Meet Josh Iwanaka | Gym Owner

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

Hi Josh, what role has risk played in your life or career?
There is risk at every opportunity. You can play safe and not take risks but that may also lose you the chance for the next big opportunity. I grew up saying yes to every opportunity. However, as I’ve matured I’ve tried making smarter, more calculated, decisions to mitigate fallout. This has come as a necessity as my family has grown. There is just too much to lose.

I have always bet on myself in every job I’ve had. I have worked in industries i’ve had no business in.I knew, if i put my heart and my mind to it, i’d be successful. So I joined Studeo Gyms in 2012 with just a chip and a chair; a cell phone and a meager salary, I believed i’d hit my sales targets. Fast forward 2 years and I was offered to the opportunity to partner n a new Studeo location in LA. The opportunity had a massive upside but the downside was even bigger. Why would we open a gym in a foreign city where we knew no one and in the fitness mecca? For reference most boutique fitness startups fail (81%) within the first year. Let alone in LA. But I’ve always believed in the product and in myself to make it happen. So I sold my apartment in Vancouver and started working with my visa lawyer. Between the decision to invest and the opening of Studeo LA I was married with a newborn. There was no chance of failure now. Eight years later Studeo is still growing and we get closer to the prize.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
The path that got me here today has been linear once i set my sights on what good looked like. I found purpose once i met my wife, and had my son. I was married, became a father moved to LA and opened the business all within a year. As a result, there was nothing more important than my family and creating a future for them. The 5 years that followed were possibly the hardest years of my life. Building a brand in. anew city and a team from scratch, for the first time, came with many bumps and bruises. The thing that grounded me and allowed me to push myself every day was the love and trust of my wife. I like to compare our minds to electronic devices. If you have too many programs running in the background the device will not function optimally. Fortunately for me I was able to come home to a safe and supportive home so I could face the daily battles at work. For this reason my family is first and foremost and work falls second. The other things in life are only distractions.

I think I’ve been successful to date. We’ve been open for over 8 years and are surviving even in the face of the world economics. Of course the day to day is like paddling a canoe – a little too much to the left or to the right but we have always been moving in the positive direction. I believe Studeo is the best athletic training facility in the world. Studeo has trained professional NBA and NFL athletes, A-list actors, producers and execs all the way to fitness beginners. We have created a formula in our three training categories (Group Class, Semi-Private and Private) that can be replicated and franchised.

Not bad for a bunch of guys who grew up in small suburbs outside of Vancouver.

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?
The best part about LA is the ability to experience so many different fun and interesting places only an hour away. When I first moved to LA I made it a point to visit as many places as possible. My family and I would do day trips and drive to Long Beach for the Crawfish festival, to Montabello for the Dino exhibit, to Little Tokyo for the Nissei Festival, or to Monterey Park for dim sum. We would pack overnight bags and head to Palm Springs, Carlsbad, or Santa Barbara for a weekend getaway. We would watch movies in the park in Sherman Oaks, check out coffee shops in Silver Lake or walk around the reservoir in Hollywood. We have watched almost every sports team play – the Anaheim Angels and Dodgers, the Anaheim Ducks, the Lakers and Clippers, LA FC and Angel City FC play. There is not one particular place that is a must because the city has something for everyone. The only requirement regardless of what area of this city we go we is to find a great place to relax and eat. Typically a good taco and margarita will suffice.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
i think the biggest influence in my life the past 10 years has been the mentorship of Nathan Mellalieu, the founder of Studeo. His influence in my life has not only affected how I manage Studeo but how I approach being a father and a husband. Even though we knew each other from college we did not really bond until I started at Studeo over 10 years later. Over countless coffee walks around Vancouver we discussed life, business and everything in between. So when he approached me to be a partner for the LA location it was a simple decision. I already had all the information I needed, I trusted the vision and knew his quality of character is something i could bet my future on. Mentorship comes in many ways and in different aspects of life and it is never perfect. To this day I value each conversation and tib bit of knowledge he imparts on me.

Website: Studeogyms.com

Instagram: @studeo_

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-iwanaka-a0b3292/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/studeo-gyms-los-angeles-4?utm_campaign=www_business_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct)