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Meet Jaime Villalovos of Happy & Strong

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jaime Villalovos.

Jaime, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I spent pretty much my whole childhood traveling back and forth between Montana and California. My parents were both from Los Angeles but moved to Montana when I was born. The summer after 2nd grade, they divorced and my mom and I moved back to Venice where she grew up. My dad stayed behind, later remarried and had five more kids.

The town in Montana was so tiny, only 325 people. Just a few streets wide and no street signs or stop lights. It was a rural farming community, so you can imagine the culture shock when we moved to California. My mom struggled as a single mom, so I kept having to go back to Montana to live with my dad and his new family. We were very poor and lived in a little trailer on food stamps and government help. I remember waking up a few mornings and being able to see my breath because it was freezing cold and we couldn’t afford propane to heat the house. I’d huddle my sisters into the bathroom as we would get ready for school. I remember singing songs with them and doing their hair, hoping they weren’t feeling the same sad and scared feelings I was. My dad was constantly in and out of work since jobs were so scarce. I knew there was no money for college and there were absolutely no opportunities for women out there.

So after high school, I left Montana and moved back to California for good. I lived in the Valley at first, working two jobs until I could afford to buy a car and get a decent-paying job. I started working for a big health club chain and paying my way through community college. I thought the gym would be a fun job and a good environment with people trying to improve themselves. I was quickly promoted to assistant manager, then manager and eventually was running several of the gyms in Studio City, West LA, and Encino. I worked 11-hour work days, usually 6 days a week, and had barely any time for myself. There was little recognition and a high-pressure environment. After about four and a half years there, I hit an income ceiling. I couldn’t make more money and I couldn’t really work much harder. The worst part was I felt like I had stopped learning and growing. I wanted something new where I could make an impact and have more control of my time. To top it off, I still really wasn’t able to help my family back home. My stepmother had become very ill and was bedridden, leaving my nine years old sister to do most of the work raising twin babies. Each day, I grew more and more dissatisfied.

I thought about starting my own business or doing real estate, but it was so hard to imagine getting something like that off the ground. I didn’t even know where to start. One day, a woman came into the gym and basically changed my whole life. She offered me the opportunity to visit her office. She had apparently noticed how hard I always worked and how I treated people. I was so hungry for change in my life, I was excited to learn more.

I was introduced to amazing mentors who taught me leadership skills, financial literacy, and how to run a business. I only stayed at the gym for another month and a half while I was learning a completely new industry.

I was 22, starting my entrepreneurial career in the predominantly male-dominated financial industry. I had to pass state exams and learn so many new skills. I was excited and terrified at the same time. The first 18 months were tough. I worked hard every day on myself and my business. Eventually, I started to get little wins and built an incredible reputation of helping those that many companies in my industry neglected, and a reputation of treating people right.

My confidence grew and I learned to lead and train others to be successful. I expanded that company within five years to a nationwide business helping tens of thousands of new clients annually.

My biggest goal was to be an example to my younger siblings. I wanted to show them that it doesn’t matter where we came from, all that matters is where we want to go. I wanted to help my family, but more importantly I wanted to be the one to change our family’s tree. I worked hard, stayed focused and coachable to my mentors, and became a 7-figure earner by the time I was 30 years old.

Since then I have built multiple businesses, helped others become entrepreneurs who have become multiple six- and seven-figure earners. My passion, though, is the philanthropic work I’m involved in. I consider myself an “Impactpreneur.” I love to equip people with the leadership skills to create change. I’m a global child advocate and on the board of children’s charities like The All For One Foundation that builds prosperity centers, schools, orphanages and clinics for children in third-world countries. I’m also heavily involved in organizations helping to fight bullying, children sex trafficking, and increase autism awareness. I love helping others to build wealth and leadership skills and find their own passion to serve and lift others.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It was anything but a smooth road. While trying to get my business off the ground, I struggled a lot. I was only 22 and looked like I was about 12 years old. I felt like no one would take me seriously as a financial professional or as a business leader. I didn’t have many clients or know many people in California, and had no experience in my new industry. I was living in a tiny 600-square foot apartment, paying my rent many times on a credit card. I went $60k in debt and often wondered if I would make it.

One of my business partners lied and stole from me, hurting several clients. I had to rebuild my agency from scratch at least three times. I had to get rid of one of my star players because he was making sexual advances and harassing many of the females in my company, costing me hundreds of thousands of dollars. I also had four children along the way and had to learn to make lots of adjustments and come up with so many new systems to run my business.

The hardest challenge I faced was after having my third child. I became very sick and was diagnosed with an “incurable” autoimmune disease. I lost about 30 pounds and my muscles would become fatigued very quickly. I constantly had brain fog, pain, and could hardly walk up the stairs in my home. It was hard to focus at all in business. I felt like a horrible mom and was starting to become depressed. Just like I had set goals and became a student of my industry and leadership, I now had to do the same for my health. I became a student of my own body. I set a goal to become well again. For about 18 months, it was the hardest struggle of my life but I’m happy to say I have been completely autoimmune-free for about 11 years now. Through diet and self-care, I was able to reverse the disease. This, like most adversity, was a gift. I learned how to take care of myself and now I’m happier and healthier than ever, both physically and mentally.

We’ve been impressed with Happy & Strong, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I’m excited right now about one of my companies called “Happy & Strong.” I’ve spent the last 23 years helping people start their own businesses, teaching leadership development and success principles, and by far the thing I’m most passionate about teaching is how to find joy and fulfillment in your work. I’m proud of the brand and reputation we have built of adding value to people’s lives, doing what’s right always, and of putting our people and clients first. Our organization is known for its strength of character and being service-oriented. Happy & Strong coaches individuals and couples how to set and achieve their biggest goals and dreams while also having balance and happiness in the journey. We have workshops on mental wellness, self-care, work-life balance, goal setting, leadership and entrepreneurship. We have helped thousands of people who started off broke and at the bottom become successful, contributing entrepreneurs making multiple six- and seven-figure incomes. Our clients and teammates are able to get total clarity on their ideal life and how to achieve it to become their happiest, best self.

During the pandemic, as a leader of thousands of people, I was working closely with individuals to help them stay mentally healthy and focused on the good. Everyone went into their own little form of depression and are now realizing they want more out of life. I was inspired to write a book to get these secrets and tools out to more people. This is the project I’m most excited about right now. So many of us are hurting, dissatisfied with where they are in life, and feeling stuck. Many feel like they want more out of life and want to be making an impact with meaningful work. Others are working hard but are feeling stressed, anxious and overwhelmed. I know this book will change countless lives. It launches May 17 and is available anywhere books are sold. I truly believe it will help you have more confidence, clarity, success, and happiness!

I stretch vision and build leaders. My goal is to equip people with three things: 1) leadership skills, 2) the ability to attract and retain wealth, and of course how to be good stewards of that wealth, and 3) I want to work on their character and hopefully spark a fire of philanthropy. If someone has leadership skills and money, they can change their world. You can learn more about our courses, live and virtual events at happyandstrong.com but definitely get your copy of the book.

Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
I’m a mother of 4 and run multiple businesses, do philanthropic work and I’m active in the community. I want people to know that you can “have it all.” Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t. You can have meaningful work and pursue your passions and have a strong family. You don’t have to neglect your spiritual life or your wellness. If a little girl who grew up poor between a trailer in Montana and a tiny room on Venice beach can make it, you for sure can too. There are two of you. The one who is and the person who could be. Get clear on what your ideal life looks like and who that second, better version of you is. Get excited about where you are going and what amazing things you will do and experience and the difference you are going to make. Create it first in your mind, then on paper then go build it.

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