Gigliola Aycardi

Gigliola Aycardi is Co-Founder & Executive Vice President of Bodytech Colombia.

Dynamic industrial engineer from Javeriana University, epitomizes entrepreneurship and independence. After completing her MBA at the University of Los Andes in Bogotá in 1996, she made a conscious decision to forge her path, culminating in the co-founding of the renowned sports medical club chain BODYTECH alongside Nicolás Loaiza. Hailing from Ocaña, Norte de Santander, Gigliola’s passion for family travel, sports, and technology fuels her relentless pursuit of business endeavors. Her illustrious career spans leadership roles in esteemed national organizations, before cementing her legacy as a leading entrepreneur.

At 54 years of age, this entrepreneur has been recognized for her leadership and perseverance  when starting projects. For this reason, in 2012 she received the National Award for Communication and Journalism Alfonso López Michelsen along with his work team for the magazine Bodytech Fitness Magazine.

Since 2007, Gigliola and Nicolas (BODYTECH) have been part of the 102 entrepreneurs of Endeavor in Colombia, an entity with global reach that supports economic development and entrepreneurship of high impact companies in emerging economies.

For 4 years he led the operation of Bodytech in Peru and supported the constant growth of the organization in this territory. During her career as an entrepreneur she has been awarded with Entrepreneur of the Year awards in Colombia in 2014, and was nominated along with her partner Nicolás Loaiza to the World Entrepreneur of the Year award in Monaco in June 2015 (both awards from Ernst and Young). Since 2018 he is part of the Board of Directors of the EAN University, the University of Entrepreneurs in Colombia. She founded Athletic in 2019, the second low cost brand for the Bodytech Group, an irreverent a modern brand for the young segment that loves exercise. Her advice for success is: Work, work and work; Fight for the dreams; not accept a “NO” as an answer and all this supported by the confidence and belief of each one’s ideas. “Entrepreneurship is synonymous with hard work. Nothing is achieved without effort, the path of entrepreneurship means more work, more effort “. In addition to saying that “Luck does exist but they deliver it at 5 am. Everyday”. 

Gigliola is also a speaker at Beyond Activ Americas in NYC, USA.