Meet Yuri Marmerstein | Teacher, Performer, Actor, Stunt man

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

Hi Yuri, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Once I was shown it was possible to work for yourself and start a business doing something you enjoy, I knew I wanted to do it.

I have always been an independent person, so the idea of working for other people did not appeal much to me. There was a time when I thought this was something everyone “had” to do, but once I saw there were other options I was very interested in doing my own thing.
I like the idea of really putting care and effort into something because it’s mine, as opposed to being content with mediocre work that I do for someone else.

It’s difficult sometimes to be fully motivated to be passionate and improve upon your work when you don’t see the rewards/consequences of your actions. Sure, there might be the safety of a steady paycheck, but the lack of motivation can lead to complacency and stagnation.

Being self-employed is a bigger risk, as you deal with the consequences more directly. You reap the rewards when you do well, but also have to eat the losses.
Because of this, there is much more reason and motivation to continuously learn and improve your craft. It keeps you on your toes. Also since it’s your own reputation on the line, you will care much more about the quality of products and services you offer.
Ultimately, even though the goal is profit, the work should not be motivated my the money.

While it’s not for everyone, but I prefer to take responsibility for what I do, deal with the rewards and consequences, and continue learning and improving myself and my business.
Over the years, I’ve had plenty of high and low points in owning my own business. They were all valuable experiences I learned from and something I am happy to continue doing.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I never know how to describe my work because I do a lot of different things.

I am generally best known for my work with teaching handstands. I started off being self taught, and eventually traveled the world teaching people of all ages and backgrounds how to learn handstands and develop greater control of their bodies.
I am also a published author, I have performed as a professional acrobat, and currently pursuing a career as a film actor and stunt man.
Originally I studied physics in school and worked in the field out of college, but I decided that world was not for me.

None of it was easy, and I still face many challenges today. I’m grateful for my self-taught background because it helped me to better understand my own learning process. I am also grateful to all the amazing teachers and mentors I have had over the years.

I love to continuously learn new things and improve my craft, then use the lessons learned to help with the next pursuit.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I don’t really go out much, so I typically keep things quiet and low-key. I like to explore nature, make fires, and cook good food rather than going out to eat.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I really appreciate the work of Kit Laughlin, and his company Stretch Therapy.

I was lucky to meet him fairly early in my career, and his values aligned very closely with my own. He showed me that it was possible to run a successful business without sacrificing one’s ideals as many people do.

I still appreciate his content, approach, and attitude towards both teaching and business.

Website: www.yuri-mar.com

Instagram: @yuri_marmerstein

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yuri.marmer

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChOI-0z67jymsW6Xtz1yvHA

Image Credits
Armando Farfan Jr Russell Brown Kris Mayeshiro Tio Von Hale