Today we’d like to introduce you to Susan and Keven Brown.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Susan and Keven. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Keven and I met romantically, began dating and then as the relationship evolved, we moved to Chicago. The business was created as a way to blend both of our passions for health and fitness into one mission. Keven and I have over 25 years in combined experience, but we came from two very different backgrounds and two very different perspectives when we decided to create Bodimatrix. As different as they were, they just seemed to be a natural fit.
Keven has always been health conscious and has been an athlete his entire life. It was imprinted at an early age to respect and nurture his body with exercise and good nutrition. He played sports as a kid and throughout his teenage years. He practiced martial arts and has always pushed his body to increasing levels of fitness. His love for exercise and high performance naturally attracted him to the world of personal fitness. His appreciation of health and fitness is deeply ingrained and is both contagious and inspiring! Keven became a personal trainer later in life because of his never-ending passion for fitness and his deep desire to help others achieve maximum health and has worked as a trainer for all the major gyms, training hundreds of clients throughout the years. He is an expert in the fields of personal fitness training, fitness boxing, and nutrition coaching. His clients range in age from 23 to 70; some just wanting to get into better physical shape or stay in shape, while others are focusing on reversing the damage caused by a major health crisis.
I come from the other side of the fence. I am personally familiar with the deep pain, self-loathing, and constant struggle of being out of control and feeling hopeless. At my heaviest, I was slightly over 300lbs and literally dying from the crushing weight of it all. I had no idea how I was going to gain control and couldn’t fathom how to drop half my weight. Losing 150 pounds is daunting; even more so in your 40’s. I was completely lost; I even tried surgery and still struggled. That is, until my “ah ha” moment happened. I immersed myself in education about exercise, nutrition, and mental wellness. In the course of 12 months I totally transformed my lifestyle and dropped over 150 pounds.
That was 10 years ago! Now, I share what I have learned and what I know works with all my clients who are looking for help and guidance in their own weight loss journey. My main focus is to understand how a client thinks and relates to food, their relationship with food and current lifestyle choices; I then provide simple and effective tools, specific to their individual road blocks, which will help them achieve easier weight loss. I help clients reshape their mind and spirit while Keven helps them reshape their body.
Since Keven and I are both in our 50’s, we have had our own life experiences from two very different ends of the spectrum. We know what it’s like to get in or stay in shape in our 20’s, 30’s, 40’s and now into our 50’s. Personal training, nutritional and weight loss coaching are completely different when working with a 25-year-old client vs. a 50-year-old client. Helping someone lose 100 pounds vs. 20 pounds is different as well. We really understand the dynamics of health and fitness for clients of all ages and weight ranges.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
We started our business in 2014 from the ground up with nothing but a dream to help people and make a difference in their lives. To do this right, we decided that we would have to be all in. Quitting our jobs to do this full-time was a complete “leap of faith.” We both knew the statistics; 90% of new businesses fail within the first 2 years. As scary as that was, we both believed we understood what it would take to make it and what makes a business stand out from the competition.
I wouldn’t say it was easy, not by a long shot, but it was definitely worth it! At the beginning, we worked 15-20 hour days, sometimes 7 days a week for weeks on end. We still work crazy hours. When you own your own business, there is never a lot of down time. Even when you’re “off”, you’re never really off. You’re always thinking about it. Thinking about new products, new marketing ideas, what you can do to make things even better for your clients, designing and running websites. You need to always stay on top of what your clients are looking for. There is no “coasting” when you own your own company, but the reward is in the fact we created a company that changes the lives of others.
Bodimatrix – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
At Bodimatrix, we focus on a holistic approach to a healthy lifestyle. Using the latest scientific data from neuroscience, body mechanics, and nutrition, along with other fields of study; Bodimatrix is a synergistic combination of mental reconditioning, physical fitness, and optimized nutritional programs uniquely designed for each and every client. We combine individualized fitness, nutrition, and behavioral change programs that help our clients not only reach their goals, but maintain them. Keven holds certifications in personal training, nutritional fitness coaching and fitness boxing. I hold a certification in lifestyle and weight loss management. So, we offer everything from one-on-one personal fitness training, partner fitness training, fitness boxing, nutritional coaching to weight loss coaching. We can work with a client in-person or online and we even offer a variety of online nutritional programs specifically designed for detoxing, fat loss, or weight loss. We also believe it’s important to give back to our community and do so by hosting our local Biggest Loser Challenges… we have a blast doing them!
Although we came from very different paths, when Keven and I met, we found each other at the same place in life, sharing the same dream, the same genuine passion for health and fitness, and the same burning desire to help other people who are struggling; find their way to a better and healthier lifestyle. That burning desire to help others is what gave birth to Bodimatrix and we have been helping people in Chicago and all over the country achieve their health and fitness goals ever since!
We pride ourselves on our experience, knowledge base and professionalism. At the same time, we want our clients to have fun and feel relaxed when they are with us. We feel the little things are just as important at the big things, so we are “old school” and treat each and every client like we would want to be treated. We are most proud of the relationships we have built with our clients. They are like family to us and we are grateful for each and every one of them. We don’t take any of this for granted. It’s just that simple.
We believe our greatest strength and what sets us apart from others is the fact that Keven has maintained a healthy and fit body his whole life, knowing what it takes to keep a body healthy and strong even into his 50’s. I, on the other hand, know exactly what it’s like to struggle with major weight issues and what really works to achieve long-term weight loss success. Most health and fitness experts currently in Chicago are young or have never personally struggled with weight issues. Together, our life experiences and age have provided us with a much broader perspective and knowledge base than most trainers currently have.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success for us is when a client is making forward movement in reaching their goals and are making better, healthier choices. We do not believe in perfection. We believe in progress. If we assist a client in constructing a really strong foundation and then help them build upon that, they have a greater chance of reaching their goals and maintaining them throughout their lives.
We also want to connect with our clients on a very human, emotional level. We genuinely care about our clients and want them to enjoy the process and embrace the changes that will be required of them. Working with a trainer or a weight loss coach is a very personal thing and there needs to be a high level of trust and friendship for it to really work.
We want our clients to feel strong and empowered. Not just physically, but emotionally and mentally as well. Good health is more than just a number on the scale or the size pants you wear. It’s about being and feeling strong and healthy in your own skin. When a client feels more confident, inside and out, then we have been successful!
Pricing:
- New Client Kickstart: 3-60 Minute Personal Training Sessions for $180. One per person. New clients only.
- 30% Discount on our Weight Loss Coaching (10 or 20 Session) Packages. Use VOYCHICAGO30 at time of purchase. One per person.
- Visit website for all products offered
Contact Info:
- Address: 345 E Wacker Drive, Ste. 3011
Chicago, Illinois 60601 - Website: www.bodimatrix.com
- Phone: 312 914 2737
- Email: info@bodimatrix.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kdb_Bodimatrix/
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/Bodimatrix-LLC-1461292380828160/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/keven0223
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCXpTMQQ0zwHh3FM08lJ48A
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