From Prison to Protein with Owen Hanson

About this episode

Owen Hanson shares his transformative journey from a life of crime to founding a protein company after serving time in federal prison.

This week, Kenny sits down with Owen Hanson, founder of California Ice Protein, to share a story that defies expectations. Owen’s journey was anything but traditional. After college, he went from athlete to building an international illegal gambling and drug trafficking operation that spanned continents—before watching it all collapse. Federal prison stripped away the power and the illusion, forcing him to confront every mistake and rebuild from the ground up. In this episode, Owen opens up about his path from college sports to working with a major Mexican cartel, his time behind bars, and how he ultimately turned his life around. Today, Owen Hanson’s story is one of accountability, resilience, and redemption—proving that no matter how far someone falls, it’s always possible to rise again. 00:00 Welcome + Guest Intro (Cocaine Quarterback to Fitness & Protein) 00:49 From USC Network to Illegal Sports Betting Bookie 01:38 When Betting Goes Mainstream: Legalization & Prison-Time Irony 03:08 First Days in Federal Prison: Fear, Violence & PTSD Triggers 05:18 Prison Politics: Race Cars, Gangs, and Surviving the Yard 06:53 How Ambition Led to the Cartel: International Bets…

People in this episode

Host: Kenny Santucci

Guest: Owen Hanson

Topics covered

• redemption
• resilience
• illegal activities
• prison experience
• entrepreneurship
• sports

Keywords

• Owen Hanson
• California Ice Protein
• federal prison
• illegal gambling
• drug trafficking
• redemption
• resilience
• sports
• entrepreneurship

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: California Ice Protein

Books & works: Cocaine Quarterback

Places: Mexico, Australia

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