People of Georgian: Student trades in mortgages for jiu-jitsu

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The Georgian community is full of unique, inspiring perspectives —and we’re sharing them as part of an ongoing series.

People of Georgian: Meet Amy Ford

Before this, I was a mortgage agent.

Now I’m using jiu-jitsu to propel me in a new direction for my career as an athletic coach.

Two people wearing martial arts uniforms stand next to each other and smile in a gym.

I was even once named Entrepreneur of the Year through the Barrie Chamber of Commerce for my video marketing company, so this is a huge change of career.

As a mom to four kids, too, I hope to inspire them to follow their dreams and passions because anybody can do anything that they want in life.

I started jiu-jitsu four years ago and my kids were all doing it, too. I had to keep up with these kids!

An adult and four children stand together and smile. — *Amy with her kids.*

Three adults wearing martial arts uniforms stand on a mat, with the person in the middle raising up an arm of one of them. — *Amy’s hand is raised as the winner of a match.*

Embracing a ‘full body and mind workout’

I love it because it’s a full body and mind workout, so it’s like chess but with your body, and it’s great cardio.

There’s a big release that happens, too, sort of like a runner’s high. You get a rush of endorphins, and your adrenaline is pumping, and you feel strong and powerful.

When I started, I also had some anxiety issues, and jiu-jitsu has really helped me break through that and follow my dreams and goals. Jiu-jitsu was one of the main reasons I went back to school as well.

‘I literally came back from San Diego and signed up for Georgian’

When I was still a mortgage agent, I went on a trip to San Diego to train in jiu-jitsu. While I was there, I always joked to myself, “Man, I wish I could do jiu-jitsu for a living.”

I was trying to make being a mortgage agent work, but it just wasn’t something that I was loving.

And while I was in San Diego, it just all kind of clicked and fell into place. I realized I need to become an athletics performance coach. I can literally, you know, be around the people I love being around and do the sport that I love and also train.

I literally came back from San Diego and signed up for Georgian.

A person takes a sweaty selfie after a workout.

I also took a neurolinguistic programming course, so when I work with athletes I can do strength training and conditioning and also mindset coaching.

For example, if they have issues with motivation or support or if they’re just having an emotional block, it’s something that I can go in and work with them on to reframe things.

I’m still competing in jiu-jitsu, with some tournaments coming up, including one this month in Paris, France, then another in Florida in March, and then the World’s are at the end of May in California. I’m hoping to do all of them this year.

It’s also really exciting because I just got my purple belt recently, so these would be my first purple-belt competitions as well.

A person wearing athletic clothing and with their hair and makeup done, kneels on a floor in front of a window.

Three people dressed in jiu-jitsu uniforms stand on a winner's podium, with the first-place person on the tallest section. Text: NextGen Jiu Jitsu

It’s been an amazing journey so far, and I hope I can show others you don’t have to be stuck doing something you don’t love.

You might think you can never make enough money in this or that industry, so you think you have to work a nine to five. You kind of put all these barriers onto what you can achieve.

I want people to know they can do whatever they want, as long as they’re passionate about it and it’s aligned with who they are as an individual. It can happen for them.

Amy Ford, a student in Georgian’s Fitness and Health Promotion program.

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