The Kasandrinos Effect

Tony and Effi Kasandrinos

The Kasandrinos Effect is all about the things we deeply believe in: Mediterranean living, health, family, and everything behind building a family business.

We're Tony and Effi Kasandrinos, founders of Kasandrinos Olive Oil, built around transparency, quality, and doing things the right way. Our goal is simple. Help you cut through the noise, make healthier choices with confidence, and bring a little more intention to the way you live and eat.

We talk real olive oil versus fake, why sourcing and testing actually matter, and the small daily habits that make the biggest difference. We also get personal about building a business with our name on it, raising kids in the middle of it, and staying true to where we come from.

So whether you're cooking dinner, going for a walk, or pouring yourself a fresh cup of coffee, we're glad you're here.

New episodes every week.

Learn more at kasandrinos.com

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Tuesday · 33 min
Ep 10 - From Idea to Cookbook: How We Created Kasandrinos’s Kitchen
What does it really take to turn a family's recipes into a cookbook that lasts forever? Tony and Effi Kasandrinos sit down to talk about their new cookbook, Kasandrinos Kitchen, and how a decade of shared recipes finally became a real book. It started as something they kept promising customers and almost never pulled off. They get into why they nearly self-published, the friend and publisher who turned a 20-minute call into almost three hours of advice, the recipes that made the cut and the ones they still wish they added, and why the book carries their family story alongside olive oil, the Mediterranean diet, and real cooking techniques. Then it drifts happily into Greece, harvest season retreats, and the best time of year to visit. If you have ever thought about making a book of your own, or you just want an olive oil first way to cook, this one shows the real work behind the cover. Listen now. Timestamped Highlights 00:00 What the cookbook actually is, and why it is more than recipes 01:24 The one thing Tony wants to send to his old English teachers 02:38 The surprising way customers use olive oil that has nothing to do with food 03:18 The next book they have already planned 04:11 Why you should never buy flavored olive oil 04:48 Tony and Effi each name their favorite recipe in the book 07:10 The hardest part of turning family recipes into a cookbook 08:52 The old app that got them posting recipes in the first place 11:49 Why they almost self-published, and started calling print companies 12:52 The 20 minute call that turned into a two and a half hour masterclass 14:51 The text that turned a favor into a real published book 16:32 The two-year process, the reshot cover, and endless rewrites 18:16 Where you can buy the book right now 20:54 The book's original name, and the newsletter it became 22:39 The Greece retreat idea Tony cannot stop thinking about 28:10 The Spartan race in Sparta they want customers to join 29:03 The best and worst times to visit Greece for the first time Mentioned Resources Kasandrinos Kitchen - the new cookbook from Tony and Effi Kasandrinos, on Amazon and at Barnes & Noble The Mediterranean Code - the Kasandrinos newsletter, and the book's original name Victory Belt Publishing Kasandrinos Olive Oil Spartan Race Important Links Learn more about us: Kasandrinos.com Buy our book: Kasandrinos Kitchen Join our Facebook community: Facebook Follow us: Instagram | TikTok | Pinterest LinkedIn: Tony Kasandrinos | Effi Kasandrinos Booth The Kasandrinos Effect is an original podcast brought to you by Kasandrinos International and editing by Podcast Your Brand.
September 8 · 49 min
Ep. 9 - Laila Ali - How to Build a Legacy in a Legend's Shadow
What does it take to build your own legacy when the world already knows your last name? Laila Ali grew up as Muhammad Ali's daughter, then went 24-0 with 21 knockouts and built a life far beyond the ring. In this episode she sits down with Tony and Effi to talk about creating her own lane without ever stepping out of her father's light. She gets into the fire that got her into trouble as a kid, why she started boxing at 18 against her father's wishes, the junk hiding in most spice cabinets, and how she is raising kids who know their voice matters. Her new children's book, A Spark of Greatness, turns all of it into a story for the next generation. Listen now. Timestamped Highlights 00:03:31 - Why she never lost sleep over being known as Muhammad Ali's daughter 00:05:05 - The one rule from her father that still guides every decision 00:06:31 - The angry kid nobody knew what to do with, herself included 00:07:11 - What her dad actually said when she told him she wanted to box 00:13:52 - The surprising thread connecting her nail salon and the ring 00:19:22 - The junk she found hiding in her own spice cabinet 00:23:03 - Why a Hall of Fame boxer spent years on a book for four-to-eight-year-olds 00:25:28 - The trouble that landed her in juvenile hall 00:36:13 - What she tells her kids about grades, college, and pressure 00:40:05 - The two books she says everyone should read Mentioned Resources A Spark of Greatness by Laila Ali, illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera Reach: Finding Strength, Spirit, and Personal Power by Laila Ali Fast Like a Girl by Dr. Mindy Pelz Body Intelligence by Dr. Romeo Brooks Laila Ali Lifestyle and Laila Ali Spice Blends Katie Taylor Christy Martin documentary About the Guest Laila Ali is an undefeated boxing world champion and International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee, with a career record of 24 wins, 21 by knockout, and no losses. The daughter of Muhammad Ali, she has built a life well beyond the ring as a television host, entrepreneur, bestselling author, home chef, and wellness advocate. She is the founder of the Laila Ali Lifestyle brand and Laila Ali Spice Blends, and the author of Reach and the new children's book A Spark of Greatness. She lives in Georgia with her husband and two children. 🔗 Website | Instagram Important Links Learn more about us: Kasandrinos.com Buy our book: Kasandrinos Kitchen Join our Facebook community: Facebook Follow us: Instagram | TikTok | Pinterest LinkedIn: Tony Kasandrinos | Effi Kasandrinos Booth The Kasandrinos Effect is an original podcast brought to you by Kasandrinos International and editing by Podcast Your Brand.
September 1 · 44 min
Ep 8 - Taking Wellness Back To Simplicity
What if the wellness industry is the reason wellness feels so hard? Tony and Effi Kasandrinos turn the mic on the wellness industry itself, calling out how a trillion-dollar space built on trends, supplements, and quick fixes has made staying healthy feel harder than it used to be. They walk through what they actually do every day, sleep first, then walking, whole foods, hydration, and sunlight, long before supplements enter the picture. They get into the real cost of ice baths and red light devices, why gym memberships go unused every January, and the quick fixes, from fat loss shots to TRT, that skip the root cause entirely. If you have ever felt like wellness got too complicated, too expensive, or too loud, this one brings it back to basics. Listen now. Timestamped Highlights 00:00 Why the hosts think wellness itself has become the problem 01:29 The one thing doctors cannot even agree on when it comes to health 03:21 The single habit Tony calls the foundation of everything else 06:24 How American portions and processed food changed the game since the 80s 11:48 The food swap Tony made that changed his whole diet 15:40 Why losing weight fast does not always mean getting healthier 18:06 The cheapest way to stay fit, and it is not a gym membership 19:52 What supplements Tony and Effi actually take, and what they skip 22:15 The Greek salad habit that can quietly add 1500 calories 24:53 What an ice bath actually costs to own 28:04 Inside the wellness facility Tony calls the best gym on the planet 34:02 Why most gym memberships never get used past January 36:41 The quick fix doctors hand out for low testosterone, and what it masks 42:12 Proof it is never too late to build these habits, even in your 70s Mentioned Resources Project Wellbeing “Shaun’'s Gym” (Las Vegas) - the wellness facility Tony visits for blood work, with air pressure resistance equipment, imported ice baths and saunas, a DEXA scan, and VO2 max testing Important Links Learn more about us: Kasandrinos.com Buy our book: Kasandrinos Kitchen Join our Facebook community: Facebook Follow us: Instagram | TikTok | Pinterest LinkedIn: Tony Kasandrinos | Effi Kasandrinos Booth The Kasandrinos Effect is an original podcast brought to you by Kasandrinos International and editing by Podcast Your Brand.
August 25 · 20 min
Ep 7 - Cindy LaRocca - Small Family Biz w/ Mom
Would you rather get a chatbot or the woman who answers every email herself? Behind every Kasandrinos order is one person, and she is not a bot. In this episode, Tony and Effi hand the mic to their mom, Cindy, the voice on the other end of every customer email, call, and review. She built the customer service side of the family business from scratch when the warehouse opened. They get into the day that starts and ends with email, the birthday message Tony sent to 200,000 customers, and the flood of replies she is still answering by hand, why she told them to shut off the AI tool after a single day, and what customers really want to know before they trust an olive oil. She also shares the new Las Vegas storefront and her one rule for anyone starting a business. If you have ever wondered whether a real human is on the other end when you buy something you care about, this is your answer. Listen now. Timestamped Highlights 01:13 The one task Cindy does first every morning, and last every night 02:42 The birthday email Tony sent to 200,000 customers, and what happened next 04:14 The three things customers care about most, from the person who hears it all day 04:56 The customer who orders twelve liters of olive oil every single month 06:22 Why living and working close together changed everything for this family 08:33 What still amazes Cindy about how far the company has come 09:47 Where she wants her kids in five years, and it involves a beach in Greece 11:04 Why she fields far more quality questions now than she did three years ago 12:09 The customer email about a child's allergies that stopped everyone in their tracks 12:44 Why your first sip of real olive oil burns, and why that is a good sign 14:12 The AI tool they switched on before she said turn it off 17:18 Why she answers customer emails late at night, even when told not to 18:00 The new Las Vegas storefront, and when you can stop by 19:54 Cindy's one rule for anyone who wants to start their own business Mentioned Resources Kasandrinos Kitchen cookbook Kasandrinos International storefront in Las Vegas About the Guest Cindy LaRocca is Tony and Effi's mother and the customer service behind Kasandrinos International. She has run the company's customer service for about three years, since the warehouse opened, answering every email, call, and review herself, often seven days a week. 🔗 Website Important Links Learn more about us: Kasandrinos.com Buy our book: Kasandrinos Kitchen Join our Facebook community: Facebook Follow us: Instagram | TikTok | Pinterest LinkedIn: Tony Kasandrinos | Effi Kasandrinos Booth The Kasandrinos Effect is an original podcast brought to you by Kasandrinos International and editing by Podcast Your Brand.
August 21 · 46 min
Ep. 6 - Traveling The Right Way
What does it actually take to plan a trip to Greece that goes beyond the postcard version everyone else books? Tony is recording live from Greece while Effi fields the questions from home, and after decades of trips between them, they know exactly where first-time visitors go wrong. Everyone wants Santorini and Mykonos. Tony says the real trip starts somewhere else. They break down when to go, how long to stay, and why packing light matters more than almost anything else. Tony ranks his favorite islands, including one he says beats Santorini outright, and they walk through the food, the dinner customs, the tipping rules, and the driving surprises nobody warns you about. Skip this one, and you will show up with the wrong shoes, the wrong itinerary, and no idea why dinner takes four hours. Listen now. Timestamped Highlights 00:28 Tony's first reaction to landing in Greece, even after well over a hundred trips 02:29 The first question Tony says everyone needs to answer before planning a Greece trip 05:31 The one month Tony calls the sweet spot for fewer crowds and lower prices 06:32 The single item Tony says matters more than anything else you pack 09:56 Why the coffee scene in Greece catches most first-time visitors off guard 11:53 The travel hack Tony repeats to everyone, and why overpacking always backfires 16:39 The one item Effi never flies without now, after a lost luggage scare 18:52 The minimum number of days Tony says you actually need on the ground 20:48 Why Tony tells people to see fewer places, not more 22:31 The island Tony ranks above Santorini and Mykonos, and why 25:37 The rock village near Monemvasia that leaves first-time visitors speechless 28:59 What dinner in Greece really looks like, and why the check never comes 31:34 The tipping rule most Americans get wrong the moment they land 37:18 The island Tony calls the most overrated stop in the whole country 40:28 The one driving surprise nearly every first-time visitor runs into 43:18 The bathroom detail almost no one warns tourists about before they go Mentioned Resources Airbnb Amazon Apple AirTag Hydro Flask Instagram Important Links Learn more about us: Kasandrinos.com Buy our book: Kasandrinos Kitchen Join our Facebook community: Facebook Follow us: Instagram | TikTok | Pinterest LinkedIn: Tony Kasandrinos | Effi Kasandrinos Booth The Kasandrinos Effect is an original podcast brought to you by Kasandrinos International and editing by Podcast Your Brand.
August 18 · 46 min
Ep. 5 - Katie Wells - Food Habits While Raising Kids
Katie Wells - Food Habits While Raising Kids What if raising healthy kids has less to do with adding more and everything to do with doing less? Katie Wells built Wellness Mama into one of the most trusted names in natural health, all while raising seven kids and reversing her own autoimmune disease. So why does she now tell parents to do less, not more? Tony and Effi sit down with Katie for an honest conversation about raising healthy kids without fear or control. They get into feeding a family on a time crunch, why she never makes food good or bad, the first thousand days she treats as non-negotiable, handing kids ownership of screens and even a business, and the simple nature habits, sunlight, family dinners, a lived-in home, that she says beat any expensive biohack. If wellness has started to feel like one more thing to get perfect, this one gives you permission to simplify and come back to what actually moves the needle. Listen now. Timestamped Highlights 0:46 How Wellness Mama started from one line in a waiting-room magazine 3:33 The wild story of how Katie ended up as Tony's impromptu doula 4:31 The biggest challenge parents face today, and why the fix is subtraction 5:10 The family habit that moves the needle more than any screen rule 7:41 How to teach healthy habits without labeling food good or bad 9:02 The division of responsibility that ends battles at the dinner table 12:51 The calorie comment from a 12-year-old that stopped Effi cold 14:24 The difference in how boys and girls talk about food 16:57 How to feed a busy family without living in the kitchen 18:07 The family dinner data linked to long-term success 22:26 The biggest shift in Katie's health approach over five years 24:05 The free morning habit she says beats any supplement 30:01 Simple ways to set up a calmer, healthier home the kids won't even notice 32:50 Her non-negotiable line in the sand on screens and sugar 33:41 Why her kids build a real business before a phone or a car 38:35 What Katie thinks modern wellness is getting wrong 41:09 Why every expensive biohack is really just mimicking nature 43:28 The one message she hopes every parent takes away Mentioned Resources Wellness Mama Podcast JJ Virgin Kelly Brogan Positive Parenting Solutions Bryan Johnson About the Guest Katie Wells is the founder of Wellness Mama, the website and podcast she started nearly twenty years ago as her own health research notes. A bestselling author and mom of seven, she reversed an autoimmune condition and has spent two decades helping families simplify real food, natural living, and raising healthy kids. 🔗 LinkedIn | Website Important Links Learn more about us: Kasandrinos.com Buy our book: Kasandrinos Kitchen Join our Facebook community: Facebook Follow us: Instagram | TikTok | Pinterest LinkedIn: Tony Kasandrinos | Effi Kasandrinos Booth The Kasandrinos Effect is an original podcast brought to you by Kasandrinos International and editing by Podcast Your Brand.
August 14 · 42 min
Ep. 4 - How To Tell Real Olive Oil From Fake
How do you really know the olive oil in your kitchen is fresh, organic, and the real thing? Tony and Effi Kasandrinos turn this episode into a rapid customer Q&A, where Effi asks the questions their customers send in most, and Tony answers them one by one. It is a behind-the-counter look at a family-run olive oil company that grew up in the restaurant business and still has their mother, Cindy, answering the phone. They get into why most olive oil in America is neither organic nor fresh, what single origin actually means, the harvest date most brands will not print, and the full list of what they test for. Then they cover the practical stuff customers always ask: how to store it, how fast to use it, whether it is safe to cook with, and what a daily shot really does. It closes with Tony's unfiltered take on where to go in Greece. If you have ever paid premium money for a bottle and wondered whether you were getting the real thing, this one hands you the checklist. Listen now. Timestamped Highlights 02:19 Building a company while one founder was on active duty and the other was at JP Morgan having babies 04:07 The one person who answers every customer email and phone call, and why it matters 06:10 The two biggest problems hiding in America's olive oil aisle 09:03 What single origin really means, and how blends can hide the truth 11:01 Why their olive oil only crosses the ocean every two to three months 12:29 The full list of what they test for, from glyphosate to BPAs 14:55 Why your olive oil tastes peppery or makes you cough 16:04 The date on the bottle most companies will not show you 17:02 Exactly what to look for on a bottle before you buy 19:15 The one place you should never store olive oil 20:57 Is it actually safe to cook with olive oil? 23:41 From brain to gut to skin, what a daily shot may do for you 24:53 The calorie trap hiding in a simple Greek salad 33:50 Where to actually go in Greece, and the islands to skip Mentioned Resources Kasandrinos Olive Oil Kasandrinos Kitchen cookbook PubMed Kasandrinos on Amazon Truly Free Marketplace Important Links Learn more about us: Kasandrinos.com Buy our book: Kasandrinos Kitchen Join our Facebook community: Facebook Follow us: Instagram | TikTok | Pinterest LinkedIn: Tony Kasandrinos | Effi Kasandrinos Booth The Kasandrinos Effect is an original podcast brought to you by Kasandrinos International and editing by Podcast Your Brand.
August 11 · 59 min
Ep. 3 - Glenn Dawson - Simple Habits That Reset Your Body After 35
What if the weight you keep losing and the pain you keep pushing through are the same problem? Glenn Dawson has built his career on one frustrating truth: most people are not failing at fitness, they are fixing the wrong thing. He is a functional trainer and the founder of ResetU, and in this episode, he sits down with Tony and Effi to explain why pain and stubborn weight are not effort problems. They get into the muscular imbalances hiding in almost every body, the broomstick test Glenn runs before anyone touches cardio, why cardio can stall fat loss, and how resetting your gut and your metabolic set point keeps the weight off. Along the way, they cover GLP-1s, protecting young athletes from ACL tears, and the one habit that predicts whether you will ever get lean. If you have been told your pain is just age and your weight is just willpower, this one rewires how you think about both. Listen now. Timestamped Highlights 01:16 What a functional trainer does that a regular trainer does not 02:04 The company name that flopped before ResetU 05:30 The age most people finally admit something is wrong 06:45 The real reason your lost weight keeps coming back 08:44 The broomstick test he runs before letting you do cardio 09:19 What your shifting hips are quietly doing to your body 15:18 The four levers that decide how fast you recover 21:05 Why walking may beat running for your brain and hormones 22:28 The hidden problem with even healthy processed foods 25:46 The set point trick that keeps weight off for good 37:01 Why pain is a check engine light you should not silence 39:43 Why girls tear their ACLs more, and how to prevent it 40:45 How one team went from seven ACL tears to zero 45:36 The number one habit that predicts fat loss success 50:02 What a hunter gatherer tribe reveals about your gut 54:04 The guarantee behind every ResetU program Mentioned Resources HYROX the fitness race Tony and Glenn compete in Kasandrinos Olive Oil Kasandrinos Kitchen cookbook About the Guest Glenn Dawson is a functional trainer and the founder of ResetU, an online program that helps people get out of pain, rebuild strength, and reset their metabolism. He has coached since he was 19, works with clients who have been failed by trainers, physical therapists, and medications, and specializes in the muscular imbalances and gut issues behind chronic pain and stubborn weight. He is currently training Tony for a HYROX competition in Athens. 🔗 LinkedIn | Website Important Links Learn more about us: Kasandrinos.com Buy our book: Kasandrinos Kitchen Join our Facebook community: Facebook Follow us: Instagram | TikTok | Pinterest LinkedIn: Tony Kasandrinos | Effi Kasandrinos Booth The Kasandrinos Effect is an original podcast brought to you by Kasandrinos International and editing by Podcast Your Brand.
August 11 · 50 min
Ep. 2 - Christine Hronec - Why Hormones Matter
Why does the diet that transformed your husband do almost nothing for you? Christine Hronec is a food scientist and chemical engineer who has coached tens of thousands of women, and she says most of them were failing at nutrition for reasons no calorie app ever flagged. She sits down with Tony and Effi to unpack why women can't eat like men, how carb tolerance and hormones decide what belongs on your plate, the testing window most doctors skip, and why walking beats punishing cardio for fat loss. Along the way, she breaks down macro types, the calorie math people get wrong, and where supplements actually earn their place. If you have been eating clean, training hard, and still feel tired, foggy, and stuck, this one hands you the reasons and the fixes. Listen now. Timestamped Highlights 01:15 The unglamorous corporate lab job Christine walked away from before she ever coached a single client 02:33 The dead livestreaming app Tony pushed her onto that accidentally built her entire platform 05:15 The one video that went viral in 2016 and turned into a book 07:15 Why her clients stopped chasing abs and started chasing energy 08:52 The identity shift that decides whether your results last or quietly disappear 11:04 The four-word habit she repeats until clients hear it in their sleep 13:39 The waist number that can tell you more than your bloodwork 14:43 The trainer who told a 59-year-old woman to eat 220 grams of carbs a day, and what it did to her 16:44 Why 10,000 steps burns fewer calories than you think, and the simple math she uses instead 17:59 What running a marathon did NOT do for her body 20:58 The equation most calculators skip that lets you eat more while still losing fat 24:42 The exact days of your cycle to test hormones, and why day 5 tells you nothing 27:17 The one fat most women are missing, and where olive oil fits in 33:40 The three micronutrients plus fiber that quietly run female hormone health 42:45 Why she tells almost everyone to walk instead of run 44:51 The Target checkout story that explains why most diets fall apart Mentioned Resources Unlock Your Macro Type by Christine Hronec Gauge Life - all-natural supplement brand Cronometer Mifflin-St. Jeor equation Katch-McArdle equation DuPont Kasandrinos Olive Oil About the Guest Christine Hronec is a food scientist, chemical and biochemical engineer, and nutrition expert. She is the founder of Gauge Girl Training, an online meal planning and coaching service, and of the supplement brand Gauge Life, and she is the author of Unlock Your Macro Type. She began her career as a process engineer at DuPont before moving into biotech and sports nutrition, and has since coached tens of thousands of women on fat loss, hormones, and carb tolerance. 🔗 Website | LinkedIn | YouTube Important Links Learn more about us: Kasandrinos.com Buy our book: Kasandrinos Kitchen Join our Facebook community: Facebook Follow us: Instagram | TikTok | Pinterest LinkedIn: Tony Kasandrinos | Effi Kasandrinos Booth The Kasandrinos Effect is an original podcast brought to you by Kasandrinos International and editing by Podcast Your Brand.
August 11 · 35 min
Ep. 1 - How To Build A Family Business You Can Trust
What does it really take to build a family business you can trust while raising kids and dodging corporate giants? In this energizing first episode, Tony Kasandrinos and Effi Kasandrinos reveal the raw, untold story behind Kasandrinos Olive Oil. They pull back the curtain not just on the science and sourcing of truly healthy olive oil, but also on navigating parenthood, building a mission-driven brand, and staying fiercely true to their roots, no matter how challenging. If you think olive oil is just another food staple or family business is all warm fuzzies, this episode proves otherwise. Listen now to uncover practical insider lessons and the surprising realities of living and thriving, the Mediterranean way. Miss it, and you risk staying on the outside of a trusted wellness movement. Only here do you get the unfiltered playbook, straight from the source. Timestamped Highlights 00:10 – The brutal truth about how their business really started 01:11 – The emotional tension of running a brand with family (and kids in the mix) 04:43 – Why social media fails to tell the real behind-the-scenes story 07:13 – The surprising mom guilt that shapes their wellness philosophy 09:02 – The hidden reason Kasandrinos rejects big box stores 15:06 – A chance encounter that sparked a side hustle empire 22:26 – The unexpected way a UPS store became their first fulfillment center 25:20 – Why they will never “sell out”—and what that means for real food lovers Mentioned Resources Kasandrinos Kitchen cookbook Kasandrinos Olive Oil Paleo f(x) CrossFit Center City Fox 5 New York Epic Bars JP Morgan Important Links Learn more about us: Kasandrinos.com Buy our book: Kasandrinos Kitchen Join our Facebook community: Facebook Follow us: Instagram | TikTok | Pinterest LinkedIn: Tony Kasandrinos | Effi Kasandrinos Booth The Kasandrinos Effect is an original podcast brought to you by Kasandrinos International and editing by Podcast Your Brand.

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