How Brian Von Ancken Built a Thriving Wellness Network

Brian Von Ancken built a thriving wellness community while launching a business and becoming a dad. In this episode, he shares hard-earned lessons on founder health, avoiding burnout, and scaling smart.

Author

Ben Sharf
March 14, 2025

Brian Von Ancken is on a mission to redefine wellness. After years in the industry, from Tough Mudder to launching his fitness startup, he's now the founder of Wellness Growth Mastermind (WGM), a community helping health and wellness entrepreneurs scale their businesses. But his journey isn't just about startups; it's about self-discovery, resilience, and building a life with intention.

In Season 3, Episode 16 of Turning Pro, Ben and Adrian sit down with Brian to dive into the evolving wellness space, his personal transformation, and why true success means following what works for you, not just what the internet tells you to do.

This episode is packed with real talk about founder wellness, startup pivots, and the challenges of balancing entrepreneurship with family life. If you've ever felt like you "should" be doing more but don’t know where to start, Brian’s insights will help you cut through the noise and focus on what moves the needle.

Listen to Season 3, Episode 16 on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or YouTube. 

10 Key Takeaways from Brian Von Ancken's Episode

  1.  The Wellness Industry Moves Fast—Adapt or Fall Behind: Wellness trends shift rapidly. Ten years ago, it was all about pushing physical limits (think: Tough Mudder). Now, the focus is more holistic. Founders need to stay ahead of these cultural shifts to stay relevant.

  1. Your Relationship with Wellness Will Evolve: In his college football days, fitness felt like a chore. Later, group fitness and Tough Mudders made it fun. Now, as a founder and dad, wellness is about sustainability. Your habits will change, and that’s okay.

  1. Routines Aren't One-Size-Fits-All: The wellness world preaches rigid morning routines. Brian tried it all: sauna, cold plunge, meditation, journaling. But at some point, he realized forcing routines that didn’t fit his life was just another form of stress.

  1. Forget "Should" and Focus on What Actually Works for You: Founders often build routines based on what they think they should do rather than what they actually need. If waking up and jumping straight into work is your best flow, own it.

  1. Starting a Company and Having a Kid at the Same Time? Chaos. Brian launched WGM right as he became a dad. The hardest part? Learning to balance both roles without burning out. His biggest shift: redefining productivity around energy, not just hours worked.

  1. Entrepreneurship Will Test Your Limits: His first startup, Anckor, combined fitness with mindfulness. It was promising, but bootstrapping solo and then getting hit by COVID forced him to shut it down. The lesson? You must take care of yourself if you want your company to last.

  1. Building in Public (and with Community) is a Cheat Code: Brian's latest venture, Wellness Growth Mastermind (WGM), started as a casual meet-up of wellness founders swapping growth tactics. Now, it’s a full-blown mastermind community. The lesson: Build relationships first, the business will follow.

  1. The Wellness Space is Still Growing (And Gut Health is Next): Sauna and cold plunge are mainstream. Now, gut health is having its moment. Expect a rise in at-home testing kits and personalized nutrition solutions.

  1. Spirituality is Making a Comeback in Wellness: Whether it’s meditation, community, or even organized religion, people are craving something bigger than themselves. Brian predicts a shift toward businesses integrating spiritual well-being into their offerings.

  1. Your "Turning Pro" Moment is When You Step into Fear: Brian’s biggest leap? Launching his own business and putting himself out there publicly. Hitting "post" on that first announcement was terrifying—but that’s what turning pro is all about.Emmett Shine’s entrepreneurial journey offers valuable insights for anyone striving to live a fulfilling life. By embracing creativity, setting boundaries, and surrounding yourself with talented individuals, you can achieve success in both your personal and professional endeavors.

Brian's journey proves that wellness isn’t just about what you do. It’s about how you feel doing it. Whether you're an entrepreneur, an athlete, or just someone trying to balance work and health, the real key is finding what works for you and leaning into it.

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