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March 2022 Business Spotlight
Jolie Glassman, the True Fighter and Motivator Behind South Beach Boxing
Jolie Glassman, owner and operator of South Beach Boxing, is on a mission to make people feel good about themselves. She preaches transformation, inspiration and fulfillment.
Throughout her life, Glassman has always been a fighter. Born in Beverly Hills as the youngest of three sisters, her father passed away when she was just 2. At age 7, the family moved to South Florida to be closer to her mother’s family. Glassman’s mother was extremely strict and worked long hours to support the family.
Glassman recalls being terrible in her physical education class when she was in elementary school. She remembers having to run a penalty lap around the track because she finished behind all of the other children. It was then that she promised herself she would never finish last again. By age 15, she had become a regular at the gym.
“You cannot have a strong mind and a strong life with a weak body,” Glassman shared, “In everything I did, I chased strength. I knew I wanted to be strong in all areas.”
This philosophy has guided Glassman throughout life. After graduating from Florida International University, she was accepted into a scholarship program — For Our Children in Urban Settings or F.O.C.U.S. She taught at inner city schools, alternative educational units, detention centers and jails. She did not tolerate bullying but when her students fought, she would allow it only if she knew beforehand that no one would jump in.
So began Glassman’s mission in life to fight for the rights of children. She found the perfect avenue to help children and adults alike via boxing.
Jolie Glassman signing copies of her book, "Life According to the Rules of Boxing: 101 Rules to Being the Champion of Your Own Life"
In 1998, Glassman and her former husband founded Real Gyms for Real People. In 2001, as the company began to expand, Glassman left teaching and began spearheading the operations at the original South Florida Boxing, South Beach. After the couple divorced in 2010, Glassman retained sole ownership of South Florida Boxing and rebranded it South Beach Boxing. Many celebrities have visited the business over the years, including Muhammad Ali, Angelo Dundee, Evander Holyfield, Roy Jones Jr., Lennox Lewis, Chris Bosh, Will Smith and many others.
Glassman’s passion and commitment to youth exercise has influenced the Miami Beach community. In 2010, she established her own nonprofit called Jolie’s Kids. The mission of Jolie’s Kids is to create a safe place where children can build character, find strength and succeed through the discipline of boxing and fitness. Teens are encouraged to come to boxing classes after school as a safe place to exercise and get fit.
“When children are encouraged to fight in a controlled environment, they choose not to fight on the streets,” Glassman said. “Boxing and boxing workouts make kids strong, fit, confident, humble, disciplined, focused and so much more.”
South Beach Boxing is a full-service, family style, performance training gym providing hundreds of classes each month along with a complete gym. Glassman describes South Beach Boxing as a fighting fitness school, unlike any other fitness facility, because it offers an educational, individualized and personalized experience.
Recently, Glassman wrote a book titled: “Life According to the Rules of Boxing: 101 Rules to Being the Champion of Your Own Life” which offers a curriculum for life and discusses how to live your life like a boxer and be the champion fighter of your own life.
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