Work From The Inside Out 284: From Turmoil to Purpose and Service with Ken Corigliano
This week on Work From The Inside Out, I am joined by Lt. Col. (Ret.) Ken Corigliano, known widely as Air Force Ken. His story is one of extraordinary contrast: early years filled with love and community, followed by intense personal upheaval, homelessness, and loss. Ken’s path could easily have gone in a very different direction, but a pivotal encounter with a sharp-eyed recruiter and the devastating death of his sister sparked an internal shift that changed everything. What followed was a relentless commitment to service, personal responsibility, and rebuilding himself from the ground up.
Ken went on to become an award-winning enlisted Airman, a commissioned officer, an intelligence leader supporting Air Force One, a triathlete striving for the Olympics, and ultimately a decorated lieutenant colonel. But his journey was far from linear. A catastrophic accident derailed his athletic aspirations and left him with an undiagnosed traumatic brain injury that he quietly navigated for seven years while still serving. His recovery, physical, cognitive, and emotional, unfolded slowly and unexpectedly, culminating in breakthrough results from peptide therapy through Transcend, the company he now serves as an executive.
Today, Ken channels his life experience, scientific curiosity, and unmatchable resilience into helping others restore their health, energy, and quality of life. In this conversation, he opens up about trauma, service, rebuilding identity, the limitations of grit, and the importance of choosing the “hardest things” for the sake of becoming who we’re truly meant to be. His story is energizing, humbling, and an unforgettable reminder that transformation is always possible.
In this week’s Work From The Inside Out podcast, learn more about:
- How early childhood shaped Ken’s belief in community, nature, and connection
- The unraveling he experienced during adolescence and the turning point that changed his life
- The recruiter whose tough honesty set Ken on a path of service and growth
- Ken’s rise from struggling student to award-winning Airman and commissioned officer
- His near-Olympic pursuit in triathlon and the extreme dedication behind it
- The life-changing accident that caused a traumatic brain injury—and the seven years he hid it
- How he navigated military service while dealing with cognitive and physical challenges
- His remarkable recovery through peptide therapy and why it transformed everything
- Ken’s work at Transcend and how advanced therapies are helping people regain their vitality
- The philosophy behind his “Seven Gates” leadership model and what drives his passion for hard challenges
Learn more about Ken:
- Read: State of Being by Ken Corigliano
- Watch Ken’s story on YouTube
- Watch the Ultimate Beastmaster on Netflix
- Visit: Transcend Foundation
- Visit: Transcend Company
- Instagram: @airforceken
- LinkedIn: Ken Corigliano
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