Meet Ian Donlon | Entrepreneur, Mentor, & Philanthropist

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

Hi Ian, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Risk taking is something that has definitely played a pivotal role in my own life and the lives of others who I have seen create what they want in any area of life.

Anything that I have ever wanted to achieve on a high level has always required taking a risk. Whether it was starting a new business, moving to an unfamiliar city like Los Angeles, creating and cultivating an important relationship, developing a new spiritual path, or simply changing an ingrained habit that no longer served me.

I had to be willing to go into the unknown and uncomfortable places to experience something better. The level of commitment had to be greater than the pain of change. Only I could decide whether it was worth it to me. No one could tell me to do it if I had made the choice that I wasn’t ready for the next level.

The fascinating part of taking the chance and elevating my life is that once I have done it the success always feels like the most natural thing in the world. Like I have always had it and I am so grateful to have done it. Even if it takes years and I went through many trials and tribulations on the path. So I have trained myself to commit and move forward once the opportunity presents itself.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I am involved as a partner in a martial arts business and community called Level Up Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. We started with one location in 2016 and have expanded to four schools since then. Our focus is on training people in the art of jiu-jitsu along with developing them both mentally and emotionally to be on a path that is about connection with others and personal growth.

For me the goal of putting together a business to be successful is about creating a vision for what you love to do and how you want to express yourself as a person. Once you have found that as a starting point you can then focus on finding like minded people who want to be a part of what you have created.

Being patient and persistent along with having a long term focus is another key to getting to the next level. If I expect things to happen immediately I am generally disappointed. However if I can discipline myself to push through the inevitable challenges and commit to doing whatever it takes for as long as it takes I find that amazing things can and will happen.

Owning a business is rarely easy. If something goes wrong it is up to you to you to fix it. Our businesses have literally been through fires, floods, and a global pandemic. We like to joke that if we can just make it through the biblical plague phase of ownership everything will be great!

Having said that there is something about creating your own reality that is extremely gratifying and humbling. There is nothing quite like facing down a major problem and finding a solution. It is the ultimate exercise in personal and spiritual development and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

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?
There are so many amazing places to see and experience in Los Angeles that I feel like you could never run out. Another in the long list of reasons that I love it here.

I would suggest that for a spiritual experience they head over to the Self Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine in Pacific Palisades. You can take a walk around the lake and spend time in the Meditation Gardens. It is very relaxing and peaceful and can be done at your own pace.

For breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean and Venice Beach I would take them over to the Hotel Erwin in Venice. There is a rooftop lounge at the top of the hotel where you can see all of West LA along with being a few blocks from the ocean. There is plenty of space and the food and drinks are good as well.

You can’t go wrong with the Getty Museum in Brentwood for beautiful art and cultural items. It has so much to experience along with views of the entire LA basin on the outside patios.

Lastly would have to be a trip to Westlake Lake in Westlake Village. You can take a boat out on the lake or you can eat lakeside at Boccaccios. Very quiet and beautiful surrounded by canyons and waterfront homes.

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?
There have been many people that have helped me on my journey that deserve so much credit for my success. My close friend and business partner Erik who was instrumental in my move to Los Angeles and entering into the ownership of martial arts academies. His guidance and mentorship on both a personal and professional level has been life altering and inspiring for me. I am connected to an amazing community of friends and students in our schools and it wouldn’t have happened without him.

There have been two different spiritual mentors that have been instrumental in my journey. My Buddhist teacher and healer Mrs. Tran who dedicated so much of her time and love to teaching about the value of Eastern medicine and bringing me into the practices and faith of Buddhism. She showed me how valuable it is to have a holistic spiritual life and taught me so much about gratitude, humility, and putting yourself in the service of others. Unfortunately she passed away last year but her spirit and heart will always live within me and all the other people whose lives she touched.

The other spiritual mentor is my good friend Jim who saw me in a time of need and shared with me a meditation practice that has completely changed my life for the better. As a result of his support and encouragement I began to meditate daily and incorporate deep breathing exercises that have resulted in a peace of mind and emotional connection to others that I hadn’t experienced before. It has created a very high energetic vibration within me that I am now able to tap into whenever I wish. I’m very grateful to him for his willingness and ability to share this information and knowledge with me.

Last but not least I want to acknowledge my mother for all that she has done and shown me along the way. Through being connected to her and observing the way she lives her life I have learned so many lessons that have helped me in own life. From how to do business, the right way to treat people, thinking big, and being abundant and generous in mind and spirit. If my life is half as meaningful and valuable to others as her life has been I will consider myself blessed.

Website: https://levelupjiujitsu.com/

Instagram: ian_donlon

Facebook: Ian Donlon