Rising Star Phillip Solomon On How Authenticity and Vulnerability Pay Off and Help You Win Personally and Professionally
You build unshakable trust. When you’re real with people, they feel it. Clients, colleagues, and communities respond to honesty in a way that polished perfection never earns. Vulnerability creates trust, and trust is the foundation of any meaningful connection — whether it’s in a training session or even in the classroom.
Being vulnerable and authentic are some of today’s popular buzzwords. It may seem counterintuitive to be vulnerable, as many of us have been taught to project an air of confidence, be a boss, and act like we know everything. In Brene Brown’s words, “vulnerability takes courage.” So is vulnerability a strength or a weakness? Can someone be authentic without being vulnerable? How can being authentic and vulnerable help someone grow both personally and professionally? In this interview series, we are talking to business leaders, mental health professionals and business and life coaches who can share stories and examples of “How Authenticity and Vulnerability Pay Off and Help You Win Personally and Professionally.” As a part of this series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Phillip Solomon.
Phillip Solomon is a NASM-certified trainer, former educator, and breakout star of NBC’s Deal or No Deal Island — known for blending fitness, culture, and character into everything he does.
One of the first Black trainers at Barry’s, Phillip’s journey from classroom leader to nationally recognized fitness expert is rooted in purpose. A first-generation American raised in a Caribbean household, he overcame childhood obesity, bullying, and identity struggles to build a wellness philosophy grounded in mental health, balance, and self-respect.
His 50-lb weight loss journey — and the emotional aftermath — ignited his mission to help others achieve sustainable change without sacrificing their well-being. Whether he’s training, mentoring, or sharing his story on national TV, Phillip leads with emotional intelligence, grit, and integrity.
On Deal or No Deal Island, he walked away with $75,000 — and something more powerful: the respect of viewers who saw a man stay true to himself. Now a rising voice in fitness and media, Phillip is helping redefine what strength, leadership, and authenticity really look like.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we start, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood backstory?
My journey into fitness wasn’t born from a six-pack dream or a long history of athleticism, but rather, in a much quieter place — when I realized that movement had the power to heal not just the body, but also the heart. As the first generation American, from Caribbean immigrants, fitness and nutrition were simply never a part of our values. Never having a person of color to initially look up to in the fitness space, prompted me to become one myself, to ultimately to support people in rebuilding relationships with themselves — through strength, sweat, and self-respect. My approach? Empathy first, burpees second.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
The quote that gets me through each day is “appreciate who you were, celebrate who you are, and motivate who you’re going to be.” Whether the goal is personal, professional, or even psychological, this quote has helped me continue to respect my own personal journey and remember that I am fully equipped to handle anything the world will throw at me.
Is there a particular book, podcast, or film that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?
My guilty pleasure that really helped shape my adolescence was The Real World on MTV. In addition to sparking my love for reality television in general, it was the first time that I saw “non-celebrities” with big boisterous personalities, just reacting to everyday situations and conflicts. Through that show, I “met” my first member of the LDS church, got to witness romantic relationships that were purely and genuinely unapologetic, and even feel sorrow watching a
beloved cast member succumb to complications from the AIDS epidemic.
Let’s now shift to the main part of our discussion. Let’s begin with a definition of terms so that each of us and our readers are on the same page. What exactly does being authentic mean?
For me, being authentic means showing up as the full version of yourself — even when that version isn’t perfectly polished. In the fitness world, it’s easy to get caught up in the performance of strength: the chiseled image, the hustle mindset, the curated highlight reel. But real strength, to me, is the courage to be seen fully — your scars, your stories, your setbacks, and your truth.
As a trainer, my job isn’t just to guide someone through reps — it’s to hold space for their humanity. Some days, that looks like celebrating a new personal best; other days, it’s just listening while they try to hold it together. Authenticity means I don’t pretend to have it all together either. Vulnerability isn’t a liability — it’s a bridge. And over time, it builds the kind of trust that changes people far beyond the gym floor.
Being authentic is my rebellion against the culture of “grind or go home.” It’s my way of saying: You belong here, exactly as you are, right now.
What does being vulnerable mean? Can you explain?
Vulnerability, to me, is the deepest form of strength. It’s standing in a space where you don’t have all the answers, where the weight isn’t just on the barbell — it’s in your chest — and choosing to show up anyway.
I spent my time on Deal or No Deal Island talking about some of the harder chapters in my life — moments when I felt like I was losing more than I was lifting. I’ve had plenty of moments, both televised and not, when I looked the strongest, but when I felt the weakest. Through the amazing interactions with the fans however, both in person and online, I realized something profound: people don’t connect to your perfection — they connect to your humanity.
Being vulnerable isn’t about oversharing or performing pain. It’s about being honest enough to say, “Here’s where I am, and here’s what I’m working through.” It’s admitting that fitness isn’t just physical — it’s emotional, spiritual, deeply personal. I’ve had clients cry before or after a class because a movement unlocked a memory. I take pride in knowing that I create a space that is welcoming and supportive enough to foster those emotions. One where vulnerability isn’t awkward — it’s welcomed.
Because if I can show someone that being seen won’t break them, maybe they’ll stop hiding from themselves. And that — that’s where real transformation begins.
What are the positive aspects of being authentic and vulnerable? Can you give a story or example to explain what you mean?
When you live authentically and allow yourself to be vulnerable, what you gain isn’t just connection — it’s freedom. Real freedom. The kind that comes from no longer performing for approval or hiding to protect an outdated image of strength. You stop filtering yourself through the lens of who you think you need to be, and you start living as who you are.
The moment I allowed myself to discuss my history with bullying and speech differences with my castmates, I feel like my life had a new start, learning that I could use this newly found notoriety not just as an “experience”, but as a platform.
In the gym, I see this shift all the time. A client might come in with their guard up, trying to “tough it out,” thinking vulnerability is weakness. But the moment they exhale and tell me, “I’ve been struggling,” or “I’m scared I can’t do this,” that’s when the real work begins. That honesty? That’s the launchpad for growth. Physically, yes — but more importantly, emotionally. And that carries into every area of life.
People gain deeper relationships, greater self-respect, and a resilience that’s rooted in reality — not ego. You don’t need to pretend you’re invincible when you realize you’re enough, even with your mess, your doubts, your healing-in-progress self. Vulnerability strips away pretense, and what’s left is powerful: truth, trust, and the kind of clarity that changes how you move through the world.
Are there negative aspects to authenticity and vulnerability? Can you give a story or example to explain what you mean?
Yes — being authentic and vulnerable can sometimes feel risky. Not everyone will understand or appreciate your openness, and you may face judgment or discomfort in return. But even then, staying true to yourself is far more empowering than living behind a mask.
Social media has taught me that for every 10 amazing messages of support and encouragement, you will receive 1–2 messages of hate for oversharing or appearing weak. You learn quickly, however, that those people are not your tribe.
From your experience or perspective, what are some of the common barriers that hold someone back from being authentic and vulnerable?
From my perspective, the biggest barriers are fear of rejection, shame, and the pressure to “perform” strength rather than embody it. Many people have been taught — explicitly or subtly — that showing emotion makes them weak, or that their real selves aren’t enough. Fear is truly paralyzing and until it’s challenged, it keeps people locked in self-protection instead of self-expression.
Here is the central question of our discussion. What are five ways that being authentic and vulnerable pay off, and help you win, both personally and professionally?
1. You build unshakable trust.
When you’re real with people, they feel it. Clients, colleagues, and communities respond to honesty in a way that polished perfection never earns. Vulnerability creates trust, and trust is the foundation of any meaningful connection — whether it’s in a training session or even in the classroom.
2. You attract the right people.
Authenticity acts like a magnet. When you stop performing and start being yourself, you stop wasting energy on spaces you’ve outgrown and start drawing in those aligned with your values, mission, and heart. Personally and professionally, that changes everything.
3. You create a deeper impact.
Anyone can teach a workout. But when you show up as your full, human self, you give people permission to do the same. That’s where transformation happens — not just in their bodies, but in their beliefs about themselves.
4. You build resilience.
When you live authentically, you stop fearing failure. Vulnerability teaches you to ride the waves instead of resisting them. You bounce back faster because you’ve already owned your imperfections — and that’s a power and privilege no one can take from you.
5. You stand out in all the right ways.
In an industry flooded with filters and highlight reels, being real is revolutionary. People crave substance over spectacle. As someone who has been a part of such big communities, when examining the fields of education, reality television, and fitness, I hope above all that I have made a unique contribution. When you lead with vulnerability and truth, you don’t just build a brand — you build a legacy.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?
I’d inspire a movement that redefines success as service — where we use our individual talents not as trophies, but as tools- a “potluck of skills, talents, and energies”, if you will. Whether you’re a trainer, artist, CEO, or student, your gift isn’t meant to set you above others — it’s meant to reach others. Too often, we treat talent as a measuring stick, something that breeds competition or hierarchy. But what if we saw it as a bridge?
My dream is a world where we stop flexing our strengths to be admired and start offering them to be of use. Where we trade performance for purpose. Where the question isn’t “How far ahead am I?” but “Who can I help with what I’ve learned?” That kind of movement? It wouldn’t just change people — it would connect them.
Is there a person in the world whom you would love to have lunch with, and why? Maybe we can tag them and see what happens!
Shaun T, of Insanity/ T25/ Hip Hop Abs fame, would be an incredible lunch companion because his journey is a perfect blend of raw honesty, empowerment, and resilience. He’s built an empire not by hiding his struggles but by embracing them — teaching millions that true strength comes from showing up, flaws and all. His work isn’t just about pushing physical limits; it’s about breaking mental barriers and helping others do the same. Also, he’d be a hell of a dance partner for a video.
How can our readers follow you online?
On Instagram and TikTok, @PSolomon12
Thank you so much for sharing these important insights. We wish you continued success and good health!
About The Interviewer: Maria Angelova, MBA is a disruptor, author, motivational speaker, body-mind expert, Pilates teacher and founder and CEO of Rebellious Intl. As a disruptor, Maria is on a mission to change the face of the wellness industry by shifting the self-care mindset for consumers and providers alike. As a mind-body coach, Maria’s superpower is alignment which helps clients create a strong body and a calm mind so they can live a life of freedom, happiness and fulfillment. Prior to founding Rebellious Intl, Maria was a Finance Director and a professional with 17+ years of progressive corporate experience in the Telecommunications, Finance, and Insurance industries. Born in Bulgaria, Maria moved to the United States in 1992. She graduated summa cum laude from both Georgia State University (MBA, Finance) and the University of Georgia (BBA, Finance). Maria’s favorite job is being a mom. Maria enjoys learning, coaching, creating authentic connections, working out, Latin dancing, traveling, and spending time with her tribe. To contact Maria, email her at angelova@rebellious-intl.com. To schedule a free consultation, click here.
Rising Star Phillip Solomon On How Authenticity and Vulnerability Pay Off and Help You Win… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.