Today we’d like to introduce you to Jade Hwang.
Jade, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
After college, I realized very quickly that the 9-5 office job was not going to work for me. I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to do but I knew the power of what sports had given to me growing up and I wanted to be in the industry somehow. So I quit my good paying, government job… one with health insurance and a 401k and moved to Philly – a city with a passion for sports. A friend helped me get my foot in the door as a sports performance coach working with high-level athletes. I really had no business being there but I relied on my background as a competitive martial artist and whatever I could remember from youth sports and did my best and learned as I went. One job lead to the next and over the years I took on a variety of roles from the trainer, to sales and marketing and executive leadership.
Then a few years ago I started to explore the idea of entrepreneurship and using my experience to create something of my own. I wanted to be able to share the philosophy and benefits of martial arts with people in a fun and welcoming way. That is where KBX PHX was born.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
One thing that I have learned over the past few years is that you have to embrace challenges and use them as an opportunity for growth. When COVID hit KBX had only been open for about 5 months. We were instantly faced with a seemingly insurmountable obstacle with no end in sight. At first, I was devastated and thought there was no way we would survive the pandemic. But after a couple of days of feeling sorry for myself, I decided we weren’t going down without a fight. I tried to focus on one day and one issue at a time and little by little we figured it out.
Now when issues come up I try to focus on the solution because there always is one.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
KBX PHX is a boutique fitness kickboxing studio but we are more than a typical gym. We are a community of health and wellness enthusiasts influenced by the wisdom and philosophy of martial arts. KBX – stands for kickboxing and our roots in martial arts. PHX-short for Phoenix represents transformation and renewal and the ability to rise even from the lowest lows.
We designed our classes to be fun for everyone regardless of experience. The feeling of accomplishing something so challenging empowers people and gives them the confidence to push themselves in all areas of life. One of my favorite things is to look around in class and see people of all ages, levels and backgrounds having a shared experience, rooting for each other, and really putting themselves out there. It makes me proud to have created an environment where people from all walks of life are connected in a positive way.
There are a lot of factors and emotions tied to our overall health and wellness. Starting anything new in life comes with nerves, fear, and uncertainty. People tell me all the time that they “should” come in and take the class but that they aren’t in “good enough shape”. I understand where they are coming from but the truth is that you definitely are good enough. Wherever you are, you are good enough. I can’t promise that working out won’t be hard. In fact, if you’re doing it right it most certainly will be hard. But that’s okay, you can do hard things and we are here to help.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
Moving forward over the next 5-10 years I think there will be more of a focus on total body and holistic wellness. People are starting to realize that your mind and body, and your physical and mental well-being are intimately connected.
In the past, that was “hippy” talk, but now we are starting to see that people are putting a higher value on their health than they ever have before. Maybe this is just wishful thinking on my part but I hope this is the direction we are headed.
Contact Info:
- Website: kbxphx.com
- Instagram: @kbxphx and @Jade_kbx
- Facebook: kbxphx and Jade Hwang
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