Meet Joe Bando | Master Strength Therapist, Director of Operations & Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Joe Bando and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Joe, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I didn’t start Sacred Strength because I wanted to own a business. I started it because I reached a point where I couldn’t keep compromising on what I knew produced the best results for people.

For years I worked inside someone else’s system. I’m grateful for what I learned there because it gave me the opportunity to train hundreds of people, refine my coaching, and understand what truly changes lives. But I also saw the limitations of a model that often prioritized volume, speed, and consistency over individuality and genuine human connection.

I wanted to build a place where every decision could be made around one question: “Is this what is best for the client?”

Sacred Strength was born from that conviction. I wanted to create an environment where people weren’t just exercising. They were rebuilding confidence, reclaiming their health, slowing down, reconnecting with their bodies, and discovering that strength has the power to transform every part of life.

My own life has shaped that vision. I grew up in an abusive home, struggled with obesity, battled gout, built and lost successful businesses, and had to reinvent myself more than once. Through all of it, strength training became one of the few constants that taught me discipline, resilience, and self respect. It wasn’t just about building muscle. It became a way of rebuilding my life.

I started Sacred Strength because I wanted to share that experience with other people. Not through fitness fads, gimmicks, or endless hours in the gym, but through a thoughtful, science based approach that respects the body while challenging it to become stronger.

At its core, Sacred Strength is an expression of what I believe: the body is something worth honoring, strength is one of the greatest investments we can make in ourselves, and everyone deserves to feel capable, resilient, and empowered regardless of their age or starting point.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Sacred Strength was built on a simple belief: strength training should be one of the safest, most effective, and most empowering things a person does, not something that leaves them broken down, intimidated, or wondering if they’re doing it right.

We specialize in one-on-one, high-intensity strength training using slow, controlled movement. Every workout is individually coached, every exercise has a purpose, and every client receives our full attention. It’s not about spending hours in the gym. It’s about creating the right stimulus, in the right way, and allowing the body to adapt and become stronger.

What sets us apart is that we don’t just train muscles. We coach people. We learn their story, understand their goals, and meet them where they are. Whether someone is an athlete, a busy executive, or in their seventies and simply wants to stay independent, they deserve the same level of care and attention.

Professionally, my path has been anything but conventional. I’ve built companies, lost companies, performed stand-up comedy, and reinvented myself more than once. Every chapter taught me something different about leadership, resilience, communication, and human nature.

The hardest chapter came during the pandemic. I had opened a comedy club just months before the shutdowns, and like so many small business owners, I watched years of work disappear almost overnight. Earlier in my career, I had also built a successful security company that grew to more than 240 employees before circumstances beyond my control dramatically changed its trajectory. Those experiences were painful, but they also stripped away my attachment to titles and success for its own sake. They forced me to ask what kind of work actually gives my life meaning.

The answer was helping people become stronger.

That answer is rooted in my own story. I grew up in an abusive household, struggled with obesity as an adult, and eventually transformed my own health through strength training and disciplined living. I know what it feels like to believe your body is working against you, and I know what it feels like to take your life back. That perspective shapes every session I coach.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that setbacks are rarely the end of the story. They’re often the thing that redirects you toward the work you were actually meant to do. Looking back, every failure became preparation for Sacred Strength.

What I want people to know is that Sacred Strength isn’t just a gym. It’s a place where people discover what they’re capable of. We believe the body is something to be respected, not punished. We believe strength changes far more than muscles. It changes confidence, resilience, independence, and the way people move through the world.

If someone leaves our studio believing more in themselves than when they walked in, then we’ve succeeded.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
One of the things I love most about living in Southern California is that you can experience completely different worlds without ever getting on a plane. Within a couple of hours, you can be riding through mountain roads, watching the sunset on the beach, hiking through the desert, or catching a world-class comedy show.

If my best friend came into town for a week, we’d spend as much time exploring as we would making plans.

The first day would start with breakfast overlooking the ocean in Laguna Beach before taking a walk through Heisler Park and along the shoreline. From there we’d head down the coast through Dana Point and San Clemente, stopping wherever looked interesting. Southern California is one of those places where some of the best memories happen when you don’t have an itinerary.

Another day would be dedicated entirely to motorcycles. We’d ride Ortega Highway out toward Lake Elsinore before looping through the mountains, then make our way over to Palomar Mountain. Those roads are some of the most enjoyable rides anywhere in Southern California, and every biker should experience them at least once. If there was extra time, we’d continue east and spend a day exploring the open roads around Borrego Springs and Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. The contrast between the coastline and the desert is something that never gets old.

Of course, comedy has to be part of the trip. We’d spend a night at the legendary The Comedy Store or The Laugh Factory to watch some of the best comedians in the country. If we’re lucky, someone unexpected drops in, and that’s one of the things that makes live comedy in Los Angeles so special. You never know who’s going to walk on stage.

I’d also take them hiking. Crystal Cove has incredible coastal trails, and if they’re up for something a little more challenging, we’d head over to Top of the World in Laguna Beach for panoramic views that remind you why so many people dream about living here.

No Southern California visit would be complete without spending a day in San Diego. We’d wander through the Gaslamp Quarter, walk along the waterfront, spend time in Balboa Park, and finish the evening in La Jolla watching the sea lions while the sun goes down.

For a little culture and nostalgia, we’d make our way through Old Towne Orange, browse the local shops, grab coffee, and enjoy a slower pace before heading over to Newport Beach to walk the harbor or catch the ferry to Balboa Island.

As for food, I’d skip most of the chain restaurants. Southern California has too many incredible local spots. Whether it’s authentic Mexican food after a motorcycle ride, fresh seafood overlooking the water, or a great steak after a comedy show, half the fun is discovering places that aren’t on every tourist list.

What I appreciate most about this area isn’t just the scenery. It’s the variety. Within a single week you can surf, ride a Harley through mountain roads, hike ocean cliffs, explore the desert, laugh until midnight at a comedy club, and still feel like you’ve barely scratched the surface. That diversity is one of the biggest reasons I love calling Southern California home.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Without question, my wife, Dr. Amanda Gale-Bando.

Amanda has been my biggest supporter, my greatest challenger, and the person who has consistently reminded me to build a life that’s aligned with who I really am instead of who I think I’m supposed to be.

We’ve been married for over fifteen years, and she’s watched every chapter. She was there when I built a multimillion-dollar security company, when I lost nearly everything during the pandemic, when I opened a comedy club just before the world shut down, and now as I’ve built Sacred Strength from the ground up. Through every success and every setback, she’s never measured me by the outcome. She’s measured me by whether I stayed true to my values.

As a clinical psychologist, she has an incredible ability to understand people, but she’s never tried to “fix” me. She’s simply helped me become more aware of myself. Our conversations have shaped the philosophy behind Sacred Strength as much as my years in the fitness industry have. She has taught me that real strength isn’t just physical. It’s emotional, psychological, and spiritual as well.

Sacred Strength exists because of my vision, but it has been refined by countless conversations with Amanda about what it means to truly help another human being. She reminds me that every person who walks through our door has a story, and if we can make them feel seen, safe, and stronger than when they arrived, we’ve done something meaningful.

If there’s anyone who deserves recognition for helping shape both the man I am and the business I’ve built, it’s Amanda.

Website: https://www.sacredstrengthsanctuary.com

Instagram: @sacredtrengthsanctuary

Image Credits
My wife