- Words by Tess Van Straaten Photography by Lia Crowe
Josh Dupuis has been building things since he was a child. He started working in construction at just 15 years old, but never thought he香蕉视频直播檇 have a business building saunas.
香蕉视频直播淚f someone had told me three years ago that I would be building and renting saunas right now, I would have laughed,香蕉视频直播� says Josh, the founder of . 香蕉视频直播淚t was something that hadn香蕉视频直播檛 crossed my mind until my wife, Amy, said she loved saunas.香蕉视频直播�
It all started in 2020 when Amy wanted to rent a sauna for Christmas. When they couldn香蕉视频直播檛 find one, Josh decided to build one in the backyard.
香蕉视频直播淚 thought it would be really cool to have one on a trailer because you could take it anywhere you want. Then I thought, 香蕉视频直播楲et香蕉视频直播檚 throw it on a trailer and rent it out!香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈 Josh explains. 香蕉视频直播淵ou can bring the benefits to everybody and share such a cool thing. Show up at someone香蕉视频直播檚 birthday party with a sauna and drop it off香蕉视频直播攊t香蕉视频直播檚 pretty cool. And we actually went camping with our barrel sauna.香蕉视频直播�
So Wildwood was born, and has since built up a business around custom sauna builds and mobile sauna rentals香蕉视频直播攊ncluding weekly Saturday stints at Willows Beach in Oak Bay, where they do both drop-ins and pre-booking.
香蕉视频直播淏usiness is really good and everybody loves it,香蕉视频直播� Josh says. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 such a great thing to have. Our goal is community building, and at Willows, the groups come and do some cold dips and everyone hangs out. It香蕉视频直播檚 really cool and there are big smiles all around. When you come out of the sauna, it香蕉视频直播檚 hard not to smile. We really enjoy doing it, because it香蕉视频直播檚 such a nice thing to bring to the community and the health benefits are great.香蕉视频直播�
For Josh, who also owns Josh Dupuis Construction, the building bug started at a very young age.
香蕉视频直播淏eing creative is definitely my passion,香蕉视频直播� he says. 香蕉视频直播淲hen I was 11 years old, I built my first go-kart just by looking at a picture in a magazine. I bought a welder and learned how to weld. Doing that first go-kart and seeing it drive, that香蕉视频直播檚 where it started. I thought, 香蕉视频直播榃hat else can I build?香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈
After struggling in school, Josh moved out on his own when he was just 15 years old and started in carpentry, building homes for five years.
香蕉视频直播淚 wanted my freedom and I wasn香蕉视频直播檛 very good at school,香蕉视频直播� he says. 香蕉视频直播淚 was home-schooled and I didn香蕉视频直播檛 do well with books, and I couldn香蕉视频直播檛 sit still and I couldn香蕉视频直播檛 stop building stuff, so I decided to just go build stuff. I never thought I could own my own business because I was so terrible at school and math.香蕉视频直播�
But after getting into commercial refrigeration and obtaining his Red Seal in HVAC-R, Josh realized he could do math and concentrate on things he was passionate about. He spent the next eight years building grocery stores all over Canada before quitting his job to start his own construction company in Victoria three years ago.
香蕉视频直播淚 was building the Walmart in Langford and on my days off, I was going home to Edmonton, where I was living at the time. It was -50 C there and I was in a T-shirt here, so it made sense to move here,香蕉视频直播� says Josh, who grew up in New Brunswick. 香蕉视频直播淭he weather is great, there香蕉视频直播檚 lots of construction, and Victoria is beautiful. All the hiking here is crazy!香蕉视频直播�
Josh grew up playing competitive sports, including baseball, hockey, amateur boxing and skateboarding, and says the best advice he ever received was from a coach, who would say: 香蕉视频直播淢ind your thoughts, because they become your words. Mind your words, because they become your actions. Mind your actions, because they become your character. Mind your character, because it becomes your fate.香蕉视频直播�
Keeping a positive mindset has been something he香蕉视频直播檚 tried to do, even when faced with the challenges of the construction industry.
香蕉视频直播淐onstruction can be pretty challenging all the time,香蕉视频直播� Josh says. 香蕉视频直播淭he timelines, trying to get things done quickly and well at the same time, that香蕉视频直播檚 probably the hardest thing. The biggest lesson I香蕉视频直播檝e learned is to double-check prices on materials before sending the quote.香蕉视频直播�
Summer is also a challenging time for the sauna rental business, especially when the last two summers have seen several heat waves and record-breaking temperatures.
香蕉视频直播淚t really slows down when it warms up,香蕉视频直播� Josh says. 香蕉视频直播淲hen it香蕉视频直播檚 30 C it香蕉视频直播檚 hard to rent a sauna, but we still had lots of people at the beach. But now that it香蕉视频直播檚 raining and not nice, we香蕉视频直播檙e pretty busy because it香蕉视频直播檚 a pretty unique way to warm up.香蕉视频直播�
Passionate about health and wellness, Josh says he thinks saunas are definitely making a comeback as people look for different ways to de-stress.
香蕉视频直播淚 think people are really getting more aware of the health benefits,香蕉视频直播� Josh says. 香蕉视频直播淲hen I have pain from working hard all day, I香蕉视频直播檒l do a cold plunge and then a sauna and I just feel so relaxed after. It clears my brain and I find it puts me in a good mood.香蕉视频直播�
Wildwood has two rental saunas right now and plans to build a third one soon. The company is also going to be designing cold-dip tubs next year, and is even considering starting sauna boat tours. Josh says his dream is to have a whole fleet of saunas and to be doing custom builds full time.
香蕉视频直播淭he biggest mistake I香蕉视频直播檝e made has been not starting this company sooner,香蕉视频直播� he says. 香蕉视频直播淣ot believing that I could be successful and not believing in myself enough. When things get hard, that香蕉视频直播檚 when you香蕉视频直播檝e got to push through, and once you do, that香蕉视频直播檚 what shapes you and makes you better. Don香蕉视频直播檛 give up when things get hard. When you push through, that香蕉视频直播檚 the game-changer.香蕉视频直播�
Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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