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The Chalene Show | Diet, Fitness & Life Balance

Born In Detroit | My Origin Story Part 1 - 1257

The Chalene Show | Diet, Fitness & Life Balance

Chalene Johnson

Health & Fitness, Mental Health

4.87.2K Ratings

🗓️ 24 December 2025

⏱️ 55 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Chalene Johnson finally tells her origin story all in one place, starting at the very beginning in Part 1 of this series. From growing up broke in Michigan to dirt roads, sketchy neighbors, big risks, and parents who were way too young and figuring it out as they went, this episode is funny, honest, and a little chaotic. It is filled with moments that suddenly make a lot of things click without tying it up in a neat bow. This story is just getting started, so be sure to watch for Part 2, where things take a very unexpected turn.

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🤓What You Will Learn

  • How growing up broke but emotionally safe shaped confidence
  • Why stability matters more than money
  • How early exposure to business shaped her mindset
  • How childhood trauma leaves lasting marks
  • Why risk, reputation, and resilience mattered early
  •  How family dynamics influence independence
  • The difference between looking wealthy and being wealthy
  •  How early money lessons changed her relationship with risk

 

 

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Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

I realize, I don't know, in bits and pieces I've shared a little bit about my origin story,

0:06.0

what does that even mean? A little bit about like where I grew up, where we lived, what life was like.

0:13.4

But I don't know. I guess we've got a bunch of new people here. And I don't think that I've ever

0:19.6

shared this all in one cohesive timeline.

0:26.5

And it might make certain things make more sense.

0:29.6

My parents grew up in Detroit, specifically they went to Redford Township High School.

0:35.4

They were high school sweethearts. My dad played football.

0:39.3

My mom played powder puff football. I'm not sure what that means, but I think he was a year

0:45.0

older than Margie in high school. I got married when she was 18. He was 19. She had me when

0:52.3

she was 19. This is why my mom looks so young. She is young. We lived in

0:58.7

when they had me at the time, I believe, what was my dad doing? I think he was, yes, he was

1:05.7

working as a motorcycle mechanic. And my mom, I don't believe, was work. Yeah. It's so funny. I've read the comments in their

1:15.4

high school yearbook, and they're like, Margie, good luck with Bill. This is so funny to read that.

1:20.5

And my mom had dark hair all her life, like brown hair, lighter brown hair, but you know what I mean?

1:27.5

And she decided to dye it blonde for her wedding, like brown hair. Lighter brown hair, but you know what I mean. And she decided to die it blonde for her wedding, like bleach it blonde.

1:32.5

And apparently it like all fell out.

1:35.0

My mom is 4.11 and 3 quarters.

1:37.8

She's barely 5 feet.

1:39.0

I mean, she's really not even 5 feet.

1:40.8

And when you look at the wedding photos of my parents, my mom's side of the family lined up

1:48.6

and then my dad's side of the family. Now my dad is 5'10. He's very tall compared to my mom.

1:55.6

But when you look at these photos, I never realized it until Brett pointed it out. When you're a little girl, you look at your parents' wedding albums, or at least I did.

...

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