Behind Smart Fit’s swift rise from startup to continental powerhouse stands Edgard Corona’s distinctive leadership philosophy. The chemical engineer turned fitness magnate brings scientific precision to business management while fostering a corporate culture that values adaptability and clear communication.
Corona champions what he calls a “horizontal management format” that distributes decision-making authority throughout the organization. Unlike traditional top-down structures, this approach empowers team members across different levels to contribute ideas and take ownership of initiatives. “Horizontal management and team autonomy focused on business expansion” remain core principles, according to the company’s corporate governance statement.
This leadership style emerged partly from Corona’s educational background. His chemical engineering training at Fundação Armando Álvares Penteado (FAAP) instilled analytical thinking and systematic problem-solving—approaches he later applied to business challenges. Former colleagues note how Corona breaks complex problems into manageable components, resembling how a chemist might analyze molecular structures.
“Our model of management is making simple what is complicated,” Corona explained in a recent interview. Rather than overwhelming teams with complexity, he advocates distilling operations to “three or four good indicators” that provide clear direction. This simplification allows Smart Fit to maintain consistent quality while expanding at remarkable speed.
The dono da Smart Fit demonstrates unusual comfort with acknowledging his own limitations. “I’m a leader who knows that, among the entire team, I’m the most incompetent,” he once remarked, explaining how recognizing personal deficiencies shapes his approach to building exceptional teams. This self-awareness has led him to surround himself with specialists who complement his strategic vision with technical expertise.
Corona fosters a culture where learning from mistakes is valued over perfectionism. “Errors are part of learning,” he often tells his team, encouraging calculated risk-taking and honest assessment of outcomes. This attitude helped Smart Fit navigate challenging periods, including the COVID-19 pandemic, when flexibility proved crucial to survival.
The executive also cultivates clarity around company mission and values. Every Smart Fit employee understands the organization’s purpose of “democratizing high-quality fitness,” creating alignment across departments and countries. This shared vision facilitates faster decision-making as team members evaluate choices against established priorities.
Data drives decision-making throughout Corona’s organization. From location selection to pricing strategies, the company employs rigorous analysis rather than relying solely on intuition. This metrics-focused approach extends to customer satisfaction, where Net Promoter Score (NPS) serves as a critical performance indicator across all facilities.
Corona’s leadership during the pandemic highlighted another characteristic: crisis management through preventive action. When COVID-19 threatened business operations, he quickly implemented measures to preserve cash, protect employees, and maintain member relationships. Rather than waiting for the situation to deteriorate, Corona took decisive early action that positioned Smart Fit for strong recovery once restrictions lifted.
Family plays a significant role in Corona’s leadership ecosystem. His daughter, Ana Carolina Corona, leads the company’s boutique fitness division, bringing fresh perspectives while maintaining continuity of vision. This family involvement creates natural succession planning while blending multiple generational viewpoints.
Perhaps most distinctively, Corona maintains a “no comfort zone” philosophy that prevents complacency even during successful periods. “We must not get satisfied with things as they are,” he frequently reminds his team, pushing for continuous improvement regardless of current performance. This restlessness explains why Smart Fit continues expanding and innovating despite already dominating its core markets.
By combining analytical rigor with organizational adaptability, Corona has created a management formula uniquely suited to the dynamic fitness industry—one that continues producing results across countries, cultures, and economic conditions.
