From Coaching in the Park to Owning Multiple Studios in Harlem (Jahkeen Washington)

There’s a version of entrepreneurship people celebrate publicly. And then there’s the version founders quietly carry behind the scenes.

In this episode, Ariel sits down with Jahkeen Washington, founder of Harlem Kettlebell Club and The Harlem Method, for an honest conversation about what it really looks like to build community-centered fitness businesses from the ground up. 

From teaching classes in Harlem parks while working in finance to navigating partnership shifts, eviction battles, burnout, and rebuilding during the pandemic, Jahkeen shares the emotional and operational realities behind building spaces that genuinely impact people.

This conversation goes beyond fitness. It’s about leadership, trust, systems, identity shifts, and learning how to evolve from coach to operator without losing yourself in the process. It’s also a reminder that sustainable growth often requires letting go, asking for help, and building with intention instead of urgency.

What happens when the thing you built for your community starts demanding a different version of you as a leader?

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL HEAR

•  Why Jahkeen left finance to pursue fitness full-time 
•  How outdoor park workouts became a thriving fitness community 
•  The emotional realities of opening and losing a studio during the pandemic 
•  What founders often overlook when entering business partnerships 
•  Why systems and operations became essential to scaling sustainably 
•  The difference between being a great coach and becoming a true operator 
•  How recovery, community, and strength became the foundation of The Harlem Method 

EPISODE BREAKDOWN

ABOUT THE SWEAT & EQUITY SHOW

The Sweat & Equity Show takes you behind the scenes of building, growing, and sustaining businesses in the fitness and wellness industry. Through honest conversations with founders, operators, creators, and industry leaders, the show explores the strategy, challenges, pivots, and lessons behind building impactful brands, communities, and careers in wellness.

HOSTED BY ARIEL BELGRAVE

Ariel Belgrave is an award-winning fitness and wellness entrepreneur, speaker, Under Armour athlete, and former HR tech leader turned founder. As the founder of Gym Hooky Media and host of Sweat & Equity, Ariel leads thoughtful conversations at the intersection of wellness, ambition, entrepreneurship, and leadership.

🔗 CONNECT WITH ARIEL

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sweatandequityshow
Gym Hooky: https://www.instagram.com/gymhooky
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arielbelgrave
Website: http://www.gymhooky.com

🔗 CONNECT WITH JAHKEEN

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jah_holla/
Website(s): https://harlemkbclub.com/ , https://theharlemmethod.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jahkeenwashington/ 

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Better businesses start with better conversations.

Creators and Guests

Host

Ariel Belgrave

Guest

Jahkeen Washington

Jah is a Harlem native, entrepreneur, and philanthropist bringing quality fitness solutions to his community. Owner of The Harlem Method and Harlem Kettlebell Club

What is Sweat & Equity Show?

The Sweat and Equity Show brings insights, clarity, and tactics for the modern fitness and wellness business owner to grow and thrive on their terms. Global speaker, advisor and wellness entrepreneur Ariel Belgrave, peels back the curtain on about what it takes to build, grow, and sustain an enduring business in the industry. No gatekeeping allowed!

Ariel Belgrave : Welcome to the Sweat
Inequity Show, where we take you behind

the scenes of the businesses of fitness
and wellness entrepreneurs, how they're

building, how they're growing and scaling.

Today's guest is someone who I've had
the pleasure of knowing and watching

grow in the fitness industry, not
just as a coach, but also as a leader,

a community builder, and a founder.

He is a proud native of Harlem, New York,
and a founder of two Studio and a founder

of two studios, Harlem Kettlebell Club,
and most recently the Harlem Method.

Harlem's First and Only Boutique Fitness
Studio, offering strength and conditioning

classes and recovery solutions.

When I think of him, I think of
humility, someone who doesn't just

talk about impact, he lives it.

His commitment to making fitness more
accessible, more affordable, and more

enjoyable for the people in his community
shows up in everything he builds from

teaching group fitness classes and loc.

From teaching group fitness classes
in local parks to taking the

leap from finance to go all in to
surviving and innovating through

the pandemic and to now building and
scaling multiple spaces in Harlem.

He's not just building a
business, he is building culture.

And today we're gonna get into all
of it, including the real and raw of

what comes with building the first
studios of its kind in his community.

Jain, welcome to the
Sweat and Equity Show.

Jahkeen Washington : Thank you.

Thank you.

Ariel Belgrave : I'm
so excited you're here.

, Clearly we know each other
and, it really has been really

cool watching your journey.

I remember working out with you
in the park, central Park and just

seeing you grow has been really dope.

So what I wanna do is actually wanna
run it back because fitness was a

side hustle at one point, right?

You were working in finance, and I
would love to hear from you, just

with you working in finance, what
was fitness doing or what gap was it

filling at that time when you decided
to pursue it while working full-time?

Jahkeen Washington : Yeah, so I think
fitness was, obviously, that was me

thinking about the life I grew up in.

Not having any sort of wealth.

My mom grew up poor, we grew up poor,
and so finance was like my way of

getting some income and really just
being able to take care of myself

and give back to my mom who worked so
hard to get me, into this position.

And I was missing what I always grew
up with, the connection and community.

I play a lot of sports.

I grew up in the neighborhood,
always friends and family.

, We hung out and it was just, I
wasn't getting any of that type

of energy from the finance world.

It was very much like helping the
rich get richer, essentially, and

getting a very small percentage of
that, but also feeling like my soul

wasn't touched, my spirit wasn't
really high and I needed to figure out.

What that was and what that looked
like, and I didn't really know.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

Jahkeen Washington : And it just so
happened that I started getting myself

back into shape and then a couple of
friends asked me to help them out.

And that, that sparked something.

I was like, okay, I'm finding
something that I'm enjoying.

Not necessarily wanna be a trainer
yet, but I'm enjoying it enough

where I feel like I want to,
I always like to help people.

I feel like I've been good at inspiring
and motivating others to kind of push

boundaries and really kind of maximize
their potential even during times when

I didn't feel like I could for myself.

And just fitness ended up being that,
that, that place for me where I could

really push people, motivate 'em.

And one person became two, two became
three, then it became a bootcamp in the

park and it just took off from there.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

And what made you.

Do it in the park specifically, right?

'cause it that was the most public place.

Jahkeen Washington : Yeah.

So, um, well, central Park, I know
we'd done some stuff, but the park

that we really connected at was in,
uh, riverbank State Park in Harlem.

Um, so I grew up in that park.

So from just, , growing up different
activities to being a middle school,

high school basketball team, we did all
of our training and conditioning there

and it just felt like home to be back
in that park where I grew up training

to then all of a sudden full circle be
able to help other people get in shape.

And you know, weird thing about like
the park is, and fitness people don't

think about training outdoors or think
about going there to exercise, right?

It's kind of like you go hang
out, relax, maybe get some sun.

But being able to add that piece
was a, a big deal for me because

I got a lot of my friends moving
and actually enjoying fitness when

they just wouldn't at that point.

And then while out there, you just,
you know, have people waiting for

their kids that are in an activity.

And they're just hopping into the session.

And that's really just
kind of how it took off.

But skin is just, is very interested
in the way things worked itself out.

But it's just very like exciting to
see people enjoying what we are doing.

And again, at that time, like I didn't
really know what I was doing per se.

Kind of making some stuff up.

But I knew that people were
enjoying, it was exciting.

And there was a another
level I could get to.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

So clearly you started community.

There was no thought of being a
business, however it became one.

So what, take me through your thoughts.

Take me through that moment where
you're like, you know what, this

is something that I wanna pursue.

I wanna go in, go all in on this
and help my community in this way.

Jahkeen Washington : I think it started
with, well, my wife shout out to my

wife because she's really the one who.

Like, I knew I had something, but I think
I needed somebody else to see it as well.

Ariel Belgrave : Mm.

Jahkeen Washington : And you know,
and speaking to my friends they

saw it, but they didn't really
see it in the way that I needed.

I needed like somebody to they say put
the battery in your back to get you to go.

And my wife worked in finance at the time
and I didn't really know what she did

for a living, but she actually worked
with small businesses to help them get

financing loans and like projections.

So this has happened to work
itself out where we're sitting and

we're doing the numbers, and she's
like, why don't you just quit?

I was like, what do you mean?

So we started doing numbers and some math.

She's , this is what you
make at work every month.

This is what you're making
as a side hustle essentially.

And you love it.

And this is the only thing you talk
about when we get home is fitness and

the coaching, and look at the results.

She said every time you bring up finance,
you hate everything and everyone,

and you don't wanna go, but you go
because you obviously got bills to pay.

So she's , just quit.

And I was like, eh, I don't
know about that, you know?

But then I looked at the
numbers and I'm like, oh, wow.

If I just get, you know, X amount of
clients, do a couple more classes,

I'm actually in a good spot to not
make as much but comfortable enough

where it'll gimme , some time to build
and figure out what I wanna do next.

And I think I , may have waited
another six months to a year to like

really save up, to make sure I was
covered and clear and jump ship.

And it's the best thing I've ever done.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

I love that.

And, um, shout out to wifey,
having that knowledge Oh yeah.

Of and giving you that confidence.

Yeah.

Um, okay, so you jumped ship and
the next step was obviously you,

you were, you were teaching classes,
local parks, but then you opened

up your first studio in partnership

Jahkeen Washington : Yep.

Ariel Belgrave : JTW Fit.

, I would love to speak about what was your
vision for JTW fit first with yourself

and your partner when you started it?

Jahkeen Washington : So I never
thought about opening a brick

and mortar initially, right?

What happened was the park,
obviously the weather changes

now it's raining, it's snowing.

People want it more.

And it was, what it started as was
just me finding any location that

would let us kind of train there.

So I was using dance studios,
uh, my high school let me come

in and do some stuff in the gym.

Any place that would have us, I would
just show up with my wagon and my battle

ropes and all that stuff and just get
a co session in just to not have to

cancel because people were, they were
loving the space and what we were doing.

My partner and I, we, we had
a conversation and then we had

an opportunity to collab with
a physical therapy office, um,

physical therapy of Harlem.

Um, they had a second location
that was underutilized, and they

decided let's do a collaboration,
which ended up being a Harlem hit.

Ariel Belgrave : Okay.

Jahkeen Washington : So that was a collab.

So that's kind of how
we got our first like.

Brick and mortar space.

And from there we just
kind of built that out.

We did some, some, some alterations in
the space to give it a more of a gym

feel, adding like a rubber flooring,
things of that nature, more equipment.

And that was really the, at that
point I was like, okay, this doesn't

look, this looks kind of nice.

It feels good.

We have people coming in,
we have a space, a home.

Mm-hmm.

Um, it also just made us
look a lot more professional.

Right now we have a booking system.

These are like all things we could kind
of go into, but that professionalism

and what they look like, walking into an
experience gave me the idea like, maybe

this is, maybe this is the direction.

Maybe we can have our own space
in the neighborhood at some point.

And, you know, fast forward the
studio ended up having a, a flood.

And I think while that was, you know,
a terrible thing to happen, it opened

the doors for the thought of like,
okay, maybe this is God's saying

we need to go a little bit bigger.

Maybe we need to be on our own.

Maybe we need to really expand and find
a space that we can build from scratch.

And call it our own and pour a
lot of energy and effort into it.

And then that's where the first
JC JCW Fit Gym came about in 2019.

Ariel Belgrave : Okay.

And what do you, what would you say you
learned from that first location that was

valuable for you when starting JTW fit?

Jahkeen Washington : So the first
thing I learned was, was community.

Right?

It was really was community.

It was how I went about
engaging with the people, right?

I didn't have to know everything about
fitness at the time, but as someone

who's just, again, I go, I go back
to basketball, I play point guard.

I'm the floor general.

I've gotta get people in positions.

I gotta make sure everybody's okay, right?

The team is good.

I'm, I'm leading the game.

I'm making the plays.

Look at some of that stuff and I
brought it into, into the fitness space.

How am I connecting with everyone?

How am I going to get everyone to buy
into what we are trying to achieve?

Mm-hmm.

Right?

Knowing that everyone has their own
goals, their own reasons for being here.

How am I talking to you?

Or pouring into you in a way where
you feel like this is a place for

me to be, that I wanna call home
and I wanna consistently come to.

And that's where being a human comes in.

Yeah.

Scrap the training for a second.

Connect with people, talk to 'em,
get to know 'em, ask questions.

And then after that, just make
the experience as fun as you can.

Ariel Belgrave : Mm-hmm.

Jahkeen Washington : Right?

Because it's easier to come and do this
work when you feel like you're having

a good time, you're connecting with the
members you're excited about, not missing.

'cause they're holding you accountable.

It made my life a lot easier because
they're talking to each other.

I'll see you tomorrow at six.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

Jahkeen Washington : Don't miss
I get to come in and just coach

and do what I'm really good at.

So it was really about community
and connecting with folks

and then learning as I go.

Ariel Belgrave : Learning as you go.

Yeah.

, Okay.

So while.

This is great.

I would say while, so what do you
think, what did you think building a

gym when you did JTW fit would require
versus what it actually required?

Because there's a lot of learning, I'm
sure that happened, , in that first time.

Jahkeen Washington : Yeah.

When you collaborate and you walk
into a space that you never had to,

you never had to organize it yet.

Right.

I didn't need to talk to an attorney.

I didn't need to talk to a contractor
or department of buildings.

Like none of that stuff was on me because
we collab with a physical therapy office

that already went through that process.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

Jahkeen Washington : So we're just
coming in with equipment and getting

a chance to just start from there.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

Jahkeen Washington : So, it looks
great when you're there, 'cause

all those other numbers and
things you have to account for.

You just don't have to think about,
never, never had to consider.

So when you fast forward to 2019, and
we're looking at our own location,

now I've gotta hire a broker and we've
gotta go look at a ton of spaces.

We also have to check price,
we have to connect with, , a

real estate attorney, right?

We have to talk to Department of
Buildings to get codes and make

sure we're not in any violations.

You have to buy all the
equipment from scratch.

, All the other expenses come around
that you didn't have to think

about or consider, and you're like,
wow, this is a big investment.

, That didn't deter us from doing it, but
it was, you had to really buckle down

and be like, okay, the fitness is great.

We're really good at that part.

But now there's this business side that
we never really had to pay attention to.

And this is where it's
a game changer, right?

Because you could have a really good
product, but without any business sense

or mindset, that place is open and closed.

Really quickly, right?

Yeah.

'cause we haven't had the opportunity
or had to pay attention to what

it takes to sustain the business.

We're just good at coaching.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

, Jahkeen Washington : So I really
had to sit and go, okay, let's

scrap coaching for a second.

Let me stay up to date, but
let me get on more calls.

Let me get on more YouTube videos.

Let me get on these like cohorts and learn
what it's, what it means and what it looks

like to run a business from that side.

And so I spent a lot more energy
and intention there because you only

know what you know, and I wanted
this to be something that would last.

So I'm like, , let me focus on that.

'cause I can always learn a
different way to teach a squat.

But at the end of the day, most people
just need the first variation anyway.

So.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

And even as you speak, I,
what's standing out to me is

clearly the lack of resources.

The fact that , you got a YouTube it
and I'm thankful for YouTube University.

Right.

But I think what's also important,
and I wanna hone in on this,

is you're creating a fitness
space, having grown up in Harlem.

And let's talk about it being
the first of its kind and just

what comes with that weight.

Like what the weight that comes with that.

Right.

What did your resources look like?

Like access.

It sounded like you were figuring things
out on your own, but if you can kind of

Jahkeen Washington : Yeah.

I mean, I'll, I'll say I
didn't have a me for me.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

Jahkeen Washington : Right.

I think right now I'm in a
good enough space where I

can be a resource for people.

I've been here and done a good
amount where I can be like,

don't do this, don't do that.

Here's something to consider.

, Which is great.

, Starting out, this is 2013, I didn't
really have a me for me, and not to

go into too many specifics, but I
reached out to someone during that

time and they basically didn't want
to help because they felt like I was

a threat to what they had going on.

There was another bootcamp going on
in the same parks and stuff like that.

And so the collaboration wasn't there.

And I know how I operate and I'm like,
I don't, while competition is a thing,

I believe in supporting 'cause there's
enough people in Harlem that need.

All of us.

Ariel Belgrave : Mm.

Jahkeen Washington : Um, again, different
mindset, but so I never, so I had to get

it out the mud and, and just figure it out
and make a lot of mistakes, which is fine.

'cause I think,, some of those growing
pains and learning, I don't think that

we should go through this rite of passage
is having to always struggle to get to A

to B, but I'm also not against a little
bit if I can find some lessons in it so

that I never have to deal with that again.

And also be able to support
somebody else who's up and coming,

trying to do the same things.

But it's tough.

Not a lot of resources
not a lot of finance.

Right.

It is mostly loans, not a ton of
grants out there for those who need,

and we're just a very new business.

So because we're so new, we haven't
been in business for a long time.

Uh, we don't have a
ton of payroll to show.

There's really not a lot of capital.

Available 'cause we're just so fresh.

The business has been around for a long
time, but in terms of being incorporated,

we had only been incorporated
for less than a year on paper.

So it, it ends up being very tricky when
you're trying to figure these things out.

And so it ended up being, thank God
that I saved up a good amount of money.

Um, and my partner saved up some
money because we just, we use our own,

which is what I would never recommend.

Don't use your own money
if you don't have to.

But we used our own and we felt
really good about it because we

controlled the entire narrative.

We controlled everything
that was happening, all the

possibilities were on us.

But it just, it becomes tricky
because now, like you're so invested

in it that you, you can't screw up.

And that's an added pressure and
stress that you don't necessarily

want to have when you just wanna
run your business successfully.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

Yeah.

And.

It was during JTWF where
the pandemic happened.

Jahkeen Washington : Oh yeah.

Ariel Belgrave : As well.

Right?

So like, let's go into that.

'cause I, as I think of all the
decisions you've had to make and

what the challenges look like, you're
bootstrapping the pandemic hits.

What did that look like for you all?

Um, financial stress, operating
your business, what had to change?

What were some of the learn lessons there?

Jahkeen Washington : Yeah, so we
opened the studio August, 2019.

Ariel Belgrave : Okay.

Jahkeen Washington : Six months later.

March 16th, 2020.

It was a Tuesday.

Ariel Belgrave : Wow.

I didn't even realize

Jahkeen Washington : that.

I'll never forget 'cause I
have a ton of trauma behind it.

I, I was in depressed,
anxiety, all the things.

I was not in a good space to have an open
to only be open six months to, didn't

have to close because of a pandemic.

Obviously no one knew
this was gonna happen.

But again, when you've invested so much
time and energy and you've got like a big

following, our classes are wait listed.

We're looking at each other like.

Showtime.

Like we, we are about to blow
up and then you get this whole,

alright, everybody go home.

You know?

It was like a long detention, you know?

Yeah.

But then in the middle of all that,
we're also dealing with and pot a

potential eviction because we have
some tenants that are complaining

about like, the noise of the gym.

And that's a deeper conversation around
renting to a gym in a commercial building

or, you know, and then we having to
figure out how to reduce noise and

obviously run our business in the best way
possible, but also respect the tenants.

So that became more of a headache
than problem solving to say the

owners just didn't really, they
didn't want us there anymore.

And so essentially we're
dealing with a pandemic and an

eviction process all in one.

And that was hard.

That was hard.

We obviously ended up, we ended up leaving
in 2021 after, you know, a bit of a battle

back and forth, just trying to figure out
negotiations, what it could look like.

But we ultimately realized
the energy there was off.

It was never gonna be anything
sustainable at that point.

At some point, even if we did come
to a resolution, we're probably gonna

be dealing with this again in a year.

And so the ultimate decision
was to negotiate some terms out

and just , leave the, , space.

But pandemic.

This was the most important part.

This is the most exciting, I think
despite death and all the things that

went wrong during the pandemic, it
was the best time for me personally.

I got to rest.

I hung out with my family.

I got to get to know my wife again.

We watched a lot of shows versus you
name it, we just kind of hung out.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

Jahkeen Washington : TikTok blew
up, so it was a good time and,

but I got to relax and rest.

Got my voice back 'cause I was coaching
a lot and almost like heal in a sense.

I went to, I saw the therapy
'cause I was like, this is a lot.

I am going through it right now.

I'm used to kind of toughen it
out and next play right now.

I'm like, , I can't do it.

It gave me a chance to re really
restructure and reorganize and look

at the business from the outside.

'cause we, when you're in it, you
just can't really make corrections

'cause you just gotta coach.

And I realized like, there's so
many holes in this process, there's

so many holes in like what we do.

Anybody on the outside
looking in has no idea.

But this is, there's no scaling and
growing when this looks like this.

Jonathan Jackson: Mm-hmm.

Jahkeen Washington : And you know,
we had a conversation with my

partner about, vision and, you know,
things that we needed to change

and processes and stuff like that.

And it was eyeopening.

It was like, did we can't
last like this at all.

So we obviously took a pause and
tried to re figure some things out.

But in the middle of all of that
we started the virtual program.

Ariel Belgrave : Tell us about it.

Jahkeen Washington : I've
never taught onscreen before.

I'm an in-person coach.

Right.

I like to be there.

I gotta feel correct.

And the virtual stuff was really cool.

So that was Tuesday.

I said March 16th.

That Saturday I got a laptop, I got a wifi
cable, a little mic, and got on screen.

Virtually never done this before.

And I'm on Zoom and I
had 65 people show up.

Wow.

Which gave me a whole lot of life because
I'm like the fact that, you know, I have

no idea what I'm doing and none of us
have done it before, but you're willing

to jump on this screen and help me figure
it out and let me screw it up was amazing.

And it just gave me a newfound
respect for what I'm doing.

It made me feel good because
obviously people are invested and

they, they trust that I'm gonna
figure it out 'cause I always have.

Ariel Belgrave : Mm-hmm.

. Jahkeen Washington :
Was it fun every time?

No, because I'm just like, I just
can't be on the screen all day.

I, I, you know, I'm getting,
I'm losing creativity.

It's only about so many pushups I
can do, and, but people loved it.

They showed up.

I did a, uh, essential worker
class one day that got 120 people.

We did a big fundraiser, so I
had 120 people on a Zoom screen.

I'm swiping back and forth.

Wow.

I'm in the studio.

You would think that I was coaching people
in person if you look through this window.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

Jahkeen Washington : Because , I'm
animated and no one else is in the

room, but I probably look psycho.

But everyone on the screen,
they can feel the energy.

Yeah.

Like he is coaching us as if
he's in the space with us.

That's what allows me to log on here
every day and give this man my money

because he's on a thousand all the time.

I know exactly what I'm getting from him.

He's consistent.

He shows up even in the middle of,
I'm sure he's going through hell.

He's here.

So that, that energy always, I feel
like it always comes back around to me

and everything else because I'm just
always gonna give my very best if, and

then if I'm not gonna be involved in it.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

And I, I don't know you for doing anything
less than the, than than your best.

Yeah.

Um, so what also came from that pandemic?

You got, you got creative with the
equipment you all had from the studio

and you began renting equipment.

Let's talk about that because
that's, that's a very creative

way of also monetizing, uh, the
community you've built and what

their needs were during the pandemic.

Jahkeen Washington : Yeah.

So this actually made the New
York Times, which is pretty cool.

Oh.

It was, so again, after not wanting
to do all these pushups Right.

I was like, okay, well.

People don't have access to weights.

These people are showing
up with like canned goods.

Again, just making it happen.

Which was dope 'cause it was, it was a lot
of fun to just watch people figure it out.

But I was like, we don't
really need to figure it out.

Let's get, let's figure
something else out.

So went into the studio, obviously
have all this equipment just

sitting there and I got the idea
to just rent it all to the members.

So we did a whole setup.

You could, you basically pay it online.

We marked down who was paying for what.

We had a system where they came
in, social distancing, come in, get

your equipment and go back home.

And then we started the
virtual program up again.

But now everyone's got, excuse
me, at least a pair of dumbbells

in their hand or a kettlebell.

And I, I can just create the workouts
around what I know you have access to.

'cause obviously we, we gave it to you
and I'm pretty certain might misquote.

We paid for probably two months
of our rent, commercial rent with

the rentals so that again, we
were in the middle of a pandemic.

We weren't getting any concessions.

All the landlord was like, you owe me.

Regardless, which is Wow.

Not very respectful, you know?

Wow.

During that time.

But that's the situation we
were in and we, we had to pay.

So it gave us two months of life.

Again, while we were fighting to keep
the space, we were like, well, let's

continue to pay to make sure we, we are
keeping this together and two months rent.

Right.

Is, is significant.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

Jahkeen Washington : You know, and
it was so, I was happy to see that.

I'm like, okay.

That was, that was getting, getting
creative and having it, and it worked.

And then we just kept with
the virtual program and it did

really well, and it's crazy.

Like we were almost making the same amount
virtually as we were in studio because

we just had so many people logging in.

We started getting people from outta
state, Connecticut had someone, uh,

logging from out the country Wow.

At one point.

So it, it spread and, and
became a thing of its own.

And the biggest thing is because we made
it a one stop shop, so I reached out

to a lot of the fitness professionals
that I know, all of my friends, we

ended up having strength classes,
we had kettlebell focus classes.

We had.

Yoga.

We had mobility, we had a Pilates
class, we had dance fitness.

Mm-hmm.

Boxing.

Right?

So we had a one-stop shop.

So now it's like, come here
and just do any and everything.

Right?

You don't need to go on several different
platforms trying to figure it out.

We're gonna give you an
opportunity to be here.

We had a, a weekly unlimited membership.

We can come in and just log
in and do as many as you want.

So basically it felt
like they were in studio.

Ariel Belgrave : Mm-hmm.

Jahkeen Washington :
Like they normally would.

And it was, you know, not that I
would say it was brilliant because

Ariel Belgrave : it was, you

Jahkeen Washington : know, I try, try
to, you know, you always try to keep

it humble, but it was probably one
of the best things I've ever done.

Um, it got creative with, and it, it
kept us afloat and it kept our members

in as good a shape as possible to
the point where I've gotten messages

even now you have no idea what
that just did for my mental health.

Wow.

Right in the middle of being at
home and stuck and not being able to

communicate and, and be around people.

My mental health.

Despite the movement, yes, I stayed
in a little bit of shape, but

it was more so about my sanity.

Mm. Right.

I was able to kind of control it
was the one thing I could control

in my day because I was just
kind of, I felt like I was stuck.

So it was, it was a beautiful time, man.

Ariel Belgrave : I love that.

And I, and as a trainer that re I can
imagine just how that feeling was.

It is a reminder and validation
of what you do is absolutely

worth it, even if it's hard.

Yeah.

Okay, so , let's fast forward,
you had that success virtually.

, You decided to open up another studio
and I think what the transition I wanna

make here is what I know of to be learned
lessons you had in the in, in-between.

Mm-hmm.

So you entered this new studio
independent as an independent owner.

Jahkeen Washington : Mm-hmm.

So what I would love for starters is
to speak to what were some of your

learn lessons from being in partnership
with opening up a studio versus

choosing to do Independ independently.

If there's anything you could share there.

Yeah.

So I think, you know, I think
with my partner and I we got

a really great thing going.

Mm-hmm.

Like the energy is there, the intention
is there, the effort is there.

I just think over time, alignment
and values are just different.

, I don't think that's a bad thing.

That's just where you are.

You're allowed to change.

, You're allowed to grow.

Mindsets are gonna be different.

And the approach and what we saw
for the, the immediate and the

future, which is very different.

Um, we're very different coaches,
but like we love fitness.

Jonathan Jackson: Mm-hmm.

Jahkeen Washington : But I think it's,
you know, you have to move on when those

things, when the alignment is not there.

Because ultimately when both have
a vision and energy , and intention

around what we do, and we were going
to be better off doing it separately.

And, , we have both have spaces in Harlem
that are crushing it and killing it.

Yeah.

And it's, when you look back, it's like,
yeah, we get to do what we wanna do, how

we want to do it, and everyone gets to
succeed and have that success and move

forward without having to figure out.

Who's doing what.

And again, just trying to, , trying
to make it work when , it

probably just isn't working.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

Jahkeen Washington : So
alignment is a big thing.

, If you're gonna partner a collab, anything
like that, just ask the real questions,

ask the hard questions from someone.

You don't, if it doesn't
work, it doesn't work.

There's no need to force it.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

I'm curious if there's any questions top
of mind for anyone who does wanna consider

going into partnership with someone,
uh, whether it's opening up studio

or just starting a fitness business.

Are there any key questions that are
top of mind that you think is important?

Jahkeen Washington : I think, I mean,
I think vision is important, right?

What do you, what do you see from this?

Where do you want to go?

Or very important things.

And also just really narrowing down roles.

Who's responsible for what, right?

So that it's clear on
decision making, right?

If I have X amount of things I'm working
on, you have XX amount of things you're

working on, we come have conversations.

It's around these particular things,
and like holding each other accountable

for showing up and doing the things
that we agreed to when it's kind of a

free fall, and it's just like we have
a business going and we're thriving.

Who is involved in what,
who should be doing what?

There's no conversation
around or nothing specific.

So then it just becomes, a whirlwind
of you could've, or I could've.

Ariel Belgrave : Mm-hmm.

Jahkeen Washington : And we don't,
you don't need that in business.

I think that , it could screw up
friendships, relationships, things

of that nature, because not no one's
a bad person, but if you don't have

any specific details, it's very hard.

And then I think,, beyond that is if
you're looking for an investor or you're

looking for someone who you want to
come in and support the business, help

it grow when they see these holes.

They're going to, they
abort ship immediately.

Ariel Belgrave : Mm-hmm.

Jahkeen Washington : You guys
don't have it together, or

you don't have it together.

You don't know your numbers,
you don't know your memberships.

You have no idea what's
happening in your business.

Behind the scenes, looks good,
but I'm a, I'm gonna go this way

because this doesn't, this doesn't
mesh with how I do business.

This.

So that's what my brain was.

And kind of thinking like, I really
want to get some processes together.

I love working hard, but I don't wanna
always be the person working hard.

Mm-hmm.

I wanted to always be able to hire coaches
and have a team and let, allow me to work

on business development and not be the,
the main person in the room all the time.

So I just thought about those
things for myself and realize that.

I just needed to do something
different to do that.

And the kettlebell club really
came from the virtual sessions.

Mm-hmm.

Right.

People just started to love the
kettlebell training because I had figured

out, started learning more and I was,
introducing them to different movements.

To the point where we went from
virtual to when the pan, you know,

when the world opened back up to
going outside to the park, people are

bringing their kettlebell to the park.

We're doing kettlebell classes and
I just built like a nice following

up town 'cause you know, we made
Kettlebells pretty much cool.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

Jahkeen Washington : You know, to do 'em.

And then that led to a smaller space.

I got an opportunity from a woman
who remembered us when we were on

the east side prior to at Harlem hit.

She said she had a smaller space.

She said if anybody could
figure it out, you could.

And she would love for me to, to
take it over and do something there.

And it was an opportunity
and I was like, I gotta.

This is coming to me for a
reason, and so I'm just gonna

jump on it and see what happens.

And Kettlebell Club is
turning four May 2nd.

My goodness.

Kind of crazy

Ariel Belgrave : that fourth,
so I, so Sue, congrats.

Um, so now I'm, I'm actually curious,
having had a chaotic first experience

with having space and a landlord, how
do you feel like you navigated the

Harlem Kettlebell Club and this offering
from this gracious woman in the space?

Did you have to look at
contracts more closely?

How did you navigate that?

So you felt more safe in the space?

Jahkeen Washington : Yes.

So negotiations upfront, I was very
transparent about my last experience.

Okay.

And what that looked like
and what that did to me.

And I was like, I don't want to, that's
not the situation I want to have here.

I would love to take this space over.

But we just kind of sat and we really
had a, a really just a open conversation.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

Jahkeen Washington : It was like,
what does that look like here?

What are you, well, how can
we resolve certain things?

And can all these things
be put into the lease?

Those lease negotiations where we're
coming to a conclusion of like, alright,

this is what we're willing to do.

This is what you are willing to do to
make sure this relationship moves forward.

Because, you know, to be honest,
I was like, you reached out to me.

Ariel Belgrave : Right?

Jahkeen Washington : Like I
was actually still depressed

and dealing with my anxiety.

I wasn't looking for a space yet.

But since you reached out

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

Jahkeen Washington : I decided to
pivot and, and get some energy back.

And so I wanna make sure that I'm
covered and clear and I wanna feel

very comfortable coming into the space.

You know, I don't wanna hear
from you six months later.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

Jahkeen Washington : About
noise and things of that nature.

And if I do hear like we have some
things in writing that we're gonna

go step by step to figure it out.

Yeah.

And she was all in the we, the building,
uh, board, they loved what I had to say.

We had a whole interview process,
obviously they remember me from

being over there already, so they
knew how full those classes were.

And they were like, look, we
need energy on this block.

East Harlem is not vibrant.

It's not a lot of like
healthy food choices.

There's not a lot of fitness.

If anybody can bring some life here, I
think you could be the person to do it.

And they, they believed in me
probably more than I believed in

myself because I was just, had,
just dealt with so many things.

And yeah, four years
later we have no issues.

New York City buildings always, there's
a leak or something like that every so

often, but that's normal standard stuff.

But outside of that, they've
been super supportive.

They take classes or they refer us.

They were always in their newsletters.

Wow.

Things of that nature.

And they just, they really commended
us for a great job and they got the

chance to watch it evolve as well.

And even the board president, she's like,
you're really creative with this space.

Like, it's such a small space, but
you, 'cause initially I didn't want it.

Yeah.

Because I said it was too small.

And then she's like, well you've done
so much with the space and I love

how you like, architect this place.

And you, you build stuff up and you have
outskirts and you have the space open.

So it's nice to hear that from her.

'cause it's, again, four years
is, it goes about like this.

Yes

Ariel Belgrave : it has.

Jahkeen Washington : But it's been,
it's been a blessing in there.

And, you know, I could talk
about Kettlebell Club forever.

Probably one of my favorite
spaces is just the energy and just

watching it evolve over time and
watching all the new faces come in.

It's just, it's an energy.

You can't really, just can't
match it anywhere else, you know?

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

And one thing on, on the,
the lawyer front, well did

you have a lawyer actually?

'cause you mentioned that there
were things you had in the

contractual agreement that led to
this very positive partnership.

So that's what's standing out too, where
like you had conversations that made you

more comfortable in the space and as a
result of you having more comfort, you

created what is giving hometown hero.

It's giving, uh, a space that
has changed the culture for the

neighborhood on the east side.

Um, did you have a
lawyer for that process?

Jahkeen Washington : So originally, and
this is where growth comes in, right?

Okay.

And learning.

We didn't have a lawyer on
retainer when we first started.

Again, this is, you know what, you
know, and we had a great, again, we

had a great vision, we had a great gym.

We had members.

Ariel Belgrave : Mm-hmm.

Jahkeen Washington : And we just.

We just up and got going.

I had lawyer friends, right?

Who I reached out, Hey,
can you look over this?

Thinking that that would be enough?

And it's not enough, right?

Because you need somebody that
specifically lives in that world and is

your lawyer who's gonna take a lot more
time to really run through all the things

I'm asking friends who clearly have jobs,
they have other contracts to look at.

So they're doing it to the best of
their ability supporting 'cause they

obviously wanna see us build and grow.

Mm-hmm.

And they, they come to the studio.

So that's learning right?

Is you know, you need to have your
own lawyer who's for you every single

time you can reach out to them.

So Kettlewell Club, we end
up getting an attorney.

So now I'm like, okay, I have
somebody specific for me who's

gonna help me look over this stuff.

And then you fast
forward to Harlem Method.

I have an attorney now who's.

I can call.

I need your help.

This is what's going on.

And so again, growing pains, you
know, we look back, yeah, of course

we probably should have had some
representation, but when you're young

and energetic and you got this thing
going, sometimes you, you skip steps.

And I can admit that part is like, we
probably skipped a few steps, but again,

that comes back to the pandemic when I
talk about the holes and the processes.

Ariel Belgrave : Mm-hmm.

Jahkeen Washington : You take a
second and you're like, yeah, this

probably wouldn't have happened.

Or maybe it would've, but we would've been
better prepared for the eviction process

had we had somebody to represent us.

So it's a lot, but I will never
not have somebody on call Yes.

For the rest of my life, because
I refuse to get screwed over

for the same thing twice.

Mm-hmm.

I'm off of learning, growing
on new things, but I think at

this point, I know what, I know.

Those things shouldn't happen again.

And so you gotta be ready for.

The other stuff.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

Yeah.

And some, and it does take sometimes pain
for you to make it a priority, right?

Where you're like, okay, money's involved.

Money's involved.

Okay.

So this is a perfect segue.

, I, this is a very timely
conversation because we have the

Harlem method you just mentioned.

And what I'm most excited is
you are truly in a place where

you are building different.

So I wanna go into just kind of what
that bridge has been between having the

Harlem Kettlebell Club to now having the
Harlem method, where you are building

differently and what it looks like to have
systems, what it looks like to think of

the space, the brand, the people you hire.

So I wanna go knee deep into that to
understand what were some of those

learned lessons from the first two that
you feel like you are entirely doing

differently as you built this fresh.

Mm-hmm.

, So let me take a step back.

New space.

Was this a case where
it was a another job?

We love what you're doing in the
community or did you have to actively

look for the Harlem Method space?

Different process.

Jahkeen Washington : So different process.

I think this one was kind of cool.

I 2022, so one of my clients is in real
estate and we just had a conversation

about next space, what it could look
like, how much size I would need.

And it was just like a
regular conversation.

Like, you know, I'm looking for
like 2000 square feet, you know,

I want it to be look like this.

And just really just regular conversation.

And then probably year, two years later,
he calls me, he's like, Hey Ja, I was

just so happened to be in, in Harlem.

I'm on one 29th Street.

Um, I saw this space.

I think you gotta come see it.

Like you gotta come see it.

Are you in the neighborhood right now?

I'm like, again, not looking.

It always happens when I'm not looking.

'cause I, I was looking for a while,
I got turned away a few times on

different space that I put in office for.

So at some point I kind of
got a little discouraged.

I'm like, you know what, I'll just wait.

It'll come to me at some point.

I think I'm focusing on it too much.

And so that's why nothing
is kind of panning out.

So I left it alone and
then I get a call from him.

I go see the space as soon as I
walk in, as soon as I walk in.

Wow.

I'm like, yeah, this is the one.

And I just immediately
saw what every room was.

Wow.

What it could look like.

And my brain just started working.

And as soon as my brain
starts working, it's over.

Because yeah, that's
how I know what I want.

And at that point, if I tell
myself I'm doing it, I'm doing it.

So I call my broker immediately,
Hey, are you available?

Can you come over?

We finally go see the space together.

She walks in and is like,
yeah, this is the one.

'cause she had been helping me
all this time and I was kind

of hoping she didn't say that.

'cause I'm like, I don't know
that I'm ready to do this.

So maybe if she says no,
I'll like, I'll fall back.

And she was excited.

Ariel Belgrave : Wow.

Jahkeen Washington : And I'm like, okay.

Here we go.

All right, let's put the offer in.

So we start negotiating back and forth.

The owner was excited.

He didn't waste any time either.

He putting the deal together and next
thing you know, we, we ready to go.

So, you know, I think
I had a vision for it.

I knew what I wanted, I just
wasn't aggressively going after it.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

Jahkeen Washington : And it really
still, again, took somebody else to

remember me or remember a conversation
or want to remember it enough to call

me back and be like, Hey, I remember
what we spoke about two years ago.

Wow.

Here's what I saw.

I think you should,
you should take a look.

So I always look back and like
again, things are supposed to

happen when it's supposed to happen.

I think God knew I wasn't ready two
years ago when I was looking anyway,

'cause I had just opened Kettlebell Club.

So I probably didn't need to be trying
to manage two brand new spaces at once.

Now, four years later, after
Kettlebell Club is open, a lot easier

to jump into a new space because
Kettlebell Club is, is running.

It can operate without me being there.

I only teach twice a week right now.

Ariel Belgrave : Oh.

Jahkeen Washington : I have coaches.

So I think, again, I think this is God
being like, we're not gonna let you

jump the gun again and make mistakes.

I'm gonna force you to be a little more
patient and get your ducks in a row.

Yeah.

Before you go into this big investment.

'cause this new one is a big investment
and it's the hardest work I've done.

It's gonna be great.

But at home some days I'm
like, okay, I just gave like

everything I got to this space.

I'm tired, but.

The work's gotta be done.

And so there's no letting up now.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

I'm gonna run it back because what
I, what I want to, what I don't wanna

downplay is how hard it is to get to a
place where you can open up a new studio

because you've created systems and
having the right people to make Harlem

Kettlebell Club operate on its own.

So what are some things that you felt
like you did right to allow for that

space for you to create the next 'cause?

It took, it was a two
year difference, right?

Before you got to a point where you felt
like you were the most ready to start.

Jahkeen Washington : Yeah.

I think the main thing is, is trust.

I trust me more than I
trust anybody else, right?

I think most people do.

But also knowing that in order for me
to be successful, I need help, which is

something I have a hard time asking for.

Maybe it's pride, maybe it's a little
bit ego, or maybe it's just I know how I

would show up for somebody and recognizing
that everybody might not show up that

way for me, so I'd rather not deal with.

And so I give myself all the work because
again, I know I'm gonna get it done.

Ariel Belgrave : Mm-hmm.

Jahkeen Washington : And I'm not counting
on somebody else , to fall short.

Not a great way to live.

You gotta let people in,
you gotta let 'em mess up.

. They can correct things,
no one's gonna be perfect.

And it took me a while to, to learn that.

So, kettlebell Club, I hired, I overhired,
I think I brought in eight or 10 coaches.

I was like, everybody can work here.

And all good people I vetted.

But I just had, I had a, I went from train
doing every class myself, , probably 15,

20 class a week, plus personal training
to, okay, I'm only gonna teach two classes

and I'm just gonna , hire everybody.

Not realizing, okay, now I've got.

20 personalities to deal with and I
gotta learn how to, I've never even

had a team before outside of sports.

Mm-hmm.

I've never had to manage
people, adults, their egos,

their personality, their needs.

And I'm like, this is a lot.

Yeah.

I wasn't really pre prepared for this.

And yeah, while the sports and the
basketball background was, is great,

this was a different beast, 'cause
we, you know, when I was younger

with, with still teenagers, we
learning, I'm dealing with adults who

are like really set in their ways.

I know exactly what I'm doing, not
doing and trying to get them to

buy into what I'm trying to build.

And make them feel good
about doing the work to help.

Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

And I made a lot of mistakes.

I think you, I think that's
part of growing pains as well.

I'm not gonna say I'm a
phenomenal manager, I'm not

a great boss all the time.

'cause I'm learning as I go.

But I'm one per, I'm someone
who will always apologize.

Correct.

Good and keep it going because again,
I'm not supposed to be perfect.

So we'll say Kettlebell Club was
my first instance of having a

team coaches, you know, staff.

I learned a lot from that experience
that allowed me to, when opening

the Harlem Method, my processes
are a little more refined.

I know exactly what I'm looking
for, what the contract should look

like, what the policies should look
like, what the expectations are for

everyone who needs to be where, what
the role entails, , things like that.

Now we've hammered that home
documentation, uh, everything's legal.

Not legally bond, but everything's signed.

We have it documented where you, we,
again, if we need to have a conversation,

we're coming back to the agreement.

Ariel Belgrave : Mm-hmm.

Jahkeen Washington : Not on what we may
have said at some point in a conversation.

So those things are, again, those are
safety nets, but also just, . From

a strategy standpoint, from a sanity
standpoint, I'm speaking to very

specific things and not having to
like, , maybe we should or we could

have done, or did I say this or
did you say, yeah, it's right here.

Easier for everyone also, right?

Everyone knows , what the
expectations are for themselves.

I think that's really the main thing.

And then in terms of brand coming up
with this concept where, so , Harlem

Method is basically, it's like everything
combined that I've ever taught.

So I started with a lot of hit
training, faster paced stuff, circuits.

And then I moved into more traditional
stream training, wanted to get people

stronger, hit training and weight loss.

, Throw that out the window.

Let's actually get stronger,
be more functional humans.

And then the Harlem method is like a
combination of, we got conditioning

on one side where you can get your
aerobic system up, you can train

your capacity, and then the other
room is dedicated stream training.

This is where we want
to get really strong.

I noticed a lot of places.

, Studios, they try to
combine both into one class.

I don't necessarily believe in it.

I think, one method or one thing falls
to the wayside a lot in those classes.

If I'm running a treadmill
forever and I'm trying to.

Stream train, like I'm probably
fatigued, so I'm not getting all

of what I want and get out of it.

So I decided to separate it.

And when we offer strength and
conditioning, now you can make a

schedule for yourself that allows you
to do both and get better at both.

And then the recovery piece, that's
just something I've been needed

for myself, getting a little older

Ariel Belgrave : that'll do it.

Jahkeen Washington : Hips
don't be working the same.

Sometimes it's a lot shoulder,
little jammed up and I'm like, okay,

what am I doing outside the gym
to recover better, whether it's my

sleep, um, mobility, stretching.

So we're, we're offering mobility
and restorative yoga on Sundays

as like our restoration day.

Okay.

I have a room that has you know,
compression boots and vibration

and uh, foam rollers, ster guns,
things like of that nature or

vibration guns so that people can
start to learn what recovery is.

Mm. And then outside of what we can
offer, we're partnering with anybody.

Who we align with.

Who has recovery services such as
massage or stretch or meditation?

Um, mindfulness.

That's a recovery for
myself, I believe in.

Like, are you, yeah.

You're recovering here, but is,
are you busy mental good, right?

Mm-hmm.

Are you able to go and
do what you need to do?

Right.

With clear thoughts and things like that?

So collaborating has become a big
thing, and we're building that recovery

space out as we talk to more people
and figure out what that can look like.

So it's just really just like a lot
of growth, a lot of mistakes, but

also realizing I wanted a one stop
shop where people can get the best

of like what they actually need.

You know, I love fitness
and I love movement.

I love all the things that are out
there, but for me, I'm like, most

people just need to be a lot stronger.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

Jahkeen Washington : Right.

They need to be able to go
up a fight the steps without.

Feeling like they ran a
marathon, that part, right?

Let's get some conditioning and
what are we doing to be able

to show up more consistently?

So what does that recovery look like?

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

Jahkeen Washington : And outside of that,
it's just, it's still my same energy.

It's still my same training style.

It's still my value with community
and getting people together and

making sure they're having a great
experience and making it fun.

Whether it's the music, the banter,
all that stuff, none of that changes.

We just in a new to new brick and mortar.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah, I think what's
standing out to me, and I would love

your thoughts, your thought process.

You have studios that are
technically niche, right?

Uh, so you have one that's focused
on kettlebells, and then the other

is strength training conditioning.

What has been your thoughts
on not creating an even

further one stop shop, right?

Like, I know you had mentioned
during the pandemic we had

dance fitness, we had yoga.

I'm curious, what do you see for
the value, for anyone listening who

wants to have a studio, different
mod modalities exist, fitness is

ever changing and ever evolving.

As you think about these spaces,
you do gotta think long term.

What gives you the confidence
to hone in on a niched modality?

And in this, in Har Harlem method
case, there's a few in there.

Mm-hmm.

But I'm curious what
your thought process is.

Jahkeen Washington : So the one thing
about the fitness injury, which I've

recognized, and I think you can almost
do whatever you want in case Yes.

Right?

That's a whole nother conversation.

But I've seen so many hybrids
of everything you wanna combine.

And again, I think if people want, if
it's movement and people are enjoying

it and they are not getting hurt.

Then, yeah, we can argue there's
a place for a lot of things.

For me, niche doesn't
necessarily mean I don't expand.

It just means this is how I'm
like, kind of starting out.

So, kettlebell club, for
example, was kettlebell specific.

All I have is kettlebells to start, but
as, as we got more people in the door,

I also know that Harlem doesn't have
a lot to offer in terms of training.

So I have the opportunity to make a
quick pivot and be kettlebell focused

and still blend in some other things.

So we ended up bringing in
barbells for some training.

We ended up bringing in sandbags, steel
maces agility equipment, battle ropes.

Right now I can create conditioning
classes around the bell.

The bell's used a little bit
differently in this case, right?

You're not lifting heavy.

It's more about endurance, right?

How long it can go.

So that can be a lighter bell.

Trim training heavier bells.

If we want to add in some barbell
work with kettlebell now with mixed

modality, multi-modality, now you're
learning how to utilize a lot of

different tools under one roof.

So now we're becoming a even bigger
resource to you because you're gonna

be more proficient with a lot of
different things when you go to the gym.

For me, it's very important for
people to understand how to move,

not be attached to dumbbell, barbell.

Kettlebell.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

Jahkeen Washington : A squat.

As a squat.

As a squat, your body doesn't
know what you're using.

It knows what to do with
load, if it's should build

muscle, and so on and so forth.

So if you know how to move,
you can plug and play.

And now the gym or wherever you
are, becomes like your playground.

Mm-hmm.

Essentially.

So I want people to learn like,
here's all the things we can

do and insert, insert, insert.

And now when you're on your
own, you can use whichever

one makes more sense for you.

Or if you're on a vacation,
for example, and they only got

kettlebells, you can get a workout in.

Right.

I think that's the main piece is I
want people to want to be in my spaces

because there's value in their learning
a lot, but you shouldn't need me.

At some point,

Ariel Belgrave : yeah,

Jahkeen Washington : you
just want to be here.

'cause I'm like, I'm just,
I'm getting all this stuff.

So I, I'm, why would I leave?

But ultimately, I, I want you to be able
to go and make a workout for yourself.

Um, so that's where like the expanding
comes in and giving people more.

And also those classes they took off
because not everyone is a diehard

kettlebell fan, but if I say, Hey,
you're gonna use it a little bit for

the class, from a business standpoint,
I can get more people to come in because

now it's, it's just a part of the class.

You don't have to like
for one hour of this bell.

Like, yeah.

So that's kind of the division there.

And then with my coaches and
really starting to figure

out what they were good at.

You know, one coach I had
just really go to Steel Mace.

I'm like, that could be a thing.

Cool.

Let's bring in some steel maces.

Let's do a demo class
and see what happens.

That became fun.

Now people are learning.

It's something new.

One of the ways to get more people in
the door is you start adding new things.

They start to come more.

They might start, they're gonna start
to spend more because they're like,

okay, I don't wanna miss out on like
fomo sandbags, we added those in, right?

That's a totally different type of way
of training strength and endurance.

People love those.

Some people hated 'em, but we got
enough demand where it warranted

getting a few of 'em because the
class got a little bit bigger.

So I think that's really the main thing is
like start where you are and then expand.

Right?

The Harlem method, I can swim
training is swim training, right?

I don't think that goes anywhere.

I have all the, I have all the things.

The dumbbells are barbers, the
trap ball that doesn't go anywhere.

My conditioning room, the way
I designed it is very open.

So I can add, subtract at any point
and I can reinvent that room, right?

Any at any point because I didn't buy
every piece of equipment in the world.

I bought what I needed right now knowing
that, like, again, I get bored too.

So I'm probably gonna pivot
and change something as well.

And the recovery is just.

That's more alignment
than just partnerships.

Yeah.

Recovery can change just by who
we bring in and what, how they

present some of the same things.

So I, I say all to say you
gotta have a vision and a plan.

Don't try to do everything because then
no one knows what you're, what you do.

Ariel Belgrave : Mm-hmm.

Jahkeen Washington : It's like, oh,
you, you teach eight modalities.

Like what are you good at?

Be good at something.

And then from there, add what's necessary.

Again, also based on what people
are asking for potentially,

this is where surveys come in.

This is where talking
to the members come in.

Like, I'm very big on asking
questions, not just like designing

something based on what I want,
because the gym is not for me.

Right.

It's for them.

So they love it.

I love it too.

And we'll figure it out.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

Which is why I would say you
are committed to your community.

Ja.

Which makes me think about, as
you talk about having people

who are teaching those classes.

I would love for you to
speak to the version of Jaw.

Who's a coach mm-hmm.

To now the version of Jah who
truly has had to step into

the light of CEO and founder.

Right.

You, you're not teaching as much
classes, you are needing to think

strategically at every waking moment.

What are some of those changes that
were key for you and now operating,

like truly being an operator?

Jahkeen Washington : Yeah.

Well, first of all, it's not fun.

I'm gonna that you know, I'm
gonna be very transparent.

I don't care.

This is, this is the
hardest work I've ever done.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

Jahkeen Washington : Right.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

Jahkeen Washington : In the
middle of, wife and a daughter.

Right?

That's right.

So I got a lot of new over
this last year and a half.

It's the hardest work I've ever done.

Try and trying to shift gears
from being in the class.

I still have the, I still love to teach.

Ariel Belgrave : Mm-hmm.

Jahkeen Washington : Right?

So I'm not gonna stop teaching right now,
but I need, I know I need to do less of it

to work on business development and what
this looks like a couple years from now.

Like we said earlier, letting go.

Is the biggest thing,
still have trouble with it.

Right?

I'm still gonna micromanage to a, a
certain extent, but really, because the

hall method is new, so I'm, I'm in, let's
correct immediately and fix immediately.

So I can't like take a backseat
now we, you know, infancy stage,

you gotta let people screw up, but
you also have to correct it fast.

Right?

So that these mistakes
aren't becoming normalized.

We are now three months down
the line signal down the line.

Now this is a problem.

Um, so I think that's the one thing
I'm very good at, is not letting things

like not letting things go for a long
period of time before I bring it up.

Let's just get to the, this is what
we're doing, how we need to do it.

Hey, this is what happened.

Fixing things immediately
and then we go, right.

I think, you know, I, after we was talking
to somebody the other day, people have

trouble having like, tough conversations.

Yeah.

Or difficult conversations.

Those don't need to break
up the relationship.

They just need to happen because
we're both trying to get.

It's from A to B. And so just getting
back in alignment and making sure

that we all know what's happening
is it has been big in this space.

And that's just learning
from kettlebell club.

Right.

Just letting a lot of things go.

Right.

And and it'll be fine.

They'll figure it out.

They won't.

Ariel Belgrave : They won't.

That's your job.

Jahkeen Washington : They won't.

Right.

It is my job as a leader to
put people in position to win.

And something I'm working on now is
also just being given more positive

affirmations when people are doing things
well versus like, the only time you hear

from me is when things are going wrong.

Right.

That's been something
that's probably upbringing.

That's coaching.

Right.

My coach would be like, you're
supposed to work on your jump shot.

You're supposed to work on your dribble.

Mm-hmm.

Like, yeah, you said you love basketball.

So he never gave us a lot of that
like, good job for working on stuff.

And I, I took a lot of that with me.

'cause it's like, yeah, of
course you should come on time.

Like of course you should.

Be nice to the clients, right?

Like stuff like that.

Um, but people need to hear some
positivity and so I'm really trying

to focus on that type of stuff and um,
you know, I think that's been helpful.

But yeah, getting out the way, asking for
more help than I ever have in my life.

Jonathan Jackson: Wow.

Jahkeen Washington : Right.

I'm, I just can't do it all.

I don't know it all.

And quite frankly, to get to the
next phase, I need some people

that have energy and passion.

Or, and who live in that world right.

Of where I want to get to.

I've been doing a lot of my own
and have found success in it, and I

think that's just really hard when
it's your baby and you're like, I

can't let anybody screw this up.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

Jahkeen Washington : And I,
part of the growth is you

gotta screw it up a little bit.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

Jahkeen Washington : Right.

You know.

So

Ariel Belgrave : what would you say
was, is the, the number one thing

you let go of that has allowed you
to have more freedom to play a big

part in creating Harlem Method?

Jahkeen Washington :
Yeah, just the hiring.

So hiring studio manager.

I have operations like facilities person.

I have Harlem Method, I have front
desk staff now, which is very new.

That's the first time, right.

So people who can handle the, the front
desk area while coaches can coach.

Right.

Just giving people specific
things to focus on.

Being able to just check in with front
desk around what's going on, their,

you know, their first point of contact.

What are you seeing,
what are members saying?

Like getting them to do it.

So I don't have to, I don't
have to be in the space mm-hmm.

Right with them.

'cause I can be home either working
or also just hanging out with my

daughter sometimes, because we have
our Monday, Thursdays where we go out

and I pop in just to make sure we good.

But I, I'm like, let me
leave and let you guys work.

But again, just those
things are really helpful.

Um, knowing who I, I can lean on
somebody knowing that they know

exactly what needs to be done.

I know that it's taken care of.

It's just another, just a sigh relief man.

Like to, not, because otherwise
I'm just anxious all day long.

Yeah.

I don't show it, but I'm just anxious
and I'm stressed and I'm thinking about.

Is the studio gonna fail tomorrow?

And it is not, but when you,
we don't allow anybody to help

you and you, you give yourself
all 75 things to take care of.

Yeah, of course.

You're gonna feel like that.

And it's overwhelming.

And I think it, it spills
over into relationships.

It spills over into the family again, I'm
stressed, you stressed, we all stressed

because, like, I'm showing up like this.

So you're probably like,
okay, he's in a mood.

And I don't want that for people
because, I, this, I'm pretty chill.

This is how I always wanna be.

I want to be, fitness for
me has always been fun.

It never felt like work up until
now, but I'm trying to get back to

it, feeling like what it used to.

And that's gonna take me getting out
of the way and letting some people

do what they need to do to support.

Because the people I have,
they, they want to be here.

They wanna support, they have
really good energy behind it.

And it's just me, just,
all right, you got it.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

Jahkeen Washington : Don't call me
unless there's something you don't know.

Or just figure it out.

As long as you don't burn the place
down, I think we gonna be okay.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

And let's talk about, let's talk
about the stress and overwhelm that

comes with not only starting a studio,
launching a studio, but operating.

I don't think it gets talked
about enough of what's required,

how much hours per week.

Sometimes you feel like you are on, right?

You are filling those gaps to get the
right people to help with operation

front desk, but you're still on.

Can you talk about the
realities of moments of burnout?

Have you ever had time where
you're like, I can't do this?

And in those moments, what got you through
finding any bitter better bit of balance?

Jahkeen Washington : Yeah.

I mean, listen, I wanted
to quit last week.

Okay.

I know.

I'll keep it real with you.

I wanted to quit last week.

I was, you know, you start looking at
numbers, you start looking at members.

You're like, okay, this, this is
cool, but we need more members.

You start doing math, I got
rent, I got payroll coming up.

Do we have enough to cover?

Right.

Those are things behind the scenes
that people don't, don't see.

They see people in the door, a
class full, but the math behind what

you need to actually succeed, get
in the black, move forward scale.

That number's different from visuals.

Right.

And I think people don't,
they don't get that part.

There's a lot of math
going on behind the scenes.

There's a lot of process.

So right now, for example, yes,
my staff and coaches can do their

job, but I'm still reinventing and
figuring out standard operating

procedures based on all the things
that are happening in this space.

We came in with the vision,
but as, as people come in,

you start to realize, okay.

This needs to change.

Mm-hmm.

This should become this.

So there's a lot of that
happening right now.

And again, that's gonna
take a second, right.

Again, we six weeks open, so
maybe by month three to six right.

We'll have something in place that we can,
that's concrete and then we just flow.

But right now there's a lot of
updating updating, this the handbook.

Oh, we gotta add this.

Oh, we can remove that.

So I think that's the growing
pains in the beginning is you're

gonna have to do a lot of that with
your staff and members, because

again, they're new to this as well.

Excitement is there.

The energy is there, but they
can't do anything without,

they don't know what to do.

Or they're gonna come up with
what they think they should do.

It could be right.

It could be wrong.

Right.

But I can't penalize them for
something I never told them.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah,

Jahkeen Washington : right.

They don't have anything they can lean
on or list that they can refer to.

So getting that stuff down
is the most important.

But it's, it, it's, it is a
lot of stress and I think what

people have to understand is.

You gotta be willing to do
that part of it though, right?

I just love fitness.

Yeah.

I tell people all time, just
because you love fitness, just

because you are an amazing barber,
just because you love to cook

Ariel Belgrave : it's true,

Jahkeen Washington : does not mean at
all that you should open up a storefront.

Ariel Belgrave : That's right.

Jahkeen Washington : Right?

And I'll tell you this, if, and this
is as somebody who loves their own

spaces, if you can be successful in your
business without ever opening a brick

and mortar, I would highly recommend it.

Ariel Belgrave : Ah, tell us more.

Jahkeen Washington : If you can
grow your brand, make all your

money, do all the impact utilizing
someone else's space, right.

Or however it is you do, if
it's online and it keeps your

energy, it keeps your time right?

You can manage all those things and then
you don't know for a fact that the brick

and mortar is going to make things better.

Probably not the route to go because.

Again, that just becomes more expensive.

Mm. Right.

It's way more expensive.

It gives you more things to consider.

More money has to be made now because
now you owe somebody for the space.

Right.

If you don't, if you're used to doing
it by yourself, I think there's a

business model where you can train
and be the trainer by yourself.

You don't need to hire, but if you
want to hire, that's a added expense.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

Jahkeen Washington : So you
gotta account for, I need people,

I need to cover overhead now.

I've got utilities now.

Yep.

Right.

People aren't thinking about all of that.

That goes into it.

Right now.

I have department of buildings, there's
signage, there's things in my space that I

have to have so you don't get violations.

It becomes a whole lot more than
this passion that you have every day.

And if you're not willing to do that part,
learn that part, or have that become the

priority, the business is gonna fail.

Mm-hmm.

It's absolutely going to fail because.

It's nothing crazy to talk to somebody
that doesn't know any of their numbers.

You don't know where your
money's coming in and out.

You don't know whether you're profitable.

You know how many members you need to get
to A, B, C. You're not very goal specific.

I tell people all the time, one
of my friends coach, I was like,

what do you wanna make this year?

It's like, oh, you know,
I'm trying to do better.

I'm like, better is, that's
not a, what does that mean?

If you tell me you wanna make 300,000
this year, then you should be able

to look at your services and what you
offer, how much it costs, and then have a

breakdown of how many people or whatever
services I need to get to that number.

Yeah.

Because if you don't, you're just
going out there blind every single

day hoping that somehow you open
your account and something's there.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

Jahkeen Washington : So
everything is about processes.

Everything's about systems.

I'm not perfect.

I'm still, figuring out some stuff
myself, but I've learned and seen a

lot just from those little changes
that I've been able to make.

The vision is a lot clearer.

I can set very intentional
goals and go after the, I

need two people, just get two.

Right.

Not like, I hope I get 10.

No, I want two people.

And the way when you, when you set the
intention like that and you say it that

way, it's easier, it's more accessible.

Right.

I can go and get it because it's just two.

Right.

I think most people, they
have this big vision.

It's kinda like when you think about
people like weight loss and stuff.

Ariel Belgrave : Mm-hmm.

Jahkeen Washington : I
wanna lose a hundred pounds.

Right.

Sounds great.

Ariel Belgrave : It's not realistic.

Jahkeen Washington : But what are we doing
in week one and week two on the way there?

If we can't figure out week one and week
two, you know how a hundred pounds becomes

even further away and further away.

That's right.

And further away.

So just get down to those, like the really
granular details and see that happen.

And then you get into a system,
you get a rhythm and then that

process becomes easier 'cause
you're like, oh, this isn't so bad.

Ariel Belgrave : Mm-hmm.

Jahkeen Washington : Versus like, I
gotta get there and I've done no, nothing

in the middle to help support that.

So

Ariel Belgrave : yeah.

Jahkeen Washington : It gets tricky, man.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

While we're on the topic of money, I
would love to know how you navigate.

Being community driven and
having a business that is

affordable while sustaining your
business, because that is hard.

So how do you think about that?

Jahkeen Washington : So I'll start with
a conversation I just recently had.

Okay?

And this was one I needed to hear

mentor of mine.

He said, you've done a
lot in this community.

You've done more than probably anybody
else will ever care to do in this

community on, on a lot of fronts.

From your scholarship foundation to
fitness, to all the things you've

been building, to the collaborations,
like two things can exist at once.

You can be all about your community
because you're already here, right?

No one else is here.

You are here, you're doing the work.

At this point.

You need to charge your worth, make
your money, and operate from a place of

abundance so that when you are pouring
in, you're pouring from a place where

like, I've taken care of me and my family.

We are good.

Now I can really help you
because I know that I'm good.

A lot of my, a lot of what I've been
doing is trying to be so affordable

and so community-based that like, I'm
not struggling, but I shouldn't, I

shouldn't be in the place that I'm at.

I should actually be a lot more successful
and be taking care of myself and be

taking all the trips and doing all the
things that other people are able to

do because I've earned the right to.

Versus like trying to always
make sure that every single

person can come into my doors.

And that was a hard thing.

That was hard to hear
that, because I'm like, no.

Like I really, I know what I
want to do and I know what I've

been, I've been put here to do.

Ariel Belgrave : Yep.

Jahkeen Washington : But he's
like, yeah, you started out

with $10 class in the park.

It don't get no better than that.

Whoever didn't take capitalize
on that, that was their fault.

Right.

You can't be $10 classes anymore.

Everything's more expensive.

You've invested in this new
space from your lighting to the

equipment, to everything that
you poured in to make this space.

That comes with the cost
and it wasn't cheap.

And you need to be able to make that
back and be profitable because then

you can open studio two and three and
then you can do more of the events

and all that, you know, expanding.

But it can't happen if you're
struggling with everybody else

gets to kind of come in and thrive.

And so that was a really hard convo.

And so again, Harlem Method is not
super expensive, but it's definitely the

most expensive space that I have now.

And you know, I think I've also recognized
the space doesn't as much as I want it

to be, it just can't be for everybody
and I have to get outta my way with that.

I think there's other opportunities
where I can do things to support people

who might can't afford to take advantage
of membership, but just do that because

it, it doesn't take away from anything.

I'm still doing the work, but I'm
just doing it in a different way

based on where I'm at in my life now.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

Jahkeen Washington : Um, and so that was,
that was really getting tough to hear,

but since I've kind of bought into it.

It feels a lot better.

It's like a lot of
weight off my shoulders.

'cause I feel like I, like I'm
trying to hold up Harlem alone.

Ariel Belgrave : Mm-hmm.

Jahkeen Washington : Right.

And it's like, no, somebody else
has $10 classes now as well.

Like they can collab and you guys can
do something together to balance it

out and make sure that you're making
it accessible, but it doesn't need

to be you every single day anymore.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

Yeah.

And I'm And you had, you heard this
guidance from someone else, right?

Was this something you
felt already along the way?

Or did you need that person?

Because I'm, I'm just thinking about how
the version of you has changed so much.

What has guidance and coaching
looked like for you to be able to

comfortably speak the way you just did?

Like the conviction, like
somebody else can do.

It doesn't happen overnight.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Jahkeen Washington : Well this
is probably, this is the first

time I've said that out loud Wow.

To someone.

Right.

And I think this is
the best time to do it.

'cause I'm also working on just being
a lot more vocal about all the things.

Yeah.

I probably wouldn't have I
would, you know, I was like,

eh, I can't, I can't do that.

Like, you know, I think it's,
it's very important to know.

Where you are in your life and what
is needed to succeed and move forward.

Mm-hmm.

And, and again, I mean, for lack
of words, you don't want to go,

we can't go backwards, right?

I can't go back to 2016.

Me when 10 years later, I'm a new version
of myself and I'm offering new things.

I have more knowledge,
I have more skillset.

Like I, I deserve to th thrive
and take advantage of the

opportunities I've been afforded to
meet and be in a better position.

And so that's gonna come with alignment.

It might be the thing, I'm not going
to connect with every single person

anymore, but again, it doesn't
take away from anything I've done.

Right?

That person who sees me and is like,
you're expensive, doesn't know the

journey it took for me to be able
to get here to charge this, right?

They don't see the time, the
energy, the certifications, the

ups and downs, the pandemic.

Like they don't know any of that stuff.

They just come in and they see a price
that they don't necessarily want to pay.

Versus like, I can understand
why he charges this.

Ariel Belgrave : Mm.

Jahkeen Washington : Um,
and that, that took a lot.

And 'cause I had somebody
come in and, have some awkward

words for me about my pricing.

Ariel Belgrave : Okay.

Jahkeen Washington : And I was like, okay.

And it felt great to not argue.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

Jahkeen Washington :
Like, no, I, no, I get it.

I understand.

I mean, there's other, there's other,
uh, spaces in the neighborhood that,

that have fitness and stuff like that.

And I think it was a very, I think
she, she may have been wanting me

to match the energy a little bit
to like maybe bring the price down.

I was like,

Ariel Belgrave : what?

You like, no,

Jahkeen Washington : no, no, no.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

But that's a version of you that
has to get to that point, to,

Jahkeen Washington : and also
not taking it personal, like I

wasn't, I was, I'm gonna say that
I, I took it a little personal.

Of

Ariel Belgrave : course you did.

Jahkeen Washington : Because I'm
thinking about my time and energy.

Yeah.

So I did take it personal, but not enough
to, wasn't gonna , rip her a new one or

have , a huge back and forth about it.

But we had a conversation which
was healthy, I think, about

pricing , and why and what.

But you're gonna get that a lot.

But I, again, you have to recognize
if you keep changing and pivoting

your stuff every time somebody has an
opinion, you don't have a brand, you

don't have a business, it might as well
be community service at that point.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

Jahkeen Washington : You know?

Yeah.

Because you don't control a single
aspect of what you're trying to build.

So you gotta be real and know
is a, a complete sentence.

Right.

It's gotta, you gotta just gotta say it.

Ariel Belgrave : That part, that part.

Are you, uh, so when it comes tofu
funding for, um, the Harlem method mm-hmm.

Are you boot still bootstrapping or
have you gotten any bit of funding?

How is that looking
different as we talk numbers?

Jahkeen Washington : Yeah.

Um, so some of my own funds, which
again, if you can avoid it, please do.

Ariel Belgrave : Okay.

Jahkeen Washington : Right.

You don't want to be putting yourself
in a predicament where you've got your

life things happening and your money's
tied into your brand and business.

Obviously, if you can find fun, do it.

Um, if you can get an
investor, obviously do it.

I was lucky enough to
have a family friend.

Who saw my vision, saw my purpose,
and was like, Hey, you know, I

can help in, you know, in this
regard in whatever this level is.

And that was, that was helpful
enough to get it off the ground.

You know, do I need more funding?

Of course, we could
always use more funding.

So that's what I'm looking at now is
just figuring out who, where, who can

I, have a conversation with and sit
and go look, look, this is the vision.

Is this anybody that wants to build,
you know, with me in that way?

But yeah, I mean, when you're
building something like this and

where you want it to go, cash is king.

Yeah.

Right.

There's no amount that you need a lot.

Right.

And you, like, you want have cushion,
especially in a new place that's

opening and an infancy stage where
payroll's high, rents are high members

are starting to come in, right?

There's a very tug of war that's
happening with like, I gotta maybe

pull from my funds to just make sure
my employees are covered, knowing

that yeah, business is gonna pick up.

But there's a lot of
that stuff that goes on.

But, but again, that comes back
to the numbers we talked about.

Like you gotta know that part.

'cause if you don't open and close.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

Jahkeen Washington : Really quickly.

Yeah.

Ariel Belgrave : But I'm curious,
so you know your numbers.

I'm curious, what pushback are you
getting as you're being in places where

you're trying to get more capital?

What do you believe is a barrier
for you with getting that?

Yes.

Jahkeen Washington : So I will
say this for fitness, and at

least in my experience, um, and
I've been looking, there's not a

lot of, there's no grants, right?

There's not a lot of
just funding for fitness.

I've seen it all during the pandemic.

Every restaurant got tons of funding.

Let's keep all the restaurants open,
let's keep people eating and drinking.

Right?

And cool, but where's the movement?

Right?

You are asking us to go home and be
sedentary and not do anything right?

For the most part.

Can't go outside.

But you want people to eat and order
and dine and things of that nature,

which they don't really, it's another
conversation, but they don't need to.

You could cook at home and have
healthier options and make your own food.

It's a good time to do it, but
no, we're going to fund that

and not really fund fitness.

Or again, if they are funding fitness,
it was, and I'm appreciative, but

$500 here, a thousand dollars there.

Again, I appreciate it, but that's
not moving the needle at all in

terms of what was needed to do.

That might cover one bill.

, So everything's a loan, right?

And loans, while they are helpful,
it's still an added stress because

I have to pay someone back, right?

And whatever the timeframe is that
they, that the terms that they create.

So while I'm trying to cover payroll
and expenses, now I have this loan out

and I have these other expenses that
are coming in and the toilet now doesn't

work and the HVAC went out, right?

All of that is.

That will destroy your mind.

Mm-hmm.

In the middle of chaos.

You're just trying to figure it out
and then something else happens.

So I don't know that there's gonna
be more grants to support fitness.

I don't know that, you know, there's a
care for it in that way, but ultimately,

if it's not a grant, then it's,
again, it's just, it's some funding or

someone who's believes in the vision
believes that Harlem deserves more.

And would love to be a part of my vision
and what I've been watching and what I've

been trying to grow this entire time.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

And I mean, you creating the first ti
of these studios has its own weight,

I'm sure is something that you're
incredibly proud of, but also comes with

needing to explain the importance of it.

Are there any battles that you have
fought when it comes to people believing

that it's necessary in the space?

Or do people know that
it's important to have?

It's more of,

Jahkeen Washington : I think people.

I think the common sense of it is
people know that fitness is needed.

People know that they need to move.

Right?

I think people are naive sometimes,
but they know , you should eat better.

I think that, at least in my
experience, people don't value

fitness in the way that they should.

Right.

They look at it more of , they don't
look at it as I get to train, I get

to workout, I get to improve myself.

It's like I'm in the season where like
I'm working out a little bit, right?

And they prioritize.

And again, I'll never tell anybody how to
spend their money 'cause that's on you.

Because they'll, what they'll
spend on and what they'll ignore

is typically fitness, right?

A lot of what I've seen is I'll spend
three 50 on a bag or a trip or shoes

and again, I'm all for if you got it
and you love it, you should enjoy it.

But , don't like nickel and dime
yourself on something that's like

long term going to help you out.

I think that's the hardest part.

And so even in building this in my
neighborhood, while I do have a lot

of people that, that come and, and
enjoy it, there's just so many more

people that I can affect that just
won't re-budget or try to figure out

how to make this a thing, even if
it's for two months, three months.

Right.

Just make it a thing for a second
and then realize, wow, like I

found a lot of value in that.

I got so much better.

Let me re-budget maybe and figure out how
to make this more consistent for myself.

And consistency looks different for
everybody, even if it's once a week.

Ariel Belgrave : Mm-hmm.

Jahkeen Washington : Right?

That's a commitment that you've never had.

And so I try to figure out how
to get people to reframe , their

minds in that way to do it.

But, it's one of those , that's really it.

And then I think, come downtown,
there's a gym on every block.

There's a gym everywhere, . There's
just fitness everywhere.

So it's like a hub and it's what you do.

Ariel Belgrave : Mm-hmm.

Jahkeen Washington : Harlem, I don't
think it's ever been prioritized.

Right.

And.

I think that owners prioritize
fast food or the big chains, right?

They want like guaranteed money.

And again, I can respect that,
but they're not trying to help

build a community and get more
movement, get more wellness, right?

Everything we add is stuff
that's making us worse.

You know, we don't need another
chicken spot, we don't need

another fast food restaurant.

We need healthy options.

Why can't I find a smoothie?

Right?

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

Jahkeen Washington : Like why?

Why do I know where every single gym is?

I could call it out.

If I start from one 10th and work my way
up, I probably know all of them, right?

And they're all within
10, 15, 20 block radius.

So there's not like a lot to get to.

That's convenient.

Yeah.

And people need some
convenience sometimes, or

they're not gonna do it again.

This is a conversation that
could be a whole nother episode.

Yeah.

It's just, I look at all that stuff
and I'm like, I'm just trying to

do whatever I can , in my space.

To get some people doing what
they need to do because again, I

didn't have any of this growing up.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

Jahkeen Washington : I was an athlete
and didn't have a place to go train.

Right.

I had to do the park, do some
pushups, stuff like that.

I think I would've been way better off
if I had a strength studio to go to.

Right.

Or if my parents or my family friends had
spaces they can go to and make movement

and fitness a part of their lifestyle.

Not like I can't afford it.

So like I'm, I have to, 'cause I have to
pay for groceries, I gotta feed my kids.

That should never be the thing.

Ariel Belgrave : Right.

Jahkeen Washington : You know, I
don't think it should be either or.

I think both should happen.

'cause you know, full circle, my mom,
mobility wise, she could, she could

stand to be moving a little bit more.

Right.

She's having a lot of, a lot
of hard times doing some of

this stuff and I'm like, wow.

If she had that and if she had a chance
to invest in that stuff or could figure

it out and not had to make decisions
based on like finances, maybe she looks a

lot different at 70 years old, you know?

So for me, I'm like, I'm,
you gotta keep moving.

Yeah.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

And I think that's where a lot of us
in our community feel it is when we

look at the generations above us and
what a struggle looks like as they age.

Mm-hmm.

Right?

, But when you don't have those resources
and you're focusing on being a mom

and all that, it makes it tough.

, Okay.

So I'm gonna switch gears really quickly.

We're gonna have some fun.

Okay.

You ready?

So this is called, , Sweat
and Equity this or that.

I'm gonna give you two options.

You select an option,
try not to overthink it.

Okay.

And you can try not to overthink it.

Ja.

Okay.

I believe in you and I want you to
give, even if it's like one or two

sentences as to why you're choosing that.

Okay.

All right.

First one, systems First, or people First.

Jahkeen Washington : Now
New Me Systems first.

, With systems in place, it allows me
to affect the people a lot differently

and be more impactful early on.

'cause I'm collecting
data and information.

, That I can use immediately to figure
out what next steps should be.

Ariel Belgrave : Okay.

Hire for culture or hire for skill.

Jahkeen Washington : I'm
hiring for culture first.

I love culture.

If you fit in, , I can teach you
everything you need to know to do the

job after, but if you're just skilled,
you probably come in with an ego of some

sort and learning from somebody else ends
up being a little bit more challenging.

Ariel Belgrave : Impact or profit

Jahkeen Washington : today?

Me profit.

, Again, if I'm profitable, my impact
is a lot bigger 'cause I can do a

lot more from a place of abundance,

Ariel Belgrave : structure or flexibility.

Jahkeen Washington : Ooh, that's tough.

Can I do autonomy within framework?

As an Aquarius, I need flexibility.

I need to be able to move a little bit.

, But , I do that within a structured
environment, if that makes sense.

That's what I'm going with.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah, it does make sense.

'cause I would ag I would
answer the similar way.

Membership model or class packs.

, Jahkeen Washington : I
do a little bit of both.

, Membership I think is the
safer bet, just because you

can consistently gauge revenue.

What's coming in, you have
X amount of members, right?

Kind of lets you be able to make decisions
for your business a little easier

than class packs because class packs
are literally one, one they're done.

And so you don't know when that person's
gonna finish, when they're gonna re-up.

So now it's a gamble of like,
when, where, or why numbers

don't necessarily make sense.

Ariel Belgrave : Okay.

Serve everyone or serve a specific group.

Jahkeen Washington :
Specific group these days.

And in some way, shape or form,
try to expand my reach to do

a little bit more when I can

Ariel Belgrave : move fast or move right.

Jahkeen Washington :
All about moving, right?

I did a lot of fast and that led me
to, we've been on this show for a bit.

So we know all the things that
happen when you move fast.

I will say this, I think.

You should move fast.

But with strategy, I think what happens
for people is they wait for things to

be perfect and then they do nothing.

So move fast and you can correct
things, but also just also have

some idea around where you're going.

Ariel Belgrave : Okay.

Last one here.

Success or fulfillment?

Jahkeen Washington : Hmm.

Fulfillment for me is,
that's success, right?

I think if I die tomorrow, I get, I leave
here knowing that I gave everything right?

I did it with integrity,
I did it with pride.

I didn't leave anything on the table.

And I can live with that, even if,
, financially I'm not at the number

I wanted to be at, but I can live
with , knowing like I made a difference.

And I look and my daughter's
gonna be super proud when she

hears all these stories about me.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

And what do you want your daughter
to be reminded of when your name

is brought up in the community?

Jahkeen Washington : I want her to, I
want her just be a really good human.

That's really all I want.

I want to be kind and stern.

I want her to want to make an impact
and I want her to do it her way.

I don't want her to, to feel
like she needs to be controlled.

I don't wanna feel like she can't
show up and be her authentic self.

I want to really go into this
world as a woman of color, knowing

that she's the SHIT and and
no one can tell any different.

Ariel Belgrave : Mm.

Jahkeen Washington : And I think
if she does that she'll have

a wonderful, successful life.

Ariel Belgrave : Yes.

I love that.

Well, Jah, we've talked a whole lot
and you have dropped so much gems.

Thank you for being real raw and
honest of the journey, because I

don't think it gets set enough.

, And I just wanna say thank you for
all that you do for the community.

You're doing it.

I know it's a ton of work.

I know it's stressful.

I know it can be overwhelming, but I hope
that you are so proud of what you built.

Jahkeen Washington : Yeah,

Ariel Belgrave : so far.

Jahkeen Washington : Appreciate it.

Thank you.

All right.

And I wanna say I am
extremely proud of you.

'cause obviously we've known
each other for, I don't know.

13 years right now.

Ariel Belgrave : Yeah.

Jahkeen Washington : And like I
said, your success is motivation.

Every time I see your
page, I see your stuff.

I'm like, it's time to, I gotta elevate.

And so I need more of that in my life.

So keep posting.

Ariel Belgrave : Thank you.

Content friends.

Thank you, Jah.

Thanks for having coming up.

Jahkeen Washington : Thank

you.

Ariel Belgrave : Yes.