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The key to living a healthy, well-balanced lifestyle isn’t just what you associate with fitness, working out, and eating right, it’s also about community. In fact, according to Susie Cruz, that’s the most important ingredient, and it’s exactly what the young business owner has created in Stockton with Edge Nutrition and Wellness Club.

When Susie opened Edge about three years ago, she was the youngest female Latina business owner in Stockton at just twentythree years old. She envisioned a health club where people who are dedicated to living well could meet, find a healthy meal together, and discuss their goals, triumphs, and challenges. And today, that’s what Edge offers. Edge is a coffee and shake bar with a comfortable lounge where everyone is welcome to come together and share their experiences.

Those feelings of community, friendship, and safety are important to Susie. “People who dedicate themselves to changing their lives and who decide to become fitness oriented are different. They are full of energy and bring such a positive atmosphere to those around them,” she says.

Living a fit lifestyle means celebrating the daily challenges that people overcome. Susie calls them “non-scale victories” and it’s one of her favorite things about running her business. “I’m my clients’ biggest cheerleader.” She gushes. It’s all about celebrating the small wins because being fit is a life-long process. It’s not about doing one big thing; it’s about making the right choices every day to get you where you want to be over time.

“Edge is a great spot to meet others. A lot of people come before going hiking or maybe after a rafting trip. They grab one of our delicious meal-replacement shakes and gear up to go out or they unwind together after an active adventure,” Susie says. By providing this place for the community, she’s building an active, fun, and caring group of fitness enthusiasts.

“Find people who drive you and give you passion and it’ll make your fitness journey easier,” advises Susie. When you’re first starting out, she says, “It’s OK to be scared. Take that first step and find someone who will keep you accountable. It’s all about empowerment— taking the first step and staying accountable will help you feel empowered.” Susie may be the biggest cheerleader for her clients, but she has her own group of cheerleaders, too, made up of mentors who have helped her over the years. . In addition to her family, Quincey and Roxanne Noble deserve some credit; Susie calls Quincey, her former health teacher, a mentor. Since Susie was 15, the couple has guided and helped her achieve her fitness and professional goals, encouraging her to get her bachelor’s and master’s degree.

Susie’s supporters have helped her realize what drives her in life; “I know my purpose is to help other people.” And that’s what she does every day at Edge and through her client base, #TeamEdge. In addition to the physical storefront where she creates bended smoothies, coffees, and healthy foods, she sells Herbalife supplements and has started an international fitness group with members in the US, Mexico, and in the UK. As a group, they’ve lost over 500 pounds.

Susie loves giving people the tools to success and believes in personal development. “Success should be nonnegotiable. Once you have that mentality, you’ll overcome any obstacle that you face.” Susie teaches this mentality to her clients in part through a five-minute rule, “I give them five minutes to vent when they complain about a challenge. That’s it. They get five minutes, uninterrupted, to talk about their problem. Once the time is up, they must ask themselves if there is something they can do about it. If there is, then there’s no more discussion, there’s just action to go out and change it. If there isn’t anything they can do about it, then they’re done talking about it because there is no use wasting time talking about and thinking about something they have no control over.”

Susie Cruz mixes up protein shakes with style using Herbalife bases and other ingredients to wow clients. EDGE NUTRITION & WELLNESS CLUB 2324 Pacific Ave., Stockton (209) 910-1542