Hello hello, I’m Jess,
The SHE-E-O (CEO) of Project Progress.
...and the days we live today will be part of the progress we
see tomorrow, much like the days that have passed are the
reason we have progressed to where we are today.
Every good story needs a few things: A beginning, a middle,
and an end. Lucky for us, the beginning and ending parts are
relatively easy; God brought us into this world, and some day, we
will meet Him again. But the middle part? That’s the good stuff. That’s
the days we are living today, and the proof that throughout life, we will
evolve, change, grow, cry, but also experience so much joy.
At Project Progress, we’re all about community and reminding each other
that we’re never alone. Your struggles, your triumphs—they matter here. I hope
that by sharing my story, you find comfort and strength, knowing that we’re in this together,
because as women, we face many challenges, but as a community, we can conquer them all.
"I believe we are all
a work in progress"
"my journey inspired me To creaTe
a space where every milesTone
is celebraTed."
GETTING INTO THE
GYM/MY EATING DISORDER
My fitness journey started when I was almost 16 years old and decided to join the track team in the spring of 2017. I heard track was a fantastic way to get in shape, and even though I was very healthy, I joined track hoping that losing a few pounds would make me feel better about myself. The good news? I nailed the first part and lost a few pounds. But the whole “feeling good about myself” thing? That didn’t quite pan out. What started as a simple fitness goal
spiraled into orthorexia and anorexia, leading me to lose over 30 pounds
in just a couple of months. But I lost so much more than weight. I lost the
love I once had for myself and life. I was losing hair, my nails were falling
off, and I lost my family and friends because I isolated myself in order to
fuel my ED.
This continued until one day, I stumbled upon a transformation post by Lexi DeYoung. Her post was about her journey from having an ED to becoming a bodybuilder, and in that moment, I realized that I too, had an eating disorder. When you have an ED, you live in a false sense of reality, so when I saw this and got a good old-fashioned reality check, it felt like my entire world was crashing down. I called my mom and confessed everything. She was incredibly
supportive, despite the difficulty of understanding an ED when you haven’t experienced it yourself. Realizing I needed to make a change, I turned
to Lexi’s journey and other stories I found. Inspired by their
transformations, I created a plan to eat more and incorporate
a variety of foods into my diet to overcome my ED.
I also got a gym membership and started working on my relationship
with exercise, focusing on getting strong—something I dearly missed
during my ED. I managed well on my own for a few months, but soon
found myself stuck again, unsure of the best way forward. So, at the
end of 2017, I reached out to Lexi and hired her as my coach. Lexi
and I worked together until January 2019.
Anyone who knew Lexi knew she was a light in this world. She became
like an older sister to me, pushing me in the most loving way and teaching
me how to love myself again. Lexi changed my life so significantly that
I knew I wanted to become a coach too. She was the first person I told
about my dream, and she encouraged me to chase after it. She believed in
me and taught me to believe in myself. Although Lexi is no longer with us,
her love lives on in all the hearts she touched. I hope to spread her love
further through my business and my life. She is dearly missed.
Bodybuilding and
Building my Business
After working with Lexi for about a year and a half, it was time for me to graduate to a prep coach and start my competition career. In January 2019, I hired the one and only Nick Komodina, who was one of the best bodybuilding coaches at that time.
I will forever be grateful for Nick. Not only was he an outstanding bodybuilding coach, but he also became an incredible role model who pushed me to grow in all areas of my life. He became a lifelong friend through our several years of working together, and it is a friendship I will always cherish deeply.
That same month, I launched my coaching business, JessWhit Fit LLC. I had spent months building my systems and educating myself, and the moment had finally arrived. I didn't know it at the time, but that single leap of faith would turn into my lifelong career. So if you needed the reminder—go for it! One of my favorite quotes from my favorite movie, We Bought a Zoo, says, "All you need is 20 seconds of insane courage, and I promise you, something great will come of it" (Benjamin Mee/Matt Damon).
After launching my business and hiring Nick as my new coach, everything felt like it was falling perfectly into place. My next milestone was stepping on stage, which I finally achieved in May 2019 at just 17 years of age. I ended up taking home 5th place at that show and competed in two more regional shows shortly after. I placed 4th at my second show and then took home 1st in my class, overall (1st place) in my division, and the “Best of Show” award at my third competition. This qualified me for a National level competition and a shot at my pro card. Competing was an incredible experience, but what made it even more meaningful was sharing it with my mom. She came to almost every show, despite her fight with stage 3 ovarian cancer. Her support showed me the power of perseverance and love, reminding us all that with the right support, we can overcome any obstacle.
The Trip ThaT
Changed iT All
The next exciting step in my bodybuilding journey was stepping onto the National Stage. I chose a National Show in Las Vegas at the end of July 2019, just a few weeks after my Regional level win. And as if that wasn’t exciting enough (this was my first time on a plane, so I was stoked), I also got to spend the week before my show in sunny San Diego, which was home to the majority of the Online Fitness community at the time. I spent the week creating lifelong memories with some of my biggest role models. It was in those moments, surrounded by individuals who supported me, a community that believed in me, and business owners who inspired the heck out of me, that I felt it in my soul—coaching wasn’t just a side hustle for me.
It was my passion.
After an amazing week in San Diego, I drove over to Vegas and had the best time competing and exploring the Las Vegas strip. I took home 7th place at that show, landing top call outs in my first National level competition at just 18 years old!
PopTarTs and Progress
After that competition, I did one more National Level competition to try and land my Pro-Card and ended up taking home another first call out placing, which I was so proud of.
But since college was rolling around, I had to shift my focus to my classes. So, I hung up the heels for the rest of the year and concentrated on both my studies and a massive rebrand for
my business. JessWhit Fit became Progress with Poptarts—a philosophy I lived, breathed, and ate, given that I had a Poptart almost every day during my prep and shared this all over social media. Poptarts were my thing, and so was helping my clients achieve progress, so it felt like the perfect fit to combine the two.
Looking back, it’s wild to see how authenticity played such
a pivotal role in my success. I scaled my business to six figures with this rebrand, and it’s a testament to the power of being yourself. So, be fearless, be genuine, and let your true self
lead the way. Authenticity isn't just a buzzword—it’s
your superpower.
my Second CompeTiTion Season
My next competition season began in February 2020. I was motivated and inspired for my next prep, but Mother Nature had other plans for all of us in March 2020. The world came to a stop, but my determination to win my Pro Card did not. So I stayed in stage-lean condition for several months until competitions finally resumed in August 2020. I hit the stage for 4 back-to-back competitions: two regional shows as warm-ups, followed by two National Competitions. At the National Level, I placed 8th in my first show
and moved up to 4th in my second show—closer, but still not quite there.
After those shows, I decided to enter a competition called Summer Shredding in Houston, Texas, run by Alphalete Gym and Alphalete
Athletics. Nick was in Houston, and a large number of Impakt Athletics (Nick’s bodybuilding team) members were attending, so it was a fantastic opportunity to meet my teammates and network. I flew down to Houston and gave it
my all. Two incredible things happened during this trip: 1.) I won the competition and 2.) Houston won my heart. I already knew I was going to drop out of college and pursue coaching full-time, but I didn't exactly know where I would go after doing so, because there was no way I was going to have an online business and choose to stay in Pennsylvania through another winter. The memories and people I met in Houston during this competition gave me my answer: this was going to be my new home.
When I got home, I started packing and officially moved to Houston in December 2020. Shortly after I moved, I competed in my final show of the season, Jr. Olympia, taking home 2nd place. Not quite the Pro Card
I wanted, but a significant improvement from my previous National
shows and a proud way to end the competition season.
Life as a 6-Figure
19 Year Old
Business Owner
After moving to Houston, I had one mission in mind:
grow Progress with Poptarts to be one of the biggest coaching companies in the world. I was also working on
a secret side project, PushxPWR, which was a supplement brand I created from the ground up. I learned so much about business, branding, etc. with this project, and I had so much fun creating the brand. Everything was going
so well in business, and I hired two assistant coaches under Progress with Poptarts, as well as a virtual assistant and an outreach specialist.
Things could not have been going better. And… they didn’t - because things took a turn for the worst in the beginning of 2022.
WhaT I never Shared
on Social Media;
The Downfall of my Business
In the beginning of 2022, I faced some serious complications with my employees and had to let them go to uphold the standard and integrity of my business. This was a tough decision, not just as a business owner but also as a friend, since these two individuals were among my only friends in Houston. The fallout led to me losing almost 70% of my clients due to some illegal soliciting, which meant the business income also dropped
by about 70%.
But expenses didn’t take a break. I had financial obligations in my personal life,
I was supporting and funding my supplement company, and I was participating
in mentorships and classes. All of this led me into almost $15,000 of credit card
debt with no income to pay it off. I had no choice but to forfeit my supplement
company and ultimately fell into a deep sense of failure and regret. I had
gone against my family’s advice to stay home and go to college for this dream…
and now it was all crashing down. I felt ashamed to turn to them for support
(they ended up finding out through social media), and I had no one to turn to
in Houston because my friends were once my business partners. I felt alone,
broken, and discouraged.
Although “I’m fine” was my favorite phrase, I was far from fine. I spent
3-4 months in a pity party before realizing I could no longer afford
the pity party. My savings were drained, my checking account was
empty, and my credit cards were maxed. I couldn’t afford to pay
my rent and had no choice but to move forward. Reaching this
point was a humbling experience, but it taught me that we
can’t wait for change - we need to be the change we want to
see in our lives. There's a certain beauty in hitting rock
bottom because it gives you a solid foundation to stand
on for a new beginning. And it was my time to start a new
journey. Every journey has one thing in common: Progress.
Progress turns our lowest moments into our greatest
triumphs. That’s where Project Progress was born.
PROJeCT Progress
is a brand builT by women, For women.
We believe in resilience, the strength of community,
and the beauty in every step forward, no matter how small. We empower women to embrace their unique journeys, transforming challenges into victories and dreams into reality.
The ProoF is in The Progress
Since then, I have been growing Project Progress and expanding its mission: helping women make progress everywhere in their lives, anywhere in the world. I've also been preparing for my next competition season, aiming to take another shot at my Pro Card.
Discovering God's presence in my life and becoming a follower of Jesus Christ has been pivotal in this season
of my life as well. His strength, love, and grace have carried me through all of my days; giving me peace, hope, gratitude, and humility.
This chapter hasn’t been without its challenges, but it’s
been a beautiful journey of rebuilding, rebranding, and rediscovering myself as a coach, competitor, business owner, and woman. The girl who dreamt of growing Progress with Poptarts is still here, but now she's stronger, more resilient, and more determined than ever.
Leading a team of incredible women, each on their own Project Progress journey, is a true privilege. Together,
we lift each other up, proving that progress is best made
as a team. Thank you for being a part of this amazing
journey and giving me the opportunity to turn my passion
into my career. Here’s to all the progress we’ve made and
all the progress still to come.
xxoo
-Jess
WhaT CLIENTS ARE SAYING
"Since working with Jess I have the biggest support system. These ladies are hype queens all on their own. We push each other. We help each other. At the time I reached out to Jess I didn’t realize how much I needed her and how much I needed this community. "
-Hunter
"When I found Jess’s Instagram page, I was immediately connected to her. I knew I HAD to have her as a coach. Within 5 months, I’ve recomped my body into something I’ve been searching for. My progress has been insane - both physically and mentally.
-Emalee
"Those girls are my family and I know at any given moment in the day I can reach out and they will be there to support me, cheer me on, and hype me up. Joining the team is the best decision I have ever made."
-Kayla