We had the good fortune of connecting with Pedro Sun and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Pedro, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Wow, that is certainly hard to answer without writing a novel of sorts ! To keep it short after receiving my degree in Nutrition and understanding Americans have a chronic disease issue that I can help with, I needed to do something ! So my philosophy is to always help someone help themselves as I am more of a guide to help a person master their health and well being. How a person gets there is individual , as we all have our own experiences and health issues, life issues for that matter . So I created Feel Good Fitness to help people with their problems and get to a place where they feel good about themselves and can create their own health journey with some help from me.
Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
My business was started with the idea that you are in control of your health, I’m just here to guide you. I think Feel Good Fitness is different in that way. Too many times we seek gurus in my profession for the answers. Lots of vanity and judgement, not enough understanding and long term thinking in the fitness industry. We see examples of this with fad diets and gadgets. Solely blaming a single food or muscle for our problems . I am here to let you know all the answers are within you, and it always will be. You may need coaching along the way to stop short term thinking habits, but it is better than jumping onto fad diets and gadgets forever ! I want to teach and help people understand health is not black and white, bodies are different in the way they move and above all you have the ability to do this on your own ! Non judgement coaching and long term solutions is what Feel Good Fitness is about. My proudest moments as a coach is when someone tells me they have learned a lot specific to their needs and can apply what we have gone through on their own. Whether it be dietary habits, movements that they were once terrified to do because of pain or other reasons, those moments stick with me and drive me to be better ! I was extremely humbled when I was voted best personal trainer in Mission Valley 2018. That was extremely special to me and I thank the people who took the time to vote. My journey has been seamless of course, just kidding ! As a lot of small businesses , I started out in my garage. Not having enough capital to open up a gym, marketing, create a website this was the logical choice. I am also very picky with whom I choose to work with both as clients or other professionals, so that may have set me back some time in deciding on a facility to work in. As luck would have it there was an opening at Catalyst Physical Therapy and Wellness for a trainer. I interviewed and we had the same vision in mind. Many years later I am still working inside the best clinic in San Diego! Over the years with the help of Catalyst, website designers and other professionals I now have a better focused business and am looking forward to helping more people in our community. Many life lessons come your way when you start a business. A lot you have to learn on the fly, and work with limited resources. Learn from all sorts of mistakes whether it be financial, how to organize time for yourself, your business, your friends and family. This goes to say you should probably be a bit more organized and you will have to make decisions that may benefit your business but hurt other areas of your life. I think finding the “balance” is a continual process and I am still not there but working on it . I want to say thanks for reading this far! I hope you can take something positive from this and apply it to your life in a meaningful way. I love San Diego, am a foodie and love supporting our small businesses. I think we have some of the best breweries , coffee, food and love helping people discover these places also ! If you want to know more about me don’t hesitate to email me and we can sit for a cup of coffee or beer .
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Funny enough I have friends tell me I should be a tour guide for a living also ! Depending on the person, and say it is my best friends this is how it usually ends up in the itinerary fashion. But this is life, and things get messy in a fun way so just go with the flow ! Breakfast/Brunch – Morning Glory will blow your mind in a good way . – Snooze has some of the best customer service and amazing pancakes – Want to see what Food Network Star contestant Stacy Poon Kinney has been cooking up in her kitchen ? Check out the Trails Eatery and fill the void in your stomach, – On a bender from the night before ? Look no further than HashHouse to give you the portions you deserve * I also enjoy the Mission, Breakfast Republic, North Park Breakfast Co. and Atypical Waffle For Lunch , you have to walk the Normal Heights and North Park 30th street route . I usually start like this (I suggest a ride-sharing service): – Polite Provisions for a little day drinking with quality cocktails – Head over to Blind Lady Alehouse and sample their amazing pizzas, fries and seasonal offerings. Beer too of course. – Grab some of the best Gelato I have ever had at Ans Dry Cleaning . Amazing creativity and flavors. – Walk that off to Fall Brewing a couple blocks down the path. I suggest doing the samplers as it’s going to be a long day – Walk over to the Friendly and look for their specials. Share a burger or get your own. – Need a healthier drink of ethanol ? Walk down to JuneShine and get some great Kombucha – Still in the area ? Head down and try samples of Belching Beaver, Rip Current, Second Chance , North Park Beer Co. and then take a nap, you deserve it ! Early Dinner/Libations please use a ride-sharing service: – if a lil drowsy, get some amazing coffe at BirdRock in Little Italy and then stay there for a little bit – need a snack, walk down to SuperNatural Sandwiches and have a supernatural experience ! – looking to sample more beers? Cause this is San Diego, go do the rounds at Bolt, Mikkellers, Ballast Point and end it at BottleCraft ! – Oh yea, dinner time ! In the mood for some steak and amazing appetizers ? Let’s head over to Born n’ Raised or Cowboy Star ! Both great takes on Steakhouse dining in the 21st Century . – Want more Italian cause in Little Italy or Seafood ? I love Ironside for seafood, and love any of the Barbusa for italian . Late Night drinking . Making the full circle back to North Park – we have to get you to Craft n’ Commerce to their speakeasy False Idol. – head back to 7Grand in North Park for a cocktail nightcap. I have more suggestion but you will have to ask me another time.
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to thank my professors for putting up with me at San Diego State and till this day still answering my questions when needed! I’d like to thank Justin Robinson, strength coach and sports dietitian for accepting me into his internship and teaching me so many things that I still use to this day! I’d like to thank Brian Wilson owner of Catalyst Physical Therapy and Wellness for believing me and having a great friendship as well as working relationship for all these years! Best physical therapy clinic in town if you ask me ! I’d like to thank Rajam Roose, owner of San Diego Pain Summit. Without her help and attending her conferences, I wouldn’t be the personal trainer I am today . All the people I have worked with over the years who have trusted me with their bodies, I thank them for teaching me how individual everyone is and why being a trainer is such a rewarding and fulfilling career. Of course a huge shoutout to my wife and two cats for supporting me in my career also. Thank you for understanding the time and commitment needed to start a business.
Website: https://www.feelgoodfit.net/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/feelgoodfit82/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pedrosun/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Feelgoodfit/
Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/feel-good-fitness-san-diego-2?hrid=TBzHGb1y_JhexWiIjpuzNg&utm_campaign=header&utm_medium=embedded_review&utm_source=www.feelgoodfit.net
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkV6uN2DwcC1f4U6_UtaWjw?view_as=subscriber
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