We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Mac Carvalho . We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Mac below.
Mac, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?
To be successful in this world, you must be your authentic self. Is it cliche? Absolutely! Have you probably heard this same message thousands of times? More than likely. But guess what? The only one that looks like you in the room that’s effective & successful is YOU! People nowadays can easily tell if you’re coming off as inauthentic. If you feel as though you have to succumb to fit in with your peers, career, family, or society as a whole; then you will never have a successful & fulfilled life. Successful people have the confidence to not care about what everyone thinks. Successful people don’t follow trends, they create or tend not to follow trends. Successful people have bigger purposes that have deeper connections than just the physical. So yes, being yourself 100% is a cliche thing to say, but if everyone is saying it… then chances are, it’s on the path to you being successful.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
If you missed the description after my name (LOL) then I’m a Full-Time Group Fitness Instructor & Personal Trainer based in New Bedford, MA. I started teaching Group Fitness when I was 18 years old back in 2012 and have held over 25+ licenses & certifications.
Flash forward 11 years, and I am now the fitness sponsor for Miss Southeastern Massachusetts & the Miss Massachusetts Outstanding Teen, a Master Trainer for the SOUL Fitness Brands & WATERInMOTION, an instructor for HIGH Fitness on their on-demand platform, a personal trainer, and a fitness presenter for a national fitness convention.
What’s exciting about my career isn’t that I get paid to work out, it’s the camaraderie that I thrive off of. My students coming up to me saying that my sessions made their day better, letting me know that they have the confidence to wear clothing they never thought they could, and telling me that they’re becoming an instructor because of me. Those are the moments that I cherish more than someone telling me they lost a bunch of weight coming to my classes. Yeah, that’s nice and all, but those little moments are the reason I do what I do.
And to think that this shy, awkward, closeted teenager would go from someone who thought they could never be a leader, to someone who’s leading thousands of people on the daily through fitness! I say to myself “What would have happened if you didn’t listen to your inner voice?” “What would you be doing now?” Those moments happen and I hope that every single one of you listens to them!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
1. Patience: Patience is a virtue, my friends. When you start off as a new trainer or instructor, do not expect HUGE classes or an influx of people wanting to train with you. They don’t know who you are, what your services are, what qualifications you have, and if you’re any good at your job. When I started off, I started with a Saturday morning class with TWO people (yeah, 2 people) my grandmother and the studio owner. It was like that for a while & I kept wondering if I would numbers grow and if I made the right decision. But trust me when I tell you, if you LOVE teaching, don’t stop. People will spread the word and you will see the numbers you want to see.
2. Drive: You must put in the gritty work in order to stay current in this industry. Continue your education, Take new workshops or certifications, take other instructor’s classes, go to fitness conventions, I mean…the possibilities are endless. The moment you stop growing is the moment you stop thriving. Just like having to upskill in your current field, fitness is no exception.
3. Having a presence online: If you’re planning on being a fitness professional, you need to have a presence on social media. point blank period. How is anybody going to know who you are, where you’re at, what classes you teach, and what services you provide if you don’t have a social media account? Social media is FREE advertising at your fingertips. More of a private person? Keep those moments private and make a fitness account that’s PUBLIC for everyone to see. Your fitness account does not need to be some fancy name, it can simply be “firstnamelastnamefitness” that way people who want to inquire about you know who you are, what you do and how they can find you. In today’s day in age, you cannot be successful without a platform online. If you’re not savvy on social, there’s plenty of FREE resources out there to help get you started!
Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
I’m very fortunate & privileged to have the parents that I have. They have always given me solid advice, helped me with any and everything that I’ve ever gone through, loved me for who I am as a gay male and never treated me any differently because of it, and supported me in achieving anything I did as a kid. Not everyone has that so if any of you need someone to talk to, chat with me anytime on social!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mactiv8/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MacCarvalho93/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mactiv8/
- Other: www.tiktok.com/@mactiv8
Image Credits
I have the rights to these photographs
