Jenny Craig

Jenny Craig was born Genevieve Guidroz in 1932. A native of Berwick, Louisiana, she moved with her family to New Orleans as an infant. She was the youngest of six children, and her father usually held two or three jobs to support his large family. He worked as a carpenter, a river pilot, and a longshoreman. At different times in his life, he also owned and operated restaurants and bars. It was important to him that his children get a good education, and he served as a role model for the importance of working hard and instilled a strong work ethic in all of his children.

Craig's mother stayed home to take care of the children. "We didn't have much in a material way, but I grew up in a very loving family," says Craig.

The Guidroz family lived in a lower-middle class neighborhood, but Craig says she never felt very poor because everyone she knew was in the same financial situation. As a young girl during summer vacations, Craig helped her brothers and sisters fish for crabs, which her mother stuffed and sold to local restaurants. In high school, she worked in the dental clinic at Charity Hospital. Fascinated by the medical community, she considered becoming a dental hygienist.

She was an excellent student and enjoyed school, but college was not in her future. Craig knew her family couldn't afford to send her, but she was also eager to join the work world. When Craig was 19, her mother died after a series of strokes. Craig had been her mother's primary caretaker. "I was the only one still living at home when my mother became ill," she says. "It was a very difficult time for me."

After high school, Craig worked for Louisiana's first practicing oral surgeon. She continued to do so after her marriage and until the birth of her first daughter, Denise. Later, during her pregnancy with her youngest daughter, Michelle, Craig gained more than 50 pounds. Knowing that her mother's hypertension and eventual strokes were weight-related, she decided to seek professional help through a local gym.

After Craig returned to her pre-pregnancy weight, the gym's owner offered her a management position that eventually led to her managing two more gyms. As she researched obesity and its causes, she realized little was being taught about the kind of lifestyle conducive to long-term health. That prompted her, along with a partner, to open a gym called Healthletic.

After selling the Healthletic gym, she met Sid Craig while looking for a franchise opportunity. The interview resulted in a job with Body Contour, Inc., a new company with Sid Craig as its president. She went from center manager to regional supervisor and eventually was in charge of all company operations. She moved to California in 1978 to join the corporate staff. She and Sid were married a year later.

In 1982, the Craigs sold their interest in Body Contour, Inc. and moved to Australia to develop a chain of weight-loss centers that emphasized health and long-term weight maintenance. Jenny Craig, Inc. was based on the theory that a healthy body could be achieved through nutritious eating, physical activity, and positive lifestyle changes.

Jenny Craig International became one of the world's largest weight-management companies. Proud of all they had achieved together and ready for retirement, the Craigs sold the company in 2006.

When asked about her success, Jenny Craig says, "You can't help but achieve success if you are doing what you love to do. That is the advice I have for young people. Find something that you are passionate about, and then take it as far as your dreams can go. Don't be afraid to dream big. Work hard to achieve your dreams, and do it with passion."

Craig believes it takes great commitment to reach the heights of success. "Many people want success," she says, "but are unwilling to do what has to be done to be successful. It's all about commitment, focusing on your goals, and being completely committed to achieving them."