Meet our 'Sub' brothers

The world of outdoor catering may have Preston’s globally famous ‘Spud Brothers’ but Lancashire’s fitness world has its own sibling powerhouse.

Sam and Jack Marsh are the driving force at Jigsaw Fitness, which has its head office in Burscough.

And their entrepreneurial endeavours have been recognised by Lancashire Business View’s Sub36 initiative. They are our very own ‘Sub Brothers’!

Sam, 34, who started on his entrepreneurial path when he set up the business in 2011, was named as ‘Innovator of the Year’ in 2019 at the Sub36 Awards.

And his brother Jack, 25, who joined the gym equipment business aged 19, was named in this year’s Sub36 ‘Now Generation’ list of future leaders.

Managing director Sam began his business journey by designing fitness equipment in his backyard, spurred on by a comment made by a university lecturer.

He says: “I can remember our lecturer saying that when you leave here, you have to get a job.

“I had a moment where I thought I really don’t want to go and work with somebody. I don’t think I’m cut out for that.”

Sam’s early equipment designs included a square tyre that could flip in a straight line.

He says: “I drove around with one on my car roof and took it to loads of different gyms. I talked people’s ears off about it.”

That hustle paid off when Fitness First picked up the product, launching Sam into the industry. From those humble beginnings the business has now grown to boast a team of 42.

The business designs and manufactures custom gym equipment for fitness studios and individuals. It also has growing premium home fitness brand – Solo Fitness – which designs and equips luxury home gyms.

Operations director Jack chose to work with Sam over being involved in their father’s established fuel management company.

Sam says: “There’s not many other people, especially at his age, that have been through what we have been through. I’m a very proud big brother to watch him do what he does.”

Jack says of his inclusion in our Now Generation list: “It feels really good to be recognised. It’s a great achievement and fundamentally I want more success.

“Achievements along the way make you stop and think, ‘Yeah, I actually am on the right path and I’m doing well.’”

Sam says of his Sub36 award win: “It was really cool and never in a million years did I think would win it.

“When they called my name out, I could not believe it. It was crazy and exciting.

“The confidence winning an award gives you is amazing. You feel like you have obviously done something right and you’re going
in the right direction.”

The brothers say they have grown into their roles in the business through experience rather than formal training.

Sam says: “As the most underqualified person in the company, it has taken a lot of learning and making massive errors.

“We’ve got a really young team who are brilliant and a lot of people have been here since the start. It’s one of those things where we’re all learning as we go.”

Jack adds: “I learned a lot of what I do by doing and basically just did whatever was needed at the time.”

Sam says the best piece of advice he has been given on his journey in business is ‘don’t give up’.

He adds: “There have been times when you just feel like it’s wrong. It’s about saying, ‘I’m just going to keep going’.

“However hard it is, you can change course and that will give you more decisions, you should always carry on.”

Jack has some advice for young people making their way in business in Lancashire.

He says: “Sometimes you second guess yourself because you are young. You have to realise you have delivered a lot of cool stuff.

It is a case of if you are young enough, you are good enough.”

Jack says: “We very much complement each other. Sam’s very much focused on the 50 per cent that I’m not focused on.
I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Sam.”

Sam adds: “We’re a very tight family and there’s no holds barred when we go at each other, but it’s never from a place other than complete love.

“It’s so important that you are brothers first and then we’re on this mad journey and we can talk about it over a pint.”

Jigsaw has grown over the years without external investment and the brothers are looking to the future especially after winning
the Scale-Up category at the Red Rose Awards earlier this year.

Sam says: “We’ve never had any investment and are still owned by myself and my mum.

"We are not beholden to anyone else and we can do whatever we want.”

With growth on his mind, he says: “Solo, our home fitness brand, is really exciting for us and we are looking to expand in the US. We are working on a boxing range too.”