Today we’d like to introduce you to Joshua Espana.
Hi Joshua, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
I do solar. I’m alone a lot and in the industry it’s tough to have someone close and a community since everything’s always changing in the sense that literally everyone is just chasing their own, having their own best interests in mind. I’d say this is true for everyone period even myself. I can admit it but what that does is in this industry it’s really hard to plant feet and make a safe community for yourself.
So a lot of the time you feel alone.
But a couple of years ago my cousin took me to the climbing gym. He had been climbing for some time. Very outdoor type, hiking, camping, climbing, and all the above. But he mentioned a climbing gym, easy routes if I care to try and it’s inside. So we went to Momentum in Lehi, UT. At first, I thought we were climbing on a wall with ropes it was the only knowledge of climbing I had. And I had done it in the past with dates etc. I know I went to the quarry in the past.
But upon arrival, there were no high walls. It was all about 15 more or less in size walls and there was no rope. I was introduced to bouldering. It’s no rope. Harder routes (I’d say so). More endurance and strength drove. It’s a sprint climb and rope climbing is more of a marathon. I was amazed at the things so many people were able to do. If you see rope climbing videos it’s pretty straightforward forward you have a rope that goes up and you reach the top but you always have a safety net for the most part and it’s usually easier since it’s for a long period of time.
Bouldering is more technical, and dynamic in the sense that it’s not just up and down it’s a lot of variety of different things with complex problems that require you to be a problem solver while being fully aware that there’s no safety net if you fall you just fall… there are pads underneath but it brings a different thrill.
Enough about that… Something I say a lot when people ask me about what the Lab Project is is…. It’s a community brand. And I’ll follow it up with, I’m 34 years old… This might seem irrelevant but it will come full circle… So I’m 34 and at my age, I have lots of responsibilities and little time for myself at my age, it seems like whatever community I seem to remember when I was younger (school) or (after-school classes or programs) don’t really exist anymore. Or everyone that was a part of that is now with responsibilities and no time to really involve themselves in a community… And maybe that’s a choice I don’t know but for me, I wouldn’t say it was for myself… But at times maybe I just didn’t find my community til now at the age of 34. And I made the choice to involve myself here.
But it wasn’t a coincidence. Going back to what I tell people. A common phrase I use is “I came to send, we stay to blend”. What that means to me is I came one day to climb (send) and I stayed to blend (for the community), and to my surprise most individuals, I talk to have the same type of story. Doesn’t matter old or young. Day one it was maybe a mutual activity, a date, or just hanging out with friends, I’ve even heard of Groupon. But also that upon arrival meeting the people and feeling the energy and support from almost everyone was an amazing feeling.
At the moment my first idea was to have a podcast where I interviewed people just based on stories I heard of how the people were brought into the gym and rarely it was just to climb. It’s therapy for people. It’s therapy for me, my bio in my profile mentions where it all started and what was important to me and it was based on that. In climbing the problem you working on is called a project. It’s the most common word you’ll hear in a gym “what is your project”. And oftentimes it’s the same for lots of people and that brings people together and we root for each other and in the moment it’s just a fun time with great people in the community but it’s more than that. It’s an escape from life, it’s a community that helps with more than the project of the day but life itself. I compare the project on the wall to projects in life. And just like we support each other in the gym I believe and am convinced that we all walk out of the gym into life with a better and uplifted perspective due to the support we have for each other and knowing that we are capable of solving problems.
The little and Big (LaB) is actually an abbreviation to a degree. It means a couple of things that directly parallel each other. First, we’re in Utah and since it’s started and my community starts here with all this I wanted to relate to something here. It means Little and Big in the sense of the little and big cottonwood canyons. But even more than that it’s speaking for all the different types of people you’ll find in the gym and in the community. Straight, gay, Little, big, Boy, girl, trans, Old, Young, the list goes on…. We are the little and big… And we come to escape. the real project is when we step outside into the real world. I basically want to build something that people can feel loved and cared for. And know that life is tough and that it’s a safe space in this community. We live with each other, by doing hard things, but we never do it alone. I could go on… but I don’t know what else to say. So the LaB project is more than just climbing it’s about community. I want everyone to have a community that works for them. Relationships are what matter. Human interaction and trying to get better in life are two recipes for success and I believe in abundance if we can help people understand then… We did right.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
It’s been a smooth ride for the most part. I’d say that the hardest part and I don’t think I’m alone on this is just the vulnerability to take the mantle to try and bring people together. I know how it feels to not belong somewhere or feel lost and especially in this community there are others that have more of an influence than I do. Especially here in Utah, look outside it’s a bouldering and climbing paradise.
People from all over the world come. I’d say most of the struggles are in my head trusting myself. and now using my platform for a stream of revenue now has changed a bit. And turning it into what it will be in a few years like I said I will start shortly to interview and podcast. But it’s been smooth, mainly I’d say because when I focus on why and who it’s for it bring me back to the basics… This is just to be a safe space for everyone. So I tell myself “Just be” if that makes sense. Don’t put any pressure. Be genuine and be welcoming. Be what you were searching for. Some will be attracted and others won’t be.
If I had to bring struggle in trying to collaborate more with the community in a way that promotes everyone with what I’m trying to do. I literally want it to be a community-growing project that we can look back on and be proud of.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
The business is me. It’s my phone and a tripod. I press play. And I reach out to people in the community and try to climb with them and meet them and tell the story and promote them. I’m probably known for doing just that.
Showing up and turning my camera and asking for handles to put on my page. Everyone deserves to be seen and promoted. If there’s something I want your readers to know. We all need each other, and we can be there for each other in weird ways. Even if it’s not directly “I need your help”. Be kind, be social get to know humans around you.
They’re amazing. Also, we’re all going through something, make an effort to walk away from someone and hope you made a difference.
It’s funny I often think of the episode of the Office The Dundies when Michael Scott talks about the employer’s neighbor who hung himself “due to lack of recognition” in the context it was a joke. But we can all be recognized.
People get recognized for acting, sports, or selection. We can recognize each other amongst ourselves. We’re all trying at something, acknowledge because we know that we care when someone recognizes us.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Collab: I’m looking to start doing exclusive designs for people in the community to put on shirts so they can be promoted. It would be with the Lab Logo but I’m excited to see how that goes.
Support: Follow me @thelab_project. If you like what I make go ahead and buy it. I’m using that to start the podcast platform and make more cool designs and also be able to have collaborations at scale.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thelabproject.myshopify.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelab_project/
