Today we’d like to introduce you to Morgan Jackson.
Morgan, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My yoga journey began in college when I found a local Bikram studio and fell in love. I practiced Bikram yoga throughout college but my practice fizzled once I started my corporate job. I got engaged to my husband in the summer of 2011 and knew that yoga would be the best way to get in shape for our big day. I had a dear friend who started teaching Baptiste yoga at a local studio and encouraged me to try it. Baptiste yoga is similar to Bikram, but there are more poses and different ways to advance or modify the poses to fit your needs. I really appreciated the structure and also the freedom of the practice so much that in the Spring of 2017, I enrolled in Brooke Hamblet Teacher Training School and received my 200hr certification. I began teaching that fall after I gave birth to my third child, and then two years later, in the Fall of 2019, I enrolled back in BHTTS and received my 300hr certification. I continued to teach until this May but decided to leave the studio I was employed at to take some time to reevaluate what I wanted for myself and for my family. With so much going on in 2020, my family and I took time to travel this summer, and once we settled back into our normal routine in August, I decided it was now or never to start my own business. So I launched MoJack Yoga and Wellness.
Yoga and wellness always seem to go hand in hand, so it was an easy decision for me to add the wellness aspect to my repertoire. I have my bachelors degree in nutritional sciences from tcu and a culinary arts degree from le cordon bleu institute of culinary arts, dallas. I absolutely love to cook, meal plan and go to the grocery store. Therefore part of my business includes just that – creating budget-friendly meal plans for those feeling stuck, uninspired, or simply needing a change. The meal plans can be totally customized to fit your dietary wants, needs and goals. Not only do I create and provide the client with recipes, I also provide them with a customized grocery list corresponding to that weeks meal plan so all they have to do is go to the store and check off the list, which has has really been a big hit. If they know how to cook and meal plan, but you are wanting to try out a diet such as whole30 or paleo, I act as support for that person, almost like a coach. Sometimes all you need is that someone to call who keeps you in check.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
While it has only been a couple weeks since I officially decided to go out on my own independently as opposed to working at a studio, I have been very fortunate to have received a steady flow of clientele. I had established myself as a yoga teacher within our baptiste community here in town, and that has helped me in with yoga clients. As for the meal planning and prep, my new presence on social media may be what is spurring on new clientele in that area of my business. Word of mouth from clients and friends re-posting from my instagram has also been a huge help in getting my name out there as well. I post recipes daily alongside short yoga videos, slowly introducing my follows to the baptiste practice as well as the kitchen. I make sure that my instagram stories include food hacks, nutrition information, yoga tips and humor.
Something else that I have found to be helpful in creating a smooth journey thus far is that I travel to clients’ homes or zoom with them (yes, even yoga lessons can be virtual). This makes it very easy on my clients to feel comfortable, especially with the pandemic happening. Instead of being in a room full of people they may or may not know practicing, with ever-changing restrictions and regulations, they are in the comfort of their own homes/backyards, socially distanced from me, and enjoying the fresh air and yoga flow.
We’d love to hear more about MoJack Yoga and Wellness.
I have a degree in nutrition and in culinary arts as well as my 500hr registered yoga teacher (ryt) certification. Some of my nutrition specialties include meal planning, meal prepping, grocery shopping on a budget and creating new and exciting recipes. My yoga training is in baptiste yoga, and some of my specialties are basic and advanced practice (both heated and non-heated), prenatal yoga (I practiced through the entirety of all three of my pregnancies) restorative yoga and meditation.
I am most proud of myself for finally taking the reins into my own hands in regards to my yoga career. It is ‘easy’ to work for a studio. You show up, teach to a base of students that have already been built for you, and leave. The hard part is creating a name for yourself – making your style of teaching something that draws people in, especially when there is are a wide variety of teachers to choose from. My style of teaching when tends to lean towards the more challenging side of the scale. I pushed my students to the brink of where they thought their limits were, and sometimes beyond because I knew they could. If you don’t challenge yourself with new experiences, how will you ever grow? I want my students and clients to experience growth and change through yoga, that is why I push them to level up every chance they get. If you know me you know that I am very outgoing and funny, so even though my classes were described as challenging, they were also described as light, funny and enjoyable. What’s so wonderful about private yoga lessons is that I can tune into my student and really hone in on what they need that day. Not to say that I didn’t do that in a large group setting, but it is much easier to accommodate one person’s skill level over 100 people.
I think what sets me apart is that I truly believe in yoga and wellness because both have absolutely changed my life. I am much happier when I practice. My anxieties lessen when I am on my mat and eating healthy. Every aspect of my life becomes lighter when I stay on a routine of yoga and wellness. Since I can attest first hand to the magic of yoga, it helps me authentically guide others down the same path.
I firmly believe that you do not have to spend hundreds or thousands on maintaining a healthy lifestyle and yoga practice. My private lessons cost less than studios because I do not want the expense to be the reason someone doesn’t try yoga. I do all of my grocery shopping at our local trader joe’s because you do not have to spend $500+ a week to feed yourself and your family healthy meals.
Lastly, I can guarantee that I will never push anyone harder than I push myself. I can honestly say that I lead an authentic life (such a yogi term). In so many words, I practice what I preach. It’s totally inauthentic to tell someone they can’t eat a jalapeno cheeseburger (one of my many guilty pleasures) while you are standing right in front of them eating one. I promise you will catch me at sonic every now and then indulging because you have to allow yourself simple pleasures or the rest of it will never work. Fluidity is key when you are entering in your yoga and wellness journey, especially if it the first time you have ever taken the initiative to truly change your way of living.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
For me, I define success as happiness, plain and simple. When I feel happy, I feel successful and when I do not feel happy, I do not feel successful. It’s cliche, I know, but life is too short to do something that doesn’t make you happy. Being unhappy is an enormous weight to carry through your day and it affects every aspect of your life and the lives of those around you. Some may say it is a luxury to be happy in your job, and I can definitely see that point, but you also have the power, whether you think so or not, to change what is making you unhappy and shift to something that does make you happy. My children and husband are definitely my biggest successes –knowing that they love and support me as much as I love and support them is truly a beautiful thing, and it give me the desire and drive to be my best for them. This new business came up in part to show my children that you can absolutely live the life you want for yourself. If you can’t find it in another business setting, you can create a business for yourself and run it with integrity, love and standards that you get to set and adhere to without anyone getting in your way or trying to negatively influence. I hope to lead by example in showing them that they are in charge of their lives, successes and happiness.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 8173130324
- Email: mojackyoga@gmail.com
- Instagram: @mojackyoga
- Twitter: @mojackyoga
- Other: Pinterest @mojackyoga
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