February 19, 2019

Meet Joi K. Madison of The Club of Hearts in Mid-City

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Joi K. Madison.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
It’s always funny when people ask me about my story because I’m thinking, “which chapter?” I guess I’ll share the most recent one. I started as a personal trainer back in 2005 – always with the intention of opening my own fitness studio which I did, in 2014. The first thing I would do with new clients is to ask them about their health and fitness goals and what things they perceived to be stopping them from reaching those goals.

What I quickly learned was that, though they were coming in with physical goals, the hindrance was often psychological and/or emotional. With the intention of equipping myself to fully support my clients’ needs, in 2016, I began working on a doctorate in psychology. At the end of my first year in the program – and after the launch of my online course, The “F” Word: How to Approach Manage and Overcome Your Fears – I decided supporting people on their journey to health and wholeness from the inside out felt like a better fit for me.

In 2017, after three years in my studio, I closed it’s doors and took on clarity coaching full-time. Again, in doing the work, I realized there was a gap. There were people interested in hiring me as a coach but the cost of maintaining private coaching was often too much. Because my goal is to serve and support as many people as possible, I began brainstorming ways to create accessible, affordable services and thus the Club of Hearts was created. So here we are at the current chapter of my story.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
There have definitely been some bumps along the path! There’s one season, in particular, that comes to mind. I had been an athlete my entire life and the dream of opening my own fitness studio was 20 years in the making. So when it finally happened, I thought I had reached my pinnacle.

Fitness wasn’t just what I did, it was who I was, and I had never imagined a life doing anything else. Every job I’d ever had and so much of what I enjoyed about life, in general, could be traced back to my love of sports and being physically active and adventurous.

Even though I was clear that closing my fitness studio was the necessary next step for who I was becoming, I wasn’t prepared for the identity crisis that came with it. As I was slowly selling gym equipment and preparing to move out of the space for good, I cried every single day for about two months. Sometimes uncontrollably, often unexpectedly.

It was frustrating and exhausting at the time, but now I understand that I needed to cry. I needed to cleanse. I needed to mourn the image of the life I was preparing for so I could make room to receive the life that has been prepared for me. I truly believe everything has always been leading me to this moment.

My vision for the studio was limited. I had become so focused on landing in the place that I forgot about living out the purpose which had always been to serve and support as many people as I could on their journey to being their best and highest self. I see clearly, in hindsight, that fitness was never the destination but was always meant to be a pitstop along the way.

The lesson that sticks out the most from that experience is that everything is as it should be. It’s actually a mantra of mine that I repeat so much, I printed it on tees and totes!

The Club of Hearts – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
As a clarity coach, clients often come to me seeking answers. So, I just took all the questions they had about relationships, business, health, and finances then reached out to a bunch of phenomenal entrepreneurs, educators, creatives, professionals, and thought-leaders who are doing amazing work all over the world and asked them to build workshops around those topics.

What I’ve done is taken high-value coaching and consultation and made it accessible and affordable to the masses. All the content lives online – available wherever you can connect to wifi – and memberships start as low as $9/month. The difference between The Club of Hearts and consuming free information on a platform such as YouTube, for instance, is that it’s not just video content.

Each workshop comes with a downloadable workbook that includes additional information, actionable tips, and tools, organization charts and writing prompts to help our subscribers put what’s happening on screen into action. Plus, every month we host live Q&A sessions with the facilitators so members can get their specific questions answered.

Those who subscribe at the “world changers” level get a 50-minute private “heart-to-heart” coaching or consultation session with the facilitator of their choice, every month. People pay hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars to attend live workshops and seminars and may never even get a chance to greet presenters and say “thank you” up close and personal. We’re changing that because we understand the power of connection.

This whole experience offers intimate guidance and support for a fraction of the cost. As excited as I am about all the ways our members are winning by joining the club, what makes me most proud about this project is our commitment to service. Every quarter we choose a cause or organization that aligns with The Club of Hearts’ values and vision.

When you subscribe, you aren’t only investing in yourself but also in other meaningful, impactful causes that are moving humanity forward.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I define success as my ability to accomplish what I set out to do while maintaining integrity and a healthy quality of life.

In less abstract terms, it would look like achieving my goal of reaching at least 1,000 subscribers on The Club of Hearts platform by December 31, 2019, and doing so by releasing heart-centered, relevant content that meets the needs of our subscribers and doesn’t require me to sacrifice my physical, mental or relational health along the way.

Also, no matter what I’m doing, if I learn something about myself or the world along the way, I consider that to be a measure of success as well.

I believe success is a very subjective and personal experience. Part of what we’re doing with The Club of Hearts is supporting our members in defining and creating whatever success is for them.

Pricing:

“Level up “membership: $9/month
“Deep dive” membership: $29/month
“World changer” membership: $99/month

Contact Info:

Website: www.patreon.com/clubofhearts
Email: hello@joihearts.com
Instagram: @joihearts
Other: www.joikmadison.com

Image Credit:
Teri Joi Lacy, Jana Bishop

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