Interview by Kerste Õunapuu.

You started your career in marketing for major automotive brands like Audi and Mercedes-Benz. What made you realize that wasn’t the right path for you?

It was actually my body that told me. When I was working at Audi, I started practicing martial arts, specifically kickboxing and later Kung Fu. Kung Fu teaches you a lot about body tension—how to sense pressure and how to move with it instead of against it.

Every time I walked into the office, I felt my body tense up. My shoulders, my jaw—everything would get tight. And that was a clear sign. My body was telling me, “You don’t belong here.” At first, I ignored it, but the feeling never went away.

I also realized that I was constantly in conflict because I’m a free thinker. Large corporations don’t always value that; they need people who follow orders and fit within the structure. I wasn’t that person. I was always questioning things, and challenging ideas, making life difficult.

Eventually, I reached a point where I thought, Why am I forcing myself to be somewhere that doesn’t feel right? So I quit. It was scary, of course, but at that moment, I realized that the world was full of opportunities—I just had to go and find them.

That must have been a big leap. Did martial arts play a role in giving you the courage to make that decision?

Absolutely. I was actually in a training camp when I made the final decision to quit. Martial arts trains you to face pressure and conflict daily. Every time you spar, every time you push yourself to exhaustion, you overcome a little bit of fear.

I remember standing there, looking at the ocean, thinking, This world is massive. Why am I limiting myself to a corporate office where I feel miserable? It was a no-brainer at that point. I sent my resignation letter while I was still at the camp.

You didn’t have a solid plan for what to do next?

Not at all. That was the first time in my life that I didn’t have a structured next step. Until then, I had followed the “safe” path—school, university, stable job. But suddenly, I was looking at an open ocean of possibilities with no clear direction.

It was overwhelming. Too many options can sometimes be just as stressful as too few. But I knew one thing: I wanted to do something with martial arts and physical training. I just didn’t know how yet.

How did you transition from martial arts to mental training?

It started with my mother. She was a successful businesswoman, but when her business collapsed, she developed severe depression. Watching her struggle made me realize how little I understood about mental health. I wanted to help, so I started studying psychology on my own.

Later, I trained as a mental coach and began combining everything I had learned—martial arts, mental training, breath work—to develop a system that helps people strengthen both their bodies and minds. That’s when URBNTIGER was born.

You talk a lot about breathwork. Why is it so important?

Breathwork is the foundation of everything. We take around 20,000 breaths a day, but most people never pay attention to it. Yet, oxygen is our main energy source—more important than food or water.

I discovered breathwork through cold exposure training. One day, a guy I was training with just jumped into a freezing river in November. I thought he was crazy, but I followed him because I’m competitive. Then he taught me Wim Hof breathing techniques, which was my first introduction to intentional breath work.

But it wasn’t until COVID that I made it a daily practice. During lockdowns, when everything I had built with URBNTIGER collapsed overnight, I was in a dark place. I felt completely lost. That’s when I fully committed to breathwork—it was the only thing that helped me manage my anxiety and find clarity again.

What’s the difference between meditation and breathwork?

Meditation is about connecting your mind and body, and being fully present in the moment. You can meditate while drinking coffee if you’re fully focused on the taste and sensation.

Breathwork is a tool that induces that state. It forces your mind to focus, bringing you into the present moment. It can also alter your emotional state—whether you need to calm down, energize yourself, or even release deep emotional trauma.

Speaking of trauma, you also use breathwork for emotional release. How does that work?

We store a lot of stress and trauma in our bodies. Some emotions—fear, anger, sadness—get buried so deep that we don’t even realize they’re there. But they manifest in other ways: anxiety, burnout, and even physical illness.

Through certain breathwork techniques, we can access and release those emotions in a controlled way. It’s intense but incredibly powerful. I’ve worked with CEOs, athletes, and even entire families who do these sessions together.

What do you mean by the ‘Mental Six-Pack’?

A lot of people think mental strength means being tough all the time, but it’s actually a balance between toughness and flexibility.

Imagine bamboo. It bends under pressure but never breaks. That’s what mental resilience should be. If you’re too rigid, you’ll eventually snap under stress. If you’re too soft, you won’t stand your ground.

A mental six-pack is about developing control over your thoughts and emotions. It’s about choosing your reaction rather than being controlled by stress, fear, or external pressure. You can train your mind just like you train your body.



URBNTIGER focuses a lot on teams and workplaces. How does breath work fit into that environment?

A company is like a boat. If one part of the team isn’t functioning well, the whole thing suffers. But most workplaces focus only on efficiency, productivity, and output—and that leads to stress, burnout, and disconnection.

Imagine if teams started every morning with a few minutes of breathwork. It would improve focus, reduce stress, and create a stronger sense of unity.

We’re isolating ourselves more and more with technology, but we’re still human. Work isn’t just about tasks—it’s about people working together. Breathwork is an easy, powerful way to bring teams back to a shared experience.

What’s your long-term vision for URBNTIGER?

I want to change the way people think about stress, resilience, and performance. Too many people are running themselves into the ground, thinking stress is just part of the game. It doesn’t have to be.

I see a future where workplaces prioritize mental and physical wellbeing as much as they do productivity. Where people wake up and choose how they want to feel, rather than letting circumstances dictate their mood.

I’m not interested in just reducing stress—I want to help people step into their full potential. To build inner peace, power, and courage.

We all have the power to change how we think, feel, and react. The tools are there—we just have to use them. And sometimes, that starts with something as simple as taking a deep breath.

If you want to experience the power of Breathwork, Julian offers free tryout sessions for teams and individuals. Reach out to him via LinkedIn.

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