We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jeffrey Thompson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jeffrey below.

Jeffrey, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Along with taking care of clients, taking care of our team is one of the most important things we can do as leaders. Looking back on your journey, did you have a boss that was really great? Maybe you can tell us about that boss and what made them a wonderful person to work for?

Back in my early 20s, I was constantly on the road—traveling for tournaments, working random jobs just to make ends meet. Every paycheck went toward flights, tournament fees, and any opportunity I could afford to compete. It was a challenging time, both physically and financially, but I was driven by passion.

I remember one of my last tournaments vividly. I came home, and within a couple of days, I was back at my regular 9-to-5 job. One of my bosses noticed something in me. He could see how much Taekwondo meant to me—how it was more than just a sport. It was my calling.

One day, he looked me in the eye and said, “I’m going to fire you. Not because you’re bad at your job—but because this job isn’t your purpose. Your calling is to teach. Your calling is to share Taekwondo with the world.”

At first, I thought he was absolutely crazy. But he meant every word. He told me, “I’m firing you so you can go out there, work hard, prove yourself, and show the world what you’re capable of.”

That moment changed everything.

It’s been a remarkable and blessed journey ever since. Has it been easy? Absolutely not. Has it been worth it? Without a doubt.

As a black belt in Moo Duk Kwan Taekwondo, we are taught that no matter how tough the situation, you never give up. You adapt. You push forward. You don’t look back.

And I am forever grateful that my boss saw in me what I couldn’t fully see in myself at the time. If it weren’t for him believing in me and giving me that push, I don’t know where I’d be today.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

When I was a kid, my brother and I were walking through Anchorage, Alaska. We happened to pass between two buildings when we suddenly heard this loud clack, clack, clack. It caught our attention—curious, we peeked around the corner to see where the sound was coming from.

What we saw left us speechless.

There was a man striking a wooden board with his bare hand, creating those powerful, echoing sounds. He looked up and saw us watching. My brother and I were startled—we ran away, not knowing what to make of it.

A week later, my mom took me to that very same place. It turned out to be a martial arts school. That was the first time I met my grandmaster, Master Yang. I was only seven years old. That day marked the beginning of a lifelong journey.

I’ve been training under his wing ever since—for over 50 years now.

Because Taekwondo comes from Korea, and I am not Korean, I always felt I had to work twice as hard to earn the respect of my peers and teachers. I had to prove that someone from a different background could uphold the same traditions, the same discipline, and the same excellence.

Through years of dedication, I was given the honor to carry on my Grandmaster’s legacy. Today, I teach his philosophy of Taekwondo—the same wisdom passed down from generation to generation. And I do so with pride, respect, and an unshakable commitment to the art that shaped my life.

Can you talk to us about how you funded your business?

I come from a generation where if you’re going to pay for something, you pay in cash—no credit, no debt, no handouts. To this day, I still live by that principle. I refuse to use credit cards or owe anyone anything. I’d much rather work hard, save up, and pay for everything outright.

So when I was in my early 20s, right after I got fired by my boss—who saw in me a calling to become a Taekwondo instructor—I made a promise to myself: I was going to make this work, no matter what.

I worked at three different locations, teaching day and night. Every dollar I earned went back into my journey. I continued to compete in tournaments, and if I happened to win, I used that prize money to buy whatever I needed for my school—equipment, uniforms, mats, anything.

When I wasn’t teaching Taekwondo, I was up early in the morning leading women’s kickboxing classes. From the moment I woke up to the moment I went to bed, I was working. Hustling. Pushing. Never giving up.

I walked the streets handing out flyers, posted banners, advertised on the radio—anything I could do to grow my student base. I knew that nobody was going to hand me success. I had to earn it the hard way.

It hasn’t been easy. But it has been worth it.

Has your business ever had a near-death moment? Would you mind sharing the story?

The most challenging chapter of my life came during COVID.

Right before the pandemic hit, everything was going well. I was blessed with a strong student base, classes were full, and life felt like it was finally in balance. But when COVID hit, I lost everything—almost overnight.

The students stopped coming. Many couldn’t afford lessons anymore, and I understood. Families were struggling. Jobs were lost. Survival came first.

But while the students were gone, the bills didn’t stop. On the first of every month, the building owner still knocked on the door, asking for rent. It didn’t matter if the school was empty—I still had to pay. And I made a decision: no matter what it took, I would keep my school open.

We got creative. We taught classes over Facebook Live. We checked in with students regularly, kept them engaged, encouraged them to keep training even from their living rooms. We adapted.

Eventually, I had to sit down with the owner of the building and have an honest conversation. I told him the truth—about the hardships, about the drop in income, about how much this school meant to me and to the community. And I made him a promise: even if I couldn’t pay it all at once, I would give him what I could, whenever I could. A little here, a little there—until rent was fully covered.

And I kept that promise.

I’ve always believed in standing behind my word. And I truly believe that’s what helped me keep my school alive—open communication, integrity, and relentless effort. Even when everything was falling apart, we didn’t give up. We found a way.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://tigerthompsons.com/
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