Matt Sprang thought he was building his dream when he broke ground on a state-of-the-art swim school facility in 2016. Instead, he found himself staring at an email from his lawyer suggesting bankruptcy – with over $800,000 in debt and a half-built facility that wouldn’t open.

What happened next transformed not just his business, but his entire understanding of success, self-worth, and what it means to show up for the people who matter most.

In this raw conversation with Sacred Business Stories, Matt shares how hitting rock bottom became the foundation for rebuilding everything — including himself.

Show Notes

[00:00-10:00] From Swimming Champion to Business Owner

* Matt’s 40-year swimming journey from age 6 to Division III All-American

* Transitioned from coaching part-time to becoming head coach

* Founded Greater Philadelphia Aquatic Enterprises after convincing school district to exit swim business

* Built vision for “cradle to grave” swimming program with new facility

[10:00-20:00] When Dreams Become Nightmares

* Three-year search for location and funding finally succeeded in 2015

* Construction began May 2016, expected to open September 2016

* By Thanksgiving, facility incomplete with major construction errors

* All SBA loan funds exhausted with no path forward

* February 2017: Lawyer recommended bankruptcy as only option

[20:00-30:00] The Moment Everything Changed

* Brief moment considering life insurance policies as “way out” for family

* Three-year-old daughter’s “I love you, daddy” became turning point

* Wife (a psychologist) helped him see suicide as “short-term solution to long-term problem”

* Decision: “I can’t control winning the lawsuit, but I can control doing everything possible”

[30:00-40:00] Fighting Through the Storm

* Became his own legal researcher and investigator

* Wife battling adrenal failure requiring 40mg prednisone daily

* Raising two toddlers while coaching athletes and fighting lawsuit

* “There were plenty of days where I couldn’t see the finish line”

* Settlement finally reached in September 2019

[40:00-50:00] When You Think It Can’t Get Worse

* Six months after settlement: COVID shut down business for 100 days

* Lost home pool, swim school closed for over a year

* Applied lessons from first crisis to survive pandemic

* Acquired another program in 2021, doubling size but masking lost passion

* Tony Robbins’ UPW helped realize need for change

[50:00-60:00] The Real Transformation: Inner Work

* Maine cabin experience: “I did not like the person I was alone with”

* Joined Front Row Dads community for personal growth

* Discovered pattern of making decisions based on others’ expectations

* Somatic breathwork helped access deeper healing

* Learning to forgive others and, more importantly, himself

[60:00-70:00] The Edge of Known: New Beginnings

* Sold business in August 2024 after quick sale process

* Launched “The Edge of Known” Substack about standing at comfort’s edge

* Now helping executives and entrepreneurs who burn out at work

* Core message: “You can be successful in business AND very successful at home”

* Writing about USA Swimming’s transformation needs

Key Quotes

“The gap between knowing what to do and actually doing it wasn’t a strategy problem – it was a pattern problem.” – Matt Sprang

“I made the decision that I wasn’t going to be able to control winning or losing any lawsuit. But what I could do is everything within my power to make being victorious possible.” – Matt Sprang

“We control very little in life, but we can influence a lot.” – Matt Sprang

“If I’m not part of the problem, I can’t be part of the solution, so I have to look within first.” – Matt Sprang

“Winning at home is so much more important than winning at business.” – Matt Sprang

Resources Mentioned

* The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer

* The Surrender Experiment by Michael Singer (recommended during interview)

* Front Row Dads – Men’s community focused on family leadership

* Tony Robbins’ Unleash the Power Within – Transformational seminar

* Somatic Breathwork – Body-based healing practice

Where to Find Matt

* Substack: Matt Sprang (The Edge of Known)

* LinkedIn: Matthew Sprang

* Website: MattSprang.com

Thank You

Deep gratitude to Matt for sharing such a vulnerable and powerful story. To our Sacred Business community members who show up week after week — your presence makes these conversations possible.

P.S.

Matt recommended two potential future guests: Dr. Kelly Flanagan (author and Front Row Dad) and Wayne Goldsmith (youth sports coaching expert from Australia). We’ll be reaching out to continue bringing you transformational business stories.

What’s Next

If this story resonated with you, you might also appreciate our conversation with Ryan Levesque about building businesses that support your vision. Access all previous Sacred Business Stories episodes in our archive.

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Missed previous episodes? Find all our Sacred Business Stories conversations in the archive.

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