How Chad Cohen's Instagram Story Sparked a Global Run Club
In Season 4, Episode 9 of Turning Pro, Ben sits down with Chad Cohen, founder of Fortem Media and co-creator of the wildly popular Unofficial Run Club. What started as a personal crisis turned into an engine of community, creativity, and global momentum.
Just two years ago, Chad was struggling. The business was chaotic, relationships were fraying, and mentally, he was hitting a wall. His breakthrough didn’t come in a boardroom. It came during a marathon. Running became his anchor. And as he rebuilt himself mile by mile, he accidentally built one of the fastest-growing wellness communities in Australia.
Today, Fortem Media helps brands stay culturally relevant, and Chad documents it all in real time. In this episode, he shares the philosophy behind brand building in the attention economy, why consistency beats creativity, and how hiring a full-time videographer changed everything.
Pain Can Spark Purpose Chad got into running not for fitness, but to survive a mental health crisis. That outlet turned into a powerful foundation for everything he’s building today.
Consistency Is the Real Hack Whether it’s running, building a business, or scaling a community, Chad’s edge comes down to one thing: showing up every single day.
Build in Public (For Real) He hired a full-time videographer to document, not stage, his daily life. That decision has driven serious inbound deal flow and built brand trust.
The Best Communities Start by Accident What began as casual Friday runs with friends turned into Unofficial Run Club, drawing 1,600+ runners in less than six months.
You Don’t Need Work-Life Balance if You Love the Work For Chad, building Fortem doesn’t drain him. It energizes him. He’s designed a life where work and play are the same thing.
Turn Your Personal Brand into a Sales Engine When you share your life authentically, people want to work with you. Chad’s personal content drives real business outcomes for Fortem.
Ask for Forgiveness, Not Permission Chad trains his content team to roll on everything. Candid moments make the best content, and the upside outweighs the awkwardness.
You Don’t Have to Be a Creative to Win at Content Chad doesn’t shoot or edit videos himself. He hires people better than him, sets clear expectations, and focuses on what he does best, building relationships.
Founder-Market Fit Is Everything Chad’s obsession with connection, creativity, and culture makes Fortem feel inevitable. This isn’t a business play. It’s who he is.
There’s No “Pro” Moment, Only Progress Chad doesn’t believe in ever turning pro. He’s in it for the long game. His mindset is simple: just be better than you were yesterday.
Chad Cohen’s story is a reminder that the best companies don’t start from a business plan. They start from something deeply personal. Whether it’s hitting rock bottom or running your way out of burnout, what matters is that you keep moving. And if you’re smart, you’ll document the ride.
