Living The Red Life – Episode Summary

Episode Title: Austin St. John: From Power Ranger to Real-Life Warrior Mindset
Host: Rudy Mawer
Guest: Austin St. John (Jason, the original Red Power Ranger)
Release Date: April 7, 2026

Overview

This episode of Living The Red Life features a candid and wide-ranging conversation between host Rudy Mawer and Austin St. John, legendary actor and martial artist best known for his role as the original Red Power Ranger. The discussion traces Austin’s unique path from humble beginnings to global television stardom, his entrepreneurial awakening, battles over creative freedom, and hard-earned lessons about leadership, resilience, and building a lasting legacy. It’s a must-listen for entrepreneurs and fans alike, packed with powerful takeaways on mindset, risk, and the importance of the right team.

Key Discussion Points

1. From Marine Brat to TV Icon

Austin’s Humble Upbringing
- Grew up as the son of a Marine and one of New Mexico’s first female police officers, moving every six months to a year.
- “I can remember dinners where…we split a can of beans between my mom, my dad and I.” (03:01)
Falling into Acting
- No initial ambition for acting – focused only on martial arts and teaching.
- Auditioned for the Power Rangers after an acting instructor encouraged him.
- “He bugged me for a while and my mom was finally like, ‘No, you should go.’” (09:49)

2. The Power Rangers Phenomenon

Audition Stories & Early Struggles
- Auditioned among thousands, show initially titled “Phantom” with a character named Victor.
- “I knew nothing except martial arts and whatever they saw in me.” (11:15)
Breakout Success
- Show abruptly became a global sensation, but cast was underpaid due to non-union contracts.
- Learned of the show’s success informally:
  “We want to let you know your show has become number one in the world. Good work. Number one. Nielsen ratings. Good job.” (06:27)
Cultural Moment
- Appearance at Universal Studios:
  “The highway was backed up for eight miles into downtown LA. News helicopters flying overhead. … We broke Universal attendance records that day.” (07:34)

3. Mindset Lessons from the Power Rangers and Beyond

Handling Uncertainty and Action Over Perfection
- Importance of action over endless planning for entrepreneurs:
  “You don’t always have to have everything figured out.” (12:35, Rudy & Austin)
- “Sometimes the greatest thing to do is do a little market research, get an understanding, build it in that direction, and then launch it.” (13:20)
Rudy on Launch Mindset:
- Contrasts his first failed/never-launched fitness program with a wildly successful, quickly-started one.
  - “One helped 100,000 people, and one never even saw the light of day.” (14:28)

4. From TV Star to Entrepreneur

Early Entrepreneurship
- Ran a lawn mowing business at nine, a paper route on the side.
- “You’re not going to turn into the top 1%…because you’re sitting on your couch in a comfortable place. You have to get uncomfortable real quick and make mistakes and then get up and learn from them.” (16:58)
Business Awakening
- Recognized that the real money in Power Rangers was in licensing, not acting.
- “I’m literally the face of someone who is making billions…off of me. … I wasn’t in a position…to negotiate.” (18:40)
- Value of never signing away rights “in perpetuity throughout the universe.” (19:12)
Standing Up for Himself
- Lawsuit for creative freedom:
  “After taking a billionaire to court to win my freedom…what is there left that’s going to intimidate me in my 20s?” (20:16)
- On leadership: find people smarter than yourself and “trust but verify.” (21:19)

5. Current Ventures & Enduring Legacy

New Projects
- Mighty Morning Coffee – Viking-inspired coffee line aimed at customers tired of mainstream brands. (21:48)
- ASJ Comics – Original comic series, “Redemption”; exploring post-Power Rangers Jason’s journey.
  “Lord of the Rings meets Mad Max…It is demons, druids, cannibals, scavengers, ancient bloodlines, reincarnation. Just crazy.” (23:01)
- Leather Bag Line – Coming soon.
- Austin St. John BIZ – Merchandise for fans.
Longevity of the Power Rangers Brand
- Three generations of fans and counting; broad, diverse appeal.
- “It taught kindness, but it also taught you not to be afraid to stand up for yourself…[that] is a mixed balance that is hard to get right.” (25:49)
- “Third generation of fans now…there’s a romanticism, there’s a comfort that comes from the show because it was rated G with extra cheese, had action, had epic guitar…” (27:30)
- Walter Jones (Zach) was “the first black superhero”—pride in breaking boundaries. (28:08)

6. Warrior Mindset & Life Lessons

Patience & Time as Ultimate Heroes
- “The two greatest heroes in existence…are time and patience.” (30:09)
- “Luck is preparation meeting opportunity…Be patient [and] not afraid to put in the time, the work and the energy.” (31:09)
Facing Failure and Adversity
- On overcoming setbacks:
  - “Don’t be a victim. … In the world of business, no one cares. Did you deliver or didn’t you? Period.” (32:14)
  - Advice to cut out negative people, and the metaphor of the lion pride:
    “Who you surround yourself with, is your trajectory.” (33:15)
- Always reframe obstacles as opportunities.
  - “You have not failed until you choose not to get back up.” (34:51)
Risk, Conviction, and Walking Away
- Left Power Rangers at its peak for the right reasons despite fear.
  - “Looking back, it was terrifying. … But I believed what I was doing was right. I had conviction. … I would have done it with even more conviction.” (35:14 & 36:12)
- Real-world hardships (homelessness, rebuilding) as opportunities and growth:
  “None of that was a problem. It was all opportunities that taught me what freedom was.” (36:08)

Notable Quotes & Moments

Austin on preparation and patience:
“The two greatest heroes in existence…are time and patience.” (30:09)
On entrepreneurship:
“You get people who…either paralysis through analysis…or they’re perfectionists. Sometimes the greatest thing to do is…launch it.” (13:20)
On business realities:
“I’m literally the face of someone who is making billions…off of me. … I didn’t create it, and I wasn’t…in a place of power…to negotiate.” (18:40)
On resilience:
“How do you defeat a man who never stops getting up?” (17:27)
On team:
“There is a reason the tiger will never be king of the jungle. … Unlike the lion, he doesn’t surround himself with like-minded, highly motivated individuals with a common direction.” (33:15)
On learning from hardship:
“Experience is a direct result of success and failure. And failure is the greatest teacher.” (37:06)

Timestamps for Key Segments

Austin’s Early Life & Martial Arts Background: 02:31 – 04:57
Power Rangers Audition & Global Breakout: 05:47 – 08:54
Lessons on Taking Action vs. Perfectionism: 12:19 – 14:39
First Entrepreneurial Awakening (Licensing/Business): 17:51 – 19:12
Standing Up to Power (Breaking the Contract): 20:16 – 21:19
Current Ventures (Coffee, Comics, Merch): 21:48 – 24:25
Three Generations of Power Rangers Fans: 24:31 – 27:55
Warrior Mindset, Patience & Leadership: 29:08 – 31:09
On Failure, Resilience, and Opportunity Mindset: 32:09 – 34:51
Taking Risks & Walking Away from Power Rangers: 34:51 – 36:56

Where to Find Austin

Mighty Morning Coffee: mightymorningcoffee.com (launching April 2026)
Comics: asjcomics.com
Merchandise: austinstjohn.biz

Final Thoughts

This episode is loaded with practical, hard-won wisdom on entrepreneurship, the entertainment industry, and the “warrior mindset.” Austin St. John’s journey illustrates the importance of taking chances, persevering through hardship, and surrounding yourself with a strong, positive team. Whether you’re a Power Rangers fan or building your own empire, there are lessons here on resilience, authenticity, and moving forward—red spandex optional.