Desert Living Now
ATM Investors Founder CJ McMahon and Sydney Freeman Launch 'Joy in the Fight' Charity to Support Families in Crisis
Two innovative community leaders appeared on Desert Living this week to share how commercial success can be leveraged to drive profound philanthropic change. CJ McMahon, the founder of ATMinvestors.com, and Sydney Freeman, a dedicated charitable advocate, stopped by the studio to discuss their professional achievements and the launch of their joint non-profit foundation, Joy in the Fight.
McMahon's journey into the world of asset acquisition began in the fast-paced digital marketing sector, where he successfully founded one of the very first TikTok advertising agencies. After building the agency into a lucrative enterprise, he orchestrated a successful exit at just twenty-five years old. Looking to reclaim his personal time and escape the endless cycle of managing massive employee counts, McMahon found inspiration during a business trip to Atlanta. While visiting a client who managed a portfolio of one thousand ATM units, McMahon recognized the long-term viability and freedom offered by automated financial infrastructure, prompting him to pivot entirely into the automated teller machine industry.
That pivotal realization led to the creation of ATM Investors, an acquisition and management firm that sources, buys, and operates cash-flowing ATM businesses across the United States. Having secured alternative wealth and time freedom for his own family and a growing network of passive investors, McMahon decided to reallocate his collective business acumen and resources toward a higher social purpose.
Partnering with Sydney Freeman, McMahon co-founded Joy in the Fight. The specialized charity is designed to step in and provide immediate, direct financial relief for families suddenly confronted with unthinkable, life-threatening medical crises. Freeman explained that the foundation utilizes their expansive personal and professional networks to identify families drowning under the immense financial burdens of sudden illness. By covering critical living expenses and medical debts, the charity aims to strip away financial anxiety, allowing vulnerable families to dedicate their precious time entirely to their loved ones. One of the foundation's initial initiatives involves supporting a close personal friend who is currently undergoing an intense battle with cancer.
In addition to his charitable efforts, McMahon is preparing to release a comprehensive new book titled The Art of Acquisitions. Developed over a year and a half of meticulous writing, the manuscript was recently picked up by a major national publishing house. McMahon noted that the book was born out of a constant stream of inquiries from everyday individuals asking how to successfully buy a business and break free from traditional corporate employment. Written to provide a practical, blood-sweat-and-tears blueprint, the book offers an explicit, step-by-step framework helping readers audit their current financial standing and build realistic operational plans to achieve absolute time freedom.
The studio segment wrapped up with widespread congratulations for the duo's dual focus on achieving the American dream while actively choosing to uplift others during their darkest hours.
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By: NBC Palm Springs
June 26, 2026


