Life & Work with Brandon Sundwall

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandon Sundwall. 

Hi Brandon, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
Growing up, I was never an especially popular or athletic kid, but my parents put me in organized sports to stay busy. Heading into Freshman year of high school, I was required to lift weights with the team in the summer. The introduction to the weight room forever changed my life. As my body changed, I went from a shy kid who barely played to a stellar athlete full of self-confidence with a vibrant friend group through sports. This experience changed my life forever as it showed me the impact that self-mastery of one’s health could have on every area of life. 

From that point on fitness and sport was a major part of my life as I went on to compete in wrestling at the collegiate level. There my values forged in sport transferred to the classroom where I earned academic All-American status during my senior year. Upon graduating from college, I moved California and began my career as a high school teacher for at-risk youth. 

Like other millenials, I lived under the assumption that if I went to college, got a good job, and did the “right” things, I would be happy. While I found my job rewarding there was a big gap in my life that I couldn’t figure out. To distract myself I spent hours in the gym working out and pushing my body. One day I realized that the answer to this “gap” had been staring me in the face the whole time. Without having a fully formed plan, I knew I had to leave my job and work in the health industry. 

I had always followed a conservative plan so quitting a good job was a huge leap for me but it was something I needed to do and the first time in my life I really trusted myself. It took a couple years but I was able to establish myself as a busy personal trainer and felt that was much more aligned with what I wanted to do. That’s when Covid hit and overnight I lost almost everything I had built over the past two years. 

This shock to my sense of security broke something loose in me. I realized that nothing was promised or secure and that If I wanted to know what I was really about in life, I would need to take risks. So, I decided to do something crazy and open I fitness studio in the middle of the pandemic. 

But it wasn’t just going to be a fitness studio. I knew from my own experience and helping hundreds of clients that the changing one’s health was really about changing the outcomes in the rest of their life and so from day one, my company Virtuo has been devoted to helping people take care of their health so they can like me pursue what really matters in their life. 

Two and half years later I’ve expanded out team to 6 coaches and we’ve outgrown our first home recently moving into a larger facility. We’ve been able to help hundreds of clients in person and online take back control of their health and set goals to take action in their lives outside the gym. Along with helping clients lose weight, get out of pain, and take control of their lives, we’ve helped set them on the path to find more fulfilling careers and relationships in their greater lives. 

As I look forward into the future, I’m excited to expand our coaching services into the corporate sphere and through transformative events. 

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Losing 80% of my business overnight during Covid was a huge blow and point for self-reflection that ultimately lead me to believe even more so in the need to be self-reliant. 

Although Covid ravaged the fitness industry, It made me even more resolute in my belief that people needed to take control of their health in order to live full healthy lives. 

When I first opened Virtuo, gyms weren’t even technically allowed to be open, and most people were afraid to step out of the house. This forced me to pivot our services online which would be the first of many unique ways were able to find success in tough times. 

I never went to school for business or had a leadership experience beyond sports before becoming a business owner. I have made countless mistakes, worked endless hours, and relied heavily on friends, family, coaches, and mentors to help me learn and grow. 

In my opinion, no smooth road is worth traveling as without challenges, there is no growth. Both personally and professionally, I believe resolutely that I have an obligation to grow and learn to be of greater service. 

Each struggle that has come and those in the future are helping us collectively improve and learn. We preach the necessity of challenge to our clients and embrace that ethos in our own team as well. 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We are a health coaching business that specializes in helping busy professionals take control of their physical and mental health, so they have the confidence and clarity to go after what they really want in life. 

We are most proud of the impact our work has on our clients outside the superficial benefits of improved health. We get most excited when our clients make major life changes inspired by the sense of confidence they gain from our working with us. 

At Virtuo, we believe that the powerful relationship between coach and client creates change, and so our coaches forge strong, trust-based relationships with their clients. We believe that in an age of commoditization that people are serving for relationship and connection. 

In and industry that treats people like profits and focuses on shame-based marketing, we are focused on investing in each client and their success. We win when our clients win and make sure each time they come to see us is the best hour of their day! 

I am most proud of not only creating impact for our clients but also creating a business that employs our coaches full time giving them the ability to fully focus on their passions. 

Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
When starting out in business, I believe it is essential to connect whatever you intended to do to a deeply held value. Money or outside accolades will never be enough as the work and challenges will be endless. Therefore, knowing why you want to pursue you venture is non-negotiable. Success for me has come from frequently reviewing whether decisions align with my core values, and any time I have strayed from the path there has been a failure to learn from. Also, no one succeeds alone, and I have benefited from surrounding myself with supportive friends, family, and mentors so building a success tribe is very important. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://virtuocoaching.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vir_tuo/?next=%2F
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/virtuo-personal-training-los-angeles-4?osq=virtuo