One on One With Faraje Kharsa of FIT Bodywrap

The company’s cofounder reveals his outlook on life, work—and the definition of balance.

What’s the best career decision you ever made?
To embrace entrepreneurship. To make my living by finding ways to solve people’s problems using entrepreneurship. I enjoy working for myself tremendously; it comes with a certain dose of risk, but it’s a much smaller risk than not pursing your passion. So, that’s where my heart is, my passion is… to me, it’s the only way I know to be.

What advice would you give to your younger, just-starting-out self?
Be bold, don’t be afraid and don’t doubt yourself. Don’t worry too much about what’s behind the mountain; just go as far as you can see. Don’t worry about having all the answers upfront. Just know enough to start your journey and you’ll figure things out along the way. Starting is more important than finishing. The worse that can happen is that it doesn’t work and you’ll move on.

To what do you attribute FIT Bodywrap’s success?
I have a gift of being able to remain strategic in nature, which is different from being tactical or operational or reactive. I stay the course, I’m tenacious. Stay steadfast: If you believe in something, then focus. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t synthesize input and change day-to-day tactics, but the strategic alignment should change very little. Another strength is being able to rally our staff around a unified vision and mission, with everybody pulling on the cart in the same direction at the same time, so that work becomes meaningful and satisfying. In dysfunctional companies, people don’t connect their day-to-day work to the ‘Why am I doing this?’ Another key to our success is the fact we’re a results-based organization. On input we’re very flexible, but output is non negotiable. We manage by the agreement that each of us will produce a very specific, strategically connected result. Our operational strategy has been key to creating that connectedness.

Did you always want to be in this field?
Not at all. All I knew was that I was going to have my own business one day. I think the field emerges as you synthesize your values with your passions. Just be true to yourself and to your calling and the answers reveal themselves. I used to own tanning salons and was looking for ways to diversify revenue. I wanted something to integrate into my operation, that was also aligned with health, beauty and wellness. I’d heard about infrared tech, and had always been proponent of infrared saunas. I was asking the question, ‘How do you fuse that with a do-it-yourself operation?’ From that the idea of FIT Bodywrap was born, initially as a standalone, self-administered modality. I then set out ways to make it a reality.

How do you find a work-life balance?
I don’t believe in it: I think it’s a myth. We should always be balanced, and if we’re not, something else is wrong. I am one life, one person, one being. I have different roles—father, husband, CEO—but I don’t have different lives. I don’t subscribe to that whatsoever. Your core values should be central to your being. You shouldn’t have to work hard to maintain a balance—if you do, you’re imbalanced. I never ‘work,’ because I love what I do so much. Every day for me is a Friday and a Saturday, and i don’t need vacation, because I’m always vacation. Everybody ought to love what they do and if they don’t it just means that they haven’t done enough searching to really understand where their place is, what their gifts are and how they can contribute to society in a meaningful way that truly satisfies them.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I love cooking and being at home with family and friends. I also love gardening and pruning trees in my orchard. I have all kinds of trees: persimmon, loquat, quince, apple, apricot, banana, pomegranate, figs. There’s nothing like it, when you go out there it’s an escape and a sanctuary. It’s where I collect my thoughts. It’s like growing a business—you plant a tree, you fertilize it, you prune it and tend it. If you don’t take care of a tree and nourish it, it doesn’t bear good fruit. It’s my way of unplugging, and just being. It’s where I reflect on the day’s events and where I want to be. I really think everyone should practice solitude, and how to be alone with their thoughts.

What’s on your bucket list?
I have multiple bucket lists. I’d like to travel more to Europe, deep South America and sub-equatorial Africa including Mozambique. I’d also like to set up a charity that helps reignite the American Dream in youngsters who feel lost and can’t find their way in life, to help them discover their passions and pursue their dreams.

What’s your favorite food?
I like kabobs on the grill, and Mediterranean grills.

What can’ you leave the house without?
I have to have my Turkish coffee in the morning. I wake up, and sit in the backyard and drink it.

What was the last good book you read?
Tony Jeary’s Strategic Acceleration: Succeed at the Speed of Life (Vanguard Press, 2010).

What was your last splurge?
Honestly, I don’t have the need to splurge: I feel like I’m splurged every day. I’m so satisfied with things like redoing my back yard.

What’s your favorite film, TV show or book?
I like Rocky, and my favorite book is the Bible.

Tell us something most people don’t know about you.
I love cars. I love that thrill.