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At the age of 23, Jennifer Hruz was working as a cashier when she decided something needed to change. She had been diagnosed with prediabetes and was grappling with anxiety and depression. Through lifestyle changes and therapy, she lost more than 100 pounds. Along the way, she discovered a passion for health and helping others, ultimately returning to school to become a registered nurse, then earning her master’s degree and becoming a family nurse practitioner.
In 2017, Hruz founded VIVA Wellness and created a new model of care, bringing medical weight management and functional wellness together. Since then, VIVA has grown into a multidisciplinary practice led by a team of nurse practitioners and nurses, and has served thousands of clients on their weight loss and wellness journeys. Rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach, VIVA provides personalized care designed around each client’s health, goals and well-being.
“Success, for me, is being able to help the most people possible.”
Q&A
What would you say to someone looking to get started in the weight loss industry?
You have to have the right intentions and you have to actually want to help people. This is not about money. We have to remember that we’re treating people, it’s not just some financial thing. You have to be passionate about it and you have to truly want to help people. I think that will make you successful.
What has been a recent challenge you’ve had to overcome?
There’s been a lot of industry changes with different classes of medications. It’s learning how to navigate that, especially in the GLP-1 market. Things are changing all the time, but it’s always just staying on top of current clinical guidelines and knowing what’s appropriate to use.
