Dance Your Way To Vibrant Health
an interview with Evelina Hovich

Evelina Hovich has a story and a personality that draws you in. She’s super-accomplished but acknowledges she’s not perfect. In fact, she believes none of us are and that’s okay! Evelina started out her career doing what she thought was “right” but it wasn’t what she loved, so it didn’t work. Then she bravely stepped out into something new, embraced her passion for helping others – through wellness coaching plus salsa dancing! – and now she’s really in the groove.

1. Tell us about your business – what’s your mission; your soul’s purpose and why you created your wellness business or service?

Initially, I created my business to save the world. I became very passionate about health and wellness and the impact of food after my daughter was born. When I graduated from the Institute of Holistic Nutrition 6 years later, I was on the mission to help EVERYONE whether they wanted or not; I spoke about nutrition 99% of the time. I don’t think I was fun to be around! So it took a few slaps and rejections but I learned to adapt my approach so I can actually save the world 

I learned to meet people where they are, love them through their not-doings,, not making any changes, or not working with me.

My mission got clarified in the process and now I am clearer than I have ever been. My mission today is to inspire, to positively impact lives by providing products and services which combine wellness coaching with salsa dancing.  I would like to show overwhelmed, busy, business moms how to find the fun in life again, how to truly enjoy every day, how to prevent disease, and navigate through life with ease and joy. My soul’s purpose is to serve them in a way that is loving and kind, and show them that you can be healthy, happy, have fun and you can do it without killing your partner or your kids in the process (lol).

2. Tell us about your journey and your story….what got you to this point today?

I gave ZERO thought to nutrition before my daughter Naomi was born. It wasn’t until she started eating solid foods that I began to ponder the connection between what we put in our mouths and how we feel. Transitioning from my fancy corporate career to a veggie-munching, nut-soaking, fish-oil-drinking health practitioner was no easy journey. There were a LOT of bumps along the way. I tried a million diets. I cleansed, again and again.

I did high-fat. Then low fat. Paleo. Then high carb. Then low carb. You name it, I tried it. Anti-inflammatory. Metabolic balance. Dairy-free. Gluten-free. Elimination. High protein. I did it ALL.

Over a decade of self-experimentation, punctuated with huge doses of yoga, dance, Pilates, CrossFit and meditation.

And I learned a TON.

Along the way, I also learned to meet my clients where they are. To guide them in a way that works for them. To love them through their transformations, their challenges, their not-doing-anything moments. Because I realized……it’s all perfect. We’re never a finished product. A healthy body is never a done deal. It’s a road we travel down all our life long.

3. How are you changing the face of healthcare and/or the wellness industry? How do you create, innovate or break the rules in healthcare?

My goal and mission is to remind my clients of their own power. There are constantly new diets, new research, new findings. The amount of information we have access to is truly overwhelming, even for those of us who are in the health and wellness industry. I truly believe that the lifestyle, the thoughts, how we feel about ourselves and the things we do are what makes a difference in our wellbeing. The secret is not in the next fashionable diet, but in listening to your body, loving yourself even when you are a mess … especially then.  For example, it’s not necessarily the coffee that impacts your adrenals, but more so what you think and feel when you drink it, the company you share it with, etc.

The way I now structure my coaching is by combining all of my knowledge and training in nutrition, personal development, mindset, and dance. I bring it all together by coaching wellness through and with dance (salsa dance in particular). Because when you are having fun, enjoying yourself, feeling good about yourself, everything is possible. Decisions made from the place of feeling good, are way more likely to transpire.

I also strongly believe that there is no one approach that is right or wrong. Each person’s path is different and it is important to recognize that each person knows what’s best for him/her, and I am certainly not a guru.  I am a mentor who can help my clients see and recognize their own power and knowledge in knowing which way is THE best for them at THIS moment in time. Things are constantly changing, our life circumstances, preferences, conditions change all the time, and so the approach will change too. And that’s totally okay!

4. What personal and professional legacy or impact do you want to leave on the world?

I want people to feel good, to have fun, to enjoy their life to the fullest but also not beat themselves up when things are not going exactly according to the plan and to be more loving and accepting of themselves. I would love to be known for making a difference, for creating fun, and for inspiring people to live a happier life in the midst of stress and overwhelm in small and large communities.

This quote by Maya Angelou describes what I want to be known for the best:

5. In your opinion, what is the most significant factor in healing or overall wellness?

People’s belief in their own power and focusing on joy.

6. What do you wish people realized when it comes to their health or about the wellness industry?

How to listen to their own body, how to accept and love themselves more, that the human body is incredible and its power of healing is way stronger than most of us believe. I must bring up this quote from an unknown source: “Your body’s ability to heal is greater than anyone has permitted you to believe.”

7. How long did it take you to reach important milestones in your wellness business? And, what has really helped you move the needle in making your vision a reality?

My first 2 years in business were all based on 1:1 in-clinic consults. I never thought about the concept of my ideal client and who did I want to serve. Mind you, I thought when I left nutrition school I knew I wanted to save the world and tell everyone I know they must change how they eat, live, and function on a daily basis. As you can imagine, that didn’t go very far. You see, they don’t teach you in nutrition school how to run a business, how to structure your marketing, or how to make sure you serve at your best capacity.

What happened to me, I got very busy right out of nutrition school and on some days could hardly keep up with demand. But I got burned out, I was exhausted, I wasn’t eating well, I was a mess. I had to take time off, to re-set, to re-focus and re-start.

One of the major milestones and turning points for me was taking B-School by Marie Forleo. Not only it taught me A LOT, it also gave me access to an incredible and supportive community.

Another major milestone was the realization that I can build a business combining two of my main passions: passion for natural health and passion for salsa dancing. This really made a huge difference in how I feel about my business and brought a whole new level of excitement about it. I now run events, workshops, 1:1 coaching, and I’m planning a retreat – all of those combine wellness and dance!

8. Tell us about the start-up scares: Was there a moment where you ever seriously contemplated giving up?

You mean, the one-hundred times? “Who is gonna’ pay me? Who needs what I have to offer? Do I know enough? Can I make a difference?” All of that despite many great testimonials, thank-you’s, clients’ results, and so on. All these questions … they still come up here and there but now I am aware of them and know how to quickly pivot and give myself the appreciation I deserve.

In the beginning it was tough, especially when I didn’t have the support from my family. After having a Masters Degree in Business IT and a potential to climb up the fancy corporate ladder,  I was laughed at when I chose to go to nutrition school and start everything from scratch.  I was told that nobody is ever gonna’ come to see me, that I will never make it. But I knew this was where my passion was. I wanted to do it even if I didn’t make any money out of it, so I continued and persevered.

9. Did you ever fail or make a substantial mistake in business or organization? Any serious challenges? How did you overcome and resolve it?

Many times! Ha-ha! Trying other businesses for the main purpose of making a lot of money. I happen to be good at many things (three immigrations and having lived in four different countries taught me a few things), but I was not driven by what made my heart sing (or dance!), and failed.

I had to stop, take a break, and take a few trips to self-discovery. Lots of personal development, retreats, meditation, and I was blessed to have the support and love of a few very close people in my life. Realizing what I am truly passionate about, what brings me joy, focusing on my strengths is what helped me to get back on my path.

10. What action has the most impact that you’ve taken to reach your goal/s?

Focusing on my strengths and hiring people for 1:1 support like business coach, life coach, marketing expert, developer, designer.

11. What would you tell your younger/earlier self about following your dreams?

First of all, ask yourself what is your dream is early on in life. Coming from a family which immigrated when I was 15, and then going through 2 more immigrations, asking myself “what is my dream life/future?” was not something I was consciously aware of when I was a child or even a young adult. It was more along the lines of what to study so that you can get a job anywhere to survive and provide for yourself and your family.

So first of all, I would say, ask yourself what is your dream. Then go for it, find people who support and understand you, and share your dream with them. Don’t let your family and friends project their own fears on to you.

12. What’s the best piece of business or personal advice YOU’VE ever received?

Wow, this is tough. There are so many that choosing one is really tricky. But I guess the best one is to build a business around your passion and life you want to live, and then give more, be more of service, provide more value than you expect to be paid for.

13. What’s the #1 piece of advice you would give a new Wellness professional who really wants to make an impact in healthcare and people’s lives?

Believe that the world needs your voice and what you have to offer. Please, don’t think that what you have to say has already been said or done – the most valuable gift you have to offer others is yourself, your personality, your voice, your energy. And also, drop the idea of being fearful of your competition. First of all, there are enough sick people for everyone. Secondly, the more we health practitioners unite and collaborate, the more we uplift and support each other, the more positive impact we can make, and the better this world will be.

14. What does a typical work day look like for you?

There is rarely such a thing as a typical day. While I do have scheduled hours for what I call “work”, being an entrepreneur means you can always be working.

And often, when something pops up that requires my immediate attention (my daughter, mom), I would work around it.

Also, I have accepted that the only constant in life is change and I allow myself to navigate my life which is constantly changing and evolving. I even change my morning routine often to reflect that.

Here is a rough outline of a “typical” day:

5 am – 7 am: Me time. This includes some of the following: meditation, walk, yoga, reading, affirmations, intention setting, shower, extra sleep if needed, and my morning coffee 

7 am – 9 am: Kitchen stuff: dishwasher unloading, breakfast and lunch prep, eating breakfast, and dropping my daughter off to school.

9:30 am – 1 pm: At my desk. Morning hours are usually dedicated to e-mails, social media, networking events, and content creation.

1 pm – 2 pm: Lunch. Sometimes it is a working lunch. I do like to dedicate time to enjoy food and eat mindfully for at least 30 min. The other 30 min might be tea at my desk type of desert. 

2 pm – 4 pm: Different every day: Monday is admin and marketing, Tue – client work, Wed – intro/sales calls, Thursday is all-day client work.

4 pm – 8 pm: Family time. I make sure I am available for my daughter after school, help with homework, etc. Then it is dinner prep, and actual dinner.

15. Stevie Wonder or The Beatles? (this, I personally must know.) 

Joe Cuba and Gilberto Santa Rosa

…

Ok, ladies. The party is on.

Wellness coach Evelina Hovich will show you how to move (literally) from feeling chronically exhausted, overwhelmed, and overweight to feeling the music in your heart and body again. With a potent mix of vibrancy coaching ‘ salsa, Evelina takes you from feeling like a total zombie to feeling ALIVE again: sensual, seen, energized, passionate, and playful.

Because Evelina’s coaching is known for making sluggish hormones dance to the right rhythm, she helps you alleviate insomnia, PMS, and reclaim your youthful energy so you want to get your high heels on and dance the night away again!  Drop everything you’re “supposed” to do (laundry, gym and kale chips) and shake your hips over to www.evelinahovich.com to grab a free sesh. YOU (my dancing queen) deserve it.

You can also receive a FREE 15-minute session along with Evelina’s “10 Steps for Overworked Moms to Dance Your Way to More Energy” and check out her Vibrant Health Dance for 1:1 coaching!