ABOUT US
STAN EFFERDING
Stan is the Founder of “The Vertical Diet" and Co-founder of “The Vertical Meal Prep”. He is an IFBB Professional body builder and World Record Holding Powerlifter. He is the only man in the world to ever total over 2,300 pounds raw over 40 years of age in competition. Stan holds the title as the World’s Strongest Professional Bodybuilder.
Stan holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Psychology and studied Exercise Science at the University of Oregon. Stan has been training high-school, Collegiate, and Professional athletes for over 30years. Stan conducts seminars all over the world for various sports, nutrition, and training techniques.
He has appeared in many magazines and has written for Muscular Development, Flex Magazine, Bodybuilding.com and Power Magazine. Stan is also a successful Entrepreneur having built five different start-up businesses into multi-million-dollar companies. He also appeared on Shark Tank and partnered with Daymond John.
ROBERT "BOBBY" SOMERS
Robert "Bobby" Somers is a Medically Retired, 13-year United States Army Veteran. He is a recipient of the Purple Heart as a combat wounded soldier. Bobby lives with severe, chronic PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury as a result of multiple explosions during the initial invasion of Iraq. He takes every step of every day with the painful reminder of those blasts. Shrapnel still riddles his leg and has caused permanent nerve pain and damage.
He spends a huge amount of his time with the Department of Veterans Affairs, and other clinics and doctors willing to help, trying to find ways to combat this trauma and pain. Bobby's wife, and best friend, Nicole Somers is also a disabled combat veteran . Their lives, along with their two children, are impacted daily by the lasting impact of war. Bobby's daily struggles and frequent suicidal thoughts have led him on a mission to shed light on the national crisis of Veteran suicide, depression and mental health.
His success, while a continuous fight, is a testament to the fortitude that all Veterans possess, thy just need help realizing it. Bobby has transformed himself into an inspirational speaker with the mission to spread awareness and acceptance of their reality as Veterans. Bobby speaks to crowds of hundreds about his own battles, mental struggles, and monsters so that his brothers and sisters know that it is not weakness BUT strength to let go of their silence and open up.
