Meet Jackie Neilson, wife, Mother of 2 beautiful little girls, business owner, MMA & Kickboxer fighter.
This woman is one incredible Boss Mom and we had the opportunity to talk to her about ALL the hats (and belts) she wears and how she manages to balance it all.
When did you get started in Mixed Martial Arts? 14 years ago. My sister had been training in MMA for a few years at the time, and her life had been transformed by it. She could see the same potential in it for me, and she was right — within the first 5 minutes of my first class, I was totally hooked by the strength and power I felt. I took off running with it from there. I got into shape, started earning belts and worked my way up the ranks, and even fell in love with competing!
 |
When did you start competing? What drew you to compete? I wanted to compete after a year or so of training but I was so scared to lose, so I held off for way too long. I didn’t win my first tournament and I’ve lost other matches since then, too (and I still don’t like to lose!) But once I started, I saw how much fun competition is— win, lose or draw. If you care about something and love it enough, you’ll fight for it and know that any outcome is OK. The day of my black belt test many years ago, I left it all out there for the judges. I had no gas left in my tank, and I didn’t know if I was going to throw up, pass out, or burst into flames! I remember thinking to myself, “Whether I’ve earned [my black belt] today or not, I am so proud of myself right at this moment.” I got it that day. ;)
Favorite thing about Mixed Martial Arts? The family. Those you train with become a family to you. We share a lot of the same goals, challenges, achievements and plateaus. Right from the start, students have a healthy and supportive lifeline. Everybody needs that.
What made you decide to open your own school? We (husband, Mike and daughter, Emma) left our martial arts franchise in New Jersey almost 5 years ago, wanting to create our own version of what we love and our own brand. God / the Universe / our gut instinct — whatever you want to call it — was making it very clear to us that we needed to make a move and do what was best for our family. We didn’t know we’d end up in South Florida, but we are very happy here. We opened our own school 3 years later — April 2018 — here in Delray Beach. We couldn’t have picked a more beautiful place or blossoming town.
 |
What do you love about being a sensei? As a teacher, I LOVE helping students (kids and adults alike) learn how much power they have inside of themselves! Kids are funny — they have no inhibitions, they aren’t afraid to be silly or fall down, and they’re like sponges just soaking up information. Adults are fun in a different way because they are learning a life skill plus grace, humility and self-discipline in a later chapter of life. They’re getting into the best shape of their lives, learning mindfulness and gaining confidence — sometimes it’s been years since they did any of those things. My favorite thing is watching adults realize their full potential and reverse their age. That is a different kind of cool: it is soul-changing.
What is your biggest challenge as a Mom Boss? There are lots of challenges that come with being a mom and running a business. “Mom Boss” is a term in itself that gives me anxiety. The laundry list (pun intended) that is attached to both of those words is overwhelming. My biggest challenge is getting things done — even the things that I want to do most! For the most part, I’ve stopped making To Do Lists and have started just tackling things as they enter my brain. So if you’re a student or a business partner (or an editor at Macaroni Kid) and you get a text from me at 10 PM or 5 AM, there’s no need to respond — it’s just me, grinding away between diaper changes and sleeping and teaching.
Best advice for other Mom Bosses to keep the balance? Ask for help and let others help you! Find other Mom Bosses that help fuel your fire, and do the same for them. Take time for your partner and kids — without those things you’d be lost, so give them the ranking they deserve. Take good care of your network. Send thank you’s to those who deserve it, even if it’s a text. Don’t sweat the small stuff: if you’re stressing about dishes and the state of the house and letting it ruin your mood, you’re probably focusing on the wrong thing. And, don’t sweat the big stuff: if you’ve done everything in your power to conquer it and it’s still getting the best of you, work hard on what is serving you now, and come back to the battle when you have a clearer head.
What are you most proud of? My shift in attitude. Becoming a mom was hard, then becoming a mom for the second time KICKED MY BUTT. My second daughter was born right at the time we opened our doors for business, and I was a wreck. I had to change: I had to relinquish control, learn to rely on others, delegate…all with grace because clients were watching. I had to be OK with imperfection. I am proud that I learned that lesson and incorporated that as a permanent factor in the running of my business and my personal DMO’s.
Best part about being a MOM Boss? The mom part, hands down. These kids are my everything.
Mom Bossing is not always pretty, and it’s not always rewarding unless you can really examine what you’re doing and look at how far you’ve come. When people say, “how do you do it?” Or “you’re doing a great job!” I cry. When we get a good Google or Facebook review, I cry. I am so grateful for what I’ve been given and what I have. I’m in awe of how our journey has unfolded in the way it has. I’m learning that I have to hustle hard for what I want, but that there’s also so much control I don’t have, and that brings me comfort, too. If I lost it all tomorrow, it would still have been worth the hard work, the blood, sweat and tears.
Check out the school and say Hi to Jackie and her Family at Got Your 6 Mixed Martial Arts Studio in Delray Beach - On the SW corner of Lake Ida and Congress.
 |
