Let’s take a trip down memory lane.
Before we do that … Happy New Year!!
I normally don’t get all caught up in the hype of a calendar change but this year has a little extra meaning.
My favorite number is 23 (I was born on the 23rd) and of course it’s the Jordan year (who is the GOAT) so I feel like those things combined make it destined to be epic.
In reality, I’m viewing it more like this …
“I’m not viewing 2023 as the year I get everything. 2023 is the year I continue to plant seeds, develop my self-awareness, learn more, and take another step to becoming the best version of me.” – Steven Bartlett
Perfectly stated.
A reflection on where POP and neurotype training started …
Anyway, I have been in a state of reflection lately and I think it’s important to take a look back at how far you’ve come so you can gain perspective on where you’re heading.
POP started during a tumultuous and uncertain time in my life.
I’ve told this story a million times so I apologize if I sound like a broken record. But, it holds a special meaning to me because my business kind of saved me (well, I should say my business plus my partner, Mel).
I was working for a coaching company that approached coaching in a very automated way and I was witnessing a massive quantity of people struggling, gaining weight, and developing poor relationships with food.
I thought we had come to an agreement about how to do things more effectively and it ended with them pulling the carpet from under me, trying to steal my idea, and then refusing to pay me out for the small percentage of the company that I owned at the time.
In the midst of this, I had moved across the country, decided to get separated and divorced, moved back across the country, and then suddenly lost my grandfather who was a huge influence in my life.
POP is named after my Pop-Pop.
I had zero knowledge of how to start a business. I had no idea what I was going to do.
But I knew that I could help people in a way that I morally aligned with and I was hopeful that the results would speak for themselves.
Plus, I had Mel in my corner as someone that believed in me since day 1 and I borrowed confidence from her which was absolutely necessary at that time in my life.
Sometimes when things are falling apart around you, it’s important to have someone who you can borrow confidence from and someone who can remind you of what you’re capable of.
So POP began.
The beginning of 1:1 nutrition coaching
The very first thing I did was start a Neurotype training group where I significantly undervalued what I provided but it was a great way to showcase the results that I could create.
Then, I launched another group but not as many people joined.
I realized they were missing the follow up and support so I decided to do 1 on 1 coaching.
Once again, I under charged but I truly had no idea what it meant to run a business and had zero boundaries.
People pleasing and boundary setting are two things that I struggle with and two things that I’m actively working on in therapy.
I ended up with 121 clients to myself which is way too many for one person to manage.
I never had time to myself, I rarely slept, and I would stay up all night thinking about clients. I would answer text messages and emails at all hours of the night and weekends and I burnt myself out.
That’s when I learned that I needed some help.
I started hiring my team, one person at a time.
The first business lesson I learned is that you are nothing without your team. Finding quality people and treating them well is probably the number 1 most important factor for success.
I’m blessed to have been surrounded by some epic humans who shared a common core belief as me.
Mind Over Macros is born
The next pivotal moment was when I had a random thought one night and couldn’t get it out of my head …
I wanted to start a podcast.
Mind Over Macros was my first form of therapy. I started it in January of 2019 and my initial intent was just a form of getting all the crap out of my head.
I had so many issues with the diet and fitness industry as a whole and I wanted to voice it. So I did.
Never did I imagine that people would listen. And share it. And get value out of it.
Now, I’m truly blown away when I get my report and see 15,000-20,000 downloads per week.
2020 was another pivotal year for us. Obviously with a pandemic, there was a lot of uncertainty as to what would happen.
Our game plan was simple … let’s pour into our community like no one else is doing.
We hosted daily calls just to chat and set intentions. We did happy hours, paint and sip, group challenges, and anything else we could do to make people feel like they had a safe space to connect.
Business took a dip at first but then we grew. And grew. And grew.
2021 was a massive growth year for POP.
Truthfully, I handled it so poorly. I had no idea what to do with the success of the business.
As an example, we had a lot of success with some Neurotype challenges so I decided to start running them monthly which was a mistake. Then, we had lots of people request supplements, so I decided to launch a POP line of supplements without truly knowing the undertaking that I was getting myself into.
Lots of poor decisions that cost me time, energy, and mental well-being.
I was really struggling and it spilled over into my personal life.
Honestly, without my team holding it down for our clients, I’m not sure we’d still be here.
That’s the one thing I’m the most proud of …
We never got complacent with how we fulfill and deliver results for our clients.
Our rates have gone up consistently since we started in 2018 and the success rate has only continued to climb. I have yet to find another program with a higher success rate for clients.
That’s the part that has kept us going strong.
Looking back at 2022 and ahead to 2023
2022 was a regrouping. Let’s focus on what matters … our clients, our community, the brand and what we stand for.
We redefined our core values and what we want to be known for.
Behind the scenes, we started developing more resources that are coming to fruition now.
There have been some amazing coaches that have come and gone through POP. I’ve had to navigate the leadership role which does not come naturally to me. I’ve had to learn how to have difficult conversations which is another area that I struggle.
This has stretched me in every way possible and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
I still feel uncertain while also having clarity. Which doesn’t make sense but if you own a business, you probably know exactly what I mean.
And now, as we look ahead to 2023, I think we are stronger than ever.
First, we have the art and science of creating life-changing transformations down pat. We can always get better but there is no doubt in my mind that we create results better than anyone out there.
Second, we have one of the most powerful and supportive communities around. You can share your wins and you can share your struggles without judgement. You won’t ever feel alone. You won’t ever feel like an outcast.
Third, we have an app release coming in January which will streamline the coaching process, in addition to being a platform where we can showcase the brilliance of JK’s training programming as well as an option for coaching without the high price tag of 1:1.
Finally, we are extremely focused on giving back and doing good in the world. We have a challenge launching in January with some of the best coaches, experts, and brands in the space. The reason for all the support? We are directly using this challenge to raise money to fight world hunger. It’ll be a win-win situation … you reach your goals and by doing so you directly support people in need. This will be more of a theme in 2023.
It’s been a wild ride and it’s far from over.
Enough reflection … Where are we headed?
I don’t know exactly how things will play out but I do know this …
I will make mistakes, I will fail, I will make decisions and then look back at some of those decisions and think … what the hell did you do that for?!
I’ll also continue to grow, learn from my mistakes, develop more self-awareness, and do the best I possibly can.
I will bias action over contemplation. I will bias “closer” over “more.” I will bias the community and my moral compass over profits or revenue.
Personally, I will continue to develop myself through therapy, journaling, reading, reflection, and riding the wave when my emotions hit hard.
POP can only grow to the level of my own personal growth. Which feels scary and daunting but I’m here for it.
I hope this connects with you in some way. If nothing else, I hope it encourages you to find some space for your own reflection. Regardless of where you are right now, I can guarantee that you have already overcome and accomplished so much in your life.
In fact, your success rate is 100% when it comes to overcoming the challenges that life has thrown at you thus far.
There’s no reason to believe that whatever it is you’re currently going through will be any different.
Let me be the one to remind you of who you are and what you’re capable of.
Thank you for reading. Thank you for being here.
Looking forward to the journey ahead in 2023.
PS – last thing I wanted to mention… if you ever need anything, I’m always here. Seriously though. If you need to vent. If you have a question. If you feel like you have nowhere else to turn … just message me. I don’t have all the answers but I know how to listen without judgement.
Regardless of what it is … just reach out.
