Meet Josh Houseman

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Josh Houseman. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Josh below.

Josh, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?

Resilience, for me, wasn’t built in a single moment — it was forged over years of setbacks, heartbreaks, and having to start over when everything I’d worked for collapsed.

Personally, it began when I was a kid — the only male gymnast in a small town where that wasn’t exactly celebrated. I was ridiculed for being different, but gymnastics taught me something I didn’t fully appreciate at the time: how to fall, get back up, and try again. That mindset would come back to save me more times than I could count.

Years later, I had to walk away from a business I helped build — one that I’d poured my energy, time, and finances into — because my partners were engaging in actions that completely went against my core values: theft, sexual harassment, and deception. I could have stayed, I could have removed the partners, but integrity and our fitness family meant more. So I walked away and I lost everything while being lied about as I left.

Then, just as I began rebuilding with a new opportunity, I was cut out of that too — replaced because a competitor promised higher profits (that end the end never came). It was a punch to the gut after all of the time, money and above and beyond effort that was put into this business endeavor. It was especially hard knowing that people I cared about (our contractors and customers) were being affected. We hustled to recover and start our current version of Relentless Fitness, only to be shut down by COVID-19 just a few months after we opened the doors to a new gym — with no city support, $15,000 in monthly overhead, and no income.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t consider giving up. There were nights I felt like a complete failure, times I genuinely believed I’d never be successful, and even moments where I thought it would be easier if I just disappeared.

But I remembered something that gymnastics taught me early on: you haven’t failed until you stop getting up. I leaned on the example of my dad — my role model and hero — a man who carried his own burdens with a smile, and who always gave to others even when he had nothing left. He reminded me, directly and by example, that strength doesn’t always roar. Sometimes it’s quiet persistence.

I kept going. I adapted. I focused on building a business model that wasn’t just about profit, but about helping as many people as possible — both clients and trainers. That’s what gave birth to the current version of Relentless Fitness.

Resilience is now part of everything I do. It’s in the way I lead my team, the way I support others through their own challenges, and the way I make decisions — always taking a step back to assess with clarity, not emotion. I focus on gratitude, stay connected to my purpose, and keep my body and mind strong so I can handle whatever comes next.

In the end, resilience isn’t just something I “have” — it’s something I practice. Every day. And it’s the reason I’m still here, still standing, and still building something that matters.

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?

At my core, I’m a coach and a builder — not just of physiques, but of people, businesses, and communities. Professionally, I’m the founder of Relentless Fitness, a personal training company built on a foundation of service, care, and opportunity.

Relentless Fitness was born out of the gaps I saw in the fitness industry — both for clients and for the trainers who serve them. After years of working in the industry and facing my own setbacks, I set out to create the kind of place I wish existed when I started: a space that empowers personal trainers to grow their own businesses with support, ownership, and less of the typical low income and burnout that comes with doing it all on your own or at a club gym. We provide the tools, systems, and environment that let trainers focus their energy where it matters most — helping people change their lives.

What I’m most proud of is how our community has grown. Our trainers support one another instead of seeing each other as competition. We’ve helped clients go far beyond just weight loss and muscle gain — we’ve seen everyday people transform from a weight loss goal into Ironman athletes, high school students rise to lead their teams, and grandparents regain the ability to play with their grandkids. It’s about more than just fitness — it’s about confidence, mental health, and showing people they’re capable of far more than they think.

There’s a lot to be excited about right now. We’re expanding our training equipment to better serve our trainers and clients, launching a recovery room next year, and dialing in our business model to prepare for growth — with plans to expand into a new in the next 2–3 years.

When someone walks into Relentless Fitness, we want them to feel welcomed, comfortable, and excited to be there. And when they leave? We want them to feel proud, confident, and smiling — because the work they’re doing in the gym is spilling over into every area of their life.

What sets us apart is simple but rare: genuine care. Everything we do is rooted in service, continued growth, and an unwavering drive to help others improve their lives — mentally, physically, and emotionally.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Looking back on my journey, there are three qualities that have had the greatest impact on my growth—resilience, self-awareness, and a service-first mindset.

Resilience has been at the core of everything. I’ve experienced deep personal and professional setbacks—moments when I lost everything I had built and had to start from the ground up. Those times were painful and tested me in ways I never expected, but they taught me something invaluable: failure only becomes permanent if you quit. Each time I faced adversity, I reminded myself that as long as I kept moving forward, I was still in the fight. That mindset became the foundation of who I am today.

Alongside resilience, developing self-awareness and emotional control has been critical. In high-pressure situations, it’s easy to act out of fear or frustration, to make impulsive decisions or take things personally. Over the years, I’ve learned to step back, see situations clearly, and lead with intention rather than emotion. That ability to pause, reflect, and respond with purpose has not only helped me navigate conflict but has allowed me to grow stronger relationships and build a more grounded team and business.

Finally, everything I do is rooted in a service-first mindset. Relentless Fitness was built to serve—not just our clients, but our trainers, our community, and anyone looking for a place where they can feel supported and empowered. I’ve always believed that when you lead with a genuine desire to help others, the rest follows. People sense that authenticity, and it creates a space where real change happens and empowers others to grow and become better leaders themselves.

For anyone starting their own journey, my advice is to focus on these same values. Keep showing up, especially when it’s hard. Take time to reflect and grow through self-awareness. And most importantly, lead with service. When you focus on making a meaningful impact, success becomes something far deeper than numbers—it becomes about legacy.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

Absolutely—I’m always open to collaborating with people who share a passion for service, growth, and making a positive impact in the health and fitness space. At Relentless Fitness, we’re especially interested in connecting with personal trainers, wellness professionals, and local organizations that are committed to empowering others and building stronger communities.

If you’re someone who believes in doing things the right way—serving people first, constantly improving, and building something that leaves a lasting impact—I’d love to connect.

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