Work Like It's Gonna Work (A Conversation With Jodi Campbell)

Meet Jodi Campbell — Pilates instructor, founder of PRSNC Fitness, and the woman building Tampa's first Black-owned Pilates studio experience one pop-up at a time. From saying yes to a phone call that changed everything to surrendering her vision to God and watching it come back bigger, Jodi proves that unorthodox paths still lead to the destination.

In this episode, we dive deep into:

• How a single phone call from a friend sparked the idea for PRSNC Fitness
• Why her word of the year — surrender — completely changed how she moves in business
• Building a brand while still teaching classes and paying your bills
• The doubt that shows up before every single one of her 90+ events and how she handles it
• How Corner Haus became her home base and why it was a God thing, not a plan B
• Removing the vowels from PRSNC and what it actually means
• Celebrating other people's wins even when you're still in your building season
• Her mantra: work like it's gonna work — because it is

Connect with Jodi: 📱 Instagram:  @jcampbell35 🧘🏾‍♀️ PRSNC Fitness: @prsncfitness 📍 Corner Haus — Seminole Heights, Tampa FL

Jodi keeps it real about faith, doubt, community, and what it looks like to build something from nothing in a city that's watching. This is what happens when purpose meets presence.

#HardWigSoftLife #JodiCampbell #PRSNCFitness #TampaBay #BlackWomenWellness #Pilates #BlackOwnedBusiness #FaithAndBusiness #EntrepreneurMindset #WorkLikeItsGonnaWork #SoftLife

Keywords: Jodi Campbell, PRSNC Fitness, Black owned Pilates, Tampa wellness, faith and entrepreneurship, building a brand, Black women in business, Pilates instructor, community wellness, Tampa Bay fitness

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Hey everybody, what's going on? It's your girl Melissa L. Atkinson and it's another episode of Hard Wake Self-Life the podcast. I'm super excited because my next guest today, honestly, she doesn't really need an introduction. Uh she is the Queen of Pilates in Tampa, Florida, and she's moving out to other regions and she just started her own like location. And we're gonna talk about that actually because I have no way to put it in words for her. But my next guest is Jody Campbell. How are you doing today, Jody? I'm good, my girl. God, I'm good, oh my god. I'm so excited.

SPEAKER_02 0:30

I can't believe I'm interviewing you. This is wild. I'm in the making. In the making. In the making.

SPEAKER_01 0:36

Well, okay, so just for the people who are listening, we were supposed to do this last year when we went to Atlanta in like what, August or September? September. And we never did it because I mean we were staying together and it kept being like, oh no, it's okay.

SPEAKER_02 0:51

We're just Yeah, I think it's like it's like it's like it just was like that mode of like we just have things going on. Like just yeah, and so it's like nice, like now. So what maybe like eight months from then? Yes, whatever time frame that was, to be like, okay, wait, now so much has happened between the eight months.

SPEAKER_01 1:06

So much has happened. So we're gonna okay, we're gonna talk about all the things that have happened before you, which I'm thoroughly excited. So talk to me about your newest, your newest endeavor. Let's start there with presence. Presence with no vowels. Like so I'm not gonna lie, like the whole consonance things, I was like, oh, that's that's really cool. You know, like I like alliterations. It turned me on. Like I love alliterations, you know, like Melissa the multi-hyphenate, memorable Melissa. But then I saw presence with no vowels, and I was like, okay, like talk to me about it.

SPEAKER_02 1:41

Presence is so it's called presence fitness, okay, and the goal is to be still and be present. Okay. Like in the Bible, it says be still and be present. And my story is that Jesus and Fitness saved me, and like I had so many moments that I just needed to just like don't be here, don't be there, don't do this, don't do that. Right. And how do we create a space where people can come and like yes, they're still gonna move their bodies, but like the mental stillness. Right. Go when you get there, just be still. Okay. All the things that are happening outside the doors around the space doesn't matter. Because when you leave, it's gonna be there either way. Absolutely. Um, so it's a really great opportunity for people just to feel like they were in a space because we've created the concept around the events. So, how do we continue doing what we're doing with the events now in a space like this, where it's like people can come on a daily basis and they can feel like, oh wait, I'm in a week present, but still with the people who care about me and with the people who like want to pour into me. So removing the vows was like removing the distractions.

SPEAKER_01 2:34

Really? So that was done with that in mind, yeah. Okay, so in my mind, right, because I'm always like in my marketing mind, I just assumed, okay, it's because it looks cooler. Yeah, you know, and then I also thought that maybe like trademarking and stuff like that, it would be easier without it, but it was done in mind of like okay, well we'll any distractions are gone, and so this is the meaning behind having it spoke spelled in this way.

SPEAKER_02 3:00

Okay, it's like an easy way to have to get the little flaps because that's actually really cool. Thank you. But it's like it is really you can still say the same word without the vowels, right? Like, and so you can still show up and be authentically you without all the distractions and the things around you. So it was like a nice way to remove it, and so studio is Pilates based. Um, we have a concept that people can come in and they can experience yes, Pilates, but also like community, right? Um, and the fact that it's black-owned is something that Tampa, from my knowledge, doesn't have. Yeah. Um, so it is really cool to be one of the first to like to be the first to do something like that.

SPEAKER_01 3:36

No, definitely you're a pioneer in this. And I even when I met you, it's crazy actually that we're here at Timpano because this is where I met you now that I'm thinking about it. Um so for those of you guys who are listening to this um by way of audio, we're at Timpano, which is located in Hyde Park uh village in Tampa, not the Hyde Park in New York, sorry y'all. Um but when I met Jody, it was January of 2025, and I was just starting to exercise because my husband previously told me I should start going to the gym. Oh, Ryan! And so I was looking for something, and so I did a few Pilates classes in other places, and no shade to anyone who does Pilates, I just didn't feel like there were enough people that looked like me in those spaces. And so when I saw this pop-up, I was like, Oh, I have to come. And it was cold, and it was outdoors outside of the timpano, and there was this beautiful black woman smiling at all of us, like, Welcome! He's like my worst nightmares ahead of me. And I just never thought we'd end up on this road, but it is very refreshing for us to be here. So you went from your you went from working corporate, and we all know that you went from working corporate and you said, Hey, I want more for myself, and then you started doing the Pilates pop-ups initially. Tell me about the process of because I know you used to say, I don't really want to have like a space, right? Like that was a big thing. So, what happened like on your journey that was like, hey, you know what? I think I'll do it.

SPEAKER_02 5:12

So I'm like getting chill chills thinking about it. So earlier last year, back in November, um, a really good friend of mine reached out to me and she was like, Hey, I want to open a space with you. And this is the very raw, full, give it to me, bro. And so she was like, Hey, I want to open a space with you. And I I believe in you, I believe in the vision, I believe in what you've already created, I believe in you know the pops that you've already been doing, and I really want to bring an experience like this. So I'm like, on the phone, I got quiet because I'm like, what? And I was like, yeah. I've one, I've never been presented with something like that.

SPEAKER_01 5:52

So you just said yeah, like you just you didn't object at that moment.

SPEAKER_02 5:56

No, that had to have been God Himself.

SPEAKER_01 5:58

That's what I was gonna say. I was like, was it, you know, like did you feel like the Lord was talking to you in that moment?

SPEAKER_02 6:03

It the only thing that came out of my mouth was yeah, I'm here for it. Okay, and I that was the beginning of a journey that we started building the all the things, and um since then we we built the LLC, we did all the things, we started talking about studio spaces, we built the social media page, she was an incredible part of building the social media. Okay, um, and we've since made the decision that it would just be something that would just be a Jody thing. Um and she had other things going on and was like, I wanna I wanna focus on this, I love presence, I support it, I'm here for it. Um and I honor her in the way that she did it and the fact that she was like, I still believe the vision and what we built onto this point. And um, since then I've been welcomed into a space and kind of collabed with a company called Corner House, where they have a space literally on the cornerhouse in Seminole Heights. Um, and we're able to we're basically housing all of our classes out of there now. Okay, and so we have classes during the weekdays, but then we also have our events because people look forward to the events, they look forward to an experience, but then when they're at the events, they're like, oh no, I want more of this. Like I want to feel all the things, like I want to do this during the weekdays, like I need your energy all the time. I need to be reminded I can do hard things all week long, and so it this was a nice segue into it, and so I'm grateful that you know we have the segue into it, and so to start building up classes, um, but still not take away that weekend and event experience, but instead give people a little bit more and then instead create more elevated experiences.

SPEAKER_01 7:31

For sure. I think um, so I mean we're thankful for that friend um for putting that idea in your mind and for the Lord, like you know, facilitating that yes, for us to even be here. Um, so the corner house, I I never knew that that place existed until I went to the event the other day that you had. Loved it, like so vibey, so nice, so like cozy in there. It was a very intimate space. And although you create a great environment no matter where you go, I think it's just nice to know that we can consistently go to one place and be like, okay, I can go see Jody here. Um so tell me about like I guess the relationship with Cornerhouse because when you first started with presence, fitness, was the thought that you were going to like open up your complete own space, or did you guys already know that you were going to be housed by someone else?

SPEAKER_02 8:27

No, no. At the beginning of this year, I remember saying to God, God, what is my word for the year? Give me the word that you want me to move in. And he said, Surrender. And so I checked back in five more days, five days later. I was like, So, God, what's my word for the year? You sure God? And he was like, surrender, and like this season I have not heard from God more clearly than ever before. I've heard from God more clearly than ever before in the season, and he was like, surrender. And then I was at church, and the sermon was about surrender, and then I was talking to a friend, and I was like, Oh, so all of January I got confirmation that the word was surrender. Okay, so in me saying that, it was the reminder that whatever journey we're going on with presence, I have to be open to it. And so a lot of times we go into space and we're like, oh no, I don't want that's not me. So my word was surrender, and I was like, Okay, well, if the word surrender, then like I have to surrender to whatever God's gonna do. And so I was like, God, whatever you do, whatever you leave me. So we found the space, loved the space, but it was just so big. Everyone that's like saw it loved it, but it was and I was very particular. Like, I'm not someone who's like, hey, ten people come in here, maybe five people saw it. Right. My sister, my mom, my dad. And I think maybe one other person. Like it wasn't many people. No, because one, it's like, I don't, I don't even know what's happening here. Right. Um, so it's very, very intentional, like, love the space, they were very kind, and so we were like, okay, well, we're gonna see kind of what happens here. Obviously, the transition of ownerships and things happened in the middle of that. Right. Um, and then one of my friends who takes my classes all the time at another studio I teach at, she came and she was like, went to that studio or space and she had taken another class there because they do different classes, and it's like, hey, like you should do this when you open the studio. Come to find out, Corner House ends up posting that they were gonna do that they were looking for someone to host Pilates classes out of there.

SPEAKER_01 10:18

Okay. So if something like falls like into your lap like that, it's kind of like, you know what? I know I was thinking about this, but maybe we should explore this other thing.

SPEAKER_02 10:30

Okay. And little, I think it was with I was with Naj that day, and we were like, as soon as that was done, I went over there, looked at the space. I just wanted to see it. I wanted to see what it would look like. Come to find out, the girl who owns it, which I didn't realize, was my friend Gabby, who had been at another event that I hosted. She was do working at the flower bar. She owned the flower bar. Okay. But I didn't realize and put two and two together that like this is yeah, that she had bought Corner House was owned, like, wow, and so the it's her and another um individual that I know named Gabby as well. They own it. Neil said. Wait, so they're both named Gabby? Both named Gabby. Gabby Squared, okay. Exactly. Gabby Square, Corner House.

SPEAKER_01 11:09

It's actually, I should uh I should sell them that idea.

SPEAKER_02 11:14

So I get there and I meet her and I see her and I'm like, Gabby, what do you do? She's like, you didn't realize it was me. And I'm like, I'm not like not an Instagram investigator. Like, right, I see something, I keep going. Right. Because I'm like, if I really need to know that, it's gonna come back around and it's gonna show itself.

SPEAKER_01 11:35

I can imagine too. I mean, and I know we've had talks about that in the past too. I can imagine just because you're always on the go, there's no time to be investigating who owns what and who knows. I will meet people as I meet them. And I I know this time last year, I probably didn't understand that as much because I wasn't as busy. And so now I'm like, no, I get it. I get it. Nobody got time for all of that.

SPEAKER_02 12:00

Like, like the people who which bless their heart, I can be like, hey, like, I researched this and I got this, and this person does this, and they own this, and like that's why her boyfriend hates her and she loves him. You have a lot of time on that. They need to be an FBI investigator in that in the wrong profession, sweet girl.

SPEAKER_01 12:18

I I'm I don't have the time for that. No, but it's so it's such a blessing that it all like kind of just fall into place for you. So let me ask you Cornerhouse is great. Love it there, really like it. I look forward to using my class passes to go to class. Is there any plan perhaps of actually opening a dip, like a studio studio? Like it's like, okay, this is Jody's establishment, or am I asking a question that I should be minding my business about?

SPEAKER_02 12:47

Like, I I I won't tell you to mind your business. Okay. Whatever else has a question. No, I'm kidding. Um, yeah, that's the goal. Okay. But I think that there's something so unorthodox about what we've already been doing for the past year and a half that for this to happen this way, I'm like, God, you are just continuing on the same path you've already been on. Right. Where you're putting me in an unorthodox space where I didn't never knew this would be the space. Or you know, I've always I've been a part of so many studio openings where I watched them do the six months or five months or you know, months of like advertising, right? And then they open their space and they do all the things, and it's like that just hasn't been my journey. Right. And for this to happen in this way, it's like okay, if that this if this is my year of surrender, then I have to truly surrender. And so in me surrendering, that's me saying, Okay, if it's gonna look this way, if it's gonna sound this way, then like, yes, but the goal is to have our own space. Right. Um, and right now it's like okay, like let's see what these few months look like at Cornerhouse, let's build the market. Right. And then when the space opens, it's like we would have already built out so much, but like that's how it had to happen for my journey. Right. Um, which you put comparison, you I'm grateful that I got delivered from playing that comparison game very early on in my career. Comparisons to other instructors, other studio, anyone, anything. But but like in this case, like the comparison of like, oh well, this studio opened here and did this, and it looks like this, and it's like right, well, there was a friend. It it's so easy to get in your head and get caught up in all the things, and then now you're like talking yourself out of me, you're not opening anything.

SPEAKER_01 14:16

Right. No, it's true. Um, sometimes you can stop yourself before you even start, and I have to tell you, I'm super proud of the progression. I'm super proud of just where you are. I'm proud of you opening this space or like actually like starting this process, right? And so speaking of the process, I'm very curious because I know Jodi as a friend. I know Jodi is my Pilates instructor who sometimes I'm like, this is too hard, I don't want to do this, stop. Like, make it in, girl. But talk to me about Jodi, the businesswoman, because you're not just a Pilates instructor, this is the business that we're you are the business and the brand. So I know the brand. Talk to me about the business side of things. What what does that look like? And this is me as like a Brian, like I'm like, make the business in the brand is hard on this side.

SPEAKER_02 15:07

So, like day to day, like what does it look like? Like, what it's never the same. Literally, my days start out because I'm still teaching at studios. Okay, because I still have to like pay my bills and make money. Absolutely. And it's like people don't think that people are like, so what do you do during the day? Girl, I love working. I tea I'm teaching Pilates. They think I people think I teach Pilates just on the weekends and when I do events. And you know what? I love that for that.

SPEAKER_01 15:33

I think it's good to have like, not that you want a facade, right? But like for the longest before I actually stepped into the space of the things I do now, I used to work human resources. Yeah. Of course, on social media, I was not going to tell people what I did as my day job because I don't want, you know, just you just don't want that. So I used to model. Uh-huh. And people thought I was only a model. And I was like, you know what? That's really great that you think. Keep thinking that. Oh my goodness. So we know obviously, like, you you work, we're not gonna put out where you work, but we know you work day to day. And so when you're doing things for for presence, like I mean, how have you grown in just like the business aspect of it? Um, like I mean, I I don't even know, like, it's if you talk to me like I'm a dumb person. Like, I'm I have never opened a space of my own. I don't know what it entails.

SPEAKER_02 16:23

So there's multiple parts to it. Like throughout my days, I in the sense of just like my day to day, I'm meeting with different people, whether it be to build out the space and like whether it be to create partnerships. So it's like today is obviously very random, but like if I was working with Tim Pano to have them come to one of our events or to have them pop up, like I'd have a meeting with them. And so literally, that's what my weeks consist of because we have so many different partnerships that we do have. Okay. That's one of the things, one of the other things teaching classes. But as relates to the studio space, like the biggest part of that is I need to be in the space. Okay. I'm there, I'm making sure, like, especially when we were starting to do all the things, like, okay, like, do we need the extra mirrors? Do we need to get extra um lights? Do we need to get extra garbage cans, like doing the test out classes? Right. Um, so that was one of the really big parts. Cornhouse did a very good job of like already building out a really cool space, and so it was like adding in different things in between. Um, but from a business aspect, I think for me the shift has been a weight. I'm not just Jodi Campbell now. Right. I'm I'm now, oh now the presence is attached to Jody. And how do we keep Jodi as she is, but shift? Because I'm also the marketing manager, I'm also the everything. Yeah. It's like so marketing, social media. Um you think the business aspect of it from like a money perspective, like, okay, figuring out the partnerships. How do we start to build the business side of it? And like on a day-to-day, like what does that look like? Right. Um, and I think people don't recognize that like we have incredible partners that we work with, and they don't happen just because, like, oh, she's cute. Right. It's like, no, I come and I spend time at Tentano. No, I go and I spend time at Kendra Scott. No, I go and I spend like I spend time with these spaces at the businesses where people are like, oh wait, you like you actually are invested in the business. You're invested in what we're doing, you want to be a part of this, and like you know that firsthand, where it's like, no, like truth didn't just happen to you know, I think that people spend time.

SPEAKER_01 18:28

You spend time, you spend money, you spend energy, right? Because you want people to reciprocate that. Um, I think that oftentimes, you know, when I was first starting with the podcast, when I was first starting with um even trying to come up with the event idea that I had with the intersection, a lot of people thought that I was just going out a lot, right? And yes, you see me out and about, yeah, but it's about building relationships, right? Like I support your business so that way when I come up with one, I hope that you support mine. And I think that that is a piece that most don't understand, especially if they're not in the entrepreneurship world. Um, and when I first started as an entrepreneur, I did not understand, right? I'm coming from corporate, and people are like, it's about building relationships. And I'm like, I don't get it. Like, so it's about you just making friends with people. Oh, that's a really big whatever that was.

SPEAKER_02 19:20

I was like, whoa, are my eyes deceiving?

SPEAKER_01 19:24

When I tell you that that is some PR training because you didn't even move, and I'm like, no, no, get out of here. Okay, like bop bop. But I didn't understand the the the effect, right, of building relationships. What is there a relationship or a few relationships that you would point out and say, you know what, this was very integral to my career or to like my growth. We're sitting in one right now. You know what? I'll take that. Now we're sitting in one. When you heard that, we're sitting in one right now.

SPEAKER_02 19:54

I feel like I've done nothing for you. No, we're literally sit Tim Pato, I mean, is the space that we're sitting in.

SPEAKER_00 20:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 20:01

Like this is the first space that we ever did an event in. That's true. And they bet on you, right? On the concept. Like Lindsay, my friend, who she said to me, she was like, should do it here. She's like, do it event here. And I was like, wait, what?

SPEAKER_01 20:16

She's like, hey, shoot a vet here. And I was like, I'm not gonna lie to you, when I saw the flyer, so the way that I found out about you is because um, shout out to Ryan Rose and How a Sunset Sounds, is because Ryan was actually at the start of his of his How a Sunset Sounds. It's so crazy. I feel like everyone's been progressing kind of all at the same time. But how a sunset sounds was fairly a new concept, and I had already met him, and I said, Oh, he's a great DJ. I'm gonna go to whatever this Pilates thing is. And it's funny, I saw another Pilates pop up, but I didn't know who the DJ was. So I was like, you know, I know this DJ, I don't know who this girl is, but I'm gonna go. Blown away by you. And but I did think it was weird. I say all that to say, I was like, at the restaurant? How are they gonna do that? Like, and then I saw how the setup was, and it just got bigger and bigger and bigger. Like, would you say that you outgrew Timpano? Is that what happened? Yes.

SPEAKER_02 21:12

We we haven't been able to do events here since then because I think we stopped in the summer. Good thing. We made it onto like Best Friends Day because we were gonna have to bring them inside because we were getting complaints about different. We went too far out, and it was just like we couldn't contain what was happening here. Which is like pandemonium. Thank god, like that's our problem. Right. But it was, I think people get so caught up in like, well, what if it doesn't work? And what if it doesn't work? I'm like, well, that's gonna go wrong and that. And it's like I do this is my cup of what I can handle, and I am not gonna if it if it is not gonna move the needle forward, it can't fit in this cup. The cup is only so big. Okay so if you're gonna bring up like, oh, it's not gonna work, and oh my god, that's kind of crazy, and oh, let's let's no, aren't you afraid?

SPEAKER_01 22:00

Hell, keep moving. The cup can only hold so much. So, question, right? Because I know that you're like, I don't want to say you're a risk taker, but I do know that you are the kind of person that's like, hey, I have this idea and I'm gonna move forward with it, and whatever happens, happens. But just as a human, like, I mean, because I know everyone experiences doubt sometimes. So moments that you've felt even a tinge of like, I don't know, I don't know if this is gonna work out. What do you do to get yourself to continue to keep moving?

SPEAKER_02 22:31

First of all, I feel like I feel like every single event. Every okay I've done 90 events to 90 since last January. 90?

SPEAKER_01 22:40

Yes, that we've at least accounted for. How many Pilates classes do people actually teach in a year? Like that is 90? Girl, I did my first event, you know, and no it's not Pilates, so I did my first event, and I'm like, okay, I'm gonna do another one next year.

SPEAKER_02 22:55

Like 90? Yes, that's those are ones that like Eventbrite counted. Okay, we switched platforms and it's been parts of that. Like, so all 90 times that and mind you, this isn't events that people hired me for, and like broke that doesn't even create any of that. That's we I personally put on on my platform, and every single event there's a slight hint of doubt that comes, and that's the moment where it's like when I'm dragging to the event, like I'm on the phone with someone, I'm like get off the phone with them. Because, like, if you're gonna bring a little bit of doubt, I'm already carrying my own doubt. If you're gonna bring guilt, I'm garing my own guilt. Right, you know, the doubt creeps in every time, and it's it's it's gotten better, but when you have people who come to an event and they say that's the best thing I've experienced in a workout class in my life, or oh my gosh, your story changed my life, or oh my gosh, a part of me was healed. Right. That's not like a oh, we're tooting your horn and like an ooh emo boost. It's like, no, you were experiencing a very real life thing, yes, and you came into a room with people and you probably came in nervous, you probably came in scared. Yeah, you probably came in like, oh, am I gonna know anybody? What is it gonna feel like? What are they gonna say? I've never worked out before, or I haven't worked out in the wild, and like you came and now you leave a little bit less defeated. Yeah, and you have F in your step, you're like excited, you're bopping around, and my doubt is gonna stop me from doing an event. Yeah. So it's kind of like, oh, okay, never mind. Let me sit my behind down and calm down, and like so I said that that feeling overrides the doubt.

SPEAKER_01 24:31

You know, I understand that actually, and I resonate with it deeply. Um, I always say, whether it be with any podcasting that I do or whether it be with um like the event that I just threw, you know, I always thank everyone for continuing to create a safe space for me that allows myself to create a safe space for them because it is reciprocal, right? It's uh one of those like symbiotic relationships. So where I might feel self-doubt, and then I'll come out and do whatever it is that I'm doing. That person who felt self-doubt in the audience was like, I felt self-doubt, but thank you. And now we're we're bouncing off of each other. And so the one thing that I love that I feel like a lot of people don't get to see is like the very like human pieces of you, right? Because I think that we all go to our workout classes, we see our instructors, and they're like these superhumans that can do all these great things with their body, but we don't think about them as a person. So talk to me about Jody, the person. Like, talk to me. I know you're very like, I know you're like such a kind, sweet human being. I know who you are. Like, I know you're very funny and very sarcastic sometimes. Like, but yeah, no, like those are the things people don't know about you. So, like, talk to me about what is your spiel if you had an elevator pitch. I know your elevator pitch as a as a as a as a businesswoman, as a fitness instructor, as a Jody as a human being. What is your elevator pitch?

SPEAKER_02 25:52

I feel like no one's asked you this. My elevator pitch as a human is I love to love people. Okay. Like I love to love people, and I love to see them have a good time, and I love to laugh. Like, that's the part where the sarcastic side comes from because I'm just like, life is so serious, and it's really not that bad. It's true. Like, gas is high, hell, it's gonna keep being high. Like, that's fine, but at the same time, it's like, thank God I like can do the things. Right. And so I say all that to say is a lot of people take life too seriously, and Jody is in a space now where she's like, I'm excited about what's coming next. I'm excited about like life, I'm excited about my family, I'm excited about my future. Right. Like, I'm not the person who's in a space where I'm like, like I'm not married, I don't have kids, um, but I'm like, I'm excited for when the time comes. No, for sure. But I'm not like a oh, it has to happen now. For sure. But I think I'm in a space of expectancy where it's like I'm it it's it's the excitement of what's coming and what's to happen. But like along the way, if I'm not laughing, like something's wrong.

SPEAKER_01 27:00

So you know what's the usage of the word expectancy? Because I recently heard that at this mastermind luncheon, and it was such a good word that I was like, oh my god, I'm gonna write this down and keep it close to my chest. And you know I'm a firm believer in synchronicity, so the fact that you just use that word is everything right now. So, Jodi, I want to thank you for your time. This food is coming, and I am but no, I didn't say it's coming like right now. I was like, oh my way, thank you, Jesus. Oh no, I'm starving. Like, but no, honestly, thank you for spending time with me. But I do want one, I have one last question uh right before we close out. So I know we talked about people not knowing certain things, or what would you like for people to know about you? So I'm gonna have you take your moment to look at the camera, and I want you to share the things that you think like hey, people should know about whether it's your business, yourself, or it's a mantra that you're holding on close to in this season of your life right now. Keep talking if I can think of something else, keep talking talking.

SPEAKER_00 27:59

I will give you some time to think if you need it.

SPEAKER_02 28:02

No pressure, no, none at all. Got it, noted. Um, I think one of the things that I want people to know about me, and just like I think a mantra that for me I carry very, very close is work like it's gonna work. Because my life has literally been living proof of that exact thing. Where it's like in the moments when I wanted to talk myself out of certain things, the moments I wanted to quit, the moments that it didn't feel good, it didn't always look good, I was like, I'm still gonna do it. Because I knew that on the other side something was already like kind of confirmed, and so I was living in the confirmation of what was already gonna happen. So it's kind of like when you go to a workout, like you know there's an end to the workout. So I'm working out like the goal has already been accomplished, and so for me, that's what I've been holding on to, not just in this season, but like other seasons as well, is work like it's going to work because it is, and it's like may not work perfectly, but it's going to work and not just work out, but like God will make it happen in your favor. And I thank him that like things that I didn't want to happen or that I wanted to happen, um, maybe he didn't allow to happen because something even bigger and greater was happening, and it's like crazy to think like for me, wait, God loves me that much that he would allow me to still have an incredible work ethic, continue to still be able to do all the things that I do, but yet still protect me from things that like weren't for me. And so I think it's like being in a space, like rest in what you're doing, rest in the way that you're doing it and how you're doing it and the why behind it. Because like my purpose is not your purpose, and like it's supposed to be that way, like we're supposed to have different purposes, right? But also learning to celebrate people. Like, I am constantly around people who always say, like, oh, aren't you like afraid that someone else is doing this or that that person that or that thing and what that looks like? And it's like, no, like you can celebrate people where they're at, and you can have joy for them where they're at, and you can like, and I remember seeing something this week, it was like you should be the people who are around you should be able to celebrate you if they're also in a season of confidence, but also in a season of winning. And that doesn't mean that their wins are always gonna show up, but it does mean that you can still show up in spaces with people and celebrate the wins of them no matter what season you're in, no matter what season they're in. Um, and it just makes you a better person. It's kind of like speaking into existence before it even happens. So, yes, just that that is that's probably the biggest thing for me is like celebrating people where they're at, but then also working like it's gonna work.

SPEAKER_01 30:33

You know, I like that you said that because I feel like we went from you can do hard things, which is the beginning, right? It's the start. You can do hard things, and now it's a progression to okay, now you're doing the hard thing, so work it out until it works out. Yes, and so I love that. I'm ready to eat this food so we can take this walk. Nike! I cannot wait. Okay, so favorite brand of sneakers. Is it Nike or is it not?

SPEAKER_02 30:58

Honestly, yeah, most of my stuff are Nikes. Most of my stuff are most of my stuff are Nikes.

SPEAKER_01 31:07

I'm a Nike fanatic. Let me see what you got. Oh, you got filas. Yeah, they were the old steak. Just a little pop. No, the drip is this is not the drip, this is the waterfall. Like uh, welcome to the holy grail. Do you know what's funny? I've only ever bought anything from Nike when we did the event.

SPEAKER_00 31:28

Here, I'm a I'm basically an influencer. Huh? I'm basically an influencer. She's got all the brands. The only the only way.

SPEAKER_01 31:36

So I'm wearing um phabletic stuff. But that's because I'm a phabletics partner. But you know, I feel like everyone is a phabletics partner. I only have like two items from here. They have really nice colors. That's what I like, especially during the summertime.

SPEAKER_02 31:49

I feel like they come with all these like bright, like our colors. You wear a lot of colors. I mean, you know, I don't I'm a muted girl.

SPEAKER_01 31:57

It's gonna be more colors.

unknown 31:59

Oh my god.

SPEAKER_01 32:00

I'm trying, I'm working on it. I'm working on it. We need like the oranges. Like the oranges, the purple.

SPEAKER_02 32:05

Yes. A lot of pink too.

SPEAKER_01 32:08

A lot of pink. Yeah, you do. Because when we were making the um flyer event for the event, I remember I made it kind of plain. And you're like, can we make it bright? And I was like, and you were like, I just love colors.

SPEAKER_02 32:22

I was like, and like I was never that person where I would just like wear black everything. It's only when I do events that I wear colors. Yeah. And like because people like make more comments about it. They're like, oh my god, I love that color. So it's one, it's easier to follow because if they're fighting for their life, there's only one bright color for them to look for. It's just like, and then on top of like interviews and stuff like that, it's like people are gonna see it for long term, and they're like, oh my gosh, I remember the interview day with a girl who had the bright yellow on.

SPEAKER_01 32:47

You know what? Like, this is true. I wear color now just because Ryan um likes colors on my skin. It's like it just looks so good on you guys. But like, you know, if I I you know what it is, I think it's it's a childhood thing. So it's to wear really colorful clothes, but we don't have a lot of money. So I would repeat clothing all the time. And it was obvious because you remember, oh, you're wearing this shirt and then you're going through this. So I started wearing black, white, and ivy blue, and like beige. And so, yeah, like that's the stuck. I love the reader tone.

SPEAKER_02 33:21

Huh?

SPEAKER_01 33:22

Yeah, but you know, now I'm like, oh, look, I like this bright blue though.

SPEAKER_02 33:25

Like, no, I can do a bright.

SPEAKER_01 33:26

I might actually buy something.

SPEAKER_02 33:28

Wait, no, they have those, they have the thing over here too.

SPEAKER_01 33:30

The nurse you have me, I'm gonna spend some money today. No, that's too much. How much I like the shorts a little thicker or a little not thicker. Longer? I like, I like, no, no, no. I like the shorts a little tighter. You know, trying to show off the thighs on. Do you see this? Um Lori Harvey who? Lori Harvey who I'm getting thick, y'all.

SPEAKER_02 33:55

She is, she's in berries every waking moment of the day.

SPEAKER_01 33:58

No, I do like this little sweater.

SPEAKER_02 34:00

I think I might actually buy some. I'm just gonna look looking for more cover-up stuff because like now I just like when I'm in workout clothes, it's like, okay, yes, I'm at gyms all the time, but then it's like when I'm not inside of a gym, people are like, I'm like, oh, these are socially acceptable.

SPEAKER_00 34:13

That's how I felt I was gonna come out wearing this thing, and I'm like, oh, not me being naked. Like, you know, I'm gonna like I like this.

unknown 34:21

Ooh.

SPEAKER_00 34:21

I'm a freak for good white shirt.

SPEAKER_02 34:23

Are you buying anything?

SPEAKER_00 34:24

No, it's just me. No, I'm restricting myself.

SPEAKER_02 34:27

Thank you so much. See, like, I what is what this I like this?

SPEAKER_01 34:31

It's actually kind of cute. This is very is this a skirt? Yeah. No, you lost me. I thought they were.

SPEAKER_02 34:35

I thought I couldn't figure out if it was pants or skirt. I saw it here and I thought that it was.

SPEAKER_01 34:40

No, they lost me with the This is Tampa, Florida, it's not New York. What they got going on? Alright, sneakers. Sneaker wise, Nike sneakers. What's your what's your go-to? Are you an Air Max girl or you? I really want to buy something.

SPEAKER_02 34:53

Like it's giving Air Max. Okay, I like the stylus shoe.

SPEAKER_01 34:56

No. But I don't like the cheetah press. Okay. I'll tell you right now, I'm a presto girl. I'm a presto. Um, this kind of sneaker, whatever this was. I do like the presto. I like anything that's under $100. I'm not spending more than $80 for a sneaker. Listen.

SPEAKER_02 35:13

I remember my dad would go into the store and he'd be like, nothing under $50, more than $50. Yes, no more than $50. I'm like, then we can leave. I'm like, just take me to rack room. Honestly, take me to payless. You could pay more, but why?

SPEAKER_01 35:28

What? Didn't they go into business? Yeah, they did. They did go out of business. They did. My mom works at Paylist for a while, but she's pregnant with my brother.

unknown 35:36

That's fine.

SPEAKER_01 35:37

Yeah, so we had, you know, I had all the paylist shoes. Every paylist.

SPEAKER_02 35:40

All the little chunk of lip has the jelly ones. Do you remember the jelly shoes?

SPEAKER_01 35:43

Did you have the light of ones? No. No, my parents wasn't playing with that. Okay, okay. Yeah, that's foreign. You already know how like Caribbean foreign parents get down, they'd be like, mm-mm, mm-mm. Mm-mm. It is it is different. We don't like it. It's different. No, also the Heelys. No, that was an absolute.

SPEAKER_02 36:02

Did you have Heelys? I did. They let you have the Heelys? They did it. My mom did. Um yes.

SPEAKER_01 36:09

They were scared I was gonna break my teeth. And then it's funny because I did injure myself with my accident, but I made it count. You know, the one time you hit your face. You gotta get it.

SPEAKER_02 36:17

You gotta make it worth it. You gotta make it worth it.

SPEAKER_01 36:19

So you guys, we used to have a friend that worked at Nike and it was lit because we threw an event here back in uh July of last year.

SPEAKER_02 36:25

Yes. I thought about doing one this month. Like a few months ago, I thought about doing one this month. Yeah. Just for mental like health awareness month.

SPEAKER_01 36:34

Would you like a moderator still, or are you thinking moderate it on your own? No, I can't. This is me shooting my shot.

SPEAKER_02 36:38

No, for Juneteenth. Oh we have more than enough time to market it. Yeah, a Sunday morning. It's on Sunday? Juneteenth falls on a wait, but we can do it on Juneteenth. June's a Friday. People work on Friday. You know what? No. Because last people last year people dragged me for not doing an event on Juneteenth. They were like, we're all off from work. Why would you have a nine to another? Well, it is true. People are. I was like, I thought y'all had to work. I thought it was a fry. I thought it was a Monday. They were like, no, we have we don't have to work. It was like a it was a random day of the weekend. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 37:16

So yeah, let's let's plan it. And you know me and get started on marketing.

SPEAKER_02 37:22

I'm gonna talk to them and see what they say. I don't know who there are any person, but even then they were like, as long as you want to come to an event here, like we have enough people to vouch for you. Oh, beautiful.

SPEAKER_01 37:33

I think we're gonna ask right now. I like these shorts. I need to buy something. I need to not buy anything. I need to leave. I'm gonna go. Okay, so we're gonna ask a question and then we're gonna leave.

SPEAKER_02 37:43

Your gift to yourself for working hard to do.

SPEAKER_01 37:46

You know, the thing is uh, you know, I would love to explain it to Ryan in that way when he sees the credit card statement.

SPEAKER_02 37:53

No, it's fine. It's fine.