Meet Alex Golding

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Alex Golding. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Alex, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?

I think my resilience comes from a combination of two things: my background in sports and my experience as an entrepreneur.

Growing up, athletics taught me early that setbacks are part of the process — whether it’s losing a game, facing an injury, or being asked to push beyond what felt comfortable. You learn quickly that resilience isn’t about ignoring challenges, it’s about finding a way to adapt and keep moving forward.

That lesson carried over into my professional life. When I co-founded The Studio by Catalyst, we faced all the typical hurdles of a new business — limited resources, tough competition, and the unpredictability of bringing a new wellness concept to life. There were moments when things felt overwhelming, but what kept me grounded was my “why”: creating a space that helps people feel better, recover, and connect with their health in a deeper way.

Resilience for me has always been about keeping the bigger vision in mind, even when the day-to-day is messy. I remind myself that growth only comes from those difficult moments. Every time we overcame a staffing challenge, an unexpected cost, or a slow month, it reinforced the habit of not stopping at the obstacle, but asking: “How do we adjust, learn, and get better from this?”

I’d say my resilience is equal parts discipline I learned through sport, perspective I gained from setbacks, and the passion I have for building a community around health and wellness. That mix has kept me moving forward no matter what’s been thrown my way.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

Professionally, my focus is on building wellness communities that combine movement, recovery, and connection. I’m the co-owner of The Studio by Catalyst in Rancho Bernardo, which is the boutique group fitness and wellness lounge side of the Catalyst Performance and Catalyst Physical Therapy & Wellness family.

What makes The Studio by Catalyst special is that it’s not just a place to take a class — it’s an integrated experience. You can come for strength training, Pilates, or spin, and then recover right after in our wellness lounge with tools like sauna, cold plunge, red light therapy, and vibro-acoustic loungers. We designed it this way because I believe performance, health, and longevity come from more than just the workout — it’s about balancing effort with recovery.

I’m most excited about how our space brings people together. We’ve created something that feels very community-driven — where members come not only for the physical benefits but also for the social and emotional connection. In a city as busy as San Diego, having a space where people can push themselves, recover, and feel cared for is really powerful.

As for what’s new, we’re in a really exciting season of growth. We’ve been hosting collaborations with local groups, youth athlete programs, and unique events that pair movement and wellness — like our “Last Sunday” recovery series, themed hangouts in the wellness lounge, and team-ups with community partners. We’re also expanding our service offerings in the wellness space, adding more recovery education and curated programs that guide people through contrast therapy and holistic restoration.

At the heart of it, my focus is on creating experiences that make people feel stronger, healthier, and more connected to themselves and each other. That’s what motivates me and what I think sets our brand apart.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

1. Resilience & Adaptability
No matter how well you plan, things rarely go exactly as expected — whether it’s launching a new business, navigating staff changes, or balancing family life. Resilience was critical for pushing through the tough stretches and adaptability helped me adjust quickly when circumstances changed.
Advice: For those starting out, practice reframing setbacks as feedback. Instead of asking, “Why did this go wrong?” ask, “What can I learn from this, and how do I pivot?”

2. Relationship Building
So much of my success has come from building strong, genuine relationships — with clients, community partners, and my team. People want to feel connected to a bigger mission, and when they trust you, they’ll follow your lead and support your vision.
Advice: Invest time in listening, not just selling or promoting. The more you understand people’s needs, the easier it is to create opportunities that serve them and, in turn, grow your business.

3. Vision & Execution Balance
I’ve always been driven by a big vision — creating wellness communities that combine training, recovery, and connection. But it’s equally important to translate vision into actionable steps: setting up systems, tracking numbers, and holding the team accountable.
Advice: Early in your journey, get comfortable zooming in and out — spend time dreaming big, but also build the discipline to execute daily tasks. Success comes from doing both well.

Closing Thought

For anyone just starting out, I’d say: focus on strengthening these three muscles — resilience, relationships, and the ability to balance vision with execution. If you build those, you’ll be equipped to handle the inevitable ups and downs and create something meaningful.

What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?

Right now, the biggest challenge I’m facing is capacity utilization — making sure more people in our community are experiencing everything we’ve built at The Studio by Catalyst. We’ve created a space that blends classes, recovery, and community, and while our members love it, we’re still not at the level of consistent bookings that we know is possible.

To overcome this, I’ve been focusing on two things: education and consistency. Education, because a lot of people don’t yet understand the power of recovery modalities like cold plunge, sauna, or red light therapy — so we’re hosting events, workshops, and collaborations that give people a chance to experience it firsthand. Consistency, because filling classes and the wellness lounge takes clear systems, accountability for the team, and ongoing outreach.

I see this challenge less as a roadblock and more as an opportunity: it pushes us to refine our marketing, empower our staff to take ownership of growth, and keep finding creative ways to invite people into the space. And every time we bring someone new in, they almost always become an advocate — which tells me we’re on the right path.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thestudiobycatalyst.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thestudiobycatalyst