Today we’d like to introduce you to Mario Jordan.
Mario, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I got my start in 2009 when I was ready for a change. At the time, was a freelance graphic designer barely scraping by. I needed something different for the obvious reason, and plus I was bored. So, I decided to pursue fitness as a career. I figured it was a win-win situation. I get to learn how to get in shape, help others get in shape, and make money doing it. I started my fitness career in Nashville, TN. I did okay in Nashville, but I wanted more. I wanted my career to blow up. I moved to Atlanta in 2016. The reason why I moved is simply because the fitness industry in Atlanta is booming. Before I permanently moved here, I drove back and forth between Nashville and Atlanta from April 1st-June 30th every single week. I still had clients in Nashville, plus my family was still there. I was trying to build a clientele in Atlanta. I needed to build a solid foundation for my family before I moved them. The journey was rough. Many times I wanted to give up, but I couldn’t. It wasn’t an option.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It definitely was not a smooth road. So many obstacles that would’ve made a lot of people wave the white flag. As I said before, I wanted set up a solid foundation before I brought my family to Atlanta. I traveled every week for four months doing that. Networking with gyms, building clientele, searching for good neighborhoods, etc. July 1st my travels were over. I was in Atlanta for good. I was training at a gym in East Atlanta. I had a few clients. Things were looking good. Over time, I felt like it was time to move on to another gym. 1. It wasn’t my type of gym to train clients. But it was a start. 2. I caught on to the fact that the owners were trying to hustle me when it came to paying rent. So ended up leaving, but not until I found another gym home. I started training at The Forum Athletic Club in Ponce City Market. It was brand new and I was one of the first trainers at this location.
So, while I was starting over, it was a great opportunity to build clientele in an up and coming area. This is when the first real struggle happened. The building process was super slow. There were many days I would sit in the gym all day long in hope of meeting clients. Little to no money was coming in. That created so much stress within myself. I felt like I was failing. Everything I worked for was falling apart right before my eyes. The place where I was staying, I was no longer welcomed there. So, I had to stay in cheap hotels (some flea infested) when I had money. Very few people know about this. So, this the first time I’m really talking about this. I was slipping into depression. I wanted to go back home. But, I knew I had four people back in Nashville relying on me. I had to make a better life for them. So, I stuck it out. I had another place to stay. I felt like I was given a 2nd chance, so I kicked my grind into overdrive! If I would’ve quit, I would not be where I am today. Through it all, I did have some support. God got me through it all. My wife and kids are my support system and my “Why”. My mom for always checking on me and keeping me encouraged. My dad for acknowledging my hard work and efforts. My grandfather for all his words of wisdom that all make sense now. The words my grandmother used to say to me. The rest of my family and friends that rooted for. All of that helps keeps me going.
Please tell us about Train with MJ.
Train with MJ is my personal training business. I specialize in Metabolic Conditioning and building lean muscle. I kept the name simple because I want to be more personal. In Nashville, my business was called Fit Factor Nashville. Great business name, but I don’t feel I really connected with my clients like I do now. I also offer online training. That is called Gym Savage. I have an online fitness apparel site savageinthegym.com. Anyone that knows me, knows I am about going hard as you can in the gym and in life. Breaking through mental barriers and not caring about what other people think. That’s what inspired my online training and fitness apparel brands. Lastly, I’m also a REALTOR. Home Hero Real Estate, Co. is company name. So, you can say I wear many hats.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I could say I would do quite a few things over. But, experiences, mistakes, success, and failures is what life is about. That’s what makes life worth living. Without struggle, there can be no progress. Without pain, there can be no growth. We gotta take the good with the bad and move on from it.
Pricing:
- 60 minute training $75
- 45 minute training $60
- 30 minute training $45
Contact Info:
- Website: Savageinthegym.com
- Email: savageinthegym@gmail.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/supermario_trainer
- Facebook: Facebook.com/trainwithsuper
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
