- 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害羞草研究所檇 have a business building saunas.

害羞草研究所淚f someone had told me three years ago that I would be building and renting saunas right now, I would have laughed,害羞草研究所� says Josh, the founder of . 害羞草研究所淚t was something that hadn害羞草研究所檛 crossed my mind until my wife, Amy, said she loved saunas.害羞草研究所�

It all started in 2020 when Amy wanted to rent a sauna for Christmas. When they couldn害羞草研究所檛 find one, Josh decided to build one in the backyard.

害羞草研究所淚 thought it would be really cool to have one on a trailer because you could take it anywhere you want. Then I thought, 害羞草研究所楲et害羞草研究所檚 throw it on a trailer and rent it out!害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 Josh explains. 害羞草研究所淵ou can bring the benefits to everybody and share such a cool thing. Show up at someone害羞草研究所檚 birthday party with a sauna and drop it off害羞草研究所攊t害羞草研究所檚 pretty cool. And we actually went camping with our barrel sauna.害羞草研究所�

So Wildwood was born, and has since built up a business around custom sauna builds and mobile sauna rentals害羞草研究所攊ncluding weekly Saturday stints at Willows Beach in Oak Bay, where they do both drop-ins and pre-booking.

害羞草研究所淏usiness is really good and everybody loves it,害羞草研究所� Josh says. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 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害羞草研究所檚 really cool and there are big smiles all around. When you come out of the sauna, it害羞草研究所檚 hard not to smile. We really enjoy doing it, because it害羞草研究所檚 such a nice thing to bring to the community and the health benefits are great.害羞草研究所�

For Josh, who also owns Josh Dupuis Construction, the building bug started at a very young age.

害羞草研究所淏eing creative is definitely my passion,害羞草研究所� he says. 害羞草研究所淲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害羞草研究所檚 where it started. I thought, 害羞草研究所榃hat else can I build?害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟

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.

害羞草研究所淚 wanted my freedom and I wasn害羞草研究所檛 very good at school,害羞草研究所� he says. 害羞草研究所淚 was home-schooled and I didn害羞草研究所檛 do well with books, and I couldn害羞草研究所檛 sit still and I couldn害羞草研究所檛 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.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淚 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,害羞草研究所� says Josh, who grew up in New Brunswick. 害羞草研究所淭he weather is great, there害羞草研究所檚 lots of construction, and Victoria is beautiful. All the hiking here is crazy!害羞草研究所�

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: 害羞草研究所淢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.害羞草研究所�

Keeping a positive mindset has been something he害羞草研究所檚 tried to do, even when faced with the challenges of the construction industry.

害羞草研究所淐onstruction can be pretty challenging all the time,害羞草研究所� Josh says. 害羞草研究所淭he timelines, trying to get things done quickly and well at the same time, that害羞草研究所檚 probably the hardest thing. The biggest lesson I害羞草研究所檝e learned is to double-check prices on materials before sending the quote.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淚t really slows down when it warms up,害羞草研究所� Josh says. 害羞草研究所淲hen it害羞草研究所檚 30 C it害羞草研究所檚 hard to rent a sauna, but we still had lots of people at the beach. But now that it害羞草研究所檚 raining and not nice, we害羞草研究所檙e pretty busy because it害羞草研究所檚 a pretty unique way to warm up.害羞草研究所�

Passionate about health and wellness, Josh says he thinks saunas are definitely making a comeback as people look for different ways to de-stress.

害羞草研究所淚 think people are really getting more aware of the health benefits,害羞草研究所� Josh says. 害羞草研究所淲hen I have pain from working hard all day, I害羞草研究所檒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.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淭he biggest mistake I害羞草研究所檝e made has been not starting this company sooner,害羞草研究所� he says. 害羞草研究所淣ot believing that I could be successful and not believing in myself enough. When things get hard, that害羞草研究所檚 when you害羞草研究所檝e got to push through, and once you do, that害羞草研究所檚 what shapes you and makes you better. Don害羞草研究所檛 give up when things get hard. When you push through, that害羞草研究所檚 the game-changer.害羞草研究所�

Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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