Tracy Klebe and Janine Ford on friendship, empty nests, ancient tiles, and why Mahjong might be the best thing women can do for their minds — and each other.
At the intersection of ancient tradition and modern wellness, you’ll find Tracy Klebe and Janine Ford. These two friends turned a tearful conversation about empty nests and personal loss into Mahj with a Twist—a flourishing Mahjong teaching and wellness business launched last September. Tracy and Janine discuss how this complex game of tiles is doing much more than just passing the time; it’s building a sanctuary for women’s cognitive health and social connection.
How did Mahj with a Twist begin?
Tracy: Janine and I worked together in the wellness space and have always enjoyed each other. Fast forward about a year — we were on the phone, in tears, because we were both in the middle of major transitions. Her youngest child had just told her he was moving into his apartment at SLU that weekend. And my mom had just passed away. We were both sort of floundering.
Janine: I think I said something like, ‘We need to start a business.’ And Tracy was immediately on board.
Tracy: I just wanted any excuse to hang with her, honestly. When we started discussing ideas, we both wanted to do something around a table. I have dinner with my family every Sunday. Janine is the ultimate entertainer, an amazing chef. We landed on Mahjong because it felt like the perfect way to combine several areas of our lives that are important to us.
Janine: We knew there was something magical about Mahjong. For Tracy and me, the tiles are great, the game is great — but it’s everything else that happens around the table. The ‘Oh my gosh, let’s keep the group together and do this next week.’ The best thing we hear when we leave a game is that the women want to keep getting together. That they’re continuing that community.
Tracy: Several years ago, I went to a good friend’s mom’s funeral, and I saw all of her mom’s Mahjong friends. They were all in their 80s, sharp as a tack, talking about the good times they’d had together at the table. I walked away thinking, there’s something magical happening here. I would love a group of Mahjong friends showing up at my funeral, speaking to the fact that we got together twice a month for decades.
Janine: Once we decided our business would center around Mahjong, we spent last summer studying at the library, passed a very difficult certification test, and just launched. We really had no idea what this business would look like.
What does Mahj with a Twist offer?
Janine: We teach beginner Mahjong lessons to groups ranging in size from 4-16. Never more than two tables, so there’s always a teacher at each table. And we do partnered learning in larger groups — two people share one rack and one card and bounce ideas off each other. It takes the intimidation out completely.
Tracy: We come to you. We bring everything — the tables, the chairs, the tablescape, the snacks. We’ll come to your home, a boutique, a country club, a corporate setting, or a coffee shop. For those who love to host, we set it all up and leave without a trace.
Janine: Mahjong is a very hard game. We always say, “No one’s going to feel great after this first lesson. Your brain’s going to hurt. But by lesson three, when you start actually playing, it starts clicking.”
Tracy: We love teaching the game, and our teaching style provides an environment where people leave feeling confident and excited for the next lesson. We never want anyone to leave our table feeling intimidated or that they didn’t learn according to the National Mahjong league rules. We want people to learn without feeling overwhelmed or frustrated. We recommend three lessons, and then we think you are ready to play in the wild.
What’s the ‘twist’ in the name?
Janine: We don’t just teach Mahjong; we are always looking for a way to habit stack and bring another health component to it. The game combines sensory skills, using your brain, your hands, your vision, and even your hearing. We bring healthy snacks, always brain-forward food: nut mixes, popcorn with nutritional yeast, or seasonal items. We love sharing hosting tips and wellness ideas. On Tuesdays on Instagram, we post ‘Our Favorite Things’ — what we’re watching, listening to, reading, and eating. We fold all of those things into the business.
Tracy: Janine prepares incredible food for some lessons. She elevates every single bite. The experience is everything. We want it to feel like a warm hug. Janine and I know the value of treating the whole person. We want to offer an experience that fosters cognitive benefits and creates a community for women.
Tell me about who’s actually playing.
Janine: It really has crossed the multi-generational divide. We have taught ages 15-86! We’ll teach young girls, women hoping to keep their brains sharp, men looking for a way to connect with their wives, retirees, club members, and even college graduates whose moms gifted them tiles to keep roommates coming back together. During the holidays, grandma, mom, daughter, and the youngsters all sit around a table together.
Janine: At the end of the day, we just want to be a tool in the toolkit for women’s health and wellbeing. That’s our goal.
Tracy: We just want to gather around the table and let the magic of Mahjong do the rest.
Mahj with a Twist
Follow along at @mahjwithatwist on Instagram, or www.mahjwithatwist.com.
Mahj with a Twist is a Mahjong teaching and wellness business that proves complex tiles are more than a game around a table; it’s about building a sanctuary for cognitive health and social connection.