Today we’d like to introduce you to Bruna Carvalho.
Bruna, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Everything started back in Brazil when I decided to leave my job as a Food Engineer and travel abroad to learn a second language.
I first came to the USA at the end of 2012 to work as an au pair for a family in New Jersey. Things did not go as well as I planned. I had to take care of three little girls, learn a new language, deal with a new culture, cold weather and strange people. I could not drive since the family did not allow me to use the car. I also had to work over the weekends. It was a lot to take in. Locked in my room, I used to eat Oreos and Kit Kats for dinner and cereal for breakfast. Suddenly, I saw myself 22LBs heavier in only three months.
I made the decision to change my journey in America and I finally switched host families. I was re-matched with a different family in Connecticut. I started going to the gym, eating healthier and being more active. I even hired a trainer to help me with the weight loss process. I lost the weight I gained, got my confidence back and fell in love with my new lifestyle. My personal trainer taught me more about my body than I ever thought I could learn at the time. I became interested in doing the same thing for others, coaching and helping them to achieve their goals like my trainer helped me to do. In 2016, I became a NASM certified personal trainer and immediately got hired by a big gym chain. My first job as a trainer was very challenging. A lot of prospecting on the gym floor, phone calls, e-mails, greeting people at the front desk, free fitness consultations. Nothing seemed to be easy for a very shy person like me, who was always self-conscience about my English. However, after working hard for five months, my schedule was finally booked. Having a full schedule is a dream of every single trainer. I was in a great position, hitting all the company’s goals and making my clients happy by giving them results.
In 2016, my husband and I decided to move down to Houston to try something new and I was up to the challenge. We left our stable jobs back in the North to live a more laid back lifestyle in the south. I had to start all over again and that terrified me. However, starting over and over is something very familiar to me and I was confident that I would be able to do it one more time. Getting out of the comfort zone always makes you grow and I was searching for improvement and growth as a human being. I got a job in the first month of my arrival in Texas. I knew the salary was not enough, so I ended up getting a second job as a babysitter.
Over time, I started to meet new people and make new connections. I saw the opportunity to get private clients and train them in my gym apartment so that was what I did. After almost a year filling up my evenings with babysitting, I left that part-time job to follow my real career. I started training my sister-in-law and one of her friends and people around noticed my passion for my job. My husband came up with an idea to brand my business, which he called Bodies by Bruna.
In the beginning, I thought he was joking, but I was wrong. He was very serious about the business. He even created an Excel document with all the details and a power point presentation to convince me that Bodies by Bruna could work. Little by little I began to build up my private clientele, getting clients from referrals, doing events in the apartment’s complex to promote the brand, giving away bottles, shirts, and free fitness sessions. Soon, I saw myself super busy, working in a brand name gym in the mornings and training my private clients in the afternoon and evenings. I was not happy with my job at the brand name fitness facility so I decided to leave and luckily I had some of my clients following me into my private business. Today, I am my own boss and I control my own schedule. I always try to give my clients the best version of myself, always motivating them during the workouts, being flexible when they need.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I can assure that nothing in life comes easy. I am the oldest child of three and I did not have anybody to look up to. I decided to put myself out there and experience on my own how tough life can be when you are by yourself.
Leaving my family back in Brazil to learn a second language was so far the biggest challenge of my life. After that, I became resilient and stronger. I feel like I can achieve anything.
Leaving my stable job back in Connecticut to adventure myself in Houston was scary. But I would have never known If I had not tried. If you really want to pursue a dream, you will have to fight for it with all of your heart and soul, work hard, make mistakes and learn from them. Also, being patient and resilient is the key to achieve success.
For the young women out there, I advise not letting the fear of unknown and insecurities stop you from reaching your goals and dreams.
Please tell us about BODIES BY BRUNA.
I have been a NASM certified personal trainer for over three years now. When working with my clients, I like to really focus on form and technique. Quality over quantity. They need to understand how to move their bodies properly before loading themselves. My approach is overall strength, weight loss, and functional training. The most important thing about my brand Bodies by Bruna is the passion for fitness with a focus of helping people. I offered them the convenience of working out at their own houses or apartments, a very flexible schedule, and no contracts. My relationship with my clients is built on trust and honesty. I think the main thing that sets me apart from other trainers is my overall desire to see my clients succeed and achieve their goals. The first thing I ask a new client is what they want to accomplish. When my clients are happy, I am happy. It is my job to continue to push them every time we meet so they can accomplish the goals they would like to achieve.
Were there people and/or experiences you had in your childhood that you feel laid the foundation for your success?
My families values definitely played an outsized role in setting me up for success. My parents were always hard on me during my childhood. Nothing was given to me in an easy way. They taught me to work hard for things I wish in life, always respecting people and God’s time. They prepared me to face the world out there.
Contact Info:
- Website: Instagram Bodies_by_Bruna
- Phone: 2035857237
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bodies_by_bruna/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bruna.figueiredocarvalho
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