India natives Raj Sharma and Arushi Upadhyay are chasing the American Dream on Mercer Island.

They first met about 20 years ago in their home country, and now the duo has opened its second StretchLab one-on-one assisted stretching studio on the Island to help fellow residents — from young athletes to seniors — improve their mobility, flexibility and range of motion.

Upadhyay said the StretchLab concept is gaining popularity in the United States and abroad, and she wanted to join Sharma in delivering a facility to the Island where they now reside. The pair moved to the states in 2020 for their spouses’ jobs in marketing and human resources technology and launched their first studio in Issaquah in 2022.

It would take less than a year before they found an ideal Island location for their initial plan to reach fruition. They opened this past June at 2558 76th Ave. SE, Suite 138, and now possess two of the Xponential Fitness Group’s more than 350 labs across the country.

“We were very, very excited to bring this concept to the community,” said Upadhyay, noting that Sharma’s plan to open a StretchLab resonated with her and she was primed to begin their business journey. “We’ve seen a lot of great response and support from everybody for our small business.”

Added Sharma about their successful studios: “Small businesses are the heart of American dreams. In fact, we took our first paycheck last month, so that’s really fulfilling. It’s exciting to create something on your own.”

Upadhyay noted that the Island location features eight certified flexologists who lead their clients through their personally tailored sessions. Sharma said the process begins with a body scan so the flexologists can assess what steps to take in customizing the clients’ 15-minute stretching programs. Whatever their clients’ goals are, flexologists are there to guide them toward feeling looser and freer, Sharma added.

Sharma was drawn toward StretchLab because he sustained a back issue and searched for relief. He gained inspiration to turn the stretching concept into a full-time business opportunity, and “to get everybody moving better.”

Sharma formerly worked in the electrical engineering, marketing and health and wellness fields, and Upadhyay has robust experience in consulting and is a yoga enthusiast. They are actively looking to open lab No. 3 in either Sammamish or Renton, and may even expand past a three-pack in the future, they said.

For more information, visit https://www.stretchlab.com/location/mercerisland

Flexologists guide clients through their stretching sessions. Photo courtesy of Mercer Island StretchLab