Meet TJ Jones | Martial Artist and Business Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with TJ Jones and we’ve shared our conversation below.

What should our readers know about your business?
Since the last time I interviewed with Shoutout Colorado, our business has grown considerably. At the end of 2023, we had 138 active students and since then we have added 7 more bringing our total to 145. Last year was both exciting and difficult because we implemented a new style of curriculum to help our students be more successful. Our business coaches (Kovar systems out of Sacramento California), had been encouraging us to take steps to improve our curriculum for a while, but we just hadn’t taken the plunge because it really seemed overwhelming to change everything. Over the course of about six months, we re-organized our system into what is called a “rotating curriculum”. We started using it back in March of 2023 and so far we have been pretty happy with it. We have been working with the people at Kovar Systems for about 3 years now and I have to say, it has been a really important step for our business and for me personally. We tend to believe that once we reach adulthood we are supposed to be able to figure it out on our own. Especially if we have a college education. The truth is, we all need help to succeed, and we all need to continue to grow. Having coaches for both professional and personal development is essential! One other aspect of our growth, is that we were able to help out a local charity this year in a higher capacity than we ever have before. We have an annual fundraiser for a local charity, and this year we chose Nightlight Christian Adoptions. Because of the hard work of our students and the generosity of their families and friends, we raised over 6000 dollars to help kids in our area find new homes!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
You know, the city of Waco has really grown in the last few years. Unfortunately, many people still have a negative view of our town because of some of the historical events that happened here. It seems a little cliche, but if you haven’t been to Waco recently, you haven’t been to Waco at all! Some things are still the same, but there has been such a prolific boom in construction and development that it is hard to keep up. Some of our favorite places to go are: Brazos books – a small, cozy little book shop with some of the friendliest staff you will ever meet. The shelves are covered with all sorts of different genres that are bound to please just about any customer. Oh, and the shop dog is super cute!
King Noodle – This recent addition to our dining establishments has been a pleasure for my wife and I. They make their noodles by hand and their dumplings are delicious.
The Cotton Belt Trail – If you are into being outdoors, there are several nice walking and hiking spots around Waco. Most people love going to Cameron park, but if you are looking for a less traveled, quieter trail, check out the Cotton Belt. If you keep your eyes out, you might even see some exotic wildlife at the refuge farm that is maintained along one side of the trail!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First and foremost, my thanks has to go out to Jesus Christ, the author and perfector of my life. Secondly, I must thank my wife Jamie. Without her, none of what we do would be possible. Finally, I’d like to thank the team at VJMA. They work hard, study hard, and share their passion for what we do with the community.

Website: www.verticaljourneyma.com

Instagram: vjma_tx

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VerticalJMA

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@verticaljourneymartialarts9434