From Cut to Coach | Brandon Burns
I sat down with keynote speaker, elite athlete, and two-time Big 10 championship winning coach Brandon Burns for a conversation that went deeper than I expected. Brandon shared his journey from a small-town kid in Alabama to walking onto the University of Michigan gymnastics team, getting cut four times in five years, and then becoming a coach for the very team that cut him. We dove into what makes a great coach versus a great performer, and why some people are naturally better at zooming out to see the bigger picture while others excel at direct execution. Brandon opened up about growing up with financial stress, overcoming a victim mindset, and transforming childhood trauma into drive. His insights on authenticity in leadership and speaking hit hard – especially when he broke down how to connect with any audience by owning your full story. The wisdom Brandon dropped about taking those first steps toward change instead of waiting for divine intervention is something everyone needs to hear. This episode is packed with tactical advice for speakers, coaches, and anyone looking to level up their leadership and life.
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Connect with Brandon: http://www.iambburns.com/
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About Brandon: Brandon Burns is an international keynote speaker, elite athlete, viral influencer with over 50 million views on social media, 2x B1G Ten Championship-Winning Coach; serial entrepreneur; and right-hand man to the world’s #1 motivational speaker - Dr. Eric Thomas. After experiencing various mental health battles, financial lack, and family trauma during his childhood, Brandon was able to overcome his victim mindset to succeed in school and walk-on to the men’s gymnastics team at the University of Michigan. However - his athletic dreams came to a screeching halt after being cut from the team 4 times in 5 years. After years of perseverance & self-discovery, Brandon’s journey eventually allowed him to go from “cut to coach” - becoming one of the industry’s top speakers and strategic performance coaches, as well as a successful entrepreneur.