10 MINUTES WITH
Bart Zandbergen THE CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER IS FOCUSED ON MAINTAINING A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE AND , THROUGH HIS NONPROFIT , HELPING OTHERS WHO WERE BULLIED LIKE HE WAS AS A CHILD .
By SHARON STELLO
Financial planner Bart Zandbergen , who was bullied as a child , seeks to support antibullying efforts through his nonprofit , Kindness Kures .
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B art Zandbergen is a successful financial planner with his own company , but he ’ s faced his share of challenges over the years : being overweight and bullied as a child and going through a divorce later in life . But it was the way he chose to deal with these obstacles that helped him to overcome and prevail . With more than three decades of wealth management experience , Zandbergen founded his own business , The Zandbergen Group , in 2020 . A year before that , he started a nonprofit , Kindness Kures , to support antibullying efforts . Through his business , charity , social media posts and podcast , Zandbergen seeks to help others with lessons he ’ s learned .
“ Without a doubt , being overweight and bullied played a pivotal role in shaping who I am today ,” he says . “ There are internal scars that I continue to carry , but the greatest gift my experiences gave me include learning the value of kindness . During my childhood , I was withdrawn , quiet , introverted and had high anxiety . I have evolved and overcome my shyness and have become much more confident . I … now call myself an extroverted introvert . … It took many years to move through that painful time in my life , but my pain , in many ways , became my purpose .”
As a teen , he took back control after watching the movie “ Rocky ” with his popcorn and soda . “ I left that movie and I told myself … I was not going to live that way anymore , and that I was going to rewrite my story ,” he recalls . “ I had no idea about health and fitness , but Rocky ran for his training , so I thought I would give that a try . The first day I ran one time around the block . The next day , two times , and so on . I also changed how I ate .”
By age 20 , a friend brought Zandbergen to the gym and taught him how to eat and train like a bodybuilder . “ I have pretty much been following that plan ever since ,” he shares . “ I can regularly be found at Life Time fitness [ center ] in the 5 a . m . club of people who like to begin their day with a great workout .”
An Orange County native , he grew up in Anaheim , moved south during college and settled in Laguna in 2002 .
“ It is , and has always been , food for my soul ,” he says . “ … After my first marriage , I wanted a fresh start . … I ’ ve surfed my entire adult life
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and I asked myself , ‘ Why don ’ t I live on the beach ?’ While I grew up surfing in Newport , as I moved into a new phase of life , I realized that Newport is just not my vibe . I love the chill energy in Laguna and the coastline view .”
Zandbergen chose to work in wealth management to help change lives in a positive way . And his nonprofit , Kindness Kures , aims to bring awareness about bullying to kids , adults and families , and to support other anti-bullying and kindness organizations . “ Together , I believe real change can happen ,” he says .
Zandbergen , also a certified sommelier , lives in Laguna with his wife , Tina , and their daughter , Tehani ; he also has two adult children , Nicole and Christian , from his first marriage , who each have children of their own — making him “ a proud grandfather of four .”
LAGUNA BEACH MAGAZINE : Do you still run or what ’ s your workout like ? BART ZANDBERGEN : Running was a great start for me until I learned how to work out in the gym . I have incorporated hiking and outdoor walks … [ at ] Top of the World for what I call my “ active rest ” workouts . I also love to do 1,000 Steps in Laguna . I will even carry dumbbells or wear a weighted vest to enhance my workout .
LBM : What advice do you have for children who are being bullied ? BZ : Remember that you are wonderful , you are special and you are loved . Be strong and courageous in the hard times and know with certainty that this too will pass . One of the fundamental truths in life is that nothing is permanent — not the good times or the bad times ; everything in life has seasons .
LBM : Any favorite places in town ? BZ : The Drake is one of my go-tos : Great wine list / drink [ s ] and the salmon entree and Caesar salad are my top choices . Selanne [ Steak Tavern ] … is one of my favorite places to go and eat at the bar . Their scallops and the filet and asparagus are delicious . When I am in the mood for a view , Mozambique can ’ t be beat with its rooftop deck . g
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