Today we’d like to introduce you to Jacinda Thompson.
Hi Jacinda, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My story began around 18 years old. I was 60lbs overweight, depressed, and totally oblivious to the health concerns that could be headed my way being 5’2 180lbs. At the time I didn’t know how to start and wasn’t sure if I would ever be my ideal weight. As I was looking for a fresh start I decided to move with my oldest brother to Louisiana who at the time was active duty military in the Army. I didn’t know what to expect but had nothing to loose so I went.
The day I arrived my brother knew something was wrong and from day one he cleared out his fridge and everybody in the household was now on a diet to help support my new journey into health & wellness. There were no goals set, no expectations instead the focus was just to get me moving and changing everyday habits. The day after I arrived my brother woke me up at 5am, took me to a swampy grass track field in what felt like the middle of nowhere and told me to start running and said, “I will tell you when to stop”. I didn’t think about it I just took any action thrown at me because I had already decided to leave my past behind me when I left.
Everyday thereafter, we would workout as a team once to twice a day, I would walk to work which was about two miles and I completely changed my diet by only having food in the household that would support my weight loss and health habits. In two and half months time, I had lost 20lbs just by changing my food, doing cardio once a day for at least 2-3 miles running or walking & 30 min of focus core strength building exercises. I was changed, I felt alive & a became a completely new human being, from there I decided I got the push I needed and went back home to Sacramento, CA, where I am from. I continued my health & wellness journey with daily running and then transitioned to Yoga when I moved to San Diego, CA about 8 years ago.
I didn’t expect anything from Yoga but then something happened, I realized that there was more to the health & wellness industry than to exercise. I found so much mental growth through movement and started to expand on my wellness goals so I decided to become a Certified Vinyasa Yoga Instructor, Personal fitness trainer and empowerment coach for individuals seeking mental & physical growth. I have been practicing and have been teaching professionally for several years now to share my experience and knowledge to help individuals who need that extra push. When your stuck sometimes we need an outlet or someone that will show up for us when we can’t do that ourselves so that’s what I became an ultimate accountability partner to my clients. That is where my inspiration for my business model “to inspire & empower” came from. I now have my own business Yoga niche called Urbanoga, a fitness based Yoga that focuses on cardio, strength training, HIIT, dance movement and empowerment coaching to keep my clients accountable & mentally strong.
Alright, 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?
My story seems easier said than done going through many trainings along the way that challenged me to find who I was and what I was not. I struggled staying the course while life got in the way, having to move constantly to keep afloat while still maintaining my practice and Svadhyaya (self study). There were many times I wanted to give up and had lost purpose when it was hard on me financially while trying to find suitable clients that I felt fit.
I also went through many business pivots during the pandemic and not having accessibility to a studio to teach or parks to host events. However, I was resilient and went online, and learned how I can provide my passion to individuals when they needed it the most. I still coached online while having to move once again to my hometown Sacramento,CA during the pandemic. With so much against me I stayed determined got a temporary online job offered to me from San Diego,CA and was able to move back and start my business back up again and continue to provide my services to people who are seeking change through their own personal hardships.
As you know, we’re big fans of Urbanoga. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I personalize in teaching Urbanoga which is a fitness based Vinyasa Yoga that incorporates cardio, strength training, HIIT, dance movements and empowerment coaching that helps people grow mental strength that keeps the weight off & develop an overall healthier lifestyle. I am known for my high energy-intense workouts, motivating persona and upbeat personality that help keep clients driven and reach their fitness goals.
What sets Urbanoga apart from other fitness options is that Urbanoga is an all in one fitness option that sets you up for long term success through coaching while challenging your physical. Urbanoga offers: one on one coaching for specialized or unique clients that have specific fitness goals, group classes that build community and accountability, workshops/pop up events, as well as mixed media (articles, quotes, short videos) resources available via website to stay motivated and explore other ways to be inspired and empowered for our viewers daily life. Urbanoga’s mission is to inspire and empower individuals through intentional challenging and fun movement while improving and/or maintaining health & wellness goals.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
Business in the health and wellness industry was hard to begin in being that there were and still is many different directions I could go but with research, mentors, supportive friends and family I was able to figure out what served me and my business model. However there is always work to be done, constant personal changes in my life that challenge me to adapt and pivot my business. There will always be highs and lows in life and business but I stay resilient with high faith in my intuition. I have been grateful for the many connections that I have built through my failures (learning experiences) and successes along the way.
Through my positive attitude, boundaries & integrity I have found clients that fit my business model and have given me the ability to provide an amazing opportunity that serves their needs. My clients have a new and improved perspective on their overall life and have drastically changed their mental & physical health that will serve them long term. I now plan to provide a deeper experience by providing retreats for spiritual & physical healing for a life-changing opportunity.
Pricing:
- 1 on 1 Coaching- 75.00$
- Online classes (Drop In)- 20.00$
- 3-6 Class Pack- 45$-90$
Contact Info:
- Email: Urbanogainfo@gmail.com
- Website: https://msha.ke/urbanoga
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/jacindarellastory?utm_medium=copy_link
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/dare2begreat/
- Other: https://instagram.com/urbanogafit?utm_medium=copy_link
