What happens when the life that looks successful from the outside is quietly making you unwell? In this episode of Rooted & Wild, I’m joined by Juan Carlos Pleitez, entrepreneur and world traveler, for a conversation about burnout, health, work, freedom, and what can happen when we finally give ourselves permission to live differently. For years, Juan Carlos traveled the world feeling healthy, energetic, and young. Then, within just two years, his health began moving in an entirely different direction. Despite maintaining what appeared to be a fit physique and building a successful career, he found himself overweight, pre-diabetic, mentally exhausted, and burned out. Eventually, he began questioning whether the very definition of “success” he had been pursuing was costing him his well-being. So he left his job. What followed surprised him. Within a month, Juan Carlos lost 10 pounds without making drastic dietary changes. But the larger transformation wasn't simply about weight. Stepping away from the environment that had depleted him gave him an opportunity to reconsider his relationship with work, food, stress, travel, time, and the kind of life he actually wanted to create. In our conversation, we explore world travel not simply as an escape, but as an opportunity to step outside familiar expectations and see life differently. We talk about burnout and the body, the relationship between stress and health, reconnecting with yourself, and why creating more freedom may sometimes require challenging ideas about productivity that we've accepted without question. Today, Juan Carlos is building his own startup around a very different philosophy. His team works approximately 3.5 to 4 days per week, intentionally leaving room for the ordinary things that sustain a human life: preparing nourishing food, exercising, seeing friends, running errands, resting, and simply having space to live. His story raises a question worth considering: What if success isn't about fitting more life around our work, but creating work that actually leaves room for our life? In this episode, we explore: • Juan Carlos's journey from world traveler to career burnout • The unexpected health changes that accompanied chronic stress • Becoming pre-diabetic despite appearing physically fit • What happened after he finally left his job • The relationship between stress, the body, and our everyday habits • How travel can challenge our assumptions about how life is “supposed” to look • Reconnecting with your authentic self • Food, nourishment, and creating healthier routines • Why wellness requires time, not simply good intentions • Rethinking productivity and traditional work culture • Building a startup around a 3.5 to 4-day work week • Making room for exercise, cooking, relationships, errands, and rest • The difference between achievement and fulfillment • Creating a life with greater freedom and flexibility • Connecting who we are today with the person we hope to become • Why changing your life may be more possible than it initially appears About Juan Carlos Pleitez Juan Carlos Pleitez is an entrepreneur and world traveler whose personal experience with burnout profoundly changed the way he thinks about health, success, work, and freedom. After years of traveling the world while feeling healthy and energetic, Juan Carlos experienced a rapid change in his well-being while pursuing a successful career. Within two years, he found himself overweight and pre-diabetic and eventually recognized the toll that stress and burnout were taking on his life. Leaving that career became the beginning of a larger transformation in the way he approached food, health, work, and his future. Today, Juan Carlos runs his own startup and is intentionally experimenting with a different model of work, including a 3.5 to 4-day work week designed to give his team greater space to care for their lives and well-being alongside their professional responsibilities. Connect with Juan Carlos Pleitez LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juancarlospleitez/ Rooted & Wild provides general information for educational and informational purposes only. The views and opinions expressed by guest speakers are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Henry Hawk. The content shared on this podcast is not intended to replace individualized medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice, nor should it be used to diagnose or treat any health condition. Listeners are encouraged to consult with qualified healthcare professionals regarding any medical or mental health concerns.
