Helping People Win: An Interview With Exos Founder Mark Verstegen

Meet Mark Verstegen: The Mind Behind the Movement

As the president and founder of Exos, Mark Verstegen is a world-class expert in human performance. Over three decades of experience, he’s helped pioneer the integrated performance model that has reshaped how elite athletes and modern workplaces performers think about human potential. 

But his journey didn’t start with a big vision or a business plan. It started with a setback, a severed nerve, and a deep question: How do we help people reach their highest potential and win in their own way?

We sat down with Mark to talk about his early influences, how Exos evolved from a dream to a global movement, and what it means to help people win their day.

Let’s start at the beginning. Before becoming a performance expert, you were a college athlete. What’s the story behind that shift?

Yeah, I was playing football at Washington State when I had a career-ending injury. I cut the nerve in my left arm. It left my arm and part of my neck numb, and I knew I wasn’t getting back on the field again.

At the time, I was already really into strength and conditioning, especially sports nutrition, which wasn’t even really a field yet. And going through physical therapy myself, I started to see this massive gap between traditional training and physical rehab or let alone prevention which I coined “Pre-Hab.”. You had athletic trainers and physical therapists over here, strength coaches over there, with nobody talking to each other.

So I started connecting those dots to help people perform at their best. From there, another important shift happened. 

In addition to supporting athletes, I started coaching university staff on their recovery and well-being. And that’s when I realized that helping someone thrive in their everyday life was just as meaningful as helping elite athletes win championships.

That insight seems to underpin everything Exos has become.

Exactly. I’ve always said, we’re not just optimizing human bodies. Our coaches support the person inside the body. Whether you’re a pro athlete, a parent, or a business leader, you’re on a hero’s journey. And our coaches’ job is to help you win that journey every day.

In the beginning, we talked about sustainable performance being built on four raw ingredients: mindset, nutrition, movement, and recovery. If you’re missing one of those, you’re not performing at your best. Period.

You’ve coached pro football stars and elite military personnel. What do they have in common with the rest of us?

More than most people think. The difference is support. Pro athletes and tactical teams have massive staff teams: sometimes 7 to 15 experts for every one performer. But for most of us? We’re supporting 7 to 15 people. Kids, parents, coworkers, friends. And no one’s supporting us.

That’s why we expanded Exos’ mission to give everyone access to world-class support. The same systems that help someone win a championship can help you show up for your family, crush a work project, or get back on your feet after a health scare.

You’ve previously talked about “winning game plans.” What does that mean to you?

It’s not about winning a game. It’s about winning the process. A winning game plan helps you identify what’s important, build confidence, turn that into courage, and then keep improving. That’s the gift that keeps giving.

But it starts by understanding what really matters to you. What inspires you? What gives you purpose? Once we know that, we can build a plan around it. That’s how performance becomes sustainable.

You’ve worked across so many domains: sports, military, healthcare, and then corporate. Why go into the workplace?

It actually happened pretty organically. Corporate leaders saw how we were coaching athletic and tactical teams and said, “Our employees need this.” And they were right. The workplace is now one of the most high-pressure environments people face.

We started with pilots at massive Silicon Valley tech companies and saw incredible results off of just 2.3 hours a week with participating employees. It was clear our coaching model worked. And with healthcare costs rising and burnout everywhere, we knew we could make a real difference.

How do you describe what Exos does now, in the corporate world?

We help people perform and sustain at their best on their own terms. Our coaches aren’t just delivering movement breaks or nutrition tips. They’re becoming cultural integrators. They seek to understand what’s going on in the company and with individuals.

Once they get the lay of the land, they become cultural upgraders who actually help people shift behaviors, feel more connected, and thrive.

That’s what’s so exciting. We’re not just changing individual lives — we’re helping organizations create environments where people can show up fully.

You’ve said “greatness is a team sport.” How have you developed Exos’ culture over the years?

It all comes back to our values. Back then, we built Exos on a foundation called GROW: Gratitude and grit, Respect and responsibility, One team, and a relentless drive to Win. Not in the scoreboard sense, but by helping people achieve their goals and win their process in the ways that matter most to them.

That shows up in how we hire, how we collaborate, and how we hold each other accountable. We bring in people with world-class skills and open minds. We expect them to learn across disciplines, to be able to speak physical therapy, nutrition, mindset, and recovery in order to contribute to an integrated whole.

But culture isn’t a poster on a wall. It’s what people feel when they walk into a facility or log on to a call with one of our coaches. It’s how we show up for each other and for our clients. We’ve always believed that if we take care of our people, they’ll take care of the mission. And that’s been true every step of the way.

What’s next? How do you see Exos evolving?

We’re doubling down on innovation, but not just for athletes. Our performance innovation team has created what we call “arcs”: using cutting-edge research to elevate performance in the new world of work. We’re applying those arcs in corporate settings, with first responders, with everyday performers.

We’ve always said that you don’t have to be a pro athlete to be treated with that same level of intentional care. Now, we’re proving that every day with digital platforms, workplace programs, and human capital strategies that put people at the center of it all.

Last question: How do you hope people feel after working with Exos?

I hope people feel fully seen and supported. They feel like they’ve got a team in their corner. Like they can take on whatever life throws at them, and win.

Because at the end of the day, every day is game day. And we’re here to help you show up, rise up, and thrive.

Want to help your workforce win? Talk to us about how Exos coaching can help your team reach their fullest potential. 

About the Expert

Mark Verstegen, MS, CSCS is one of the world’s foremost experts on human performance. As the founder and president of Exos, he leads the organization’s global mission to elevate performance and drive continual innovation in support of clients worldwide. He’s also a sought-after keynote speaker and the author of six books and numerous research articles.

With over 30 years of experience, Mark previously founded and led IMG Academy’s International Performance Institute. He has served as the Performance Director for the NFL Players Association for over two decades and has been a performance and nutrition coach at Washington State University, the University of Idaho, and Georgia Tech.