We were lucky to catch up with Akai Jackson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Akai , thanks for joining us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

My business comes from a special place. A place of unconditional love, support, and a woman’s quest to make her grandson’s life the best she could. I was raised by my grandmother and when I was young she said a few words to me one day, that laid the groundwork and foundation for not just my business but my life. Her words to me when I was five years old were, “Akai if you aren’t making other people feel better about themselves you wasting time here on planet earth. I would hear those words replay in my mind over and over again, particularly as I watched the way my grandmother serve families and people with mental disabilities, I watched her nurture people while being a caregiver, and I observed how she treated people, she treated them like gold, like they were special. I vowed one day, I would do just that. Make other people feel better about themselves, at the time when I was young I didn’t know how. I grew up playing basketball primarily and I excelled and music, so my dream was to play professional basketball, use my talents to take me as far as they would, and I would be able to give to any community, be just like my grandmother and aunt were, servants of the community. The dream of basketball was cut short in college as I suffered a devastating knee injury that I was not mentally prepared to get through at just seventeen years old. I quickly had to make peace with not recovering, make peace with not playing at a high level, and make peace that my dream had come to an end. I then made my decision to move to Florida sight unseen, to pursue what I thought was going to be an incredible career in my other passion, music. Music was just as big a part of my life as basketball was, when there were sleepless nights, dark days, and ominous thoughts, music gave me an outlet to express myself. Moving to Florida was what I felt needed to happen for me to feel fulfilled and have a purpose in life at that time. I enrolled in the prestigious Full Sail University and obtained two degrees before my 21st birthday (Recording Arts & Entertainment Business). This all felt natural to me because this is all I’ve ever known, however; I felt unfulfilled and knew I was not doing anything that was changing lives or making a significant impact in people’s lives. I began to reflect on when he felt the best about what I was doing with my life, which brought me back to working at a gym in high school and college. I helped people lose weight and get in shape and most importantly feel better about themselves. It was then I realized I had it all wrong and began to pursue what I thought was going to be a cool 9-5, little did I know I would find my calling and purpose in life. I spent seven years as a manager of the fastest-growing private health club in the industry at the time, three years as the Director of Personal Training Development and Education for Youfit and Retro Fitness respectively, as well as Strength and Conditioning Coach at the University of Central Florida for five years, all along knowing I was psychologically unemployable the entire time. I went out on my own full time in 2016 and have been in business for myself since. I have worked with high profile high school, college, and professional athletes across multiple sports, become a published author, voted America’s Favorite Mindfulness Coach, a professional speaker, and touched the lives of many through second to none approach to helping people become the best version of themselves.

Working in a gym, I was able to learn and understand how people felt and more importantly for me how they behaved and how they thought. See my business focuses on mindset shifts. The gyms gave me a place to cut my teeth, harvest my skills, and built a very solid foundation for me to build upon. I learned people had. a lot of fear; fear of something bad happening, fear of failure, fear of rejection, and fear of being inadequate. People have self-limiting barriers and do not realize they are the key component to overcoming those barriers and becoming their best selves. My business serves that, my business empowers that, and my business curates the mindset shifts to take clients and the communities that I serve from existing to excelling in physical, mental, and financial health.

So here I am several years after my grandmother said those profound words to me, living out a life that she started and a legacy that she built. Her legacy was in her service to others and I get to carry out that mission and that service today, by helping people become the best versions of themselves and to go from simply existing to excelling.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m a man who has struggled too, I’ve had pain, and still have pain. Life is still hard for me. There are still challenges that I face every day and that’s how I know I’m on the right path. I choose to try, I choose to make my days count, and I do my best to control the outcome of every day through the choices that I make.

I curate mindset shifts that take clients from existing to excelling in physical, mental, and financial health. I am most proud that I get to help my clients break through self-limiting barriers so that they can reach their full and true potential. My brand is an extension of who I am, a person that has overcome his own personal issues. I have come face to face with myself and fought for who I am. I’m teaching people in real life, and through my courses, how to do the same. I am an expert in my journey, and my life is my degree (outside of my business, and psychology degrees).

I have a second to none approach to mindset shifting, I am controversial and I am not afraid to ask tough questions and challenge everything you have been taught and your beliefs.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

What has helped me build my reputation within my market is simply, that I get my clients results. I have a second-to-none scientific approach to the human body that gives my clients satisfaction of an incredible workout as well as expedited results. When it comes to mental health and behavioral change, I use unconventional methods paired with science to shift thought processes as well as help my clients achieve great success in life. I create an incredible environment for my clients where they can grow and see themselves growing into the best version of themselves.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

I keep in touch with my clients via Mailchimp, Instagram, Facebook, text, as well as handwritten letters and cards. I enjoy writing and I think our society is so wrapped up in instant gratification that people really truly appreciate a nice card or letter every now and again. I also foster brand loyalty with my circle of influence. I keep a tight group of other professionals that I can refer my clients to whenever they need a good or service. Mechanics, handymen, attorneys, chiropractors, doctors, etc. This helps elevate my personal brand and helps my clients and community feel like they are a part of something bigger than themselves.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ixl.today
• Instagram: Personal: akai.jackson22 Business: i.x.l_today
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IXLTODAY
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akai-jackson-93161115a/
• Twitter: @akaijjackson