This was a fun and informative conversation with MJ! We talked about everything from her personal journey into coaching and powerlifting (and how you can get into powerlifting), along with deep diving into lessons she's learned in business, and... the ultimate myth bust... as a woman, will lifting make you bulky?
Marshelle Johnston (MJ) grew up in small town Missouri, and always had aspirations of moving away, exploring, and owning her own business some day. After high school, she moved to Boston, where she started her bachelors degree in Sports Management online. This was also around the time she decided to compete in her first powerlifting meet. (Fun fact: she has now competed in 10 competitions and set a Colorado state record with a 375 pound deadlift!) A few years later, she decided she wanted to open a gym exclusively for women in Denver. She moved, finished her degree, and started working toward opening the gym. A year and a half later, she opened MJ Fit, which grew quickly leading to need for expansion. They finished expansion in December of 2019, and now the space is 3 times the size, and the team is 5 times the original size! As MJ's Fit Fam community continues to grow, she is so happy to provide a safe, supportive, empowering environment to so many women and children, both in-person and virtually!
3:14 Fun rapid fire questions
5:44 From studying fashion in college and competing in her first bikini competition to discovering powerlifting and her purpose as a coach
12:18 The mental transition from a physique centered sport to a performance focused sport
17:03 Advice for women who are interested in getting into powerlifting
Intro to Powerlifting Program
21:38 MJ busts a myth: as a woman, will weightlifting make me bulky?
23:44 MJ shares some stories of non-scale victories she’s seen in her female clients over the years
27:55 How MJ has grown her business, launching at 23 years old without funding to tripling the size of her gym and increasing her team 5 fold
38:38 The advice MJ would you give to her 23 year old self after years of learning through the growth of her business
41:46 Where to connect with MJ
Website: www.mjfitdenver.com
MJ Fit Workout Programs
Instagram: @mjfitdenver
MJ's Personal Instagram: @mjfitnatic
Tik Tok: @mjfitdenver
Facebook: @mjfitdenver
YouTube: MJ Fit Denver
43:20 A good reminder to get to bed early + hand off tasks in your life that aren’t your strong suit
If you get value from this episode, I would be overjoyed to have you share it with another female millennial or screenshot it and share on instagram, tagging me at @fitfeedbyreed.
For more information on my coaching services and for tons of healthy recipes check out www.fitfeedbyreed.com.