Joey Toth
Joey Toth, AZHCC’s new Board member and Secretary, says his core passions are “making people smile” and “building a business”. Joey is the owner of “the new well” in Paradise Valley, a business that shows clients that real wellness and weight loss don’t come from injections or pills. “the new well” brings together exercise, nutritional counseling, relaxation and anti-aging treatments together under one roof. What is unusual about Joey’s journey is that he arrived at his current focus on wellness through careers in banking and real estate.Joey was born in New Jersey, but his family moved to Tempe when he was only two years old. He considers himself a native Arizonan and claims he would only move out of Arizona to go live on a tropics beach or island. “I grew up here and my family is here.”
In 2003, Joey got his Bachelor’s Degree from Arizona State University in Interdisciplinary Studies with emphasis on Business and Communication. From the beginning, Joey had an appreciation for “how disciplines can cross lines.” His first career in financial services began while he was still in high school. He set a goal for himself to become the CEO of Chase Manhattan Bank. Soon, he became the manager of a 35 person Collection Department. Even though collecting credit card debt wasn’t a “fun” job, Joey believed in treating people right and soon became known as “the friendly collector.”
During his last semester at ASU, he did an internship at a small commercial real estate office. “I discovered a whole new world outside of the bank and experienced the freedom of entrepreneurism,” Joey grins. He also learned the valuable skills of cold calling and contract negotiation which he describes as “a great growth opportunity.”
Joey’s clients were Fortune 500 and 1000 companies and he connected with “just about every type of company out there.” However, his job wasn’t personally fulfilling to him and he would find himself asking what he should do to help people, make a major impact and challenge his business mind.
Then, Massage Envy started calling him. In the beginning, they had just 25 franchises open. He said “no” to the job offer the first two times. However by the third time, he “wised up and listened to the universe.” He said “yes.” By then, Massage Envy had 75 locations, but was having difficulty getting leases for their franchises as landlords tended to view a massage business as either a “luxury item” or “an illicit massage parlor.” Joey was made Director of Real Estate Development with the job of solving this problem. In the next few years he travelled around the country for Massage Envy, speaking at conferences to large audiences and opened 450 new locations.
In late December 2007, Joey finally started to get in touch and understand the “voices”. He was on a business trip in New York City and was booked at the Dream hotel, which also housed the Chopra Center. His dinner appointment canceled, so he decided to be “adventurous” and take his very first yoga class. It ended up being a semi-private lesson where he was introduced to the connection between mind, body and spirit. This life changing experience set the tone for 2008.
At a Las Vegas convention in 2008, while attending a dinner, Joey was presented with an interesting opportunity to take his skills from franchising and real estate and become the CEO of a Franchise Consulting Company. The only catch was that the job required him to move to Houston which he reports was “a difficult decision”. In the end, Joey believed in the possibilities this company had and made the move. At first the venture was highly successful. “We were representing sixteen national chains within the first six months,” Joey enthuses. “Then in September of 2008, lending stopped, and our clients were not able to open new locations. The hardest day of my career was March 3, 2009. I had to bring in 14 of my employees and let them know we could no longer maintain their positions.”
Fortunately for Joey, he saw an opportunity with one of their clients, “the new well”. This was his chance to finally marry his love for business with his desire to make a big difference in people’s lives. Wanting to return to Arizona to be close to his new nephew, Jack, Joey took on an Area Development role for “the new well” in May 2009 and in February of 2011, he opened his Cactus Road store.
“It’s a wonderful journey to meet with people and spread the message of health and wellness,” Joey enthuses. “Health and wellness is not about pills or injections. It about believing in yourself more than you thought possible. It comes from eating real foods and incorporating balanced exercise and regular relaxation into your life.”
The concept of “the new well” was created with the mission to empower each individual to find real lasting weight loss through wellness. Every client is assisted with one-on-one nutritional counseling sessions and is coached to keep a food journal which documents both what you eat and what time of day you’re eating. The center’s staff then provides education about nutrient dense options and healthier choices. “It’s not about dieting,” smiles Joey. “Diets don’t work long term. It’s about living.”
Clients get personal support as well. Joey and his staff make “care calls” to people who haven’t been in for a week. “We remember that our success follows that of our clients,” says Joey. “We want to help support them. We want to help them find their blocks and create lasting success by understanding they are in control of the outcomes.”
Supporting the lifestyle changes are a variety of other services. “the new well” offers the ultimate facial treatment, FDA approved body sculpting treatments, whole body vibration therapy, supplements and natural make-up. They also have an amazing Tranquility Room with chair massage and aromatherapy. In the FDA approved treatment room, clients experience body and facial treatments which use a vacuum massage technique. “This process can increase the body’s circulation 200 times more than regular massage,” explains Joey. “It can be used for detoxifying, relaxation, lymphatic draining, or decreasing the appearance cellulite, fine lines and wrinkles.” This is a must try treatment!
How did Joey find AZHCC? “Through NetworkingPhoenix.com initially,” he says. “One of my consultants went to a luncheon first and won a lunch with Janet Gangl. I went and she and I clicked. We started interviewing each other about the state of business, the meaning of holistic and so much more. I went to a mixer at Blanco and we picked up our on-going conversation. Then our booths were side-by-side at an Arizona Small Business Association Expo, and Janet tells me I’m going to be part of the Board some day. And now, here I am as Secretary.”
One of Joey’s favorite sayings is “you’re either going to do it or you’re not.” You may recall an AZHCC email several months ago about Joey meeting Dr Oz. “I was in a class finishing my Holistic Nutrition Certificate and we were asked to set our intentions,” Joey explains. “2012 is my year on fire; my year of amazing things. So, I set the intention to meet Dr. Oz. Two weeks later, the producers at Channel 3 called me to say Dr. Oz was coming to Phoenix and did I want to be part of it. Did you know that Dr. Oz cold called Oprah? Anyone can do anything…you just have to do it. You just have to focus on what’s important…on the people and not the concerns”.
One of the things you may not know about Joey is that he’s an avid outdoorsman with a lot of snowboarding and mountain biking scars to prove it. He also loves hiking on Camelback. “There’s something magical about the energy of it. When I get to the top, I love to look out at the city. Sometimes I go camping and snowboarding in Flagstaff. And when it gets to be 110 degrees, you’ll either find me in a pool, a lake or headed to my sanctuary in Santa Barbara.”
What would the wellness coach have for his last meal? “I love good real food,” Joey enthuses. “In an eating completion with real food, I can beat anyone!” With his mom’s Polish heritage, it is no surprise that he chose his mom’s Christmas Eve feast as his last meal. “That’s what I’d have. It’s a traditional Polish meal with twelve different dishes. Of course, it also includes dessert. Krushkies….strips of deep fried dough covered with powdered sugar – sort of like bow-shaped sopapillas.”
If you’d like more information about how “the new well” can help support a “new you,” check out the website at www.thenewwell.com or one view one of his youtube video’s at http://www.youtube.com/weightlossphoenix. Joey encourages people to come see firsthand what they do. He promises you will leave happier than when you came in. “Come in. Let’s just have fun and laugh.” Feel free to call the center at 602-490-0305 or email jtoth@thenewwell.com. When you visit with him you might also ask him to tell you about his two articles in the Scottsdale Health magazine or his upcoming book, The Truth on Magic Pills. Now, that’s a great title! With Joey, there’s no shortage of topics for conversation.