Today we’d like to introduce you to Jackie Gonzalez.
Jackie, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I moved to Atlanta three years ago from Miami to pursue my acting career. Before I left Miami, I decided to challenge myself to compete in Bikini fitness since I already enjoyed working out and eating healthy. This decision prepared me mentally for the big move to Atlanta. It was so challenging and made me feel like if I could handle this discipline, I could handle anything. When I moved to Atlanta to pursue my career as an actress, I found myself still continuing to work out and eat healthy. I was interested in looking for a meal prep company because at the time it was very popular in Miami. I couldn’t find a decent one so I decided I would just prepare my own meals then figured since I became so familiar with cooking and nutrition, I could help others and prepare their meals as well. Fitness and diet began to really follow me after my competition because many of my friends wanted to be in shape. I found that I didn’t work out and eat healthy to look perfect but more to Feel Good and this catapulted my decision to start a meal prep company called Feel Good. I personally have a history of cancer in my family. Both of my parents suffered from cancer and thank God they fought it but it opened up my eyes to being more health-conscious. We all struggle with our diet when we have busy schedules it may lead many of us to suffer from health issues. My goal is to help our world fight those poor nutritional habits and by making it convenient to have access to readily prepared meals.
Along with Feel Good Meals, I found a passion in having access to workout gear that you can take with you anywhere you go. I feel like many of us dread going to the gym to workout or travel often and don’t have access to a nearby gym. This lead me to start a fitness gear line called Look Good that flowed off of Feel Good. “Feel Good, Look Good”I have recently started pushing “non-slip hip resistance bands” and I plan to add waist trainers, sliders and resistance exercise bands. My plan is to make “Feel Good, Look Good” a cross-company where you can conveniently find access to ways to eat healthy and actively workout without any hassle. Even though health is something I want to use to give back to our community, I will continue to have my soul sparked with the film industry. I continue to take acting classes with some of the best teachers in Atlanta like Robert Mello and Sara Mornell. I’ve had the opportunity to book huge commercials and I’m currently working diligently on my craft to open the doors for an opportunity to book a role in TV/Film. As a Latina in the industry, I plan to make an impact to inspire Latinas to believe that no dream is too big. We are a powerful force that can help each other to give opportunities to help others and especially use this craft to send a message, to educate and to make others feel. I am very proud to be doing what makes my heart feel whole. This is not the only dream I want to conquer but I hope to grow with my health and film industry to really leave a mark in this world. I never want to stop learning and growing into something powerful that will only help the world in the long run.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely has not been a smooth road, there are so many bumps that have hit my path throughout my journey. I came to Atlanta alone, I have 2 amazing parents that inspired me to be an independent woman. They both showed me that if you want anything in life, you have to work for it. I never had financial help from any of them because they simply could not but that only pushed me to work harder. I’ve always wanted to do things the right way, so I spent a lot of money on classes and investing in my business which led me to empty out my bank account. I decided to take a night job as a bartender when I moved to Atlanta to have more free time to focus on my acting career and my business. I had no experience in bartending and literally had to fake it till I made it type of deal. I feel like I’ve done that a lot in many ventures which at first is very difficult but with determination, you will learn. I’ve bounced from bartending jobs leaving me sometimes with no money to even eat but somehow I’ve managed to pull through. My heart is not in bartending and I’ve found myself crying many times, praying for an opportunity to not have to bartend anymore but in all reality, you need to stay focused on the bigger picture and be grateful. Owning a business and aspiring to be an actress doesn’t mean you will make money right away, you actually won’t really make any money for a very long time of those two things. So, I’ve had to take jobs that I did not really enjoy doing just fund the real dream. Feel Good and Look Good recently have been doing very well and is growing a big attraction here in Atlanta and I only hope to continue to grow. I don’t have to take jobs I don’t enjoy doing anymore and I have found a heart filled joy in doing what I love.
Please tell us about Feel Good Look Good.
Feel Good and Look Good are a one-stop-shop for convenience to stay healthy. It says it all in the name when you Feel Good, You Look Good. I specialize in Nutritious meals readily prepped for consumption and in fitness gear that you can take with you anywhere to incorporate a solid workout with. I am proud to be able to give access to our community to easy ways to stay healthy. I feel like Feel Good, Look Good really makes health easier in both nutrition and fitness which I feel like is the only company that allows you to do that. You don’t have to worry about preparing your meals and you don’t have to worry about making it to the gym to workout. We take the hassle from you and make it convenient for you to stay healthy anywhere you go.
There’s a wealth of academic research that suggests that a lack of mentors and networking opportunities for women has materially affected the number of women in leadership roles. Smart organizations and industry leaders are working to change this, but in the meantime, do you have any advice for finding a mentor and building a network?
I believe the best way to find a mentor is to simply follow the journey of people who’s mentality sparks yours. We all have different interests but following someone who genuinely has worked hard for their success and does it in a logical and humble way usually helps us pick up things we can learn from. I started following Organic Olivia a holistic mentor years ago which inspired me to start growing habits that will only help my health. I followed meal prep companies that were different from others in terms of health. I started watching videos of home workouts that I could perform at the comfort of my own home. I also started following successful Latina actresses and directors who have succeeded in the film industry and have listened to their stories on how I can succeed in the industry as well. Networking is huge in this world and we definitely need to be grateful for access to social media. I have used it to inform others on my journey as a business owner and actress. I have partnered with many gyms here in Atlanta and have reached out to many busy professionals and mothers to give them access to my services. I have attended screenings, classes, movie sets and plays to grow my network as an actress.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.feelgoodmealplans.com www.lookgoodfit.com
- Email: jackie@feel-goodmeals.com
- Instagram: jackiegonzzalez
Image Credit:
@topshottah._
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