We were lucky to catch up with Ukay J. Ekong recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Ukay J. thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

When my parents came to America from Nigeria, they were determined to make sure my brothers and I did not miss any opportunities. But fitting in was not easy. In elementary school, I felt like an outsider – not quite black, not quite white, not quite American. The teasing and name-calling did not help. But I found support from teachers and church communities who reminded me of my worth. Sports like football helped build my confidence and taught me the importance of leading by example. After high school, I was determined to change the world – I thought maybe as an R&B singer, (however, that was short-lived, lol), but soon enough realized my true calling was to help others improve their physical and mental health. This would be achieved by way of coaching and personal training. This is how I founded my health and wellness company LifeChangInc. Instead of focusing on only exercise, I incorporate an option for clients to take my private online course for healing trauma., This way we train the outside and the inside of our bodies. We get to the root of some common obstacles that could easily be effecting our performance in the gym, or even our day to day. The teachers I was honored to know helped me be the best version of myself, and now it was my turn to do the same for my clients.

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?

Meet Ukay J. Ekong, a health and wellness coach, nutritionist, and Amazon Best Selling author who’s passionate about uplifting, educating, and empowering others. Born in Dallas, Texas, and raised by Nigerian parents, Ukay was inspired by his family’s hard work and resilience in overcoming life’s toughest obstacles. Personal training began as a way to help close friends understand their weight and naturally continued to grow into a business.

As an author, Ukay found a way to channel his anxiety from being bullied as a kid into writing multiple books for healing, including Buck-Naked & Blessed, a workbook that combines fitness tips with mental health support, and The Gospel Activity Book Of Bible Stories, a top-selling children’s activity book.

With a mission to center messages around physical and mental health for all people, Ukay has worked as a youth mentor and Bible school teacher, and his online course for healing childhood trauma has enrolled over one thousand students to date.
If you’re looking for inspiration, Ukay’s 4-part personalized documentary takes viewers through his life, up-close trauma, and subsequent healing process. All of these options are available on his website, where you can also learn more about his mission to help under-served African-American communities.

Overall, Ukay’s story is a reminder that even broken people can be used for greatness, and he continues to find new ways to pour back into people and communities that need him most.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

I believe every coach should be a lifetime learner, in terms of resources that have impacted my thinking and philosophy, some popular ones include “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen Covey, “Good to Great” by Jim Collins, “The Lean Startup” by Eric Ries, and “The Power of Now” by Eckhart Tolle. These books offer insights on leadership, entrepreneurship, and personal development that can be applied to any industry.

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

Most know about passion for coaching, but not necessarily my journey to coaching, Growing up, I was constantly bullied in school for having a Nigerian family background. The constant taunts and ridicule led to a lack of self-confidence and self-worth. However, I didn’t let the bullying defeat me and starting to use it as fuel to change my life for the better.

I took it upon myself to begin taking ownership of the thoughts in mind of who I wanted to be and how I could best use my God-given gifts to serve others. In the process, I found my passion for helping train others do the same. I later became a certified personal trainer and started working with clients of all ages, sizes, and fitness levels.

Through this work, not only did I help clients transform their bodies, but also their minds. Teaching them the importance of self-love, self-care, and resilience in the face of many challenges. My journey from being bullied to becoming a successful personal trainer and nutritionist is a true testament to the power of perseverance and the transformative impact of focusing on your mental health.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lifechanginc.com/testimonials
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachekong
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coachekong
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/ukay-ekong
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/coachekong
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/thalifechanga
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/lifechanginc-richardson
• Other: https://linktr.ee/coachekong?utm_source=linktree_admin_share