By Azeera Az
Tell us a little about yourself.
Hello! My name is Konea. I was born and raised in Kota Kinabalu. As a kid, I did not have a specific “dream dream”. But sports and fitness were always a huge part of my life growing up. Some time when I was 15-16 years old, I started imagining building a community where people enjoyed exercising in groups, meeting like-minded people, and just socialising in a positive setting. But of course, I had no idea how I was going to do that.
What’s your story before opening the gym?
I got into the fitness world the moment I finished high school. But during that time, my parents were not supportive of my dreams of becoming a fitness trainer, so instead, I paved my way into Law School. So I completed my Bachelor’s in Law (LLB) and then my Master’s in Law (LLM), but I eventually quit pursuing a career as a lawyer because I found my true passion in training people and building a community.
I moved to Kuala Lumpur when I was 18, and coaching was a side hustle I took on while I was doing my Bachelor’s degree/Master’s.
I was actually juggling a lot of things when I think back about those times. I was also a part-time Business Law Lecturer at one point, and still doing fitness on the side. I was basically out of the house at 5.30 am and home at around 11 pm almost every other day. And I loved it.
When COVID hit, I was stuck in Kota Kinabalu in 2021. The fitness industry was hit hard, and the fitness studio that I was working with was also hit pretty badly, so I had to make the decision to leave my happy life in Kuala Lumpur to start all over again in Kota Kinabalu. That was the most heartbreaking time of my life because Kuala Lumpur and its lifestyle have always felt like “home” to me.
When I came back to Kota Kinabalu, I was working as a Legal Executive at a GLC. An opportunity to start a fitness studio in the heart of KK found its way to me, and I could not say no.
This was in November 2022. We began brainstorming for this Project we called “Projek Gempak” then, and the rest was history.
I resigned from my position as a Legal Executive in April 2023 to focus on KSTUDIO and never looked back ever since.
What makes your gym unique?
I think everyone has their own opinion on this, but as the person running it, I feel that KSTUDIO has always been a “safe space” for those who have joined us. For those who have never stepped into a gym, for those who want to restart their fitness journey. It always started as “I want to lose weight” here, but somehow, along the way, magical things happen. Relationships are nurtured, confidence has grown, and KSTUDIO is the place where I get to experience firsthand what “transformation” is all about. This place has become a “happy place” for most. And it has also become the space where it acts as a “stepping stone” for a lot of people, where they become more brave to try out new things out there! I am super proud and happy with that.
Share a memorable moment in your career.
Having no experience in running a business from scratch, I think one of the most memorable moments is when people acknowledge KSTUDIO as a “fun gym”. And they know that I run the place, haha. They were like, “Omg, you run KSTUDIO!” I’m like, yea that’s me!😂
To add to that, I do get a lot of messages every now and then from old AND new members thanking me for building the studio. That means more to me than just the financial success of it. It’s the positive impact that I want to have on the people of Sabah, and for them to know that they have so much potential in themselves.
We just celebrated KSTUDIO’s 3rd anniversary, and we received so many sweet messages from our members!
What’s been the toughest part of running a gym?
You need to have thick skin to run any business. The toughest part is, of course, the highs and lows. Sometimes you’ll have a good month, sometimes you’ll have bad months. Sometimes you are caught in dramas you never intended to be caught in.
In simple words, maintaining the standard over the years and managing people are two of the toughest things. But I am still learning as I go, and I am just starting.
What advice would you give someone who’s just starting their fitness journey?
Just START. Don’t wait for motivation, it will never come. Don’t wait for friends, they come and go. Just START somewhere. Pick up that phone, book that class.
On your day off, how do you like to recharge and stay active, or do you fully rest?
I probably have one day off a week, that’s every Sunday. I mostly rest or go for a walk and listen to any podcasts on business, life, metaphysics, etc. Just to get my brain active.
Top 3 places you encourage ppl to explore (In Sabah). Or an activity to try.
- White water rafting in Kiulu! (for those who have never tried)
- Hiking at Aura Montoria (Kg. Sayap Kota Belud)
- SUP (stand up paddle) Boarding in Tanjung Aru during SUNRISE!
We all love food!
We usually ask: What are your top three must-eat dishes or favourite places to eat in Sabah? But we’d like you to inject some advice. On eating a good and satisfying meal, what would you recommend?
There are too many! But I’ll share my top three must-have dishes
1. Tom Yam in Wan Wan Bundusan.
2. Kedai Kopi Lai Heng for a good bowl of Ngiu Chap (beef noodles) in Foh Sang
3. The fried kuey teow in Kedai Kopi Ria!
Discover more about Kstudio and the community behind it.
