Edgard Corona is the CEO and founder of SmartFit, a multinational fitness company that operates in 10 countries. Edgard has been named one of Brazil’s most influential people by Forbes magazine, and he is also listed among the world’s top fitness entrepreneurs. Edgard started his entrepreneurial journey as an 18-year-old by selling Brazilian cachaça (a type of spirit) to help provide for his family.
Edgard studied business administration at Fundação Getúlio Vargas in Rio de Janeiro. He obtained a master’s degree in Business Administration from Harvard University before joining McKinsey & Company, where he became a partner after 13 years there.
Edgard has contributed to the success of Bio Ritmo. Edgard Corona is also currently working alongside Harvard University’s Center for Health and Global Environment. In addition to his businesses in Brazil, Edgard is the co-owner of a company in Mexico called Groupo Fiesta, which he founded with two American investors from California.
Edgard takes care of SmartFit’s fitness division part-time while focusing on his finance division full-time. During a one-year period where Edgard was not involved with SmartFit, the company lost half of its revenue. Edgard got the company back on track by focusing on marketing, with over 300 new centers opening in Brazil alone since Edgard’s return.
Edgard also created a model for franchising which has helped fuel the international expansion of his company, with 100 centers already open in Mexico and 500 more planned across Latin America. Edgard Corona attributes much of his success to his Harvard education, saying that it is “where I learned to think differently.”
Edgard Corona is genuinely an inspiration thanks to his hard work ethic, innovative business strategy, willingness to contribute to society, and most importantly, his passion for health & fitness!