Action! That’s the story of this week’s Wild Business Growth podcast guest, Stephen Koepfer. Stephen is the Stunt Performer, Founder of New York Combat Sambo, and Co-Founder of Breakfall Studios. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and your other favorite podcast platforms, and watch on YouTube.
Episode 361: Stephen Koepfer – Stunt Performer, Sambo Coach, John Wick
Stephen Koepfer, the Stunt Performer, Founder of New York Combat Sambo, and Co-Founder of Breakfall Studios, joins the show to share his journey from filming special effects movies as a kid to working on stunts for the John Wick movies, The Blacklist, and Ray Donovan. Hear how to become a stunt performer, how movie stunts get made, what he learned working with Keanu Reeves, Jonathan Banks, and Liev Schreiber, how to create a community people want to be a part of, and a scene that blew his mind with special effects. This episode covers everything from Tom Cruise to art therapy. Here’s a small sample of what you will hear in this episode:
- What’s a scene Stephen created with special effects as a kid
- Who is involved in making movie stunts happen
- Why do Tom Cruise & Jackie Chan do their own stunts
- What was it like working on John Wick: Chapter 2 & John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum
- Why did Stephen choose sambo
Connect with Stephen at USSambo.com, on social media @SamboSteve, and check out his Film Fights With Friends podcast.
Enjoy the shoooooow! Check out the show notes below for much more detail. You can also find the full transcript here.
Show Notes
- Intro & Childhood Special Effects Movies
- [0:24] Email me at to save time with your high-quality podcast and use it as a business-building tool
- [0:34] Connect with Stephen at USSambo.com, on social media @SamboSteve, and check out his Film Fights With Friends podcast
- [1:58] Shoutout, Podcast Movement
- [2:51] How do you become a stunt performer
- [6:49] What’s a scene Stephen created with special effects aka special FX aka sfx as a kid
- [10:09] How old was he when he made those childhood special effects movies
- Being a Stunt Performer
- [11:41] Who is involved in making movie stunts happen
- [15:20] Who decides whether the A-list actor or a stunt double does the stunts
- [18:01] Why do Tom Cruise & Jackie Chan do their own stunts
- [20:40] What was it like working on John Wick: Chapter 2 & John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum
- [25:13] What was it like working with Jonathan Banks
- [30:59] What was it like working with Liev Schreiber
- [32:15] The Wild Business Growth podcast is on YouTube! Subscribe @MaxBranstetter to watch full video interviews with Wild entrepreneurs like Stephen
- [32:16] Sign up for the Podcasting to the Max newsletter at MaxPodcasting.com/Newsletter and receive How to Edit Your Podcast in Audacity. It’s where podcasting meets entrepreneurship – and terrible puns
- [32:18] Such an honor speaking at Podcast Movement ’23 in Denver and Podcast Movement ’26 in NYC! Sign up to grab the slides from my first session at MaxPodcasting.com/PM23
- Sambo & Martial Arts
- Rapid-Fire Q&A
- [43:25] What does Stephen love about art therapy
- [45:06] Who would he want opening up for him when headlining a major concert
- [45:35] Who’s a coach he models his coaching style after
- [49:12] What’s a scene he’s been a part of that blew his mind with special effects
- [53:15] Connect with Stephen at USSambo.com, on social media @SamboSteve, and check out his Film Fights With Friends podcast
- [54:31] What are Stephen’s Final Thoughts
- [55:27] Follow the Wild Business Growth podcast and tell a friend about the podcast. And show love (or roast me) by leaving 5 stars on Apple Podcasts and/or Spotify
- [55:37] The Wild Business Growth podcast is on YouTube! Subscribe @MaxBranstetter to watch full video interviews with Wild entrepreneurs like Stephen
- [55:38] Check out the Wild Business Growth podcast on Goodpods, where you can see what your favorite people are listening to
- [55:40] Connect with me on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter (aka X), and Threads @MaxBranstetter and TikTok @WildBusinessGrowth
- [55:42] Save time with your high-quality podcast. Email me at to bring your podcast to life and use it as a business-building tool
- [55:44] Sign up for the Podcasting to the Max newsletter at MaxPodcasting.com/Newsletter and receive How to Edit Your Podcast in Audacity. It’s where podcasting meets entrepreneurship – and terrible puns
- Theme music: Freestyle Percussion Magik – “Jungle Tribe” – provided by Jamendo
What is the Wild Business Growth podcast?
Wild ideas. Wild growth. Every Wednesday morning a new entrepreneur joins the Wild Business Growth podcast to share the wildly creative and unusual ways they grew their business – and teaches you how to do it, too. Hear the minds behind WordPress, Stacy’s Pita Chips, Drybar, NFL RedZone, Big Mouth Billy Bass, the voice of Bart Simpson, and more Wild stories. Hosted by Max Branstetter (that’s me), Founder and Podcast Producer at MaxPodcasting.
How do you start a podcast?
Interested in starting a professional-sounding and professional-looking podcast for your brand, but don’t want to deal with the time commitment of all those behind-the-scenes details? I’ve got you covered. Email me at to save time with your high-quality podcast and use it as a business-building tool.
Thanks for listening to Stephen Koepfer on the Wild Business Growth podcast. To hear more Wild stories like this one every Wednesday morning, follow the Wild Business Growth podcast and tell a friend about it. And film a special effects scene with a Super 8 camera with them. Until next time, Let your business Run Wild…and Bring on the Bongos!!
