the time, who is now my wife Elizabeth. Her and I have been together since 2002 and have been married since 2010. She, as my mother says, keeps me on the straight and narrow. For that I appreciate her, and my mother is very much right. I will tie that all together in a moment.
I went to college at Penn State Worthington Scranton from 2004-2009. I began studying software engineering upon arrival, but soon realized that it wasn’t for me. It wasn’t because it was “hard” as I enjoyed the intricacies, the challenges, and the work needed, but what I didn’t like was that there wasn’t much human connection, and that I couldn’t help people to the best of my capabilities, so I switched to marketing. Although polar opposite majors, it is a switch that still benefits me to this day. AND I still get to work with computers!
Upon leaving college, Beth and I started to get serious, and I put a ring on it. So I knew it was time to begin adulting, and do what I could to turn working two-three jobs, into 1 job and hopefully a career.
I applied and got the job as a Global Trade analyst for Bank of America ( I love fancy titles). I learned soon that my outspoken personality was frowned upon, the only person that I could help was my desk mate next to me, and that, because of the pay, I was essentially “stuck” there. The pay at this location was often ranked in the top of our area, but my well-being slowly started to decline to enjoy it. I felt like I had a lot more to offer the world, one that began to burden me into a pretty bad depression.
Elizabeth and I welcomed our first son, David into the world shortly after starting at Bank of America, in which they gave 3 months (yes months) paternity leave. It was then that I began reading books again. I also got into one of those pyramid schemes with a high school mate in which I saw was a way out of the rat race. I was in it for 3 days, and wanted no part of that as I began to see how thick the Kool Aide was. But what was given to me was a book “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” and the light bulb started to flicker.
As I began pumping my ears with podcasts, I realized that there was a whole different world out there that could be mine for the taking! From actual podcasting, blogging, YouTube, affiliate sales, ebooks, the list goes on! I could do all of this and leave the Bank!! So, as I began thinking so broad, my work ethic, which I always valued, began to decline. Just because I knew “HOW” to do it, didn’t mean that I was actually doing it. Which, again, started to weigh very heavy on me, as I had no ability to work on it because of my lack of time management.
I started to get in more “trouble” and singled out in meetings for poor performance. I began drinking more and more heavily, losing precious time with my family that to this day I still regret, making poor choices in my marriage and treating Beth unfairly, and losing sight of my health and power lifting goals. Even when I was sober for a few days, I would lay on the couch unable to do anything because of how depressed I was getting. With Beth and I not as strong as we once were, I became more of a wild child, drinking to the point of black out almost every evening, showing up to work still drunk and hungover, and poor eating habits. Drinking became almost like a caffeine as it cleared my mind to NOT think about all that I wanted to accomplish, and all the trouble I was going to get into in the meeting the next day.
I remember my son telling me at a park that “I was a pretty excellent father” and that my switch hit. How could I be that excellent to him when I felt like an absolute piece of trash of a human, a low-life. I needed to change asap. The longer that I was involved with my family, the more that I could be a part of his life, and Beth’s. A month or so later, I applied for an FMLA Leave of absence as the alcoholism brought on the stress, depression, and anxiety. During this time, I was able to start a junk removal company, Junken Monkeys Hauling Company, which I still work and own to this day. I realized how much better my life was when helping people.
The ill effects of my 9-5 trauma still linger. I began seeing and continue to see a psychologist 2 years ago, my alcoholism, although not fully diminished, has decreased to an extremely manageable, and not a coping mechanism any more. My weight, although still heavy, has became something that I work on daily. My mental well being continues to become more clear. My “fear of success” is gone, as I now work with my two closest friends on this wonderful brand. I am writing an ebook to help people minimize the fear of jumping out of the 9-5, started my own business which is growing by the day, and putting all the knowledge that I gained while paralyzed from the mental warfare of the 9-5 to good use. As for Beth and I, we just welcomed our 2nd child, Benny Bowen to the world. Her and I are closer now than we have ever been. I can not wait to continue to share my growing experiences with you as well, as I grow better and better!
I, along with Mike and Kyle, are equally pumped to serve you, help you, guide you, make you laugh when you’re feeling down, or do whatever you need. Just remember, if you get a flat tire when you’re already late- there’s no script to life. Roll with it, smile, and let’s get through it-together.
There's No Script to Life 