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Join us as we dive into a conversation with Jody Donaldson, owner of Alloy Personal Training and host of The Progress Zone podcast. Discover the key to sustainable growth in fitness and life, as Jody shares his journey from a real estate business owner to a fitness entrepreneur, author, and podcast host. Learn about the importance of consistency, the mindset needed for long-term success, and how small, daily actions lead to significant progress. This episode is packed with insights on entrepreneurship, fitness, personal growth, and practical steps to unlock your full potential.
00:00 Meet Jody Donaldson
02:20 Many Hats and Origins
03:05 Why Fitness Franchise
04:09 Progress Zone Explained
06:13 Passion Into Business
07:09 Consistency Over Perfection
08:44 Common Progress Pitfalls
09:39 Alloy Training Model
13:06 Longevity Strength Focus
16:39 Motivation Versus Habits
18:00 Podcast Guests and Topics
20:04 Book Blueprint and First Step
22:45 Advice for Young Adults
26:04 Where to Find Jody
26:37 Final Thanks and Wrap
Creators and Guests
What is What’s Up, Wake?
What’s Up, Wake covers the people, places, restaurants, and events of Wake County, North Carolina. Through conversations with local personalities from business owners to town staff and influencers to volunteers, we’ll take a closer look at what makes Wake County an outstanding place to live. Presented by Cherokee Media Group, the publishers of local lifestyle magazines Cary Magazine, Wake Living, and Main & Broad, What’s Up, Wake covers news and happenings in Raleigh, Cary, Morrisville, Apex, Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina, and Wake Forest.
. Today's guest is someone who lives at the intersection of performance, mindset, and real world progress. Jody Donaldson is the owner of Alloy Personal Training and is the voice behind the Progress Zone podcast where he helps people focus less on quick wins and more on sustainable growth that actually last.
[00:01:36] Melissa: Through his work, coaching clients, leading teams, and having honest conversations about health, discipline, and improvement, Jodi has built a reputation for turning big goals into practical everyday action. . Today we're talking about consistency, entrepreneurship, and what real progress looks like, not just in the gym, but in life. Jody, welcome to the show.
[00:01:59] Jody: Thank you.
[00:01:59] Melissa: And we were talking before we started that you are used to being on my side of things, having your own podcast.
So today I get to ask the questions to you. All right,
[00:02:08] Jody: let's do it.
[00:02:08] Melissa: And congratulations, you are one of our Maggie Award winners for 2026. She won Best podcast and best new business. So that's amazing.
[00:02:18] Jody: Yes. Thank you.
[00:02:19] Melissa: Okay. You wear a lot of hats. I, I went through some of the hats and the introduction. You're a trainer, you're a business owner, podcaster, author.
How do you introduce yourself if someone comes up and asks. So what do you do?
[00:02:34] Jody: Yeah, that's a great question. And it kind of depends on the situation I'm in.
[00:02:39] Melissa: Mm-hmm.
[00:02:39] Jody: Excuse me. I do wear a lot of hats. Mm-hmm. There's my day job is I, I work in state government on top of everyth. Know that everything else know that.
Wow. Okay. And so the entrepreneurship with the gym mm-hmm. And the franchise is one piece, but then. There's this other side of it that I really enjoy, which led me to writing the book and then starting the podcast, which is based off the book, just unlocking your full potential and, and progressing it a little bit every single day.
[00:03:05] Melissa: What originally pulled you into the fitness world though, and help helped you start? Being a personal trainer.
[00:03:12] Jody: Yeah. So we've been we moved down here about five years ago from northern Virginia, outside DC mm-hmm. And up there I ran a real estate business for a long time, so I was self-employed, um, had a real estate business.
And then when we relocated, um, I took the job with the state. My wife had a job as well, and then, but I always had that itch of what do I want to do now that I'm down here and getting settled? And so I. I got with a franchise consultant and started looking at franchises, um, did my due diligence, checked with a lot of different brands and where I kept going in that process was if it's something that I had to step into full-time.
What would I enjoy doing? Yeah. And fitness is part of who I am. I enjoy it. I know not everybody enjoys it. Mm-hmm. It's my, my mental health to do. And so I just thought this is something I can do. And then of course when I looked at the business model and met the team in Georgia, it just all aligned and, and really felt like a perfect fit.
[00:04:09] Melissa: Your podcast is called the Progress Zone, that is also your book's name, right? The progress Zone? Correct. What does the progress zone mean to you? And why did you feel compelled to, to build a podcast and write a, a book on this idea?
[00:04:24] Jody: Yeah. So a couple different things. Kind of the inspiration for the book.
So I have older kids that are launching into their adult lives. Mm-hmm. And I see a struggle too, with everybody feeling like they have to know what they want to be when they grow up. Right? Yeah. And it starts early and I think they, we don't know, right? I mean, I'm, I'm. In my fifties, and I still am, am learning every single day.
Mm-hmm. And growing and, and I love that. Um, but I, I feel like I've, and maybe it's the age I'm at where I've talked to a lot of people that just feel stuck, whether it's in the relationships, whether it's in their jobs, whether it's in their just fitness journey. And so what I wanted to do was like, okay, what could I do?
I've done a lot of leadership courses over my career and different things, and I said, I wish there was a tool that I could have when I started. Networking, strategic communications, you know, mindset financial literacy, just some basics. And so that was kind of the premise for the book. And it's not a storybook, it's really a guide.
So you can pick a chapter on networking and why that's important and how that can help you in your career. If you're stuck, what are some things you can do right now? Join a chamber. Do, do, you know, do something to, to build that network. Um, and so that writing the book, um, I got, I wasn't expecting it, but I got a lot of great feedback and a lot of of people saying, you know, this, this is what I needed to hear.
[00:05:50] Melissa: Mm-hmm.
[00:05:51] Jody: And folks said that, you know I. I could see this being a podcast based off what you wrote in the book and talking. So the book came talking to D people first. The book came first, okay.
[00:05:59] Melissa: Mm-hmm.
[00:05:59] Jody: Um, and then, so that's kinda how the podcast launched. So I, so I interview, you know, entrepreneurs, CEOs, fitness specialists, doctors, anything from entrepreneurship to just mindset, health and wellness, things like that.
[00:06:13] Melissa: One common theme that I have found having this podcast, and I'm assuming you have found as well, is something that you already mentioned that you did in your own life. You took a step back and thought, where do my passions lie? Mm-hmm. Because I found that people that have businesses that, that are hobbies turned into businesses are the ones that have become the most successful.
Yeah. Do you find the same to be true?
[00:06:39] Jody: So, so it is a passion to, to do what I'm doing on the podcast. Mm-hmm. But also the gym is something, the personal training. Yeah, the personal training piece of it. Now, I'm not a personal trainer in there. I have a general manager that runs the studio, so it's Oh, gotcha.
[00:06:52] Melissa: Okay.
[00:06:53] Jody: It's really, you know, a business investment.
[00:06:55] Melissa: Yes.
[00:06:55] Jody: But it was something that I felt like also contributed in, into making people better every single day. Right. Yeah. So to me, the passion is, is making. Opportunities for folks to be a little bit better tomorrow than they were today. You know,
[00:07:09] Melissa: after hosting your own show, what is one lesson or mindset shift that surprises you the most?
[00:07:17] Jody: I think people from people I've talked to and interviewed. I feel like folks just get stuck in the overwhelmness, right? We are in a, our phones, you know, it's two seconds and of instant gratification. Mm-hmm. And it's, it's constant scrolling that I feel like people just get overwhelmed and don't know where to go.
And so. You don't have to be perfect to make a decision or to make a little progress. Just have motion forward. Small, consistent steps over time will build that momentum and you stack those little wins to then get that momentum for long term and, and sustains 'cause. We all need to be taking care of ourselves.
It's not fun for everybody, but if you start small and don't set big expectations, like, I'm gonna go to the gym five days a week, or mm-hmm. You know, start it like the
[00:08:04] Melissa: normal New Year's resolution. Absolutely. Type of lofty goals. Mm-hmm. Yeah.
[00:08:08] Jody: Yep. That
[00:08:08] Melissa: so many people fall out of. You're
[00:08:10] Jody: right. Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Most resolutions end by the second week.
[00:08:13] Melissa: Yeah.
[00:08:13] Jody: Because people are like, I'm, it's a fresh start. I've got this mindset of I'm gonna do this, this, and this. But they don't create a space for that to actually happen sustainably. Right. They're like, I miss the first week of the gym. I missed the second day. Well, they're like, oh, the week's ruined.
[00:08:25] Melissa: Yeah. I feel like you're just offending me personally. It's like you, you sense that I've already done that.
[00:08:32] Jody: Look, we've all done that. We've all done that many times over our life. If you've lived life, it's hard. Life gets in the way. Jobs get in the way. Kids get in the way's the
[00:08:39] Melissa: normal, busy busyness of life.
[00:08:42] Jody: Absolutely.
[00:08:42] Melissa: Yeah.
[00:08:42] Jody: Yep.
[00:08:44] Melissa: Are there common mistakes that you hear people make when they're talking about progress, especially in fitness or in their own just personal growth?
[00:08:54] Jody: Yeah, I think, I think part of it is the, if they miss a day or if they miss something that was a step in that progress. Yeah. It's almost like a failure in their mindset.
Like, I failed. Well,
[00:09:06] Melissa: yeah.
[00:09:07] Jody: Progress
[00:09:07] Melissa: and just totally give up.
[00:09:08] Jody: Right?
[00:09:08] Melissa: Yeah.
[00:09:09] Jody: Right. And so what happens is, is they've just stopped any momentum that they had built. And progress is a lifelong thing. Mm-hmm. We all need to be, you know, our, our ourself, our future self is hoping that we are progressing right now.
[00:09:21] Melissa: Yeah.
[00:09:21] Jody: So that we are showing up better later in life. And so I think people just get. They, they too quickly just give up because they're like, oh, I messed this up, or, mm-hmm I missed this workout. I'll start next week instead of, Nope, I'll, I'll go tonight or tomorrow morning and pick right back up.
[00:09:39] Melissa: So speaking of personal training, how would you describe.
The, the training at Alloy to someone who has never gone the personal training route before.
[00:09:51] Jody: Yeah. I love this, and this is what I really loved about the concept, is it's small group personal training. No more than four to six people at a time in the session. It's individualized. So we start everybody off with what's called a starting point session where they come in, talk about their goals, we put 'em on the InBody machine, which is a body composition scan.
It kind of tells you what's going on inside your body.
[00:10:12] Melissa: Oh. That sounds intimidating
[00:10:14] Jody: actually. Yeah, it could be, right? Yeah. But it's also just a marker to where we kind like, here's our baseline of where you're starting from. Mm-hmm. We'll talk about goals, injuries, um, and do a functional movement screen to kind of see how the body moves.
All those notes go into our system, so when they come for their session. If there's modifications to the workout based on like an injury, a shoulder injury or hip injury or whatever, those, the trainer can make those modifications for that person. So that's where the individualized piece is. The other thing about it that is unique that I like is that one-on-one personal training is very expensive.
Being the small group, four to six people, it cuts that cost by like a third. Oh, gotcha. Yeah. So it makes it way more affordable for people to get started, um, and make health a priority for them.
In your experience, what do you think separates the people who do stick with training long term versus the ones that give up after two weeks?
[00:13:17] Melissa: Not naming names.
[00:13:18] Jody: Yeah.
[00:13:18] Melissa: I'm not pointing to myself right now.
[00:13:19] Jody: That's fair. That's fair. No, um, it's, it's really. The mindset of this is a lifelong thing I need to be doing.
[00:13:28] Melissa: Mm-hmm.
[00:13:28] Jody: Whether it's at Alloy, whether it's anywhere else at your home, you've gotta be doing something. And, you know, there's a lot of momentum around longevity right now and Yeah.
And stuff. And so, you know the Dr. Peter Atilla of the world and everything talk about the last decade of life. Do you want it quality more than just years? Right? So how do you make the last 10 years of your life. The best quality they can be. Well, it's not too late to start. Strength training and resistance training has proven to be the the most effective thing you could be doing right now.
Yes, you can do cardio and yes, you can do other stuff, but strength training is so important because we lose a little muscle mass over 30. Every year. And so for not
[00:14:05] Melissa: building that well, and I keep on reading about that because of perimenopause. Absolutely. I'm, I'm in that journey of life right now. Yeah.
And I keep on hearing about the importance of strength training during this time because of the loss of, of Muscle and Bone.
[00:14:18] Jody: Absolutely.
[00:14:18] Melissa: Yeah.
[00:14:18] Jody: Yeah. It's so huge. Mm-hmm. And if people feel like, well, I'm in my fifties, I can't start. No. I mean, our, our oldest member's 83. She kills it every week. She's in there consistent.
And so back to the question of what makes 'em successful. I think it's folks that know that this is a lifelong thing, so they make it sustainable. What can I do two to three times a week? That's doable. I can maintain that. Yeah. Um, you know, can I make a better food choice one day, one, one meal out of the day?
You know, can I go walk for 10 minutes instead of try to run for an hour, right? Mm-hmm. Like, break it down. Um, and so I think it's those two things. The mindset, knowing that this is long term, this isn't a quick fix. And two, creating the environment, whether it's putting their clothes out the night before the workout, scheduling their sessions so they know it's Monday, Wednesday, Friday.
Mm-hmm. You know, type of thing. Um, and that consistency, I think is where the people that are most successful. They've, they've, they've done, they've created those habits.
[00:15:11] Melissa: So speaking of mindset, how much would you say something like a, a training journey is mental versus physical?
[00:15:21] Jody: I think it starts mental, right?
Yeah. Because I think you've gotta get in this space that I need to be doing this, right? Mm-hmm. All of us need to be doing it. I mean, that's, that's no no secret, right? It's not fun for everybody. So I think just getting over that mindset of, I've gotta do this, so how am I gonna make it work for me? Mm-hmm.
What do I need to do to make my environment the best it could be so that I'm successful in stacking these little wins of showing up and proving to myself that I can show up for myself. Right.
[00:15:47] Melissa: And that goes really with anything. And I guess that's where the progress zone steps in. Yeah. It's not just physical health and exercising and personal training.
It's really any, any facet of your life.
[00:15:59] Jody: Absolutely. Mm-hmm. I mean. You know, chapters of the book, like on like strategic communications, like if somebody's feeling stuck in how they communicate at work or in their family or however they want to do it. I mean, there could be tips in there to say, here's what I can do now to maybe look at myself a little bit more and practice some of the, the tips in there so that I can get better and, and communicate better.
Same with financial literacy. If you don't have a basic knowledge of. You know, Roth IRAs or ir, you know, 4 0 1 Ks, what can you do to learn about that? Here are some steps to do to go get that information and help you progress in your financial literacy. So it does, it, it, it applies to everything.
[00:16:39] Melissa: So when motivation drops as it does for everyone Yeah.
At, at one point or another, what do you encourage people to lean on instead?
[00:16:50] Jody: Yeah. Motivation is emotional, right? Mm-hmm. And that's gonna come and go. Um, I think it's, it's, they need to lean on knowing that they've gotta show up for themselves. And so I think if they've created some of those habits and got that mindset that I need to do this for me, carve out that time, schedule it like you would any other appointment.
Um, I, I, I think that's where they gotta lean on.
[00:17:17] Melissa: Yeah.
[00:17:17] Jody: Right. It's gotta be. Rinse and repeat. It's gotta be on an automatic system. You don't need to think if you start having to overthink it. Everybody gets, you know fatigue, decision fatigue mm-hmm. And everything else. So I think it's just really setting up your environment, practicing those habits, and then when you're like, oh, I'm not motivated to go to the gym, you know that, you know what I need to, because it's consistency that's gonna win in the long game.
Not how hard I work out today. So if you don't feel like working out, just do something.
[00:17:46] Melissa: Yeah.
[00:17:46] Default_2026-02-10_2: Go
[00:17:46] Jody: for a walk.
[00:17:47] Melissa: Mm-hmm.
[00:17:48] Jody: You know, just drink your water. Mm-hmm. Go to bed earlier, get off your phone, you know, do
[00:17:52] Melissa: some things. You're naming all the things I need to work on.
[00:17:54] Jody: We all need to. It's hard. It's, it's, it's, it's the way we're at right now in the world.
It's, it's tough.
[00:18:00] Melissa: Let's talk about your podcast and then your book. What, what does your nor your average. Podcast episode look like. Who are you talking to and what are you guys talking about?
[00:18:11] Jody: Yeah, so I kind of get the guest based on. Chapters of the book type. So anything in the book, what could we cover?
So like, I just had a guest that was a, a former journalist turned CEO now. So we, we talked about communications and collaboration and networking. Um, I've had guests CEOs of small businesses and that journey of entrepreneurship, you know, what that looks like. Mm-hmm. Um, I've had nutritionists talk about how important the nutrition is of the wellness mindset of the wellness progress.
Um, health and fitness experts. Doctors hear about not only the practice, but and the work that they do, whether it's chiropractic or physical therapy, or I, I had an orthodontist. Also to talk about the business side of running a practice. A lot of people don't understand what goes into running a practice.
[00:19:01] Melissa: Yeah. Well, and I think that that can be said with any business because especially if it's, if you're of a creative mindset, you don't really think about, yeah, but how am I gonna do the day-to-day business side of this? Right. And that can be so intimidating too, that the person might not want to overcome that or even know how to overcome that part.
And move forward with starting a business.
[00:19:25] Jody: Right. And some of that we get into in those conversations. Mm-hmm. Like, you know what, how, what does this look like now put your business hat owner on versus your practicing physician?
[00:19:33] Melissa: Yeah.
[00:19:33] Jody: It's, it's a different piece of the, of the, the, the business. But it's so important, and I think one of the goals of the podcast was to get people from all different areas, because we can learn so much from each other, and I feel like sometimes you live in your little bubble and you don't really know what's going on outside your bubble.
[00:19:52] Melissa: Mm-hmm.
[00:19:53] Jody: But to hear from different people, to understand that what's making them successful, what's making high performers keep going, you know? I think all of that is part of the type of guests that I like to have on the show.
[00:20:04] Melissa: Now let's talk about your book. Mm-hmm.
[00:20:06] Jody: Your book
[00:20:06] Melissa: is called The Progress Zone, same as the podcast, unlocking Your Full Potential.
Mm-hmm. And I'm gonna read this because I. I read this description on Amazon about your book, and I, I thought it summed it up well, and then we'll, we'll dive into this a little bit. The description says, what's holding you back from unlocking your full potential? Do you feel stuck in a cycle of unfulfilled goals?
Unsure of how to bridge the gap between where you are and where you want to be. The progress zone, is your blueprint for success a proven method? To help you develop the mindset, discipline, and strategies needed to break through barriers and achieve real lasting progress in every area of your life. And so I, I wanted to read that because I, I do think it covers, you know, all the things, of course, that are in the book and it really sums it up.
But for somebody who is listening to us right now, and they feel stuck physically, mentally, professionally, emotionally, what is one small step they could take? Right now, today to move back their progress zone and put it back on track?
[00:21:17] Jody: Well, I think it depends on what specific area that they would like to work on, but I think the bottom line is just do something.
[00:21:24] Melissa: Mm-hmm.
[00:21:25] Jody: Indecision freezes people and it it, you know, time's gonna decide for us the indecision is a decision. Right. It's just that now we're gonna be reactive to time and whatever's put on our schedule and Yeah. Work and kids and, and so. I think that you just gotta do something. Pick an area. Mm-hmm. Like you said, just you know, where do I begin with my, just drink your water today.
Mm-hmm. Did you get your water today? Check. You did something. You, it, it mentally you're like, okay, I did that. And then you do that three or four days in a row and it, it builds that momentum
[00:21:57] Melissa: and be kind to yourself. Absolutely.
[00:21:59] Jody: So, so grace. Yeah.
[00:21:59] Melissa: Celebrate the little wins. Always show grace, like you said.
[00:22:02] Jody: Yeah. I think a gratitude journal is super important, whether it's on your phone or actually writing in a book. Mm-hmm. I think just, you know, when you wake up and, and really. Just look at, you know, be grateful for what you have and, and go through that mental checklist of those things. I think it also puts you in that mindset early on that kind of is like, okay, here I'm, I'm gonna tackle this day and I'm gonna do it so that if you have a slipup or if you have a bad meal and you are disappointed and you know the nachos you ate mm-hmm.
Then you just recover that evening and you just get your protein and don't focus on carbs, you know. So it's, it's not depriving yourself of anything in any of this. It's really just how do I be a little bit better tomorrow than I am today? Because I think we owe that to our future selves.
[00:22:45] Melissa: You mentioned earlier about, um.
Maybe even a, a, a, a teenager who's going into college a, a totally new step in their lives. I've, I've got a senior in high school right now. Yeah. Making college plans. What do you say to that age person who really is about to navigate an entire new chapter in their lives?
[00:23:08] Jody: Yeah. And
[00:23:08] Melissa: maybe. They don't know what they wanna do because a
[00:23:11] Jody: hundred percent
[00:23:12] Melissa: no, I didn't know what I wanted to do when I was 18.
Yeah. I had no clue where life was going to lead me and what I, what I was passionate about. Right. I didn't know.
[00:23:20] Jody: And I think that's the majority of the people, right? Nobody knows. Nobody knows what they want to do. At 18, we're so young and our minds are still growing. Like you don't really know. And it's really not fair that we set it up that way.
And
[00:23:30] Melissa: I agree. Pick
[00:23:30] Jody: a, pick a major and stick to it. And then, you know, because if you are, if you are truly a curious person and a lifelong learner, you're gonna have different. Things that excite you and, and want you to, to go down that, you know, exploration of this is what I want to do. So what I would say to them, and this, this was some feedback I got, which was really surprising from the book, was I had a lot of people who said, I want my kids to read this.
Because what they could take from that is you don't have to have it figured out. Take advantage of the opportunities as they are, be in the present. If you're going to college, you know if, if, if your child goes to college, you know, absorb everything that the, the university offers for you, right? Go to listen to speakers, go, you know, join a group or intermural club, or one at fraternity, sorority, whatever it is.
But these are things that just. Take advantage of those opportunities so you're exposed to as much as you possibly can, and then that might help steer you in, Hey, I really enjoy this. What do I want to do?
[00:24:34] Melissa: And that I, I think that's a, a wonderful piece of advice because it, it still goes back to you, you end up being around the people in this time of life in college that have common interest Absolutely.
And passions. And that leads you into perhaps where you're supposed to be in life and what you're supposed to be doing. Right.
[00:24:54] Jody: I mean, you align with people that, mm-hmm. You enjoy being around that give you energy that wanna see you succeed. You know? And so finding those groups I think are so important.
And then the opportunities that can come from that, you have no idea, you know, it could be a future job, it could be an internship, it could be, you know, joining a club that you didn't even know existed because of someone you met.
[00:25:18] Melissa: Yeah.
[00:25:18] Jody: So, yeah, I, I think that's just so important. And I, I think it's hard because the, you know, everybody's on their phones all day long and after class they might have, you know, they get into their routines, but I just say for the younger folks, like just, you don't have to have it figured out, but just expose yourself to as much as you can so you can see what's out there.
[00:25:38] Melissa: Yeah.
[00:25:39] Jody: You don't have to have willing figuring out by 2025. Yeah. Like you're, you know, people change careers all the time
[00:25:44] Melissa: these
[00:25:44] Jody: days.
[00:25:45] Melissa: Yeah, definitely. So even if you do, you know, study something in college and you get into quote the real world afterwards and you figure, hey, this is not, this is not for me.
[00:25:54] Jody: Right.
[00:25:55] Melissa: It's not too late.
[00:25:56] Jody: It's true.
[00:25:56] Melissa: You can pivot any time in your life. I, I, I have pivoted more times. I'm, I've made myself dizzy. Tell us where we can find more about the alloy per personal training, the podcast, the book, everything you've got going on.
[00:26:11] Jody: So, so the book is on Amazon, um, and it's also ebook.
I i if if somebody didn't want a hard copy. Um, and then, um, the, our Alloy Personal Training Studio and Carrie, our socials, our Alloy Care nc. Um, and so people can get a taste of kind of what our environment is there. And then the Progress Zone podcast. It's on YouTube, Spotify, um, apple Podcast, wherever you listen to your podcast.
[00:26:37] Melissa: Great. Thank you so much for being here today. Good luck with everything you've got going on, and congratulations on being a Maggie Award winner.
[00:26:42] Jody: Thank you so much. I really enjoyed our conversation.
[00:26:45] Melissa: Thanks.