Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey by launching a fitness business but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Diana Broschka, owner of G-Werx Fitness from Minneapolis, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Our patented Group Personal Training Service is provided to customers across seven generations of clients from '30s through '90s. Our group training program is 8-10 people per group, so clients get the personal attention they desire along with their autonomy and value by sharing the cost of the trainer. Our patented G-Werx machine and training methodology make it possible to bring people together through exercise. Our program has a window into the aging process; we've been training people since 2004 and have watched and participated in the aging process of clients. We have clients that have been with us since the beginning - 17 years and counting. We get ahead of the curve and incorporate balance, core strength, and cognitive stimulation in all our training sessions.
Tell us about yourself
I have a B.A. degree in accounting and information systems with a Master's degree in Finance. Before joining G-Werx, I was involved in corporate reengineering projects and various financial system implementation projects. My brain and experience are heavily grounded in analytics and technical logistics. These traits and skills translate to fitness training in our system as it utilizes a clear structure built on logical connections of movements and exercises.
I got involved with G-Werx in 2007, writing an expansion business plan and assisting the business founder with moving the group personal training program to a larger scale fitness environment. Ultimately, I became an investor in the business and have been involved since 2007. Today, I operate the Downtown Minneapolis studio. I love operating my fitness studio in the very community where I live. I have a deeply personal relationship with all my clients as the beauty of G-Werx is long-term connection and longevity through exercise.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
There are many. The most recent is a robust business model to survive the economic downturn of a global pandemic. Because of the long-term relationships and the deep trust among clients, we decided collectively that G-Werx Fitness would be one of the main activities clients kept in their lives when we were all being asked to stay home and isolate. The G-Werx community I manage and train is 100% vaccinated, with many already receiving their booster shots. As a smaller fitness environment with solid relationships, we could keep everyone safe with trust, cooperation, and personal responsibility.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Being a business owner requires strong adaptation skills. Being solo owner-operators of studios, all duties fall to one person, and there is a high degree of need to take on new skills, tasks, and responsibilities daily. Being a business owner who controls their destiny does come with uncertainty. If sales are not sufficient in any given month, then the owner does not get paid. A fitness service business caters to the needs and demands of clients, so there is no paid time off essentially, and time off is not dictated by the needs of the owners but the clients.
What are the top 3 tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
Be mindful of your strengths and weaknesses. Have a clear understanding of what you bring to the table and what you need to backfill through other resources. Plan the gaps in your skillset in advance and research the cost involved in hiring people to manage the tasks and duties you may not be able to handle yourself.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
I am very proud of clients who understand the value of fitness. During a global pandemic, clients prioritized fitness so they could remain active, healthy, and have a safe outlet to manage the stress of isolation. G-Werx clients believe in the collective good of the whole community of clients in our studio. I am proud my clients look out for the health of each other.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: http://www.gwerx.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GWerxFitnessDowntown
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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