About this episode
Born into an entrepreneurial family in Ontario, Canada, Brandon Cullen was raised with a front-row seat to hard work and high expectations. Pushed by his father to excel both in life and on the ice, Brandon’s grit landed him a spot in the New York Rangers’ minor league system. But when a career-ending concussion shattered his hockey dreams, everything he’d worked for disappeared overnight.
Instead of calling it quits, Brandon turned that adversity into fuel. Determined to create something new, he poured his competitive drive into the fitness world, building the type of gym he wished existed: one focused on aging athletically without the distractions of gimmicks or trends.
Teaming up with fellow pro hockey player Kirk Dewaele, Brandon’s first venture was a CrossFit gym, but they quickly saw a gap in the market for a structured, strength-based system. This insight led to MADabolic: a strength-driven gym built on precision, consistency, and science-backed programming, delivering real results for those who crave more.
And in this episode we’re going to take the lessons Brandon has learned from building his fitness franchise to help YOU build a better business or personal brand.
I got into this industry because I have bit of an ego and want to be known as the best fitness product in the franchising game. The byproduct is we help a lot of people with that. So you have to really isolate what drives you.
– Brandon Cullen
This Week on the Physical Prep Podcast:
How a perceived gap in the fitness industry lead to the inception of MADabolic.
Some of the biggest struggles and hurdles Brandon’s had to face in the franchise game.
The power of niching down, and what happens if you don’t.
Why marketing strategies have to evolve with changing consumer trends.
Finding the right blend between grassroots and paid marketing.
The power of ego, and how you can use it in a positive way.
Why you can’t market to millenials and Gen Z prospects the same way.
The role that grit and resilience play in entrepreneurship.
