From Martial Arts to Mergers and Acquisitions: How Josh Goldberg Uses his Martial Arts Background for Closing Deals

An interview with Josh Goldberg, Vice President of USI Insurance Services

Josh Goldberg has his eye on the prize. The insurance broker with USI Insurance Services is working toward closing deals in the areas of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), real estate, and construction in California’s competitive market by bringing something to the table that many of his peers don’t have: a 20+ years’ experience in martial arts training.

Josh Goldberg is the vice president of USI Insurance Services, a Los Angeles founded and New York based national insurance brokerage with thousands of employees. It’s an impressive resume for the 31-year-old who joined the company seven years ago. Goldberg credits his achievements in business to the lessons he has learned in the world of martial arts since he was seven years old when his father encouraged him to start training.

Martial arts is an ancient practice that has been around for thousands of years. It’s the study and practice of mental and physical techniques to promote health with an emphasis on self-defense.

“In martial arts,” said Goldberg, “no matter how many times you’re challenged; how many times you get knocked down; it’s important to continuously progress. The goal is not achieving a belt. It’s continuous improvement.”

That philosophy, he said, is pivotal to success in business development, which is based on keeping a continuous stream of potential deals and business opportunities flowing.

“From the time I wake up, most of what I hear from people is ‘no’,” Goldberg told me in a recent Zoom interview.

“A no is not a ‘no’. A no is a ‘not yet’, and you have to figure out [that] perhaps it’s just not the right solution and you have to figure out another path, or continuing pushing on the same path, depending on the situation,” he said.

Goldberg’s views are consistent with studies that have found strong correlations between the practice of martial arts and improved mental health, which can impact one’s success in business. Emotional control, self-esteem, and stress reduction are just a few of the martial arts’ well-researched advantages.

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By Lou Sokolovskiy, Founder & CEO at Opus Connect
November 2021