Business Lessons with Supplement World owner Josh MacGowan

Saskatoon is home to a thriving health and fitness scene and Supplement World's Josh MacGowan is at the center of it all.

Josh and his team are well-known for their high quality and innovative service in supplementation, but also a knack for bringing together the community. 

Josh is very humble, so I wanted to interview him to credit the success of Supplement World, but also to gather insight on what has pushed the needle in their business. 

Even before the pandemic Supplement World was adapting to our ever-changing business climate, so it wasn't surprising to see them offering curbside and delivery before businesses were even ordered to shut down. 

Watch the full video to hear about Josh's humble beginnings - the guitar teacher/fitness employee infatuated with supplements, to  growing a health-store powerhouse, currently sitting at EIGHT stores across Western Canada. 

I found our talk really insightful - if I had to highlight three main lessons, they would be on focusing on the customer, building community and anticipating the needs of your clients. 

1) Focusing on the customer. 

Josh has made some really tough decisions - starting a business is difficult on it's own, but he's pushed ahead when opportunities fell through, navigated a giant rebranding and shut down some locations.

You have to dig a little deep, but it becomes obvious why he's decisive: the customer. 

Making tough decisions gets easier when you can go back to what matters - how does this help the people we serve? 

2) Community. 

Do you know why people support Supplement World? It's because they support them.

They don't just give back financially (although they announced at the 2019 CPU Western Powerlifting Championships in Saskatoon they've donated over $60,000 to community initiatives),

They show up. Both in person and on-line. Big or small. 

Supporting Supplement World is easy because you become part of a club of like-minded individuals. It's more than the pills and powders. 

3) Anticipation. 

There is only one way to get ahead of your rivals. Be ahead of them.

Since Josh is so close to his customers, he can anticipate what they need and want. 

Part of this means knowing your industry really well, but also listening to the needs of your paying customers, and innovating within that space.

I learned so much from this short discussion. Thanks, Josh.

- Coach Marc