Boost support unlocks corporate market for personal trainer

A Preston-based fitness specialist has developed a new income stream in the corporate market after support from Boost – Lancashire’s business growth hub.

Personal trainer Ian Worthington has secured business in the hotel and finance sectors with his interactive training programmes thanks to Boost’s Growth Support Programme.

He has also moved his business to a purpose-built home office and launched a dedicated interactive website to deliver personal training and corporate packages offering individual fitness targets and diet plans for employees.

Ian set up GymWolfPT in 2017 while working full-time in senior management. Seeking to escape the bureaucracy and stress of a senior role and find more positive family time, he turned to his passion for fitness for a new start.

Since Boost support Ian now works full-time managing GymWolfPT and has positioned himself as a health and fitness specialist for businesses, with clients including S Fox Wealth Management and HY Hotels.

“Working predominantly within the operational side of a large organisation meant I’d never had much exposure to sales and marketing. The Boost workshops really helped me to gain the confidence to get out there and develop my elevator pitch.”

As part of his plans to set up his own business, Ian studied part-time and gained a business degree from UCLan. This enabled him to join Propeller (formerly Northern Lights) a new business support programme offered via the university. He was subsequently then introduced to Boost.

Boost is Lancashire's Business Growth Hub and is led by the Lancashire LEP (Local Enterprise Partnership) and Lancashire County Council and supported by funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Boost’s fully-funded Growth Support Programme is designed to support individuals and SMEs in Lancashire. It offers a range of services and support to help them to deal with challenges in sales, marketing, finance, business planning and recruitment.

Ian attended the programme’s ‘Can’t Sell, Won’t Sell’ and marketing workshops and received several one-to-one coaching sessions from a dedicated Boost advisor.

Ian said: “I received expert advice and gained access to invaluable knowledge on a whole range of topics through Boost’s sales and marketing programme.

“I also gained some great ideas and strategic guidance from the coaching meetings and I now have access to such a wide field of expertise.”

Ian’s corporate fitness plans include customised workout plans, training advice and nutritional tips, with access to online training videos. His high-end business clients can monitor their progress using interactive apps and Ian uses Skype for business carry out daily fitness routines with international business clients.

With the GymWolfPT website now launched, Ian is keen to increase his reach online to corporates. The Boost GSP workshops have helped him to understand how to create a wider network of business connections through LinkedIn and other social media platforms.

Over the next 18 months, Ian plans further to develop his online Get Fit Club training videos and corporate services to include bespoke senior executive level packages. He is also developing fitness services as branded programmes for hotels with gym and leisure facilities.

Ian added: “The Boost team couldn’t have been more helpful and friendly. I seem to be able to ask them anything and they’ll always try to help.

“I even found my web designer through Boost. Mathew Dobson was also on the programme looking to start up his own business called Pink Dog Media. It’s been great to be able to support each other.”

Rafik Adam, CEO at Enterprise4All said: “We work with a lot of entrepreneurial-minded people like Ian, who come to us with some great innovative and original ideas. They just need direction and encouragement to take their ideas further and work on turning them into a business.

“Ian has identified a way to turn his talent and interest in personal training into a viable yet niche business that targets the corporate market. He’s certainly on track for a healthy future for his business.”

Boost has received £3.8m of funding from the England European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is the Managing Authority for ERDF. Established by the European Union, ERDF funds help local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support innovation, businesses, create jobs and local community regenerations. For more information visit https://www.gov.uk/european-growth-funding.