The Ageless Warrior Lab
Dave Meyer | Host, Ageless Warrior Lab podcast | Co-founder and CEO of Food System Innovations and Humane American Animal Foundation
David Meyer is a pioneering American Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner, and accomplished non-profit founder and Philanthropist.
David co-founded and served as CEO of Adopt-a-Pet.com for two decades, turning it into the world’s largest nonprofit homeless pet adoption website and helping save millions of animals, before its acquisition by Mars Inc.
Today, David leads Food System Innovations and Humane America Animal Foundation, leading in farm animal welfare and the protein transition movement. He frequently advises U.S. lawmakers on these issues, and has raised and deployed over $160 million in philanthropic capital as part of his work in the nonprofit space.
In his athletic career, David has risen to the highest ranks of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ). He earned his black belt from Rigan Machado in 1996 and ranked among the first Americans (“the Dirty Dozen”) to do so. He was the first American to medal at the black belt level at the BJJ World Championships in Brazil in 1998, and continues to compete, winning world championship titles in his age division.
As a martial artist and instructor, he taught at UCLA, Steven Seagal’s Tenshin Dojo, and developed globally used grappling curricula with John Will, including customized material for Chuck Norris’s UFAF association.
Meyer also played a critical role in post-Katrina animal rescue, co-authored key books on BJJ and pet care, and co-founded a Haiti orphanage for children with HIV, exemplifying a lifetime of impactful leadership in both martial arts and philanthropy.
David resides in the San Francisco Bay, and continues to coach BJJ athletes while actively managing Food System Innovations and Humane America Animal Foundation.
The Ageless Warrior Lab
How Martial Arts Shaped My Life & Mission | Introduction
Welcome to the Ageless Warrior Lab podcast!
In this debut episode, I share my personal journey from a childhood in Los Angeles studying martial arts, to becoming a world champion in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and my unexpected path into animal welfare and tech entrepreneurship.
You'll hear stories about training with legends, building a global nonprofit, and the life lessons I've learned along the way.
Whether you're passionate about martial arts, personal growth, or making a difference in the world, this podcast is for you.
Join me as we explore how the principles of martial arts can help you achieve your goals and live a more fulfilling life.
Subscribe for inspiring stories, practical advice, and a behind-the-scenes look at the Ageless Warrior mindset.
Let me know in the comments what topics you'd like to hear about next!
This episode was presented & directed by David Meyer, produced by Robbie Lockie, music kindly provided by Robel Borja.
**Chapters:**
1. **Introduction & Podcast Purpose** (00:00)
2. **Martial Arts Beginnings** (01:00)
3. **Training, Teaching, and Meeting Legends** (02:00)
4. **Competing and Achievements in BJJ** (03:00)
5. **From Martial Arts to Animal Welfare** (04:00)
6. **Building Adopt-a-Pet.com & Tech Journey** (05:00)
7. **Hurricane Katrina Rescue & Celebrity Involvement** (06:00)
8. **Philanthropy, Books, and Global Impact** (07:00)
9. **Lessons Learned & What’s Next** (08:00)
**Links mentioned in this episode:**
* Music “Disambiguation” by Robel Borja https://open.spotify.com/artist/7j0DUZ79z4edeLkU2H1UoJ?si=eISl0YfaQ-yLThljs48j5A
* “Training for Competition: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Submission” Grappling by Davd Meyer https://a.co/d/531zuUz
* Dan Millman, author of “Way of the Peaceful Warrior” and many other books. https://www.peacefulwarrior.com/ https://a.co/d/1ziTUZg
* Sound City recording studio https://soundcity.la/
* Hurricane Katrina pet rescue https://www.facebook.com/Adoptapetcom/posts/-can-you-feel-the-love-in-this-photo-heres-a-tbt-photo-of-adopt-a-petcom-founder/10151723850438239/
* Adopt-a-Pet.com https://www.adoptapet.com/
* Drew Barrymore “The Save-a-Pet Show” Adopt-a-Pet.com (then called 1-800-Save-a-Pet.com) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mj-xPkSmbgM
* The Total Dog Manual https://a.co/d/gqfyY1r
This episode was directed and presented by Dave Meyer, produced by Robbie Lockie, and music kindly provided by Robel Borja.
