Muay Thai to Novuna: Joshua Nowell's Novuna Story

Our latest 'My Novuna Story' feature comes from Operational Trainer, Joshua Nowell. Joshua has used his passion and principles of Muay Thai kickboxing to support his growth at Novuna. Joshua's journey from the Thai boxing gym to the Novuna offices demonstrates how the discipline, perseverance, and teamwork developed through personal pursuits can translate to professional achievements.

The Muay Thai Journey

"I started taking it seriously around five years ago," Joshua explains. He packed up his belongings and moved to Thailand indefinitely, giving himself three months to see if Muay Thai was truly his calling. "That three months turned into two years living there. I returned to the UK for a couple of months and then to Thailand for another six months."

Living and training in Thailand was an intense experience - Joshua trained twice a day, six days a week, fighting in his first professional match just two months into his training. "The guy I fought had about 30 to 40 fights under his belt already, but I managed to come away with a win by third-round knockout," he recalls. Despite being massively outmatched in experience, Joshua emerged victorious, showcasing the mental toughness he was developing.

Beyond the physical training, Joshua was deeply impacted by the culture of Thailand and the Muay Thai community. 

"The culture in Thailand is amazing. The morals and the way the people think about life are admirable. I loved visiting temples and paying my respects to monks; the culture is just out of this world."

He was inspired by the spirit of respect, support, and teamwork within the Thai boxing gyms. "'Iron sharpens iron' was a guiding principle, with teammates and trainers pushing each other to be the best versions of themselves," Joshua shares.

Applying Muay Thai Lessons at Novuna

This team-oriented, perseverance-driven mentality is what Joshua has brought with him to his role at Novuna. He says: 

"If you continue to persevere and stay humble, you'll be rewarded greatly and Novuna shows me my value through reward and recognition. Honestly, I haven't worked for a better and more rewarding company than Novuna."

With no prior experience in the financial services industry, Joshua was eager to apply the skills he had honed in the Muay Thai gym. He started as a Customer Experience Advisor, quickly becoming multiskilled in arrears and advancing to an Operational Trainer position within his first year.

"I may not have the experience compared to others who have been in the business for longer, but I had the heart, the drive, and the perseverance to get to where I wanted to be and I'm immensely proud of that," Joshua explains.

As an Operational Trainer, Joshua can pay forward the guidance and support that was so impactful in his Muay Thai journey. "There is no better feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment when you can help someone be the best version of themselves that they can be," he shares. "Novuna is an excellent place where I can progress as an individual but also have this feeling of being a team and a family, which is why it was easy for me to translate my teamwork mentality from Muay Thai to my family at Novuna."

A Passion-Driven Path to Success

Joshua's story shows how the qualities fostered through passion and dedication in one's personal life can drive success in a professional setting. "Muay Thai's lessons in discipline and perseverance have greatly influenced my life and my approach to challenges at Novuna," he affirms. "It doesn't only condition your body but it conditions your mind. It tests your mental limits to see if you can push past them."

His journey from the Muay Thai gym to Operationa Trainer demonstrates how an openness to new challenges, a commitment to continuous improvement, and a spirit of collaboration can open doors to incredible opportunities. As Joshua puts it: "I believe you can push through anything, which is what I do with any challenge at Novuna."

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