We recently connected with Jackie Edwards and have shared our conversation below.

Jackie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

From a young age, I was taught that the ultimate dream was a college degree and a stable 9-to-5 in corporate America. But deep down, I always felt like the black sheep, always craving something different, something more.

After graduating from the University of Florida with a degree in Telecommunications, I planned to pursue broadcast journalism. But during college, chronic injuries from my athletic past led me to Functional Patterns a training method that transformed my body and mindset. Within six months, I was pain-free and moving better than ever.

That experience sparked a deeper purpose. In 2017, I took a leap and began my journey to become a certified Human Biomechanics Specialist. It wasn’t the traditional path, and it came with risk, resistance, and uncertainty, but it felt right.

Nearly a decade later, I’ve built a career helping others move pain-free and reclaim their strength. Leaving the corporate route was scary, but it gave me the freedom to create a life on my own terms.

If you have an entrepreneurial spirit, trust it. Your dreams are only one bold decision away.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Jackie, I’m 30 years old, a mother, and the founder of NorthFla. Biomechanics. Fitness has always been a core part of my life, even more so after I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age eight. Managing my health from such a young age taught me discipline, resilience, and the importance of taking ownership of my body.

In high school, I was a competitive athlete until multiple injuries — including MCL and hamstring tears — sidelined me. By 19, I couldn’t even run without pain. During college, while working at a gym in Jacksonville, I discovered Functional Patterns. After just six months of training in the method, I was pain-free and performing like myself again.

That experience changed my life. I became certified as a Human Biomechanics Specialist in 2017 and, in 2024, opened NorthFla. Biomechanics — a gym dedicated to helping people move pain-free through Functional Patterns training.

We work with clients from all walks of life — post-surgery, scoliosis, chronic pain, aspiring athletes — and focus on rewiring the body’s neuromuscular system through fascia-based movement. Our goal is not just to eliminate pain but to help people feel strong, capable, and athletic again.

What sets us apart is that we empower our clients to take control. We guide them, but they do the work and that’s where the real transformation happens

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

Managing a team and maintaining high morale is one of our top priorities at NorthFla. Biomechanics. Before stepping into a leadership role, I was always a driven team player always pushing my limits and learning from every experience. That drive naturally led me to want to lead and create a space where others could grow, thrive, and feel valued.

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned in leadership is that one size does not fit all. Truly understanding your team as individuals by listening to them, seeing them, and allowing their unique strengths to shine, is what creates a strong, unified culture. Our diverse team is what makes our gym a safe, welcoming space for clients.

I lead with positive reinforcement, clear expectations, and firm boundaries. I set standards early and hold them consistently, but always with an open mind and an open door. Whether it’s through a quick check-in, a phone call, or a coffee chat, I make space for honest communication. Even when we disagree, I aim to lead with empathy and fairness and holding space for my team’s needs without compromising our values.

Great leadership isn’t about control, it’s about connection, consistency, and creating a space where everyone feels seen and supported.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Looking back, the journey to opening NorthFla. Biomechanics almost feels comical — because the timeline is a little wild.

After working at multiple gyms and realizing that my values didn’t always align with those around me, I knew I had to forge my own path. In 2021, I started training clients out of my garage. By 2022, I had moved into a small sublease, basically a storage room and kept training while monitoring commercial real estate nonstop. Prices in Jacksonville were outrageous, and nothing made sense financially. Still, our small space was working… until it wasn’t.

As our client base grew, I brought on two new practitioners. We were outgrowing the space fast. Then, in 2023, I became pregnant and in early 2024, I gave birth to my son. One day, while driving him around for a nap (as many new moms do), I spotted a warehouse I had been eyeing for four years and it had a “for rent” sign.

I called immediately. When the owner told me the size and rent, I said, “I’ll take it.” He warned me the space hadn’t been touched in over 20 years but I didn’t care. I was 3.5 months postpartum when I signed the lease, and NorthFla. Biomechanics officially opened on November 11, 2024.

Since then, we’ve grown our team to four practitioners, poured heart and energy into the space, and built something far bigger than a gym — a place of healing, movement, and transformation. The risk was massive, but so was the purpose. And that purpose is what continues to drive us every day.

Contact Info:

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