By: Joshua Finley

Transforming Adversity into Success for High Performers

In a moment that would forever alter the course of his life, Wayne Salmans stood to face David Goggins, the toughest man on the planet. The arena was charged with energy—the kind that vibrates through your bones and makes your heart race. Wayne intended to ask a simple, professional question, but as he took the mic and looked into Goggins’ intense eyes, his carefully planned question melted away. Intuition and raw authenticity took the reins.

Wayne was in a hard place. After eleven years of marriage, during which he poured his heart and soul into his relationship, his wife had just asked for a divorce. The news left him devastated. Even though he presented a composed facade, his heart was in turmoil. Inner conflict was tearing him apart, and he was desperately seeking guidance.

As Goggins began to speak, Wayne felt the weight of the crowd’s silence. Goggins’ blunt advice to “toughen up and move on” might seem harsh, yet those words cut through Wayne’s internal struggle with a precision that left no room for doubt. Goggins’ voice resonated with primal truth.

The simplicity and directness of Goggins’ advice was exactly what Wayne needed. “There’s something that everybody’s dealing with, and your feelings are the one thing in life that will hurt you from moving forward,” Goggins said. It was as if Goggins had seen directly into Wayne’s heart and soul, responding with masterful attunement and profound insight.

“From that moment on, my mantra became, ‘Do things that make you proud of you,’ and ‘Just do the next right thing,’” Wayne shares. 

“Do things that make you proud of you… Just do the next right thing.”

Wayne’s divorce was challenging, but he now views it as a turning point, a catalyst that pushed him to become the man he is today. He leverages this personal transformation in his work with business owners, helping them unlock the same level of freedom and fulfillment he has achieved.

“I saw so many tired, frustrated, exhausted business owners who weren’t getting the guidance and support they needed, so I founded Hero Nation Coaching to help them get what they actually wanted in the first place: freedom and fulfillment,” Wayne explains, his eyes lighting up with passion.

Breaking away from the outdated, one-size-fits-all coaching models, Wayne works one-on-one with his clients through the Strategic Built Business method. This approach focuses on three pillars: people, process, and profits. 

“I help my clients reclaim their valuable time, giving them predictability, scalability, and growth… I am the secret weapon of high-performing business owners who want to get from where they are to where they want to go—faster and with fewer bruises,” he says.

Wayne’s experience speaks to the power of resilience and the importance of authentic guidance. His story is not just about overcoming adversity; it’s about using those experiences to help others find their path to freedom and fulfillment.

For more information, visit www.theheronation.com.

For interviews or speaking requests, connect with Wayne at @waynesalmans.

Published by: Nelly Chavez