Job: Karate and kickboxing instructor and general manager of Atlanta Kick
What I do: Don't mess with Alison Massa. She may be small, but the general manager and certified instructor at Atlanta Kick -- a karate, kickboxing and fitness school -- has a black belt in karate, teaches kickboxing and likes to make people do push-ups.
For Massa, 29, and Atlanta Kick, the real purpose of the lessons is developing self-confidence, achieving fitness goals and having fun.
"I make sure everyone is happy, learning and having fun," she said.
For adults, that usually means fitness classes in kickboxing and a boot camp-style regimen to keep people motivated and working toward their goals. For children, it's karate as both a sport and a fitness program.
What got me interested in this: "When I was little, I took ballet. My dad and brother took karate. When I saw what they did, it was 'goodbye, ballet; hello, karate!' " Massa said. "My mom saw her dreams of a little princess dancer go away."
Fitness is important to Massa. "I'm always working out, keeping in shape. Fitness is a big part of who I am."
She describes herself as a competitor; she participated in cross country, basketball, soccer and track at Mount Zion High School in Jonesboro.
She was a football manager there and also at Georgia Tech, where she earned a degree in management.
Best part of my job: "Working with kids -- especially when their faces light up when you teach them," she said.
In addition, Massa said, she can work in her pajamas (actually, a T-shirt and long sports pants) and go barefoot.
"I can make people do push-ups anytime I want," she added.
Most challenging part: "Making a decision that the child is not going to like," such as telling a child that he or she is not ready to move up to the next level. "It's best for the individual, but they don't always understand."
What people don't know about my job: "How involved you get with students and their families." She said she constantly thinks of ways to help a person overcome a problem or reach a goal.
What keeps me going: "The kids -- making a difference in their lives every day. That was missing from other jobs: touching their lives," she said.
Preparation needed for this job: You have to enjoy fitness, Massa said, and be able to do anything for students, ages 4 to 60, at the school. That's where her management degree helps.
She also has a first-degree black belt in karate and is a certified instructor in karate and kickboxing.
Earning the black belt took years of training in technique, sparring and learning defense skills.
"By the time you get a black belt, you're pretty much in the best shape you're ever going to be in," she said.
Massa started at Atlanta Kick as a student. "I nagged the owner every day to work here," she said. She was a student and instructor for four years and has been general manager for two years.
- By Karl Ritzler, for ajcjobs. Got an interesting job that you love? E-mail your story to jobseditor@ajc.com.