Kristy Jo Hunt is the CEO and founder of Body-Buddies, an online nutrition and fitness coaching company. She directs the creation and marketing of educational content and promotional materials. Additionally, she engages with clients one on one and in group coaching environments. Kristy received her Associates of Arts and a Bachelors of English degree; emphasis in Technical Writing from Utah Tech.
“I will never forget my first semester as a new student in the English program,” Kristy said. “Memories of feeling out of place, inarticulate, and lacking confidence to share my writing with my peers and professors were prominent. Over the course of the time it took to earn my degree, my confidence grew.” Her ability to communicate proficiently increased. Her professors and peers impacted her life in this way– to help her develop into the person she needed to be to put her message and story out into the world. The lesson behind this journey for her is community. She believes with a community of like-minded, encouraging, constructively critical (yet loving), any person can rise above their inner doubt to stop hiding in the shadows and take their place in the world. As Kristy reflects back on each semester of her time at UT, she chuckles with amazement. Every class, every project, probably every homework assignment prepared her for this entrepreneurial world of exploration, creativity, and confidence. From Document Design and Grammar to History of the English Language and her Capstone project, every class and professor shaped her knowledge and experience for her career.
Kristy grew up in Santa Clara, Utah. She was greatly attracted to UT because of the dance program and Dr. Lei, the director of dance. This was a very prominent part of her college experience and she will forever be grateful for the UT dance program. She is also grateful to see a new dance major has been implemented at Utah Tech in recently! Advice she would give to new alumni whom are seeking similar career goals is to ask questions. “Make a goal to ask a new question every day,” she said. “Stay after class to ask your professor a question. Pick their brain. Let their words shape you and sculpt you. They are wise, experienced, and will mold your abilities and character when you seek for that. When you become a person of character and critical thinking, any direction you go will be wonderful.”
Her formula to balance work-life has taken her a few years to figure out, and she doesn’t believe there is such thing as balance. Rather, she applies a philosophy of priority and constant evaluation. Life will never be perfectly balanced, but she seeks to keep the most important things in her life as the things on which she spends her time. Monthly, weekly, and daily planning help her to put into action the way she spends her time. Reflection keeps her honest and able to course correct when she gets off-track.
Her parents have been her 9-1-1 line for life for many years, and they have been “the most incredible sounding boards for business and life. [Her parents] have been quite genius in how they used their words to guide me in my journey.” Kristy’s journey is far from over, and their constant presence and guidance when she seeks it, means the world to her. Her favorite quote is from Eleanor Roosevelt: “You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.”